“They’re coming. Again,” his voice cracks.
“Who?” A rush of wind fills the cavern.
“The Shadows.” Fell’s thrown across the room. I scream as the light is blotted out.
Moments later, I’m yanked to the ground.
With the wind knocked out of me, I struggle to breathe. A heavy weight rests on my chest.
Sharp claws rake down my sides and I flail trying to throw my invisible foe off me. My fingers brush against the cool metal of the stick protruding from my braid and a surge of power builds inside me.
I twist and pull it free and a shrill scream blasts in my ear. The heaviness lifts and I see a line of light shining through the shadow floating above me.
The ground rumbles. Kirk leaps in front of me in wolf form. A brilliant golden light explodes from the soil. Dirt explodes. An invisible force throws back.
A massive wolf launches itself into the darkness. His powerful jaws slice through the forms, devouring the ones who don’t flee.
Tilting his head back the spectral wolf throws his head back, releases a howl I can’t hear, but feel deep in my soul. Our knees fold.
Energy surrounds me, tightening on me like a rope. I’m slipping into my wolf form before I realize it. Bones rearrange, muscles flex, and fur explode.
The energy recedes leaving us in wolf form.
They circle me.
I gasp. Cadoc and Kirk have white triangles on their flanks. When the shadows don’t return, they shift back.
Bo looks around, panicked. “What the hell happened?”
“You received Fenrir’s blessing. Look at your arm.” I tap my arm. They shove up their sleeves they find the mark on their forearm.
“Why only us?” Cadoc gestures to him and Kirk.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? You’ve bonded with her,” Fell’s voice is sullen.
His distraught expression tugs at my heart.
“We’re meant to be her protectors. The closer we bind ourselves to her, the better,” Kirk reminds him.
“Are you okay?” I crawl over to Fell, running a hand through his silken hair. “You knew they were coming before we did. How?”
“I don’t know. I felt my stomach bottom out and I knew.”
I study his face. “When we were kids, your predictions always came true.”
“That doesn’t mean anything, Ylva.”
“I think it might.”
“I think I know what those things were after.” Bo walks over to the bottom of the altar and brushes away dust.
He pulls the long-handled item with a notched circle and string on the end free.
“It’s a sun compass,” Cadoc says.
“How is this helpful?” Bo sneers. The dial rotates, and writing forms on the circular piece.
Watching, I wait for the markings to make sense. “What is it doing?”
“I don’t know.” Bo tilts the wheel to the left. Numbers take shape.
“Coordinates,” Cadoc replies.
“To what?” I wrinkle my nose. “Where?”
“Nothing yet.” Cadoc studies the dial. “There aren’t enough numbers.”
Kirk looks at Cadoc. “It has to be important for them to come after it.”
Bo looks grim. “I’m more concerned about how they’re tracking us.”
“They’re afraid,” Fell peers into the distance, and his voice drops an octave.
“Fell?” I place a hand on his arm.
“They know we’re close.”
Bo steps forward.
