Page 36 of Capricorn Blessed

“Wait, are you saying you think it’s buried in the ice?” Beorn asks.

Kenric shrugs. “I’d guess there’s more time than not without ice, so the best guess is yes.”

I cock my head to the side, considering. “That makes sense.”

Approaching the wall, I run my hand over the wall, dusting off the snow and finding little shelves lining the wall. The guys join in, searching various spots around the room. We find pottery and bits of fabric. Silverware and boxes with lids.

“How is all of this still in here?” asks Beorn. “It’s not marked off or anything, yet no one messes with it.”

“We didn’t know it was here until Kenric suggested looking under the snow,” Dennis answers. “I’d guess most people don’t think to do that.”

We open the boxes and find jars and bottles inside. A few contain jewelry, which the men bring over to me, but none are right.

Opening the lid on a black metal box, I squeal. “Found it!” I lift the comb out of the box. The silvers reflects the light.

“And we found you,” a low voice answers.

A shot rings out.

I clutch the comb to my chest and dive sideways, landing with a thud. I glance around. All the guys have moved as well. Dennis and Beorn are hiding behind stalagmites, but Kenric is on the ground.

His skin ripples as white hair begins to sprout up and down his arms.

“Kenric, no!” I gasp.

His crystal blue eyes lock on mine as his wolf takes over and forces the shift. My heart breaks a little, hoping this isn’t the shift that pushes him over the edge.

Three more men appear in the doorway, each dressed in black tactical gear, including helmets that cover their eyes.

I only see one gun at the moment and can’t tell if he was shooting tranquilizers or bullets. Beorn lunges out from behind the spike, tackling the man on the end of the back row. They land with a thud, but the man quickly twists, so he is on top, then he rains blows down on Beorn.

I scream and run at them. The man in front raises his weapon, and I jump to the side, crashing into a stalagmite, causing it to shatter. The man steps forward, moving closer to me.

A white wolf springs from the ground, knocking the man off balance. Some stalactites fall from the ceiling, shattering onto the ground below.

I push myself off the ground and sprint for the entrance. Dennis lunges, jumping into the man on top of Beorn. One of the remaining guys joins in as well, while the other jumps on the back of Kenric’s wolf.

These men seem better trained than we ones we fought in France. I wonder if they are the mythical hit squad trained to kill the Zodiacs and those who believed in us.

I look back and forth, torn between which of my mates to help.

Kenric clamps his jaws around the gunman, twisting and throwing him across the cave. Now that’s he’s only fighting one person, I like his odds.

I run toward Beorn and Dennis and the two men they are fighting. I pull my sword from my back, sliding my way up to the group.

Arms are flying, and grunts fill the air. I watch, hoping for an opening. The helmets pose a slight problem, as I can’t knock them out, but I don’t want to let that stop me. I jab forward at the man on top. He hisses but doesn’t stop swinging at my mates.

I swing my sword, but the pile shifts, and I have to pull back rather than risk my mates.

A black clad body goes sailing past me, thunking as it hits the wall and slides to the ground. He doesn’t move, and a proud Kenric comes over, licking his lips. I run my fingers through the fur on his head, looking back at the others.

Kenric lets out a howl, and the man on top freezes long enough for Dennis to push him off. I take the opportunity to swing my sword down, severing the man’s hand.

He screams, clutching his stump to his chest. Kenric tackles the man on top of Beorn, knocking him farther into the cave and away from the entrance. Beorn doesn’t stir on the floor.

“We need to go,” I say, looking at the carnage in the cave. “Kenric, go first. Dennis, help me get Beorn up.”

Kenric pauses only for a moment, looking at the men lying around the cave, before bounding out of the cave and onto the ice bridge.

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