She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the first wolf leap clear of the forest. It trotted in the tracks of her horse, not more than ten paces behind. It neither drew closer nor fell fartherback.
Just as the man-at-arms had said, the beast would follow her until the horsecollapsed.
What a patient and cunningcreature.
Perhaps she could outrun the fiend. Annelise dug her heels into her palfrey’s ribs. The mare’s nostrils quivered in fear and a shudder ran over its flesh. It must have smelled the wolf, for it spurted ahead more quickly at Annelise’scommand.
The wolf loped behind, keeping the same distance, as though aware that it was only a matter oftime.
Annelise was unnerved to know the wolf’s intent and be powerless all the same. She leaned over the mare, urging the creature onward, but the horse stepped suddenly on a patchice.
It whinnied in terror and threw back its head as itslipped.
The wolf did not miss amoment.
Annelise looked back to see long white fangs bared all too close. She screamed. The horse fought to regain its footing, but fell on the ice. It landed hard on its rump, hooves flailing as it slid further on the ice. Annelise only managed to jump from the saddle in time, then she slipped on the ice, as well. She fell, realizing that the ice covered a small creek. At the perimeter, there were small stones and she crawled towardthem.
She looked back in time to see the wolf jump. Annelise screamed again and threw a stone at the wolf. The stone hit its back but the beast was undeterred. The mare shrieked as the wolf’s claws dug into its rump, and the wolf bared its teethagain.
Blood flowed from the mare’s flank and Annelise seized another rock. She flung it at the wolf and hit the back of its head. It raised its head to snarl at her and the horse struggled to rise. Annelise fought to her feet and lunged at the wolf, her eating knife in herhand.
“Not my mare,” she whispered with heat and lunged for the wolf. The wolf’s eyes were so cold that she knew she would be next and she did not care. It snarled and eased closer to her, choosing its moment. Annelise held the knife before herself, not even daring to blink. The mare stumbled up the bank of the stream, blood running from its flank, and Annelise hoped it wouldescape.
She feared they would bothdie.
The wolf suddenly jumped toward her, its jaws stained with the mare’sblood.
There was a blur of silver fur as the second wolf attacked the first, taking it to the ground. Annelise stared as the two rolled on the ground, biting and snapping, battling for supremacy. The second wolf paused and lifted its head, then barked at her, baring itsteeth.
As if it meant to tell her torun.
The first wolf snarled and the pair foughtagain.
Annelise fled after the horse, seizing its reins and urging it onward. She did not know where they ran, and the trail of blood that the mare left in the snow would certainly send any wolf quickly afterthem.
They had a reprieve and she hoped it would beenough.
She was not surprised some time later to hear the soft patter of his footfalls in the snow behind her. She cast a glance over her shoulder to find the second wolf close behind. He was large, too, but of a paler hue of silver than the one that had attacked herfirst.
The mare smelled him and whinnied, charging onward despite her injuries. Annelise ran alongside the mare, certain the predator waited only for their inevitableexhaustion.
The sight of a path ahead gave Annelise new strength. She cut between the trees, plunging through knee-deep snow. She fell once, trapped by her skirts, but her grip on the mare’s reins pulled her to her feet. Her hair fell loose about her face as her veil was ripped away by low branches and she risked another backwardglance.
The wolf, she saw, took a more roundaboutpath.
Annelise caught her breath that she had gained a bit of time. She stumbled onto the path and ran blindly as she shook clumps of snow from the hem of herkirtle.
The mare nickered and Annelise looked up to seewalls.
Theconvent!
Her knees nearly gave out beneath her, though they were not safe asyet.
It was not the convent she knew, for its walls were only as high as Annelise’s shoulders and made of rough stone. These walls were white and smooth and soaredhigh.
As she hurried closer, Annelise knew she had never seen the like of these walls. The stone was fitted with such skill that the surface appeared to be as smooth as a sheet of silver. She approached a castle, although Annelise could not guess why it was in this remotespot.
Nor did shecare.
