Page 28

“Be quiet,” I hissed. If Tavik’s whining distracted me, the witch might knock me on my ass again.

Cerise’s fingers curled into shaking fists at her sides. I glanced at the forest, arms crossed as I waited impatiently. I had no idea how long the fae would be diverted. It was very likely they could still come this way.

And I didn’t want to be here when they did.

“Well?” I demanded. “Shall I haul you over my shoulder again?”

This time, I wasn’t bluffing.

“That won’t be necessary,” she bit out, drawing closer to me. Her spine was rigid, her mouth twisting in disgust as if I were a pile of shit on the ground. “Tell me what I have to do.”

“Just take my hand.” I stretched it out toward her, and she eyed it as if it were covered in boils. With a sigh, she pressed her palm to mine. Her pale fingers were tiny in comparison, and my hand enveloped hers completely.

“Prepare yourself,” I muttered.

Cerise held her breath as I steered us straight toward the lake. Our feet squished on the moistened grass. The moment we touched the water, the air began to shift. Cerise clenched my fingers tighter, her eyes growing wide. The sky darkened, and the lake dissolved into nothingness.

Magic rippled over us, tickling my skin and warming my blood. I could feel it inching over my body, assessing if I was a threat or not.

Clearly deeming me as friendly, the magic shifted to Cerise. She hunched over with a loud cry as the energy coursed through her, probing and prodding. Her hand squeezed mine, her grip powerful as she endured the scorching pain of the inquisitive magic that guarded my home.

“Storms,” she hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes crammed shut. Her cheeks reddened, and she let out a strangled grunt. One arm braced over her stomach as she moaned in agony.

“Gods’ breath,” Tavik groaned. “Alaric, I—I feel her pain.”

I stiffened. “What?”

Cerise started shaking, her face turning red with exertion. Sweat beaded along her forehead.

Tavik let out another noise of anguish. I could feel him curling inward, trying to shield himself from the pain. I often did this when Tavik was in control and I wanted to block out something, like when he tore into the raw meat of an animal he’d just killed.

Tavik roared, the sound full of despair. I gritted my teeth, wishing there was something I could do to soothe him. “It’s almost over,” I said aloud, speaking to both Tavik and Cerise.

The witch answered with a garbled string of curse words. Her breathing turned ragged, her groans melting into whimpers.

Then, at long last, it was over. The magic released us, and the wards dropped. Tavik loosed a long, slow breath of relief. Through our bond, I could feel him panting, trying to regain his strength.

A whoosh of power washed over us as Cerise and I were transported to the Mage lands. A midnight sky full of stars gleamed above us. A winding road was at our feet, leading toward the giant stone castle that belonged to the Mage King. A massive stone wall surrounded the castle, flanked by a dozen Mage guards.

Cerise, still gasping for breath, massaged her forehead with a pained look on her face. As she slowly straightened, her mouth fell open in awe. She craned her neck as she took in her new surroundings. A dense forest stood on either side of the road. From within the trees, distant howls echoed as my brethren hunted and romped through the woods. Other animal noises mingled with those of the wolves: the caws of ravens, the chitters of foxes, and…

A mighty roar split the air as an enormous dark shape flew above us in the sky. Cerise shrieked and ducked, one arm raised above her head as a dragon soared past us.

“Storms,” she said breathlessly, her face paling. “Is that… a dragon?”

“Did you think wolves were the only creatures my people shifted into?” I asked with a hint of derision.

“Well—I—yes!” she sputtered. “I think I would have noticed if a dragon lived nearby.”

“Only the Wolven Mages travel to the fae lands, witchling,” I said in a bored voice.

Her gaze fixed on me, her brows knitting together in confusion. I sensed a question on her lips, but I turned away from her with a frown. My eyes were drawn to the black flags atop the castle towers, whipping in the wind.

Something had happened.

“Alaric!” a voice shouted.

I tensed as a figure approached us from the road. Within moments, I recognized him as Reid. His face was whiter than usual, his eyes wide with terror.