side. A lump lodged in his throat. There’s more than one.
A low growl tore through the silence. The red glow shined across the wolf’s eyes, glinted against its bared teeth. Another materialized at its side, while three more stalked behind Tobias. The men pivoted in a circle, their bows drawn.
“Do we shoot them?” Raphael whispered.
Orion shook his head slowly. “No. Sudden. Movements.”
Tobias’s gaze flitted from wolf to wolf, each one growling and creeping closer. Five wolves—against three men.
“Think you can put your beginner’s luck to work?” Orion said.
“Wait, you’ve never done this?” Raphael sighed. “Neither have I. Shit.”
“Steady.” A wolf stalked closer to Tobias, and he tightened his grip on his bow. “We fire as one?”
Orion nodded. “Counting down…”
The wolf nearest Raphael barked. “Count faster.”
“Three,” Orion began. “Two…”
The wolf across from Tobias broke into a sprint.
“One!” he shouted.
His arrow shot through the air, and the wolf dropped to the sand below. Chaos surrounded him, reducing his world to sharp teeth and savage snarls as each wolf hurtled their way. Orion’s bow snapped once, twice, a third time, while Raphael recoiled, clutching his arm. Each sound and movement blurred together, a muddled mess of heightened senses—until the fifth wolf lunged for Raphael, its mouth wide.
With one fluid motion, Tobias whipped an arrow from his quiver and launched it through the creature’s throat.
The wolf tumbled to the ground, landing dead at Raphael’s feet. Tobias struggled to slow his breathing, and Raphael stumbled backward, equally wrecked.
“Thank you,” he panted.
Orion made his way to their side, glancing over the two bodies. He turned to Tobias. “Did you get them both?”
Tobias nodded, and both men looked at Raphael, who pointed sheepishly at his bow. “Damn string slapped the shit out of my arm.”
Orion flashed Tobias a smile. “I see you’ve kept all the luck for yourself, eh?”
The hairs on Tobias’s neck stood straight; crunch, crunch, a few paces away. Immediately he and Raphael had their arrows nocked, their nerves piqued yet again.
“Shit,” Raphael said. “More wolves…”
Tobias took a tentative step forward, easing his way toward the unknown. A stretch of red slid over the nearby wall, casting a glow on the figure before them—a man with his bow drawn.
“Flynn.” Tobias dropped his weapon. “Thank God.”
Raphael did the same, but Flynn didn’t follow suit; he stood alert, his eyes piercing, his arrow pointed at Orion.
Orion furrowed his brow. “You aim at me?”
“If you take me out right now, you win, and I die,” Flynn said.
“My weapon’s down. All of us are at ease but you.”
“Flynn, are you mad?” Tobias said. “You aim at Orion. He is our ally.”
Flynn’s hands trembled, but he didn’t move. With a surge of conviction, Tobias stepped in front of Orion. “Flynn.”
The air between them became thick. Finally Flynn dropped his bow, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Apologies. Just feeling a bit on edge, that’s all.”
Tobias glowered, not so easily convinced. He looked at Orion, his jaw tightly locked. Don’t say it.
“You joining us?” Orion asked.
Dammit.
Flynn glanced between the men. “What’s the arrangement?”
“We guard.” Tobias cocked his head at the reddish glow. “Orion shoots.”
“Wait, you mean the targets?” Flynn said. “So he wins the reward.”
Tobias raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”
“Why does he get to win the reward?”
“Because he’s the best archer of us all. He wins regardless.”
“Well, shouldn’t one of us get a fair shake?”
“If you want a fair shake, then compete alone,” Raphael growled.
Flynn didn’t respond, staring pensively at the dead wolves splayed in the distance.
“So what is it?” Orion asked. “Are you joining us?”
Flynn cracked a smile. “Of course. I was just curious, no need to make a fuss of it.”
Raphael muttered under his breath, and the four continued their trek. There was a comfort in their numbers, the men at Tobias’s side serving as spear and shield, but when Flynn trudged into his line of vision, he wasn’t so sure of that claim.
Flynn leaned into Tobias, blind to his apprehension. “Have you noticed? No one else is shooting the targets.”
“You mean Drake and Kaleo,” Tobias said. “They’re the only ones left.”
“Why aren’t they competing?”
“I imagine they’re aiming for a different set of targets.”
Orion came to a hard stop, sending the men staggering behind him. They had a perfect view of the third orb, yet Orion simply stared at it from afar.
Tobias nudged him in the ribs. “What are you waiting for? Take the shot.”
Orion shook his empty quiver. “Out of arrows.”
Flynn’s eyes brightened. “Well then, I suppose one of us should give it a go—”
Before Flynn could finish, Tobias