“Kill the magicless,” a faint voice said, and I spun in a circle, Valkaryn raised. My heartbeat was amplified, so loud that it began to play throughout the arena like a drum.
Something moved to my right, and I put out myfree hand and felt the rough bark of a tree trunk. Then I moved it lower and felt fur.
I jerked back.
Something moved behind me, and I screamed.
A body brushed against my hip. Large. Warm. Familiar.
Then a wet tongue licked my fingers, followed by a soft growl, a sound I recognized.
Kaelric.
‘I’ve got you. We need to move north quickly,’he said, and then pressed close, guiding me with his body, nudging me toward a direction I couldn’t see.
‘Did you just lick me?’I asked, grateful for the distraction, grateful for him. My eyes in the storm.
‘Did you like it?’I could almost hear the cocky smile in his tone.
I ignored his banter and let him lead, digging my fingers into his fur. Step by slow, terrifying step, he moved with silent confidence, his shoulder against my thigh, tail brushing my leg now and then.
Suddenly, a raspy whisper curled in my ear. Too close. I flinched.
Kaelric growled, a sound of warning to the darkness. He moved between me and whatever had reached out.
We walked for what felt like an hour that way, maybe more. The ground sloped again, then evened. Icouldn’t tell if we were deeper in the mountain or somewhere else entirely. Time didn’t feel real here.
When he stopped walking, I knew it was time to rest.
He circled me once, then settled at my side, pressing his body against mine. His warmth was grounding. It felt safe.
I curled into him, unable to see, unable to think. The panic and fear were crashing inside of me, fighting for room.
Just breathe,I told myself.
‘You trust him,’Valkaryn observed.
I didn’t answer. Not in words.
But I didn’t move away from Kaelric’s wolf either. He was like an anchor, mooring me in the middle of an endless ocean.
There was a sound off to the right… or maybe it was a left. A scream, or was it a laugh?
Kaelric went rigid, a new tightness in his body. His fur bristled as he nudged me to stand, the muscles along his spine rippling like coiled rope. His voice slid into my thoughts, low and urgent.
‘We need to move. North.’
I didn’t ask why. Not this time. I simply obeyed, gripping Valkaryn tighter.
We walked in tense silence, the tall grass hissing against my legs. Every now and then, Kaelric’s shoulderbrushed mine, reminding me he was still there, still watching. Then he halted so abruptly I nearly stumbled into him.
He didn’t speak at first, just stood still, possibly seeing something I couldn’t.
‘I need you to trust me,’he said.
‘I can’t promise that,’I shot back, and it wasn’t a joke. Not after everything I heard in the train car last night.
‘We’re in tall grass. I need you to lie flat with Valkaryn over your chest. Wait for me to come back for you. Something is coming.’
