Thrown to the Wolves: The Legend of Hannah & Eli (Shapes of Autumn)

by Veronica Blade

  Isabella reached into her pocket and retrieved a gold coin. “Thank you for your fine gowns and shoes, but we will need two more. Can you accommodate us?”

  The girl nodded.

  “That is good news. How soon can the horses be ready?” Isabella asked.

  “I will find out, milady.” She bowed and backed out of the room.

  I raised a brow. I barely knew Isabella, but already liked her. In another time and place, we could have been great friends. Nicely done. How did you explain our situation?

  Isabella shrugged. I had to provide an explanation as to why we arrived with no horses and improperly dressed — you in your torn nightgown and me with no shoes, my brother in a tattered shirt and dirty breeches. I told them that our clothes were stolen as well as the horses and our trunks. A gold coin from your quiver satisfied their curiosity well enough.

  I had all but forgotten about the gold I had taken from the king’s chambers, then stowed in the quiver. I glanced around to make sure no one else was in the room, then slipped out of my nightgown as I listened to the low murmur of voices outside. I did not sense any other werewolf or shifter nearby. “I hope you have a plan for getting us away from the humans without putting them in danger.”

  “Eli wanted to look around to make sure there were no werewolves. Fortunately for us, our thoughts cannot be heard this far. Even if he encounters a pack, it is doubtful that word of our escape has reached this distance. Do not worry. By the time any guards come this way, our scent will be long gone.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. Still, I could not get out of this village and away from the humans soon enough. Eli, when will you return?

  I can see the village now. I will see you shortly.

  The villagers’ voices rose and I knew they had seen him, too. My stomach fluttered at the thought of being with Eli again. But I squashed it. I did not want him hurt, which he would be if he remained in my company. Having almost died at the king’s hand, I saw too clearly the danger I brought him. We had no future together.

  When the knock came, I did not have to wonder who was at the door. I could sense him. “Come in.”

  The door opened and Eli burst through. I could not help but smile, my joy at seeing him nearly overpowering me. I longed to hold him, kiss him. I bowed my head before meeting his gaze.

  “You are in good health?” he asked.

  “I am healing quickly,” I answered. “By the time the horses are ready, I should be like new.”

  He grinned. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you, sir.” I curtsied.

  When a knock sounded on the door, I collapsed onto a chair to appear frail. The young girl entered and informed us that our horses were ready. She handed Isabella two gowns and a satchel of dried meat and bread. I was not fully healed, but I would be soon enough.

  Isabella and I drove the wagon while Eli rode alongside us. Though we looked like normal travelers, we carried our weapons within easy reach.

  We did not expect to arrive at our next stop for a few more hours. It was going to be a long day and at the end of it, very likely, I would separate from Eli and his sister and never see them again. As much as I wanted to be with him, I would not allow myself to be the cause of his death or hers. I would rather be without him and know he was alive.

  Seeing no point in pretending or hoping that Eli and I could be together, I ignored him at every opportunity. He tried to touch my hand when we stopped to rest the horses and I shrank from him. When he spoke to me, I responded but averted my eyes. At first, he seemed confused. Since I had been so generous with my affections before, who could blame him? My chest squeezed with the knowledge that I had hurt him.

