This creature’s aura was none of those things. Colorless like a raven’s feathers, the beast’s aura absorbed the fading light of the day.
And then its eyes shifted from bright red to deep pits of black.
Xander cursed, “Ashes and smoke, this is bad.”
“Try horrible,” Aileana said, adjusting her stance.
The massive wolf stepped out of the shadows as its eyes turned back to glowing embers. The beast was the color of spilled ink and the size of a full-grown pony. Its paws left massive dents in the snow, and when it snarled at us, giant elongated canines caught the rising moonlight.
Two dozen more red-eyed wolves soon joined their companion, circling our group as they bared their teeth. The entire pack yipped and snarled, moving around in slow circles. The predatory glint in their eyes was visible, adding to the tension.
The air was thick as both sides waited for the other to act. Any hope that we might escape this moment without bloodshed was lost when the large black wolf slammed his paw on the ground. The impact reverberated through the land, and time itself seemed to slow as the beast canted his head.
He leaned back on his rear legs, preparing to pounce.
“Now!” Xander shouted.
His command echoed through the strangely silent forest, and the waiting ended.
We burst into action. Red and green threads of magic exploded. Metal twanged. Wolves snarled. My heart pounded. Someone screamed. Arrows flew, and the creatures cried out as the weapons hit home.
Lunging forward, I thrust my sword towards a wolf. It darted out of the way. I swung around, my blade arcing in the air. The wolf was fast, but I was faster. My blade hit flesh, the impact reverberating through my arm as my sword sank into the beast. The wolf cried as I withdrew my sword. My eyes widened at the black blood coating the blade.
That was not normal.
The beast fell, its inky aura pulsing as blood poured from the wound, staining the ground. I didn’t have time to watch it die as another wolf leaped toward me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aileana and Xander fighting back-to-back. The dragon shifter’s sword caught the rising moonlight as his mate sent a flurry of green magic around them. Vines erupted out of the ground, pulling wolves down from every angle.
Arrows flew as Maiela and Kysha took down one beast after another.
They kept coming, streaming out of the woods.
Another wolf lunged at me, and I darted out of the way, bringing down my sword. It struck the beast just as a scream came from nearby. The sound hit me like an arrow in my core, and I gasped.
Ryllae.
Nothing else mattered.
Pulling my weapon from the animal, I turned and sought the princess. When I found her, my heart stopped.
Ryllae’s back was against a tree on the other end of the trail, where a pair of snarling wolves had her pinned on either side. She shot a flurry of magic in their direction as steady whimpers escaped her lips. The beasts’ flesh was seared and smoking from where her magic had hit them, but still, they came closer.
Panic-filled eyes met mine.
“Help,” she cried out.
Red-hot primal anger pulsed through me like a raging river. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, pulling me towards Ryllae.
A massive wolf came barreling out of the forest. I cut it down in one smooth motion. Nothing would stop me from getting to my Death Elf.
Every part of me was focused on her. Ryllae drew ribbon after ribbon of magic out of her palms, flinging them at the wolves. I didn’t know how deep the well of power within her ran, but I didn’t want to find out. Not right now.
“I’m coming, Princess,” I called out.
A snarl came from my right, and I snapped my head to the side. My eyes widened as an enormous wolf raced out of the woods, running directly toward my Death Elf. She didn’t seem to see it, concentrating her efforts on keeping the pair of wolves away from her.
Everything happened in slow motion. My heart pounded. My lungs tightened. I moved with a swiftness I hadn’t known I possessed. Vaulting over a dead wolf with an arrow sticking out of its eye, I yelled for Ryllae.