Gods, what was the stupid human doing? He expected the beast to tear through her, but to his amazement, it halted in place.
“I’m at fault,” she said. “I have offended him. Peace now. Breathe.”
Zev inhaled a deep shuddering breath and continued until his eyes returned to normal, fur receding. Dyna whispered something and he locked on the silver flute. Cassiel had been ready to shove it through his chest if the beast had gotten any closer.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Dyna told him. “It’s safe.”
Cassiel didn’t believe her. There was no such thing as safe aroundthat. “You cannot tame a beast.”
She bit her lip, looking away. “He won’t hurt me. Nor you,” she added, giving Zev a stern look. “Sometimes werewolves can be provoked when it comes to protecting their families. If he feels I am being threatened or harmed, his wolf surfaces.”
Had he harmed her? Verbally, Cassiel supposed. He should apologize, but pride pushed such a notion away.
Zev backed away from them, rubbing his face. “Darkness has fallen. If we don’t leave, soon we will become the hunted.”
Chapter 7
Zev
Zev knew he made a mistake when he saw the wild look on Dyna’s face. She crouched over her knees, shrinking herself as small as the day he found her in the burrow beneath theHyalustree in the mountains.
He pushed past the confused Celestial Prince and caged her in his arms. It was the quickest way to ward off Dyna’s terror. He learned she needed to feel the physical presence of another person to remember she wasn’t alone.
Zev murmured, “You have nothing to fear. I’m with you.”
He could hear how her heart thrashed erratically. Her shaking hands clutched his tunic, clinging to him like driftwood in the storm of her panic. Zev tasted her terror and her skin was ice cold. He contained her in an embrace, willing her all of his warmth. They remained so until her stiff body slowly relaxed, and her trembling eased.
“Thank you,” she mumbled. “I’m all right now.”
But his relief ended at the flutter of approaching wings. The treetops rustled in a strong gust as a flock of Celestials flew down to meet them, their flaming swords blazing in the night.
Dyna stumbled to her feet and backed away, pulling on his tunic. “They must have come for me.”
They will not have her. Fur rippled along Zev’s arms and his claws extended as he prepared to fight them all. The Watchers readied their weapons in response. He followed their movements, deciding who to take down first.
“Don’t be a fool,” Prince Cassiel said under his breath. “The archer has you in his sights.”
Zev spotted the Celestial who had a loaded bow aimed at him, the arrowhead glinting in the moonlight. He was confident in his abilities, but the archer was too close to avoid Dyna being hit.
The Prince addressed the Watcher in the center. “Why are you here, Captain Gareel?”
Zev had seen the captain before during the many times he had trekked through Hilos to reach North Star. The Celestials had never noticed him when he passed. He always slinked by under the cover of darkness as his wolf, buttheywere easy to detect in the foliage.
Celestials glowed.
Their light was muted to others, but to his wolf’s eyes, they emitted a flare of golden light. A sign they were not of this world.
Nor did they usually reek. Zev’s nose curled at the stench of burned leather. Captain Gareel’s shredded clothing and armor were scorched. Soot stained his long hair and wings. He appeared to have walked through fire but was otherwise uninjured. Although the Prince had spoken to him, the captain’s sight remained on Dyna, his face contorted in fury.
“I’m sorry,” she said meekly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you …”
Captain Gareel’s glare wavered at the apology. Zev glanced between them. She was responsible for his appearance?
“Ah, so it is true,” an amused voice called out at the tail of the flock.
The Watchers bowed as another slipped through their ranks. This Celestial was notable with power and elegance that matched the deep blue silk of his robes. Age didn’t defy the splendor of his face framed in golden hair and a short beard. Even in the dark, he emitted a light far more brilliant than the others. A regal crown of gold and sapphires adorned his head.
Prince Cassiel gave him an austere bow.
