To Live Among Wolves (Legends of Arcadia Book 1)

Chapter 40

“Hurry. This way.” Ransom led us through the stony corridor, a faint roar up ahead. Aubrey stayed close behind me. “Markus pulled Leander out of my grasp.”

“What about the Guardians?” I craned my neck around to see if they were following Elder Macon, who limped a few paces behind Aubrey.

“They have been alerted and will follow.” Elder Macon glanced behind. “They will come.”

“I’m beginning to question our planning skills.” I rubbed my arms, trying to slow the quaking of my hands and warm myself in the stony corridor. Adrenaline rushed through my veins.

Light gradually filled the stone hall and water roared in front of us. The back of a waterfall barred the way forward, light still gray in the misty afternoon, and Ransom motioned for me to stand next to him.

“This is the gateway, Feru Falls.” He had to shout over the pounding water. “We’ll climb down the slow way for you to stay dry, but you’ll have to ride with someone if we want to evade Silas and reach the river before someone finds us.”

Turning right, he started to climb down, sometimes using his hands to lower himself.

This, I was used to. Hiking, climbing, knowing where to step. The water sprayed from the falls, but I picked my way down the path and caught up to Ransom with ease.

It seemed strange to be leaving Arcadia. Something shifted in me, like my body knew the crossing of the invisible borders.

Ransom brushed his damp hair out of his eyes. “It’ll be colder from here on out.”

I exhaled, leaning against a knotted tree and gazing back at the waterfall. It wasn’t tall, but it made up for its height with its thundering sound. It echoed around the grotto while the water flowed further downstream.

“It’s beautiful!” I shouted to no one in particular.

Aubrey gazed back at it. “It is, isn’t it?”

Ransom unbuttoned his robe. “We’re expecting it to freeze by the solstice, but I hope it’s not a repeat of last year.”

He shared a meaningful glance with Aubrey as she removed her robe.

Iain had been killed last year. The waterfall had frozen. Silas had become king. So much had happened to this resilient little kingdom. If I could help it, I didn’t want to add to their woes.

I gazed up at the waterfall, its roar drowning out the rumble of thunder from the black clouds above us. Suddenly, a massive white form burst through the waterfall at full speed. The white wolf plunged into the river and swam onto the bank where we waited. Its eyes were level with my shoulders as it shook its coat free of water.

“Elder, do you want to carry Eden?” Ransom asked, tucking his and Aubrey’s robes in a crevice near the entrance of Arcadia.

“It’s best if she rides with you.” The Elder pawed at his nose. “I’m afraid I’m getting on in years.”

Ransom rolled his shoulders, phasing when he bent over. His form, thinner and lighter than I expected, was recognizably him. Aubrey phased next, her coat a glossy gray.

“Do we wait for the Guardians?” I asked, gazing up at the Gateway again, expecting more wolves.

“They’ll be a bit more discreet. They’ll cross the border elsewhere and spread out.” Ransom stretched. “Climb on. We have a long ride ahead of us, and this storm is rolling in fast.”

I stepped forward, running my hand through Ransom’s fur. I glanced back at Aubrey. She lowered her head, her tail wagging.

“I’m not fragile.” Ransom huffed out a laugh.

With a deep breath, I hauled myself up and over Ransom’s shoulders, settling myself like I rode bareback on a horse and not a gigantic wolf. His body radiated heat, and I buried my hands around his shoulder blades hoping my fingers wouldn’t freeze. It had to be below fifty degrees, and the spray from the waterfall didn’t help.

“Hold on tight. And keep a low profile.” Ransom glanced back.“I don’t want you getting knocked out by a branch before you make yourself dinner for Nyx.”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips, my doubts thundering loud like the falls behind us. The plan had too many contingencies. I said a quick prayer, hoping that I’d have enough time to distract Nyx for the others to have an advantage.

With a small yip at the Elder and Aubrey, Ransom took off. Air whipped through my hair, breath rushing out of my lungs. Bending low over Ransom’s form, I watched the trees pass in a blur. A louder rumble rippled through my chest, the hair on my arms standing in response. I craned my head backwards, catching sight of a few more wolves in pursuit. I tightened my grip on Ransom’s fur, lowering my shoulders.

“Relax!” Aubrey barked, running alongside Ransom. “They’re only Guardians.”

I glanced at them again, watching their movements. I had put in hours of research, wanting to see this in action, feet pounding against the earth and muscles flexing with every motion. Power thrived in them.

Ransom ducked to the right, pulling my attention back to holding on for dear life.

I hadn’t thought much about it yet, but I could be riding to my death, riding to pain and torture. Riding straight towards mind control or whatever had happened to Nash. I hadn’t thought about it at all.

I shifted my grip on Ransom’s fur.

“Ransom,” I started, “if this goes south…” The air had dried my mouth, making words difficult to form. I swallowed, trying to spit it out. “If this doesn’t work, will you tell him?”

He tilted his head and pushed further into the depths of the forest. “Tell him what, je kunin?”

I swallowed again, trying to quell the fear rising from my gut. “That all of this is for him. That I want him to be happy and weightless again, no matter what it takes.”

He stayed silent aside from small pants of air.

“Ransom?” I called out, bending lower over his shoulders.

“I’ll tell him.”

While my fear climbed higher into my throat, the heavens opened.