by Sarah Noffke
Bringing the blades of her father’s cane over her head, Liv alternated bringing them around at lightning speed, blurring them through the air. The blades made gentle clanging noises as they met and parted several times on different diagonals.
The werewolf swayed slightly, her paw shuffling to the side to catch her when she was close to falling over. That awoke her from the daze, and she grabbed a piece of broken wood in her jaws and slung it in Liv’s direction. It rocketed at her so fast that she didn’t have time to deflect it. Instead, it slammed into her right shoulder, knocking her into the wall. The sword in her right hand clattered to the ground, rolling under debris from the front desk.
Liv held tight to the remaining sword as Vera took a step in her direction, her eyes glowing hot.
Soren balanced on the uneven surface of the roof with ease. As he took a step forward, the roof groaned under his weight, sagging slightly.
If Trudy had thought of it, she’d have put a weak spot in front of him, making him fall through. That gave her an idea, though.
Without warning, the werewolf launched himself at Trudy, his long claws reaching for her. She brought the staff across his head, knocking him to the roof. As big as he was, she wasn’t dwarfed by him, thanks to her own formidable size.
Looking over her shoulder, Trudy checked to ensure that the werewolves were still being kept at bay by the fire. Most of them prowled around the perimeter looking for an opening. However, a couple had disappeared. They might have figured out they could go around the village and get through on the other side. Either way, it was still worth keeping up the fire barrier. Liv couldn’t deal with more than one werewolf while facing the alpha. Hopefully, once she was down, the spell would be broken and the pack would disperse until a new leader was chosen. Trudy didn’t know how such things were decided. She guessed that the one who killed the alpha became the next one, but what if that was Liv? Could she be the leader of a werewolf pack? That would make her one badass Warrior. Well, more so than before.
Soren shook his massive head, dispelling the daze the blow from Trudy’s staff had caused. Blood trickled from one of his ears, dripping through his fur.
She took her stance again, ready for another assault. Instead of running at her, he sprinted for the open window she’d come out of. Trudy realized a moment too late what he was doing. He was going after his alpha.
“No!” she yelled, making a quick decision. She sent a neat beam of light at him from her staff and it caught him on the tailbone, making him slam into the side of the window’s frame and howl in pain. However, undeterred, he shook off the attack and crawled through the broken window, then limped down the hallway toward the stairs.
Trudy was about to take off after him when the bright light behind her disappeared. She spun to find the firewall had gone down, and the werewolves staring up at her with pure vengeance. She had to make a choice: keep these away from the inn, or go after Soren?
He’s injured, she told herself as she worked to put the perimeter back up. As soon as it was strong enough, she’d go after Soren and help Liv.
She could sense that the werewolf was about to pounce. It was evident in every one of Vera’s movements. She was biding her time, trying to figure out how to get the sword out of her hand. That was the only thing standing between the wolf and Liv, and they both knew it.
Liv pulled her hand back, holding the slender sword like a spear. She’d practiced enough with it to know that it had good flight characteristics, and could easily hit its target if needed. But if Vera moved fast, she could avoid the assault.
A loud clunking sound pulled Liv’s and Vera’s attention away from each other. Liv took a step away from the wall, straightening fully. She was expecting Trudy to materialize from where she’d gone up to the third floor. Things were about to shift. Trudy must have taken care of the other werewolves.
Two Warriors on one hybrid was much better odds, Liv thought.
A moment later Soren appeared in werewolf form on the first landing, his teeth bared at Liv.
Oh, hell. Two werewolves on one Warrior was much less favorable.
The alpha and Soren exchanged meaningful glances. Liv didn’t speak werewolf, but she was certain they’d communicated. She held onto the sword and looked between the two, wondering what was going to happen next—and then it all became clear. Soren started forward, springing in Liv’s direction.
Of course, the alpha would require that he sacrifice himself for her to get the sword from Liv. He ran at her, a furious force of muscle and power. When he was only six feet away, he sprang into the air, his jaws open and his teeth dripping drool.
Liv didn’t think twice before launching her father’s sword at the werewolf, the blade going straight into his chest. He grabbed, gasping and fell down to the floor in one swift movement. She had no time to react before a force like a tornado knocked her to the wooden floor, claws piercing into her shoulder. Liv tried to wrestle out of Vera’s clutches, but the werewolf had her pinned.
She’d been tricked, but how could she have done it better? Her magic was useless on the werewolf, but maybe if she used it indirectly, she could free herself. Liv tried to summon her wind magic, but the fear pounding in her veins prevented her from doing anything but cringe as Vera’s snout raised into the air and howled fiercely, victory coursing through the air.
The monster brought her mouth down, sniffing along Liv’s neck to find the sweet spot. Liv tried to move, but it was useless under the weight of the beast.
The werewolf growled low in her throat. At any moment she’d tear into Liv’s flesh, and it would all be over. Still Liv didn’t give up. She moved her hands around on the floor, trying to find the other sword. If she could just get it, then…
Something slammed into the werewolf on her, freeing Liv. She didn’t take a second to look but rather rolled to the side until she hit Soren’s dead body, which had returned to human form. Stumbling to her feet, Liv blinked at the sight in front of her. It was hard to tell what was happening as two beasts wrestled; hard to tell where the giant gray werewolf ended and the black one began.
