Clawed feet tore at the ground as the beasts pressed forward, their guttural growls blending into a cacophony of chaos. Theodoric moved sharply along the defensive line, his voice cutting through the din like a blade. “Hold formation! Shields tight!”

  Cassie kept her stance firm, one knee planted in the dirt as she lashed out at a lunging creature. Her dagger struck home, slicing through the soft flesh beneath its jaw, but another beast was already surging into its place.

  To her left, Hildiger swung his longsword with brutal efficiency, cleaving through a massive predator that had broken through the line. Blood sprayed across his armor, his shoulders heaving with the exertion. “We can’t keep this up much longer!” he bellowed.

  “They’re targeting key points,” Cassie shouted back, her words half-lost in the chaos.

  She wasn’t speaking out of instinct. Her eyes had caught the pattern in the attack—beasts focusing on specific members of their group, not just the easiest prey. Cedric had been driven to the center, where his guards struggled to protect him from coordinated strikes. Hildiger was constantly engaged, his sheer force drawing creatures toward him like a beacon. And every time Cassie moved to stabilize the flank, another beast was there to meet her blade.

  It wasn’t natural.

  A sharp howl to her right sent her instincts flaring. She pivoted just in time to see a sinewy form leap toward her. Its weight bore down on her as she fell, and she felt the crushing force of claws scraping her bracer. Gritting her teeth, she drove her dagger upward into its neck, her muscles burning with effort.

  The beast collapsed in a heap, its blood soaking into the soil, and Cassie scrambled to her feet. Her eyes darted across the battlefield, taking in the coordinated movements of the creatures. They weren’t acting alone.

  “Theodoric!” She shouted his name, her voice sharp with urgency.

  He glanced at her from the center of the line, his sword flashing as he cut down another attacker. “What is it?”

  “They’re being directed. Dietrich’s men are controlling this!”

  His expression hardened, though there was no time for further discussion. Another surge hit their formation, driving the group further toward the forest’s edge. Cassie bit back frustration as she turned to Hildiger, her voice low and urgent. “Fall back in pairs. We need to regroup, or they’ll tear us apart.”

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  Hildiger gave her a grim nod, shouting the order to the guards as Theodoric raised his blade to signal a retreat.

  “Go!” Theodoric commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

  The group moved as one, their formation tighter now as they began a staggered withdrawal. The beasts hesitated for a brief moment, their glowing eyes tracking the group’s movements with unsettling intelligence.

  Cassie fell into step beside Theodoric, her breathing ragged. “The signal fire,” she said between breaths. “We need reinforcements. Now.”

  Theodoric gestured to Callen, who was already scrambling for the satchel containing their last flares. He tore the casing open, fumbling with the ignition before firing the signal into the air.

  The flare arced upward, its bright red glow casting eerie shadows over the forest. For a brief moment, hope flickered in the group’s expressions.

  Then nothing.

  No return signal. No reinforcements.

  “We’re cut off,” Theodoric said grimly, his jaw tightening as the weight of their isolation settled over them.

  Cassie’s stomach twisted, but she forced herself to focus. “We’ll have to lead them deeper into the forest. Find somewhere defensible.”

  “Deeper?” Cedric’s voice rang out, dripping with disbelief. He pushed forward, his face pale but angry. “We can barely hold them here, and your plan is to run into the jaws of whatever’s waiting for us?”

  “Unless you have a better idea,” Cassie snapped, her dagger still raised. “We need terrain on our side, or we won’t survive another push.”

  Cedric glared at her but didn’t respond, his lips pressing into a thin line.

  Theodoric cut through the tension, his voice steely. “Enough. Cassie’s right. We move toward the gorge. It’s narrow enough to force their numbers.”

  The group rallied, though their movements were slower now, exhaustion dragging at their steps. The howls followed them, eerie and rhythmic, like a hunter signaling to its pack.

  Cassie stayed close to the rear, her eyes constantly scanning the underbrush. The creatures were relentless, their glowing eyes flickering like embers as they stalked just out of range.

  Branches snapped ahead, drawing her attention to Theodoric, who had slowed as the terrain sloped downward. The forest gave way to rocky outcroppings, the air cooler and heavier as they approached the gorge.

  “Hold here,” he said, motioning for the group to stop.

  The gorge stretched before them, a narrow, jagged path cutting through towering cliffs. The terrain was defensible, but it was also a trap waiting to spring.

  Cassie moved to Theodoric’s side, her voice low. “It’s perfect for an ambush.”

  He nodded, his expression grim. “Exactly. We’re being driven here.”

  A faint rustle behind them set Cassie on edge. She turned sharply, her dagger ready, but saw nothing. The footsteps grew louder, deliberate and measured, and the howls in the distance swelled.

  Hildiger exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on his sword. "A cornered beast is the most dangerous of all." His voice was low, almost contemplative, but there was a deadly certainty in it. “They’re coming.”

  Theodoric didn’t flinch. “Then we hold them here.”

  Cassie tightened her grip on her blade, her eyes locked on the darkness. The footsteps were closing in, deliberate and unrelenting, a quiet promise of what was to come.