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“Unlikely.” The Fire Wolf pointed. “Do you see the chimney? It’s on the other side of the house, and since those windows”—he indicated the ones facing us—“only show a kitchen, the living area is likely on the opposite side. We’re not visible to anyone by the chimney right now.”
“Which area do you suggest we enter?”I asked.
“Back door,” the hunter replied readily. “As soon as he realizes how many of us are present, he’ll try to escape. It’s imperative that we capture him immediately and bind his hands. Following that, you can interrogate him as long as you like.”
Ilara frowned. “How are we going to bind him?”
The Fire Wolf gave a sly smile. “I have something that’ll do the trick.”
I gave a curt nod. “All right then. When you’re ready.” I glanced at my mate. Her eyes were hard and determined.
Nish was grinning. The surly guard rubbed his hands. “Oh, this fight shall be good.”
“Don’t mind him,” Ryder said to the hunter. “He’s always spoiling for action.”
The Fire Wolf grunted. “We have that in common then.” He crouched more. “On my mark, we all enter at once through the back door. Move fast. Stay close.”
Everyone nodded, and a moment of fear stole over me when I recalled the warlock’s immense magic and power. My mate was storming this cabin at my side. If the warlock hurt her, if he got to her in a moment of weakness?—
A push of reassurance surged through me on the bond, and then Ilara’s fingers were curling around mine. “Don’t underestimate me,” she whispered.
I locked my jaw, my teeth grinding, but I canted my head. She was right. My mate was a warrior queen.
“Ready?” the hunter said. “Now!”
We all burst from the foliage, moving in a single lineas fast as the northern winds. Before anyone could blink, we were at the back door. With a twist of his wrist, the Fire Wolf snapped the lock, and we were inside.
The scent of wood smoke hit me, then the putrid stench of the warlock. Before we’d moved two steps, a hiss came from the other room.
“Move!” the hunter yelled.
Blood thundered in my ears, and Ilara’s magic hummed around her. Fierceness echoed to me on our bond. The need for vengeance. The need for blood. A warrior’s call.
On a gust of her air affinity, my mate had us all through the door and in the living area just as the warlock released a curse. The death magic sailed right for her, but Ilara ducked and spun, avoiding the hit before she crouched and launched herself at him.
We all moved just as fast, each guard circling the warlock before he could react further, and my death affinity rose and shot toward him.
But my magic hit a barrier. A Shield of some kind. It was so potent, so impenetrable... I’d never encountered magic like it, so vile and dark, and so incredibly monumental.
My death affinity ricocheted off it, and I sucked it back inside me before anyone got hurt.
“Get his hands!” the hunter called.
But the warlock was already pulling his arm back, and then curse after curse exploded upon us. The couch behind me caught fire. Heat blazedat my back. Another curse exploded through the wall. Raging wind from outside whistled through my ears as the dark clouds above unleashed a storm.
Within seconds, the entire cabin was engulfed in flames as the warlock moved as fast as the wind.
It was just like in the Isalee field, except this time, he wasn’t taunting us. He was utilizing every ounce of power he possessed to beat us. Tokillus.
A sear of magic whizzed past my ear. The seven of us turned into cyclones, dodging and swiping, ripping and clawing. We all fought to pin the warlock and stop his escape, but no matter how fast any of us moved, the warlock matched our speed and countered it.
“He’s going to get away!” Sandus called when the warlock abruptly shot upward, launching himself through the burning cabin’s roof before disappearing into the snowy yard outside.
The hunter snarled and jumped through the roof right after him. The rest of us took flight.
Ilara sailed out of the cabin first, her beautiful white wings glimmering like the new snow spiraling through the sky.
“Ilara!” I bellowed when the warlock hurled a curse right for her.