Liv grabbed the sword from Soren’s chest, yanking it free just as Trudy raced down the stairs.
“Here,” Liv said, tossing the sword in her direction. She caught it gracefully.
Liv dove under the debris, grabbing the other sword as the two missing werewolves appeared at the front door.
“They went around, but the others are still barricaded,” Trudy said. “You take the one on the right, and I’ll take the one on the left.”
Liv shook her head. “No, they don’t want us.” She pointed with her sword at the two werewolves wrestling. Vera had thrown Fane across the tavern. “They are here to stop that fight at their alpha’s orders.”
“Well, we can’t have that,” Trudy stated.
Liv agreed with a nod, holding up her hand. “Yes, this isn’t really our fight. We might have started it, but the real alpha has to end it.” As Vera had done before, Liv sealed the entrance to the inn, blocking the werewolves from entering. Now they were locked inside with two werewolves. That was either a great idea or the worst one ever.
The first werewolf charged, thumping into the invisible door and fell back. The other prowled back and forth, his eyes roaming as he looked for another way to get in there.
This fight couldn’t last much longer. And by the looks of it, it wasn’t going to.
Vera’s teeth sank into Fane’s side, making him howl in pain.
Liv tightened her hands on the sword, ready to run after Vera and end this. However, Trudy held up her hand, stopping Liv.
“You were right, this isn’t our fight,” she said in a whisper. “If you win this for him, he’ll never have control over the pack.”
“But if he loses…” Liv said, fear taking her over.
Trudy tapped her sword against Liv’s and offered a rare smile. “Then we will have to finish the job ourselves.”
Liv nodded as another howl rock
eted through the air. This time, to her surprise, it was Vera. Fane had thrown her across the bar and she landed with a thud, bottles crashing down on her.
To her surprise, Fane limped away from the werewolf. Liv wanted to scream, “She’s not dead!”
To her shock, Fane morphed into human form as he approached. It was like watching a strange pixelated movie, making Liv think she was losing her vision. Bleeding and looking more dead than alive—and mostly naked—he ripped off a piece of cloth from his ripped shirt and wrapped it around his hands several times. Then he extended his thick hand in Liv’s direction.
She didn’t know what he wanted at first, but then he combed his hands through the air and she understood.
Relinquishing her sword, she placed it in his hands. He nodded appreciatively, striding back in the direction of the bar.
“Let the pack in here,” he yelled to Liv with an authority she couldn’t argue with.
She brought down the wards and the two werewolves prowled into the inn, which was crumbling in places, the ceiling looking close to falling in. At their backs, the rest of the pack appeared. Liv pulled Bellator, ready to defend herself, but the werewolves didn’t give her the slightest bit of attention. Instead, they sauntered into the tavern, growls emanating from their mouths.
Undeterred by this, Fane stood on the other side of the bar, his eyes narrowing on the pack as they came closer, all of them looking ready to attack. He shook his head at them.
Liv saw Vera’s claws grip the other side of the bar. She was about to scream, “Watch out,” but Trudy pressed into her, making her stay silent.
The other set of claws hooked into the bar. Gripped.
Fane’s attention was solely on the pack, a whole host of information seemingly transpiring between him and them in long stares and growls.
Liv almost screamed when Vera sprang over the bar and straight overhead, flying in Fane’s direction. For a second, she appeared to be suspended in the air. She was about to crash down on him, tackling him to the floor, but then as if he had simply been waiting for it, he spun around, rammed the sword through her chest, and shoved her back onto the bar.
Almost instantly, the large wolf shrank into the form of an old woman, the silver sword protruding from her chest. Blood covered her body.
He turned back to the pack as if he’d done nothing more than rid the tavern of a pest. He dusted off his hands, which were covered in blood, and shook his head. “What’s done is done. We kill no more innocents from this point forward. Is that clear?”
In unison, every single werewolf in the tavern cowered, making whimpering sounds. And one by one they began to shift, turning back into the men they had been before Vera made them do horrible things.
Chapter Thirty-One
When Trudy extinguished the fire, the residents of Lupei came out with wide eyes to meet the new alpha of the oldest pack of werewolves in the world. Their pack.
Liv didn’t say a word, but instead walked beside Fane as he greeted each member of his pack one by one. Each bowed their head to him, and although he didn’t say anything, she could feel the words he somehow expressed to them. The werewolves must be telepathic, she realized. Or at least the alpha was with the pack. It was beautiful to watch, actually, like they were all part of the sea and he was the wind, blowing each of them like waves across the ocean.
Trudy joined them when there was a break in the procession. “The fires are out. Should I help repair the tavern?”
Fane smiled but shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. We’ll be disassembling it and creating something new that we can be proud of.” He turned to Liv. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to someone.”
She nodded, watching as he disappeared into the crowd of people. It was well into the night, and yet the entire village was out, mingling and talking. Laughter could be heard everywhere. There was a celebration about to break out, Liv could feel it.
