My brothers screeched, their wings flapping wildly. They had met him before.
“I believe this is mine,” snarled the Wolf, my satchel firmly in his grasp. His fingertips aglow, he opened it, and the light poured forth. “Ah, a starstroke net. A piece of legend. It’s just as impressive as I’d hoped.”
For an enchanter,hedid not look terribly impressive. A curtain of flat, ashen hair framed his narrow face, and his chin sported a long beard. His eyes blazed yellow—but not the luminous yellow my stepmother’s took when she used her power. His were murky and liquid, like those of the wolf I had encountered that afternoon in Iro.
“It was you on the mountain,” I whispered.
“I am honored that you recognize me, Princess.” The Wolf closed the satchel. “Your stepmother did a fine job of hiding you from me—I didn’t even know it was you in Iro. I trust you enjoyed those few extra months she bought you. They will cost her dearly.”
“How?” I demanded. “You have no magic in Kiata.”
“I didn’t,” he agreed. “But it seems that over the years, you Kiatans have forgotten that enchanters without magic take on their most vulnerable form. The form meant to remind them that great power comes at great cost. Do you care to guess what mine is?”
“A wolf,” I said flatly. His presence was already growing tiresome.
He clapped. “Well done. A wolf I was, powerless, and almost as simpleminded as your dear brothers when they are cranes. Until I came upon this.”
His large hands clasped the fragment of Seryu’s pearl. “If only I had known you carried a piece of dragon pearl within you, Princess. I would have saved you the trouble of going to Mount Rayuna for me, and wasting all these months on thenet.”
I was seething with rage. It was bad enough that he had impersonated Master Tsring and given the satchel to my brothers—that all those months of hating Raikama and making the net had been part of some horrible trick to steal her pearl!
But to hear it from his complacent lips, as if he wereapologizingto me.
The dagger at my hip shuddered, and I channeled my fury and hate into it until it flew from my side to the Wolf’sheart.
The enchanter raised a hand, and the blade halted midflight.
“Careful, Shiori’anma.” The Wolf chuckled. “Rage can be dangerous, coming from one such as you.”
Slowly the dagger turned until it was pointed at Takkan.
In a blur of motion, Takkan swung it away and attacked the Wolf. He was so fast the enchanter wasn’t expecting the strike, but before he could do any real damage, an invisible force lifted Takkan into the air. A shadow fell over him, and he became still as stone.
“Useless human.” The Wolf scoffed. “He’s brave, I’ll give you that. Aren’t you going to beg me to free him?”
My hands were balled into fists at my side—the only indication that I was furious. No, I was not going to beg. The Wolf wouldn’t kill Takkan. Not yet.
He was an enchanter under oath to Yuji. And Yuji had expressly said he wanted Takkan alive. Even now, I could see the Wolf straining under his oath to the man. There was a gold cuff on his wrist, same as the one the wolf had worn.
“Enough with the theatrics,” cut in Lord Yuji. “Hurry on with it and kill the girl. You say you need her blood; well, I’ve brought her to you.”
“Indeed you have,” said the Wolf, with a sweeping bow to Yuji. He released Takkan and reached for his sword. Its blade was already red—Guiya’s blood, I supposed—and he shook it dry. He turned to me. “A pity, all good things must come to an end. But first things first.”
“First things first,” repeated Lord Yuji gleefully. “Any last words, Shiori’anma? It isn’t like you to be quiet.”
He was wrong. Months under my stepmother’s curse had taught me to find strength in silence. Had taught me to listen, and observe. Anger bristled in me as I watched Takkan dangling midair, and hatred thickened my blood as my brothers struggled in their cages.
“Finish her off and take us to Gindara at once. Kiata’s throne is waiting.”
The Wolf bowed. “As you wish.”
Then the enchanter raised his sword—and plunged it deep into Lord Yuji’s abdomen.
“Thank you,Master,” he said. “You have served your purpose.”
Shock flew through the lord’s eyes as his rich robes swelled with thick, dark blood. “You…you are bound to me!” he croaked. “Your oath…”
The Wolf smiled darkly at the warlord’s horror. “I grow weary of this game, juggled from master to master.” He yanked free the amulet hanging around Yuji’s neck. “It is time to be my own master.”
