Rena crouched low in the shadows of the dense forest, the damp earth cool beneath her fingers. The air was crisp, carrying the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. She had been waiting here for hours, stomach empty, muscles tense. The plan had been simple—let herself be found, get taken into the palace, and strike when the time was right.

But she hadn’t expected him.

Alex Ravon.

The Blood Hound of Mysiri. War hero. The king’s most trusted knight.

She had heard tales of him—his ruthless efficiency, his cold, unreadable eyes. She hadn’t expected to face him alone. Yet here he was, standing before her in dark armor, his sword glinting in the fading light.

“Rena of Ilrath,” he said, voice deceptively calm. “That was quite the effort. You almost made me break a sweat.”

She scoffed, rolling her shoulders to ease the ache. “Surrender to a mutt who wags his tail at a tyrant? I think not.”

His lips twitched. Was that… amusement? No, impossible. He didn’t seem the type to enjoy anything. “You insult my loyalty, yet you’re the one running around the woods like a lost cub.”

Rena lunged, steel meeting steel with a resounding clash. The force of impact rattled through her bones, but she held firm, twisting to strike again. Alex blocked her effortlessly, his expression unreadable. She moved fast, her strikes fueled by desperation, but he was faster.

A sharp pain shot through her wrist as he deflected her attack, forcing her back. Her breath came in shallow gasps. She was weaker than she wanted to be, the gnawing hunger making her sluggish.

Damn it.

She barely dodged his next strike, the blade slicing through the air just inches from her throat. She had known he was strong, but fighting him was like clashing against an immovable force. Her mother had always told her to hide her power, to never let anyone see what she truly was. But if she didn’t use it now, she would lose.

For a moment, just a moment, she considered breaking that promise.

But she hesitated. And that hesitation cost her.

Alex’s foot hooked behind hers, sweeping her legs out from under her. She hit the ground hard, her sword flying from her grasp. Before she could reach for it, his boot pressed against her wrist, pinning her in place. She struggled, but it was useless.

“Enough,” he said, voice smooth, almost lazy. “I’d say you put up a good fight, but we both know that’d be a lie.”

Rena glared up at him, breathing hard. “You fight like a man who has nothing to lose.”

He tilted his head slightly. “And you fight like someone who really should’ve eaten breakfast.”

She bared her teeth. “Go to hell.”

“Already live there,” he said mildly, snapping iron restraints around her wrists before hauling her up. “Now, if you’re done squirming, we have a long journey ahead. Try not to whine the whole way.”

They walked for what felt like hours, the cold seeping into her bones. Rena didn’t bother speaking; she knew he wouldn’t answer. But she couldn’t help studying him.

He was different from what she had imagined. She had expected arrogance, cruelty, a man who took pleasure in his victories. But there was nothing in his expression beyond quiet detachment. Well, except for the occasional smirk whenever she stumbled.

Yet something about her had caught his interest. She had seen it in his eyes during their battle—just for a flicker of a moment. No one had ever stood against him like that. No one had dared.

She smiled to herself. That meant something.

As they neared the edge of the forest, she finally broke the silence. “Tell me, Blood Hound. Do you ever question your master’s orders? Or do you just kill without thinking?”

He didn’t look at her. “You speak too much.”

She smirked. “And you speak too little.”

This time, he did glance at her, one brow slightly raised. “You really should save your breath. You’ll need it when you start begging for mercy.”

She laughed, sharp and defiant. “From you? I’d rather die.”

His smirk widened just a fraction. “We’ll see.”

Fine. If he wouldn’t play along, she’d find another way to get under his skin. After all, this journey was just beginning. Fifteen days to the capital. Fifteen days to learn everything she could.

The real hunt had only just begun.