by Skye Winters
"Finally." Rowan collapsed to the ground with a plucked bird in her lap.
"Let me do this," I said, taking the carcass from her. "I'll wake you once it's ready."
"You? Cook?" She laughed, but her smile soon faded as she closed her eyes. "Just don't burn it, okay?"
I glared in her direction, then offered Surrena a helpless sigh. "Cooking a meal isn't that hard."
I searched the ground for something to hold the poor things. The last tree I'd seen was over two miles ago, and while I could sprint, I was pretty sure Rowan couldn't wait that long.
"Mind if I use some of your arrows?" I asked, looking at Surrena.
"You plan on burning it?"
"You too?" I groaned and drew a pair of arrows from her quiver. "If I burn anything, it'll be the meat or my hand."
"Fair enough." She crossed her arms behind her head and kicked back. "Just make it quick. If the smell doesn't draw someone's attention, your smoke signals will."
Smoke signals, very funny. I'd show them. Even so, I kept the meat as close to the flame as I could without risking myself or Surrena's precious projectiles.
******
We reached the northern ridge by nightfall, but with the end of our travels in sight, there also was nowhere else for us to go. I glanced down along the cliff face toward the falls and the cavern I knew was hidden behind them. Question was—how the hell are we supposed to get down there?
Not only that, but what if Devlin’s wolves knew about the location? The paths leading in and out of the bunker weren’t far from here. One step in the right direction, and Devlin’s pack could find themselves below us.
Good thing those pathways are a maze of twists and turns.
"Now what?" Rowan asked, perching on a rock wall as she surveyed the area.
"We go down," Surrena said simply, removing her quiver before dumping the arrows on the ground.
"Uh huh. Right. And how do you suggest we do that without breaking our necks? I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s a sheer drop on the other side of this wall."
Surrena shrugged and didn’t pay Rowan any mind, rifling through her arrows as she tested the tip of each one on a fingertip.
"If you’re so confident," I said, crossing my arms over my chest, "you mind filling us in?"
"We’re going to descend. One at a time."
"You first," Rowan said, not moving from her spot atop the wall.
"Not likely. If this is going to work, I’ll need to stay up here until the two of you reach the bottom."
I gave Surrena a curious glance. "Unless you have some rope or a vine we can use—"
"Better." The huntress picked a handful of arrows off the ground, held them close to her lips, and after casting what must’ve been another illusion, she tossed them down along the cliff.
"Are you crazy?" I watched the arrows as they slowly drifted closer to the ground. "What if there are wolves down there?" We had a clear view of the ground, but with all the brush lying around, there was no way to be sure until we were on even footing.
"Just watch."
I did as she asked, keeping my eyes on the few arrows that hadn’t disappeared into the night.
"Fireflies mark targets," Surrena said after a moment, gesturing to a faint yellow light far in the distance. "As you can see, we’re far enough away not to draw any attention at all. That is, unless one of you slips up."
"No promises." Especially without a bit of rope.
"See there?" Surrena pointed to yet another light, one that was blue and not far beneath us. "That’s our way down. Use those footholds, and only those footholds. If you fall, you’re on your own. I’ll be orchestrating the markers from up here."
"Which explains why you won’t be going first."
"Exactly." She nodded in the direction of the cliff. "Whenever you’re ready."
I studied the line of blue dots as they danced along the cliff, and after tossing Rowan a final glance, I swung my legs over the rock wall and started my descent. Don’t look down. I wasn’t normally afraid of heights, but that also didn’t mean I was willing to give my fears a chance to slow me down.
You’ve climbed worse than this before.
Hardly. I’d scaled buildings with open windows. But never a cliff, and never this high off the ground without something to break my fall.
Or your back.
Great. Just what I needed. Second thoughts.
"Look at me," Rowan said. "I’ll guide you down."
"Okay." I closed my eyes, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, meeting Rowan’s gaze. "Okay," I said again. "I’m ready."
"Lower right. Thirty degrees. There."
I stepped down onto the foothold Rowan had described, and very carefully, worked my way down. Whenever I passed a foothold I no longer needed, the arrows went out, remaining in place for the next climber to use.
It took time, and a few missteps, but eventually, I reached solid footing.
I doubled over as much from the exhilaration as the wave of dizziness I’d been holding back ever since I started to make my way down.
"You okay?" Rowan called, her voice low.
I waved my hand in her direction to give the go ahead, and once she swung over the wall, I guided her in a similar fashion.
Surrena had no problems at all making her way down the cliff as she stepped on footholds made from the arrows we’d been using as markers.
"How come we couldn’t do it your way?" I asked once she was beside us.
"It costs too much energy," Surrena explained, waving her hand to call her arrows back to her, which she quickly placed inside the quiver. "I had to make sure you both got here safely before I could test a bold technique."
"It doesn’t matter," Rowan said, cupping her hands under the falls to get a drink. "We’re here now. What next?"
"Are you well enough to find the alpha female?" Surrena asked.
Rowan nodded without hesitation.
