I look back to the snarling beast, meeting its eyes as I reach in my satchel and retrieve the other roses. If I can make a branch grow, I might be able to climb high enough. Though, judging by its powerful legs, I’m already in lunging distance.
“I’m not a good meal,” I say. “Why don’t you go back where you came from?”
If it were possible, the wolf only snarls more.
My hand closes around the rose stems. I press my other palm into the tree behind me. What do I want to do? Grow a branch? Will I be able to swing up in time?
I could try and make a cage of roots, like Eldas did to Luke. But the complexity of making something large and strong enough makes me nervous. Meanwhile, the wolf continues to approach.
Choose, Luella, before you’re food.
Branch it is.
The roses wither and crumble under my fingers. But nothing happens. Magic flares in me and fizzles out harmlessly in the air.
The wolf lets out a roar and goes to lunge. I try and scramble up the tree, uselessly. In the process, I slip on the damp moss and fall backward.
The world moves slowly.
This is it. This is how I die. Mother always said I went too deep in the forests. She always told me that if anything did me in, it would be that I wandered too far from home.
You were right, Mother.
My back slams into the earth and my bones rattle. I nearly bite my tongue clean off. My teeth sting and ears ring. I imagine the sensation of the throne clawing under my skin. It’s the wolf claws on me now. Then there will be the teeth, and blood, and—
Hot breath is by my ear. Sniffing.
I pry open my eyes and am met with the wolf’s luminous gaze. It sniffs the side of my face. The boy—as I can now affirm—circles me. He sniffs my hands and buries his nose into my bag.
When he’s done with his inspection, he sits, curls his bushy tail around his paws, and stares expectantly.
“What?” I slowly sit upright. “You’re not going to eat me?” The wolf continues to watch me. “Then what was all that growling for?” I rub the back of my head. It’s still aching. “And what made you stop? Not that I’m complaining.”
He tilts his head at me. His ears twitch. It’s then that I notice a deep gouge in his right ear.
“Wait…are you…no, you couldn’t be…” I shift onto my knees, finally getting a good look at the wolf. He continues to stare expectantly. His tail lifts and then drops heavily. “Are you the same wolf as that day in the woods with Luke?”
It has to be. He has the same bright, knowing eyes as the wolf we saw then…now that he’s not snarling at me.
“Is this the second time you’ve startled me out of my skin?” I laugh airily. A sane person would likely begrudge the animal, but I’m actually slightly amused. “How long have you been watching me? You’re cheeky, aren’t you? Did you know long before I did who I was?”
He tilts his head in the other direction. Maybe it’s a yes.
“Do you know the way out of here?” I’ve lost my mind. I’m talking to a wolf. “You can get to the edge of the deep wood, right? Where it meets the temple grounds? That’s where we met last time; I want to go back there.”
The wolf continues to stare at me for several more seconds. With a sigh, I pull myself onto my feet. Wolf guide? A little too much to hope for.
“Well, anyway, thanks for not eating me, again.” I hold out my hand in a low wave goodbye.
The wolf moves. His legs are just as powerful as I imagined because before I can blink he’s crossed the gap between us and pressed his head into my palm. I stare in wonder as my fingers sink into the rough, dense fur. Even though he looks like he’s born of the Fade’s mist, he’s solid. Then, he backs away slowly, holding my gaze.
He turns, and disappears into the darkness.
“That was…” I start to say, but am cut off by a flash of gold. I can barely make out the wolf’s body from the curling mist. But I can see its glowing eyes. He looks almost expectant. “Do you want me to follow?”
The wolf begins to trudge ahead. I dash over to keep up. I’m likely following it to its favorite tree to pee on. I don’t even know if this animal does pee. Is it an animal at all? Or a beast made of shadow, like the horse Eldas rode to Capton on?
Doesn’t matter. He’s the best chance I have of getting out of this place. We walk through the dark woods for what must be another hour before I let out a groan of frustration.