Ravens and crows. Dozens of them. Hundreds, even. They’re heading into the forest across the road, where I now see the car that hit us, wedged between two trees.
And just beyond it, Westlyn.
The breath leaves my lungs in a great sigh of relief, but it’s short-lived.
She’s alive, thank the fucking devil, and I’m already on my way to her.
But four men—four fuckingmages—have their hands on her.
No. Not happening.
The birds swoop in for the attack. Westlyn falls to the ground in the mages’ rush to defend themselves, and I’m there a heartbeat later, nothing but a blur of claws and fangs and gore as I grab the closest mage and cleave open his chest, not caring that the others can see my true form.
They won’t be leaving here tonight anyway.
“Draegan,” Westlyn breathes, and I want to weep at the sound of it, at the confirmation that she’s still indeed alive. But there’s no time. I grab another mage by the throat, the others fleeing deeper into the woods as the birds continue their assault, confusion and chaos making the men stupid.
“P-please! Whoever… whatever you are… I…” The bastard lifts his hands in surrender. His hood falls back, revealing a pale face and wide, frightened eyes. He can’t be more than twenty. “I was just following orders. I—”
I cut him off with a cold laugh. “Sorry, are you under the impression you get to live after putting your hands on her? That there’s even achanceyou’re walking away from this?”
“But I just—”
I smash a fist through his chest and tear out his warm, wet heart. He’s still gasping as his body drops to the ground and I pitch the organ into the woods.
Let the coyotes fight over it.
I turn to Westlyn, offering a hand to help her up. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m… I’m okay. Draegan, Eloise—she’s with them too.”
Fresh panic floods my limbs.
“Stay here.” I give her shoulder a quick squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”
I hate leaving her again, but I’ve got no choice. I need to hunt those mages down andendthem.
No sign of Eloise yet, but I find the males easily. They haven’t gotten very far, still dodging attacks from the birds, their faces raw and bloodied. One of them is missing an eye.
I take One-Eye down easily, tackling him to the ground and tearing out his throat. The second bastard tries to put up a fight, but he’s no match for me, either. He thrusts a hand toward me as if to cast a spell, but I grab it easily, wrenching his arm behind his back. I shove him face-first into a tree, bashing his head repeatedly until it’s little more than pulp.
Taking a moment to catch my breath, I cock an ear and listen for Eloise.
The woods have fallen silent. The birds are gone. I hear nothing but a faint breeze through the treetops.
Damn it.
I head deeper into the woods, looking for signs of her, but there’s nothing. Not a trace. It’s as if she just vanished, or…
Fuck. Shadow magic. Westlyn.
I bolt back to the spot where I left her, but she’s gone.
You fucking idiot, Caldwell. You never should’ve left her.
“Westlyn!” I call out. “Westlyn!”
Where thefuckis she? I swear to the devil I will tear every fucking tree out of this fucking forest if—
