Cody had to crane his neck to take in the full height of the gate. From above, the fence hadn’t looked nearly as intimidating. The tree trunks were packed tightly together, and any gaps had been sealed with some kind of filler.

He wondered how those young ogres Moss had mentioned ever got inside. Maybe they lured in wandering travelers like him with those eerie screams—because he really couldn’t imagine them climbing over walls this high. Or did they just ram their rock-hard bodies straight through?

Cody glanced over his shoulder. Moss was no longer beside him but had stayed at the edge of the trees, peeking out from behind a trunk that barely hid half of his body.

“I’ll… just wait here.”

Cody smiled. He briefly considered telling him there was no need to wait. The unyielding presence of the gate, though, made him hesitate. Was Orion even here? Wouldn’t he feel trapped behind such high walls?

His gaze landed on a large bell hanging from the gate. He gave it a firm ring. Though the sound was meant to attract attention, he still flinched at the harsh clang.

He cast another glance behind him. Moss was watching with a pale face.

“You’re not exactly well hidden,” Cody said. He had no idea how people here would react to an ogre. “You’d be better off sitting down and pretending to be a rock.”

“Oh! Hmm.” The ogre shuffled sideways a few steps, wrapped his arms around his legs, and tucked his head between his knees. “Like this?”

“Yeah, perfect!” If Cody hadn’t known ogres were real—and Moss stayed quiet—he’d have walked right past without a second thought.

A scraping sound made Cody snap his head forward. A wooden plank had slid aside, revealing a narrow face with sharp brows and eyes sunken deep into their sockets.

Cody’s mouth suddenly felt like sandpaper. He instinctively took a step back.

“Well, well, well… look what we have here. If it isn’t our little golden buttercup.”

Cody’s clammy hands gripped the straps of his backpack. “Luther.” His voice came out hoarse.

The man’s cold stare traveled up and down his body. “Hard to believe they actually banished you.”

Cody shifted his weight uncomfortably. Luther was a year older than him. Even before graduating from the Academy, his sadistic behavior had gotten him banished. Someone had caught him enchanting a duck to try and drown another duck. He’d called it an “interesting experiment.” It wasn’t the first incident people whispered about.

Cody struggled for words. Luther and Orion had never gotten along. If Luther was here, it was hard to imagine Orion would be too. Or was this the only place left for people like them? Maybe they lived as far apart as possible.

There was no other option but to ask. Before he could, Luther slammed the plank back over the gap. Cody’s shoulders sagged. But before he could even sigh in disappointment, the gate creaked open.

Luther stood in the middle of the opening, arms crossed. His straight, black hair hung neatly parted, and the moonlight made his face look even paler than Cody remembered.

A smirk curled on his lips. “Well, welcome, Buttercup.” He gestured grandly at the valley behind him. “To the Valley of the Mad and the Foolish.” He winked. “Or just those who got sick of being coddled all the time. Got tired of everyone throwing rose petals at your feet? Or did you flee some boring arranged marriage? Heard you pollinated Fleur’s little flower.” He let out a high, sharp laugh.

Cody’s lips stuck together. He looked past the man, down into the valley, where the faint outlines of houses were visible. A thick, ominous atmosphere hung over it.

“Orion… Orion’s not here, is he?” he asked hesitantly.

“Orion?” Luther snorted with disdain. “That lunatic? Last time I saw him, he was trying to cut off his own feet to escape his shadow. That was two years ago. He’s probably rotting in a ditch by now.”

A chill ran through Cody. No—no, that couldn’t be true, could it? Orion wasn’t dead. His lower lip trembled. A lump of tears lodged itself in his throat.

“He—he has to still be out there somewhere.”

“Maybe his bones. His cats probably licked them clean.” Another laugh burst from him, madness gleaming in his eyes.

Cody instinctively stepped back. “A-and Nova? Is she here?”

“Nova?” Luther’s brow furrowed. “His little sister? Why would she be?”

“She… she went looking for him.”

He shrugged. “Haven’t seen her.” The madness flared briefly in his eyes before dying down again. “She’ll end up here eventually. Most people do. You can wait, if you want.”

“Uh…” Every instinct in Cody screamed not to follow this creep. But what if Orion really was dead? Who else could help him? More people lived here than just Luther. And Luther was probably right—Nova might eventually find someone kind enough to bring her here.

“Come on, I need to close the gates. The worst horrors come out at night. You’re not gonna find Orion.”

“Lies… lies… lies.”

Cody froze at the sudden, almost purring voice that drifted through the air with every repetition of the word.

Something brushed against his leg, about knee height. When he looked down, there was nothing. “W-what…”

A deep growl rumbled. It took a moment for Cody to realize it came from Luther. His eyes narrowed to slits, and he reached for the axe hanging from his hip. “You again, cursed vermin?”

A soft, amused laugh echoed back. “In my book, you’re the cursed vermin.”

Cody took another step back. Luther looked ready to pounce, and whoever that voice belonged to—Cody seemed stuck right in between.

“You’re better off coming with me, Buttercup,” Luther growled. “Everyone knows not to follow mysterious voices.”

Cody eyed the gate. He wasn’t wrong about that. And he might’ve listened—if it wasn’t Luther standing there.

Cody couldn’t recall a single kind word from the man, so why was he being friendly now? He was even sounding... commanding.

“I, uh, I…” Cody looked around, searching for the voice’s owner. “Whoever you are… can you take me to Orion?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Something soft brushed the back of his knee. A tail, maybe? “I’d be delighted. He won’t believe his eyes—because you’re Cody, aren’t you? Maybe he’ll finally kick that old hag out of her castle and let me move in. Not that I’m dying to nap there, but it’s high time she got knocked off her high horse.”

Cody’s mouth dropped open. A sudden warmth rushed through him. “How… how do you know who I am?”

Silence. Then a soft, purring sound behind him.

Cody turned his gaze forward again. Luther hadn’t moved, still gripping his axe. “I’m sorry.” Cody stepped back. “I have to find Orion, and clearly you’re not going to help me.”

Luther wrinkled his nose. “Trust me—you won’t like what you find. I wasn’t lying about the foot thing.”

Anything was better than staying here with Luther.

“Come,” the voice behind him urged. More forceful now.

Cody turned around.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave.”

Cody froze.

“Think again!” A new voice rolled toward them like an avalanche of stone. Or not new—Cody realized, a moment later—it was Moss. He just sounded a lot more confident now.

The ogre stepped onto the path. In the darkness, the porous texture of his stone-like skin was less noticeable.

Luther growled furiously. For a second, he looked like he might try to drag Cody with him, but when Moss advanced with thunderous steps, he changed his mind.

He slipped back through the gate and slammed it shut.

Relief flooded Cody’s veins the moment Luther disappeared from view. He walked over to Mos and gratefully slung an arm around his stony shoulders. “See? Total hero.”

A snort of disdain. “I believe I'm the hero here.”

Suddenly, a massive cat appeared, standing tall—its head reaching past Cody’s knees. Its fur was mostly green-blue, with orange streaks around its eyes and ears. Instead of hair, its nose was covered in tiny scales that faded into feathers, forming a crown-like shape on its head. In the center, a gem of the same green-blue hue gleamed.

“What… Who…”

The cat dipped its head. “My name is Basil. Let me take you to my master.”