Page 24 of Gold & Shadow

“Then stay behind me,” Orson grumbled, the stairs creaking under his increased mass. He almost flew down them, moving fast to get out and assess the threat before it could get to us.

I trailed after him, wishing I’d grabbed my knives before running out the door. I pulled on my shadows, keeping them curled at my fingertips just in case I needed them.

There were still several feet of snow blocking the door, but Orson threw all of his weight against it, and it budged enough to let me slip out first and help move some of the snow.

My hands were frozen and legs soaked in minutes, but we finally managed to get the door open enough to let Orson escape in his bear form.

“Why didn’t you just shift back to leave the cabin?” I complained, rubbing my hands against my thighs to warm them.

“Because that would mean being naked in the snow,” Orson rumbled. “I wouldn’t want all my parts to freeze off.”

“Thatwouldbe a tragedy,“ I agreed, scouring the tree line for any signs of movement. “Do you see anyone?”

“Not yet,” Orson said, his voice a deep whisper. “Stay here.”

He moved, faster than I thought a bear could move, darting into the tree line. I cursed, looking around and trying to decide if I should follow.

It took me less than two seconds to decide I definitelyshouldfollow, and I ran as fast as I could through the deep snow to catch up.

Orson was growling, stopped just past the tree line, his sharp teeth bared as he scoured the trees. “Something isn’t right.”

As if he summoned them himself, barbed chains shot out of the snow, wrapping around Orson, who snarled and growled in fury and pain.

“No!” I shouted, lunging forward as arms grabbed me from behind. I called forward my shadows, wrapping them around one of the attackers, then sending them flying for Orson’s.

Pain erupted at the base of my skull, and I sagged in my attacker’s arms.

“I had hoped that it wasn’t true,” came an elegant voice from among the trees, a lithe form emerging with an immaculate velvet and fur coat wrapped tightly around him.

Victor Gold was not a handsome male. Only a quarter elven, he also lacked any particularly useful magic. But he made up for both shortcomings with money, wearing the most expensive clothes and buying the services and loyalty of magic wielders like me.

“Victor,” I rasped, my head lolling uncomfortably after taking a blow. “Please.”

“You and I had a contract, Lis,” Victor admonished, tutting as he stepped over the wicked chains and toward me and Orson. “A binding one. Did you think I wouldn’t find out when you reneged on it?”

“Technically I haven’t reneged yet,” I pointed out, wincing as my attacker pulled my arms tight. I tried to pull in the shadows, and Victor tutted again, withdrawing a blade and holding it to Orson’s throat.

“None of that, Lis,” Victor said, giving me a disappointed look. “Shifters heal fast, but not from mortal wounds. I’d hate to leave an even larger mess of things.”

I dropped the shadows, fighting back tears as he lowered the blade.

“I gave you one day” he said, sounding truly disappointed in me. “And yet, my guards tell me you’ve been lounging around in this cabin for three.”

“I was injured,” I gritted out. “And then the blizzard—“

“Yes, yes, so sad,” mocked Victor, coming to crouch before me. “But I have no use for a slow thief. Or a lovesick one.”

I looked at my employer, noticing the deep shadows under his eyes, his drawn, pale skin. He looked terrible, like he was being eaten alive by terror.

“I can help you,” I tried, hoping he would accept the bluff. “Whatever trouble you’re in, Vic—“

“Spare me,” Victor drawled, standing and returning to Orson’s side. He had fallen to the ground, the barbed chains biting into his skin the more he struggled. I could smell his blood from here, and it was all I could do not to be sick. “Your sisters have already agreed to pay off thedebtyou have incurred by your failure. I need no other help.”

“Please leave them out of this,” I begged, my vision clearing enough that I thought I might be able to get the shadows around Victor’s throat if I moved quickly. “I’ll pay the debt.”

“Too late,” Victor said, palming the golden paw amulet around Orson’s neck and tugging hard. The chain holding the amulet snapped, and Orson roared, his eyes becoming distant rather than the knowing look of the male behind the beast. He struggled against the barbed chains, animal instinct taking over as I begged Victor to stop. “I think we’ll leave you here, Lis. The bear can make a meal of you. Much easier to explain to your remaining sisters than murder, don’t you think?”

“You’re a coward,” I spat, straining against the hands of the guards that held me. “I can’t believe I ever agreed to work for you.”