Page 78 of The Last One
This time, I’m glad I’m listening to his thoughts, and I let his confidence drown out the fearful thoughts of the young women between us.
“I’m gonna die.”
“Will it hurt?”
“I don’t wanna die.”
I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin. I didn’t fall from the sky and run naked through a town to be defeated by a pack of wolves. Like Jadon, I’ve killed stronger things: cursuflies, sunabi, and Narder the jailer. I refuse to be defeated by a pack ofdogs. They should’ve chased another group of people because they’re about to get their asses kicked. I pump my fingers again, trying to generate the wind my hands hold. Nothing happens.
Shit-shit-shit.
“Don’t do this, boys,” I whisper now to the wolves. “We’re leaving this forest, okay? If you wanna walk out of here alive, you should back away right now.”
Olivia’s thoughts skitter through mine.“Why the fuck is she talking to them? Kill them!”
The creature with the blue zigzag stares at me with gleaming silver eyes, then looks at his two watchful brothers. There’s agreement there, and he approaches me, slow, intentional. One of his brothers heads to our right and the other to our left.
As he nears, his scent of sweet decay fills my nose. His nostrils flare, too—he smells me. Sweat, soot, and honeycakes.
“Stop waiting,” I growl, beckoning him to come for me. “Let’s do it.”
As if he understands me, Zigzag stops pacing and lowers his snout to the ground. A growl grows in his throat. Then he leaps.
Olivia shrieks and drops into a tight ball. Philia drops and grabs a handful of rocks.
I sidestep, bend my leg, pull up my knee, and kick the creature’s thigh.
Caught off guard by the attack, the wolf lands with a thump, shakes its head, then looks back at me, teeth bared.
“Surprise,” I say, smiling. “I’m that bitch.” I plant my feet even firmer this time.
Zigzag paces and recalibrates.
“You all right?” Jadon asks over his shoulder. He’s pacing, too, keeping his eyes on the other two stone-still wolves.
“Sure am,” I say, eyes locked on Zigzag.
The wolf sinks low to the ground.
I sink even lower.
Zigzag bounds forward.
I roll to my left.
Zigzag pivots and swipes his paw.
I shriek as his claws scrape my leg, tearing through my leather breeches and scouring flesh. Blood—my blood—twinkles against my skin like those falling stars, the cool air making the scrape sting even more. Pain—so much pain rages inside me that I gag.
“Kai, come closer,” Jadon says, alarm in his voice.
“No.” I can’t. The girls are closer to him than to me.I need to draw Zigzag farther away. I press my hand against the wound. I’m confident the cut is not so deep that I’ll die from blood loss. But Iamhaving trouble putting weight on the leg.
Zigzag yips, celebrating my pain.
Another wolf takes this moment to ram into Jadon, hitting him right in the gut and launching him into the air. The wolf simply watches as he thumps hard on the ground.
Jadon rises, then groans as he spits out dirt, grass, and pine needles. He touches his forehead and, without even looking at his fingers, winces as blood seeps from the new gash in his skin. He’s standing, though.
