Page 41 of Beast and Remedy
“Help me get my bow from the trunk!” She shakes me off and sprints into action, jumping down and hurrying behind the stagecoach.
Growling and grunts come from my left, and I close my eyes, fighting to ground myself through my rising panic. My hands tremble as I take a deep breath before scurrying after my sister to help her remove the rope holding our luggage.
“I’m so stupid. I should have kept it with me!” She rises to her tiptoes, reaching for the top trunk, and pauses when someone groans.
My heart twists, and Marian urges, “Hurry!”
Boxes come crashing down, hitting me and landing on my feet.
I hiss as Marian dodges them, finding her crate and shoving it open. She flings clothes out and tosses me a dagger before grabbing her bow.
Her wild eyes lock on mine, her fear matching my own. And even though I catch the tremor in her hands, she nods before removing her cloak and putting her quiver on.
I fasten my grip on the hilt of my blade, praying to the Makers for strength as I lean into the stagecoach to prepare to help the others.
But the copper tang of blood crashes against me, and I brave a glance past the carriage to a huge wolf with fur dark as night, feasting on the remnants of our driver and guard, Riker.
The man’s lifeless eyes linger, and I shudder, retreating and trying to banish the image from my mind.
“There are four of them,” I whisper to Marian, and another yelp comes from one of the men.
My heart wrenches and lips tremble with worry of who it could be. I don’t want to imagine any of them getting hurt. And when the snarling and tearing of flesh sounds, I gag.
I try to focus on my breathing, my head pounding as my magic blooms underneath my skin. It calls to me, begging for an escape.
But I can’t shift right now. I would be too exposed.
I reach for my sister, uncertain if I can really do anything. “Marian—”
“Wehaveto help them, Vi,” she urges before whipping out of my hold.
I swallow thickly, knowing I am useless in this situation.
All we have is a dagger and her bow. And if I can’t shift, we could end up dead, too.
I want to convince her we should run. We were close to our kingdom border. But what if the wolves came from our territory? What if they are infected? What if there are more? Who is to say this isn’t the first of many we could run into?
Panic grips me in place, my knees wobbling as my sister darts toward a large tree and hides behind it to find a target.
She nocks her bow and releases an arrow.
An animal yelps, and I brave another glance past the carriage, counting two animals no longer moving. And two men no longer moving.
Alec.
Marius.
I muffle my bloodcurdling scream as the black wolf that was feasting on Riker rips apart our guards.
I tear my gaze from the horror, magic thrashing in my veins from the impending doom engulfing me.
But the last creature, a smaller beast with faded gray fur, bites Bronn’s shoulder.
He bellows in agony, struggling against the wolf’s grip on him, removing a hidden dagger and puncturing the animal’s flesh.
He keeps stabbing, over and over, as the predator whips its head, refusing to let go.
An arrow whooshes through the air, striking true in the creature’s eye.
