2. Selena

2

SELENA

T he acrid stench of monster blood clings to my skin as I trudge into camp. My muscles ache, a testament to the grueling hunt. Three days tracking that damned chimera through the mountains, and all I have to show for it is a mangled claw and a new set of bruises.

"Selena!" Kira's voice rings out. She rushes toward me, her usually calm demeanor replaced by wide-eyed excitement. "You won't believe what happened while you were gone!"

I grunt, dropping my pack by the central fire pit. "Let me guess. David finally learned how to aim?"

"No, it's?—"

"Or did old man Giles finally keel over?" The thought makes me chuckle. That man is in his 70s and still trying to fight monsters. The old fool.

Kira huffs, grabbing my arm. "Would you listen? There was a demon sighting!"

"Yeah, yeah. Demons. Village. Got it." I shake my head, trying to focus. "What exactly happened?"

"That's the crazy part. The demon... it saved the village."

I snort. "Right. And I'm secretly a princess."

"I'm serious!" Kira insists. "Ask anyone who was there. They say this... being appeared out of nowhere. Used the wind itself to drive the monsters back."

A chill runs down my spine. I was in the outer landing near that village fighting monsters. I thought I killed them all before they could reach the village. A flashback of red eyes floats before me. It spikes my interest. I thought it was another monster. Could I have been wrong?

"And then what? The demon stuck around for tea and biscuits?" I love to tease Kira. She's like the little sister I never had.

Kira rolls her eyes. "No, it vanished. But not before the villagers got a good look."

"And? Don't keep me in suspense."

"They say it was beautiful. Terrifying, but beautiful. Like a storm given form."

I clench my fists, nails digging into my palms. Beautiful. As if anything that took Tomas, my hunting partner, my mentor, from me could ever be beautiful. The memories of howling gales and blood-stained claws begin to flash through my mind. But I instantly push them away.

"Where exactly was this sighting?" I stare at her intently, waiting for her to respond.

Kira's brow furrows. "The foothills near Mount Kazan, I think. Why?"

I'm already moving, grabbing my pack. "Because I'm going to find it." I'm tired but sleep can wait.

"What? Selena, you just got back! You need to rest, report to the elders?—"

I whirl at her. "A demon is out there, Kira. Playing games, pretending to be some kind of savior. I'm not letting it roam free for a second longer than necessary."

"But—" Kira gives me a sad, fearful look. She worries about me too much. She doesn't understand, I already made my decision.

"No buts. I'm the best tracker we have. This is what I do." I grab my sharpening stone and slide it over my sword a few times to prepare for battle.

Kira's shoulders slump. "At least let me pack you some food."

I nod, softening my tone. "Thanks. I'll be back soon. With answers... or a demon's head."

As Kira hurries off, I take a deep breath. My exhaustion fades, replaced by a familiar fire. A purpose. I'm coming for you, demon. And this time, I won't let you slip away. I walk over to my tent to gather the rest of my things.

The scent of venison roasting on an open fire hits my nostrils before I see Kira. She rounds the corner of my tent with a steaming bowl in one hand, and a pack of food in the other.

"Thought you might be hungry after all that training," she said with a smile on her face.

My stomach growls in response. "You're a lifesaver, Kira."

But as I reach for the bowl, one of the elders, Elder Thorne's, weathered face appears behind her. The lines around his eyes are deeper than usual, and his mouth is set in a grim line.

"Selena, we need to talk," he says.

Kira's smile falters. I take a couple of bites, then hand her the bowl as she scurries away, leaving me alone with the tribe's leader.

"What's wrong?" I ask, though I already know. News travels fast in our small community.

"The village to the east was attacked last night. Monsters."

I set the bowl aside, appetite forgotten. "Casualties?"

"None, thankfully. But that's not the strangest part." He leans in, voice low. "They say a demon saved them."

I smirk, letting out a small chuckle. "A demon? That's impossible."

"Perhaps. But the villagers swear they saw a demonic figure manipulating the wind itself."

Images flash through my mind of razor-sharp claws, glowing eyes, the sickening crunch of bone. My hunting partner's screams echo in my ears.

"I'll go," I say the words fly out faster than I can stop them. "I'll investigate."

Elder Thorne's eyebrows shoot up. "Selena, I know your history with demons, but-"

"Exactly. I know what they're capable of. If there's one out there pretending to be a savior, I'll expose it." My fists clench at my sides. "And if it's the one that killed Tomas, I'll make it pay."

The elder studies me for a long moment, then nods. "Very well. But be careful. If this demon truly did save the village, we need to understand why."

"I'll leave at first light," I reply.

"Selena." Elder Thorne's voice stops me. "Don't let vengeance cloud your judgment. We need answers, not more bloodshed."

I nod, but the fire in my veins tells a different story. I am loyal to my clan but even the elders know, I think for myself and what I feel is best for the clan. In this case, this means eliminating the monsters. These demons are all the same. Monsters with one agenda and that is to kill and destroy. This demon, savior or not, will rue the day it crossed paths with me.

My stomach betrays me with a growl. I must restore my energy if I am to battle tomorrow. I'll finish eating and then rest. Thankfully, Kira was waiting for me outside of my tent. I gobble the vegetable stew in a few gulps. I recheck the tools, supplies, and weapons I will need before laying my head down to slumber.

At first light, the first rays of dawn paint the sky as I slip out of the camp. My pack's heavy with supplies, but the weight of my mission bears down even harder. Mount Kazan looms in the distance, a silent sentinel shrouding in the morning mist.

My boots crunch on frost-covered grass. The chill bites through my layers, but I welcome it. It keeps me sharp, and focused. Every one of my senses is on high alert for any sign of the demon.

"Demon savior," I mutter, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "What a load of bullshit."

I've seen what demons can do. The memory of Tomas's broken body flashes before my eyes, and I grip my bow tighter. No matter what tricks this beast is playing, I'll make sure it meets the same fate.

The terrain grows steeper as I approach the mountain's base. I pause, scanning the rocky outcroppings for any movement. Nothing but a few startled birds taking flight.

A gust of wind whips through my hair, carrying the faintest trace of... something. Not quite human, not quite animal. My nostrils flare. Could it be?

I follow the scent, moving as silently as I can over loose stones. It leads me to a narrow crevice in the mountainside. Dark. Foreboding. Perfect for a demon's lair.

My heart pounds as I nock an arrow, its tip gleaming with poison strong enough to take down a beast twice my size. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever horrors await inside.