growing fast, but I did not move, not because I could not but because every shard of instinct in my body was screaming at me to run and

with an edge to his voice I'd never heard

d in a very low voi

as he stared back at me.

A second growl rippled through the air, this one closer, its guttural notes

muttered. "It'

nded. "What'

for the glimmering dagger around his thig

gets past me, you run. You hear

ng hands. "I'm not leaving you," I said with a plaintiv

id sharply, his voice not allowing fo

ow, too close. With adrenaline surging through my body, my senses became heightened, and I heard sounds in the forest

I s

ts body twisted, its fur shining black as pitch. Its eyes glinted an unwholesome emerald as they alighted on us with a ca

s that?" I said,

as he fell into a defensive stance

in mid-run. He was powerful in wolf form, larger than I'd expected, his coat a dark, smoky grey that seemed t

of there, but my legs wouldn't move. The fighting was horrific, the sounds of growling and tearing

hifted back to human; blood smeared across his face

t leave him.

ouched, rearing to pounce; all time seemed to dilate. I gripped the blade tighter and fe

s. He moved something in front of me a small vial th

ttered, releasing a beam of light so bright it was as if the sun had come to earth. The shadow beast screeched an auditory blast, shrivelling and

Ryker managed to stand up with considerable diff

holding the blade. "

d grimly, wiping blood off his

d pulled me up to my fee

th to

nt of soaked earth and something sharper, Ryker forged ahead, striding purposefully driven but labo

asked finally, my voic

id, not turning his head. "And i

sanc

," he said. "Shadow beasts cannot cr

last lie and rest-sent a little tingle of hope through me. But

er than I'd like. But w

live with whispers and watching eyes, the darkness crowding in closer like a living thing, hung

sked, my heart le

er eyes slitting. "Somethin

on even when my legs ached. As we proceeded, we could faintly he

pe, pale moonlight flooding it. And at the top stood a great stone

er said, the voice t

. As we approached the arch, Ryker turned, his gaze rak

ned back to him.

e said, his voice f

rossed the threshold. Within the sanctuary, the air changed, felt light

as if he couldn't keep them straight, propping against

s I looked over at Ryker, his expression darkened. "For now, we