The night still held its grip on the world beyond the cabin, though the fire had long since burned down to smoldering embers. Rubin remained at his post, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the window. His grip on his dagger had slackened, but his mind stayed alert.

Himu stirred on the cot, his breath uneven, though he didn’t wake. Rubin exhaled softly, gaze lingering on the prince’s face longer than necessary. He wasn’t sure if it was wariness or something else that kept him watching. Whatever it was, it unsettled him.

A soft creak above signaled Elara shifting in her sleep. She had insisted on taking second watch, but Rubin hadn’t woken her. They would need her rested when morning came. If they made it to morning without incident.

His thoughts twisted in uneasy loops until a sound outside caught his attention. The snap of a twig. His grip tightened around his dagger as he stilled, barely breathing. Another rustle. Someone—or something—was moving beyond the treeline.

Rubin moved quickly and silently, pressing a hand over Himu’s mouth just as the prince stirred again. Himu’s silver eyes snapped open in alarm, but Rubin pressed a finger to his lips, gesturing toward the window. Himu tensed immediately.

Elara’s voice was a whisper from above. “What is it?”

Rubin didn’t look away from the window. “Something’s out there.”

Elara was on her feet in an instant, bow in hand as she crouched at the edge of the loft. Himu shifted, trying to sit up, but a fresh wave of pain made him wince. Rubin shot him a warning glance before returning his attention to the forest.

Then, the silence broke.

A sharp howl cut through the night air, guttural and inhuman. Rubin had heard it before—too many times to mistake it for anything other than what it was.

“Shadowbeasts,” Elara murmured, her expression grim. “Damn it.”

Himu’s face paled. Even he, a prince of the enemy kingdom, looked uneasy at the mention of them. Shadowbeasts weren’t natural creatures. They were nightmares given form, twisted by dark magic. And they hunted with terrifying efficiency.

Rubin cursed under his breath, rising to his feet. “We need to move. Now.”

Himu exhaled sharply. “You’re assuming I can.”

Rubin glanced down at him, his jaw tightening. “You don’t have a choice.”

Another howl rang out—closer this time. Too close.

Elara wasted no time, already shoving supplies into their packs. “They’ve caught our scent. If we wait, we’re dead.”

Rubin moved to Himu’s side, looping an arm around the prince’s waist and hauling him up before he could protest. Himu let out a pained grunt but didn’t argue.

“Stay with me,” Rubin muttered. “Don’t slow down.”

Elara threw open the door, and the cold night air rushed in. Beyond the threshold, the mist had thickened, curling around the trees like ghostly fingers. The forest was eerily still, but the howls were growing closer, echoing from all directions.

No time to hesitate.

They plunged into the mist, shadows moving at the edges of their vision. The chase had begun.