Page 37 of Wolf Trap

I nodded, unleashing my hand from his grip. “Yes. I could, um… I could channel the entity. The entity that channelled through me was the spirit of Hecate. I could try to raise her energy now, to guide us?”

Lycaon murmured, “If you think that’s best. I certainly do not know.”

“And you? How are you feeling? You looked dazed back there.”

“I was. Your blood, the blood of the possessed werewolf. I felt chaotic, my mind couldn’t focus. It seems facing those enchanted warriors triggered something inside of me. It took me several minutes to restore myself.”

Sighing, I pulled away. “I’ll try to channel Hecate. Maybe she’ll give us the answer, the best direction that leads to home. I knew that armour was jinxed!”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll find out soon why Adara’s possessed armour wanted us here,” Anthony mused.

I tried to block out the uncertainty and focus on Hecate, her wild and energetic power, as I widened my stance, held my arms out slightly beside me, and closed my eyes.

Hearing the others step back, I took a slow, deep breath.

A fire seemed to crackle through me, surging through my limbs, my veins, and in the distance, I heard a barking dog.

She was near. These were the signs that Hecate was close, a dog barking, the image of the keys.

I felt the light of the moon brighten through my closed eyes and the chill of a lazy breeze sweep around me, then a voice, hers, low and commanding.

Warmth flooded me, a churning of heat in my stomach like the feeling of hunkering under a duvet on a winter’s night, comforting and safe. Soothing.

Breathing softly, I listened, enwrapped in Hecate’s power until her voice quietened and left.

My eyelids fluttered as I opened my eyes, the others staring at me expectantly.

My feet felt rooted to the stony path, amongst its clusters of mossy vegetation, and before us now, I saw, in the far distance, the ocean.

Swallowing hard, I said, “We need to go right.”

His face puzzled,Hakon asked, “Are you sure you can trust Hecate?”

“It’s the best I can do. Go left, if you want.”

Anthony sunkhis hands into his jeans pockets. “Hecate. I’m surprised you don’t know your mythology, Hakon, one as old as yourself! She’s said to be the mistress of witches, of magic, necromancy and the guide to the crossroads since before Lycaon’s time.”

Nodding,Lycaon offered, “Maybe it was Hecate who animated the armour to get us here?”

We can only hope!

I noticed a hint of salt in the air. We followed the path which bent and twisted high above a valley. Below us trees and fields cast long shadows and we walked on in silence.

The sky became a hue of colours, inky black then brilliant indigo and beneath that, yellow and gold rose upwards with the magnificent dawn.

A molten copper sun climbed over the horizon, liquefying into the ocean beneath it. We all stopped, breathless at the sight before us. Below in the valley, a large solitary temple stood, its honey walls and two copper pillars which stood at the front gleamed brightly in the morning sun. No other buildings around it, but from where I stood, I could see an ornate fountain before it.

“Well, I guess that, whatever that is for, it’s why we’re here. Hopefully we can find some water,” I offered.

A warm smile, Anthony tapped my arm. “Never worry. I have enough magic for a drink.”

“How about wine?” Hakon chuckled.

A smug grin, Anthony answered, “Water’s easy. Elsa, surely you can do that? You’re just pulling molecules out of the air, after all.”

My shoulders sank as I replied, “I find fire easy. Never been great with water.”

Anthony shrugged. “No worries. I’ll teach you. Come, let’s get through that forest first.”

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