Wolf's Eye Read online

  My smile grew wider. “Yes,” I said, adjusting the cape, “another friend.” I glanced nervously at the sky, even though it was still blocked by the leaves.

  “Oh, you will be having a while yet before dark,” said the old woman, reading my mind.

  “You walk like a child off to school, so serious minded you are! Travel easy. See the flowers, listen to the birds. Leave the road for a while. There is still light left.”

  “I should–” I tried to say, but she interrupted me.

  “Absorb all that life has to offer you. Enjoy the moment.”

  Deciding that this strange woman was probably a little touched in the head, I smiled and nodded. What would it hurt to stop and watch the birds for a moment, anyway? As I looked up into the branches of a slender ash tree, watching the jerking hops of a red-breasted robin, she threw her left hand out of her dark cloak. A sharp smelling powder flew from her fingers, covering my face. I sneezed, blinked my eyes three times, and collapsed into the dust.

  …

  I came to my senses in a dark, wet place. Goosebumps rose on my arms. The slow, steady sound of dripping water rang in my ears. My abdomen ached terribly, as though someone had sliced through the muscle with a knife. My throat was sore and dry and my tongue was heavy in my mouth.

  Suddenly, I realized that my sight was gone. My senses of touch, sound, and smell had returned, but I could not see. I tried moving my hands to my eyes, but the muscles held stiff. I felt like a marble statue.

  “Arim dei,” said a voice, coldly echoing its earlier greeting. It was the old woman. Her voice was unnaturally loud. I felt stone at my back. Were we in a cave?

  Where am I? I thought, willing the words to leave my mouth. Help me. But I could not make a sound.

  “No one will help you,” said the old woman, as though she could read my thoughts. Maybe she could. “Soon, pretty one.” A cold, dry hand stroked my cheek, but I could not flinch away.

  Soon what? my mind screamed. And then: Who are you? What are you?

  The old woman laughed. “I am Mogra. I control nature and twist its laws. You are needed, pretty one. Soon, you will be a part of the greatest army of monsters ever created in Amendyr!”

  I knew the name. Mogra was a sorceress that lived in the Forest. When she was younger, she had been fond of kidnapping children to eat. Many mothers used Mogra to threaten disobedient boys and girls. But nothing had been heard of her in Seria since she had almost taken the son of a visiting noble six years ago.

  Mogra’s hand drifted lower on my body. There was nothing sexual in the touch, but thoughts of Luciana’s unwelcome hands made my stomach twist anyway. She stroked a strip of skin that was especially sore, just above my hipbones. The pain made me cry out in my head. She heard and laughed. “That spot will be painful for a long time, girl. I had to sew the wolfskin into you with my magic thread.”

  That was the first time I realized what I had become.

  “You are an animal. You will forget your name, your friends, your whole identity. Your thirst for blood will consume you. No part of you will remember what it means to be human.”

  I wanted to deny her words, but there was the strip of flesh around my belly that burned with pain. I did not feel any different. I did not crave blood and death, I had not sprouted hair all over my body, and my teeth had not become daggers. I was only a small, frightened girl propped against a cave wall. Perhaps Mogra had not finished casting her spell. For now, I was still human.

  …

  Chapter Six:

  It could have been minutes, hours, or even days later when I stirred again. This time, I could see. In fact, my sight was painfully clear, even though it was dark. I was right – we were in a cave. It was furnished with shelves, tables, and cruel metal cages. I was in one of them. The stone of the cave itself made up the fourth wall. The other cages were empty, but a set of clothes remained in one of them.

  I was not the first prisoner here. But how did I know? The smells, I thought. Strange smells, smells belonging to other people. The scent of their fear lingered. I saw, smelled, and heard the witch coming from a dark hole near the left wall. “Ah, my new pet. Are you feeling the change yet?”

  The change. So, it had not been a nightmare. Mogra had turned me into a Wyr.

  Since the beginning of time, there had been stories of men that could become wolves. When the full moon rose, they went mad and tore through any humans or animals that they found in their lust for blood. Shapers, disgusting Ariada that warped human flesh like clay, created the monsters.

