Page 35 of A Drop of Anguish
“Dead wolves equal war. Stunned and confused wolves equal them backing off.”
I grunt in approval. That’s an interesting thought.
I finish my process of packing up my subpar stunning potions and double check my others. The knife Jarron gave me is strapped to my thigh. I haven’t needed it yet, but based on Thompson’s concerns, I’m worried I will soon.
“Well, this has been an interesting conversation,” I tell him and pull my bag over my shoulder. “I’m not going to stop making potions, but I’ll consider talking to Jarron.”
He nods and hops up.
We head out the door into the chilly stone tunnels of Under Hall. It’s not until we’re nearly a hundred feet away from the door to my private potions room that we see the pack of wolves waiting for us.
16
Take A Bite
My vision tunnels, and suddenly all I can see are the sharp canines on the cruel boy’s face. There are four wolf shifters in total blocking our exit.
Thompson and I are frozen in place, facing the shifters in the middle of a suspiciously quiet Under Hall. Usually, there would be at least a few other potion students wandering around, but everyone has made themselves scarce.
The shifters are still in human form, but they aren’t hiding their nature. They are crouched, backs hunched, too-sharp teeth gleaming.
“Hello, Candice,” the one in front practically purrs. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
I swallow. They’re blocking the only way out.
Thompson huffs and takes a casual step forward, putting himself between me and them. He speaks quietly to me. “If you run, they will chase you. That’s what they want.” Then, he sends a fleeting glance to my bag, and I receive the message.
Don’t run. Fight.
Slowly, I unzip the front section and reveal several vials. So many thoughts fly through my head—I need a better way to store these, for example—but those things won’t help me right now.
I don’t have much that will help me right now.
Flying potion—which would make me stick to the ceiling for thirty minutes or so, but unless I had help on the way, what use would that be?
Several smoke bombs—I suppose those aren’t a bad idea, but they’ll do little to actually help.
A noise amplifier.
Three stunning potions in those stupid massive vials—still better than nothing.
One nullifier—which will do little against shifters. Magic isn’t their most dangerous weapon, and it won’t drain much of their natural strength or speed.
If I use my stunning potions perfectly and Thompson takes one of the shifters…
Those margins are too thin for my liking.
The knife Jarron gave me weighs heavily on my thigh. That could be what saves me today, but what kind of consequences will I face if I gut a shifter in the school halls?
I guess I may find out soon enough.
“Jimmy, right?” Thompson says casually.
The shifter in front pulls his gaze from me for the first time and glares at Thompson.
“Get out of here, foreigner. Your blood doesn’t need to spill along with hers.”
“Not happening.”
