Despite our badgering he remained tight-lipped as he led us out of town. The doors we passed were all painted with a rune and had windows bound in iron. It looked extreme, but none of the town folk we saw seemed concerned.

Devon swerved through the trees following an unseen winding path that led us deeper into the forest. After five minutes, he finally stopped and scanned the area.

I sniffed the air, but only mildew and dirt filled my nostrils.

He moved to a tree with a thick trunk and placed his hand along the raised bark.

“What are we doing?” I asked.

He ignored me and trailed his fingers along a groove till he hit a burl and stopped. One knock, twice, and then a third just above the burl, each echo hollow.

His fingers became steel and he jabbed forward, his hand sinking up to his wrist inside the oak.

The air in front of him distorted and fractured, revealing dull splashes of red behind the haze.

“Walk in,” he ordered.

Alice stepped forward before I could voice another question, leaving me to follow. As I approached the distortion; it bent around my skin. My cloak stretched above my body and dispelled the haze, leaving the air smooth like glass.

I emerged through and stopped behind Alice as a barrage of noise assaulted my ears.

“I’m telling you, it’s not enough! We’re the lowest population of Grimms in the last seven hundred years. You can’t tell me it’s fine!” screamed one man.

Garret of all people, was his opponent, the two standing opposite of each other inside a ring surrounded by other Grimms. Each one had their cloaks up, and I could only recognize Kramer.

The ring’s center was blank, made of what looked like white chalk. But the out rings had dozens upon dozens of runes made of the same red paint as the ones painted onto the doors and trees.

“It’ll have to be, Voldeg. Pull the claw out of your ass. Unless you know where to find more Grimms.”

“We know where,” he growled. “You just refuse to use them.”

Garret glared, but the others turned when Kramer stepped between them. The silent man looked the same as the last time I saw him, his eyes glued to Devon.

Devon took position against a trunk and looked the screaming Grimm up and down. “You want to toss pups into battle, Voldeg?”

Voldeg straightened, his eyes darting to where Alice and I stood. “You’re one to talk. You left to go train some pups. Isn’t that exactly what I’m suggesting?”

Devon turned to the others, passing over Garret who made no attempt to hide his snarl.

“Who’s in agreement?”

Four of the nine Grimms raised their hands.

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He stopped at a woman with bright orange hair. She crossed her arms and stood straighter.

“Your last pup was killed in the first six months under your mentorship. Two and a half years of training. You agree with Voldeg?” he asked.

Her nails dug into her forearm but she nodded. “That’s low, Devon.”

“Answer the question,” he ordered.

The other Grimms froze, and a few shifted the color of their irises. I felt the command wash over me, but it was crushed before my thoughts could spiral.

“I do,” she spat. “If Astra is right, there’s no other choice.”

A second woman, one with dark brown hair and a massive scar over her right eye, pointed a finger in my direction. “Why are they here? This isn’t the place for pups.”

“They’re fighting.”

She pursed her lips. “And so are the others. Why are they here?”

“Because I brought them here.”

“Damnit, Devon,” she growled. “Why?”

Devon continued to look unbothered as he met the others’ eyes. One by one they looked away until he returned to the woman.

“Why are we here?” he asked.

“You already know why were here, Devon. We are deciding on what to do about the Blood Harvest.”

“Why?”

“I’m not doing this. Go play your stupid games with someone else.”

He ignored her and raised his voice. “We’re here because we hunt. Grimms keep the worlds in check, protect the Nexus. Am I wrong?”

Nobody disagreed.

“We’re here because it's our duty. And for that duty, our lives are expendable. Another wolf on the endless hunt.”

Voldeg opened his mouth but Kramer glared at him into silence.

“You’re wrong about why we're here,” he finished. “Debating on restarting the rituals doesn’t matter. That decision was never yours to make.”

This finally got a reaction other than silence. Three of the oldest Grimms reached for their weapons while the younger looked around in confusion. I moved closer to Alice and placed a hand along my belt.

“Pups insulting pups.”

My eyes widened and I turned to the voice’s owner. Grim was there, sitting on a tree branch. He jumped down and the others bowed their heads.

Everyone, except Alice and I.

The woman who spoke against us being here had her arms shaking as if she was fighting against being pressed down.

What’s he doing here?

Alice stared, her eyes swirling red as her fingers flexed. I tapped her lower back and she glanced my way, calming down as she did.

Grim smiled our way but kept his eyes locked onto the woman.

“Renaris,” he whispered, as if testing the word for the first time. “You object to their presence because they are pups.”

It wasn’t a question but she nodded jerkily.

“Because they are pups, they’re too inexperienced, too childish to understand the Hunt and its need.”

She nodded a second time, her arm nearly giving out as she leaned forward.

Grim clapped his hands and the hunters collapsed.

He turned and regarded us cooly, an entire emotional change-up from the devilish grin a second before.

“Would you call yourself weak, Cain?”

I frowned and glanced around but nobody dared to lift their heads.

Why? What is happening?

“I,” I started. “I’m not useless.”

His eyes flashed orange and scarlet, with golden flames swirling underneath.

“You, Alice? Do you consider yourself weak?”

She met Grim’s eyes. “No.”

“Then it's decided,” Grimm chuckled. “They’ll collect the sacrifice in four days' time. If they lose no pups will be considered. If they win, the rituals will begin, and those unneeded for the preparations will bring them on hunts.”

“Prime,” Devon whispered.

His voice carried throughout the clearing, even if it was soft-spoken.

“Yes?” Grimm asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Are you sure?”

Grimm bent down and lifted Devon’s chin.

For a tense moment, they stared at each other, neither blinking.

“I’ve made myself clear. Do not ask me to repeat myself, Hjartalauss.”

Devon lowered his head and Grim turned. He conjured a marble made of red flames that swirled with hazy heat lines.

“I will hunt the cowards who fail to attend. The Pack calls, and the wild hunt stirs once more,” he said, his words like the pounding of drums against my ears. “Ek kveikja vígs loga.”

He leaned forward and pressed the marble to the chalk. It exploded in scarlet flames that rose up to his knees.

My eyes met his, and he swiped a claw through the fire, pulling at the mana that flooded the area. Before his body was blocked by the firewall he flicked the marble and it rocketed into my chest.

“Don’t disappoint me, Cain.”