Page 5 of Sun, Moon & Shadow (Fate of Aemoria #1)

Nova’s senses were amplified, and she took notice of every tiny detail in the forest around her.

The forked veins on the leaves.

The faint whistling of the wind blowing through the limbs of the ancient trees.

The loamy scent of fallen leaves decomposing in the soil beneath Frost’s great hooves.

She was aware of everything, but incapable of focusing on anything.

Her eyes darted around the forest illuminated by the pale moonlight filtering through the treetops.

She twisted in the saddle at the sharp snap of a twig cutting through the quiet from behind her.

Her breath came in short, rapid bursts through her nose as she stared into the night.

At first there was nothing—no sound, no movement.

Then, two glowing eyes appeared, glinting like gold coins against the darkness. Nova instantly recognized the creature stalking toward her.

A lycane .

The dark fur of the beast’s coat split from the surrounding shadows as it drew closer, looking exactly as described in her faerie books.

It emitted a low growl, and Frost shook his head, snorting nervously.

The lycane lunged forward, snapping at the horse’s hind legs.

Frost released a startled whinny before tearing off at a gallop and heading deeper into the woods.

It was all Nova could do to keep hold of the reins, pressing her thighs together as hard as she could to remain seated atop the panic-stricken animal.

Without warning, the lycane shot out in front of Frost from the flank, cutting him off, and the mighty stallion ground to a halt.

Nova pulled hard on the reins, sending Frost rearing up on his hind legs.

She tried to hold on, but the horse threw his head back, launching her through the air.

Her temple struck something hard as she landed on the ground, and pain tore through the side of her skull.

Nova rolled onto her hands and knees and attempted to stand.

A sharp, searing agony in her head sent her right back to the ground.

The world spun around her, and she braced herself, tunneling her fingers into the damp soil.

She vomited on the ground, intensifying the throbbing pressure in her skull.

Disoriented, she vaguely registered the lycane slinking in a wide circle around her.

The beast approached unhurriedly. As it closed the distance between them, nearly coming within striking distance, a wave of fresh terror washed over her.

It’s fur was coal black, the moonlight reflecting off it like armor as it stalked through the trees.

If she were standing, the creature’s snout would nearly reach her shoulder.

It lifted its head in her direction and sniffed at the air, its lip curling back to reveal long, curved teeth as it dipped its head low to the ground, yellowed eyes narrowed on her.

With a snarl, the beast lunged.

Nova was on her feet in a heartbeat, turning and sprinting for her life. Outrunning the lycane was impossible. She opted to lead it into a nearby clearing instead, where she might have a chance of defending herself.

She made it two strides into the clearing when she was jerked back and thrown to the ground.

The beast’s great paw had come down on the hem of her cloak.

It would have been comical if she wasn’t a breath away from being torn apart.

Clawing at the clasp at her throat, Nova managed to free herself.

She tried in vain to crawl away from the creature, her fingers raking through the moss and mud.

It was no use.

The beast came down on her back with its massive front paws, its breath hot on the back of her neck. She heard the crunch of bone in her left shoulder, the sound chased by fiery pain as talon-like claws tore through her flesh as easily as the fabric of her shirt.

Hot blood rushed from the wound, soaking the tattered muslin, the sensation igniting a rabid desperation within her.

The beast let up for an instant, and she twisted onto her back, facing the jaws snapping at her.

Her left arm lay limp and useless at her side, but she lashed out violently with her right, her hand squeezed into a tight fist. The animal pulled back with a whine as she made solid contact with its snout.

Suddenly, it dawned on her: Lycane, though monstrous, were flesh and blood.

Vulnerable.

All at once, she remembered the dagger sheathed in her boot. She yanked it out just as it settled on her again, its muscled foreleg pressing down on her injured shoulder.

Nova collapsed in on herself, swallowed whole by a memory conjured by the creature’s crushing weight upon her.

She struggled for air as a boy sat on her chest, his hands at her throat.

Her forearms pinned beneath his shins, skin scraping against the rough dirt of the schoolyard.

A group of children stood huddled around them, urging the boy on.

