I worry about my family, wondering how far they’ve made it away from the fae castle, hoping they’re safe. I remind myself of Thaden’s promise and how strong my brother is. And even though there’s a rift between me and my sister, I tell myself that her survival instincts are strong.
By the fourth night, we’ve made good progress, but the stream has veered farther north, taking us off course, and we’ll soon need to choose whether or not to continue following it. We need access to a water supply, and the trees growing beside the river bear fruit we can eat, but heading too far north won’t do us any favors. Already, it’s added another day to our journey.
That night, I sleep first, closing my eyes to soft, afternoon sunlight and waking to moonbeams.
I’m immediately aware that Erik isn’t sitting beside me.
Next, I hear sharp snarls.
Startled, I jolt upright, quickly taking in the clearing and the growling animals gathered all around its edges.
I make out gleaming eyes and sharp teeth and the silhouettes of so many wolves that the hairs on my arms stand on end despite the warm fur wrapped around me.
Erik is crouched four paces away from me, his back to me, his large body hunched slightly forward while his right hand is stretched back in my direction. “Asha, don’t move.”
That’s when I become aware of the snarls at my left shoulder, not more than an arm’s length behind me.
Fuck!
I can practically feel the beast’s breath across the back of my head.
I’ve fought creatures larger and more ferocious than this, but never so many. And I was always prepared and ready for them. I’ve woken with a fright, my heart is pounding, and my life is not the only one in danger.
Slowly, very slowly, I reach for my left hand, ready in case I need to wrench off the silver medallion so I can use the dark metal beneath it.
“Trust me,” Erik says, his head tilted, his face barely visible to me. “Don’t make a move. Trust me, Asha.”
His request shakes me to my core, even more than the presence of these vicious animals.
Do I trust him?
I’ve shared my heart and thoughts and body with him but… trust?
At the edge of my view, the silver medallion gleams, a constant reminder of what lies beneath it.
It’s impossible to trust someone else when I don’t trust myself.
Even so, I stay frozen to the spot.
Erik’s head turns back to the wolf that stands directly in front of him.
It’s a large, black beast with eerie blue eyes. Its ears are flat to its head and its lips are drawn back from its teeth, revealing wickedly long canines. It gnashes at Erik and saliva drips from its mouth.
Erik’s shoulders hunch further.
In the next second, he growls back at the wolf, a deep sound that sends a shock down my spine.
A dangerous sound.
It resonates through me as intensely as if he’d raked claws down my back.
The black wolf jolts as if it’s startled.
The beasts on either side of it yelp loudly and several of them back away.
The first one quickly lowers its head, its body hunching down, crouching lower as Erik rises to his feet. His left arm must be bent at the elbow, maybe held to his chest, because I can’t see his hand or if he’s holding his hunting knife in it.
The bow and quiver of arrows rests on the ground next to me.
