by J. E. Taylor
“If he is wanted by the werewolves, we will leave him to their justice.” He nodded towards the poles, and the guard dragged him to stand between the two posts.
They clasped one wrist in a silver cuff that hung from one post and then took off the shackles before securing his other wrist. The positioning gave him minimal leeway.
“He’s as good as dead shackled like that,” I said, appalled.
“He has a chance. If he survives the night, we will let him go,” Remy said.
“What if none of us survive?” I asked.
“Then he dies of starvation, instead.”
Lucas lifted his nose like he was trying to catch a scent. He glanced over his shoulder at me, his eyes full of regret, but it was nothing compared to the hurt racking my insides. I’d asked him to stay. He would have left if I hadn’t uttered that fateful plea.
“No.” I turned back towards Remy.
“We are going to hide the entire town in the church, and the Guard will set up a perimeter so nothing gets through.”
“I told you, if Lucas isn’t spared, I’m not fighting.”
Remy’s face reddened. “We aren’t putting a dozen arrows into his chest,” he growled. “He is being spared from our justice.”
I swallowed and dropped my gaze to the ground, understanding the mentality of the town. They saw this as mercy, and I knew this was the best they were going to offer, but I didn’t have to like it. I finally gave a nod.
“Then my perimeter is between Lucas and the woods.” I could stop whatever came out of those woods as long as I was armed with enough arrows.
“We wanted you guarding the doors to the church,” the judge said from behind Remy.
I glanced over my shoulder at the church, which stood a little farther than fifty yards from where Lucas was strung up. “If I’m set up at the steps of the church, Lucas will block my line of sight. So will these damn posts. If you want to doom the entire town, be my guest.” If they could play games, so could I.
“Red,” Travis whispered, holding Midnight’s reins. “Be reasonable.”
I let out a laugh. “Reasonable? You want me to be reasonable? You’re the one that put me in this position,” I snapped, the anger bursting through with a vengeance. “You are asking me to walk away from the man who tried to save my grandmother. Does that sound reasonable to you?”
I glared at the crowd and then met Remy’s gaze. “As long as Lucas is here within the town limits, we have as much of an obligation to protect him as we have to protect every man, woman, and child that lives here. My perimeter is right here.” I walked ten paces in front of Lucas and dug my heel into the ground, creating an arc in the dirt. I stepped to the center of my line and glanced out at the woods again. I had enough space between the trees and where I would be crouched to take on whatever those woods dished out.
“You need to listen to them,” Lucas said, pulling my defiant gaze away from the woods. “If you are this close to the woods...” He shook his head.
My lips turned up at the corners. Lucas may have heard the rumors about me, but he really only had a cursory look at what I could do with a bow and arrow. He needed to know why I was on a werewolf’s most wanted list, and I was going to give him a front row seat to the show.
Remy’s gaze traveled over the vantage point I had chosen, and then he glanced back at the church. His bottom lip sucked in between his teeth as he silently considered my plan.
“Red is right. That is the best spot to defend the church,” he said to the judge. “Forcing her to defend from right in front of the church will put us at a disadvantage. There are too many blind spots from the steps even without the werewolf chained to the posts.”
“How many arrows do we have?” I asked.
“We only have forty silver-tipped arrows left.”
Goosebumps broke out over my arms and I spun, staring at Remy. If Lucas’s numbers were right, and we all hit our marks, that still left at minimum twenty wolves that we would have to kill with our daggers. Even one-on-one, that was a stretch, but four-on-one, that was suicide.
My heart thundered in my chest, and my gaze jumped to Lucas and the shackles holding him in place. We had silver, but it wasn’t in the right form to kill a werewolf.
“Do we have time to melt down the remaining silver and coat the regular arrows?” I asked as I looked to the sky.
Remy turned towards the judge. “We need more arrows in order to win this battle. No one has had a chance to make a silver run in the last few weeks, and right now, the only silver left is the shackles we took off the prisoner and the ones holding him to the pole. We need it, otherwise...”
“We cannot let the werewolf go,” the judge said.
“Then lock him up in the jail, and we can figure this out tomorrow,” Remy said. “Because without that silver... There. Will. Be. No. Tomorrow.”
I had heard Remy aggravated and forceful, but it did not compare to the doom he painted with those five words.
When the judge didn’t respond, he added, “And we are not using one of the arrows we currently have on him. We need double what we have, and I’m not sacrificing this entire town on this single wolf, especially since I don’t agree with the verdict. Lock him up.”
Another shock skipped through my heart, almost jerking me in place. I didn’t think I’d ever hear Remy Steele stand up for a werewolf, and from the open-mouthed expression of most of the crowd, I thought they were all in the same place I was. We were witnessing a miracle.
I glanced out at the woods. I just hoped it wasn’t the only miracle today.
Chapter 14
I stood with John, the blacksmith, as he melted down the chains. He hunched over the extreme heat, painstakingly turning the bowl of silver until it was liquid. I handed him each arrow, and he dunked the tip. We had enough to coat twenty more arrows, which left a whole bunch of ifs.
