He was laughing like a goddamned maniac.
We're injured, and he's too strong, I said to my wolf. We need to get out
of this cave.
But she didn't respond. Not to me, at least. She bared her teeth and
snarled, then attacked. The metallic taste of blood filled our mouth as she
sank her teeth into his skin.
Her elation mixed with my panic. Kahanov still had the Soul Knife.
Get us out of here! I screamed to my wolf.
But it was too late. The blade sank deep, and we howled in agony. Then a
wave of magic burst into us, and we were hurled backward through the air.
The wall of the cave broke our flight, and the impact sent a wave of pain
through our ribs.
Yet my wolf climbed to her feet and met Kahanov’s murderous gaze.
“Come here, little wolf. You belong with me,” he growled. “Savannah
doesn’t respect you, but I will. You can be free, just come to me.”
For a second, terror seized me, drowning out the pain. I was helpless and
out of control.
But then my wolf turned and bolted down the cave.
Green flames licked at our heels, but we were faster than him, even cut
and bleeding.
We didn’t slow. The fork in the passage appeared ahead, and the scent of
briny sea air pulled us forward.
She darted down the passage that I should have taken from the start, and
after a few minutes, light appeared, then the azure blue of water.
Thank God.
42
Savannah
The sun was high in the sky, and the brightness in contrast to the darkness
of the cave was painfully blinding. Fresh air had never tasted so good. Relief
flooded me at being out of that cave, but where the hell were we?