  “No,” I whispered. The word caught in my dry throat. Mogra had not given me anything to eat or drink and I was weak from hunger and thirst.

  Mogra peered at me through the metal bars. I smelled and felt the hum of burning magic. My muscles became lead. My body seized up, froze. I could not move. Knowing that I could not run, the witch opened the door to her cage with a bright key. For an old woman, she was surprisingly strong as she lifted my rigid figure off of the floor and carried me out.

  She began examining me. She checked my eyes, peeling back the lids. Her twisted fingers probed my palms, feeling my hands and fingers. She combed through my hair, pushed back my gums to look at my teeth. I felt so violated, so vulnerable. I emptied my mind, trying to surrender to white, cold nothingness. Numbing myself. Luciana taught me that skill.

  But it did not work this time. You are a monster , my mind screamed. My head pounded. I could not think anything else. You are a monster. You are a monster. I would be cursed for the rest of my life… I wanted to die.

  A strange scent began filling the dark cave. It was heavy and unfamiliar, but alive. Was it some kind of animal? I was not sure. Then again, before today, I had not known that people or stone had strong smells.

  There was a scrape off to the right. It was a quiet noise, but I heard it distinctly. So did the witch. Mogra’s hands stopped feeling the muscles in my arms. She turned to look.

  A dark shadow hurtled forward, leaping onto the sorceress. With a hoarse scream, she fell to the cave floor. Her magical binding loosened. Blood flowed through my muscles again. I cried out, joyfully realizing that I could scream. It felt wonderful to move again.

  Rough hands grabbed my limp arms and dragged me over the ground. I could hear Mogra screaming, “an attack! Help me!” Gray bodies flew everywhere, all thick fur and white teeth. They were wolves. An entire cave full of wolves, tearing and snapping at each other.

  Whoever was holding my arms kept dragging me forward. I felt fresh air and saw a bright circle of light. We were near the entrance. I did my best to stumble towards it. Together, my rescuer and I made it outside. I was blinded by the sun and could not see who or what had found me. My head spun from the sudden brightness. Heavy breathing and pounding footsteps echoed behind us in the cave. I felt warm bodies beside me.

  “Come,” said a hoarse voice from somewhere ahead. “Faster!” And so I tripped along faster, urged by the pulling hands. I tripped several more times, but they set me on my feet again and kept moving.

  As we ran, my sight returned. There were at least three, maybe four people in heavy leather and fur helping me along. I was herded through tall trees that reached up, up, up into the sky, my bare feet crunching over leaves and grass and stones. We had left Mogra’s cave far behind.

  After several minutes of running, I was staggering and gasping for air. The strangers did not seem to be tired. I forced myself to keep going for as long as I could, but when I finally fell to my knees and begged them to let me stop, a pair of strong arms lifted me from the ground and carried me. With my cheek pressed against a warm chest – a woman’s chest – I felt the air slide over my bare skin as we ran faster than I had known a person could run. If this woman was a person at all.

  The rest of our journey was a blur. When my surprise and fear began to fade, I realized that I was wrapped in a rough blanket. A wooden cup was pressed against my lips. I drank deeply, sighing gratefully. The cup was pulled away and I looke
d into the face of my rescuer. She was a tall, strong woman, broad-shouldered and lean as a branch. Her dark, shaggy hair hung around her thin face and her large brown eyes seemed impossibly familiar.

  She lifted the cup again. I took another sip. “Better?” she asked in Amendyri. I nodded my head gratefully.

  “Thank you,” I said, and then I could not help but ask, “who are you?”

  “My name is Larna. You are safe here.”

  Larna set the cup on the ground. Her shoes and outer garments were made of stitched fur and leather, obviously handmade. However, as she leaned forward to adjust the blanket around my shoulders, her woolen undershirt lifted, and I noticed a thin strip of fur around her waist that was not a part of her clothing.

  I reached out to touch, but reclaimed my hand before it made contact. “Did she capture you, too?”

