Jack watched Bitter weaving through the trees to their right. It was nothing unusual—Bitter often wandered off to explore during their walks, always returning with a small trophy from his adventures.

  Turning to Kleo, Jack asked, "Why the abbey?"

  "No particular reason," she said with a casual shrug. "It's the next logical stop. Chief Barry said it's small—only a few buildings. I'm hoping they'll let us stay the night. We could learn something useful while we're there."

  "Think we'll make it before dark?"

  "Late afternoon," Kleo replied. Seeing Jack's expression, she smirked. "In time for dinner, if that's what you're worried about."

  Jack scratched his neck. "Why would I be worried about that?"

  Kleo gave him a look. "Right. As if you've never been driven by your stomach before."

  Jack laughed, knowing he was caught.

  They walked on in companionable silence as warm sunlight filtered through the canopy. She kept to herself that her Kadas Shadoom was guiding her to the abbey—and said nothing of the dream. Jack didn't need to know. His unpredictable, spontaneous nature was a strength; she wouldn't risk dampening it with unnecessary worries.

  "How about a nature break?" Kleo suggested. "Time to recycle that tea."

  "Good idea." Jack pointed to a cluster of trees. "I'll go this way. Don't wander too far."

  Kleo disappeared into the woods, and Jack found a quiet spot nearby. As he unfastened his trousers, his blade's weight unexpectedly pulled them down. He muttered a curse but didn't bother pulling them up. While whistling a tune he'd learned in the Woog village, he glanced around, feeling relaxed and enjoying the moment—until Bitter streaked past in a blur of black fur.

  Jack froze, his heart racing. A low snarl pierced the air, followed by a sharp, wet snap that sent adrenaline surging through him. Bitter emerged from the trees with a goblin-like creature dangling from his jaws.

  What the hell?

  Movement to Jack's left caught his eye—a second goblin charged at him, snarling and brandishing a wicked blade. His hand shot instinctively to his side for his sacred dagger, but it lay on the ground with his fallen pants. Panic surged through him, but Jack raised his hands, focusing his mana as Kleo had taught him. He pushed with a sharp exhale, and the force wave hit the goblin squarely, lifting it off its feet and slamming it into a tree. A sickening crack confirmed Jack’s aim—the goblin hung motionless, impaled on a jagged branch.

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  Surprised by his success, he exhaled and bent down to pull up his trousers—only to hear the distinct buzz of an arrow slicing through the air, followed by the thunk of wood and quiver of the shaft as it embedded in the tree behind him. Stunned by the close call, he rose to defend against the next assault, pants still around his ankles, when a goblin staggered toward him. The creature was bleeding heavily, Kleo's dagger lodged deep in its back, and it collapsed at his feet.

  Kleo emerged from the brush, her expression dancing between amusement and exasperation. "What's happening here, and why wasn't I invited to the party?"

  Jack flushed, fumbling with his trousers while Kleo nudged the goblin's lifeless body aside with her boot. Before either could speak, another scream split the woods. Bitter's low growl echoed from the brush, followed by a chilling silence.

  "Let's move," Jack said, his voice low and urgent.

  Kleo nodded, wiping her blade clean on the goblin's ragged tunic. "Goblins?"

  Jack nodded. "They match all the stories—though this is my first time seeing one in person."

  "What about Bitter?"

  "Bitter can handle himself. Let's get some distance first—we'll wait for him somewhere safer."

  Kleo knelt to retrieve something from the goblin's remains as they moved. Jack glanced over. "What's that?"

  "Looks like a map," Kleo said, slipping it into her pouch. "We'll check it when we're out of the woods."

  Jack smirked at her unintended pun. Even with the tension of the ambush lingering, they shared a quiet laugh as they quickened their pace.

  After covering a safe distance, they stopped. Jack was breathless from their brisk pace, while Kleo remained as composed as ever. She scanned the trail behind them for pursuers but found nothing.

  Reaching out with her senses, she tried to locate Bitter, but the wolf remained elusive—without his corruption, he was no longer tethered to her awareness. Though she trusted he could handle himself, she hesitated to move too far ahead of their loyal scout, sentry, and occasional food provider.

  "So," Kleo said, her tone light but pointed, "what did we learn back there?"

  Jack exhaled, scratching his head. He knew exactly where this was going and decided to take his lumps. "Not to get caught with your pants down—literally."

  Kleo smirked, her eyes sparkling. "I only caught the tail end of the action, but I have to say, your form looked solid. I can see why they were so drawn to you."

  Jack groaned, shaking his head as her teasing landed its mark. "Go ahead. Get it all out of your system."

  Her grin widened as she feigned thoughtfulness. "Still impaling one with a tree branch? That was art—a statement piece. A little showy but effective."

  "That wasn’t intentional," Jack said with a rueful chuckle. "The impact would have done the job—I hit him harder than I meant to. It just... happened."

  "Well, good," Kleo said with a nod. "Still, you might want to work on control. Sometimes, a softer touch is more effective. But I'd go with force whenever I had to choose."

  Jack shot her a mischievous grin. "I'll remember that next time we're in bed."

  Kleo raised an eyebrow, her voice dropping into a sultry tone. "Oooh, I'll be holding you to that."

  They shared a laugh before Kleo placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning in to give him a quick kiss. "Seriously, though, don't overthink it. Things happen. What matters is that you adapt. And the real takeaway here is this: we’re never truly safe. We need to stay sharp and on our toes."

  Jack nodded, her words sobering him. "Got it. Lesson learned."