Page 19 of Freed Wolfsbane

Concentrating on my magic, I funnel every last drop I have into healing my stomach. The wound starts knitting together from the inside out.

I’m surprised at how much I’m able to heal it before my magic sputters and dies. There’s no longer any blood gushing out. I don’t feel like someone’s sawing through my insides anymore, so that’s a plus.

Cautiously pushing myself up to sitting, I wince at the painful pulling and tugging in my middle. However, nothing splits open, so I’m going to call it a win. I struggle to my feet. I hold in my groan at how the movement jostles my still-healing injury and stick a hand cautiously through where the barrier was. When I don’t get electrocuted, I decide to just go for it and walk entirely through what used to be the containment spell. While I brace myself for a fifty-thousand-volt shock, nothing happens.

I grin at Annabel who’s looking at me and my partially healed injury in wonder. “Your wolf did all that?”

“Yep!” I chirp enthusiastically, only feeling slightly guilty about lying to her. The less she knows about my hybrid status, the safer it is for everyone. I reach up to push my sweaty hair out of my face, forgetting about the damage to my stomach. Wincing, I lower my hand and look around the room as I try to figure out what to do next.

It sounds like the Knights are abandoning the facility, so this is my best chance to escape. The question is how. I have no idea where we are, how to get out of here, or who is blowing the place up. But what I do know is that standing here won’t get us any closer to escaping.

Turning to Annabel, I reach my hand down for her to grab. When she puts her tiny palm in mine, I give her a small smile. “We need to get out of here. Which way should we go? I don’t think I can carry you, but I can hold your hand the whole way.”

She puffs out her chest and levels me with a serious look. As serious as her cherubic face can look anyway. “I’m a big kid. I can walk. We should go that way.” Annabel points toward the right of the room, indicating we should go that way once we leave.

I refrain from snorting and telling her that she’s five. Instead, I give her a solemn nod. “You ready to do this thing?” She dips her chin and starts marching toward the door. I have to hustle to keep up with her. When we reach the doorway, I pull her to a stop. “Lemme check out the hallway to make sure it’s all clear.”

Cautiously poking my head out, I blow out a relieved breath when I don’t see anyone. Tugging Annabel forward, I hook a right. We move as fast as we can down the corridor. Even with her short legs, Annabel easily keeps pace with me in my weakened state. The more we walk, the more my abdomen screams, but I try to ignore it.

At each fork in the hallway we reach, I ask Annabel where to go. When she doesn’t know, I pick a direction at random, hoping against hope that we’re going the right way. Enough twists and turns that I’m dizzy and thoroughly disoriented later, I have to rest for a moment. I pull the hand covering my wound away, and it’s coated in dark red blood.

Well, that explains why it’s hurting and I’m so winded. All the walking must’ve reopened the barely healed injury. I lean my head back against the cool cinder block and try to collect myself.

A larger part of me than I want to admit just wants to plop down, close my eyes, and rest. If I didn’t have Annabel with me, I honestly might do that. But I owe it to her to keep going until I either pass out or get us out of here. Hopefully it’ll be the second option.

Pounding footsteps to my right have me snapping my eyes open and jerking upright. I tug Annabel behind me as I whirl to face the source of the noise. When I see that it’s just Anson, I sag in relief. The panicked expression on his face has me stiffening.

Anson skids to a stop in front of me. He puts his hands on his knees as he pants, trying to catch his breath. “Briar! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Do you know what’s going on? I was in an experiment with Ryker. There were a bunch of loud noises. They just ran out of the room, leaving me and Annabel behind.” I don’t know why I’m not telling Anson the full story. There’s a tiny voice in the back of my mind that warns me to keep everything close to the vest.

He shakes his head, his floppy brown hair flying around as he does so. “I don’t know. I just know that we need to get out of here. Some psychos are blowing up the facility.”

Awesome.

I just love people blowing up buildings I’m in.

Here’s hoping they’re friendlies, but, with my luck, that’s doubtful. Whoever is exploding things probably wants to kill us just as much as the Knights do.

“Do you know the way out? Annabel knew some of the way, but we’ve been taking turns at random for a while.” I glance down at the little girl still clutching my hand. She’s mostly hidden behind me, only peeking out slightly to watch Anson warily.

“I do. I overheard some guards talking about it while I was trying to find you. Come on, I can show you the way, but we need to hurry.” Anson’s eyes pinch with concern as he reaches out his hand for mine.

I hesitate but eventually put my blood-slicked palm in his. My hand slides around a little when it touches his, but his fingers tighten to hold me in place. Anson starts running back the direction we came. I stumble as I try to keep up with him. After a few times of me almost falling on my face, he slows his pace. A flash of what looks like frustration contorts his features for a heartbeat, but it’s gone too fast for me to be sure.

“We’re going back the way we came,” I tell him when I can finally catch my breath enough to form the words. I know he’s eager to leave the facility. I am, too, but his pace is just too fast for me right now. Every time I try to walk a little slower, he yanks on my arm hard enough to hurt to make me keep up with him.

He sighs in frustration. “Well, you were going the wrong way. This is the way out.” His tone leaves no room for argument, so I just shut up and try to keep up.

After a minute of following him, the warning bells in my mind become too hard to ignore. Everything I am is screaming at me not to go this way. I slow my steps, but Anson keeps dragging me along by my hand.

“I need a minute,” I hiss at him, his attitude starting to get on my nerves. I try to yank my hand free, but he keeps it in his surprisingly strong grip.

Whirling around, he pins me with a fierce glare. “Do you want to get out of here or not?”

“I do, but if I bleed out, it doesn’t really matter if I get out, does it? All I’m asking for is a minute to rest.”

His glare softens as he lets go of me and scrubs a hand over his face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just been so worried about you, and I want to get you out safely.”

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