‘Fuck off,’ she groans. ‘I know you did this. I don’t know how you did it, but you did. You made me feel like this.’
‘Really?’ Another dry chuckle resounds from my throat. ‘How would I do that? I’m a powerless runt, remember? Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a trial to complete.’
She lunges at me, waving her arms wildly, but I knock her aside. It’s the easiest I’ve ever disarmed anyone, and a clear sign of just how exhausted she is. I feel the tiniest pang of guilt.
It wasn’t my intention to affect her ability in the trials, and I sure as hell hope Etta knows that and doesn’t hold it against me. Still, I’m not going to hang around and give her time to put a dagger through my heart.
‘What did you see up there?’ she asks. ‘Do you know where they are?’
As if I would ever helpherafter all she’s done. ‘I don’t know anything,’ I lie, turning off in the wrong direction just to throw her off. A few metres away, I double back on myself towards the lights.
As I walk stealthily through the forest, I hear people calling for their loved ones.
Whoever was calling for Cornelia shouts several more times. Another man, with an older-sounding voice, calls out for a Mara. But I don’t hear Jonas’s or Llinos’s voices. Nor do I hear Kyor.
I’m surprised by the depth of guilt that strikes me when I think of him, though I tell myself I shouldn’t feel bad. It was an accident that he drank the poisoned water, and he didn’t evenhaveto be in this trial. He could’ve chosen to skip it altogether, the way Benny has. His pride is the only reason he’s here.
I’ve been walking for about fifteen minutes when I find another tree that looks good to climb.
When I’m sure I’m on track, I drop backdown and continue on foot. My focus now is on moving forward, on getting there before dawn. With every footstep I push myself to go a little faster, growing less and less concerned about the delicacy of my feet on the forest floor or the occasional yelps that break free from my lungs when I snag my hair on overhead branches. When I next stop to test another tree, something causes me to freeze. The forest is silent. Absolutely silent. Not so much as a scuttle in the undergrowth.
My pulse hitches as I strain to hear something. Anything. Yet there is not so much as a single flutter of a wing. My skin prickles. Why the fuck did I become so complacent as to think I didn’t need to listen? My father told me often enough that your ears are always your first warning in the forest, and when it’s as dark as it is tonight, they’re pretty much the only sense I’ve got. I could kick myself for letting something so basic slide.
With my throat growing dry with every shallow breath, I turn slowly away from the tree, my heart hammering against my eardrums, and I see the reason why the forest is suddenly so silent.
A pair of amber eyes glint at me through the darkness.
A dire wolf.
Chapter 37
The dire wolf is so close I can see it is unbonded. It is a wild animal that answers to nothing but its own instincts. Fuck.
In the distance, someone screams and the wolf’s ear twitches, the movement slight. Its unblinking gaze is locked entirely on me.
‘I really don’t want to kill you,’ I say softly, like I’ve actually got a chance of doing that. If this beast comes for me, I’m screwed. My weapons still rest on my hip, and there’s no way I can get to them and get them up in time to avoid being devoured.
The dire wolf is faster in every way, except climbing … and I’m still several feet away from the nearest tree. One leap and it’ll be on me.
‘I am not going to hurt you,’ I say again. ‘I don’t want to hurt anybody. I just want to find my sister.’
I lift my foot off the ground and its eyes twitch. Still, I place my foot down again, just a fraction in front of where it was before.
‘I know why you’re here. I know your role. The priestesses have you weeding out the weak, right?’
I move another inch forward, showing it that I’m unafraid. It’s a lie, of course, but I keep my body language relaxed, like I wholly believe in my right to be here. Because I really am starting to.I’m not the weakest here.
‘The thing is’—my fingers slowly move to my dagger as I continue talking—‘I don’t think I’m the weakest here. There was a time when I was. But now? I’m not so sure. I was strong enough to get into the Retterheld.No help. No magic. Barely a mark on me at the vows, and I was strong enough to survive the first trial. I’ve also been strong enough to survive attacks against me. Three now. So I’m not weak, you see. I’m not one of the ones you want to cull.’
I’m taking another step towards it when a howl pierces the sky. It’s not just a wolf’s call – but a wolf in agony. The animal in front of me flashes its teeth, snarling.
My heart thunders. ‘That wasn’t me,’ I say, lifting my free hand in the air. ‘That wasn’t me. I’m here with you. And you know that. I’m not weak. And I don’t want to hurt you or any other wolf.’ The closer I get, the more mesmerisingly beautiful I see it is.
The fur on its spine is deep amber, almost the exact same tone as its eyes.
‘I need to go past you,’ I whisper. ‘I need to go past you to get to my sister, and I’d really like it if you let me do that without either of us getting hurt.’
I’m barely an arm’s length away now. It wouldn’t even need to lunge to get me. Just a swipe would be enough. But still, it’s not moving. It’s measuring me up. I’m sure it can hear my heart pounding and the way the blood is rushing around my body.
