Page 131 of The Blood Queen

“Gods, just what I need, another bossy alpha in my business.” Levi wrapped his arms around me while moving with the momentum, one, two, three long strides and then a jump across another crack to solid ice. The spear he held whacked the side of my head. Three more jerky steps before he let me go. The spikes on my shoes held in the ice. I bent over to catch my breath when Levi shouted.

The charging pig hit him low in the side, knocking Levi off his feet and toward the rushing water surging between the separating slabs of ice. I screamed, lunging forward, my hands buried in the wiry pig pelt as I syphoned wildly, turning the creature into mush before throwing him in the water.

“Levi!” I was panting his name, crawling on all fours to where Levi struggled in the water. He’d braced the spear between two slabs of ice. Both hands gripped the shaft while his body twisted in the raging current.

Water gushed into his face, surging over his mouth, battering his face, while my throat felt shredded from screaming and my hands so numb that, when I reached toward Levi’s wrist, I didn’t feel him. Afraid that I’d loosen his hold with my aimless grasping, I gripped the spear shaft, rocked back.

But each time I put pressure on the shaft, the ice dipped and water lapped.

I pushed upright on my knees, waving at the closest wolves—too far away and battling pigs on the precarious ice. The crab-like creations scented the fear, or the blood. They turned as one and surged, translucent legs skittering on the glassy surfaces with an ominous clicking.

No time to think. Do it, Noa! I rose from a crouch and lunged across the widening gap, closer to where Levi struggled. If I could reach his arm…

Beneath my weight, the ice broke apart. The current churned in the gaps—white, ice-laced foam. The force drove us downstream to where the ice chunks jammed up. Razer-sharp edges cut my fingers. Levi’s wool tunic was a weight in the water, but I wound my fingers tight and dragged until his head was above the water.

He sputtered, coughed. I sat on the ice and threw my weight backward. “Help me,” I panted as Levi rolled to his side, both hands still around the spear.

I heaved. Levi yelped, thudding on the ice, grunting—while a feminine voice laughed and said, “You sound like a frozen fish.”

I gaped at her, and she added, “Metis sent us.”

A dark-haired river nymph bobbed in the frigid water. Ice crystals crusted her skin. In the river, I counted five more nymphs, darting upward between the ice floes, disappearing with the hairy pigs tight in their hands. Reappearing again, going after the scuttling crabs and tossing them through the air the way killer whales played with the seals.

“Tell Metis that…” My gaping mouth curved into a smile. “I appreciate the gift and owe a debt to her.”

“End Amal, and the debt is paid.”

The nymph disappeared in the river’s current, reappearing yards away, rising and wiping a dozen crab-things from the ice with one muscular sweep of an ultramarine blue tail.

“Friends in high places,” taunted Levi as he scrambled to his feet.

“Strip,” Angel ordered after she’d dragged us to the steep bank.

His mouth popped open.

She smacked his chest with her open palm. “Get naked and shift, pup.”

“I’m not… in front of…” Levi’s teeth chattered.

Angel’s huffed laugh reddened his cheeks. “You got some blue balls, pup? They’re tiny little marbles right now, along with your manly part. Nothing I care to see.” She turned her back. “Do it. Your wolf will keep you warm. We’ll dry your clothes when we get to the cave.”

“You have a cave?” My chatter was worse than Levi’s.

“Why I wanted to cross here,” she said, waiting while I stripped off the spikes from my wet boots. She stuffed them in her pack. I bundled Levi’s clothes and offered to carry them, along with his precious spear—the spear that saved his life this time.

Perhaps even weapons could atone for what they had to do… and find redemption.

CHAPTER 35

Noa

Where caves were concerned, the one we entered was more than acceptable. I did my part and surged a spark into the stack of dry firewood. Four wolves—including Levi—prowled around the arching interior. Fire-driven shadows flickered on the cave walls. Angel sat on a chair-sized boulder, going through her pack. The tall man spread Levi’s wet clothes over rocks closest to the heat while the three other Blackfish who’d remained in human form inventoried the supplies.

We had food and water. Weapons. Those who had shifted opted to remain that way. They would scavenge for clothes in the town Angel talked about. She said the small settlement guarded Amal’s fortress. The houses were like the outer rings of peasant huts, guarding medieval castles. An enemy would first have to battle through a town of civilians, face ambushes, burning buildings, debris thrown into the road. Fleeing innocents hiding combatants.

In the sand, the Alpha of Blackfish drew a crude map showing streets and certain buildings. Likely spots for traps or open fighting. By now, Mace’s fighters would be attacking. Everyone expected strong resistance from the hybrids in reserve and the conscripted Cariboo recruits. The abominations the queen created in the depths of her stronghold.

“Here…” Angel drew a line with her finger. “A narrow bridge, leading to a heavily fortified gate. This… a drop off, over twenty feet. You land on rocks with iron spikes, so don’t fall.”

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