I watched bodies fall and writhe beneath fur and claws, leathery wings and talons, or simply disappear into the darkness of a wraith’s smoke-like body. Wolves went down too, bright blood scattering across the pristine snow, pooling beneath the still bodies of Bane Guardians. But the number of Searchers lying on the ground, unmoving, was quickly outnumbering that of wolves. The Banes were stalking, circling the strike teams. They moved in unison, their pack instincts guiding the hunt, allowing them to coordinate their attacks in ways the Searchers could never hope for.
I watched the wolves take down warrior after warrior. If I’d watched this no more than a month earlier, I would have howled with pride. This was how Guardians waged war. It’s why we always won. Why the Searchers were losing now.
The heavy weight of growing despair settled beneath my ribs. We couldn’t win. Even if we got inside, if Shay somehow defeated Bosque, the battle outside was lost. How many Searchers would die today?
Connor cleared his throat, his gaze, like mine, locked on the brutal scene ahead of us. “We need to keep moving. The fighting seems to be concentrated to the east. That’s good; we’ll head for the north side of the garden and to the house from there.”
He didn’t mention that it looked like our side was losing. Badly.
“There are other wraiths,” Shay said. “I should go after them.”
Connor shook his head. “Not part of the plan. We need you inside.”
“I’m the only one who can kill them,” Shay growled.
“We knew that there would be wraiths in this battle,” Connor said. “There always are. But you can’t be caught up at the front. We don’t have time.”
Shay stiffened but turned to the north. “Let’s go, then.”
I shifted back into wolf form, sticking close to Shay’s side as we skirted the edge of the battle. Adrenaline had my pulse racing. I could smell the Banes and taste blood on the air.
A low growl rumbled in my chest.
I know. Ren’s voice entered my mind. I want to be in that fight too.
Wish granted. Mason came to a halt, bristling.
We’d reached the northern edge of the garden, and part of the battle had spilled out in front of us. Wolves and Searchers danced around each other in a blur of deadly movements. Steel flashed as blades caught the moonlight. The wolves’ muscles rippled beneath their fur as they slammed into the Searchers’ bodies. Shouts and snarls blended into a terrible roar as they fought. And they were blocking our path to the house.
Backup plan? Bryn asked.
I’ll tell you if I come up with one. I braced myself. If we were going down, it wouldn’t be without a fight.
“Damn it,” Connor said. “So much for containment.”
“Do we make a run for it?” Adne asked.
“Yep.”
My eyes scanned the fighters, searching for any sign of Nightshades or my father. But I could only see Searchers and Banes.
“You should change forms, Shay,” Connor said. “The last thing we want is for those Guardians to mark the Scion. If they spot you, you’re the only one they’ll be hunting.”
“Good call,” Shay said, sliding into his other form. The golden brown wolf shook his ruff. That’s much better.
Ren looked at him. Really?
Of course. Shay lifted his muzzle, taking in the cool night air. Don’t you think so?
Well, yeah. Ren pawed at the snow. But—never mind.
“Calla, you take point,” Connor said, oblivious to our conversation. “I’ll be right behind you. Ren and Shay, stay close to Adne. Mason, Bryn, guard our flank.”
He took our steady gazes as assent.
“Okay.” Connor peered at the tangle of bodies in our way. “On my mark.... Now!”
My muscles bunched and I hurtled out of the garden into the open. Keeping my focus on the long shadows cast by the building, I steered us away from the center of the fighting. If we could just reach the house, we’d have cover again.
A sharp bark drew my attention. Several Banes had broken from the battle and were barreling toward us.
Keep running, Calla! Ren’s howl rose in the air behind me. Mason and I will draw them off.
I snarled, frustrated to be running when my packmates were heading for a fight.
Another howl sounded, close but coming from the west.
Is that— Ren wheeled around, heading in the opposite direction of the battle.
Hell, yeah! Mason dashed after him.
Bryn dropped to her haunches and howled joyfully. Answering howls rose from the wolves barreling toward us. The sound made hope spark in my veins . . . but I wasn’t ready to let my guard down yet.
“Holy . . . !” Connor shouted. “Incoming!”
“There are too many!” Adne yelled. “We won’t be able to get past them.”
“Calla! What the hell are you doing?!” Connor screamed as I pulled to a halt, staring in amazement at the massive horde of fur and fangs charging us.
I couldn’t believe it.
“Calla!” Connor threw me an exasperated look before grabbing Adne and shoving her behind him.
The wall of wolves hit us, abruptly splitting and flowing around us like a river.
“What the—” Connor gaped as dozens of wolves streaked past us, with more following in their wake. The Banes barked and yelped in alarm as Nightshades swarmed among them. The newly arrived wolves pulled the Banes off of Searchers, wrestling them to the ground in a chaos of claws and teeth. Soon the hiss of steel was overwhelmed by growls and snarls loud as thunder as the two Guardian packs tore into each other. Years of animosity fueled their rage as they spilled each other’s blood in the gleaming snow.
A huge brown and silver wolf, bearing an unusual black mark on his forehead, slowed as he approached us, stopping in front of me.
It’s good to see you, Calla. His tongue lolled out in a wolf grin. I hope we haven’t kept you waiting.
Your timing is perfect, Dad. I pushed my muzzle into his chest. And you definitely know how to make an entrance.
TWENTY-THREE
“STOP SQUIRMING!” Connor shouted. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“Just let me go, Connor!” Adne tried to wrestle out of his grip. “They obviously aren’t here to attack us.”
