He was laughing like a goddamned maniac.
 
 We're injured, and he's too strong, I said to my wolf. We need to get out
 
 of this cave.
 
 But she didn't respond. Not to me, at least. She bared her teeth and
 
 snarled, then attacked. The metallic taste of blood filled our mouth as she
 
 sank her teeth into his skin.
 
 Her elation mixed with my panic. Kahanov still had the Soul Knife.
 
 Get us out of here! I screamed to my wolf.
 
 But it was too late. The blade sank deep, and we howled in agony. Then a
 
 wave of magic burst into us, and we were hurled backward through the air.
 
 The wall of the cave broke our flight, and the impact sent a wave of pain
 
 through our ribs.
 
 Yet my wolf climbed to her feet and met Kahanov’s murderous gaze.
 
 “Come here, little wolf. You belong with me,” he growled. “Savannah
 
 doesn’t respect you, but I will. You can be free, just come to me.”
 
 For a second, terror seized me, drowning out the pain. I was helpless and
 
 out of control.
 
 But then my wolf turned and bolted down the cave.
 
 Green flames licked at our heels, but we were faster than him, even cut
 
 and bleeding.
 
 We didn’t slow. The fork in the passage appeared ahead, and the scent of
 
 briny sea air pulled us forward.
 
 She darted down the passage that I should have taken from the start, and
 
 after a few minutes, light appeared, then the azure blue of water.
 
 Thank God.
 
 42
 
 Savannah
 
 The sun was high in the sky, and the brightness in contrast to the darkness
 
 of the cave was painfully blinding. Fresh air had never tasted so good. Relief
 
 flooded me at being out of that cave, but where the hell were we?