Page 8 of Curse of the Wolf
“Is that the device that could manipulate Duncan? Call him from far away and force him to doevilshit?”
Last time, it had only forced him to hunt for a magical medallion, but Duncan had spoken of the past, of the unpleasantries Abrams had once made him do.
“It was inextricably linked to him at birth,” Abrams said.
“Well, it’s unlinked now.”
His lips pressed together in a thin line. “Yes. And with that, you’ve marked his fate.”
I’d been on the verge of feeling smug that I’d destroyed his ability to control Duncan, but, as the words sank in, I started to worry. What was Abrams implying?
Originally, I’d intended tostealthe control device, not bite it to pieces. Even knowing nothing about how the magic worked, I’d worried that destroying it would have ramifications, that it might hurt Duncan. Of course, in my furry state, with the savagery of the wolf flowing into me, I hadn’t been able to think about such complex concepts.
“What fate?” I asked warily when Abrams didn’t continue on his own.
“The magic of theduxtapped into Drakon’s life force. The abrupt breaking of the link…” Abrams shook his head and looked toward the rooftop where Duncan had crouched. Abrams’s brow creased, and he almost looked as though Duncan’s fate still mattered to him, like hecared.
If I hadn’t been worried, I would have scoffed. This guy had ordered Duncan tossed naked into a ditch. Abramswantedhim dead. At least according to Duncan. Only Radomir, because he’d wanted to use Duncan for his artifact-gathering plans, had decided on a less fatal disposal.
“His life force will wither—all of him will—as if he were a plant whose roots have all been severed. Within a week, maybe two, he will die.”
“He’s not dying. I just talked to him—and sparred with him. He’sfine.”
“It will start slowly, deep within him.” Abrams touched his forehead, near where Duncan’s scar was. “Then it will accelerate as his end approaches.” He looked back at me, frowning. “As I said, you’ve sealed his fate.”
I froze my face, not wanting to react, to show him that he’d worried me, but I longed to reel back, to deny that I’d been responsible for breaking the device. I had been, however. Thewolfin me had been. But the wolf hadn’t known.Ihadn’t known.
I wanted to tell Abrams to beat it and to knock off whatever scheme he and Radomir were enacting, but he was the only one who had answers, answers I now craved. “How do we reverse things and make sure Duncan doesn’t die?”
“There is no way. Theduxwas an ancient tool from another time, from when magic was more abundant in the earth and powerful craftsmen could make such devices. As far as I know, there isn’t another like that one remaining in existence.”
Radomir walked out of the leasing office and nodded to Abrams.
“Your recklessness ensures that Drakon dies within weeks,” Abrams said before turning away from me.
Guilt slammed into me, but my response was to snarl. “You’re the one who was controlling him, wholinkedhim to that thing, you bastard. Don’t blame this on me.”
My fingers curled into fists and I almost sprang upon Abrams, longing to strangle him and demand more satisfying answers. He knew more than he was telling me. There had to be a way to help Duncan.
But Rory and Kashvi walked out of the leasing office, and I remembered the police car parked out front. I couldn’t strangle people that the world believed were upright businessmen in the middle of a legitimate transaction.
“If he dies, it’ll beyourfault,” I growled as Abrams walked away.
He didn’t look back. He didn’t believe that. Unfortunately, my heart wouldn’t let me believe it either. If Duncan died, it would be because of me.
3
As Abramsand Radomir drove away in their tank-SUV, and the Sylvans stepped into their own car, I bent forward on the walkway, gripping my knees. I wanted to throw up.
“He may have been lying,” came Duncan’s voice as he walked up, appearing from behind whatever bush or lamppost had hidden him while he listened.
I couldn’t blame him for eavesdropping. It had been his fate Abrams had been talking about.
“Did your spying reveal something that would suggest that?” I asked hopefully, straightening and facing him.
“No. They were in your employer’s presence most of the time that I was listening.” Duncan pointed to the rooftop where he’d perched. “Only once did they speak of anything besides their fictitious plans to acquire this compound. Abrams asked Radomir if he could detectithere. I assume he referred to the wolf case—specifically, the artifact within it. They likely know I have the male version of the Medallion of Memory and Power and that you returned the female version to your mother, so they wouldn’t be seeking those here.”
“Yeah.” Not worried about the artifacts at the moment, I studied Duncan’s face, trying to decide if he appeared concerned about hislife forcewithering. Did he believe what Abrams had said?
