Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,107

down the path at a dead run, Cole catching up to her quickly.

Tala moved to follow, but the priestess blocked her path, laying a hand on her arm. “I cannot predict your doom, but of this I am sure. You will make a difficult choice at Maidenkeep, young Makiling.” Her eyes bored into Tala’s with an intensity she found frightening. “Choose wisely, Spellbreaker, and may the promise of spring guide your path.”

She let go, and Tala, shaking, stumbled out the door and into the small secluded road leading back to the village, leaving the old woman and her secrets behind.

* * *

A wolf waited for them along the small path.

Despite what the others had said, Tala had always thought of wolves as majestic and elegant creatures. That illusion was immediately dispelled. The creature barring their way was growling fiercely. It had rows of yellow canine teeth, red beady eyes, and ghostly white fur.

It was also as big as a lion.

The firebird was already facing off against the beast, flames bubbling up from its beak. Zoe stepped back, her whip raised. The wind seemed to pick up on her mood, whipping threateningly around her. Tala swallowed a squeak and retreated several steps back. The wolf rumbled, its eyes following their movements, but did not attack.

Then Cole was there, pushing his way past them.

“What’s he doing?” It was difficult to force her voice steady, but Tala tried.

The growling stopped as Cole approached, but the wolf showed no signs of withdrawing. The expression on its face was now strangely curious.

“It’s all right,” Cole said to it quietly, his usual harshness leaving his voice. He sounded gentler now, the words oddly formal. “Let this one and his companions pass.”

The wolf grumbled.

“This one knows, but his pack mates remain inside the village and are in danger. They are not one of those made of ice that you hunt.”

The wolf grumbled again, strangely disapproving, but moved out of their way. It sat on its haunches by the side of the path, and continued to stare at them with its shining red eyes. The firebird stuck a tongue out as it passed, and the creature’s jaws twitched, annoyed.

“You owe us an explanation, don’t you think?” Zoe’s voice was testy.

“It wasn’t important.”

“You don’t consider bringing wolves to the village important?” They maneuvered past the suddenly silent animal. Zoe’s voice was still raised slightly as they ran. “How many wolves are here right now?”

“A dozen or so. And I didn’t ‘bring’ them. They followed us.”

“A dozen?” Zoe was not a soprano by nature, but her voice climbed several octaves into that territory.

“They run in packs. They’re not going to hurt anyone.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that?” The sounds of baying were growing louder.

“They’re warning the villagers to hide. There are Deathless nearby.”

“How would they even know that?”

“I didn’t have time to ask.”

“If you’d told me there were wolves around in the first place…” Zoe trailed off, stopping so abruptly that Tala nearly crashed into her from behind.

The butterflies were now a bloody shade of red. They hovered in and out of view among the trees like eyes blinking up at them from the darkness. Trails of rosy sparks followed them, spinning threads around the village until they strung from rooftop to rooftop like a giant-sized cobweb, glowing an unearthly maroon.

There were no longer people dancing and laughing. The men had discarded their masquerades and taken up swords and spears, but the women were already wielding weapons as effortlessly as they wore their costumes. It appeared that most of the fighting was already over; they were herding bound Deathless into the center of the plaza. Quite a few of those Deathless, Tala was quick to observe, were prone on the ground, and she wasn’t sure from where she stood if they were dead or injured.

The innkeeper was leading their horses toward them, his wife beside him armed with a metal pan. Ken, Loki, and West were already there astride their steeds, and Alex was gesturing urgently at them to do the same. There were faint bruises along Loki’s jaw. A shallow gash on Ken’s face ran from temple to jawline, and he was no longer wearing his coat.

Zoe took one look at West and groaned. “West.”

“I didn’t have time to get my clothes back.” The boy wrapped his fur cloak tightly around him. “There were guys swinging axes at me.”

“Deathless are in the village.” Ken was more shaken than Tala had ever seen him. “An ice maiden’s been