Then I saw it—blood. A sharp trail disappearing into the trees. My heart pounded. Not again. I couldn't lose him.
I followed the crimson line until I spotted him—just past the old oak. But he didn't come to me. He turned, barking sharply, then stepped aside.
A voice spoke, soft and strained. "It's okay… I won't hurt you."
Behind the brush, a woman lay trapped, her leg mangled in the bear trap I'd set.
She was beautiful in that raw, wild way—blonde curls tangled across her face, black turtleneck stained with sweat and blood. Her eyes, though—sharp, almost defiant beneath the pain.
"Please," she whispered. "Help me."
I ran. Grabbed the key. Unlocked the trap with shaking hands. She gasped, clutching her leg.
"What the hell was that doing out here?" she said, half-laughing through the pain.
"Well, you see…nowhere is really safe these days" I replied, slipping an arm around her waist. "You have to protect yourself somehow."
She leaned into me—warm, alive. It was strange, feeling someone again.
Back at the cabin, I helped her sit. Keli circled, still uncertain. I checked her clothes for weapons. She didn't fight me. Just arched a brow and smirked.
"Is this how you greet your guests?"
"I don't have guests," I muttered. "Just ghosts."
I patched her up, carefully binding the wound. Her leg trembled beneath my hands.
"You're good at this," she murmured.
"I've had practice."
We shared a silence, thick with things unsaid. Then, I asked, "Who are you? What are you doing out here?"
"From Lobring," she said casually. "Stayed there with some guy named Autin. Not much to say."
My hands froze.
"Lobring?" My voice cracked.
She noticed. Her eyes narrowed just slightly. "Why? Is that a problem?"
I stepped back, reaching for the knife again.
"Tell me the truth," I said, my voice low.
She didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled—slow, dangerous.
"What are you gonna do with that?" she asked, stepping closer. "Kill me like you killed the others?"
Keli erupted with a growl. I shoved her hard, and she stumbled—but not for long. Her hand shot into her pocket, pulling out a syringe.
"You're finished," she hissed, producing cuffs from under her shirt.
I fought. I swung. But everything blurred. The syringe pierced my skin, and warmth spread fast, too fast.
She caught me as I collapsed. "Name's Merlin," she whispered in my ear, breath hot. "And you? You're interesting."
Everything went dark