CHAPTER 44 #2
It was the last thing Lenore heard before the wind whistled by, her bangs whipping against the speed of Edmund’s run. The night cloaked them with darkness as they broke through the light’s barrier, its shadows swallowing their every movement.
They kept going until everything that they knew was far behind, and only deep wilderness surrounded them. Their shallow panting killed the quiet of the forest as the group stopped for a moment’s rest.
“I... I thought you were going to lie low,” Lenore broke the silence as everyone’s eyes snapped up to Azelf.
“Well, there’s lying low and then there’s watching everyone I care about become what turns the grass red.” Azelf sighed. “It was the only thing I could think of to avoid all of that.” He tilted his muzzle up toward the air. “Pip will join us soon. He’s circling around, so no one catches his trail.”
“You were buttering up Arisa the whole time on the scouting trip,” Edmund said. He scowled in remembrance. “It was disturbing.”
“Look, it’s either I lay on the compliments thick or she’ll suspect she’s lost a hold of her magic on me a while ago.” He squatted down, taking a big gulp of air. “You have no idea how taxing that trip was. She had a bone to pick with you.”
Lenore’s eyes closed for a moment, her worries temporarily washed over with the solace of making Edmund bring Azelf along days before.
“Thank you, Azelf. I can’t even say how grateful I am to you,” she said.
“You protected my, um, my...” Her voice became smaller.
Shyer. “My... mate.” She cleared her throat, ignoring the burst of muffled laughter from Edmund’s siblings and the sudden stiffness of Edmund’s body.
“I never thought I’d see the day Edmund would declare his fated mate so openly!” Azelf’s lips pulled back into a toothy grin. He laughed harder when Edmund couldn’t stand to look at any of them anymore. “I’m happy for you. At least some good came out of this situation.”
“And who would’ve thought that you would end up being a light mage. Not bad.” Edmund snorted lightly. “If we survive this, drinks are on me.”
“If we survive this, I’m making a speech at your wedding, and no one can stop the things I’ll say.” Azelf cackled through his teeth, tail wagging as Edmund shot him a withering look. “You can’t really stop your best pal from talking, anyway.”
An amused sigh left Lenore. “Azelf,” she started, changing the topic at hand. “Why did Arisa notice she had lost influence over Beren but not you?” she asked.
“You severed the curse abruptly. I did it gradually,” Azelf said.
“Burn it away slowly, and it won’t be easily detected.
I thought my warning would’ve given you some time to get away.
I didn’t think Fia’s condition was that bad.
” Any lingering humor dispersed completely, leaving only the solemn faces and the looming reminder of what was at stake.
“None of us did,” Cade said. He looked down at the ground. “She was struggling, but it all fell apart at the last second.” Gwyneth’s fur bristled, but she said nothing, choosing to growl in bitter frustration.
“We can’t stay here any longer,” Edmund said.
His ears straightened as he kept watch of their surroundings.
“If we’re gonna get a chance to save her, every second counts.
” His gaze swept over the group. “You three head to Kyrie’s first. We don’t know how widespread this Lucyn issue might be—Azelf’s powers might be needed there.
Lenore and I are going to Ieric’s village. ”
“Our pack,” Gwyneth murmured. “Are we really leaving them like this?”
“Don’t look back,” Edmund said. A tight crease formed between his brow ridges. “Most of them aren’t in their right minds. What we’re doing is for the sake of our pack.”
“Edmund’s right,” Azelf said. “She’s more than just a werewolf with magic. Look at how all the Duskryns acted. With her being in Lunavie, there’s no way to get through to them right now.”
“We ate with her—celebrated with her. We gave blessings to her and Auden! And it turned out to be all lies.” Gwyneth shook her head back and forth. “I can’t believe this—I can’t.” She bared her fangs, the depths of her eyes filling with rage. “I want to tear her head off!”
“Get in line,” Edmund muttered. “But until then, stay alive.”
Lenore absently rubbed her right forearm. She couldn’t get rid of the tiny prick of fear that dwelled in her heart.
What if she couldn’t be free of the Lucyn that made her?
What if she cursed them just by staying?
There were no answers to the thoughts that plagued her, but the fear grew deeper within. A faint echo of laughter thrummed in her ears, for only her to hear. A cold sweat broke out on the base at her neck.
“We’ll do our best to find the white raven,” Lenore said. She wielded her words as a weapon against her mind, clinging to the hope that there was good to come out of this. Edmund gave a nod of assurance.
“We’re counting on you two then,” Azelf said. “May the light of the moon guide your steps.”
“And for you three, too,” Edmund replied. He glowered at them, a growl slipping through his fangs. “If any of you die, I’ll drag your bodies back to this life.”
“So it’s fine to be a little careless then?” Azelf grinned, the expression mirrored by Cade and Gwyneth. “Good to know.” A twinkle of light shone in the distance. Azelf’s tail wagged, and he stood to his feet. “Pip’s here—time to get moving again.”
“Be careful out there. Ieric’s village is near enough for the others to track you down.” Cade looked down at Lenore. “It might be safer for you to come with us, Lenore.” His ears lowered slightly. “Putting you through more danger feels wrong.”
But Lenore shook her head gently, her gaze set with quiet resolve.
“Fia gave me this mission. I’ll see it through to the end.
Besides, Edmund’s with me.” A soft smile tugged at her lips, and she gently ran her fingers through Edmund’s fur.
His ear twitched, and he coughed awkwardly, but it still didn’t distract from the wag his tail gave.
She had another reason, too. If the white raven accepted her, then it might be the resolution she needed—to know she was more than Lucyn-turned.
“Then honor my grandma well,” Gwyneth said. Twigs snapped under her feet as she moved, with the others following suit. “We better see your faces at Kyrie’s soon then. Don’t die.” Without waiting for an answer, all of them bolted off, disappearing into the darkness.
Lenore slipped out of Edmund’s grasp and shifted into a wolf, ready to make the trek ahead. He gently butted his nose against hers, then nodded tightly.
“Let’s go.”
Lunavie had descended into chaos. The moon hung low in the sky, bearing silent witness to the fear exposed under its light.
Ryker shouldered through the never-ending crowd, veins bulging through his clenched fists. He made his way toward Arisa, who sat a little way from the center of the chaos. A thick shawl covered her shoulders, and her willowy fingers wrapped around a hot mug of tea.
“They got away.”
Arisa gave a quiet hum. She lifted her head, eyes still swollen from the tears that had been shed.
“So they did.” The surface of her tea quivered in widening rings, its murky water darkening.
But she smiled at him with a warmth that loosened the tension of Ryker’s shoulders.
“Azelf was... an unexpected hiccup. Quite a few things were,” she said. “It was no one’s fault here.”
“I’ll give ya his corpse once we see him again,” Ryker said. He grinned. “First sacrifice of many.”
A soft laugh slipped from Arisa. “How kind. But before that, there’s loose ends to tie up.” She rose to her feet. “I don’t feel right about just letting those little wolves go.”
Ryker lifted a brow. “Does that matter now? With how much mithrial blood ya consumed to stabilize your powers... does anyone stand a chance?”
“Mm. But until the moon reaches its peak, we don’t want any trouble, do we?” Her eyes closed slowly as she took a sip from her cup. When she opened them, a ring of blood-orange pulsed beneath her irises, then vanished in another heartbeat.
Her smile grew wider. “And… we have Astra Fia to tell us where they’ll be.”