Page 49 of Ascendant King

It was safe. Unless it was to keep people inside, keep them trapped in this perfect town until they died.

“Actually, those under our protection live here,” the elder said. She stepped down from a large porch. I hadn’t seen her come out, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if she’d simply pulled herself free from the enormous wooden exterior.

She set her feet carefully, and the wolves who hadn’t met her drew back, closing in together as they assessed how threatening she was. Her movements were smooth, eerily so, given that she was made of wood. Her clothes were part of the wood she was carved from, and her face bore some fresh scars that had already healed over, dark and ugly.

“Elder.” Cade bowed his head briefly, then looked up, glancing around. More people were coming out, staring curiously from doorways and windows. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

Her face wrinkled, knots forming in the bark of her skin. After a long pause, she nodded her own head. “We are glad to offer you and your companions hospitality. We are curious why you brought an army to our doorstep.”

So Cade had been right after all; they knew what we had done and were asking the simple questionwhy.

“They aren’t for you, your people, or those you offer safe haven to.” I gestured around the small village, my gaze caught on a pair of young children hiding behind their mother’s legs.

“No?” The elder raised an eyebrow.

My stomach tightened. How safe were these people? Did any of them report back to Leon?

Cade narrowed his eyes on the elder, glancing at me before shrugging. Clearly, he had the same question.

“You once warned me about the dangers of House Bartlett.” I left it there, waiting to see what she would say.

“I did.” Her eyes turned from me to Cade. It was impossible to read anything into her wooden gaze. “So, the prince has come to take his throne?”

“We’ve come to remove Leon from his position.” I didn’t glance back at the other wolves to see how they took her implication that we were just doing this for Cade rather than any other reason that benefited all wolves.

“Welcome, then. We have a common enemy.” Her lips twisted, adding to the wrinkles in her face. It tugged at a scar, deepening the gouge that dug from her lip up to her eye.

“And the rest of our people? Will they be able to pass through your territory safely?” I met her gaze, watching as her face smoothed out again.

“Yes, Emperor. We offer you and your wolves safe passage through our territory.” Her words were only slightly ironic.

I blinked, swallowing, wondering how she knew the position I had claimed.

“My sister in the city tells me that you have already done good work there. I am curious to see what sort of work you will do here.” She raised an eyebrow, and I tilted my head in acknowledgment.

There was a groaning, whispering sound, and the trees shifted, moving into strange positions. A path opened up, the entire forest rearranging itself until a clear line led from the town to the cars we’d left parked.

“You can promise all of the wolves and mages with us hospitality?” I pressed.

“We offer hospitality and welcome. We bear no love for Leon, and we would see things returned to the generous disinterest House Bartlett previously graced us with.” The elder dryad looked down the long, narrow line of trees to where the cars waited.

“Can we count on your support against Leon?” I kept my eyes on her, although I could feel the wolves behind me tense. No one from down the path had gotten in their cars yet, and I didn’twant to risk that the dryads would close the forest around them just as easily as they’d opened it.

“Our support? No. We can offer you safe crossing to House Bartlett’s wards, but the past few months have been just as hard on us as they have on you. We cannot offer anything more than brief sanctuary as you move through the forest and, perhaps, an easier way to travel to the property.” For a second, the polished wood of the elder’s face lost its glow, fading to a dullness that didn’t match the power I’d seen in her earlier.

“We plan to move through the forest on foot,” I said. “And send the cars back.”

“We can make the trip through the forest that much shorter and help you avoid the patrols that Leon has sent out.” She looked down the long route through the woods that she’d just created, and her face twisted. “The patrols which vandalize our woods and kill our people.”

“We accept your gracious offer,” I said.

Turning my head, I nodded at Nia where she stood close by, and she gave me a thumbs-up, already texting on her phone, I assumed letting Heather and Gabe know it was safe to come. Cade was frowning around the small town. “What wolves is Leon sending out?”

“We do not know their names.” The elder shook her head. “But they wear patches made of skulls and ghosts. They have set fire to three of our sleeping kin.”

“Ghost Pack.” I didn’t look over my shoulder, but I heard Emilio shift uncomfortably.

“If you say.” The elder looked across the small town and raised her voice. “The wolves with the Emperor Wolf are welcome here in Sanctuary. We offer them hospitality as they will help us gain back our sovereignty!”