“You were right,” Trudy said by her side, her hands clasped behind her back and her chin held high as she appraised the crowd. They were outsiders and were being treated as such, corralled to the outskirts of the festivities that were starting to take place in the center of the square. However, Liv knew why. No one wanted them to know the secret. No one knew that she knew it. And only two knew she’d never reveal it.
Liv rubbed her hand on her stomach, feeling it rumble. “You mean that you should have made more potatoes?”
Trudy laughed, then pulled a protein bar from her cape and handed it to Liv. “Here.”
Liv took the bar with a grateful nod.
“And no,” Trudy began, unwrapping her own protein bar. “You were right about not taking out the whole pack. Soren had to go. He was undoubtedly corrupt. However, those other men? I watched how they responded when Vera died. They were released. If we would have killed them…”
Liv turned to Trudy, listening to her as she eyed the protein bar. It smelled like sugar, which contrasted with the scent of roasted meats that was strong in the air as women paraded around with pans of food and carafes of beer. “The law says that the entire pack goes down when they break the rules. However, not everyone is responsible for what some members do. They shouldn’t be punished for what one person does.”
Trudy nodded slowly, something working behind her eyes. “How did you get so wise at such a young age? I must be double your age, and I don’t know all this.”
Liv thought for a moment and took a bite, her mouth turning up in a smile from the sensations the taste gave her. “Wow, what is this? It tastes just like…”
“Chocolate cookie dough,” Trudy supplied. “Yes, I refuse to eat things that aren’t sweet. I get all my calories from desserts.”
Liv nodded appreciatively at the other Warrior.
“I can’t carry a tray of brownies around with me, so these have to do,” Trudy said, holding up her own protein bar.
“And I don’t know,” Liv began, trying to answer the question Trudy had asked her to begin with. “I constantly feel this ticking in my chest that reminds me of my parents’ voices. It’s my compass. Even when I don’t know what to do, it seems to.”
Trudy clapped her hand on Liv’s back. “I don’t know where you came from entirely, Liv Beaufont, but I’m sure glad you came out of that hole, wherever it was.”
The two chewed on their protein bars, watching the festivities in the village with appreciation. “They are happy,” Trudy finally observed.
“I think they finally have the chance to be, after a long time,” Liv added.
“Do you mind if I leave you here?” Trudy said, rolling up her wrapper and sticking it in her pocket.
Liv did the same and nodded. “I think I can find my way home.”
“Cool,” Trudy said, stepping back toward the hills they’d come down. “And I don’t know how you knew that the pack would be around the perimeter and Soren on the roof, but I’m glad you did.”
Liv tapped her head and smiled. “Magic.”
Trudy saluted her. “You are an enigma. I’d say I’d be keeping an eye on you, but I think I like you better with your secrets, Liv Beaufont.”
Liv saluted back. “Thanks for your help, Trudy DeVries. I look forward to working with you again.”
Trudy turned, waving with her back to Liv as she strode for the hills. “Until next time.”
Liv watched her stride away until she was too hard to see.
“Does she know anything?” Fane asked by her side, having materialized out of nowhere.
Liv turned to him and shook her head. “Not a thing.”
He smiled and was about to say something when Alina ran up holding a bouquet of flowers.
“These are for you,” she said, thrusting the small white blossoms into her hands.
Liv knelt and took them from the young girl. “Thank you, Alina. These are beautiful.”
“You saved our village, Warrior Beaufont,” Alina said, hugging her. She was strong for a young girl and kind for a child who would gro
w up to be a werewolf.
Liv stood and stared at the man before her. “Oh, I didn’t do anything. Your father saved you. He saved this entire village.”
Fane’s eyes fell to the cane in Liv’s hands, and he nodded. “I couldn’t have done it without you. And I intentionally used your father’s cane to end Vera’s reign so that the pack remembers their place. We aren’t invincible and if we are going to prosper, then we must cooperate with magicians, not oppose them.”
Liv hadn’t thought of the implications of Fane using a sword to take down the alpha, but this made sense. And it had symbolism, which she liked even more.
“I hope you continue on your path, Liv Beaufont,” Fane continued. “I fear you have many hardships ahead of you, but I hope you succeed. I hope somehow you avenge your parents’ death.”
Liv held tight to the cane in her hands, pulling it close to her chest. “Just like you, I’ll die trying if I have to.”
He cast his eyes over the village full of joyous residents. Somewhere in the general store, Claudia was caring for the elderly, hopefully telling them the worst had passed. The town of Lupei had gone through hell and come out the other side, and hopefully one day the House of Seven would be able to tell a similar story.
“I hope you don’t die trying, but if you’re anything like your parents, you won’t give up until justice is served.” He extended his hand, still bruised and bleeding, although it looked much better than it had an hour before. “And if you ever need anything, you know you have friends here.”
Liv took his hand, shaking it with a great fondness for the man before her. The one who had given her father the sword that had saved her life that night.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Queen Visa had many things going for her. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, her powers were seemingly unmatched, and she was beyond patient. Being a fae and living for centuries allowed for such things.