Evelyn Hart adjusted her seatbelt as the plane hit a minor pocket of turbulence, the cabin lights flickering slightly. Outside, an endless stretch of blue sky and wisps of white clouds framed the edges of her window. Below them, somewhere in the vast ocean, lay the island that had ignited her curiosity—and possibly her career.

There was nothing worse in the world than flying. The stale air that dried out her lips. The too-close seats that made her legs cramp after only an hour of sitting. Worst of all was the claustrophobia. Packed into a contraption that, in her humble opinion, shouldn't even be off the ground due to its weight...ugh. It all just boded for a bad time.

Instead of focusing on a possible end, she glanced at the stack of printed articles spread across the fold-out tray in front of her. Darcy, sitting beside her, noisily sipped her soda before grabbing one of the pages.

"Okay, this one's wild," Darcy muttered, scanning the text. "'An ancient tribe, living for centuries, accidentally summons a monster. Now, they must figure out how to undo the chaos they've unleashed.' Sounds like something out of a horror movie."

Evelyn smirked. "That's from an old local legend. Supposedly, the tribe performed a ritual that went wrong, and some kind of...creature emerged from the jungle. People say it still roams the island."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "And this is what we're flying into?"

"Come on, you know better than to believe everything you read," Evelyn said, though she tapped the article thoughtfully. "But every legend starts somewhere. Maybe there's a real event behind it, something that was exaggerated over time."

"Like some crazy mutation or undiscovered species?" Darcy suggested.

Evelyn shrugged. "That's what we're here to find out."

Darcy set down the paper and sighed. "I just hope we don't end up getting eaten by some ancient god-monster."

Evelyn chuckled, but the weight of their assignment pressed on her. The reports from Carl were varied—grainy photos of clawed footprints, blurry images of what might have been a tail, and accounts from terrified locals claiming they'd seen something impossible lurking in the jungle. Some said it was a demon. Others whispered of a beast that walked like a man but killed like an animal.

She flipped to another article detailing the disappearances of poachers and illegal loggers on the island. Officially, authorities blamed it on the treacherous terrain and wildlife. Unofficially, whispers of something far worse prowling in the depths of the jungle circulated among those who dared venture too close.

Darcy stretched, adjusting her seat. "So, when we land, we're meeting this guide of yours?"

Evelyn nodded. "Yeah. Carl set it up with a local expert. Someone who's been working in the area for years. Should be able to give us more context."

"Do we know anything about them?"

"Not much. Just that they know the island better than anyone and that they're not particularly chatty."

Darcy groaned. "Great. Another brooding, mysterious type. Just what we need."

Evelyn grinned. "If they get us where we need to go, I don't care if they speak in riddles."

Their conversation was interrupted by the flight attendant passing through the aisle. Darcy took the opportunity to order another drink, while Evelyn returned to her notes. She skimmed a section describing how local fishermen refused to sail too close to the island, citing bad omens and strange sightings near the shore.

"What do you think we're actually going to find?" Darcy asked after a moment.

Evelyn hesitated. She wanted to believe that there was something more to this story than just overblown myths and exaggerated sightings. But if there truly was an undiscovered species—or something even stranger—then this could be the biggest story of her career.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I have a feeling it's going to be something worth finding."

Hours later, the plane touched down on a small, humid airstrip, the heat hitting them like a wall the moment they stepped out. The scent of salt and vegetation thickened the air, the sounds of distant waves mingling with the hum of insects. They collected their bags and made their way to the modest airport terminal, where Carl had arranged for their guide to meet them.

Evelyn scanned the crowd of arriving passengers and locals waiting for pickups. A few tourists disembarked, their brightly colored shirts and wide-brimmed hats standing in stark contrast to the rugged atmosphere of the island. But it wasn't the tourists she was looking for.

He was hard to miss.

At first glance, he didn't look like he belonged in this time, let alone this place. His features were sharp, chiseled with an almost classical symmetry, like he'd stepped straight out of a Renaissance painting. The kind of face that looked like it had never seen an iPhone, untouched by the modern world. His dark hair, just slightly unkempt, fell over his forehead in a way that seemed effortless rather than unkempt.

He was tall, his build powerful but honed—broad shoulders, a lean waist, and a frame that suggested both raw strength and precise control. He wore dark cargo pants and a fitted black shirt, simple and functional, yet on him, they seemed almost out of place, as though they were only a thin layer hiding something more primal underneath.

His eyes were what caught her most. Amber, sharp and unreadable, flicking over the crowd like he was cataloging threats rather than searching for familiar faces. He had the stance of someone who knew how to fight, how to move—balanced, weight distributed evenly, as if even standing still, he was prepared to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Evelyn squared her shoulders and walked up to him. "You must be our guide."

He nodded once. "Kael Draven." His voice was low, edged with something rough, like he wasn't used to speaking much.

Darcy shot Evelyn a look, clearly unimpressed by the lack of a warm introduction.

Evelyn extended a hand. "Evelyn Hart. This is Darcy Nguyen."

Kael hesitated before shaking her hand, his grip firm but brief. He nodded at Darcy, who returned the gesture with a quick smirk. "Nice to meet you, too," she said dryly.

Kael ignored the comment and motioned for them to follow. "The jeep's this way."

Evelyn and Darcy exchanged glances but said nothing as they trailed after him. As they stepped out into the thick, humid air, Evelyn felt the first real stirrings of anticipation.

Whatever they were about to uncover on this island, she had a feeling Kael Draven knew more than he was letting on.

And she intended to find out exactly what that was.

WC: 1097