My lip curled. That was probably exactly what Aiden hoped to accomplish with his twisted path.
Darkened clay buildings that had existed since the Age of Gods still radiated with the heat of the day. Doors and windows were shut tight, not even allowing a candle flame to light our path.
Shadow-Wolves patrolled the city at night, and Father always said they did an excellent job of keeping the peace. But this didn’t feel like peace. This felt like silent terror. It clung to the air like a mist.
The empty dirt pathways glowed under the stars and partial moon. The silver light was tricky and elusive, the indigo shadows reigning supreme.
But just as with the tunnel, Aiden didn’t falter. How long had he lived here that he knew every corner and bend of this city? Jealousy nibbled at my heart. After all, knowledge banished fear. And I wanted to not be afraid. Like him.
My boot struck a bottle, which skittered into a foul-smelling gutter. The sound was like a rock thrown through a window, shattering our illusion of safety.
I froze. As did Aiden, his hood whipping in my direction.
Gods damn it, I’d been too preoccupied with him to watch where I was going. I was used to being alone.
Moments passed, but nothing swooped in on us from the shadows. The whole quarter seemed to hold its breath, waiting.
Aiden jerked his head forward, and we continued on.
We must be getting closer to the heart of the Old Quarter. It was the largest of the four, a wide swath of pebbled dirt from above. From within, a forest of buildings one could easily get lost in. I’d heard of travelers getting lost in the dense trees and foliage of Twaryn, never to be seen again. Perhaps the same was possible in Aquinon.
Aiden pulled up short, and I skidded to a halt to keep from toppling into his back. I glanced around, eyeing the distant rooftops and window ledges, the shadows that bruised every wall. Nothing.
Then I heard it.
A scrape, a shuffle.
The hair rose on the back of my neck. My fingers desperately, fruitlessly searched for my knives again.
A low groan.
Aiden’s head snapped in that direction, a sliver of a dark alley. The shadows were a writhing mass. And they were headed our way.
Aiden seized my arm and flung us back the way we’d come, but the murmur of soft boots was too close.
A shrieking howl shattered the night behind us.
An answering scream seared my throat, but I bit down on my lower lip to keep it from escaping. Bitter blood wet my tongue.
Aiden dragged me off the path into a deep, dark corner. The crux of the buildings cradled my spine. But there was nowhere to go. Nowhere to run. My heart fought against my chest. If they found us, we would die like rats in a trap. We had to leave.Now.
I tried to escape Aiden’s grasp, but he shoved me back and pressed his whole body against mine, fanning his black cloak around us to meld with the only thing hiding us. Darkness.
“More come,” he breathed in my ear.
I peered over the edge of his cloak. Shadow-Wolves. Two of them. No, four. They were hard to count, as they were little more than walking shadows. They dragged something large and heavy between them. Something that moaned in pain.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Gods, what had this man done to be captured? Had Renwell ordered it or had the man done something to anger the Wolves?
“Jerell? Oh, blessed Four! Jerell!”
My eyes flew open at the woman’s hysterical voice.No.
Aiden’s body stiffened. I dug my fingers into one of his arms that caged me.
Never interfere with my Wolves.We could do nothing but wait. And watch.
A young woman in a simple dress rushed forward on bare feet, tears streaking down her pale cheeks. She glowed like a white flame amid so much black.
