Page 78 of Season of the Wolf

Dread and fear swam circles in my stomach like two sharks honing in on a kill.

It hit me. The truth. He was on a mission to resurrect his dragon, and there were only a few ways to do such a thing that I knew of. One was by magic, which wasn’t an option for him. Because he’d been turned human by a witch, another couldn’t undo that spell.

Leaving him with only one method to consider.

Theoriginalmethod.

One I wasn’t even sure still worked—to die by fire and be resurrected by the original dragon, Elise.

He was planning to take the most extreme measures to restore his dragon. If he hadn’t done it already …

I felt sick, weak, deciding to take that seat on the step after all when my knees nearly gave out. I stared at everything, but focused on nothing. For a moment, the room grew dim like I’d pass out.

“Evangeline … you must know he’s been considering this for a while,” Hilda shared. “Elise and I both thought we talked him out of it, which is why it didn’t seem necessary to warn you before it came to this.”

She didn’t need to explain. I didn’t blame her or Elise, I believed they trulydidtry to convince Liam this wasn’t a good idea.

But I knew him.

Knew exactly what pushed him toward the decision.

Me.

My actions. Last night must have just been the last straw, the last evidence he needed to see that I wouldn’t sit back on some throne while those I love were put in danger. It wasn’t even a choice. Going to them, putting my neck on the line was just … a reaction.

One that ultimately may cost me everything.

“How long do I have?” I asked solemnly, feeling my resolve becoming firmer by the minute. I had to try to find him, had to stop him.

“You may already be too late,” was Hilda’s grim reply. “And besides, I can’t give an exact location because all he sent were coordinates, no address.”

I racked my brain, asking myself where he’d go to do this. To … let the fire consume him in belief that it Elise could fix everything. My stomach turned and I ignored it, needing to focus.

“His house,” I said after a burst of air filled my lungs when I got to my feet.

“You should rethink this,” Hilda urged again. “If he’s already succeeded, Evangeline, there might not be much left but … remains.”

My stomach swirled again, but there was no stopping me. I grabbed a pair of shoes from the closet and slipped my feet into them. Dallas traipsed down the stairs in jeans and a tee, popping a baseball cap over his messy hair. I guessed he’d been listening, because he was clearly intent on coming, too.

By this point, Ethan had time to let the others know what had taken place, and all seemed determined to follow, to help me find the brother given to them by fate instead of blood.

My eyes welled with tears at the sight of them all, their loyalty ever present. Even toward me, the shell of what remained of the sister they once knew.

“Let’s go,” I said as we exited, hoping Hilda understood that Ihadto do this. If there was any chance I could stop Liam, could talk him out of this. There was still a chance we could find Sebastian’s witch and do this another way.

But there was something else I knew about Liam. He wasn’t the most patient man in the world. In short, I needed to prepare my heart before we got there, accepting that, like usual, the odds of him waiting weren’t likely in our favor.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Evie

We trekked the woods, passing through makeshift camps composed of those the flood displaced. There were many still walking about, doing their part to distribute food and supplies. It was hard to get my bearings straight with all the added commotion, the chatter.

Breathing deep, I channeled my wolf, letting her keen sense of direction lead me.

“This way,” I called out, prompting the others to take off running right behind me.

Hurdling large boulders and hollowed out logs of fallen trees, we drew closer. I knew we were. Sniffing the air, I picked up on the occasional hit of smoke, but knew it could have been that of the many bonfires that had been built overnight and this morning for warmth.

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