Page 71 of Kin of the Wolf

All along the back wall of the castle, giant windows looked out over a manicured lawn and the lake beyond. The dock and boathouse were visible, though fog softened the view.

I tried to sense Duncan out there, but it was still more than twenty minutes until eight. It occurred to me that I would have to keep the werewolves in the castle distracted so they didn’t notice his approach. He could sneak about all he wanted, but his powerful aura was hard to hide.

Landscaping lights out back shone onto a cement patio, and something moved in the shadows beyond it. A red-eyed mongrel dog. The same one we’d seen? Or another?

When Augustus stepped out of the kitchen, I jumped. Distracted by looking around, I hadn’t sensed him approaching.

Two of his siblings stood behind him—they’d both been at the fight. Augustus carried an open beer can, and my heart leaped. If I could get a moment alone with it, I might be able to dump the truth elixir inside. Would the potency of the beer mask whatever the potion tasted like? And, once delivered, how long would it take to go into effect? I should have asked Rue that.

Augustus’s gaze went straight to my gloved hand and the case, though he also looked at Jasmine.

“You’ve decided to help the betrayer?” he asked her.

“I just came along to watch,” Jasmine said. “And show her how to get to your house. Did you know there are strange glowy-eyed dogs all over your yard?”

She must have seen them after all.

“I haven’t betrayed anyone,” I said.

My gloved fingers tightened around the case, and I wished I’dfigured out more than that it had something made from metal inside. I had returned Mom’s medallion before leaving her cabin, and I could have used more than vials of potions to gain the advantage over these guys. As a wolf, I could handle myself in a fight, but if I took that form, it would be hard to demand confessions or slip a potion down Augustus’s throat. I had to do that as a human.

“You’re the one using the pack’s good name to fleece people out of money,” I added.

I scratched my nose and tried to give Jasmine a significant start-recording look without being obvious. I sensed more werewolves in the kitchen or perhaps a room beyond it. My cousins. Augustus’s allies.

“Wolf packs aren’t supposed to havegoodnames,” Augustus said. “They’re supposed to be strong, claim a territory that suits their needs, and woe to those who intrude upon it without asking permission. Or giving offerings. That’s part of our culture and how it works.”

“That only refers to other werewolves, not witches, druids, warlocks, and alchemists minding their own business and selling gas and gum from their stores.”

“Did you come here to give me a lecture?” Augustus focused on the case again, his eyes barely acknowledging me.

“No. I came here for the antidote.” I’d almost forgotten my ruse. It would be suspicious if I didn’t demand that up front.

“Howisyour bipedfuris?” Augustus squinted at me.

“Dying.”

“Where’d he come from, anyway? There supposedly aren’t any werewolves left in the world that can take that form, that have that much magic.”

“He’s special. The antidote?”

“Let’s see the box first.” Augustus pointed at the case. “I heard you’ve been known to make fakes.”

I stared at him. I’d just admitted that to Jasmine, but how wouldheknow that?

My suspicious mind wanted to link Augustus to Lord Abrams and Radomir, but he might have been doing what I’d been thinking a moment ago, listening and watching us via a doorway camera.

“Why do you care about it?” Without stepping closer, I held the case up for his perusal. “I could see why you’d be interested in Mom’s medallion for your wife… I guess. Do you eventalkto her anymore?”

“That’s none of your business.” Augustus set the beer can down on a sofa table and walked closer, holding his hand out.

I might have given it to him if it meant I could spike his can while he was studying it, but my two other cousins stood where they would see my actions.

“It’santi-werewolf,” I said, though I didn’t quite know that, just that whatever lay inside supposedly protected against, or maybe counteracted the effects of, werewolf bites. Among other things. “It wasn’t meant for you. Or any of us.”

“It’svaluable.” Augustus stopped two steps away from me, his palm out expectantly.

“Where’s the antidote?”

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