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All at once, it is a nightmare and dizzying to feel my body move on its own, issuing silent commands with small movements of my hands on the reins or my thighs squeezing. Varin shifts my weight and urges the horse into a run, ignoring the snugness I throw at them.
She moves fast, swerving around obstacles with grace. I don’t know how much of it is the demon’s skill and what is purely the mare, but if such a thing were possible, I would almost believe she was born with the heart of wind.
Is this the extent of your plan?Varin’s question has a bite to it.
You can’t read my mind?
The demon growls, but I press my lips tight to keep it from escaping and scaring the horse.No. Thank the saints. I cannot begin to fathom what thoughts flit through mortal minds. You probably spend an extraordinary amount of time thinking about cheese or your feet or some other inane thing.
Feet?Unable to help myself, I laugh. They have been locked up for far too long. I am relieved that some parts of myself remain under my control.
Wolves abducted Alaric,I tell Varin.
My head swivels to glance over my shoulder. And I get the impression Varin was trying to look at me. We’ve covered more ground than I expected.
They said they were convening at the foothills, and I intend to go with them.
Varin is silent for several minutes before they adjust our course.If they intend to kill him, you will not be able to stop it.
I am unprepared for the gentleness of their warning. Rather than the intended effect, it sets my nerves humming.
Oliver won’t let that happen,I respond firmly.
The demon doesn’t argue, but their heaved sigh of forced patience is tangible.
It is late in the afternoon when we catch sight of them. Varin eases the mare to a trot, letting her cool down.
A wolf lopes to meet us partway. It’s twice the size of any I’ve seen before. It leaps, transforming into a man far enough back to avoid spooking the horse.
Regaining control of my body is a struggle, though not as difficult as I feared. Varin and I will need to come to an agreement on how to deal with this situation. Endlessly wrestling for dominance could cause problems.
On another day, witnessing a wolf change into a man before my eyes might have troubled me. Yet, after allowing a demon to possess me, I am unfazed.
Varin signals for the horse to slow, but she shakes it off, trotting up to Oliver.
“I’m glad you decided to join us after all.” He strokes the horse’s neck with a suspiciously wide grin as he attempts to slyly pull a cube of sugar from his pocket.
Well, I suppose that explains why she had no qualms about approaching a wolf. She is an animal ruled by her appetite. It’s a silly thing, nevertheless, it only further endears her to me.
“You know why I am here,” I say flatly.
He is rather dim witted. Are you sure he’s the one in charge?
Oliver scrunches up his nose at my unwillingness to play this game. He throws a lazy glance over his shoulder. There are perhaps a dozen of his people standing at a safe distance. Waiting. Watching. There could be twice as many out of sight.
Four of them cluster close together around a fifth figure. Instinctively, I know it’s Alaric in the center.
I don’t take my eyes off him as I ask, “May I see him?”
Oliver rubs his chin. “I not sure that would be a good idea.”
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but he has suffered enough.” A sliver of Varin’s viciousness permeates my tone, lending power to my warning. “I will not allow you or anyone else to harm him.”
Oliver is visibly taken aback, though he recovers quickly. I am no longer the powerless human he met stumbling through the woods.
“Come,” he says, jerking his chin toward the others. “I will introduce you.”
I hand him the reins at his request and relax in the saddle as he leads the way. I lean forward and pet my stolen mare. She exceeded my expectations, and by the way Varin’s remarks have shifted to Oliver, I would say the demon is also impressed.