John wasn’t much of a talker, so he wandered around the shop, doing what I imagine he usually did during a normal day. When he thought the arrows were dry enough, he put them in my quiver.
“You really think you can save this town?” he asked.
I glanced at our meager bounty and sighed. “You might want to start praying now,” I said and slung the quiver over my shoulder.
“Are you any good with a sword?” he asked after I turned to leave.
I had some instruction but I wasn’t as good as Travis. “Is it made of silver?” If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t help a lick.
“The finest. It’s the strongest steel coated with pure Alberta silver.” He reached behind one of the counters and pulled out a long thin sheath with a thick black handle sticking out. He offered it to me. “For when you run out of arrows.”
“Thank you, John,” I said and took the sword, pulling the blade out far enough to inspect the fine craftsmanship. The blade had intricate designs carved into the silver. “It is beautiful.” I tested the blade on the pad of my thumb. “And sharp,” I said, offering him a smile of appreciation.
He gave me a nod. “Stay safe, Red.”
“Do you have any more silver swords?”
He nodded and stepped towards the back.
“You might need some of those in the church, just in case,” I said, stopping him.
He turned and gave me a haunted nod.
“Thank you for this.” I held up the sword and left without another word. I had to go give Remy the bad news.
I crossed to the green where Remy was discussing strategy with the other guards and dropped my full quiver at his feet next to the rest of the arrows.
“How many?” he asked.
“Twenty.”
A slow whistle came from between his teeth, and he closed his eyes. His shoulders dropped, and my heart plummeted with them. Seeing defeat in Remy’s demeanor was more unsettling than the knowledge we didn’t have nearly enough firepower.
Remy raked his hand over his face. “We don’t even know what direction they’ll be coming from.”
I
chewed my bottom lip and stepped in the direction of where they had Lucas locked up.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
“I’m going to find out if we can narrow that down,” I said over my shoulder and headed towards the jail. It was worth a shot, especially since he was the one who gave us a heads-up and the head count of the pack.
I glanced at Travis as I crossed to the door separating the constable’s work space with the jail. He wanted to be out with the Guard, even with his arm immobile, but he would probably be the first to be killed out in the open with little to defend himself beyond a broadsword his father gave him. He couldn’t shoot an arrow with one arm. His scowl broadcasted just how unhappy he was with his current assignment—babysitting the werewolf.
I descended the short stairwell and stepped into the dank holding cell, crossing to the bars. Lucas lay with his back to the door. He didn’t budge when I walked in.
“Lucas?” I asked from outside his cell.
He turned slowly, his jaw tightened, and he sat up. He tried to hide the wince, but it didn’t fool me. He pushed up from the cot, crossed slowly to where I stood, and went to wrap his hand around the bar, but pulled it away before he touched the iron.
I reached through the bars and grabbed his hand so I could look at it.
“Don’t,” he said, his voice scratchy.
I peeled his fingers open and stared at the black marks burned into his skin. Without thinking, I brought his palm to my lips and gently kissed the scar.
“Ruby,” he whispered. His voice held a deep longing, one that echoed in my heart. His gaze lingered on my lips before it rose to mine. “Stay with me.”
I raised my eyebrows. “We can talk about that tomorrow.”
He pulled his hand away. “You cannot fathom what is coming,” he snarled and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the bars. “Five of you cannot possibly fight that many werewolves on your own.”
“We have no choice. You said they were coming to kill all of us. What would you have us do?”
His head snapped up, and his eyes flared. “Run,” he said with no hesitation. “Hide.”
“You of all people can’t possibly think there is anywhere to hide from those beasts?”
His face scrunched up in pain as he gripped the bars. “You could hide at your grandmother’s house. The stench of death makes all animals avoid your property.”
“So they wouldn’t come in from that direction?”
Lucas laughed. “No. They will steer clear of that direction.”
“Where will they come from?” I asked softly.
“Every other direction, like a tidal wave. I can feel their presence. I can feel their malice on the air.” He shivered.
“So the east will be clear, but they will come from the north, south, and west?”
He nodded.
“Where is the greatest concentration?”
Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know.”
I hung my head and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before I looked back at him. “I will survive this,” I said with a voice much stronger than I felt. I wasn’t sure if it was for his benefit or mine.
He reached out and ran his hands into my hair, pulling me as close as the bars would allow. His bright blue eyes blazed. He ran his thumb across my cheekbone. “That is what I am terrified of.”
I pressed my cheek into his palm, trying to read what was behind those beautiful eyes. “Why?”
“Because I can still feel the alpha trying to weasel his way into my head,” he said. “He knows.”
“He knows what?”
Lucas’s fingers moved to my lips, tracing them tenderly before meeting my gaze. “He doesn’t have control over me anymore.”
“What changed?”
The corners of his lips tilted into a smile. “I kissed you.”
Heat filled my cheeks, and I glanced over his shoulder out the window at the far side of the cell. The memory lingered, and the heat from my cheeks spread through me.
“I wish I could kiss you now,” he whispered.
