Page 67 of Faerie Hunted

“It’s better than the alternative. Do you want to stay in a constant state of fear, waiting for the worst to happen? That kind of thinking is only going to make you hesitate, make you worry.”

Onyx wasn’t wrong.

We huddled against Noren and soon the direwolf settled, curling up into a ball and forcing us to adopt the same posture. We were nothing but wolves in our den with our pack, everyone snuggled together until our breathing evened out and sleep crept into our bodies.

Rest did not come easily, but the few hours of shut-eye we got were a blessing. Our stomachs were filled by the squirrel, and with my eyes closed, I might have believed we were safe.

Noren’s growl shot me right out of the restless dreaming. I blinked, sitting up fast enough to make myself dizzy. Somewhere in the distance, twigs snapped. The sound stopped abruptly but the rest of the night had gone still.

Someone was out there in the darkness, watching us.

I lurched to my feet in the next breath, magic surging through my blood.

The return of my powers was a warmth in my veins and I found my limbs shifting into the halfway form between human and wolf, my strongest form, without conscious thought. If I had to go down, I’d do it swinging, and I’d take everyone else along with me.

18

“Jeez, hold on! Hold on. Don’t attack, it’s just me. Tavi, take a chill pill.”

The familiar voice came from directly ahead and as my pupils shifted to allow me better vision in the dark, the shadowy form of Bronwen swam into view.

I’d caught her somewhere between crow and human form and as I watched, she completed the shift. She solidified into her usual smile, her face round and her freckles standing out against the paleness of her skin.

Relief was so sudden it made me dizzy.

“I can’t believe you got through the wall.” In the next beat, I crossed the distance between us and grabbed her in a hug, her slighter form trembling in the cold. “How did you do it?”

And why was she here?

Bronwen glanced behind toward the wall and shrugged. “I came through it as a crow. Nothing happened to me. Why?”

“Tavi, who is it?” Onyx sounded sleepy but Noren stopped growling at least.

“It’s Bronwen,” I called back as loudly as I dared. I slipped from her hug and hid my stagger by turning, my stomach still flipping wildly and without control. “She found us.”

“You wouldn’t believe how crazy anxious I’ve been, searching for you guys. It’s been a really bad few days, let me tell you.” Bronwen crept over to Noren and rubbed him between the ears before she sat down cross-legged. She flashed Onyx a grin.

“You said you made it through the wall as a crow?” I asked.

She bobbed her head. “Yeah. I mean, being a bird is the fastest way to travel, and my crow form has honestly become like a second skin to me. It’s been so long since I changed into a wolf it almost feels like I should just be a bird.” Her laughter held no real joy.

“Do you think being in a shifted shape somehow lessens the impact of whatever magic was used to create the wall?” Onyx asked.

I gnawed on my lower lip. I didn’t have enough experience with the wall or knowledge of its creation to say for certain, but Bronwen’s arrival definitely proved the point on some level.

“You didn't just find a crack in the wall and come through? Or somehow manage to fly over the top…”

I trailed off at the incredulous look on her face.

“I came right through. There was a little bit of pressure, which is totally expected with that much magic, but I’m in one piece.” She ran her hands along the front of her body to prove the point. “I caught your scent. Well, actually I caught the direwolf’s scent, and followed that.”

“You shouldn’t have come. You put yourself in danger,” I warned.

“Being here puts a pretty big target on your back, too,” Onyx added.

“Well…okay, here’s the truth. I ran away. Things are not good back home.” She caught her breath, looking between us, and somehow withdrew into a tighter ball. “Selene has taken over the Claw & Fang officially.”

Dread curdled in my veins. “Why do you sound upset?” Selene was bound to do something with all the unrest.

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