Page 86 of Season of the Wolf

Her steps halted, and for a moment I thought she’d ignore the command, but then I heard a hesitant thump as she got to the floor.

“Why the heck are you hiding?” she whispered back.

I wasn’t sure what to say, other than explain plainly that the yard had been decorated with impaled bodies overnight—and that I couldn’t promise I wasn’t the one who had done it.

When I didn’t answer quickly enough, there was a scuffle on the other side of the counter, and then she stood with a heavy sigh, maybe thinking this was a joke.

However, when she stayed silent, I knew she’d seen them, too.

The bodies.

She crumpled to the floor with a loud thud this time, making quick work of ducking down again.

“What’s happening?” her voice trembled, making me wish I had a firm answer that might comfort her, but I had nothing.

“I came into the kitchen and they were just …there,” I explained.

She was sobbing now, I heard the tears and fear mingling in her throat when she spoke again. “We have to call someone,” she rambled. “I have to let my dad know the Sovereign is—”

“But what if it wasn’t him,” I interjected, not even realizing I’d spoken the words aloud until Roz paused midsentence.

There was silence and I wished I could have seen her face. Maybe realizing this, the next thing I heard was the rhythmic thud of her knees against the tile as she crawled around the island to me. A heavy sigh puffed from her lips when her back came to rest against the cabinet beside me and then, she took my hand.

“Nick, you didn’t do this,” she said gently, knowing exactly what my thoughts were.

“How can you be sure,” I breathed out, staring straight ahead.

“I’ve been up most of the night texting my dad for updates,” she shared. “I hardly slept and, honestly, just dozed about an hour ago.” She checked the time on her watch to confirm. “So, if you really think you could have killed, staked, and arranged all these bodies out there in an hour, then you’re either crazy … or you’re awizard,” she added.

My eyes slammed shut with relief.

A breath shuddered in Roz’s throat. “We have to get out of here, though.”

I couldn’t have agreed with her more.

“Stay low,” I commanded, leading the way back to Chris and Lucas in the other room. They were easy to rouse awake, all traces of fatigue leaving their bodies when I told them what Roz and I discovered outside.

Both reached for their phones right away, wanting to warn their families, Beth. Roz put in a call to her dad, which required her to share that she’d spent the night with me—an admission we would likelybothpay for later, but for now, the bigger issue was the bodies, so he didn’t scold her much. However, his exact orders were that she head home immediately.

Under the circumstances, I agreed it was best that she go to him. Especially if I was a target or some sort, which the scene outside suggested.

Richie answered on the third ring when I dialed him. He’d been so busy with his colleagues, doing all they could to help those who lost their homes, loved ones, losteverythingin the flood. Normally, I wouldn’t have bothered him, but this was the mother of all emergencies.

“Yeah?” His raspy voice came through the phone and I heard the exhaustion in it. He’d most likely been up all night trying to help.

“There’s a bit of a situation,” I began. “I just woke up a few minutes ago and outside … the entire estate is covered with bodies.” I was panting into the receiver, having a hard time settling, catching my breath. I still hadn’t ruled out the idea of whoever did this still being out there.

“Bodies? As in, more than one?”

I nodded as though he were in the room to see. “As in maybe a hundred or more.”

He was quiet for a spell, and I wondered if he had the same thought I did initially. So, to save him the awkwardness of asking his own brother if he was a murderer, I spoke up.

“Roz and the guys are here. Said I didn’t move all night, so …”

An audible sigh of relief came through the earpiece of my phone, confirming what I suspected.

“Ok, is there movement outside? Anyone on the property from what you can see?”

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