“To a job well done,” she said, and then clacked mugs. Barely any of them had managed to take a sip before she added, “Speaking of jobs, I’m afraid we won’t be staying in Sycomore much longer.”

“But we just traveled through half the Woods to get back here,” Tadg grunted.

Runa made a pouting face. “You must be very tired, then. How inconsiderate of me.”

Barclay relaxed and took another sip of his cider.

“If just two days of walking is enough to make you tired, then it seems I have a lot of work ahead of me,” Runa said snidely. “We’ll leave in an hour. And you better liven up—it’s a long journey beyond the Woods.”

“Beyond the Woods?” Barclay repeated, nearly choking on his drink. He’d never been beyond the Woods before. He’d read about places in books, of course, and he knew neither Viola nor Tadg were from here. But the Woods had always been the great black mass covering what was already a very large map. It was his whole world. He’d never thought he’d get to see another one.

“It’s a bit of an unusual job,” Runa said.

“What kind of job?” Viola asked.

“The dangerous sort.”

Tadg smiled. “How dangerous?”

“Potentially deadly.”

“And where are we going?” Barclay asked.

Runa leaned forward, making all of them do so as well. “I’d tell you, but that would spoil the adventure.”

If you had asked Barclay Thorne six weeks ago if he’d like to go on an adventure, he would have firmly, heatedly declined.

But, with the wind tangling his hair, with new friends beside him and a new life ahead of him, Barclay would have admitted it. Ironically, it had taken him an adventure into the deepest part of the Woods, face-to-face with two very different sort of monsters, for him to realize it. But it was better late than never.

Barclay Thorne wanted to go on an adventure.

And when adventure called, the wilds listened.

AN EXCERPT FROM

TRAVELER’S LOG OF DANGEROUS BEASTS

BY CONLEY MURDOCK

ANTHORN

Wilderland: all

Class: Trite

Antlike Beasts with metallic bodies, whose exact color varies depending on which Wilderland they are from. Their burrows and hills often contain precious metals and minerals due to the deposits found in their eggs.

ARACHADEE

Wilderland: all

Class: Familiar

These white, twelve-legged Beasts resemble spiders, and though most only measure a foot long, a queen Arachadee (Mythic class) can grow as large as a human man. Their webs make such a powerful adhesive that they often get stuck themselves.

CALAMEAR

Wilderland: the Sea

Class: Familiar

The bubble Lore of these octopus-like Beasts make them excellent bath companions.

DIZZISNUFF

Wilderland: the Woods

Class: Familiar

Known for being exceptionally friendly, these guinea-pig-like Beasts will often leave their Keepers berries and flowers.

DOPPELGHEIST

Wilderland: the Woods

Class: Prime

Their appearances change to resemble their Keepers, and as they can only be spotted by their reflections, few records exist about what Doppelgheists look like in the wild.