Her heart almost leapt to her throat when she saw the bony skull of animal with horns on its head begin to emerge.

I’m in so much trouble!

“It’s not what it looks like.” She looked at the Demon still lying there.

It’s exactly what it looks like.

“The salt circles are important for keeping bad things out.” He was so slow to come forward, stepping closer while crouching and using one hand to balance himself. “You shouldn’t disrupt them so carelessly.”

Her brows twitched to frown with surprise since he didn’t seem angry with her. She scuttled back on her arse when she realised it wasn’t him at all!

It was a different Duskwalker. The same one from the previous week. She should have known it wasn’t him since his glowing orbs were green. Orpheus’ had never changed to that colour in front of her before.

“What are you doing here? What do you want?” she continued to crab walk backwards as he drew closer and stepped out of the shadow of the tree line.

He came to the salt circle and allowed her to see him fully.

He tilted his head sharply, making a rattling noise that was far more distinct than Orpheus’.

“I have been watching you since he left.”

“How did you know he was gone?”

She got to her feet and prepared herself to run if she needed to. She’d also grabbed her sword from the ground just in case she needed to fight.

“I was near the border when I saw him climbing the walls.”

“Stay the fuck back!” she yelled when one of his hands came forward, and he entered the circle!

She pointed the tip of the blade at him. He twisted his head one way and then the other, as he crept even closer, and brought his entire crouched body inside.

“Do not run. You will make me chase and hurt you.”

I like the hunt. Orpheus’ words echoed in her memory, reminding her of the danger she faced.

She inched backwards, trying to move slowly as not to incite any kind of hunger in him.

“H-how did you get inside?”

He turned his fox-head skull to the salt line, his large forking antlers casting a shadow on the ground.

“It keeps out those who intend harm.” Then he turned back and pointed at the house with a curved claw. “Those keep out those who do not live there.” She figured he was pointing to the protection trinkets. “I cannot make them.

The ingredients do not grow.”

“You don’t intend to harm me?”

He came forward on his feet and one hand while shaking his head.

“No. Not harm.” He scratched at the back of his shoulder like he was itchy, ruffling the fur and feathers he had there.

“Why is it you swing that pointy thing?”

She dared to look over her shoulder to see that the house felt miles away as she inched closer to it. Still won’t make it in time if he’s as fast as Orpheus.

“So I can kill anything that tries to eat me,” she answered, turning back to him to find he’d darted closer while she wasn’t looking. “Or hurt me.”

He was right in front of her now, just beyond her sword.

He sniffed the bloodied tip of it.

“But I have told you I do not intend you harm. Why do you still point it at me?” He gave it a growl before he huffed in displeasure. “They hurt my flesh. I do not like when the humans have them.”

“Because I don’t trust you.”

He brought the hand he’d been scratching himself with to his snout to tap it in thought.

“But you trust Mavka. You live with us.”

“No,” she corrected. “I trust Orpheus.”

His head twisted until it was almost upside down.

“Who?”

“Orpheus.” Her brows drew together. “He’s the Duskwalker who lives here.”

Even though they were aching from holding the sword up for so long, she refused to drop her shaking arms.

“But he is Mavka. That is what we are called.”

“That’s his name.”

“Name?” He twisted his head once more to make it upside, but the other way. “What is a name?”

“He is Dusk… Mavka,” she told him. “But that is what he is called. If I called out Mavka, you both would turn to me. But if I only call out his name, Orpheus, only he would turn to me. It’s special. Like I am human, but my name is Reia, and only I would turn to the name when called.”

“Special?” His glowing orbs changed from green, what she thought they might always be, to bright yellow. “I want a name! I want to be called something special.” He stood, showing her his towering height while reaching out over her sword. “How does one get a name, little human?”

She quickly pointed it at his face, finding he was quite a few inches taller than Orpheus. She hadn’t thought anything could possibly be bigger than him.

“It’s something you’re given.”

“Can you give names?”

“You want me to give you a name?”

He nodded.