Trial of Fates

Chapter 12

No one moves and Natania realizes he was talking to her. She snarls at him. Not a chance. Fergus steps forward and growls at Natania, inky blackness leaking out of him. She meets the ragged wolf's gaze, baring her teeth. Stay back! She can tell the thought doesn't reach him.

"Kill her," Duvall barks again. There's a sudden, unbearable pressure against her head and Natania groans. She shakes her head, trying to shed the pain, and leaps at Fergus as two shots ring off. Gretchen had fired at the two guards, perfect headshots. The human turns her gun back on Duvall, who doesn't look even remotely concerned. A shot goes off, but nothing seems to happen.

Natania's fangs sink into the disgusting pelt of Duvall's pet, but the wolf doesn't make any indication of pain. Fergus rears up onto his back legs, and lets his weight roll them backwards so Natania is crushed beneath him. She wheezes a moment and Fergus takes the opportunity to pin her down. He hovers over her, drool dripping onto her muzzle. Disgust roils in her for a moment before the pressure returns and she loses track of her thoughts until the bloodlust takes over her mind.

Duvall snaps "let her up," but she can barely hear him. Fergus moves to the side. Natania tries to snap at him, but she can't think, can't move. She feels nauseous and hungry and desperate. "Kill her," Duvall orders again, and before Natania can even think of moving, she's leaping over the desk, and Gretchen's skin is under her claws, the human's heartbeat beating against her fangs. The barest touch of Gretchen's blood reaches her tongue and Natania's head clears for just a moment.

No, she snarls, managing to take a step back from Gretchen, who is staring at her with wide eyes. Her gun is in her hands but she doesn't raise it, clearly not realizing how real the danger is. "Fight him Natania," Gretchen says softly. Natania feels like she's being ripped in two. Fergus growls and Natania realizes why Duvall had sent her to spend so much time with him.

His Charisma.

Fergus was a pureblood beast bound, and even with the twisted magic warping his mind and soul, he still had a pureblood's powers. It was probably amplified by the black magic that coated Duvall, and the leash that bound them together.

Gretchen doesn't try to move away as Natania rages against the control of the other wolf. Duvall is more interested in testing his control than killing them himself, and Fergus is subject to his commands, so she's safe enough as long as Natania can resist.

You're a pureblood, act like it. Natania knows she can beat Charisma, even if her own ability isn't that powerful. She has resisted Rigaldo and her father, she can resist a broken half-wolf that lives in a cage.

She takes another step towards Gretchen, stops. I won't! Gretchen cautiously reaches out a hand and touches the side of Natania's face. "You can beat it," she breathes. "I know you can." Natania stares at her, a growl rumbling in her chest. Not for the first time, Natania wishes Gretchen was a wolf, that they were bound by pack magic, by blood. That they could lend each other strength and communicate without words. But she's not a wolf, not pack and Natania just has to trust that she'll do what's needed.

Natania bends down and sinks her teeth deep into her own foreleg, letting the pain distract her. Blood fills her mouth then drips down her muzzle. She meets Gretchen's eye for just a moment, gives a slight nod, then leaps back onto the desk. The blackness still digs at her mind but it's not all consuming.

Natania once again dives at Fergus, swiping her claws at his muzzle. The wolf reacts more slowly this time, sluggish. Her claws rake the length of his nose. Duvall yells "fight you useless dog!" and the light returns to his eyes. The grey wolf charges at Natania, bowling her over. They both crash into the desk. It must be made of sturdy stuff since it doesn't even budge from the impact of them. They fall apart and Natania rolls to her feet, immediately leaping onto the grey wolf's back. She sinks her teeth into his scruff, almost gagging on the stench, and gouges her claws down his back again and again. His pelt is greasy and matted and her claws stick in a few places, but she manages to make several deep scratches.