  “All of us,” Larna answered. I looked around me and realized that I was in a camp, surrounded by other men and women. We were not alone. They were dressed like Larna. Many of them were watching me with sad expressions on their faces. “We are the Farseer Pack. All of us are Wyr, little sister.”

  “Am I…?” I asked, so afraid of the answer that I began to tremble. “I can’t be… I never want to hurt anyone… I…” I panicked. My breathing became fast and shallow.

  “Hold still,” Larna interrupted. Her firm hand settled on my shoulder. My heartbeat slowed down a little.“You are a Wyr now, but you do not need to become a murderer. You must understand. You are having a choice. If you learn to control your other body, you will not kill anyone. The pack can help you.”

  I collapsed against Larna’s shoulder, sobbing with relief. My humanity was not gone. I could reclaim it. I was still afraid, uncertain about the future, but this strange, beautiful woman had offered me a sliver of hope.

  “Come,” said Larna’s warm voice. She held most of my weight, helping me to stand up. I did not notice where we were going until I felt the grass beneath my feet change to smooth wood. I realized that I was on a pair of steps. Numbly, I looked up to see the door of a small cabin. Shelter.

  Relieved, I allowed her to lead me inside. It was small, but dark and cool, and much more comfortable than a cave. Larna showed me to medium-sized pallet in the corner. My muscles screamed as soon as she lowered me on to it. I was already weak from lack of food and our frantic escape had drained the last of my energy.

  “Here, rest,” Larna said. Her warm hand rested on my forehead and I closed my eyes. For the moment, at least, I was safe.

  …

  I drifted in and out of sleep for several moments, almost floating. Who was this woman who kissed and cradled my head so sweetly? The soft voice that whispered in my hair, who did it belong to? I felt precious, treasured. My eyes fluttered and I saw Larna above me, smiling down. The recognition made my heart warm. “You fainted, little bird,” she said softly.

  “My name is Cate,” I tried to say, but my voice was weak and hoarse.

  Larna’s striking eyebrows lifted in her surprise. “Cate? You wouldn’t be having an Amendyri name as well, would you?”

  “Cathelin,” I managed to croak. My throat was filled with rings of fire. It hurt to speak.

  “You are my little bird, nonetheless.” Her strange, almost possessive attitude towards me was a little frightening. There was something achingly familiar about her, but I could not remember what it was, even though I desperately wanted to.

  But then the pounding ache in my head distracted me. I was tempted to fall back asleep. The last thing I remembered from those precious moments was a warm pair of brown eyes watching me. My own eyes closed and my breathing slowed.

  When I woke again, Larna was still beside me. This time, she seemed almost nervous as she paced beside my pallet. When she saw that I was awake, she knelt beside the bed and looked at me, worry clouding those smooth brown eyes.

  “You have been asleep for a long time,” she informed me. I could feel her presence close to me, but she did not reach out to touch my face. Part of me wanted to press myself against her hand. I dismissed that thought.

  “Was I?” I asked sleepily. My throat was feeling much better and speaking was easier.

  “Yes. Worried as anything, I was.” And then, my rescuer stood up and went to the other side of the room. I did not question why Larna was so concerned about me, a stranger that she had rescued. Perhaps she was just a caring person, even if she was a Wyr. Or perhaps she simply did not want to see her efforts to rescue me wasted.

  Hunger pains in my stomach interrupted my thoughts. My face twisted. My muscles were trembling, weak. Larna came back beside the pallet. She held something out to me.

  “Here, try this. Eat it slowly.”

  It was only some salted bread, but nothing had ever tasted as good. Despite Larna’s advice, I finished it in a few seconds. “Thank you. Is there any water?”

  After the bread and water stayed down for a few minutes, Larna allowed me to have some fresh cheese. It was gone in a flash. I sank back on the pallet and let my strength come back.

  “Do you feel well enough to stand?” asked Larna. “If you are, I will be taking you outside.”

  I flexed the muscles of my legs experimentally. “Yes, I think so.” Without being asked, Larna offered me her hand. I took it, and little burning sparks leapt over my skin. My cheeks burned hot. And suddenly I noticed that I could smell her. She smelled of the woods and smoke and warmth. A dark scent. It was clean and good.

