Warlord's Ward

Who?

"Who?" I asked in wonder.

What wolf had he heard?

"Vanna..."

"Your baby sister?"

"Something is wrong!" He lurched into movement. Dragging my hand behind him. "Stay close!" He said urgently to me.

He waved his hand from the ground up and swirled it above him before tossing it away. Sending furious currents of black smoke in every direction. Blocking out the moon and any starlight in a dark mass that seemed to grow as fast as we were moving. Dimming the light that could reflect into our eyes.

I blinked hard and shifted my gaze to wolf eyes as I ran after Killian.

He was going so fast that I nearly tripped several times.

"Are you okay?" He asked urgently.

"You're faster if you go alone." I recognized. Hesitating. Shaking his hand loose. "Go."

His blue eyes widened. "Not a chance. You're mine. And I'll keep you safe. No matter whose head I have to tear off."

"You're faster without me."

"We're both faster in fur." He barked back at me. His eyes now flaring with slitted pupils and fangs jutting in his mouth.

I gave a quick nod. Realizing the truth in his words.

I surged into movement to catch up to him. Turning my hands to paws and back to fur. Moving in pace with him as we cleared logs. Staying just ahead of the blinding cloud of black smoke.

I hazarded a glance back and saw flashing lights, like distant stars blooming. I whined and gave Killian a questioning look.

He bobbed his head in a way that assured me it wasn't a threat.

It took me a moment to recall that I'd seen the mages training at night on occasion. Practicing sending bits of light to bloom in the dark sky.

To light their path.

So, they could find their way in even pitch darkness.

And, from the speed those lights were moving, they were following Killian's dark smoke like a trail toward their destination.

I'd thought he sent it out to blind whoever we'd come upon. Now I wondered if he had left it like a string for them to follow.

It darkened over everything ominously. Spanning out in every direction like an unraveling blanket. Already it had gone as far as I could see in every direction.

How powerful is he?

Had I even begun to see the limits of his abilities?

***

We were aimed toward that cry and headed straight that way, with our army a distance behind us.

Thus, we were totally unprepared when we slid into the middle of a NightHunter encampment.

They were already abuzz. Scurrying every direction as they loaded weapons. Clearly planning to join whatever fray we were headed for.

But upon seeing us, strangers, running headlong toward their fire, they armed themselves and prepared to confront us. Each of them lifting a spear or a sword in a wide circle around us.

And, like idiots, we'd stumbled directly into the center of them.

We're surrounded!

"Killian!" I cried as we skid to a stop near the fire.