"We need to gather the other wolves. It will be slow going, and may take most of the night, but I’ll have eyes on you at all times." Surrena enchanted a pair of arrows and inclined her head. "One of these arrows will be used to take the place of whatever wolf I send you to find. The second arrow is what I will use to make sure the illusion is sound and reflects that wolf to the best of my abilities. Lead your pack here. Once everyone has gathered, we can focus on getting the boundary back."
"And me?" I asked.
"You need to remain hidden. There’s not much for you to do until we get you inside." Surrena looked to Rowan. "Go now. The more time we spend here, the less time we have to gather the others."
Rowan lingered, if only for a moment, before shaking herself awake and shifting into her wolf. Without a scrap of clothing to blow her cover, she headed toward the haven, and the pair of arrows followed.
"She’ll be okay," Surrena said, resting a hand on my shoulder.
"For all our sakes, I hope you’re right."
Chapter Nine
With the help of Surrena's illusions, I was able to get a better vantage point along the cliff without being seen. The haven hadn't suffered nearly as much damage from the fire as I'd expected. Aside from the western side of the house, the rest of the building was untouched. Which means Devlin could be anywhere.
There was a chance Rowan could see him in passing, or at the very least, have a general idea of his whereabouts once we were ready to mobilize. It was a slim possibility, and one I didn't dwell on for too long.
My mother was the first to arrive at our location, and ever since, she and Surrena had been in the cave behind the falls. And much like how Surrena had done for me, I gave them the privacy they required and then some while I waited for the next arrival.
I caught the hint of movement closer to the house as the back door opened and closed, releasing a single wolf into the night. Warm light washed on its back, and as it got closer, it was followed by another, larger wolf.
I clenched my jaw and squinted at the sha
dowed forms until they came into focus. "Caine's here," I said, loud enough for my mother and Surrena to hear.
Rowan was only a few feet behind him, loping up to the falls and then stopping completely as she waited for Surrena to enchant a fresh arrow.
The huntress went to work, casting a spell of flight over the arrow that would then take on the form of another wolf just as soon as Rowan located the next target. "We need Markus now."
Rowan dipped her head, met my gaze, then turned back for the house. I watched her jump over clumps of dry grass and fallen trees until she vanished inside the house.
With Rowan gone, I returned my attention to Caine who was in the process of shifting out of his wolf pelt.
"Aren't you going to say hello?" he asked, holding his arms wide.
I climbed down from my perch and hugged him from the side, smiling when he ruffled my hair. "Good to see you, brother."
"And you. I wasn't sure you were coming back."
I nodded gently. "Neither was I, to be honest. Not until I found the huntress."
Caine looked behind me at the falls. "What's she like?"
I chewed my bottom lip as I gave his question some thought. "A bit like me, I suppose. Not a threat far as I can tell."
"Well, if you trust her, then so do I."
With that, he shifted back into his wolfen form and rushed under the falls to join them. I returned to my place on the cliff, greeting Markus in a similar fashion upon his arrival.
Surrena wasn't joking when she'd said it would take most of the night for us to gather the other wolves, and once we did, the entire pack had congregated within the hidden caves.
Sitting at the front of the pack, the huntress enchanted a handful of arrows and sent them off on their own as she gathered a few items from her quiver.
"Where are they going?" I asked, gesturing in the direction the trio of arrows had gone.
She combed her fingers through her hair and leaned against my mother's warm pelt. "To even our odds. We'll relieve some of Devlin's wolves from their posts, then make it seem as though they never left."
Another illusion.
Surrena dipped her head and closed her eyes, looking utterly exhausted and out of breath.
"Are you okay?" I crouched beside her and placed a hand to her forehead. "You're burning up."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Part of the job, I'm afraid."
I looked to my mother who bowed her head and dropped her ears the slightest bit before taking on her human form. I knew calling the whole thing off wasn't an option, and any hesitation on my part could put Surrena in more danger than she already was. She isn't planning to survive. And looking at the pack, she wasn't alone.
We were gathered. Every single one of us fit inside the cave. A small, dwindling pack that was in no shape to fight Devlin James, not even with Surrena's illusions doubling our numbers.
We fight here. It's something my father had said before he died. If our pack was going to fail, it would be within the boundary, on our land. We wouldn't leave. A death from tooth and claw would be more honorable than one from insanity or by stepping outside the veil.
"This," Surrena began, holding the vial of Wolfsbane in her hand, "will even our odds further." Meeting my gaze, she continued. "Anna, it will be up to you to make sure it hits its mark while the rest of us deal with Devlin's mutts. Remember, many of your allies will be reflections of themselves. Do not lose your focus, not even for a second. A fallen wolf could be just that. He could also be a broken arrow. But don't stick around to find out. That goes for every one of you. I'll do my best keep the illusions as far from their originals as possible, but I can't make any promises. Save one."
There was one arrow left in Surrena's quiver, which she drew out into the open. Her brow furrowed and she released a shaky breath as she, once again, enchanted the projectile. I watched in silence as the material changed shape to reveal my wolf standing before me.
"How did you know what she looks like?" I asked.
