They didn''t talk on the way back.

    Not right away.

    Lira moved like a rumor. Quiet, fast, and probably bad news. Her hand still rested on her blade like she was expecting round two. Or round three, depending on whether you counted yesterday''s nightmare with legs.

    Lindarion followed at a reasonable distance. Not because he needed to. He just liked having reaction time in case something else crawled out of the snow and tried to ruin their social lives.

    Ashwing zigzagged ahead of them in unpredictable arcs, occasionally stopping to snort at suspicious rocks. Quality security work.

    The trees thinned. Snow turned shallow. A faint trail of smoke hinted that the village hadn''t caught fire while they were gone. Comforting.

    ''Three abominations in three days. If I get a fourth, I''m starting a scrapbook.''

    He tugged at the rip in his coat again. Still there. Still annoying. He would definitely forget to mend it. Future him''s problem.

    Lira finally spoke. "That thing wasn''t natural."

    Lindarion nodded. "Yeah. Most things don''t scream like a kettle full of curses."

    "It was built. Made. Bound to something."

    He frowned. ''...That''s bad, right?''

    "Bound to what?"

    "I don''t know yet."

    Helpful. As always.

    They crossed into the village. A few people turned their heads. Not everyone. Just enough to remind Lindarion that word traveled fast in small towns. Especially when that word was "monsters" and it came with bonus property damage.

    Ashwing trotted beside him now, tail raised like a proud flag. Covered in snow. And what might''ve been monster spit. He looked thrilled.

    Lira angled toward the center of the square.

    "The warden''ll want a report."

    "Lucky him."

    Sure enough, Raleth was standing by the well, arms folded, expression grim. A small cluster of people stood behind him. Ila among them. Pale. Breathing hard. No obvious injuries.

    Good.

    No funeral speeches today.

    Lindarion stepped up beside Lira. Ashwing stayed a few feet back, curling his tail around a barrel like he owned the place.

    Raleth gave them a look.

    It was the same one most adults gave children right before asking where the broken window was.

    "Well?" he asked.

    Lira didn''t hesitate. "It was similar to the Hollowcarver. But different. Wrong."

    "Wrong how?"

    "Made. Not summoned. Not wild. Built from something dead."

    Lindarion folded his arms. "If someone''s crafting these things like a weekend project, they need to be stopped. Preferably with fire."

    Raleth didn''t even blink. "Did it speak?"

    "No," Lira said. "But it screamed."

    Ashwing let out a small snort at that. Dramatic timing. Possibly intentional.

    Ila stepped forward slightly. Her hands trembled. "It was watching. Before I screamed. Like it already knew I was there."

    Lindarion narrowed his eyes. ''So not random. Not instinct. It was waiting.''

    Raleth ran a hand down his face like he wanted to curse but was contractually forbidden from doing so near a well.

    "This isn''t the first attack," he muttered. "But it''s the first one we''ve seen stopped."

    "Comforting," Lindarion said flatly. "Do we get a reward or just trauma?"

    Raleth ignored him.

    Typical.

    "We''ll reinforce the perimeter," he said. "But if more come..."

    "They will," Lira cut in.

    Silence followed that. Not long. But heavy.

    Lindarion glanced toward the trees again. Still. But not peaceful.

    ''...If someone''s testing us, they''re about to regret their curiosity.''

    He looked back at Raleth. "We''ll stay alert. Let us know if anything moves."

    "Of course."

    Ashwing thumped his tail once.

    Then twice.

    Someone behind the warden flinched.

    Lindarion turned without ceremony.

    Back toward the inn.

    Because if the day insisted on throwing eldritch horrors at him, he was at least going to finish the night with tea and something that didn''t bleed.

    Lira walked beside him.

    Ashwing bounced ahead.

    And for now, the path was clear.

    —

    The walk back to the inn was shorter this time.

    Maybe because Lindarion''s legs had given up complaining. Or maybe because returning from a near-death experience made distance feel like a technicality.

    Lira stayed ahead. Ashwing trotted between them, tail high, looking like he had personally defeated the monster and deserved a medal made of bacon.

    ''We really need to work on his humility. Or at least teach him the difference between battle and supervised arson.''

    The inn came into view. Still intact. Windows unshattered. Smoke curling politely from the chimney. Which meant either the others were fine... or they''d burned the problem before it had a chance to reach them.

    Lindarion wouldn''t put it past them.

    He pushed open the door. Warmth hit him like a mildly aggressive hug. Smelled like pine smoke and soup.

    Ren looked up from her spot on the floor near the hearth, where she''d been sharpening her sword in a way that suggested she was either bored or actively threatening the furniture. Possibly both.

    Meren had a teacup. Which was suspicious. Mostly because it meant he''d made it himself and hadn''t exploded.

    Ardan stood near the window like a very angry plant. Completely still. All angles.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "So. Did the woods throw something at you again?"

    Lindarion didn''t answer right away.

    Ashwing sneezed once and curled up near the fire like a war hero.

    Lira dropped her coat on the back of a chair. "New one this time."

    That got their attention.

    Meren set down his cup. "Define ''new.''"

    Lindarion held up a hand, fingers spaced. "Tall. Creepy. Built like someone lost a bet with anatomy. Bit of a screamer."

    "Not friendly," Lira added.

    Ardan''s brow twitched slightly. "Injuries?"

    "No," Lindarion said. "Just emotional ones. Again."

    Ren leaned forward. "You two alright?"

    "We''re fine," he said. Then added, "Well, Lira did all the work and I added fire, so. Classic dynamic."

    "Monster''s gone?" Ardan asked.

    "Dead-ish," Lira said. "More like... undone."

    Ren''s smile faded. "Same type as the others?"

    "Worse," Lira said. "It was made."

    The room quieted.

    Meren coughed softly. "Okay. And made by...?"

    Lindarion sat down, letting the weight in his legs pretend it didn''t exist. "Working theory? Someone with too much time and a hatred for proper biology."

    Ren frowned. "Corruption?"

    "No trace left behind," Lira said. "But too deliberate to be wild."

    Lindarion folded his arms. The rip in his sleeve flared slightly. Ashwing curled tighter at his feet like he could smell the mood shift.

    ''Three monsters. Three different flavors of nightmare. One idiot prince who keeps walking into them.''

    He leaned back in the chair. "This place isn''t cursed. It''s targeted."

    Ren exhaled. "Guess our three-day break just got shorter."

    "No," Lira said. "We still move in two."

    "Seriously?"

    "Yes."

    Ardan nodded once. "Better we don''t give it time to escalate."

    Meren pulled the teacup back toward himself. "Define escalate."

    Ren smirked. "More teeth. More limbs. Less chance of sleep."

    "Fantastic."

    Lindarion reached down and scratched Ashwing behind the horns. The dragon made a noise like a sleepy kettle and curled tighter.

    "We need to prep," he said. "Mentally. Physically. Probably emotionally, too."

    Ren tilted her head. "You say that like we''re capable of emotional growth."

    "Speak for yourself," Meren muttered.

    Ashwing sneezed again.

    Lira started re-checking her weapons like the conversation was over.

    It wasn''t.

    But the lull meant something.

    Not peace.

    Just the moment before a wave hit.

    Lindarion let his head tip back.

    ''Just a couple of days. Then we move. Hopefully not toward something worse. But this is me, so. Odds are bad.''

    Outside, the wind shifted.

    Inside, the group stayed where they were.

    Not resting.

    Not exactly planning.

    Just bracing.