MIKO

We are of one blood. My life is yours. Your strength is mine.

– Blood oath

The mudreaver stood motionless, its body blending seamlessly with the boggy terrain. Its slick, dark skin shimmered faintly in the dim light, patches of mud clinging to its scales like armor.

“We are of one blood,” Miko told the mudreaver, her hand moments away from touching it. This was a binding oath, one that you reserved for the beast you wished to tame.

The mudreaver looked at her with stupid, empty eyes and waddled away, unimpressed.

Miko sighed, withdrawing her hand. She had tried this with the ironwhisker earlier. Before that, the mossback. And many more before that.

None of them had listened. None had even shown the faintest flicker of interest in her.

If soulbonding only involved catching a beast and swearing an oath, she’d have been a soultamer in no time, with or without her father’s approval.

But a blood pact required two willing subjects. That’s why most noble families were breeding their own ancestral beasts.

A creature like her father’s banewolf could be reasoned with—as much as you can reason with a beast at all—but forcing a pact on an unknown, wild animal was too dangerous.

She didn’t dare steal a banewolf pup again. It was way too young for the ritual and entirely unfamiliar with Miko.

Besides, by laws of succession, it was Sai’s ancestral beast.

Teru and Sai were born into this privilege.

But not Miko. Never Miko.

No matter. When I’m done, father will have no choice but to acknowledge me and grant me a banewolf.

And if he didn’t? Miko could find a way to tame the embermane, however long it might take.

The prospect of riding atop that fierce beast back into the village, to the horror and awe of everyone, put a smile on her face.

I’ll make a quick stop at Old Mother’s temple. Let’s see her root the rotweed herself.

But only fools reveled in the fights they’ve yet to win. Miko had work to do.

She recalled the details she had read about the embermane.

EMBERMANE

Threat level: ★★★ (three stars)

A large beast with a body covered in yellow-tinted scales and deep crimson fur that appears almost molten under moonlight. Its defining feature is its mane, which can ignite into roaring flames when the creature is provoked or enraged. Embermane’s sharp claws are capable of cutting through dense wood and even stone.

The average lifespan of an Embermane is about 30 years, and they can grow up to six shoulders in height, weighing close to eighty stones.

Embermanes typically inhabit the dense forests near volcanic regions or areas rich in mineral deposits. They are most often found in places where the climate is warm.

The embermane is known for its territorial and highly aggressive nature, especially if threatened or if its lair is encroached upon. Despite their fierce demeanor, they are strategic hunters, capable of using stealth to ambush prey.

They are solitary creatures, preferring isolation and only coming together to mate or defend territory. Their diet consists mainly of large game and charred vegetation. The Embermane’s primary defense mechanism involves using its fiery mane to create controlled bursts of flame, deterring large predators.

If what the scroll said was true, what did the embermane forget this far to the north? The Narwa province was home to beasts that were more accustomed to harsh winters.

Doesn’t matter. I’ve been gifted a perfect opportunity, Miko thought, clenching her fists.

The embermane was close—Miko could feel it in the air. She has seen the scorch trails and patches of singed grass.

Miko knelt in the dirt, tracing crude lines with a stick, sketching a map of its movements. Paths. Tracks. Habits. Patterns.

It was like piecing together the fragments of a puzzle, except this puzzle might burn her alive if she made a mistake.

Her plan, as it stood, was simple: lure the embermane into a clearing where her traps waited.

But simple wasn’t the same as easy.

Her father used to say, "A plan is only as strong as the hands that execute it." She grimaced, shaking off the voice in her head.

Finding the time to work undisturbed had been a challenge. Her daily chore of gathering fireberries—a thorn-ridden task that left her hands scratched and her clothes snagged—offered the perfect excuse to slip away.

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By gathering extra on the first two days, she’d freed up the third day entirely. She would have no distractions tonight.

No excuses, either.

Thin, near-invisible ropes coated in a sticky sap-and-resin mixture crisscrossed between the trees, forming a crude net that might—might—slow the embermane.

Not stop it. Not hold it.

Just slow it enough to buy her a precious moment.

Nearby, small clay pots sat strategically placed, filled with a concoction of herbs and water. When ignited, they’d release thick, choking smoke to disorient the beast and, hopefully, extinguish its mane of fire.

The bait—a wild boar meat—lay at the clearing's center. The meat glistened with a mixture of oil and Miko’s own blood.

She winced at the memory of pricking her finger for the mixture, the sight of her blood pooling darker than she’d expected.

This has to work, she thought, as much a prayer as a declaration.

The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. As she adjusted one of the ropes, her mind wandered.

What am I even doing? She rubbed her sore hands on her thighs, trying to shake off the weight of exhaustion.

Her traps were crude and cobbled together, more desperate hope than precision engineering.

Father would laugh himself to death if he saw this.

Only she wasn’t sure that Lord Takami was even capable of laughter.

Miko straightened up and surveyed her work. There were several pitfalls lined with brambles. A snare crafted from hastily tied rope. A sharpened stake that seemed more likely to impale her than the embermane.

She adjusted a knot, her fingers fumbling as she tried to recall anything useful from her father’s scrolls. She hadn’t seen a single embermane up close, only drawings.

Was the stake even at the right angle? Would the smoke be thick enough? Did embermanes even like boar meat?

Her hands trembled slightly as she tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. She chewed on a stick of dried meat, trying to calm her racing thoughts.

