Ike walked through the woods, following Orin’s directions to the Fulgur-Loups as best he could. He’d tried wearing the second toad armor backward, but the combined stiffness made it too stiff to move, so he’d put it back in his pack for now. I’ll improve the armor later. When I have the time to measure and cut it properly. Better to wait and make it properly later, than rush and make it poorly now.

I’d stop and improve it now, but…He cast a look at Rosamund. The sooner I’m free of her, the better.

At this point, it’s probably better to think of this as a scouting run. Once Rosamund gives up and goes home, I’ll come back out and actually hunt. Right now, I’ll just learn everything I can about the Fulgur-Loups, so I’ll have a better chance of success later.

He patted his arm. It wasn’t a total wash, at least. He had the toad skin. Back at the outpost, he could refine it into real armor over the course of the next few days. Really, Rosamund had only made his eventual run at the hunt so much more likely to be successful. He smiled at her back, pleased with himself.

She turned. “What?”

“Nothing.” Ike stopped smiling and stared off into the distance again. His eyes landed on a dead tree, and he jolted. Quickly, he yanked out the book and checked Orin’s notes again.

Past the place we found THOSE mushrooms, there’s a lightning-struck tree. That’s the sign you’re getting close. Mind the hole.

Ike leaned, peering through the tangled undergrowth. A dark, hollow line carved through the dead tree. Charred black edges surrounded the line.

“We’re close. Be on guard,” he said, snapping the book shut and sliding it back into his pack.

Rosamund rushed ahead. Her handmaids followed after her. The long-haired one glanced back at Ike, then followed after the other two.

Ike fell back. He let them charge ahead. Here goes the scouting run. She’ll probably try to sabotage me somehow, but with this much distance between us, I should see it coming. He rested his hand on the blade on his hip and waited, subtly tensing.

The forest darkened ahead of them, as if something sucked away the light. Overhead, the canopy grew denser, and so, too, did the undergrowth. Even so, the light that filtered through grew dimmer. Heavy leaf mould built up underfoot. Ike’s feet slipped a little on the damp decay as he kicked his way through the vines and small trees. Not even a deer path wound through the forest, as if nothing ever came back here at all.

Maybe I was wrong. Ike reached for the book, only for Rosamund to shriek.

Startled, Ike whirled, drawing his blade, but there were no wolves. Only Rosamund, clutching her handmaid.

What now? Sheathing his sword again, he crossed to her side.

Birdsong quieted. The dim light grew yet dimmer. The treeline abruptly fell away, and Ike found himself standing on the edge of a sharp cliff. Startled, he jolted to a halt. His feet slipped out from under him. Ike grabbed onto a nearby sapling and caught himself inches before he fell. Leaf mould spilled down, pebbles knocking against the wall. Down, down, down. Ike hissed a breath, gazing into the depths.

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A gorge gaped. Shadow obscured its depths. The entire slums could have fit across it. Wind whistled down sheer stone walls. Any edges or gaps had been whittled down by the flow of an ancient water to a smooth, rounded surface. The gorge extended far in either direction, so long no one could see its end.

Icy cold emanated from the gap. Without being told, Ike already knew what he looked at.

“The Abyss,” Ike murmured.

Backing away, he shook his head. He understood why Silver had warned him of it. The way it suddenly opened in flat ground was bad enough. Once he added in the slippery footing and thick undergrowth hiding its edges, he completely understood why there were so many myths about ‘a hole in the ground.’ It’s no boogeyman, but it is treacherous.

“What are we doing here? This close…what if we fall in? The Abyss eats mana. It disables skills! Are you insane?” Rosamund asked, staggering dramatically away from the Abyss. She ran her hair back, still staring at the Abyss in shock.

“Fulgur-Loups live near the Abyss,” Ike said evenly. She knows more about the Abyss than I do. It’s more than just a boogeyman, it seems.

He turned toward it again. After a moment, he shook his head. I won’t abandon the hunt now over a boogeyman. I didn’t come all this way for nothing.

Her face crinkled. “You’re doing this deliberately. You picked this hunt to put me through hell! First the filthy toads in their disgusting swamp, now hunting near the Abyss, which no one can escape from…are you trying to kill me?”

Just because you’re here to sabotage me, doesn’t mean I’m here to sabotage you. Ike sighed. “If you want to go home, feel free. I’m sure your handmaids can guide you back to the wall.”

Her face twisted obstinately. She lifted her nose and marched off into the woods. “I won’t be scared off so easily.”

Ike shrugged at her back and followed her again.

Awooooooooo.

Rosamund whipped around, lifting her head. She ran off into the forest, toward the howl. Ike followed cautiously, letting her pull ahead.

Ahead, a dense stand of trees blocked the path. Rosamund gestured, and they bent aside.

A single wolf prowled through the woods ahead of them. Silver shot through its pale gray coat. The streaks combined into a pale fringe at the edge of its underbelly. The wolf gazed at them with dark eyes. It stepped quietly through the underbrush, head low, rear high, ready to pounce.

Wolves don’t hunt alone. Ike drew his sword, backing away.

Rosamund rushed in. She gestured, and a pink rose materialized before her. It flew at the wolf.

The wolf leaped to the side. It fell back, into the underbrush.

Rosamund flicked her fingers. Behind the wolf, the underbrush reached for it.

Startled, the wolf leaped out of the underbrush and charged directly at Rosamund. With a laugh, Rosamund clapped. Thick vines burst from the ground and wrapped the wolf, immobilizing it. She turned, curtseying at Ike. “That’s how you elegantly—”

The undergrowth rustled. Shadows closed in.

“Watch out!” Ike shouted, racing in. Did she not realize? Even if she’s a sabotaging douchebag, I’m not going to stand here and let her die.

From every side, other wolves leaped at Rosamund. Rosamund screamed, but only for a second. She looked Ike in the eye and grinned. Under her foot, a rose appeared. It burst into the sky, carrying Rosamund with it.

Taking their cue from Rosamund, the handmaids mounted their brooms and took to the air.

The wolves landed. With no quarry left to attack, they rounded on Ike.

Ike pressed his lips together. He backed away. Fuck you, Rosamund.

As they closed in, a last wolf stalked out of the woods behind the rest. Lightning flickered around its body. Its eyes gleamed with silvery light. It lifted its head and let out that same eerie howl as before.

Ike backed away evenly, drawing his sword. He faced the wolves, lifting his head to gaze at the brightest one in the back. That one has the skill I’m after. That’s the only one I need to fight.

The wolves charged. Ike lifted his sword.