Logan didn’t bother looking at them as he issued the order. He and Gideon opened their doors at the same time and climbed out. Koios scrambled to the side and lowered his window the tiniest bit so they could have a better chance at hearing what was said.
“I suggest you get back in your vehicle and leave,” the cloaked figured said. “Or the matter of life and death will be yours.”
The voice sounded strange. Not robotic like it had before, but not quite…normal, either.
“My name is Logan Moore. I’m the alpha wolf of a pack about five hours south of here. We were sent by someone highly trusted to this address. We’re looking for someone named Johnny Begood.”
“There’s no one here by that name.”
“Please, our friend assured us Johnny would be able help and sent a gift to prove we are who we say. If there’s anything you can do to point us in his direction, my pack would be in your debt.”
“No one Johnny trusted would send anyone here.”
The cloaked figure moved faster than Ben could track. A fist cracked across Logan’s jaw before he could raise his hands to defend himself. Logan spun around from the force of the blow but landed in a defensive stance.
Gideon drew his sword, but the figure held out a hand and Gideon froze. No—Gideon’s sword froze. Gideon struggled against it, but to no avail. It wasn’t moving. Gideon glanced at Logan but didn’t release his weapon.
Ben had learned that early on from training with his hellhound aunt.Never drop your weapon because then it could be used against you.
Logan scrambled to his feet and took up a fighting stance.
“We don’t want to fight. We just want to get word to Johnny that we’re looking for him.”
A bitter laugh came from the confines of the hood. “Oh, I’m sure that’s all you want. No one looking for Johnny leaves here to spread tales about him. I’m afraid your so-called friend isn’t a very good one or you would have been warned.”
One side of the cloak flew open, and a set of knives appeared as if by magic from beneath the folds. The figure held one in each hand.
But that wasn’t the only thing under the folds of the cloak.
“Oh my goddess.”
“What?” Koios grabbed Ben, his attention still locked on the fight outside.
But what if he was wrong? He could have….
“Koios, stay here.”
“Ben, no!”
Ben flung open the back door and climbed out of the SUV as the figure threw the first knife at Logan. “Wait!”
Logan dodged the knife and dove toward Ben.
“You’re the firstborn,” Ben yelled.
The figure hesitated for the briefest second, the second knife poised to fly toward Gideon.
“Don’t you want to know who the secondborn is?”
“What madness do you speak of?”
“You must know the lore,” Ben said. He held his hands up and took a step closer. “A valravyn bargains for the firstborn child. You are that child, aren’t you?”
Silence greeted his statement, but Ben wasn’t wrong. He’d seen wings under that long cloak, wings that were so familiar to him he’d never mistake them for anything or anyone else.
“Did you ever wonder what bargain was cast? Because a dangerous one was made, and our friend is dying as a result. All we want is to speak to the valravyn—to Johnny—and find out why he cursed our friend. Your brother.”
Koios audibly gasped in the car behind him. Ben held back his hand, hoping Koios would listen when Ben himself hadn’t. He needed to stay in the car for a few more minutes.
