Page 65 of Kin of the Wolf

“I am more susceptible to control in that form. When Abrams was raising me, he had plenty of time to study me, to figure out my strengths and weaknesses. In that form, I’m strongest and most dangerous but also the least… in control. Even without a magical compulsion, I’m savage when I’m the two-legs. As you saw.” He grimaced and only glanced at me before staring at the pavement.

“I saw you protect me last time.” I didn’t mention that he’dattacked me the first time. Abrams had been standing scant feet away then, that device pointed right at Duncan. “And hurl one of my cousins into a tree. That was nice.”

“It was savage.”

“Savagely nice from my point of view. And they deserved it.”

“That I’ll agree with.” Duncan met my gaze. “Look, I don’t have to take that form tonight. I can be myself as a human or turn into a wolf. Don’t go into your cousin’s lair with only a girl for help.”

“Jasmine is more than a girl; she’s one of us.”

“Not one who fights a lot. I can tell. You need astrongally. And a plan.”

“I have a plan.”

A hesitant knock sounded on the other side of the van, and I sensed Bolin.

“And that’s it,” I added, then stepped around the front of the van, startling him. His leather messenger bag was slung over one shoulder and slipped down to his elbow when he jumped.

“Ishegoing with you too?” Duncan had followed me around the hood and gave me an aggrieved look.

“Going where?” Bolin asked warily, pushing the strap back onto his shoulder.

“Into the lair of deadly wolves,” Duncan said.

“He’s not,” I said at the same time as Bolin issued an emphatic, “No.”

“I brought something for Luna,” Bolin added, glancing at Duncan before looking at me. “Do you want it, uhm, with witnesses?”

Duncan folded his arms over his chest.

“It’s fine,” I said. “He’s my ally. He’s going to provide a distraction out back while I enter the lair through the gate.” I smiled at Duncan, hoping that would make him happy. Even if I had doubts about relying on him when he could be called off by those who wanted to be his masters at any time, I thought hecouldbe usefulfor creating a distraction. “He has SCUBA gear and underwater demolitions,” I added.

“Yes.” Duncan lifted his chin.

“Underwater demolitions?” Bolin asked dubiously.

“Explosives,” Duncan said.

Bolin rolled his eyes. “Iknowwhat demolitions are. The word is originally from the Latin verbmoliri,which means to build, and the prefixde-which means to undo. I was just surprised because wolf lairs presumably aren’t underwater and, when you first spoke of the home as such, I didn’t think it was a metaphor. Due to, well…” He waved vaguely at us.

Figured out the werewolf thing, had he? I’d assumed he had.

“Well, it is a literal wolf’s lair, I suppose,” I said, “but it’s also a big lakefront mansion.”

“I intend toundothe dock and boathouse,” Duncan said. “And ideally the owner.”

“That sounds violent,” Bolin murmured.

“It’s in our blood,” I said.

“I believe that.” Bolin lifted the flap of his bag. “I’m not sure you need my formulas if you’ve got explosives, but, per your request, I acquired these for you.”

He held out four vials of green glowing liquid and two swirling blue-green spheres of compressed powder. If I’d seen them on a store shelf, I would have thought them bath bombs.

“Those make a sticky mess on the floor when they dissolve.” Bolin pointed to the spheres. “Sticky enough to ensnare people, like Entangling Vines inDestiny Wields a Sword.”

“I haven’t played that yet.” I wasn’t sure why I saidyet. I’d blown up some bad guys in my sons’ video games when they’d been growing up, but my special talent had been running my avatar off cliffs and dying before the enemies showed up.

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