In the shadowed Realm of mystery, where the trees seemed to whisper old warnings, Kylo and Karinne were mid-scavenge when she appeared.

She stepped out from the rot, a vicious smile cutting across her face. Her black, curly hair spilled over her shoulders like tangled ink. Beside her stood a monkey with restless eyes, and strapped to her back was a purple pack that pulsed with an odd rhythm. Tucked into its side, a map with a drawn-out face blinked at the children.

“What are you children doing here?” she asked, her voice like grinding stones. “Don’t you realize you’re standing before the most dangerous woman in the realms?”

Kylo didn’t flinch. He slowly shook his head. “No. We don’t believe that. If you were truly dangerous, you wouldn’t feel the need to admit it.”

“Yeah!” Karinne chimed in, crossing her arms.

Dora’s smile didn’t falter; it grew sharper. “Well… you still haven’t told me what brings two snacks like you into these woods.”

“We’re finding out what happened to my father,” Kylo stated, his voice tight. “Whether the curse took him… and if it didn’t, where he’s hiding.”

Dora leaned in, her presence cold. “You’d better run along then. Because if you don’t, I will be the last thing you ever see.”

Karinne just waved a hand dismissively. “Nah. We aren’t scared. But maybe you can be useful—do you know anything about a pirate living nearby? We think he has answers.”

Dora’s expression turned predatory. “How dangerous is this pirate of yours?”

“The most dangerous one,” Karinne replied. “Skin as white as a ghost. Clad in black and gold.”

Dora froze for a heartbeat. “Are you talking about…” She stopped herself, a low chuckle vibrating in her chest. “Ah, I know him. But you won’t get anywhere near him. The very atmosphere around him is a death sentence.”

Karinne just scoffed. “We know how pirates are. They’re all talk and tall tales. He won’t be a threat to us; we are only going to ask for his help.”

“Then you aren’t traveling without me,” Dora said suddenly. The shift in her tone made the children gasp.

“I thought you said you would be the last thing we see,” Kylo reminded her, his eyes narrowing.

Dora straightened up, looming over them. “That’s right! That’s why I’m coming with you. Because at the end of this road, once you have what you want, I will simply turn on you.”

“Still not convinced,” Karinne said, though her voice wavered slightly. “That’s just a bad joke.”

“Carry on then,” Dora whispered, her eyes gleaming with an eerie light. “And you’ll see. You’ll see that I am everything I claim to be. I know the captain you’re seeking quite well, because he and I are a team.”

Karinne looked at Kylo, then back at the mysterious woman. “Very well. Let’s go.”