Page 81 of Through the Wicked Wood

“The Elsk star.” Galen says, slinging his pack on his shoulders. “That’s it, there.” Pointing behind us, I spin and sure enough, a faint flash of purple light appears in the night sky. “We’ll head north.” Turning toward me, he squeezes my shoulder. “I told you, you could do it,” he whispers with a wink.

“Let’s go,” Samaria says, her ivory bow glowing under the moonlight.

“Wait, you’re all coming?” I face the three of them as Sorin emerges from our tent behind me. Handing me my cloak I sling it around my shoulders, thankful he thought to keep me warm amidst the chaos. With each of Alaric’s howls, my hands twitch. Ready to move. “Surely, Sorin and I can go,” I say, impatience gnawing at me. “Whatever it is with the wolves, we—”

Jarek steps in front of me, his massive frame blocking my view of the star and the mountain behind it. Placing his hand on my shoulder, I tip my head up to meet his gaze.

“We’re coming with you, little susi,” he says. The word sounds so beautiful coming from his mouth. Sam joins him, facing me with her bow slung neatly across her back. Her smile is radiant even in the darkness. She traces the silver arrow stitched onto my cloak above my heart. The one Jarek told me about before we left Loxley.

“Together,” she says. “Remember?” I scan both of their faces. Both of their cloaks. The same silver arrow etched above their hearts, like a guide through the darkness. I peer around them to Galen and then to Sorin. He says nothing but the hint of a smile plays along his lips as he nods, just once.

Together.

Another frantic howl cuts through the trees.

“We need to go now then,” I say. But as I step forward, I gasp. Wincing, I glance down at my foot. Still bruised.

“Here,” Galen says, bending down, he rustles in his pack before pulling out the small glass vial. “But it’s the last one so if anyone else gets hurt…” he says, and everyone nods in understanding. If anyone else gets hurt, we’re on our own up here. “Take it and let’s go find Ruse.”

Snatching the vial, I contemplate his words before deciding Ruse’s life is far too important not to drink it. The effects are nearly instant, the throbbing in my foot ceases. Relief washes over me and adrenaline soon takes its place as I take off in a sprint.

My instincts guide me through the darkened trees. Running on intuition versus sight. My pace quickens as Alaric’s howls grow nearer, panic crawling over my skin as the sense of something wrong fills the forest air. Glancing up briefly toward the sky, I locate the Elsk star. Its faint purple flashes again, the only beacon of hope I can cling to.

Alaric’s gray coat glistens against the moonlight. His heavy panting leaves puffs of white in the cold air. The restlessness of his paws digs a line in the dirt. Another deep howl rumbles from his chest as I make the final stride toward him. The clearing is large, several miles of open area caged between the forest and the mountain on the opposite side. The moon is almost full again, offering her light against the darkness.

Ruse. I ask Alaric between our silent bond. Where is she?

But he doesn’t answer me.

Breathless, the others emerge from the forest behind us as Alaric heads to where he’s been pacing. Slowing my steps, I brace myself for what I might see. Alaric leads me to the edge of a steep drop off. Sucking in a sharp breath, my heart sinks when I see Ruse’s body lying at the bottom of the trench.

“Ruse!” I scream, my eyes frantically assessing the quickest way to get to her.

“What the hell?” Jarek asks as he and Sorin step to either side of me. A deep trench cracks apart the earth, lined with jagged rock at the bottom and deep, dark dirt. Spanning several feet long, a few feet wide, and several more deep. There’s no way she could have missed this. Unless…

“Someone did this.” My words are venom as they spill from my mouth. “She wouldn’t have missed this. Someone…” A lump forms in my throat as Alaric wedges himself between Sorin and I. “Someone lured her here, it’s a trap. We have to get her out,” I continue, Alaric’s presence giving me the guidance I need. I feel for my magick, ready to turn the earth to water if I must, but nothing greets me back.

Breathe, Elora. I remind myself as if it’s so easy to stay calm in a moment like this.

“We will,” Sam’s reassurance brings me back to the present. “We’ll get her out.”

A ripple of hooves sounds in the distance. We aren’t alone. My eyes widen as I turn to Sorin, who I’m sure heard the same thing.

“Hunters. Or guards,” Sorin says, grabbing a rope from Jarek’s pack. “We need to focus on getting Ruse out before whoever is tracking us gets any closer.” Wrapping the rope around a nearby tree he secures it with a knot before dragging the loose end back toward the ditch. A low growl of approval comes from Alaric.

“I’ll go,” I insist, taking the rope from Sorin. He hesitates. His hand flexes as I pull the rope from him.

“Be careful,” he warns, quickly kissing me on the lips.

Lowering the rope into the trench, I take a last look down to Ruse. The movements of her chest are slow and irregular, but movements nontheless.

But why can’t I feel her?

Chapter 39

Sorin

Reluctantly, I turn from the ditch as Elora traverses into the darkness. “How much more rope do you have?” I ask as Jarek digs through his pack.

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