Page 83 of Father of the Wolf

“They do not face you. I do.”

“So, this is private?” Sgrios knew the fool would jump at the chance to fight him one on one. But surely even Bequlf had better sense than that. Or at least, he should have better sense. “I thought you needed your little helpers to feel safe?”

Bequlf snarled.

Shifting forms, he pounced, dragging Bequlf several feet. Then he leapt off Bequlf and darted into the woods.

Just as he’d hoped, Bequlf followed. But his minions were distracted by Sundair leading the others, intending to apprehend them.

Sgrios led Bequlf deep into the forest to be sure they wouldn’t be interrupted. Then he turned and attacked. Both as wolves, they fought viciously. But neither was able to put down the other. When Bequlf flashed to human form and pulled his long knife, Sgrios countered that move with his own matched blades.

Sgrios dodged a slash to his chest and faked a blow toward Bequlf’s upper body. His other blade cut a deep gash in Bequlf’s leg.

Bequlf shifted back to wolf form and ran for a side path and perhaps a chance at survival. For Sgrios had no intention of letting him live to reach trial. He was guilty of too many crimes yet had many supporters who would recommend leniency.

* * *

Athair helped Leth to sit up as his strength slowly returned. Leth was pale but steaming mad as well. Both crouched to get a better view of what was happening. Leth fingered his deadly knives. When he would have leapt from behind the car to jump back into the battle, Athair restrained him a moment longer.

“We will be aiding Sgrios, will we not?” Leth challenged.

“Of course we will. But we will also go in with a plan,” Athair tried to explain.

“What plan? I didn’t come here to watch him die.” As if Athair would ever ask Leth to watch his father die.

“I know you didn’t, but I won’t let either of us get in his way, either.” Athair scanned the scene and what he found was not too discouraging. “Your father has done as I expected and taken Bequlf from the battle. Now we must rally the others and catch Bequlf’s supporters before they decide to flee.”

* * *

Sgrios stalked him along the path. The fool probably thought to set some trap. Bequlf should know better than to continue the fight on even ground.

Crash! Some large animal pounded toward him through the low brush. Sgrios barely jumped out of the way as a paint pony lunged from the undergrowth, onto the path. Wild-eyed with terror, the pony stood trembling. Its small ears flicked forward at Sgrios, then back before it turned and pushed back into the brush. There on the pony’s flank Sgrios saw the long gouges of a wolf bite. And then the reason for the empty saddle sank in.

Bequlf had a hostage.

Sgrios rushed to follow the pony as it retraced the track it had just run. When it slowed, he pushed past it and continued on the visible trail. There stood Bequlf, with a small girl held in front of him like a shield. As if traumatizing a child would gain him freedom.

“Let her go.” Sgrios met the girl’s wide, scared eyes. Bequlf hadn’t even bothered to control her mind.

“She goes when I go,” Bequlf growled over the child’s head.

“She’ll be your downfall, not your freedom.”

The girl whimpered against Bequlf’s palm and twisted, trying to pull away. Her eyes begged Sgrios for mercy. Mercy he no longer had to give.

“Throw down your blades,” Bequlf demanded, thinking that would give him a better chance.

Sgrios threw his knives to the side and moved a step closer to Bequlf. He had no need for the blades. His emotions, like his other weapons, were still well concealed. He let Bequlf think he had the upper hand while waiting for the best time to strike.

“See? That wasn’t so hard. And I thought you’d be hard to beat.” The girl looked up, but not in defeat. She was actually angry that he had given in to Bequlf so easily!

Sgrios said nothing but shifted his feet and inched closer.

“Don’t take it too badly. We all have a weakness.”

For once, Bequlf was right. Each man did have a weakness, and it was the fastest way to defeat. But he was wrong in thinking Sgrios wouldn’t risk the life of a child. She was only a useful distraction. Another tool in their current battle.

“I have often felt you belonged more with us than against us. You would do well to use your powers to seek pleasure, instead of barely scraping by in this life.”

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