Chapter 25 Odessa #2
I heard the snarl a moment before a black bariwolf came at us from the side, pouncing with claws and fangs ready to sink into Freya’s flank.
It missed.
Ama and Oda were watching over us because the bastard missed. Its body swished her tail, then crashed into the ground.
But after a quick roll, it was back on its feet, giving chase.
I aimed the crossbow behind us, bouncing wildly in the saddle, and let a bolt fly. The snarl that came next was enough to know I’d missed.
But the pounding of hooves sounded next, and when I glanced back, the Mavins were flying to catch up.
Mathias slowed just enough to stand in his stirrups, raise his bow, and kill the bariwolf on my heels.
The Mavins caught up too quickly, each of them slowing to match my pace as they surrounded Freya.
The pack of wolves was close behind.
Thora, having rescued her ax, raised the weapon and veered off course, cutting through the trees as she rode away from the others. Three of the wolves ran after her. Golding did the same, drawing another two in the opposite direction.
Jodhi and Dair stayed with Mathias, all three of the men between me and the monsters.
But there were too many, and we were too few.
A bariwolf ran close enough to Mathias to slam its body into his stallion, those needlelike scales digging into the horse’s flesh.
Mathias went down in a cloud of dust and limbs, his horse rolling over his body. He staggered to stand and raised his bow, but it was too late.
“No,” Dair cried out, whirling to fire his crossbow.
The bolt plunged into one wolf’s eye just as another monster slammed into Mathias.
And ripped out the Mavin’s throat.
“Faster,” Jodhi shouted.
The other wolves were gaining, a horde of black on our heels.
Dair cut one down as it jumped for him, and Jodhi did the same.
The men slowed even more, both lagging to fight off the wolves still giving chase.
Freya pushed harder, putting some distance between us and the others.
A flash of black came from the corner of my eyes as a wolf broke past the Mavins, and with a burst of speed, it was beside us. The monster was smaller than Freya but not by much.
I reached for my sword, yanking it free and swinging it wildly toward the beast, and the blade caught it across the eyes.
The creature stumbled, rolling as it howled in pain.
But the damage was already done.
The monster had slammed its scales into Freya’s hip, shredding her flesh.
Time slowed to a crawl.
Her back half couldn’t keep up with the front, and it dropped, her knees buckling. Then we were falling to the side, the ground rushing up at us too fast.
Twisting so hard my muscles screamed, I flung my sword away and grabbed Evie, tucking her into my chest as our momentum took us forward.
Freya collapsed.
My shoulder slammed into the dirt, my head a heartbeat later. Pain exploded through my body as we skidded to a stop. It took a moment for the world to stop spinning.
“Evie,” I gasped, sitting upright.
She was shaking, all color drained from her face as she stared at Freya.
My horse’s belly rose and her chest heaved with labored breaths as she lifted her head, trying to stand. But her body was broken. I couldn’t see the wound, but the smear of red on the dirt was enough to know my precious Freya was dying.
Jodhi galloped for us, holding out his arm. “Get up.”
Dair was still on the road, battling the remaining wolves. But there were too many. Two had made it past him and were running our way at full speed.
I climbed to my feet, picking up Evie. “Take her. Go.”
“Odessa, get—”
“There are too many. Go. Now. Please.”
He knew I was right. That not all of us were going to survive this.
Realization dawned on Evie’s face, and she started to kick, squirming to be put down. “No,” she shrieked, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached for me. “Dess!”
“I love you, little star.” I lifted Faze out of his carrier, practically throwing the tarkin in her arms. “Go with Jodhi.”
“No.” She sobbed. “Dess.”
“I will see you again.”
Here. Or in the shades.
I tore my eyes from her precious face and ran for my sword, picking it up from the dirt. Then I hurried to Freya, using her body as a shield, not letting myself watch as Jodhi rode away, Evie’s scream still ringing in my ears.
“I’m sorry.” I stroked Freya’s cheek one last time and looked into her pretty eye. “I will see you soon.”
If the monsters were truly drawn to me, this end was inevitable.
With a choked sob, I drew my sword across her throat.
Her eyes flared, horrorstruck. And then the life bled from her body.
Tears streamed down my face as I watched Dair ride into the trees, drawing off two wolves. His leg was shredded, the blood from the cuts painting his horse’s white coat in red.
I held up my sword, the blade dripping with blood, and fixed my gaze on the two monsters running my way.
“Mack, give me strength,” I prayed, hoping the God of War would dare to visit this place of death.
One of the monsters lifted its neck and clicked to the other. A team working to bring down their target. The other wolf changed paths, moving around a thick tree so that it could come at me from the side.
“I love you, Ransom,” I whispered, looking to the sky.
Was he waiting for me in the shades? I hoped he’d be there when I arrived. I hoped he’d open his arms and together, we could watch over Evie from above.
A growl brought me back to the forest, to the black beasts drawing closer.
My sword wobbled, and I clutched it with both hands.
There were hooves in the distance, a rider barreling this way. Thora or Golding or Dair. But by the time they made it back to the road, it would be too late.
The wolf in front of me growled, its lips curling away from white fangs. It smiled at my death.
Well, I had no plans to go down without a fight. I tightened my grip, ready to slash the moment it pounced.
But it didn’t attack. A whirl of gleaming metal came from the side, a sword driving through the monster’s heart.
Then a black horse thundered through the trees.
Not a Mavin.
A warrior with silver eyes. The man who owned my heart. My husband, here to escort me to the shades.
Ransom.