“Jane, you shouldn’t go after him.”
But I wanted to. Snatching my cloak at the entrance, I darted out after him.
Rain began to fall, light at first, but growing heavier.
It was him. His emotions were literally clouding the sky, lightning striking erratically across the grounds. He had once explained to me that someone capable of wielding significant power would always be prone to weather manipulation, even unintentionally.
Right now, I imagined he was consumed by guilt, letting it all explode in that primal rage. Not knowing how much it would take to drain him, I watched the storm coming with troubled eyes.
I had no business following him. And yet, I couldn’t leave him alone.
“Where did he go?” I asked one of the battle mages standing in the courtyard.
He hesitated, his expression impassive. “Through the tunnel,” he answered, jerking his chin toward the passageway that led to the Northern Forest. “You shouldn’t go.”
“Thanks,” I said, already running.
I was halfway down the stairs when I spotted pieces of fabric. His shirt and trousers.
My stomach twisted. He had turned. I continued toward the woods.
If a Wraith had attacked Silas, it meant the barrier might have been compromised again. Just a week ago, Finn and Reagan had returned from that village, certain it was secure. Reagan had been relieved that Finn and the others couldn’t break through the ward. Yet, despite all their efforts, Silas was dead.
I couldn’t stop wondering what he looked like now.Is he a Wraith too?Did Silas...was he one of them now?The thought sent my heart racing even faster than it had been from running.
In the woods, the visibility was even worse. Light barely filtered through the dense canopy of branches overhead, and mist flowed around me, rising to my knees. At least the rain wasn’t falling as heavily. I abandoned my slippers in the dirt after they began to stick to the ground.
He was nowhere to be seen. The steady drumming of rain against the trees echoed through the empty woods. I slowed my pace, trying to move as quietly as possible.
Where are you?
A roar echoed ahead, muffled by the steady patter of rain. I’d seen Reagan in his animal form only a handful of times. I knew he was still himself.
A sudden wind lifted the hairs on my nape, carrying with it a low, vicious growl from behind.
My chest began to pound.
I peered down at the three knots on my cloak. They were sluggish, the outer one probably loosened when I’d been running. The Velvetshades I had stashed in the folds of my cloak were still there.
As the growl grew closer, turning into a steady snarl, I looked over my shoulder. Very slowly.
A Grim was just a few metres away, red eyes glowing against jet-black fur, the distinctive ribs on display. At first, I thought it was staring directly at me. Then I noticed its snout twitching as it sniffed the air.
It couldn’t see me or sense me. I knew that.
Steadily, I reached into a concealed pocket I had sewn into my cloak, where a small dagger lay, fastened to the fabric.
I stayed utterly still, holding my breath in a painfully shallow inhale.
The creature paced across the paved path. A chill ran down my spine when a second one emerged from the same direction. Isilently promised myself I would thank Finnegan, Zara, Godric, the Grimoire, anyone, if they didn’t notice me.
The second Grim moved closer. My legs threatened to tremble, but I willed them to stay steady.
The first creature was padding past me when it halted abruptly. A rustling sound came from nearby, growing closer. A larger animal lunged, knocking one Grim down while the other managed to flee.
I would never grow accustomed to the sickening thud of gore hitting the ground or the sharp crack of bones snapping. In an instant, dreadful sounds rang in my ears as dark blood splattered across my cloak.
Loud howls and high-pitched shrieks echoed in the Northern Forest as a black head was severed from a body, skull crushed. A furious bite ripped through the Grim, brutally disembowelling it and hurling it against a tree trunk. Rotten body parts slid on the ground.
