Where the deuce was the road? Adam veered Zeus to the right, catching one of their pursuers off guard and into a retreat. The others weren’t so easily distracted.
“Stay with me, boy,” he muttered to Zeus, feeling the horse grow more jumpy.
His heart raced. He’d never seen the pack so aggressive, but then, he’d never ventured very deep into the forest in the dead of winter. Adam knew precisely what they were doing. Hunting was their natural instinct. Adam, Persephone, and Zeus were the prey.
“I am dizzy, Adam.” Persephone’s voice sounded odd, like she struggled to form the words.
A lightning-split tree appeared to Adam’s left, the charred trunk thick and gnarled. He knew that tree, knew the thinner side pointed toward the front gates of Falstone Castle. Could they really be that close without seeing the walls?
He forced Zeus to a faster canter, easily negotiating his way to where he knew the road would be. They were a quarter mile from home. On the open road they would arrive in minutes.
Around and through trees they wove. “A little further,” he encouraged Zeus.
The instant they reached the road, Zeus went into flight. He obviously knew the way home just as Adam did. He heard snarls at his ankles. He had never seen the pack on the road. What the deuce was going on in Falstone Forest?
Teeth bared, a wolf stood in the middle of the road, not backing down as Zeus approached. Adam couldn’t go for his pistol—Persephone leaned increasingly heavier against his arm. If he took his arm away to aim, she’d likely slip off the saddle entirely.
“Over top, Zeus,” Adam instructed, giving Zeus his head entirely.
He had never been more grateful for a mount he knew could clear any fence put before him. Even with two riders, Zeus flew over his would-be assailant and continued at a full gallop.
Falstone seemed to appear out of nowhere. The fog must have been unprecedentedly thick for something as imposing as Falstone to be undetectable for so long.
They passed through the gate as if running the final leg of the Epsom Derby. Adam reined Zeus in as they reached the inner wall. He looked back. The pack hadn’t followed him inside. At least that barrier hadn’t yet been breached.
“Yer Grace.” One of the undergrooms reached them, confusion written on his face and in his tone.
“Arm the stable staff.” Adam barked out the instruction. “The pack is within a few yards of the castle.”
“Wolves,” the undergroom muttered, face paling.
For a fraction of a moment, Adam considered reminding the man that they were not technically wolves. That might ease his worries. But if the animals were behaving precisely as wolves, the distinction didn’t matter. Adam thought of them that way—he likely always would after his encounter with them.
“Watch for John Handly,” Adam said. “He is on his way—”
John came through the gates at that moment, his own mount and Atlas both running. The horses came to a stop beside Zeus, all three panting and obviously spent.
“Pack was at my heels.” John struggled to catch his breath.
“Ours as well,” Adam said. Both men shifted their eyes to the gate. “I’ve instructed the stable staff to arm themselves, in case the pack enters the walls.”
John pulled his forelock and swiftly dismounted. Three other grooms led the horses away.
Adam handed Persephone down. She could hardly keep her feet. Adam was at her side the next moment and slipped an arm around her waist. John Handly had run to the stables, no doubt to carry out Adam’s instructions.
“I’m so dizzy,” Persephone muttered, leaning heavily against him.
“Can you walk?”
“I think so.”
She managed the rest of the journey. Barton held the door open for them, his face betraying his confusion and concern. Harry arrived in the next moment.
“What the—” Harry stopped what would obviously have been a curse when his eyes settled on Persephone. He need not have censored his words, as Persephone had heard plenty of profanities from Adam during their ride back to Falstone.
“She was unseated,” Adam explained, reaching the bottom of the staircase. “The pack, apparently, has taken to hunting bigger prey.”
“She was mauled by the wolves?” Harry’s eyes grew large.
