That terrifying keening noise was closer now. And this time it wasn’t just a single, solitary sound. It was a chorus of terrifying, groaning wails, coming from all around us.
We were surrounded.
47
The Vulgen
Theymovedthroughthetrees like death itself, coming for us.
At first, I saw only shadows. They were smaller than the boarlath, but faster, too—darting among the trees, slinking forward through the darkness.
And they were everywhere. I counted at least a dozen, on all sides, and I was sure I’d missed some. The horses were terrified—their hooves dancing, nostrils flaring, eyes wild.
Alastor’s arm was like steel around my waist, his hand gripping the reins. With his other hand, he pulled out his sword.
“Hold on,” he told me. “And close your eyes.”
He pulled the horse around, spinning it so that our backs were to Radven. And I knew I should listen to him and close my eyes…but I couldn’t.
One of the creatures sprang from the trees, leaping straight toward us with a howl that made my teeth chatter.
Alastor’s sword flashed through the night, its blade catching the creature right across the throat. With a yelp, it fell to the forest floor, its dark blood spilling forth.
And then the others came.
They looked like wolves, only…not. Like wolves who were twisted and hollow in places where wolves shouldn’t be. And their eyes glowed an unearthly shade of blue.
They attacked from every direction, leaping on twisted legs, teeth snapping and claws bared.
My horse—the one I’d been riding, which was currently tied to Alastor’s saddle—let out a scream as one of the beasts landed on the poor animal, digging its claws into its flesh.
And Alastor’s blade swung, twisted, sliced, cutting in every direction. Knocking the beasts aside as they leaped at us.
He released my waist suddenly, only to shove me down hard against the saddle. Just in time to cut through one of the creatures that had launched itself towards me. It fell to the earth beneath us, sliced cleanly into two pieces.
But more kept coming. For every beast that Alastor cut down, two more took its place. There were far more than the dozen I’d initially spotted. Far, far more.
The horse swung around, and I clung to its neck as Alastor leaned over me, holding me down as his sword moved through the air. White teeth flashed in the moonlight. Hot blood splattered across my skin. And those blue eyes…
There was something strange about them. Something beyond their eerie, otherworldly glow. When they met mine, even for a second, I was overcome by a curious sort oflonging, an unfamiliar ache that made me want to reach out and—
“Close your eyes!” Alastor roared at me. His big hand came down over my face, his fingers stretching across my eyes and blocking my vision.
The ache disappeared, leaving nausea in its wake.
“They’re closed,” I told him.
His hand was gone the moment the words left my lips, and I heard a yelp as another one of the creatures met his blade. Warm blood rained down on my cheek, but this time, I kept my eyes squeezed shut.
My former horse screamed again, and Radven shouted something I couldn’t make out among the mournful howls coming from the beasts around us. Above me, Alastor’s breathing was starting to become heavy, labored.
And then he grunted, lurching to the left as one of those creatures finally got past his blade and landed on us.
I didn’t open my eyes. But I could feel it—the weight of its body against us, its wiry fur scratching my leg where my dress had ridden up. The saddle creaked as its claws scrabbled against the leather, trying to find a foothold. And then sharp pain sliced through my thigh as it found me instead.
Alastor cursed, and I felt him shift above me a split second before the weight of the creature disappeared. I heard athunkas the beast was thrown against a nearby tree.
But we didn’t even have a second’s respite before another one was on us. Alastor threw it off with another grunt, then kicked his horse forward.
