Page 105 of Daman

“The burning ones.”

“Shades,” Daman said. “So theyaresearching for something here? It wasn’t just a dream.” By the relief in his voice, I knew Kyo had gotten to him. Made him doubt himself. “The stone’s real.”

The surrounding wolves snapped their jaws, and a chorus of snarls and grumbles spread throughout the woods.

“I won’t warn you again,” the wolf said, the words coming out in a menacing growl. “Leave or die.”

Daman straightened his spine. “I have every right to be here as you do, wolf. I grew up in this forest. Dacian blood runs through my veins.”

The wolf’s animosity lessened, if only a little. He sniffed the air, ears perking up a bit, and his honey eyes roamed over Daman. Questions swam in them.

“Stand down,” a voice rang from the trees before a man appeared. Dark hair was pulled back from his scarred face. “The forest has called you home at last.”

“It’s you.” Daman gaped. “The man from the cave.”

“My name is Gusion.” He looked at me, then at the others behind me before motioning toward the trees. “Come. We have much to discuss and not much time left to do it.”

I walked beside Daman as we followed the man through the twisted and warped foliage. Branches stretched toward us and groaned as a cold breeze caught them. Energy hummed in the air, stirring the magic coursing through my veins. The wolves shadowed us, their steps light in the snow.

Something else shadowed us too. Shapes moved among the trees, the forms flickering like TV static. As another breeze swept around us, voices came with it, muffled wailing and a few deep laughs.

“Ghosts?” Ivan asked from behind me.

“Yes,” Gusion answered. “The forest is home to many beings, both living and undead. The veil between the two worlds is thin here.”

“So it really is like a portal to another dimension?” Kyo asked.

“Of sorts.”

“What about aliens?”

“No.” Gusion shook his head and turned left, bending down to walk beneath a canopy of low-hanging branches. “We’re nearly there.”

“You’re home,” an eerie voice said.

Daman’s hair ruffled, and his smile made my heart skip a beat. “Hello again, Maya.”

A woman with dark hair appeared beside him. She caressed his cheek before fading out of sight.

Daman’s gloved fingers slid through mine, and his chest rose with a deep breath. I gently squeezed his hand. A dash of white caught my eye, and I met the honey-eyed gaze of the alpha. He trotted forward and vanished when he reached the trunk of a large crooked tree.

A magical barrier.

“This way,” Gusion said before touching the trunk and disappearing as well.

“Are we really doing this?” Castor asked. “Following some mountain man and a bunch of ravenous wolves to fuck knows where?”

“What other choice do we have?” Bellamy looked at the tree trunk. “Well. Here goes nothing.”

He took a step forward and vanished. Gray jumped after him, then Castor and Kyo. I turned to Lev.

“I don’t like this, Commander,” he said, worry etched into his face.

“Stay with me.” A feminine giggle came from the dark brush behind him. “I’ll keep you company.”

Lev paled. “On second thought, we should probably go after them.”

Ivan and Efrem were already rushing toward the tree trunk, Alexander and Rurik in tow. They were warriors who’d faced down entire armies, but the first sign of a ghost and they turned into scared little boys. I couldn’t help but smile at that.