Kael surged forward the moment Ash moved.

  The wolf-like creature reacted instantly, abandoning its pursuit of the woman and pivoting toward the new threat. Its black eyes locked onto Kael, unreadable and cold, its body lowering into a predator’s stance that spoke of experience not hunger, but intent.

  It wasn’t the same as the monsters Kael had faced before.

  This one thought.

  The woman screamed again, a broken, panicked sound, and stumbled behind a tree, collapsing to the ground as if her legs had finally given out. Kael didn’t look back. He couldn’t afford to.

  His blessing sharpened his focus, narrowing the world to movement and distance. Go! So he went.

  “Ash,” he breathed.

  The pup launched forward with a sharp yip, far louder than his size suggested. He hit the creature from the side, snapping at its neck, forcing it to twist away from Kael’s spear.

  Too slow.

  The creature lunged first, claws flashing. Kael twisted left on instinct, feeling air tear past where his ribs had been a heartbeat before. He drove the spear forward as he moved, the tip sinking into dark fur along the creature’s side.

  Not deep enough.

  The creature howled an ugly, distorted sound and bucked violently. Ash clung to its back, teeth bared, growling through clenched jaws as he bit down hard at the base of its neck. The creature snapped blindly, trying to dislodge him.

  Kael didn’t hesitate.

  He dropped the spear and wrenched his axe free, the familiar weight grounding him. His arms burned as he swung, the blade biting into muscle and bone. The impact shuddered through him, jarring his shoulders, but the creature stumbled.

  “Stay down!” Kael shouted toward the woman without looking. “Don’t move!”

  She didn’t argue. He caught a glimpse of her crouched low behind the tree, arms wrapped around herself, eyes wide but fixed on him watching, trusting.

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  The creature twisted again, wild now, fear edging into its movements. Kael ducked another swipe, dirt spraying into his face, and brought the axe down once more. Ash growled savagely, holding on despite being shaken like a rag.

  Together, they pressed the attack no finesse, no wasted motion. Just survival.

  With a final, coordinated strike Ash biting down as Kael drove the axe deep the creature let out a sharp, broken yelp and collapsed into the leaves. Its body twitched once… then went still.

  Silence rushed back in.

  Kael staggered a step, chest heaving, and lowered the axe with shaking hands. Ash released his grip and hopped back, panting hard, fur bristled but tail flicking uncertainly.

  The forest seemed to exhale.

  Kael forced himself to stay alert, scanning the trees for movement, for more black eyes watching from the shadows. Nothing came. Slowly, reluctantly, the tension eased.

  Only then did he turn.

  The woman was still trembling, hands clenched in the fabric of her torn clothes. Dirt streaked her face, and her breath came in uneven gasps. Kael approached carefully, keeping distance, lowering his axe but not setting it aside.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, voice rough.

  She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I… I don’t think so.” Her voice cracked. “You… you saved me.”

  Kael nodded once, eyes flicking back to the trees. “Who are you?”

  She hesitated, then straightened slightly, as if remembering herself. “My name is Elin.” She drew in a shaky breath. “My village was attacked. I ran. I didn’t know where else to go.”

  The words landed heavily.

  Ash padded forward before Kael could stop him, sniffing at her cautiously. Elin stiffened but didn’t pull away. Slowly, she lowered one trembling hand.

  Ash sniffed again… then pressed his head into her palm.

  Elin let out a small, broken laugh, half sob, half relief.

  Kael felt something unclench in his chest.

  “You’ve seen creatures like that before?” he asked carefully.

  Elin nodded faintly. “Not that one. But… others. Strange things.” Her eyes flicked to the fallen body. “Magic is real. I know that much. I just… don’t know how much of it there is.”

  Kael studied her. She didn’t look strong. Didn’t look prepared. But there was honesty there and something else. The same raw resilience he’d felt in himself when everything familiar had burned away.

  “We shouldn’t stay here,” he said finally. “There may be more.”

  Elin nodded immediately. “I can walk.”

  Kael glanced down at Ash. The pup barked once, sharp and decisive.

  Together, they turned back toward the village ruins the tower rising pale and broken beyond the trees. Kael led the way, every sense still sharp, every shadow suspect.

  But for the first time in a long while, the path behind him wasn’t empty.

  And the forest noticed.