  After several more failed attempts to engage me in conversation, his eyes tightened and his jaw set. I had angered him. But it was for the best.

  ~~~

  Chapter THIRTEEN

  We had been traveling for hours, only stopping for food. I wanted a few minutes to stretch my legs, maybe take a swim. My skin tingled, like it did not belong on me. Which, in a sense, it did not — I desperately needed to shift into a wolf. Soon.

  I inhaled. Water was close by; I could smell it. I stretched higher on the wagon bench and scanned the area. A river glistened in the distance. It was small, and possibly shallow, but I did not care.

  “Can we stop for water?” I asked loud enough for Eli to hear.

  “We mustn’t risk it,” he threw over his shoulder. He immediately turned away from me and sped ahead on his horse.

  I should not have been surprised at his reaction, since I had been so cold to him these last few hours. Still, I needed to get out of my human skin for a bit.

  “It is not just my thirst I need to satisfy. Shifting now would be better, rather than waiting until we are surrounded by humans. Do you not agree?”

  “Or you could skip it altogether.” This time, he did not even bother turning around.

  “I am not like you, Eli,” I shouted over the cloppity-clop of the horses. “I cannot remain human indefinitely.” I shook my head and brought a trembling hand to my forehead. “It has been too long already. I slept for an entire day instead of shifting.”

  Isabella sighed. “She is right, brother. We should make camp, at least for a little while.”

  Eli pulled to a stop and glared at me. “We must keep moving if we are to remain safe. Why not just shift into wolf now and follow us?”

  “I fear I may get distracted and chase after prey instead of staying with the wagon.” Why was he being so stubborn? He knew in our animal forms, we could not be relied upon to behave normally. “We are not necessarily of sound mind when we are not human.”

  His eyes followed my hand as I wiped a bead of sweat from my temple. His horse slowed when he pulled on the reins. “Go. We shall wait.”

  Leaping off the wagon, I changed into a wolf in midair. Once on solid ground, every muscle in my body strained as my paws beat against the ground toward the stream. As I neared the water, my lungs drew in the scent of damp earth.

  From an embankment, I dove into the cool, shallow liquid. It was deeper than it appeared from above and I rolled through the current, letting it soak my fur. I drifted to the bottom and floated along the ground as my muscles relaxed one by one.

  Finally calm enough, I slowly made my way up. When my ears broke the surface, I heard shouts and growls. My heart pounded in my chest as I raced to the wagon.

  “Where is she?” a male voice growled.

  “She is not with us,” Eli replied, just before metal clanged against metal and swords clashed.

  Four werewolves came into view and I moved carefully, so I would not make any noise. I sidled up against the back of the wagon and climbed up to see them better. One werewolf had a dagger at Isabella’s neck. Eli stood still, sword ready as three others surrounded him. They may have outnumbered us, four against three, but I had the advantage of surprise — and being in my wolf form.

  I crawled over the top of the wagon toward the three guards just beyond the horses, then leaped onto the back of the guard holding Isabella. My claws penetrated his skin and he released her to defend himself. As he growled and tried to shake me off, Isabella snatched the sword he had dropped. She shouted my name as she swung the blade in an arc and I jumped back. Blade met flesh and his head rolled on the ground.

  Simultaneously triumphant and repulsed, I looked away and shivered.

  Another guard rushed Isabella and she dodged him. Eli battled the remaining two guards. One held Eli while the other readied his sword. I attacked the one about to swing his blade and he tumbled to the ground with me.

  I landed on top and my jaws clamped onto his wrist. His free hand struck me over and over, but I stayed focused as my teeth ground through the flesh and bone. He screamed and struggled beneath me, but I held on until his hand dangled by only a tendon.

  As I morphed to human and retrieved his sword, the one-handed guard changed into a wolf. But when he sprang toward me, snarling with bare
d teeth, I swung my sword. The blade sliced across his chest. The wolf yelped, his eyes wide, as he stumbled back. I silently thanked Eli and his sparring lessons.

  But the wolf quickly recovered and he growled, circling me. I turned along with him, my sword ready. Behind me, I heard Isabella still struggling with the same werewolf. I had no idea if Eli was alive or dying, but I could not afford to take my eyes off my opponent. I would be of no use to either of them if I died.

  As the wolf and I danced around each other, Eli came into my peripheral vision. Blood covered his shirt and he staggered when his sword sliced through the air. No doubt battling three wolves before I arrived had taken its toll on him. But he was alive. Unfortunately, so was his opponent.

  The pawless wolf stopped for a moment, his eyes measuring me. Instead of charging him, I backed up and moved closer to Isabella and the werewolf she fought. Just a yard away, I spun, swung out my sword and cut off her opponent’s head, then sprung away in time to miss being sliced in two by Eli’s opponent — which gave Eli a moment to catch his breath.

  Free now, Isabella bounded onto the wagon and the pawless wolf jumped me from behind. My shoulder screamed in agony as we crashed against the ground. I reached for the dagger in my bodice, thankful it morphed with me. Just as I positioned the blade to sink into his chest, he collapsed on top of me.

  “It is only a stab wound. It will heal.” Isabella’s shadow fell over me. “You had better cut off his head before he wakes.”

  I rolled the wolf off me in time to see Eli clawing at hands on his throat. Isabella wielded her sword with both hands and swiped the werewolf’s shoulder. When he released Eli, she sliced through the air again and the werewolf’s head dropped with a thud.

  I shuddered again.

  With trembling legs, I rose to stand in front of the werewolf Isabella had disabled moments before, the one I had rolled off me. He groaned. With all my force, I thrust the dagger across his throat and nudged the head away from the body.

  Bile rose up from my stomach.

  “Brother, can you hear me.” Isabella patted his cheek.

  “He is still in possession of his head. He will be fine. Eventually.” I scooped him up and laid him in the back of the wagon. “I will ride the horse. You steer the wagon. If they were able to alert others when they found us, more of them are already on their way. We must make haste.”

  Isabella grabbed the reins and the wagon began to move. I mounted the horse and followed. A few minutes later, Eli stirred and I willed myself not to glance at him. He would be fine. He had no need for me to hover over him.

  Unfortunately, I needed me to hover. Following my heart, I dug my heels into my horse’s sides and she picked up her pace. As I came up alongside the wagon, I glanced over and met Eli’s gaze.

  “Feeling all right?” I asked.

  “I have been better.”

  I nodded and averted my eyes. He was alive. That was all I needed to concern myself with.

  “My dear sister, you are more formidable than I remember.” He flashed her a wide smile when she turned around.

  “Years of being trapped in a cage gave me reason to fight harder, dear brother. I will never let them lock me up again.”

  I envied their easy relationship and wished that one day I would share a love so deep that nothing could break the bond.

  Hours later, the village came into view and we stopped to change our clothes. Eli had healed by then and sat upright in the wagon. Minutes later, we reached a port. We reined in our horses and I turned mine to face Eli and Isabella.

  “Regardless of our destination, they will track us simply by finding out where the ships went. Do you have a plan?” I asked.

  “Yes.” Eli nodded. “But whether it is a good one or not, I cannot be sure.”

