Piercing screams tore through the air as the forest burned in furious red flames. Smoke thickened with every passing second, curling through the trees like a living thing.
A raven-haired woman stumbled through the inferno, coughing, shouting—
"Where are you?!"
The heat should have broken her. It didn't. She kept running.
Suddenly, a black creature cut through the sky. Massive wings beat violently as the creature swooped down, talons outstretched—
Elena gasped and stumbled backward, tripping over a piece of wood. She hit the ground hard, a sharp chill racing down her spine. Every hair on her body stood on end.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
"Am I day dreaming in broad daylight?"
Leo rushed forward to help her up, but she slapped his hands away and pushed herself upright, shaking her head as if trying to clear something lodged deep in her mind.
"Which forest was he in?" she demanded. Forcing her voice steady. "Is it Backwood?"
Lancelot studied her closely, suspicion flickering in his eyes, Elena lowered her gaze. She couldn't let them know what she just saw.
"The scent wasn't strong enough to pinpoint the exact location. He was in a forest no doubt about that—but which one, I can't say."
Leo nodded stiffly. "Thank you, Lancelot. I appreciate your help."
His tone was polite, but his jaw was tight. Elena didn't miss it.
She climbed the ladder without another word, urgency driving her movements. Leo followed.
As they disappeared to the top, Lancelot muttered quietly, "At the rate you're going… I hope you live long enough to repay the favor you owe me."
Outside, Elena strode forward, her resolve sharpened.
She needed to know why Amber was working with this man and why she was being spied on.
Her thoughts were all jumbled up as she struggled to make sense of everything.
The vision she saw didn't make things any better either. It only made her more anxious.
"Someone who has the ability to control cursed animals...." She muttered quietly holding her chin thoughtfully. In her vision, she saw a dark creature with wings about to tear a woman to pieces...
"Leo, take me to the exact place where Amber was last seen. We'll start there. The closest forest is Backwood. Even if Lancelot couldn't confirm it, it's our best lead." She couldn't let her fear get the better of her. She had to find Amber no matter what!
She stopped abruptly when she didn't get a reply.
Leo's expression had darkened.
"Are you alright?" she asked, confused.
He let out a short, humorless laugh. "You're really asking me that?"
"What's wrong now?"
"You rejected my help back there."
"I didn't need it."
Leo stared back at her, his eyes twitching.
"There's more to this," Elena said slowly, narrowing her eyes. "What are you really upset about?"
"I helped you," Leo snapped. "You wouldn't even have this lead without me."
"I know. And I appreciate it."
"You'll need to do more than appreciate it," he said quietly. "You owe me, Elena."
"Owe you?"
"I don't do things for free."
Her eyes flashed. "So all that talk about helping me out of goodwill was a lie? You're still the same manipulative cheat."
Leo exhaled sharply. "Lancelot warned me. He thinks I might not survive this. That means my life is on the line."
"You chose to come," Elena shot back. "I didn't force you."
"And I'm still coming," he said, grabbing her arm when she tried to walk away. "Because no one else would be stupid enough to run into danger with you."
She wrenched free, fury blazing in her eyes.
"Just remember," he added, "you owe me one."
Elena turned away and marched ahead.
She hated it but she needed him.
Deep within Backwood Forest, a man sat atop a fallen log, snapping a twig between his fingers.
A piercing cry echoed through his mind.
He stiffened.
"Hey, Yami," a red-haired girl said as she approached. "What's wrong?"
"One of my birds," he growled. "It's been killed. I sent it to spy and now I can hear it's screams echoing— asking for revenge."
Amber clenched her fists. "Those bastards."
Yami stood abruptly, axe sliding into his grip with ease.
"Our plans change," he said coldly. "This forest isn't safe anymore."
A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips.
"We move now."