Adrian's gaze remained fixed on the lifeless remains of the village head, blood pooling beneath the dismembered corpse. He gave one last cold glance before turning to his companions, with an unreadable expression. "Handle things here," he said flatly. "I need to leave for a while."

Medea raised an eyebrow. "Leave? Where exactly are you going?"

"To the temple," Adrian replied in a low but firm voice. "They know about it. I need to get there before they do. Protect the village in my absence, and don't let anyone slip through the cracks."

Medea's sharp gaze lingered on him for a moment, then she gave a short nod. "Consider it done."

Adrian turned to Lilith next. "Keep an eye on Ava and the valuables."

Lilith smirked, twirling one of her blades between her fingers. "Babysitting duty, huh? Fine, I'll play nice—this time."

Adrian gave her a small nod, then without another word, he turned and started toward the mountains in the distance. The others watched him go, a sense of unease settling over the group.

As Adrian walked, his mind raced and was preoccupied with the revelations from the village head. The Shadow Court wasn't just aware of his movements—they seemed to know far too much.

It didn't make sense. No one outside of their inner circle knew the truth about the goddesses. To most, they were nothing more than powerful mages, traveling alongside him as companions.

But the village head had spoken of them with certainty.

The Shadow Court was aware of their divine nature, aware of the temples that held the imprisoned goddess. The thought gnawed at Adrian's mind, stirring a deep sense of unease.

Could there be a traitor among them?

The possibility was minimal—only the goddesses themselves knew the full extent of their mission, and their loyalty had never been in question.

But something was off, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play.

As he moved through the dense forest, his eyes scanned the horizon. The mountains loomed ahead, their jagged peaks cutting into the sky like the teeth of some ancient beast.

He stared at the map, his eyes fixed on the faint yellow glow shimmering in the distance, not far from the green mark indicating his current position.

That glow marked the location of the temple. It wasn't far now.

His thoughts swirled as he pushed forward, the events of the past few days playing over in his mind. How had the Shadow Court learned about the temple? And why now?

For weeks, their movements had been subtle, lurking in the shadows, gathering power—but now, they were growing bolder, their reach extending further than ever before.

Could there be an informant within the ranks of their allies? Or worse… was one of the goddesses compromised?

Adrian's mind spun with possibilities, but none of them made sense.

The goddesses were bound to him, their fates intertwined with his own. The chances of betrayal were slim, but he couldn't ignore the nagging doubt gnawing at his thoughts.

Someone, somewhere, had given the Shadow Court valuable information, and he needed to find out who before it was too late.

His steps quickened as he neared the base of the mountain. But before he could climb further, a low growl rumbled through the air, cutting through the silence like a knife.

Adrian paused, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword. His eyes scanned the landscape, narrowing as he listened for the source of the sound.

The growl came again, louder this time, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of movement.

Adrian's muscles tensed, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword as the low growl echoed once more, louder and closer this time. His sharp eyes scanned the surrounding trees, tracking the slightest movements in the dense forest.

"Show yourself," he called, his voice calm but commanding, as he reached for a dagger strapped to his belt. He was ready to hurl it at a moment's notice.

From behind a large oak, the shadows stirred, and a figure stepped into the clearing.

"Selene?" Adrian asked, his voice filled with surprise as he lowered the dagger slightly.

The priestess emerged from the trees, her soft features illuminated by the fading light. She stood there, wringing her hands nervously.

"What are you doing here? I almost killed you," he said, glancing down at the dagger still in his hand before quickly returning it to its sheath.

Selene looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with uncertainty. "I... I'm sorry, Lord Adrian. I just... I wanted to come with you."

Adrian blinked, momentarily taken aback. "What?"

"I miss you, Master," she said, her voice small and shy, her cheeks flushing as she avoided his gaze.

Adrian sighed, the tension draining from his body as he walked toward her, his earlier wariness fading into concern. He reached down and gently took her hand, his eyes searching her face for any signs of distress.

"Selene, are you okay? And if you wanted to follow me, why didn't you say so instead of sneaking around?"

"I was trying to be subtle, but…" She trailed off, a soft, shy smile grazing her lips.

Adrian studied her for a moment, his mind briefly flickering with suspicion. Could she be an informant? It was unlikely—she had only recently joined them, and he hadn't mentioned anything to her about the goddesses.

She knew little of the deeper workings of their mission.

Besides, the way she looked now—innocent, timid—didn't match the profile of someone capable of deception. He quickly dismissed the thought.

Before he could say anything more, the growl came again, louder and more menacing than before. Selene jumped, clutching Adrian's arm tightly as her wide eyes darted around the clearing.

"What's that, Lord Adrian?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"I don't know," he replied, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the trees once more. The sound was growing closer, and whatever it was, it was large—and dangerous.

"I'm coming with you," Selene said quickly, her voice firmer this time. "I can't go back. What if the monster is out there, waiting for me to leave you?"

Adrian hesitated, glancing between Selene and the direction of the growl. Her logic wasn't unreasonable, and the thought of sending her back alone didn't sit right with him. She wouldn't stand a chance against whatever was lurking in the woods.

He let out a breath, then nodded. "Stay close. If anything happens, don't engage—just stay behind me."

Selene gave a small, relieved nod and stepped in beside him, her hand still gripping the fabric of his sleeve. With that, Adrian turned his focus back to the path ahead, his eyes scanning the mountain's base as they continued toward the temple.

The forest grew denser as they advanced, the towering trees casting long shadows that danced in the fading light. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and every rustle of leaves made Selene tighten her grip on Adrian's arm.

The growls, however, had ceased, leaving an uneasy silence in their wake. But Adrian knew better than to let his guard down.

Whatever creature had been lurking nearby was still out there—watching, waiting.

He wondered what creature it might be. No one in the village had made mention of a creature in the forest; even though he barely had a conversation with the dwellers.

Or was that the reason for the tight security?

No. He shook his head. That was just the Shadow Court. Whatever this is, it's something else.

They walked in tense silence for several more minutes, the ground beneath them becoming more uneven as the incline of the mountain began to rise. The map in Adrian's hand showed they were drawing closer to the yellow glow marking the temple's location.

His mind remained focused on their destination, though Selene's presence was a constant reminder of the unexpected complication.

"Selene," Adrian said quietly as they trekked further up the mountain. "Why did you really follow me?"

She glanced up at him, her cheeks flushing again as she tried to find the right words. "I… I didn't want to be left behind," she admitted in a soft voice. "You've always protected me, and I—well, I feel safer with you."

Adrian frowned slightly, unsure how to respond.

Selene had always been loyal, but there was something different about the way she spoke now. She was clearly nervous, but there was a sincerity in her words that made him hesitate to question her motives any further.

After all, the danger surrounding them was very real, and she was likely just scared. He dismissed the flicker of doubt once again.

The path before them grew steeper, and soon they found themselves navigating a narrow trail that wound up the side of the mountain. The air was cooler here, the wind whipping through the trees as they climbed higher.

Adrian could see the faint glow of the temple ahead, its light barely visible through the thick trees. They were close now—closer than ever.

Suddenly, the growl returned, louder and more ferocious than before.

It echoed through the forest, sending a shiver down Adrian's spine. He spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword, his eyes scanning the shadows.

This time, the sound was accompanied by the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps. Something large was moving through the trees, and it was coming straight for them.

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