"The little I saw of her along with your mother's help," Surrea replied, gesturing for the wolf to spin around. "This reflection will remain at your side until you find Devlin. Once you do, use the wolf to lure him out and into the open. Don't shift. Doing so will cause you to lose this." She handed the vial to me which I then placed inside my pocket. "Keep your true wolf silenced. If she growls, fight her into submission. She can't interfere this time."
"Can't you put her to sleep like you did before?"
"I don't have the energy that spell requires, and without most of my materials, making a draught to do so is out of the question. You said you held her back once before. Do it again." She squeezed my hands, and her eyes darkened as she met my gaze. "Most importantly, do not lose your focus."
I bowed my head, then looked to Rowan and the illusion of my wolf. Both perked their ears and held their tails high.
I turned to my mother and took her in my arms. "I can stay here. We can fight here."
My mother shook her head and held me close with arms that had lost their strength weeks ago. "Doing so would put us at an even greater risk. It's your time now, Anna. Lead the pack as you were born to do. Lead them with your bonded at your side. Do this for me."
My throat tightened, and I fought back tears I couldn't afford to shed. Keep your focus. I couldn't lose it now. Not when we were so close. Not when this was our only chance to get the haven back.
Focus.
"But the pack," I said, looking around the cavern at the wolves I called sister, brother and friend. "How can I lead if the bond I share isn't the one they need? How can I—" I can't do this without you. "I'm not ready."
"By admitting your fear, you already are. Lead with compassion, loyalty and heart."
"I'm not ready. I need more time."
"But I am, and time is a luxury we can't afford."
When I looked at her, she was smiling. "How can you... how can you say that? How can you just give up?" Either my brothers hadn't heard what she said, or they'd had this discussion with her while I was away. Neither one flinched.
"I've been fighting the illness for months. Well before your father found out. I fought it long enough for you to return my bonded to me. For me to experience her touch and her warmth one last time." The sheen on her eyes was as much for Surrena as it was for me. She held the huntress's gaze and continued. "I'm tired of running. Fighting. You know how hard it is to fight your wolf back. It's painful and exhausting. I've been doing that and more. I've held my shift back. Fought my wolf. I can't hold her back any longer. She deserves the freedom to run. I'm ready to let go, and I'm asking for you do the same."
"I won't just stand here and watch you die." I fisted my hands at my sides and ground my teeth to fight back the wave of nausea at the back of my throat.
"And I won't ask you to." She hugged me close, kissed me on the forehead, and then let go. "I am so proud of you. For all you've become and everything you're destined to be. Doubt has no place within this pack. You are the next in line, and the pack will honor that. No matter who you're bonded to."
With that, she took a deep breath and shifted into her wolf. It was amazing to see the strength in her other form, even after she'd imprisoned it for so long.
"If this doesn't work—"
"It will," Surrena said, kneeling beside my mother to run her fingers through the wolf's fur.
It has to.
We had one shot to get our haven back.
Don't screw up.
No pressure, right?
I nodded to Rowan. "Lead me in, and if you sense Devlin, take me to him."
Her wolf shook its mane, then headed outside the cave with the rest of the pack running in front of us. It didn't take long for her to pick up the pace, keeping to a speed I could match while still making sure we reached the house with time to spare. The rest of the pack circled to the sides of the building as Rowan and I neared the rear entrance.
A pair of wolves guarded the back door, but stepped aside t
o let us in. One was my brother, Caine. The other I didn't quite recognize.
"A copy?" I asked.
Rowan growled as her claws clicked on the floorboards. She paused halfway through the dining hall and lifted her head, sniffing the air for what I assumed was Devlin. It was odd being in the house again. At first glance, it was almost as though nothing had changed.
The place settings on the tables were the same, and nothing had been moved out of place. There also weren't many wolves in this side of the house, either because of Devlin's orders or Surrena's illusions, I couldn't be sure.
Rowan turned down the hall heading to the old study. She stopped a few doors down, pawing at the floorboards when she did.
At first, I couldn't sense anything, and looking at the illusion of my wolf, neither did she. But then a very soft shuffling came from the direction of the study.
The door was mostly gone, much of the wood destroyed by the fire or splintered as a result of the blaze. I held up a hand and asked for Rowan to wait behind me as I took a few steps down the hall. More rummaging came from the room, and the closer I got, the harder Rowan pulled on my sleeve.
"It's okay," I whispered. "I just want to see who—"
"Where is it!" someone snapped as something fell to the floor.
Devlin.
I grit my teeth and, against my better judgment, took another step toward the study. There couldn't have been much left for him to look at, but he was there all the same. The illusion of my wolf growled behind me as Rowan wrapped her jaws around my wrist, biting so hard she almost broke the skin.
Once I stopped, both wolves backed down, but we were still close enough for me to listen and watch the shadows bounce off the wall. Devlin was hovering around where my father's desk had been, moving in front of the large windows that overlooked the woods along the side of the house.
Light flickered and grew, flooding the entryway as footsteps neared.
I froze, but the wolves at my sides didn't. Rowan bit my hand to get my attention, leading me the way we came as the illusion of my wolf turned into the study, right in front of Devlin. I lingered long enough to see him exit the study and chase the illusion to that side of the house.