Arlo holds out his hands. “Easy there, stud. Let him go. Please, don’t make this worse for yourself.”
The rage burning in Gunnar’s eyes sputters out. He pulls his fangs from Soren’s flesh. My mate cries out and crumples to the ground.
“Now!” one of the witches snaps, and then the world around me falls utterly still and quiet. Soren’s face is twisted in agony—that image will come to me in my nightmares—but he doesn’t make a sound or even twitch a muscle. I shake Gunnar, but he’s stiff as if he’s turned to stone. The people around us are motionless, even those who were fleeing. Their bodies are frozen in the act of running or hiding. One fool was even filming the attackon his phone, his face stuck in an expression of awe and terror.
I collapse the moment I’m off Gunnar’s back, trying to stay calm as the witches close in.
How could things have gone from bad to worse so quickly? It took only minutes for my fantasy to warp into my worst nightmare.
“Hands over your head, now!”
I do as he says, never taking my eyes off Soren’s agonized face frozen in a silent scream. “Please. Help him.”
The witch ignores me, barking orders to his companions. “Initiate containment protocol!”
“Yes, sir!” a witch says, lifting her hands to the sky. A tear slashes across it and black blurs shoot from the void. Ravens caw as they descend upon the park. They land on the shoulders and heads of frozen citizens and peck… something from their skulls. Not flesh, but nothing I can see.
They remind me of Odin’s ravens, Hugin and Munin. They fly around the world and gather wisdom and knowledge for the Allfather. Could these ravens be takingmemories?
A witch, terrifying in her familiarity, moves to stand in front of me, obscuring my view of the birds. Helena’s mouth twists into a smirk. “Mr. Erikson. I think you have some explaining to do.”
How could things have gone so wrong so fast?
Chapter 22
Soren
When I open myeyes, I’m back in my apartment, like I never left. My shoulder throbs, making me gasp.
“Easy, boy.” Fergus leans over the bed, settling his hands on my arm. “Be still. The pain will fade in just a moment.” Warmth spreads from where he touches me. The puncture in my shoulder stops throbbing and closes before my eyes.
“Where’s Lyall?”Please, let him be okay.I don’t know how I got back home. The last thing I remember is being rushed by Lyall’s brother, who’d turned into a monster straight out of a horror movie. He’d bitten me, and I don’t remember what happened after that.
“The TTA has him in their custody.”
Bile burns the back of my throat, and I struggle hard not to be sick. Our plan failed. We were caught. “What’s going to happen to him?”
Fergus squeezes my arm. “I don’t know. That’s for his Alpha to decide.”
“His Alpha is his brother, and he believes I betrayedthem all.”
“I know.”
Is this it then? Is this how we end, before we even had a chance to start?
I grind my teeth against the sudden burn of tears, squeezing the blankets in my fists.
“Soren, talk to me.”
I suck in a gulp of air that burns my lungs. “I’ll never see him again.”
Fergus runs his hand up and down my arm. “You don’t know that. Nothing has been decided yet. The TTA will want to speak to you once you’re well. They’ve issued a summons for this Tuesday.”
I sit up, rubbing my eyes hard. “Why? What do they want with me?”
“I imagine they’ll want to question you.”
“Will they erase my memories?” I won’t let them. I never want to forget Lyall again.
