Page 43

CHAPTER 43

AURIA

A horned wolf with teeth larger than any dagger clamped down on Lander’s horse’s neck as he made a sad attempt to dodge the attack. Blood spurted in all directions as the horse let out a strangled whinny, and at the sight, my horse spooked. She reared, front legs flailing in the air with wide, frantic eyes as another wolf with horns larger than the first cleared the thick brush. My heart threatened to pound out of my chest, but quickly ceased beating at all as I slipped from the saddle, free-falling to the ground.

The air punched from my lungs as I landed on my back, my ass taking the brunt of the impact. I had no time to register the pain that bloomed through my body as a third wolf appeared, while the second darted after the gray horse as she attempted to run. Her coat was splotched with masses of red as she took off into the trees, and the wolf easily lost interest in the chase, instead turning on me.

While the first wolf laid into the other horse, Lander aborted, having no choice before the stallion pinned him as he fell.

“Lander!” I shouted right as one of the wolves bounded toward him.

He spun just in time, unsheathing his dagger in the same movement, but one look at the tiny blade and I knew it wouldn’t be enough to fend off the beasts. The wolves were massive, almost taller than us, with paws that dug into the earth.

Drool fell in thick globs, puddling in the soil as the wolf lunged, teeth bared in his direction. I didn’t have time to watch Lander defend himself as the other set eyes on me, yellow teeth a contrast to its black fur. The animal had eyes as gold as the sun. The sight would have been beautiful had the predator not been trying to eat me.

I slowly pushed myself to a stand, ignoring the way my hip twinged as I held my weight. I needed a better advantage. I had no weapon. No defense. I searched the ground hurriedly, looking for anything I could use to fend it off. Finally, my eyes landed on a rock at least five times the size of my hand. Almost like the wolf knew what I was planning, it snapped its massive jaw, spit flying in my direction. With no other options, I dived at the same time it did, my hands landing hard on the rock as my lungs were once again deprived of air. My knees dug into the earth as I scrambled to get leverage on the stone. With no time to dig it from the dirt, I flipped onto my back. One of the wolf’s paws immediately pinned my arm to the ground.

With my other hand on the rock, I grappled with the rough surface, finally getting it free. I used all my force to heft it up, striking the wolf right as it chomped inches from my face. Then Lander yelled, the sound full of pain and frustration. A snarl tore through the air at the same time, but I couldn’t look. Death was knocking, and I had no time.

The wolf standing above me shook its head from the hit, its large, slightly curled horns swinging back and forth with the movement, narrowly avoiding stabbing me in the process. It quickly recuperated, returning to baring its teeth in my face. I tried to pull my arm out from under its massive paw, but I couldn’t get it free. If I couldn’t get out from under it, I’d be dead in seconds.

The beast was too heavy, using all its weight to keep me pinned down. Its nostrils flared as its tongue darted out to lap across long fangs. Right as I thought I might have made an ounce of progress, my arm popped, and I bit down on a scream. My shoulder roared, flames enveloping every sense in my body.

But it wasn’t fire. I wasn’t burnt.

It was just my shoulder dislocating. Breathe.

But pain always clouded my senses. Brought my mind back to the hurt I knew too well. I couldn’t go to that dark place now. I needed to survive.

Lander yelled out again as claws dug into my skin, likely ripping the thin layer. A feeling like water cascaded over my arm, but it wasn’t water. It was blood. My blood.

The wolf made a noise like I would’ve never thought imaginable, and I realized it was done playing with its food. Its enormous mouth opened, and I looked straight into the jaws of death itself. I opened my mouth to scream, but as its teeth clamped down on the spot between my shoulder and neck, no noise came out. My ears rang, my entire body on fire. Maybe it was a flame, and the wolf was the harbinger of all pain. Every bad sensation ever felt was brought to the surface by the beast, my skin buzzing with the desire to go numb.

There’d be no dulling this.

Light, brighter than any ring in the sky, any star in the universe, shot out as Lander cursed loudly somewhere in the distance. His voice was an echo in my mind as I shut my eyes against the blaze. Perhaps the whole world was burning, and we had all met our fate.

A river flowed over me, scorching, then cold, and the backs of my eyelids went black as a yelp pierced my ears. Suddenly, I was weightless, no force holding me down. My soul wanted to float, my body aching to move, but all I could do was lie in the moistening soil.

“Auria,” a voice, so panicked and hoarse, said from above me. Or was it below? My mind was too tired to tell.

It repeated my name, and hands clasped my shoulders, then another touched my cheek. The skin wasn’t rough, not like the texture I’d come to enjoy on my body. Instead, it was soft. Soft among the never-ending flood of pain. Pain. Pain.

“Auria, open your eyes,” he commanded, but I wasn’t sure I could listen.

Fingers tapped my cheek—or was it a palm?

My eyelids fluttered in an attempt to check, but as soon as I saw more than just black, I regretted it. Lander was covered in blood, his blond hair stained. Was it his? Did he kill the two wolves? What about the one that had been on me?

Lander’s hand left my cheek, and then he was searching my body, movements frantic as he lifted my torn shirt. When had it torn?

“You’re going to be okay,” he assured, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. Maybe he was. Maybe it was that bad.

Despite the sun high in the sky, my toes were cold, a chilling sensation flowing up my legs as water dripped onto my neck.

Where was the water coming from?

My blink was slow as my head tried to loll to the side. My entire body suddenly felt heavy, and I was tired.

“Auria,” Lander said, his voice so rushed while my mind was so slow. “Hey.” His hand was back on my cheek, moving my head back to face him after it had fallen to the side. “I’m going to get help, okay?”

A shadow passed behind Lander, and I wondered if it was getting dark. We couldn’t be in the woods past sunset. Bowen wouldn’t want that.

“Bowen’s not here, Auria. I am,” Lander said. Had I spoken out loud?

I forced my eyes to stay open, but it was becoming more of a battle, and suddenly, I didn’t mind if I lost. A nap might do me well anyway.

Lander shoved off his jacket in one swift motion, placing it beside my head. I hissed in a breath as the fabric stung across my skin, lighting every nerve ablaze. I wanted it off. Off. Off . I reached up to shove it away, but my arm wouldn’t move, so I tried the other. He held my hand back.

“You have to leave it, Auria. It’ll help stop the bleeding.”

I was bleeding?

He swiped at the beads of sweat coating his forehead, and one look at his hand told me his statement was true. His fingers dripped red, blood smearing his skin as a drop landed on the high point of his cheek.

“Fuck,” he muttered, breaths quick while mine slowed.

I tried to talk, but my tongue was caught in my throat. I coughed, the sound wet and clogged. Water splashed my face, oozing from my mouth, but Lander’s widening eyes told me it wasn’t what I thought.

The liquid was blood.

There was no rain, no river.

I was dying.

“I’m going to get you out of this alive,” he promised, but his voice wasn’t very convincing as it wavered.

My vision went hazy at the edges as I coughed again, trying to swallow whatever constricted my throat. Maybe I’d choke, or my lungs would fill with blood, or I’d bleed out, my body going cold. Whatever chose to take me, it could have me. My body was frozen, my mind a spinning cloud, and my eyelids were too heavy.

Just one more dose of pain, and it’d be over forever.

“Auria, keep your eyes open.” Pressure increased on my shoulder, and I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t conjure a single noise to come out.

“Auria,” Lander repeated, but then his voice faded into the rest, and the storm in my mind finally calmed, letting gray clouds envelop my being.