Page 22

She scoffed. “Everyone has a last name.”

“What is yours?”

“None of your business,” she said through her teeth again.

The tip of her arrow was shaking, she was exhausted and burned out to the marrow of her bones. She did not like the royal family snooping in her forests, no matter the reason. His footsteps were too loud and his skin smelled of pricey bath soap, disrupting the scent of leaves and branches coated in resin and moss.

“You can take that arrow down, you saw that I’m not a threat to anything.”

“Aren’t you? Maybe that was a bluff. Did the matron send you?” Her face grew pale as she realised something.

He was a Sosye. He was here to kill her. They finally sent someone for her. No, that could not be, she would’ve smelled it in his blood if he were of the witch hunter descent.

“Who in the hell is the matron? I do not know that person, I am here—“ he stumbled, even though he did not take a step.

His gloved hand flew to his left side and came back stained in black colour.

“You are hurt,” she stated and watched him come to a horrifying conclusion.

“I think I’m going to—” His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out.

Noora watched his body fall like a sack to the ground. She winced as a small thump echoed and she finally let go of her bow.

She shrugged her shoulders before turning around and continuing to walk through the forest to get back to the orphanage.

“When the grizzly wakes he can take a bite out of him.”

A slow whine interrupted her. She turned to look at the white plague.

“No.”

The wolf pointed his snout toward Kai, who lay crumpled on the ground, a few ants taking interest in the passed-out giant.

“I am not going to help him, he might be a Sosye.”

She knew that it wasn’t possible. Nonetheless who would help a stranger? She could barely help herself from drowning, so why should she risk her life for someone else’s.

He blinked at her.

“Because of him you had to hurt the grizzly, I’m soaked to the bone and my back is hurting. I will not help him. I owe him nothing.”

The wolf breathed out and it sounded alarmingly like a scoff.

“What do you propose I do? Drag his body throughout the whole town?”

His tongue lolled out of his mouth, before gesturing to his back. She could see its ribs protruding through his fur, malnourishment decaying his body.

“You are a stick you cannot carry him. Let’s go, I might have some of that stale meat you liked.” She turned to leave but her steps faltered when he tugged at her shirt.

“Stop it.” She turned and tried to get the material out of his mouth.

“It’s his fault for coming here!”

The wolf let go of the fabric and she stumbled, falling right onto her rear.

He barked a small laugh.

“Unbelievable.”