ELIA

Startled, Elia crouched, eyes wide. But then…

The strangest feeling of calm overcame her as she stared into the bright, malicious eyes of the wolf-woman, smiling at her over the prone form of her dear friend.

"What a surprise. The Queen is hiding,

" Lucine said, her voice still a harsh rasp. She stepped out of the bush and Elia noted that her steps were stilted. Not nearly as free as usual. She was still hurt from whatever harm Reth had done, throwing her across the Crevasse.

But she was here. Holding a bow with strange arrows—the heads, rather than the thin triangles of bone or slate, were thick, round clubs.

Then she looked at Candace on the ground and understanding dawned.

"You wanted to take us alive?

"

"Correction, I wanted to take you alive.

"

Elia let the shudder rock her body visibly.

"Please… no…

" she whispered, fixing her eyes on Candace's body and letting her horror show.

"Please.

"

"The only surprise so far today has been that you arrive without your mate. Your precious, daring mate who would destroy all of Anima for you.

"

"He doesn't know. Please, Lucine. I… I ran. I'm here. I'm leaving. He doesn't know. Please don't make me… I couldn't… it was too much. Everything. I can't be a toy between you.

" She let all the desperation and fear she felt about leaving Reth, her terror that he would be killed, creep into her voice, her eyes, and she stared at Lucine. Whose eyes had narrowed.

"Please,

" she whispered.

"I'm leaving. I'm going back to my own. I'll be dead as far as the people are concerned. As far as Reth is concerned! You can… you can be Queen. He… He may not take you as mate, but he had already accepted that he might need to rule with you. If I'm gone…

" she swallowed as Lucine's eyes sharpened.

"If I'm gone, you don't have to fight. You can rule together.

" She licked her lips.

Lucine's nostrils flared and Elia closed her eyes and made herself think about Reth, overpowered by a fist of wolves, going down, roaring.

She winced and tears threatened.

"Coward,

" Lucine spat.

"I know! I know! I told him! I… you almost killed me and I… I lost the c-cub,

" she buried her face in her hands, focusing on the grief of losing Reth, on her fear for their baby.

"I can't live here another day, Lucine. The Creator didn't make me for this!

"

"And yet, the King chose you,

" Lucine snarled.

Elia threw her hands up, her face wide and open, staring.

"He chose me. I didn't know, Lucine, I truly didn't! In my world to give someone mercy is a good thing. I never intended to make you—

" she swallowed convulsively as the wolf-woman prowled forward.

Stilted steps or not, she was an imposing figure here in the forest, with no males nearby to make her look smaller by comparison. Elia pretended to cower, but used the movement to get her hands up by her chest where she could protect herself.

"They will already have discovered that I'm gone. They'll already think I'm dead. I will go. You can… you can watch me go through the portal—and you can tell them you killed me if you want! That would suit us both, right? I'll be gone, and you'll have the… the prestige of killing me! Please, Lucine! No more blood needs to be shed. We can leave this behind us.

"

Lucine stopped, tilting her head slightly away, measuring her.

Elia licked her lips.

"You can tell them you killed me and I'll never come back—I can't come back, apparently, anyway. I'm not even sure I can get through, but I have to try. I can't… I can't be in this place anymore.

"

Their eyes locked, and Lucine folded her arms.

"You would leave and never return?

" she said quietly.

Elia nodded.

"Never.

"

"I would need proof.

"

*****

RETH

When the horse ran past him, the flash of instinct was there to leap on the animal, to hunt, to feed, but the other within him roared.

He shook his head, his instincts jumbled. He wanted to hunt, but should not hunt this prey that ran alongside him like a pride mate.

His mate was back, beyond, in the other direction. There was trouble and she was in danger. And yet, he was needed here. The danger was here, somehow.

Forces within him fought, and he shook his mane again, a growl puttering in his throat.

But he ran on.

And on, even his great beast heart thudding quickly.

Until the beat of bird wings reached him from the sky and the other within growled.

Their wills wrestled—and Reth stepped out of beast form, slowing his run to stand on the trail and shield his eyes to look up.

"Can you see him?

" Behryn called. He'd returned to human form too and was trotting back to where Reth stood, scanning the sky.

"There!

"

A great cry, like the Eagles who nested in the mountains, pierced the sky, and the bird wheeled overhead, calling again.

Behryn whistled, and suddenly it dove, only pulling up at the last minute, back-flapping with it's legs extended—then became the man it was and landed on the dirt in a crouch, staring between Behryn and Reth.

"What are you doing here? Is the Queen already gone?

"

It was Colvyr, the other guard. Fit and healthy, and surprised to see them.

Reth's stomach twisted.

"Speak plainly. Was there an attack on the Tree City?

"

Colvyr blinked.

"What? No! Who—

" Then the man shut his mouth and a shadow passed behind his eyes.

"He told me he had to go visit his…

" he blinked and returned his gaze to them.

"I'm so sorry. I never thought he would betray us. You have to believe me, Sire—

"

"Is there any danger here, or anywhere between us and the City?

" Reth snarled.

"

"No, Sire, I've been patrolling. All is peaceful. The guards went as you told them—

"Reth,

" Behryn called.

But Reth was already roaring, already turning, tearing into Beast form and running, running, running again.

His mate was in danger.

The desires didn't conflict anymore.

His mate needed him, and he would run.