Chapter 21 Continuation
Mara and Zevran ran toward the large tent where they had been keeping the former king prisoner. Guards lay dead outside. Blood was everywhere.
They burst through the tent flap.
Inside, three wolves in black clothes were attacking King Darius. The former king was chained but he was fighting back, using his chains as weapons.
One assassin raised a knife to deliver the killing blow.
Zevran tackled him. They rolled across the ground, fighting for the weapon.
Mara transformed into her white wolf form and jumped on another assassin. Her jaws closed on his arm. He screamed and dropped his knife.
The third assassin ran. Mara chased him out of the tent and into the chaos of the camp.
The assassin was fast. He dodged between fighting wolves, heading for the forest.
Mara pushed herself harder. Faster. Her white wolf body was built for speed.
She caught up to him at the edge of the trees. She jumped and knocked him down.
They rolled together. The assassin managed to kick her off. He pulled another knife from his belt.
"You should have stayed out of this, Moon Wolf," he hissed. "Now you die too."
He lunged at her with the knife.
Mara dodged. The knife cut her shoulder but it was not deep.
She bit his leg. He fell. The knife went flying.
Mara pinned him down with her paws on his chest. She growled, showing her teeth.
"Who sent you?" she demanded.
The assassin laughed. Blood bubbled from his mouth. "You think I will tell you? I would rather die."
"Then die."
"Wait!" The assassin's eyes went wide with fear. "I will talk! Please do not kill me!"
"Then talk. Who sent you to kill King Darius?"
"Prince Ronan. He is alive. Hiding in the eastern mountains. He paid us to kill his father so no one could testify against him at the trial."
"Where exactly in the eastern mountains?"
"I do not know! He moves every few days! That is all I know, I swear!"
Mara heard footsteps behind her. Zevran and several other wolves arrived.
"Is he talking?" Zevran asked.
"He says Prince Ronan sent them."
"Of course he did." Zevran looked at the assassin with disgust. "Take him to Elder Sage. Let her decide his fate."
Two wolves dragged the assassin away. He was crying and begging for mercy.
Mara transformed back to human. The cut on her shoulder was bleeding but not badly.
"Are you hurt?" Zevran checked her wound.
"I am fine. Is King Darius alive?"
"Yes. The old fool fought off two assassins with nothing but his chains." Zevran shook his head. "I almost admired him for a moment."
"This is bad. If Ronan is trying to kill his own father, he must be desperate."
"Or smart. Dead men cannot testify." Zevran helped Mara stand. "Come on. We need to tell the others."
They walked back through the camp. Wolves were still shouting and running around. The assassin attack had everyone on edge.
Elder Sage stood in the center of the chaos, shouting orders. "Calm down! All of you! The danger has passed!"
Slowly, the panic subsided. Wolves stopped running and started helping the wounded.
"How many dead?" Marcus asked.
"Five guards. Three civilians who got caught in the fighting." Elder Sage's blind eyes turned toward Mara. "You caught one of the assassins?"
"Yes. He told me Prince Ronan sent them."
"Interesting. And where is Prince Ronan now?"
"Hiding somewhere in the eastern mountains."
"Then we will send hunters to find him after the trial." Elder Sage tapped her staff on the ground. "But this changes things. The trial must begin now. Tonight. Before there are more attacks."
"Now?" Brutus stepped forward. "But it is the middle of the night!"
"Would you rather wait and risk another assassination attempt? Perhaps next time they will succeed. Perhaps next time they will target more than just the former king." Elder Sage's voice was hard. "We begin the trial in one hour. Gather the witnesses. Prepare the evidence. This ends tonight."
Everyone scrambled to obey.
Mara felt her heart drop into her stomach. One hour. She had one hour to prepare for the most important trial of her life.
"I am not ready," she whispered to Zevran.
"You are as ready as you will ever be." He squeezed her hand. "Remember what I said. We live together or die together."
"Together," Mara agreed.
But as they walked toward the stone circle where the trial would be held, Mara saw something that made her freeze.
Standing in the shadows at the edge of the forest was a woman with long black hair and red eyes.
Morgana.
The first Shadow Wolf was watching. Waiting.
And she was smiling.