She stood outside the cottage. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the shapes of wings and snouts that stalked about.
Shadow wolves, hungry for blood.
Ezer sucked in a breath.
This was the night her mother died.
Fires raged in the background, showing distant trees and cottages ablaze. Ezer looked around frantically, as if she could find her. Save her.
She found Styerra on the doorstep of the cottage, her chest torn open. Her body drenched in red.
‘Mother,’ Ezer breathed, and ran to her.
Styerra lifted a trembling hand, and for a second Ezer thought she saw her. But then a voice shouted, ‘No!’
And Ezer gasped as something rushedthroughher, like she was truly a ghost. Ervos fell at Styerra’s side, his hands hovering over her like he didn’t know what to do, how to fix her, how to make the bleeding stop.
‘Gods, oh gods,’ he breathed. ‘Stay with me Styerra. Please!’
‘Erv … Ervos,’ Styerra gasped.
Somewhere behind them, a person screamed. A howl broke the night, then a snarl that sounded like teeth ripping through flesh. The scream cut off.
‘I’m sorry,’ Ervos sobbed as he pulled Styerra into his arms. ‘Oh, gods, Styerra. I’m so sorry. I never should have left you here alone.’ Then his face went cold. ‘Ezer.’
‘Inside,’ Styerra gasped. ‘I … led them away.’
He tried to lift her, but she cried out in agony. Blood soaked the snow in rivers beneath her, and he slumped back down, sobbing.
Styerra’s hand touched his cheek. Her ring was soaked in blood. ‘Keep her safe, Stefon Ervos.’ It was the first time she had used his full name. You must … promise me.’
‘I promise,’ he said, as his tears fell. ‘I love you, Styerra. I have always loved you.’
She smiled. ‘I can … see his face,’ Styerra breathed. ‘My heart.’
‘Who?’ Ervos asked.
She struggled to find her final breath. And then she said the last word like a promise. ‘Erath.’
She died in his arms.
The wolves howled again. Somewhere behind him, another scream rang out.
But as Ervos looked down at Styerra … he no longer held a look of mourning. Nor did he look like a man in love. His face had changed at Styerra’s final word, at the mention of Erath’s name. He looked down at her now with hatred in his eyes.
‘You chosehim over the gods,’ he whispered to her. ‘Overme.And it killed you in the end. Like I always knew it would.’
With bloody fingertips, he slid the Ring of Finding from Styerra’s cold finger. A final tear slid down his cheek as he looked at her.
‘That’s the last thing I can do, to protect you from him. You will not find him in death.’
He turned and stumbled into the cottage, where the door hung from its hinges. Awful claw marks marred the wood floors as if the shadow wolves had come inside to get to Styerra. To get to Ezer.
He paused on the threshold.
Because the cottage was utterlyfilledwith black feathers. Some still tumbled down from the rafters, blowing in the breeze where the windows had been shattered.
‘Where are you?’ Ervos breathed. ‘Ezer!’
