Page 8 of Wolf Trap

“Lycaon, my magic is… almost nothing. Your blood could help me, help him?” I nodded towards the gargoyle whilst the horned creature seemed to lose his mind, shouting and chuntering.

Another flew down, his face like an eagle, his body a hybrid of beast and human, with long clawless fingers. “Krag, we should let her try to help Ubraz. After all, shecouldbe telling the truth. If she fails, or we detect any malevolence, then,” he indicated, standing tall on his hind legs, “kill them. But if we close the portal, others will be trapped out there withthem.”

Krag pointed to me. “Very well, Anug, but our fate is in your hands. If you’re wrong...”

“Yes, if I’m wrong. Let us see.” Anug nodded to me.

Groaning, Ubraz shifted. I handed Lycaon my athame. Without questioning, he sliced his hand. Handing it back, I cutmy palm, which stung like hell, then clasped my fingers around his palm.

His magic was potent, dark, and my legs wobbled, my mind fuzzy as I felt our power merge. A swirling of images, like before, of him, the man before he was the beast. A kingdom, a city at his feet. Then the images faded to grey as I saw a forest, tree after tree, a full moon peeking through the canopy above. And I heard his haunting howling. Shivering from the sound, so lonely, I felt my feet grounding on the earthen floor, and a swirling of energy like a vortex pumping through my veins.

Rasping, my head cleared, and I sat down, placing my palm on the gargoyle who had rescued us. As my power merged with his, I felt his weak life-force. Coolness gripped every muscle, every cell. The cold seemed to seep into my bones as I channelled, intending our combined vitality into him. His breathing deepened, as if breathing was what he did, but his body moved.

A sheen of silver radiated from his leathery-stone skin.

Anug and Krag stepped closer. I didn’t look up, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Anug holding out an arm, keeping Krag at a distance.

Time slowed, but I continued on, intending to see Ubraz wake up, shake himself off and renewed. A shadow passed over his face, then clouds moved and the warm rays of the sun illuminated his features.

Wheezing, his eyes opened and slowly and unsteadily he pushed himself up. I stilled a gasp, shocked that the magic had been that potent. I didn’t expect that. Must be Lycaon’s blood, but then Zeus had created Lycaon’s curse. I needed to remember that. Perhaps that’s why Adara wanted him.

Lycaon rushed to steady Ubraz.

Krag sniggered. “So, why did you bring these dangerous monsters into our world? You’ve violated our law. Why Ubraz, why would you do that?”

Nodding, the gnarly gargoyle turned slowly, pushing Lycaon’s hand away. He leered, then pointed. “This woman, this slight of a thing, stood up to them.” The cadence in his voice raised sharply, “Her! A witch without extraordinary magic. Mediocre at best, some would argue. But she stood up to them, nonetheless. Used her own blood. Then... When she thought she could fight no more, she stood there defeated, awaiting death with a dignity and calm thatIhave never seen. Look at her, look upon a brave warrior. And I thought to myself, she shouldn’t die. When the wolfman, crazed, attacked her, she offered him sanctuary. We need more like her. We need to learn from her. Together, well, I don’t think I need to explain.”

Krag didn’t look convinced. As for me, my face burned like a furnace. Lycaon went to speak, but I’d had enough.

“I’m grateful, Ubraz, for you rescuing us. But I’m not brave. I just didn’t want to die. And when I surrendered,” my shoulders dropped as I stared at the ground. “That wasn’t bravery, it was exhaustion. I hate Adara, and I think that hate, and my fear of death, is what drove me on. I’m not righteous, I’m a nobody, really. In fact…”

Gulping, my mind was yelling for me to stop. “If I hadn’t been so stupid that night to think I could help Lisa, maybe none of this would’ve happened.”

Narrow eyes, and a face of death, Krag edged forwards, moving like an ape, using his forelimbs to lumber forward, his huge wings tucked in behind him. Krag’s face was more bestial. Almost demon-like. His voice boomed, cutting through me. “What,youstarted all this, did you? You, a mere witch? I see you’re not averse to using blood-magic, the very same enchantment that’s been driving the members of Adara mad!They used to be respected, revered even. And then you came along?”

Ubraz interrupted, “Krag, you know-”

“I know a lot, Ubraz.” Krag knuckle-walked towards me, then held out a long clawed finger in front of my face as Ubraz shook his head. “She believes she started this. The downfall… Adara has killed many of our kin, and are even now, no doubt trying to access our world. When we know who’s really responsible.” He pulled back and sat on his haunches. “Loren, the dead witch’s soul and her lover,” he spat the name, “Zale! Had they not bred, committed their heinous crime, none of this would’ve happened.” His eyes were like slits as he looked from Lycaon to me. “Disgusting. Evil magic comes when two species commit such vileness. And here are these two…”

Ubraz raised his voice. “They are not guilty of any such crime. Why, the werewolf almost killed her. I can vouch for her.”

It was all I could do to keep from glancing at Lycaon. Perhaps right now wasn’t the time to be honest? Instead, I scanned the area. Before us, the cathedral rose so high, I had to crane my neck to see the top. Almost disappearing under the sunlit clouds, the spires towered up. There were even more gargoyles flapping their wings and swishing their tails, perched on the ledges, looking down. From where I stood, they looked small, silhouetted against the brilliant sky.

Around us, cathedrals clustered around the landscape. Jagged, silhouettes, as if they’d been carved out from the mountains. Their spires ascended high, almost touching the clouds. In-between them, the landscape was dotted with clusters of trees. A shimmer in the distance, I realised there was a lake. Its surface was like liquid pewter under the dazzling sun. But the clouds moved swiftly, casting everything in shadow before the sunlight pierced the terrain.

A raven-headed gargoyle caught me staring. “Yes, we made those. Cut the cathedrals from the craggy mountains amongst the woodland. This is our home, our place of safety. Now we’d ask you and your hairy friend to help us seal the magic so that only our own kind can pass through the portal, lest Adara seek us out and destroy our world.”

I nodded. “Of course I will. I can’t believe the depths they’ve sunk to. Just how many immortals are they killing?”

“Ha!” He flashed a glance at the others, as Lycaon moved from foot to foot uncomfortably. Their beliefs about his kin had stung, for sure.

“Adara is not killing, girl. Enslaving! It’s said they have a fortress where they capture and mutilate immortals. It goes much deeper. How do younotknow this?”

Ubraz lumbered over, using all four limbs. “Weapons! They’re making weapons. It is said that Adara is doing deals with humans. They want it all. They want the world, and none can stop them. But… perhaps if we all had your conviction, well…”

“But I said I’m not a warrior. I’m a therapist. I don’t know. Perhaps if we all stood against them, we could defeat them, just… not with swords or steel.”

His eyes darted to his companions. “Ah, a healer! A witch and a healer that taps into the magic of darkness. Perhaps not such a bad thing, Krag? Blood magic is forbidden, but look at the enemy. They’ve stolen magic from all of us, and it’s driven them insane. They’ve lost their minds. One who is pure of heart but can wield the power of darkness?”