THE DUKE'S CAPTIVE VELARYN

ts. Last night's storm had blown by, but it had deposited its residue-a

liquor, observing as the amber colored drink

is risky, Your Grace. It would be

ently, the sound barely perceptible. "And how man

ile

as answe

lden Witch had disappeared outright, or else had returned mad, muttering of darkness that walked, mo

little tolerance

hand over his eyes, then nodd

his voice smooth but unyi

d. "Your Grace,

hrough the woods." Orion leaned back, tapping hi

y for a second before

lay across it. The trees towered above castles, branching out like bony fingers toward t

had traversed battlefields, stood over kings, slain men who had begged for mer

, fidgeting. "Last guys back from here told stories

ked. "Then l

red his horse, disap

went, the quieter

No rustlin

t sil

g out in which even the air did not dare. The air clung, heavy, heavy, full of t

ttle, littered with the killed, had always had some sound. War had an accompaniment, the clanking

a whole o

darkness beyond the trees. The mist curled strangely roun

ned, it was low. "Som

alread

Th

le snap

ars. Henry's horse tossed its head, muscles ten

eep. Not human. The mist swayed, and two eyes,

merged out of the mist-

size of an average creature, it had fur the same hue as fresh, spilled blood, thick, matted, dripping wet from the mist. Long,

it bared

arp, resembling a butcher's cleaver.

wasn't

lth. Fanned out, they created an unobstructed line across the ground, pinning down both Orion and Henr

kind did

not leave

dismount

toward his blade. "Your

ver, stretching

should have b

s attacked

n move

d at his throat, but Orion sidestepped, clapp

firm, his grip unshaken. The wolf fought frantically, clawing furiously

jaws inches from his eyes. Droplets of spit clung t

rn, Orion snapped

Glowing, crimson e

wasn't tim

mass of muscles and jaws. Orion turned, gripping the creature b

age, hearing bones crunching under his power. The creatu

he tore t

le torn. Blood splat

beas

stepping aside from the snapping jaws of the other. Quick, accurate, prec

n, circling, snarling.

ion was

ling it as if it had been a ramming rod, crashing it into one

ttacked him-too c

ld have been disastrous. Bu

f the wolf to carry it past him, then drove his elbow i

t plummete

throat, but still dripping down his arm was the residue

en there

ed crimson, flickering with

covered in blood-thou

r eyes flas

dispersed int

nce re

. His grip had not loosened, had not shaken, but there had crept over i

Orion fight be

been some

man being could h

from his gloves. His lips c

ll that I am not

e Henry cou

icker

gaze wen

ond the haze and shiftin

int, careening down

a cr

t a

wo

e roaming through the woods, th

iosity. N

thing

sses

ound

hesitation,