In between, she called to him telepathically to wake up. She needed him conscious otherwise she’d never be able to get him out of the camp. Wolves might be good at many things, but not carrying out their wounded.
~
Zane awoke slowly to the strange sensation of a tongue swiping at his face repeatedly and an unfamiliar voice inside his head. Zane, can you hear me?
A few more licks, and he asked, Who are you?
Olivia. My name’s Olivia and I’m here to help, but I need you on your feet. I’m a shifter and female, and I can’t possibly carry a man like you out of this camp alone.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful silver wolf staring at him from inches away, her muzzle resting on her front paws. She had exquisite green eyes, full of intelligence. Her ears twitched.
Olivia?
That’s right.
Who sent you? he asked.
No one. I saw you were in trouble, so I came after you.
Okay, I don’t know how that’s possible, but do you know what happened in Britchett Falls? Because I only saw the advance of a dozen Invictus pairs. The rest is murky.
The wolf’s fur rippled, a shudder maybe. I don’t know. As soon as I saw the arrival of that last group of Invictus pairs, I left.
So, you were in Britchett Falls as well?
Not exactly. Are you in much pain?
I hurt like hell. As you can see, Margetta used a whip.
Memories returned to Zane suddenly, of being in the northern city. Sweet Goddess, all those Invictus pairs had surrounded him. But a mist had flowed through the streets and right afterward, he’d lost consciousness. He couldn’t believe he was still alive.
Now I remember, he said. Margetta used her mist on me. Several of the Invictus pairs fell unconscious at the same time. But seconds later I was bound and flown here, wherever the hell this is.
He forced himself to sit up, but pain flashed through him so hard that for a moment he couldn’t breathe. He focused on his self-healing and in quick stages the pain began to diminish as the cuts started to seal up.
His Guard coat was nowhere to be seen.
He stared down at the wolf. She lay panting, her muzzle lifted expectantly, green eyes alert. He had so many questions about who she was, but those would have to wait.
He continued with telepathy. Do you know where we are? Which part of the realm?
The Dead Zone near Angler’s Cliff.
He nodded, turning to look through the canvas flaps. What’s going on out there?
A major celebration because Margetta has you captive.
Well, we need to change that. But how the hell have I not known this camp was here?
It’s hidden behind a powerful fae spell at least a hundred yards in height.
He turned once more to stare at the wolf who rose up and began pacing back and forth. How did you get into the camp, then? No shifter he knew could jump that high.
If wolves could smile, the woman called Olivia was smiling. I leaped. It’s sort of a gift.
This wouldn’t even compute inside his head. What shifter could clear an obstacle one-hundred-yards high? And no one saw you?
Olivia shook her muzzle and for a moment everything just stopped. He was looking at a wolf, but he thought he’d never seen a more beautiful creature in his life. He felt almost compelled to cross to her and run his hand over her head and down her back.