Page 4 of Cold Foot King

He was the one who had known her in ways that had altered her animal.

In her mind, she had just called him King, because that was the name on the tag next to his cell.

He wasn’t standing. Instead, he sat in the shadows of his dark cell, glowing gold eyes steady on her.

Chills, chills, chills.

She hadn’t seen his animal’s eye color before.

She huffed a shaking breath, standing there by the bars of his cell, frozen.

“The Jackal’s out,” he said in a deep voice.

“Jackal?” Raynah asked in a terrified voice.

His eyes stayed trained on her, unblinking. “They didn’t give us our meds today.”

Shit. That would explain the glowing gold eyes. If he couldn’t Change already, he would be able to soon. The animal-suppressing medicines the prison required them to take only lasted about a day, give or take.

“Why that one?” he asked, his deep, gravelly voice echoing through the dim hallway.

“She has a baby,” Katrina answered softly.

“Why?” he asked again.

“You know why.”

His eyes narrowed, and he stood slowly. “You remember where the vent is?”

“Yes.” A wave of emotions took over her as he stepped out of the shadows.

He straightened his spine and stood to his full height, towering over her and Raynah. His enormous fists gripped the cell bars. “Run run, scurry scurry, little mouse. The Jackal’s out.”

“I can take a jackal,” she gritted out.

A slow smile took his dangerously handsome face. “Oh, I’m depending on it.”

“I know the Jackal,” Raynah whispered, eyes down the hallway where there was movement again. “He goes by Jack, but I know what he is.”

“Jackals are fast,” he pointed out.

“I’m faster,” Katrina said.

“Truth.” He cocked his head, released the bars, and backed away. “The dragon will be watching the exits. Stay low. Get to the woods.” His eyes snapped to Raynah. “Better keep up.”

Katrina grabbed Raynah’s hand and led her away, senses on the movement behind them. Stupid Jackal was playing with them. She tossed a look back at the still form of the guard, his key card hanging from the rubber coil clipped to his pocket. She could release King. She could run back and grab the card and release him.

“Do you want me to free you?” she asked.

“No.”

She frowned, confused. “I really hate you, you know.”

He nodded, eyes cool. “I hate you too.”

Those words felt loaded. That admission felt like it held weight. Did he hate her for the same reasons she hated him?

“Swear you won’t hurt us,” she said.

---