  Larna held still as I leaned forwards and breathed her in, forgetting that it was strange. It was almost as though she expected it. And then she wrapped a careful hand around my waist and sniffed lightly at my hair. I was surprised, but only because the action did not feel strange. It was almost like a greeting.

  After we had learned each other’s scents, both of us felt more comfortable. I was too surprised to wonder why. When our short getting-to-know-you moment ended, Larna helped me to my feet and walked beside me towards the door.

  When we stepped outside, I saw clusters of small huts in all directions. We were in a little village. There was a clearing in the middle of the huts, with a good-sized fire and cooking pit. Several people were seated around it with bowls in their hands. The light of the fire was dim and the sky was dark, but somehow, I could see their faces clearly. In fact, every detail was sharp and focused.

  There was a well-muscled man with thick shoulders and wild white hair braided down his back. Around his wrist was a bracelet made from small animal bones. He lifted the hand with the bracelet and waved to us. Larna waved back and she sat down beside him. They repeated the smelling ritual that we had shared a few minutes ago.

  As I stepped closer, I noticed that the man’s face was beginning to show age. His body looked sturdy and strong, but his eyes and skin gave him away. For an old man, he was powerfully built. I hung back, intimidated by this group of strangers. “Come here, little bird,” Larna called, waving me over.

  I tripped forward, wide-eyed and hesitant. I could not forget that all of these people were Wyr. They could probably tear me in half. But Larna did not seem dangerous. In my short time with her, Larna had been gentle and kind. What had she told me? You must understand. You have a choice.

  Something made me approach the fire in a curved half-circle instead of a straight line. I obeyed without question. It was a little like Knowing, but there was no magic here. Maybe it had something to do with the change.

  When my feet took me to Larna and the old man, I lowered my head. Some strange instinct was whispering to me, explaining what I needed to do. This man was the leader. I could see it in the set of his muscles and the way he held his chin. I needed to look respectful.

  “Welcome, little sister,” said the old man. His voice was strong, too. “I am Jana Farseer. I am Alpha here.” He moved closer to me, to catch my scent, and I did not move. I could smell him, too. He was different from Larna. Jana Farseer was like rocks and moving water. I had never paid so much attention to my nose before
.

  “Thank you. Alpha?” I repeated as a question.

  “I am the leader. You will be staying with us until you have recovered from the sorceress’ magic. Then, we will be teaching you how to run with your new blood.”

  Everyone around the fire was watching me. I shifted uncomfortably. The stares made me nervous, but they were not unfriendly. “You forgot to ask her name, Farseer,” said one of the company.

  “Cate. I mean – my name is Cate…”

  “Arim Dei, Cate. My name is Yerta.” Yerta was medium height, with wiry muscles and soft gray eyes. His face was thin, but not sharp. He and I scented each other and then he shook my hand. That simple human custom made me relax a little. “You are welcome here.”

  Larna noticed my muscles loosen and touched my hand. I looked up into her eyes and grew dizzy all over again. “It is overwhelming at first, I know. Soon, you will be knowing everyone and feel at home with the pack.”

  “I need to stay here?” I asked, a little frightened. I was grateful that the Farseer pack had rescued me, but I did not want to stay here for the rest of my life. I needed to find my Grandmother and eventually return to Baxstresse.

  “We will not keep you prisoner,” said Jana Farseer, “but it would be wise to stay. We will teach you to run with your new blood and help you when you go in to your half-shape. If you leave, you might be hurting someone by mistake.”

  I pressed my lips together. That had been my first thought after the change. I did not want to hurt anyone. “Larna said something to me about half shape. What is it?”

  “Half-shape is between man and beast,” said Jana Farseer. “It is the shape a Wyr takes at full moon or when they are in great pain.”

  A terrible thought came to me. “Will I kill in half-shape?”

  “You might, if you needed to defend yourself,” he answered honestly. “But not because you are in that shape. Humans kill without it. Your conscience will not be leaving you.” I was relieved. I was still confused and overwhelmed, but not as frightened now that I knew I would not lose my mind.