“We need to go while it’s still fresh,” I told the pack, attempting calm while a hundred voices squabbled in mymind at once.
The scent of rusted nails wouldn’t leave my nose. I would kill every last Follower of Virtue with my bare hands. My heart crumpled in my chest. Here I thought they wanted Fallon, when they aimed for a more vulnerable feastweaver. This was all my fault. I should have been more vigilant. Getting caught up in my mate had led to disaster.
“We’re taking Fallon. I won’t risk leaving her if they come back and decide they need her too.”
Fallon walked into the bedroom, dread setting her features. I skidded to a stop before her.
I grabbed both her shoulders to brace her for this. “They took Momma.”
“Holy Godds, Dec. I… I…”
I could already hear her words. “This is not your fault. They grow too bold. We have a lead and we’re going to hunt them now.”
She shook her head. “How can I help?”
Not even a hesitation, despite the dark circles ringing her eyes. My love for her took me by surprise all over again.
“You help by staying safe by my side.” I gave her a hard look.
“Trust me, Dec. I’m not a hero. I’ll sit in a tree if you want. Promise.”
Though I needed her accounted for, I wouldn’t see her hurt in the process.
Running out to the back barn, I found a horse’s saddle and dropped to my knees. Praying to the Old Magic waslike greeting a friend. Strength, courage. Old Magic didn’t necessarily need words. It was more elementary than that.
Curling around the seat and buckles, the Old Magic transformed the saddle into a tangle of leather that would fit my wolven form.
I carried it back to the house, meeting the search party halfway. All but those that would guard Nightfell were baying for blood. At least Briggs had dressed Fallon warmly, because the murder in my mate’s eye said she would have gone running out into the snow in nothing but her nightgown, kitchen knife and cast-iron pan in hand.
“Does someone have the trail?” I shouted into the milling crowd.
“I do,” Cosomo confirmed.
“Scout ahead. I will catch up.”
The wolves churned the fresh snow as I got ready to shift, but my bark got them moving. I was faster than any of them and could easily find them again.
Briggs held Fallon’s seat for me.
“You too,” I told her.
“A saddle, Declan?” she asked.
I removed my clothes and tossed them toward the back stoop. “Even if I felt any, my embarrassment is hardly the most pressing issue right now.”
Briggs cocked her head.
“What?” I asked.
“I wasn’t sure what it would be like when you became King, but it’s different. Nice.”
People had said that too often to me not to have a note of hurt creep into my voice. “I am that.”
Briggs wrinkled her nose. “It’s not an insult, brother. We wolves aren’t known for our niceness but we sure could use it. Dad was…”
We both knew how he was and it was still hard to talk about. When you were more afraid of what he would say than when he would hit you, it stayed with you.
“I can only be me.”
