Page 36 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
“You need to destroy that before the Dark Lord resurrectshimagain.”
Adrian now held the powers of the crystal inside him. Naked, too weak to stand, she collapsed into a sitting position, her body trembling from the cold andshock.
Adrian flicked his hands, and white light sailed through the air, landing in a glowing mesh on Lars’s body. The mesh sank onto his frame and then burned through it until nothing remained butdust.
Larswas gone for good. Grief speared her, along with a forebodingchill.
Adrian found fresh clothing in his pack, helped her to dress. Then, his arm securely around her, they left themine.
No snow blew outside. But a wizard clad in black, with long, black hair, the strands tipped in silver, waited for them. Tristan, the SilverWizard.
“Now you show up?” Darcy asked. “We couldhave used help inthere.”
“I could not interfere. All is as it was meant tobe.”
“Meant to be, wizard?” Adrian glowered at him. “She could havedied!”
“I’ve lost my powers. All of them.” She stretched out herfingers.
“Not all of them,” the wizard toldher.
Tristan gave them both a level look. “When Darcy has sufficiently regained her strength by tomorrow, Iwant both of you to go directly to Aiden Mitchell’s pack in Montana. Give me your phone,Adrian.”
He took the phone, punched in a number and handed it back to him. “Aiden will be expectingyou.”
“W-why?” she blurtedout.
His expression softened. “Because, little one, you are severely depleted of magick, but you can still save yourself. If you do not align yourself with oneparticular group of shifters in the next seventy-two hours, you will lose any ability toshapeshift.”
Terrific.
“There’s a can of gasoline inside the shack, Adrian. We will need it,” Tristan toldhim.
She lowered her voice as Adrian went into the shack. “Even if I return to the Dark Kingdom to drink the Tuan Mac Carrillpotion?”
Tristan’s voice was gentle. “Even so.You cannot return there, Darcy. You would instantly become prey for stronger shifters. You have no defenses. Is that how you wish to die? Alone,defenseless?”
“My parents,” she began and fellsilent.
Tristan knew, much as she did, that her parents had disowned her long ago. They would nothelp.
“You are too valuable in this world to lose, Darcy. We need more like you—courageousand loyal, willing to confrontevil.”
“But what good am I as a Lupine? I don’t know enough about the lifestyle.” She felt like weeping. Being a bird came easily to her. She loved the thrill of soaring through the air, seeing the world pass belowher.
Tristan smiled. “More than you know now or you are willing to admit. You willlearn.”
It wasn’t fair. Darcy had hundreds ofquestions she needed answered, but Adrian emerged from the shack with the can of gasoline. There wasn’ttime.
“Pour it on the ground before the entrance,” Tristaninstructed.
After doing what he said, Adrian tossed aside the can. “Nowwhat?”
The wizard pointed at the puddles of gasoline. Silver light leapt from his finger to the liquid, and gas ignited. Orange flames lickedat thetimbers.
Adrian gave him a questioning look. “That’s it? That’s cleansing the mine ofevil?”
The wizard shrugged. “I like a good fire in winter, don’tyou?”
