Page 59 of Crowned A Traitor
Wolfgang gripped the patch of moss beside her. Klara couldn’t remove her arms to help as Lottie slipped from Wolfgang’s back and into the water.
“Lottie,” she called unable to move without killing Wolfgang. Wolfgang looked into the waters, panic creasing his features. He was about to dive under when Lottie appeared on the other side of Klara—surprising them both as she pulled herself out of the water with ease, her unicorn backpack intact.
Once Wolfgang pulled himself out, Klara removed her arms from the water, and she felt like she could breathe again. The smell of the steaming, cursed water almost made Klara retch. The ink dripped from their skin and the stain of the ink evaporated from them in seconds.
Klara squeezed out her clothes as Wolfgang helped Lottie, although the heat on this side of the River would do that for them.
“Wait!” Klara said, looking through the fog. Kharon was long gone. “Where’s Arthur?” She asked, her eyes darting around the marshes.
“Took you long enough to notice,” Arthur said behind her with a smile on his lips and her shoulders relaxed. She feared that Kharon had sent him to the depths. The thought of Arthur among the tortured souls deflated Klara’s already tired body, even if he had been spying on her since forever.
Over her shoulder, Arthur stood dry as a bone. “Can’t touch the water if I plan on remaining somewhat alive,” Arthur said, placing a hand on Lottie’s head, and Wolfgang glared at him.
“Couldn’t have offered to give us a lift over?” Wolfgang rounded on him, and Arthur held up his thin arms in defence. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way.”
Wolfgang backed off as Lottie chattered beside Klara. Lottie’s fluffy unicorn backpack dripped in her small arms. Klara went to squeeze the water from the teddy-pack when Lottie scrunched her small features and clutched the unicorn closer to her chest.
“Just leave it with her,” Wolfgang groaned as he shook out his mop of ashy blonde hair. Klara resisted the urge to make a wet dog comment. They weren’t exactly friends just yet. She still caught him glancing at her when he thought she wasn’t watching.
“Everyone good?” Klara asked as she moved away from the deceptive edges of the marshes. There was a grumble from Wolfgang as he motioned for her to lead the way, and Klara rolled her eyes.
Wolfgang was still trying to figure out whether he could trust her or not, and she was doing the same. Arthur watched them with a bemused expression.
“Stick to the rocks, one wrong step, and you’ll be making friends with those souls,” Arthur warned as Klara went to place her foot down on a patch of flattened moss. But before she had a chance to self-adjust, Wolfgang grabbed her.
As his hands gripped her, his eyes flashed a mix of yellow and amber. Klara hissed as his claws pierced her skin, and the sharp pain caused her to lose control of her power. Her new heart didn’t disguise her pain as much as her original.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Klara said, and removed his hands from her skin before he turned completely. She expected his harsh response, but she could see he was struggling to control the change. Klara couldn’t understand how she could force him to shift but not be able to see into his mind. The souls had torn her sleeves and direct contact after using so much magic was a rookie mistake.
Wolfgang crouched, clutching his chest, and Klara pulled Lottie out of the way to safety. Wolfgang put his fist through a boulder as he tried to calm himself.
“Take her further away,” Klara ordered, and Arthur backed up.
“Are you able to control it?” Klara asked. This much lack of control in a mature wolf could be from his wound.
“Just Keep Lottie Back,” Wolfgang said. It was clear that he didn’t want Lottie to see him weakened. Wolfgang leaned over a moss-covered rock and his eyes trained toward the waters. Klara moved an inch to the side and caught a glimpse of his sharp fangs and a scar across his cheek. Klara helped him stand careful not to touch his skin, “Your scar?”
“It’s an old lash wound.” The Lycaon features disappeared quickly. His rounded spine returned to normal, and his claws withdrew.
Suddenly it dawned on Klara, the scar across the snout. Wolfgang was the Lycaon in the Forest. The one who had remained behind when the rest of the pack ran back to their homes.
~14~
“Hold up for a second!” Wolfgang said helping Lottie over a fallen tree as Klara cleared it with a leap.Wolfgang was with the hunting pack! Maybe he’s a spy for Abadan.Klara looked over her shoulder, his eyes pleading with her as they struggled through the marshes at a grueling pace.
“Abadan won’t be far behind, and she would have had to return to the Castle to build a portal. She can’t cross the River without Kharon,” Klara replied, dragging her feet through the sludge.
“That amount of magic will take time to harness, but not much and the Hounds don’t need a portal with a bounty on my head.”
Klara stopped to wipe the sweat from her cheeks, barely allowing Wolfgang and Lottie time to catch up. Klara figured Kharon would head for the Human plane until the battle for the crowns was over.
“Forgot the Hounds could jump planes,” Wolfgang grimaced running a hand through his damp hair.
“Only if there is a strong enough scent. Let’s put as much distance between them and us as possible,” Arthur said, moving through the marshes with ease, making the rest of the group jealous.
“At this pace, we might be a day ahead already,” Klara said. While Wolfgang helped Lottie tie up her wet hair, she could feel Arthur glaring at her.
“What?” Klara asked as he caught up to her.
