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“Let me go.” A quick look behind me as I stumbled forward, and Oryn hadn’t shifted. But the other shifters were coming, and I had to buy them time, so I addressed thepriestess.
“I can offer you herbs that will heal almost anything. Maybe you’d prefer a rejuvenation mixture for younger skin. No one in the seven realms can make such anoffer.”
“Stop wasting my time,” shesaid.
“Let me show you what I can do,” I pleaded as I pulled my free hand from the guard and gripped my wounded shoulder, anything to ease the spasms jolting down my arm. I fought the desperate urge to cry and beg for mercy. Oryn, Nero, and Dagen. They risked their lives to safe me. And I couldn’t allow them todie.
“Everyone comes to my store for reason,” I began, my head still buzzing. “I’ve found a plan that when placed on sore knees will eradicate joint pain. My herbswork.”
“Enough!” Her lips twisted. “Do you think I’ll use a potion from a shifter.” Her nose wrinkled, and she turned to the guard. “Do thisalready.”
When he placed a hand on me, I kicked the man in theshin.
“I’m not the enemyhere.”
He didn’t react, but he squeezed my arm so hard it hurt. “Stop squirming, or I’ll give you something toreallyscream about.” He cocked a brow and stared at me with his beady, pigeyes.
“You’ll never touch me.” I kneed him in the balls and stumbled back toward Oryn, but other guards crowded around and apprehended me, grasping me. I coiled in on myself, cradling my injured shoulder tight against my side. Despair squeezed my heart. I’d finally found three special men and I was about to losethem.
But I lived with darkness for years after Grandpa died, enough to last an eternity. She raised me to stand up for myself, so I lifted chin, ready tofight.
When a howl echoed around us, my heartleaped.
A flurry of bodies dashed around us, and only one guard remained by my side. The others hovered near the priestess, their long knives drawn. I peered through thechaos.
More guards rushed from themanor.
My breaths raced, and I kept staring at Oryn, willing him to get up. But he didn’tmove.
A grunt came from farther behind theguillotine.
I twisted to see an army of at least a dozen wolves led by Dagen in his dark fur, charging towardus.
Dagen. Yes. I love you somuch.
I kicked the guard holding on to me. Sidestepping around him, I staggered to Oryn.Don’t let it be toolate.
Behind me, an explosion of snarls erupted. I jerked toward the clash of wolves and guards tangled in a brawl. The guard had joined the fight. I had to believe Dagen knew what he was doing. Had the shifters spent the morning retrieving wolf members not affected by the poison to rescueme?
Crouched near Oryn, I placed a palm on his chest. “Come back tome.”
I ignored the priestess retreating along the path, the cries and whimpers nearby, because my heart tore at the blood being spilled because of a crazywoman.
With my eyes shut, I refocused on my central core, the fizzing energy, and compelled it down my arms. The energy shot to my hands, and I snapped open my eyes to find the web-like charge hopping across Oryn’storso.
Still no response. I listened to his heart. Alive. But for how long? And why wasn't my touchworking?
I staggered to my feet and stumbled after the priestess, who rushed away like a coward while her menfell.
“What herbs did you put in your pouch?” I demanded toknow.
She waved me away as if I were a pest in hersight.
Except right then, my veins were alight, and I refused to lose any of my men. I snatched her fingers and twisted themback.
She shrieked and moved too fast for me to see her holding a weapon in her other hand. She swung the blade in my direction and plunged it into mychest.
I screamed and fell to my knees. The agonizing pain paralyzed me. Every twitch I made had me bellowing. Blood pouredout.
“Now you will die like the animal you are.” The priestess shoved me aside as she ran toward themanor.
Crashing onto the ground, I cried from the agony, from losing my life, and for never seeing those I loved everagain.