  ~~~

  Chapter FOURTEEN

  To save time, we split up to inquire about the destination of every ship leaving port over the next few days. The wagon and horses would have only slowed us down and given the guards another way to track us, so we sold them to a local merchant for half what they were worth.

  We took a room at the local inn before the next leg of our journey. Since I had already shifted to a wolf earlier that day and gotten that out of my system, I sat in the only chair and kept watch. Isabella and Eli slept, gathering their strength to get us to our next destination.

  Eli lay sprawled out on one of the beds, his breathing rhythmic. I studied his peaceful face and my heart ached. I wanted to throw myself at his mercy and beg forgiveness for being so cold. But I could not. He and Isabella would live longer without me.

  Once we reached our next stop, we would separate and would likely never see each other again. Tears welled in my eyes at the thought.

  They had been sleeping for nearly three hours when I heard a rustle outside the window. I stretched my senses beyond the wall but could not pick up on anything. Not with a barrier between us.

  I sat perfectly still and stared at the drape-covered window. As I rose slowly, the candlelight flickered and shapes moved around the room. I leaned over and blew out the flame. Lanterns provided just enough light outside that I could see shadows move past the window.

  The shadow could have been human, but it could just as easily have been a werewolf. The king’s guards usually hunted and traveled in packs of four. If we saw one, I could assume there were three more nearby. Once again, we would be outnumbered.

  Eli! Isabella! I shouted into their heads so only they would hear. If that was a guard outside, I did not want him alerted. Wake up!

  They bolted upright, immediately on alert.

