“I agree. Most of the enforcers are gone, but there are at least two dozen or more remaining inside,by my estimates,” Alexei said. “He was counting on us bringing Emma, along with Kiara and a few of the other talented fae.”
Like I’d ever consent to such a ridiculous idea.
“Alexei, you’ve surveyed Pruska. Where is the prison?” Theo asked.
Alexei had learned the city well while trying to seize it back from Gabby during his time in the army. I hoped he had an idea of where Finlay might be.
“Not far. Stick to the walls and follow me,” he said.
We hurried to keep pace with Alexei. As we bounded into an open square, an alarm instantly went off, screaming throughout the square.
“Intruder alert!” an oppressor cried. Ten Black Claw enforcers rushed into the square, wearing their skull masks and covered in long black robes. They had spells in their hands, and they intended to use them to kill.
The sight of those hated masks caused some sort of monster to take over me. A haze of red came over my eyes as I saw nothing but blood. Things rushed into a blur of colors, pain, death and destruction. I charged forward with a snarl. I barely resonated with the sight of Theo impaling one oppressor with his horn, and Alexei tearing apart another with his talons as I ran by them both.
I remembered Lucien’s lesson from the other day. All I felt was fury and a need for revenge as I channeled the dark emotions inside of me and allowed them to come bursting out in a fit of rage. The two cultists standing closest to me exploded outward, massive holes bursting forth in the middle of their torsos as they sank to the ground and died. I paid no attention to their demises, and focused my attention at sinking my claws into the next oppressor who’d dared to get close to me.
Time passed. I wasn’t sure how much, but I was gone from myself then. All I knew— all I felt— was the beast inside.
“Ethan! Back off, bud! They’re dead!”
Stefan’s voice cleared the fog in my head as I came to. The red haze ended, and the bloodlust faded into static in my ears. I realized I stood in a mess of bodies, blood pouring down my muzzle with my paws mushed in a collection of fluid and gore. My friends were staring at me as if I’d gone mad.
I’d been mutilating the bodies long after I’d destroyed the oppressors, and hadn’t realized. I backed out of the pile and shook out my fur. The alarm that had gone off was silent, as whoever had cast the spell was now dead. “We did these ones in, but there will be others, either in the city or on their way.”
Theo twitched his ears, then lifted his head to sniff the wind. “There are still oppressors lurking here. They’re going to discover the bodies sooner rather than later. We must hurry.”
“Too right. Since Finlay launched an attack, Gabby will send her troops back here now,” Alexei stated.
“What if it’s another trap she set to lure us in?” Stefan worried.
“She doesn’t believe we’re that stupid, but apparently, she was wrong,” I growled. She’d get a great kick out of this once she heard the news. The only way to irk her would be to remain sure that Finlay escaped.
We abandoned caution and broke into a run. Theo helped Stefan onto his back, then galloped ahead of us, while Alexei and I kept pace beside each other.
“It’s here!” Alexei cried out as we drew near to a massive stone structure at the northeast corner of town. He skidded to a stop beside the door, and burst it open.
There were two oppressors standing guard, but Theo stabbed one, and Stefan took care of the other before either of the two had the time to cast a spell.
I tried to use my telepathic abilities to reach out to Finlay, but he didn’t respond. The other wolven should’ve been able to hear me clearly.
His mind remained elusive and silent to me. Which meant someone else was occupying it.
I put my nose to the ground, attempting to locate Finlay’s scent. Once I got it, I rushed along the hallway, and my companions followed.
We came to an isolated doorway at the end of the hall, where Finlay’s scent became overpowering. Stefan smashed it in. We stormed through. Finlay was shackled to a chair, and his form was utterly still. A griffin shifter stood before him, his hand placed over Finlay’s forehead as his eyes moved back and forth, like he was looking for something.
The griffin was performing some kind of empathy magic on him. Finlay’s form began to shake. His lips slightly moved, like he was about to crack.
I lunged forward. The griffin gasped as I knocked him to the ground, but I silenced him forever with a bite to the throat before he could utter a cry for help. I transformed, and turned around to face our ally— if I could even call him that anymore.
Finlay looked like shit. Both of his eyes were blackened, and his face was swollen with bruises. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth. I noticed two fingers on his left hand were missing, cut off at the base.
Stefan reached down and yanked off the shackles binding Finlay’s ankles and wrists. He almost fell out of the chair, and would’ve, if Alexei hadn’t caught him.
“Could’ve done it myself,” Finlay slurred, kicking at the loose chains.
“Then why didn’t you?” Alexei replied coolly. Finlay’s head lolled on his shoulders.
