I’m too curious, too uneasy, to let this go. I wait until she’s moved far enough away that I can barely hear her, then follow, my paws silent on the frosty forest floor.
After only a few minutes I spot Aurelia’s red cloak through the trees, and hang back, not wanting her to see me. Not that I really need to worry about it. She’s clearly not paying attention to anything going on around her.
Every few minutes, she crouches to pluck a plant or a stone from the ground and shoves it into the satchel on her belt. Probably collecting ingredients for another potion. Every time she finds something, her voice floats back to me through the trees, “...and this one’s good for headaches, see the little serrations on the leaves?” My ears prick forward. I scan for another person, but there’s only Aurelia, her head bent close to her shoulder where that damn red squirrel perches, its whiskers twitching as she holds up some herb for its inspection.
My jaw slackens as I watch her whisper to a rodent. She’s obviously insane.
Why am I so fixated on this objectively crazy woman?
The squirrel’s head suddenly swivels, its black eyes locking directly with mine. My muscles tense as I freeze mid-step. The tiny creature twitches its tail rapidly, and I’m certain it’s about to alert Aurelia to my presence. But she continues forward, oblivious, while the squirrel merely watches me with what I swear is smug satisfaction. Asshole.
I follow Aurelia for over an hour, careful to stay far enough back that she doesn’t notice me. I still can’t figure out where she’s going. I consider that she could just be out to collect ingredients, but I don’t think so. It seems as if she has a destination in mind, but the only thing in this direction is theborder to Thermia. Surely she wouldn’t be foolish enough to go there.
Up ahead, I hear running water, and soon a small river comes into view through the trees. I know that means we’re closer to the border than I even realized. Soon we might run into some of my soldiers on patrol, which could be a problem if they see me in wolf form.
Aurelia stops by the river and sits down, placing her basket beside her. I watch from the shadows as she unpacks her haul, all the while still chattering to that damn squirrel about her ingredients. She bites into an apple, and a bead of juice escapes the corner of her mouth, trailing a glistening path down the curve of her neck.
My wolf responds before I can stop it—a low, involuntary whine escapes my throat. Aurelia’s head snaps up, eyes scanning the tree line.Fuck.
I start to back up, but she seems focused now. She jumps to her feet and draws her sword. I’m glad she at least seemed to learn from our last encounter and remembered to draw her weapon, but I’m not glad that she’s about to turn it on me.
I freeze, hoping to blend in with the snow, but then the squirrel scampers over to me. The little traitor climbs a tree over my head and starts chattering wildly. I groan and it comes out as a whine.Fuckkkk.
Through the trees, Aurelia’s dark eyes focus on me. She waves her right hand, and this time I’m not surprised when I’m thrown backward by another hot burst of fiery wind. My body crashes into the underbrush, but I jump up quickly, snarling.
Aurelia is already running toward me, closing the distance between us before I can retreat. The sword in her hands catches sunlight, flashing silver as she raises it above her shoulder and brings it down in a wide arc. I twist away, feeling the blade whisper past my ear, disturbing the air so close I can smell themetal. She’s far faster now than she used to be and it’s not as easy as it once was to avoid her.
My muscles strain to recover, but she’s already pivoting, her next strike coming before I’ve fully regained my footing.
She swings again, and this time the blade bites into my shoulder. I howl, the sound tearing from my throat before I can stop it. Pain radiates through me in hot waves, but I can’t—won’t—fight back. I won’t hurt her. I’m completely trapped by my own restraint.
Aurelia takes one hand off the hilt of her sword, and a second later magic hits me like a battering ram, pinning me to the frozen ground. I’ve only ever felt like I was about to die two other times in my entire life, and I’m shocked when her shadow falls across my face, her eyes narrow with cold determination, and I truly believe she’s going to kill me.
To shift like this—so quickly and under the pressing weight of Aurelia’s magic—is agony. But I force it, bones grinding, muscles twisting, faster and messier than I ever have before.
My fur recedes, claws fusing into fingers, muzzle collapsing with a crunch that fills my skull with white noise. The world tilts and spasms around me as I stagger upright, naked and covered in blood, just as Aurelia is about to plunge her sword through my throat.
Iscream.
My voice echoes around the silent forest and a flock of birds takes flight overhead. My sword slips from my trembling fingers and lands with a soft thud in the snow as my pulse hammers against my ribs.
The white wolf that has been following me for miles is gone, and in its place is Fox, naked and bleeding. He groans as he doubles over, jaw clenched tight while crimson ribbons snake down his arm and stain the snow around us.
My mind reels. I have so many questions I don’t know where to begin, but my immediate attention is on his injured shoulder.
I rush to his side and drop to my knees in the snow. His gaze burns into me, but I keep my eyes locked on the torn flesh of his shoulder. I see a flash of white between the torn flesh, and awave of nausea washes over me. “You need to let me heal that. I can see the bone.”
“Leave it,” he says in a hoarse growl, then clears his throat and tries again. “I’ll be fine.”
“If you’d rather lose your arm, that’s your prerogative.”
“I’m not going to lose my fucking arm.”
His eyes are defiant as he reaches up with his uninjured hand, fingers digging into the torn edges of his own flesh, pressing the ragged skin together with a sickening squelch. Blood seeps between his knuckles, turning them slick and crimson as muscle fibers visibly realign beneath his grip.
My eyes bug out of my head, and my voice comes out shaky. “I take it you’ve done that before?”
He grunts, which I take as a yes.