  Someone is out there, I told them. We needed to be ready to run at any moment, so I grabbed the satchel of gold, along with the sword and scabbard, then stowed them around my waist. I found the bow and quiver and slung them over my shoulder, then made sure the dagger was in my bodice.

  Isabella gathered what she wanted, then checked to make sure the drapes provided no openings. She remained there, sword ready in case someone crashed through the window. Eli crept toward the door, also armed with a sword. I stayed just behind Eli, ready to attack anyone who got past him.

  A moment later, the door splintered and one of the king's guards burst into the room. Eli shifted into a giant bear and lunged at the intruder but another guard entered, then another and another. I leapt out from behind Eli and, with a swing of the sword, one guard’s head dropped with a thud. The guard behind him dove for me, my back slamming against the hardwood floor. I struck out at him and his lip split open before he pinned my arms down.

  A short blade flew past me and sank into the forehead of my attacker. He slumped forward on top of me. He would heal, but for now, he was incapacitated. I rolled him over and sprang to my feet. Two guards down. Two to go. One of them was punching Isabella in the face. She was fighting back, but a shape-shifter could never match a werewolf’s strength. She was weakening.

  Eli had shifted into a bear, his size making up for his opponent’s greater strength. The guard gripped his sword as he struggled against Eli’s jaws tightening around his neck. Though Eli appeared to be at an advantage, his bloody shirt told me he was wounded. I had a feeling Isabella needed my help more.

  She lay trapped beneath a guard who was slamming his fist into her ribs. My stomach clenched at the idea of abandoning Eli, but I could not look him in the eye if I allowed his sister to die. I positioned my bow and plucked an arrow from the quiver and aimed. The arrow flew, sticking in the guard’s back. He growled and turned. I raised my bow and directed another arrow at his face. I let my fingers straighten and the arrow sunk into his eye socket. Blood oozed down his cheek as he raced toward me.

  In one fluid motion, I released an arrow into his neck. As I reached for another arrow, Isabella rose from the floor, and stumbled. I raised my bow, but was unable get another shot before he crashed into me, knocking me into the wall. The next instant, his head tumbled off his shoulders and Isabella came into view holding a bloody sword. />
  “Thank you,” I told her, shrugging off the dead werewolf. I stepped around the body and followed Isabella’s gaze.

  Eli was staggering back as the blood-drenched guard stepped forward, blade thrusting toward Eli. I snagged an arrow, but Isabella was already swinging her sword. The next moment, the guard toppled to the floor. Eli shifted back into his human form and slid to the ground.

  She knelt at her brother’s side, though she moved with difficulty. “How badly are you hurt?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing that will not heal soon enough. I just need a few minutes. You should take some time, too.” He grinned up at her. “Still angry over all those hours I forced you to train with me?”

  She returned his smile. “You were a tyrant. But had you not taught me how to fight, I would likely be dead.”

  I moved beside him, checking for injuries. He had plenty of cuts and scrapes, but I was relieved to find nothing so deep it would not be gone in a matter of moments. I grabbed a piece of dried meat from the satchel and shoved it at him. I retrieved another serving and handed it to Isabella. She had no outward signs of injury, but she had taken a beating.

  As Eli chewed and swallowed, his eyes became more focused. I handed him more and a werewolf behind me stirred.

  “I shall see to him.” I left Isabella to care for Eli and grabbed my sword. I swung it hard as the werewolf pushed off the ground. Squeezing my eyes shut, I turned away as the blade met flesh. Though I saw nothing, my stomach churned at the crunch of bone and flesh.

  “We must leave at once.” Eli stood up, looking stronger by the second. “Isabella, are you well enough?”

  “I fear I have no other choice. We may have to make extra stops to rest until we are both fully recovered.” She switched to me. “Are you ready?”

  In just moments, we would be gone. Now that we had slain our enemy — this round — we were closer to freedom. And I was closer to losing him forever.

  I reminded myself that he had never been mine to keep. Still, I tried to imagine my life without Eli and the harder I tried, the more my head spun. I needed to make sure I had all my things, but I could not move, as though my feet had grown roots.