I moved my gaze back to his. I wanted that, too. I wanted more than a kiss. I wanted a lifetime of his kisses. The realization made every muscle in my body ache for him. I stepped away because I needed that type of want in my soul. I needed something to fight for, something to survive for. Lucas was enough motivation to make me into the warrior I needed to be.
I licked my lips and stared into his eyes. “Tomorrow you can kiss me all you want.”
Lucas smiled and cocked his head. “Promise?”
“Promise.” I walked out of the holding area with my stomach down by my feet.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my word, but I was going to fight like hell to get back to Lucas. I just didn’t know if it would be in one piece or not.
Chapter 15
Mrs. Wilton brought each of us out a chicken sandwich and mumbled something about praying for all of us. It was appropriate that the town pray. We were going to need all the help we could get, and if God landed on our side, we might actually survive.
Remy stared at the ground as he slowly ate. As if sensing my gaze, he glanced up at me with bright green eyes that mirrored my own. Remy’s hard features softened for a moment, and he took his last bite. He stood and crossed the distance.
“We never got to finish the conversation this morning.” Remy took the seat next to me and remained quiet for a few minutes as he scanned the town green and the remaining three guards.
The five of us were the best shots in the unit. The rest of the Guard was stationed inside the church in case we failed. Except for Travis. He was told to secure the jail and make sure Lucas didn’t get out.
“The fact you are my granddaughter doesn’t change how things in the Guard work. I’m still your superior. You still have to follow orders,” he said and leveled a hard stare at me.
I nodded. “I wish I had one of Gram’s cookies,” I said softly, changing the subject. I didn’t want to be berated by Remy right now. I needed to focus on the things closest to my heart.
He let out a chuckle. “Me too.”
“Did you love her?” I blurted. I didn’t know why it mattered, but it did.
Remy studied the ground and then looked away. “Yes. But it wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to stay here locked in this town. I wanted adventure, and your grandmother was happy here.” He shook his head and shuffled a foot in the dirt. “I left without saying goodbye. I was foolish enough to think that she’d wait for me, even though every single man in the area would have given away everything they owned just to be with that woman. She was a lot like you.”
“Oh,” I mumbled, not knowing what to do with the compliment.
“It took me a little over a year to figure out everything I cared about was back in Dakota. I went to see her bearing gifts, hoping she would forgive me.” He sighed. “She was already married and had a son.” He stood. “I never forgave her for moving on.” He glanced at me. “And I’m angry that she never told me I had a family.” Remy stuffed his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. “I’m not sure I would have allowed you to join the Guard had I known, even though you are the best shot I have ever seen in all my travels. That would have been a damn shame, too.”
“If you were so angry, why did you honor her wishes?” I asked before I lost my nerve.
He smiled a sad smile. “I did that for you. Doc Wilton gave me the letter, and after I read it, I destroyed every possible thing within reach in my cabin. But I came to terms with the truth. And despite being a hard ass with you in particular, I’ve come to care about what happens to you, and it wasn’t because you are my most skilled archer. It was deeper than that.” He glanced out at the woods. “That was the hardest truth to face. I thought you were going to be executed today. I wanted you to have a little peace before you met your maker.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I looked at the sky before he saw the tears gathering in my eyes. “We might want
to get to our posts.”
Remy followed my gaze and nodded. His hand landed on my shoulder, and he gave it a squeeze. “Shoot true.”
I nodded and we held each other’s gazes for a longer beat. He gave my shoulder one last squeeze and crossed to the pile of arrows and quivers. He split the sixty silver-tipped arrows evenly and handed each of us our quivers. Then he split the remaining arrows, which wouldn’t kill the beasts, but it might slow them down so we could use our silver-coated knives. He passed out smaller weapons to each of us.
“I am good,” I said when he went to hand a small stash of silver daggers to me. “I have a sword that the blacksmith gave me.”
“At least take a couple and stash them in your boots. You are as accurate at throwing as you are with your arrow,” he growled at me.
I took them, but did not stash them in my boots. Instead, I took my arrows and knives and lined them up in the dirt in a semicircle around me with the silver-tipped ones closest and the wooden arrows on the outside. I placed the strap to the sword holder over my head and adjusted it so the blade lay horizontally from my shoulder to my hip where it wouldn’t interfere with my bow and arrow. I reached over with my right hand to make sure I could pull it free easily when the time came.
I glanced back at the church as the townspeople gathered with their casseroles and their plates like it was a town picnic instead of a vigil to see if we survived the night or not. I shook my head in disgust and caught Remy’s same expression I was sure mine held as he looked on. I turned to the woods, focusing on the growing shadows. The sound of those gathered in the church silenced as the doors closed, capturing everyone within the steepled building.
Silence. I closed my eyes and focused on centering all my energy into one thing. The kill. The thrill of the hunt took over my form, rippling a chill from the tips of my fingers all the way to my core. I opened my eyes and focused on the fading light. Shadows elongated and the darkness behind them shifted. I couldn’t tell what was shadow and what wasn’t.
Twilight was upon us. My heart roared into overdrive as I threaded my first arrow. I knelt on one knee and held the bow steady, waiting for something to fix on. I had a clear view from between the posts and blocked the path into the center of the town.