That's why they're interested. Magic draws them like carrion draws flies.
The wolf pinning the carter lifts its head, probably preparing for the killing bite. I'm too far away to reach it in time, but I have one knife left.
The throw is perfect. Thirty yards, compensating for wind and the wolf's movement. The blade takes it in the skull's base, severing the connection between brain and body. It drops instantly, dead weight pinning the carter's legs.
But the sound of its impact alerts the final wolf, which has been investigating the cart's cargo. This one is smaller than the pack leader, but it moves with the quick aggression of a juvenile proving itself. It abandons the magical artifacts and charges straight at me.
I have no weapons left except my hands. The wolf has fire for teeth and claws like heated metal. Under normal circumstances, this would be a poor matchup for me.
But I'm still carrying the guilt of not being here when it mattered. When my brother needed me. When the clan needed me. I've been looking for a way to balance those scales for three months.
Maybe this is it.
The wolf leaps, jaws wide, aiming for my throat. I catch it mid-air, fingers locking around its muzzle to keep the fire-teeth away from anything vital. Its claws rake across my arms and chest, but leather takes most of the damage.
We go down together, rolling through the ash. It's strong, but I'm stronger, and I have the leverage. I work my right hand up to its skull, feeling for the pressure points that will snap its neck.
The wolf realizes what I'm doing and panics. It thrashes wildly, claws scrabbling for purchase. One set rakes across my thigh, cutting through leather and into muscle. Pain flares white-hot, but I maintain my grip.
Almost there.
My fingers find the right position. I take a breath, set my stance, and?—
The cart explodes.
Not literally. But whatever magical items the carter was hauling have been damaged by the wolf attack, and they're releasing their stored energy in uncontrolled bursts. Light flares across the market square. The air fills with the smell of ozone and burning metal.
The wolf in my hands convulses as the magical discharge hits it. Its fire-eyes flicker and dim. When the light fades, I'm holding a corpse that looks almost like a normal wolf again.
Three down. Pack eliminated.
I release the body and try to stand. My left shoulder protests. My ribs ache. But it's the gash on my thigh that's the real problem, deeper than I initially thought, and bleeding freely. I need to get it wrapped before I lose too much blood.
The carter struggles out from under his dead wolf, cursing in three languages. Now that I can see him clearly, I understand the type: independent trader, probably dealing in salvaged magical items. The person who makes good money moving questionable goods through dangerous territory.
"You all right?" I call out, testing my weight on the injured leg. It holds, but it won't for long.
"Alive." He examines his cargo with the frantic urgency of someone whose livelihood just took a beating. "Fuck. Half this stuff is ruined."
"What exactly are you hauling?"
He looks up at me, probably noticing my clan markings for the first time. His expression shifts from gratitude to wariness in the space of a heartbeat.
"Trade goods. Nothing that concerns the Ironspine."
Liar.But I don't have the energy to press him right now. My thigh is throbbing in rhythm with my heartbeat, and standing is becoming more difficult by the moment.
"Thane." I keep my voice level despite the pain. "Secure the area. Check for additional threats."
My second-in-command appears beside me, blood on his sword but moving without obvious injury. "Casualties?"
"Minor wounds only. What about you?"
"Clean kill. That one put up a fight, but nothing we couldn't handle." He notices my stance, the way I'm favoring my left leg. "Sir? You're bleeding."
"Flesh wound. We'll deal with it once we've finished here." I turn back to the carter. "You're operating in Ironspine territory without authorization. That requires explanation."
"Look, I didn't know about the wolves. If I had, I'd have taken the northern route."
