They whirled toward the smaller square a few blocks away, Will frowning as he scanned the streets.
‘Is that …?’
‘The Athatis,’ Aya breathed. ‘The Athatis have breached the town.’
12
Tova was at Aya’s side in an instant, flames weaving through her fingers. Her voice was steady as she said, ‘We have to evacuate.’
People were already stumbling over each other as they pushed for the main road, the screams growing louder in the distance.
The Athatis were dangerous on an ordinary day. But when hunting, they were lethal. It was nearly impossible to pull them out of their frenzy unless you were interacting with your bonded. And with a Dawning hunt …
‘Get these people out of here, I’ll go—’
Another howl cut off Will’s orders, and Aya stiffened. She knew that call as well as she knew her own pulse.
‘Tyr.’
She didn’t wait for them to respond before she shot through the crowd, the chaos drowning out Will’s shouts for her to return.
She wove through the panicked townspeople who were fighting one another to get as far from the wolves as possible. Their cries echoed between the brick and stone buildings as Aya dashed around the corner and into the next square.
She skidded to a halt, her eyes taking in the carnage that lay before her.
Debris was everywhere. Shards of crystal littered the ground, as if someone had thrown glass after glass to keep the Athatis at bay. A small group of villagers formed a line, broken legs of chairs and tables in their hands as they facedthe oncoming wolves. Behind them, three bodies lay still on the ground.
Aya darted to them first, her feet splashing in their blood. Their flesh was torn in chunks, but … they were breathing. She stood, pushing in front of the villagers and unsheathing the knife at her back.
‘Get them to a healer,’ she ordered. The villagers didn’t need telling twice.
Four wolves prowled forward, their teeth bared and hackles raised. Brien, a shaggy brown wolf renowned for his vicious hunting prowess, led. Two wolves flanked his shoulders. And behind them was Tyr.
She couldn’t kill them. The Athatis were sacred, and Tyr—
She cut off the thought before it could even take hold.
Her voice was pure command as she called his name.
Tyr ignored her, his eyes gleaming in the Incend light. Dark – they were so, so dark. Hardly a hint of the warm brown she usually saw there.
Brien took another step forward, loosening a growl that raised the hair on the back of her neck. Blood dripped from his maw, his teeth gleaming as he bared them.
Help me, Saudra. On my oath, help me.
Slowly, Aya sheathed her blade. She raised her hands before the wolves.
‘Tyr, stand down.’
It was no use.
Brien lunged.
Aya hit the ground hard as she rolled away from him, scrambling back on her feet to keep the wolves in front of her. Her skin burned where the shattered glass had cut into her back, her arms, her face, but she pushed the pain away, her eyes tracking the wolves as they split into two groups to herd her toward the wall.
If she could draw them into the mountains, perhaps they’d pick up an animal’s scent to hunt. She’d just have to outrun them. And with all her training with Tyr, perhaps she could – if she had a head start.
She couldn’t match their speed. But she could beat their endurance, and maybe, gods willing, she could keep them in the chase long enough to get them out.