Darkness seeped in from the edges of her vision, blocking out everything but the boy’s crooked grin as he stared down at her.

Ripped back to the present moment, she cried out in pain, her high-pitched shriek sending the beast into a frenzy.

She felt her energy ebbing away, like the tide receding from the shore.

Gathering what little strength remained, Nova bucked and kicked until she had her legs between her and the lycane, the bottoms of her feet pressed flat against its chest and underbelly.

Gripping the dagger in her right hand, she held it over her chest with the blade pointed toward the starry sky. Her leg muscles quivered against the sheer weight of the creature, its gnashing jaws edging closer to her throat.

A roar spilled forth from somewhere deep within her.

Then, her legs gave out.

Nova’s aim hadn’t been perfect. Metal scraped against bone as the lycane crashed down upon her.

The creature let out a sharp squeal, and she felt the rush of its blood on her chest. It twitched once and then was still.

A rush of energy coursed through her despite the near exhaustion she’d felt only seconds before.

Pushing against its chest, she rolled the creature off her.

Stunned, she rose up onto her knees, staring dreamily at the hilt of her dagger poking out from between the animal’s ribs.

She spied Callan at the edge of the clearing and reached out for him.

Her vision narrowed down to a pinprick, and everything around her melted away as if the entire world had been snuffed out like a candle flame.

Callan was using the slain beast’s coat to clean the blood from his blade when he heard Nova’s scream.

He sprinted in the direction of the sound, noting that it came opposite from where he’d left her.

Within a minute, he arrived at a large clearing.

Under the full moon’s light, he saw Nova pinned to the ground by a second lycane.

Fighting viciously, she braced her long legs, bent slightly at the knees, against the animal.

Callan rushed to the clearing’s edge, his sword raised. Then, Nova roared.

A battle cry. Wild and desperate.

Callan froze.

In the same instant, her legs fell, and the creature collapsed onto her, struggling briefly before going still.

A paralyzing fear seized him. He watched as Nova shoved the body of the lycane off her and it tumbled onto its back. Callan spied a dagger buried to the hilt in the creature’s chest. Nova rose onto her knees, facing him, her shoulders hunched. She saw him. Reached out for him. Then fainted.

He closed the distance between them in a breath.

She was unconscious, drenched in blood, and covered in mud.

He knelt down beside her, making a hasty inspection of her injuries.

There was a wound to her scalp. The hair on the right side of her head was sticky with blood, but head wounds often looked worse than they were.

He turned her over gently to check her back and flinched at the deep gouges running down her shoulder blade, bone visible beneath the ruined muscle.

He needed to get her to Pyralis—fast. Callan cursed himself aloud for leaving her unprotected.

Lycane lived in groups but hunted alone. More might not be far off, especially once they scented the blood of two of their pack on the wind. Callan laid Nova flat on her back. With great effort, he freed the dagger from the beast’s chest, securing it in his belt.

A mournful howl sounded in the forest, far too close for comfort.

Callan whistled sharply, and Frost emerged, almost sheepishly, from the darkness between the trees.

Growling a reprimand at his horse, he lifted Nova up, draping her over the animal’s wide back and covering her with his cloak.

Callan mounted hastily and gave a snap of the reins, sending Frost racing through the forest toward the Pyralis Estate.

Signaling to the sentries posted on the high stone wall, he passed through the tall wooden gates just as the sun crested the peaks of the mountains to the east. Dawn’s first rays ignited the perpetually red and orange leaves of the surrounding trees, reaching out toward the horizon in every direction.

Callan pressed Frost on at a gallop until they reached the small courtyard at the entrance to the residential wing reserved for the Noble family.

Dropping down from the horse, he shoved the reins into the grasp of a confused stable hand who met him at the foot of the steps.

Hauling Nova down, he hoisted her over his shoulder, her head and arms dangling behind him, his forearm secured over the backs of her thighs.

When he reached the entrance, he kicked open the massive wooden doors, bursting into the common area.

“Fawn!” His urgent shout reverberated off the lofted ceiling. “I could use your help down here!”