Eleven

A giant black wolf entered the village right as I was about to go after Zahra. I grabbed a knife and stood my ground, but the wolf bowed its head, gray eyes on me. Then, fur became skin and claws became fingers. "Your sister is in great danger."

"Where is she?"

"Roan!"

I turn to see Finx with his hands on his ears, wincing. "What's going on?"

"It's Zahra!" he groaned. "She's screaming!"

The man that was wolf bared his teeth. "He's hurting her!"

"Who!" I demand.

"He said his name was Lucas."

I grabbed my horse and rode out, the wolf alongside me. He led the way to where he had met Zahra and I jumped to the ground. Seeing her knife, I grab it and the wolf sniffs, growls then howls.

Together, we race through the forest, trying to catch up to her before she's inside Lucas's lair. But the wolf skids to a halt a few minutes later and paws at something. I go over and see a splatter of blood on the grass. "Damn it!"

We continue to search for my sister, following the blood trail, but after a while, I realize we're going in circles. Lucas used her to confuse me and the wolf, and he was enjoying it. I open up my senses to try and filter out her scent that was fresh from the old ones.

"Roan."

I swing around and glare. "Where is she?"

Aspen looks sick. "I told her to stay inside the village. She wasn't supposed to leave."

"Where is she!"

He flinches and tears begin to fall. "My father..."

I stride over to him and am about to punch him when a hand stops me. I look up to see June. "He's not to blame, Roan."

"He helped him!"

"Out of the will to survive. It's not his fault."

"My sister is gone!" I shout.

June kneels and I go down with her. "Use your instincts. Look at Aspen. Do you really think he wanted to hurt her? He's been talking to her for weeks now and even warned her to stay inside. Why would he purposely contradict himself?"

"Because he's a traitor!"

"She did it for you," Aspen breathed. We look at him. "She made a deal with my father, for you."

"What deal?" I ask.

More tears and he shakes his head. "She's so stupid! She took my place! She took my place and saved me!"

June gasped and I didn't understand. "Took your place?"

"As my father's puppet."

"She did what!" June hissed. "Please tell me this is a lie! Aspen, why did you let her do it?"

He shook his head again. "I didn't know! I didn't know until he rode away alone with her. She saved me...she is taking my place."

"No!" I growl. "She's not taking anyone's place!"

"Roan, you don't get it!" Aspen gasped. "She's already in his hold. He's already got a place in her mind."

I shake my head. "That's a lie!"

"I tried to keep her safe, but she left!"

I stood and paced the clearing, the wolf watching us. "Zahra is smarter than this! What is wrong with her!"

June stood up now and said softly, "Maybe she was proving to you that Aspen says who he says he is?"

I look at her, then at Aspen. I realize Zahra had been right. June had been right. I realize Aspen has been badly injured within, and all this time, he'd silently been begging for help. I go over and help him up. "Let's go back. We'll make a plan and get you something to eat," I say and look at the wolf. "Do you want to come with us or go home?"

The wolf sat, and I took it as he wouldn't be coming, so I led June and Aspen back to the village and hoped my sister would survive long enough for me to think of a way to get her out.