You have some interesting friends, my father remarked, watching them struggle.
It helps if you spend more time with them. I barked, catching Adne and Connor’s attention. When I bared my teeth, they stopped arguing. I looked back at my father. The man is Connor and the woman is Adne. I swear they really are good in a fight.
I watched the wolves take down warrior after warrior. If I’d watched this no more than a month earlier, I would have howled with pride. This was how Guardians waged war. It’s why we always won. Why the Searchers were losing now.
The heavy weight of growing despair settled beneath my ribs. We couldn’t win. Even if we got inside, if Shay somehow defeated Bosque, the battle outside was lost. How many Searchers would die today?
Connor cleared his throat, his gaze, like mine, locked on the brutal scene ahead of us. “We need to keep moving. The fighting seems to be concentrated to the east. That’s good; we’ll head for the north side of the garden and to the house from there.”
He didn’t mention that it looked like our side was losing. Badly.
“There are other wraiths,” Shay said. “I should go after them.”
Connor shook his head. “Not part of the plan. We need you inside.”
“I’m the only one who can kill them,” Shay growled.
“We knew that there would be wraiths in this battle,” Connor said. “There always are. But you can’t be caught up at the front. We don’t have time.”
Shay stiffened but turned to the north. “Let’s go, then.”
I shifted back into wolf form, sticking close to Shay’s side as we skirted the edge of the battle. Adrenaline had my pulse racing. I could smell the Banes and taste blood on the air.
A low growl rumbled in my chest.
I know. Ren’s voice entered my mind. I want to be in that fight too.
Wish granted. Mason came to a halt, bristling.
We’d reached the northern edge of the garden, and part of the battle had spilled out in front of us. Wolves and Searchers danced around each other in a blur of deadly movements. Steel flashed as blades caught the moonlight. The wolves’ muscles rippled beneath their fur as they slammed into the Searchers’ bodies. Shouts and snarls blended into a terrible roar as they fought. And they were blocking our path to the house.
Backup plan? Bryn asked.
I’ll tell you if I come up with one. I braced myself. If we were going down, it wouldn’t be without a fight.
“Damn it,” Connor said. “So much for containment.”
“Do we make a run for it?” Adne asked.
“Yep.”
My eyes scanned the fighters, searching for any sign of Nightshades or my father. But I could only see Searchers and Banes.
“You should change forms, Shay,” Connor said. “The last thing we want is for those Guardians to mark the Scion. If they spot you, you’re the only one they’ll be hunting.”
“Good call,” Shay said, sliding into his other form. The golden brown wolf shook his ruff. That’s much better.
Ren looked at him. Really?
Of course. Shay lifted his muzzle, taking in the cool night air. Don’t you think so?
Well, yeah. Ren pawed at the snow. But—never mind.
“Calla, you take point,” Connor said, oblivious to our conversation. “I’ll be right behind you. Ren and Shay, stay close to Adne. Mason, Bryn, guard our flank.”
He took our steady gazes as assent.
“Okay.” Connor peered at the tangle of bodies in our way. “On my mark.... Now!”
My muscles bunched and I hurtled out of the garden into the open. Keeping my focus on the long shadows cast by the building, I steered us away from the center of the fighting. If we could just reach the house, we’d have cover again.
A sharp bark drew my attention. Several Banes had broken from the battle and were barreling toward us.
Keep running, Calla! Ren’s howl rose in the air behind me. Mason and I will draw them off.
I snarled, frustrated to be running when my packmates were heading for a fight.
Another howl sounded, close but coming from the west.
Is that— Ren wheeled around, heading in the opposite direction of the battle.
Hell, yeah! Mason dashed after him.
Bryn dropped to her haunches and howled joyfully. Answering howls rose from the wolves barreling toward us. The sound made hope spark in my veins . . . but I wasn’t ready to let my guard down yet.
“Holy . . . !” Connor shouted. “Incoming!”
“There are too many!” Adne yelled. “We won’t be able to get past them.”
“Calla! What the hell are you doing?!” Connor screamed as I pulled to a halt, staring in amazement at the massive horde of fur and fangs charging us.
I couldn’t believe it.
“Calla!” Connor threw me an exasperated look before grabbing Adne and shoving her behind him.
The wall of wolves hit us, abruptly splitting and flowing around us like a river.
“What the—” Connor gaped as dozens of wolves streaked past us, with more following in their wake. The Banes barked and yelped in alarm as Nightshades swarmed among them. The newly arrived wolves pulled the Banes off of Searchers, wrestling them to the ground in a chaos of claws and teeth. Soon the hiss of steel was overwhelmed by growls and snarls loud as thunder as the two Guardian packs tore into each other. Years of animosity fueled their rage as they spilled each other’s blood in the gleaming snow.
A huge brown and silver wolf, bearing an unusual black mark on his forehead, slowed as he approached us, stopping in front of me.
It’s good to see you, Calla. His tongue lolled out in a wolf grin. I hope we haven’t kept you waiting.
Your timing is perfect, Dad. I pushed my muzzle into his chest. And you definitely know how to make an entrance.
TWENTY-THREE
“STOP SQUIRMING!” Connor shouted. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“Just let me go, Connor!” Adne tried to wrestle out of his grip. “They obviously aren’t here to attack us.”
You have some interesting friends, my father remarked, watching them struggle.
It helps if you spend more time with them. I barked, catching Adne and Connor’s attention. When I bared my teeth, they stopped arguing. I looked back at my father. The man is Connor and the woman is Adne. I swear they really are good in a fight.
