Something small and flickering just ahead on the trail. Like a ripple of smoke.
Rune stepped in front of me. “Stay behind me, Maple,” he ordered.
The smoke shifted and then, out of it,something formed.
A creature—not quite wolf, not quite man—its body was low and hunched, and its eyes gleamed an unnatural silver. It sniffed the air, and my entire body locked up.
Though I’d never been face to face with a wolf before, I knew that wasn’t one of your typical wolves. The air was like mist around it as it watched us. That didn’t seem natural. But then again, not a single bit of this seemed natural.
“What are you?” Rune asked, his voice still low and full of gravel.
The creature grinned, baring sharp, glistening teeth. Faster than I could blink, it lunged. The entire swamp turned into mass chaos around me as Rune shoved me to the side. He held up his hand, and dark shadows curled from his fingers.
His magic was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It was like nothing we had back home at my old coven. I swallowed thickly as the shadows clawed their way to the creature and ripped it apart before my eyes.
The wolf thing shrieked, and I could practically feel it in my bones. It was like metal crashing against metal at top speeds.
I scrambled backward across the boardwalk, my palms scraping against splintered wood, but I couldn’t look away.
Rune stood tall and unwavering, like a god of death conjured from the swamp itself. His eyes practically glowed in the shadows of the cypress trees. “Well, I guess that explains how they’re getting through the wards.”
My chest huffed and puffed as I tried to suck in as much oxygen as I could manage. That was it? Those were the wolves? Ifanned myself with my hand and shook my head. Was it getting hotter out here? Was the world tilting sideways?
Rune’s eyes tracked along the swamp water before going to the trees surrounding us. His shoulders relaxed, and his gaze landed on me. His bright eyes went wide, and he crouched down beside me. “Are you okay? You aren’t hurt?”
Emotionally? Absolutely. Physically? No.
“I’m great,” my voice squeaked out.
He helped me stand all while keeping his eyes on the woods around us. It was the middle of the day, but somehow, it felt like hours had passed by. The sun was hidden behind the trees, and an unnatural breeze was rolling through.
“Good, because it’s time we get back to the coven. I don’t know if my magic killed that thing or if it’s going to return with friends.”
Could a car outrun that kind of magic? I sure hoped so.
Louis and Adellepaced like caged animals. One clockwise, the other counterclockwise—like if they spun fast enough, they could unravel the entire problem.
I stayed still.
“What happened with the new girl?” Louis finally snapped, pinning me with a stare.
I rolled my head on my shoulders. Maple was back in her room. I sent Maggie to check on her and bring her some dinner. She’d looked entirely too pale when we returned to the coven, and I didn’t want her chickening out on me. It didn’t look good, and for whatever reason, we needed her. I also didn’t know whatI was supposed to tell these two. I definitely didn’t want to bring the rest of the coven into this, at least not yet. I would need to tell my mother, but that could wait a little while longer. She was staying mostly in her rooms. We all grieved differently and she was throwing herself into the making of voodoo dolls.
“I pushed her behind me,” I began.
“And? What did she do to it?” Adelle interrupted.
“She didn’t do anything.” I guessed the truth needed to come out.
Louis stopped his pacing. “What did you just say? Our savior is actually a chicken? Imagine that.”
“Cut the shit,” My voice came out icy cold. Even though he wasn’t aware of it, Maple was my wife now, and he wasn’t going to disrespect her.
Louis wasn’t phased though. “What do you want me to say then? I get it, okay? You’re supposed to be marrying her, but you haven’t yet. We probably need to rethink her being the savior is all I’m suggesting.”
Adelle shot him a dirty look. “No one said she was going to be our savior, but at this point, we need all the help we can get. Mist wolves? Rune. This—I don’t know where to even begin.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “She’s my wife.”
