Chapter 16.-2
“I have a feeling she’ll be able to take one look at you and give you all the answers that you want. Troy is on this side of the mountain, about a four-day journey as a wolf, closer to the peak of the mountain. The closest and safest way is through a thicket of woods. It used to be home to a powerful coven of witches, but has since been abandoned. Some of the spell traps are still active,
so take this. It should help you navigate them.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out an amulet. Duke snagged it before she could drape it around her neck. “What is it?” he growled, eyeing the strange symbol amateurishly melded into a
circle.
“It’s magic. When it warms against your skin, a trap will be near. The closer you get to the trap, the hotter it will get. I would suggest wearing it as a human. It will sear the skin before you reach the trap. Simply change directions, and you should avoid the danger. I realize this will lengthen your journey, but most wolves avoid the area because of the traps. Your journey should be relatively safe. When the necklace has gone completely cold, like it is now, you’ll be at the end of the coven property. There will be more wolves but not more spell traps.”
I reached out and took it. Sure enough, it was ice-cold, as if she’d kept it in the freezer. Strange.” And what exactly is a spell trap?”
“Exactly as it sounds. A boundary spelled to do something as you cross it. Some are mild, and might make you a little itchy or sleepier than usual. And some might stop your heart instantly. The remaining member of the coven has refused to take them down, and the magic of the mountain
feeds them.”
She sounded almost sad as she said it. Carefully, I looped the amulet around my neck and waited to see if I would feel anything. It was still completely cold. “If I’m traveling as a wolf, how will I
know if I’m close to the border?”
“Interesting question. I suppose you could always hold it in your mouth against your tongue,” she said dismissively. “Good luck.”
The woman knew more than she was letting on, but she just gave us an innocent smile. When I turned, she cleared her throat. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me why you’re looking for this Morven?”
I almost didn’t tell her. She could have leveraged her information for my information, but she’d
given hers freely, along with directions and something to help us through. In fact, they’d been
nothing but helpful from the moment they’d invited us in, which was beyond suspicious.
“He killed my brother.”
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Chapter 16 2
Nyx’s eyes widened, but Sera just studied me. “The world of wolves is violent,” she said softly. “But
our world is much smaller than yours. That they are intersecting is a sign of great change. You have darkness in your heart. It will change you if you do not let some light in, and I think your
brother would not want that.”
“And what do you know of my brother or my heart?” I challenged.
She glanced at Nyx. “More than you, it seems. I wonder if I will see you again. I hope I do. Unfinished stories are unsettling for me.”
The woman was babbling nonsense. I turned to my group. “Let’s go.”
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