Page 38 of Luna Cursed

"The Völva," Ciara guessed, putting it together. "Thank you for your help."

"I almost didn't do it, but Tor can be convincing when he's determined. I see the bond is strong between you. It's a good thing. You might need it today," Gudrun replied and headed into the hall.

"That's the one you need to be afraid of," Lachie whispered to her, and Ciara nodded. Gudrun had power in the bucketloads, and if she was the only Völva in the village, she would have influence.

Layla's head appeared out of the wide wooden doors. "Are you two coming in or not?"

Ciara and Lachie walked in together. They had trained as hunting partners their entire lives and fell naturally into formation, ready for an attack.

Inside the hall was one long feast table and a fire pit at its center. The three elders, wolves aged between fifty and seventy, sat across the table from Arne, Layla, and Alruna.

Ciara's eyes adjusted to the low light of the hall, and she realized wolves were sitting at other small tables behind their elders, some in wolf form and others human. They had all come to hear what Tor and the elves had to say. A murmur and more than a few low growls echoed around the hall when the wolves spotted Ciara.

Ciara didn't care. She kept her head high and went and stood with Tor behind Layla. She didn't doubt that if there was any trouble, Arne would protect Layla, but Ciara wanted to make sure she had her back guarded.

"You have called us together under such urgency, Torsten Skarison. I hope for a good reason," a grizzled elder asked. He looked like the oldest of the three.

"The reason is that the hunt for Varg has produced disturbing revelations," Tor replied respectfully. He was hunched over, his energy drawn in to not appear threatening or challenging. It made Ciara's teeth clench. She kept her mouth shut as Tor relayed their hunt for Varg, finding Askel and the information they had gotten from him before he exploded.

Gudrun hissed at the mention of Askel and the magic he had used to kill himself. Tor did his best to explain the feeling of the dark spell, but the wolves weren't interested.

"You are claiming we have traitors in the pack, Tor. Do you know who? If you don't, what do you expect us to do about it?" the female elder asked.

"I think it's all bullshit," a female voice announced. Ciara's eyes narrowed as Petra strode into the hall like she owned it.

"Let me guess? Tor's ex?" Lachie whispered to her. Ciara nodded.

"Bold of you to interrupt a council," Alruna said coolly.

"Bold ofyouand your pampered prince to interfere in wolf business, elf," Petra snapped.

Oh no, she didn't. Ciara placed a hand on Layla's shoulder, pushing her back in her seat.

"Watch your tongue, girl. You will respect this council or get the fuck out," the grizzled one snarled.

"It's the respect I have for the council that I open my mouth at all. Torsten has been bewitched by the Wolf Slayer. I highly doubt Askel was captured at all! As for Varg, there's been no sign of him since the battle with Vili," Petra charged on.

Tor crossed his arms. "And how would you know? You weren't at the battle. You need to stop making this personal, Petra. Varg is the enemy, not Ciara," Tor snapped.

"Unless she's the one working for Varg," Layla said, somehow looking down her nose at Petra while sitting in a chair. Ciara tried not to grin, but her cousin wasn't done. "That's the only reason I can see why an Ulfheðnar wouldn't have turned up to fight an enemy of Odin's."

"I was out of the country, or I would have been," Petra replied, lifting her chin.

Layla raised a brow. "You have a way to verify that, do you? Because I can't understand why you would object to stopping Varg from waking Fenris unless you were working for him."

"We don't even have proof that Varg didn't go back to Svartalfheim!" Petra snarled at her. "You shouldn't even be allowed to talk—"

"I've seen Varg since the battle. At a camp at Onsøy," Ciara interrupted.

Petra looked at Ciara, her face twisting in utter disgust. "Like any of us should believe the words of the Wolf Slayer. You have done enough damage by enchanting Tor and forcing him to put a bond on you."

"She didn't force him. I witnessed the bond," Gudrun replied. "There was no enchantment. Tor offered it willingly."

Petra's face flushed. "I don't trust the words of a witch either! Why else would a wolf want to bond with a woman who has slaughtered our kind? It makes no sense!"

"You make no sense. I haven't enchanted Tor. I wouldn't even know how. I've never killed a wolf that didn't need to be put down for the safety of others," Ciara replied steadily.

"No! I won't accept this." Petra turned to Tor, her eyes full of proud fire. "I will save you from whatever they have done to you. We will be together as promised."

---