The night air was thick with the scent of burning wood and blood. The shadows that Mary had conjured to mask their escape were fading, but they had bought just enough time. Her legs burned as she ran, weaving through the dense forest with Loosie, Lela, and Eris close behind.
"We can't keep running forever," Lela panted, gripping her spear tightly. "They'll track us."
Eris glanced back, her eyes sharp. "They'll need time to recover first. Lucian's not one to be fooled easily, but your little trick, Mary, was enough to throw them off."
Mary barely heard them. Her mind was racing, her heart pounding like a war drum. Lucian Valkar. A name she had never heard before, but one that carried undeniable weight. He hadn't fought them—he hadn't needed to. That alone was enough to terrify her.
He had let them run.
And that meant he was confident that they couldn't escape him forever.
Mary clenched her fists. No. She wouldn't let fear paralyze her. If he wanted her, he would have to fight for her.
After what felt like hours, they finally stopped near a narrow ravine, concealed by towering cliffs on either side. A small stream trickled nearby, barely audible over the rustling leaves.
"This should be safe for now," Eris said, her breathing heavy. "We need to regroup."
Mary collapsed onto a rock, wiping the sweat from her brow. Her entire body ached—not from wounds, but from the overwhelming drain of using the Blood Covenant's power.
Loosie knelt beside her, her face filled with concern. "You okay, Mom?"
Mary looked at her daughter and managed a tired smile. "Yeah… just exhausted."
Loosie frowned. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard."
"I didn't have a choice."
Lela, standing guard near the edge of the ravine, glanced over. "We need a plan. If we keep running like this, we'll be picked off one by one."
Eris sighed and leaned against a tree. "Agreed. But the problem is, we don't know where Lucian will strike next."
A heavy silence settled over the group.
Mary tightened her grip on her saber. "Then we don't wait."
Everyone looked at her.
Mary stood up, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "If we wait for them to come to us, we're as good as dead. Lucian's playing a game, and I won't let him dictate the rules."
Eris crossed her arms. "You're suggesting we attack them?"
Mary nodded. "Yes. But not directly. We need information—weaknesses, locations, anything we can use. We need to hunt them before they hunt us."
Loosie's eyes lit up. "Like guerrilla warfare?"
Eris smirked. "That's a bold plan. Risky. But it might just work."
Lela tapped her spear against the ground. "Then where do we start?"
Mary took a deep breath. "There was something about Lucian… He wasn't just any hunter. He knew too much about me. About us." She looked at Eris. "You've dealt with the Hunters' Order before. Who is he?"
Eris' expression darkened. "Lucian Valkar isn't just some high-ranking hunter. He's their enforcer—the one they send when execution is the only option. He doesn't take prisoners, and he doesn't fail."
Mary swallowed hard.
Eris continued. "If he's involved, that means the Order sees you as a serious threat. They wouldn't send him otherwise."
Lela tightened her grip on her spear. "Then we hit them before they're ready."
Mary nodded. "Exactly."
Eris exhaled sharply. "I might have an idea. There's an outpost not far from here. It's a scouting post for the Order—small, lightly guarded. If we take it, we might find something useful."
Mary's eyes gleamed. "Then we move at dawn."
The Attack on the Outpost
The sun had barely begun to rise when they reached the outpost. It was nestled within a clearing, surrounded by wooden barricades and a single watchtower. A handful of guards patrolled the perimeter, unaware of the threat lurking in the trees.
Mary crouched low, scanning the area. "Lela, you take the watchtower. Eris, Loosie, disable the guards on the east side. I'll handle the ones at the gate."
They nodded.
Lela moved first, scaling the tree closest to the watchtower with the agility of a panther. Her spear flickered with barely restrained lightning as she reached the top, waiting for the right moment.
Loosie and Eris slipped through the underbrush, their movements silent as ghosts.
Mary inhaled deeply, feeling the shadows around her stir. The Blood Covenant was still weak from overuse, but she didn't need it for this.
She waited for the perfect moment—then struck.
Like a phantom, she darted forward, her saber slicing through the first guard's throat before he could make a sound. Another turned, startled, but Mary was faster. A single upward slash, and he crumpled.
Lela's spear crackled, and the watchtower guard barely had time to scream before lightning arced through his body. He collapsed, smoke rising from his armor.
Loosie and Eris took care of the last two, and within seconds, the outpost was theirs.
Mary stepped over the bodies, wiping her blade clean. "Search everything. We need intel."
They moved quickly, ransacking the small barracks and storage rooms. It was Loosie who found something first.
"Mom, look at this."
Mary took the parchment from her daughter's hands. It was a map—marked with several locations. One stood out immediately: The Cathedral of the Silver Dawn.
Eris' eyes widened. "That's a central command point for the Order."
Mary's mind raced. "Lucian will be there."
Lela grinned. "Then we know where to strike next."
Mary's fingers curled around the edge of the map. This wasn't just about survival anymore. This was about ending it.
Lucian thought she was weak. That she would run.
He was wrong.
She was coming for him.
And when she did—
She would make sure he never hunted again.