Page 175 of A Warrior's Fate

Now amongst civilization, Ameera’s speed had slowed down considerably, and Isla used the opportunity to take in what was around them.

As opposed to Abalys and Mavec, no one was outside, and the only available light came from the streetlamps, few and far between, or porch lights from homes that varied from tightly packed cottages to modest farmhouses. Near them, lay barns and fields with crops. She could imagine how barren land could pose a problem.

About a half-hour of driving later, the three of them reached the cusp of another forest. This time, Ameera stopped, pulling up alongside the trees. She cut off the vehicle’s engine and exited, Isla and Rhydian following her lead.

For a moment, postured in the grass, Isla could barely breathe. A wind, a bit warmer than she’d dealt with in Mavec, swept by her face, carrying a scent she likened to imminent death and despair, awakening those demons locked in her mind.

She shook them away, steeling herself, as Ameera stood at her side with Rhydian.

“Weird.” The general folded her arms. “Where’s the guard? They should be patrolling, but I can’t scent anyone.”

That certainly didn’t help ease Isla’s nerves.

“Maybe they’re masking it?” she offered.

Rhydian scratched his head. “We’re not supposed to while on duty.”

Ameera shrugged. “I know better than to question when things work in our favor. If they aren’t here, they can’t ask their own questions.” She turned to Isla. “So, what are we looking for?”

Isla observed their surroundings. A quick look for any markers or trails…any bak. “Anything that looks like it would’ve been a path from the Wall—or Phobos—to Mavec.”

Rhydian brought his finger to his mouth to lick it and lifted it in the air, pointing, “Mavec is that way.”

Isla nodded in slightly amused gratitude for the direction.

“And what makes you think we’ll find a path like that?” Ameera queried.

“The marker.” Upon Ameera’s raised brows, Isla elaborated, “The little wooden ball that was on the table with everything else. We found it when we were in the Hunt, and—”

“We?”

“Me and Lukas.”

“The guy who tried to kill you?”

“Yes.” Isla sighed. “Before that, he told me about an old pass that connected Deimos and Phobos to link the packs, and that marker was a point on it. If it’s real, I think Callan found it somehow. But…”

“But?” Rhydian offered.

The bak.

That part still didn’t add up.

How could a creature like that take a road all the way to Mavec without being seen? Unless they were about to find the perfect line of tree cover.

She’d bring it up to them if it weren’t for the fact Kai hadn’t. They’d agreed to tell the others about the killer, but the rogue bak had nothing to do with that. Honestly, Isla wasn’t sure if she was even supposed to mention the pass.

“Nothing.” She shook her head, peering into the forest and changing the subject. “Where’s the wasteland?”

There was a pause while Ameera scoped her suspiciously, before she answered, “Beyond the brush, closer to the Wall’s base. It cuts through another abandoned village.”

“You’ll know when you’re there,” Rhydian added. “And you’ll wish you weren’t.”

“It’s nothing compared to the real Wilds,” Ameera said before ordering, “Callan couldn’t have traveled far along the Wall by himself. We’ll split up to cover more ground. I’ll head down towards Mimas, Rhydian will go towards Callisto, and Isla can take the middle.”

Rhydian was quicker to agree with the commands than Isla was, but it didn’t matter. They were already stripping off their clothes to prepare to shift. Isla made quick work of hers, her blood rushing in her ears and heart hammering as she left her garments in the vehicle’s cab.

“Howl if you find anything,” she forced out, clawing for some confidence before they all found their wolves and split off into the trees.

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