The embermane was nocturnal, fast asleep for now. Nightfall was her window.

It’s this night or never, she thought, repeating it like a mantra.

Her traps looked pitiful under the light, but maybe they would look better in the dark of the night?

A knot of doubt tightened in Miko’s stomach. Yet there was no turning back. Not anymore.

I’m feeling good about this, she lied to herself.

The clearing was set. The traps were ready. Stepping back, she surveyed her handiwork with both pride and fear.

She couldn’t decide which kept her standing.

Maybe both.

----------------------------------------

Later, while scrubbing the floor around the altar again, Miko recalled the image of an embermane wreaking havoc around Old Mother’s temple. It was so vivid, she couldn’t contain her laughter.

“What’s so funny, girl?” the crone asked.

You’ll find out soon enough, old dear.

“Nothing. Just saw my reflection in the water.” Miko was so giddy that she laughed again.

She didn’t even mind the chores, and the time flew right by.

The sun was sinking low on the horizon. Miko planned to return to her traps under cover of darkness—a perfect timing for luring a nocturnal beast.

She stepped into the courtyard of her father’s manor, where the early evening sun painted long, slanted shadows across the ground.

Teru was there, one of her half-brothers, reclining lazily against a low stone wall. It was unusual to see him without Sai lurking about.

Teru’s sandals were dusty, and his robe reeked of sweat—he must have come straight from the training yard.

“D-done praying to the gods, are you?” Teru smirked, tossing a small pebble in the air and catching it repeatedly.

Miko rolled her eyes. “At least someone in this family takes piety seriously.”

“Someone b-besides Sai, you mean,” Teru said with a laugh. “He ran off to see you earlier. Is that how you g-gathered so many fireberries?”

Miko froze. “Sai… came to see me?”

“Yeah, w-wasn’t he with you?”

Her heart dropped into her stomach. Sai wasn’t supposed to go into the forest. No, no, no…

Her mind raced. Sai had begged to come with her before, but she’d always refused.

The forest wasn’t safe, especially not for someone as small as her little brother. But if he thought he was helping her...

“Teru,” she said slowly, trying to keep the rising panic out of her voice, “how long ago was this?”

“Maybe… an hour? I just assumed you t-two were together. W-why? What’s wrong?”

Miko didn’t respond. She turned on her heel and ran, her heart pounding in her chest. Sai, what were you thinking?

The path to the forest blurred as she replayed the possibilities in her mind. The traps she’d set. The bait she’d laid. The embermane. If Sai had wandered into one of those clearings…

Miko felt as if there was a thorn lodged deep in her side. Please be safe. Please let me find you in time.

Her legs carried her toward the woods with a speed she didn’t know she possessed, her heart pounding like a drum in her ears.

The trees grew thicker as she pushed deeper into the forest, branches snagging at her sleeves and underbrush scraping at her ankles.

Her thoughts raced alongside her. He can’t be there. He’s probably just lost, that’s all. Someone would’ve seen him if he’d gone too far. Right?

She reached the first trap and saw nothing disturbed, no signs of a struggle.

Relief flooded her, but it was fleeting. There were more traps farther in.

Her foot caught on a root, and she stumbled, catching herself on her hands. Dirt pressed into her palms as she pushed herself up, her breath hitching. She couldn’t stop now. The thought of Sai—young, excitable Sai—trapped, hurt, or worse, propelled her forward.

A sound pierced the silence. The rustling of leaves. She froze, straining to hear it again.

Was it him? Or was it something else?

Her traps were just ahead.

“Sai?” she called, her voice trembling, barely louder than a whisper.

No response. The forest was holding its breath.

Her legs carried her forward. The thought churned in her mind, relentless and cruel: What if he’s already in one of the traps? What if it’s too late?

No, it can’t be! He’s all right.

She rounded a dense thicket, the clearing just ahead where her main trap lay hidden—the sight before her made her heart lurch violently.

She gasped. “Sai—”

Miko’s worst fears solidified in an instant. The ground around the pit was disturbed, the branches and leaves she’d carefully arranged scattered haphazardly. The trap had been triggered.

Her mind raced with every possible scenario—had he fallen in? Was he hurt? Had something else gotten to him first?

Without thinking, she sprinted toward the edge of the pit. Her focus was locked on the gaping hole, her feet moving faster than her thoughts. The earth was a blur beneath her.

And then, too late, she realized her mistake.

Her boot caught on one of the trigger wires she’d laid herself, the tripline snapping taut. The ground gave way under her feet with terrifying swiftness, the hidden snare she’d forgotten springing into action.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Miko barely had time to cry out before tumbling downward, the sky disappearing as the walls of the pit closed in around her.

She landed hard, her body hitting the packed dirt floor with a bone-rattling thud. Her left arm caught most of the impact. Pain flared up in her side.

For a moment, everything was spinning—her vision, her thoughts, her breath—and she could do nothing but lie there, gasping and disoriented. She didn’t even have to bite back a cry of pain, as it felt like there was no air in her lungs.

And there was something else she caught with her eyes on the way down.

Someone, something that initially triggered the trap was still at the bottom with her. A dark shape moved soundlessly about.

“Well,” the dark shape said. “At least I’ll have company now.”

A pair of startling blue eyes met hers.

How strange, Miko thought. I don’t remember Sai having fur.

Then darkness took over.