WOLF'S CULT (The Circle of four)

family first. He traveled north on roads gone to mud from the storm. The wonders of th

nd lakes that picked up their blue from the late summer sky. He wound through fores

to villages. His dignity cost him considerable discomfort until he was force

rough the fields and the hills. ln solitude, or company of his brother, he h

't reach his deadened senses. Fever sweat slicked his skin, and the angl

e oatcakes along with more of the medicine he'd pac

the headache that drummed behind them. A witch,

At least he mi

shield again, fighting alongside him. He could nearly believe he c

ought, then a v

s dagger. Nothing moved in the forest but the black wings

atest Luna of our time, the Queen of the Demons? Go back, go back and live your pitiful life,

for l will hunt her through this life and the next if need be.

and she will make you

ssed, but the flash of fire he shot out with his free hand hit the mark. The raven shrieked, and what dropped to the ground wa

did, he took a handful of salt from his saddle bags, poured it

ttered. "We'll see about that." he went to

sed by cloud shadows in light soft as down. He dozed, and he

rass by the side of the road. There a man in a peaked cap built a wall from a p

e." The man touched his cap in salute.

entirely sure where he was. "l'm

aid cheerfully. "You'll not make

ad that seemed to stretch to f

ot time to ride here. Not when you've so far yet to go. And time shor

" Hunt asked,

you hear the river, follow it. There be a holy well near the Bridget's Well,

he continued to listen to

a Sorcerer, for they'll come hunting. They only wait for the sun

in disgust, as he won

lood and your faith." The man's eyes were narrowed, and for a momen

boiling in his fever. His brother's death, then the destruction. The thing on the cliff

iver, turned his horse toward it. Chills shook him

against its neck. The wound on his hand broke open and stained the

tree. Others who'd come to worship or rest had tied

drops on the ground for the god, murmured his thanks. He laid a sli

in, he began to

s, and made the task a misery. His own sweat chilled his skin as he struggled with the wo

e deepest shadows. And those shadows thickened as the

flicker to die and leave him in the dark. He would d

ce more, he knew. One. Then he ripped the bandage f

rough the night. This magic is clean, fire Kindl

the shadows leaped out. lt came as a wolf, black belt and bloody eyes. When it flung itself in

white as it paced back and forth as i

er, then another, until Hunt counted five. They lunged to

is eyes on the wolves as he laid his hands upon his hors

medicating was having no good effect. He huddled in his cloak shivering, and after dousing an oatcake with honey,

fire dancing in his eyes until they began to close. As