CHAPTER 40
ME? FIND THE RAVEN? All alone? Lenore was questioning being a werewolf all over again.
“Maybe I misheard, but... did you say my name?” She pointed at herself, forcing a smile on her face in hopes it was all in her head.
Fia lifted the kettle casually, shaking it back and forth to check the remaining amount. “I said it,” she replied coolly.
Lenore stared at her. The weight of Fia’s words sank in. For a moment, she was tempted to curl up into a ball and say no.
She gave in to that temptation.
“I can’t do that!” Lenore groaned into her legs, hiding her face away from the others. “I’ve barely been here for more than a week—A WEEK! And somehow, I’ve been in too many insane situations. I think I might have lost a few years of my life from the stress.”
Cade grimaced sympathetically. “Why Lenore? That’s more than a full day’s trek to even get there. She might... uh, struggle.”
“Thank you for saying that, Cade,” Lenore replied, her voice an octave higher at the end. She squeezed her arms around her legs.
“It is pretty brutal,” Gwyneth said. Her face scrunched with uncertainty. “We don’t even know if the white raven will be at Ieric’s village.”
“It’s the best lead we got. There’s nothing we can do,” Fia said.
A glint of amusement at Lenore’s actions shone in her otherwise serious expression.
“It would be out of the ordinary for any of us to go. You’re going through extra training for the Duskryn trials, Cade’s on patrol rotations, and I need to use whatever I’ve got left in me to keep up appearances.
Sending Lenore on her own would be easier—the number of excuses we could apply to a new Nyven are endless.
” She chuckled. “Besides, the path there is long, but hardly dangerous. Even the little pups make the trip there and spend the night.”
“With all due respect, Grandma, I’m sure your idea of a little danger is likely a big danger to a werewolf like me.” Whimpering, Lenore asked, “Do I really have to do this on my own?”
“Am I really seeing a full-grown werewolf whimper like a pup right now?” Fia shook her head, slowly dragging a hand over her face.
“I was a regular human just weeks ago, enjoying strolls in the flower gardens and baking cute apple pies,” Lenore whined. “Let me whimper a little.”
At that, everyone burst into laughter. Gwyneth kicked her legs back and forth as she laughed freely. Cade turned his head away, his shoulders shaking from his suppressed laughter. Lenore pouted to herself.
“Ha. Fine, you got me there.” Fia drummed her fingers on her crossed arms, clearly enjoying herself. “But think of it as character-building. By the end, you’ll be a stronger werewolf.”
Lenore let out a deep sigh. There was no use fighting this any longer.
She slowly lowered her legs and crossed them, clasping her hands together.
In resignation, she said, “Just tell me how to get there, what to do, and what I should say if I get questioned.” Her lips pursed.
She was sure she was already walking a thin line with the rest of the pack.
“That’s the spirit.” Fia grinned. “You’ll get ready for it tomorrow night and leave in the early morning.” Her eyes softened, a look of concern settling onto her face. “I’d give you more time to catch your breath, but I don’t think we have it.”
“You can’t say that when you’re like this,” Lenore murmured. “I’ll manage—and if I can’t, then... may the light of the moon guide my steps.” Her resolve grew stronger. “I’ll try my hardest to reach the white raven.”
“Spoken like a true werewolf,” Fia approved. “So let’s get right into it, before I start hacking my lungs out again.”
The night continued to unfold with the group’s discussion and strategy, with Lenore listening as best as she could. If she were honest, even with all the safety measures laid out, the thought of the impending journey didn’t stop scaring her.
But if the white raven was truly at its claimed destination, then she had to hope that it was only the beginning of the light at the end of the tunnel. And that was enough to make her face the uncertain tomorrow.