"Hello, Lunus. I'm so glad you came," the voice said from behind her as it whispered in her ear with the sound of some twisted pleasure. It was the voice of a man, but more than that, it was, also, familiar.
She turned her head to the foreseeable sight of Jeremy Jensen sitting close behind her at the rear of the horse's saddle, and her chest tightened, her heart twisting with alarm.
Balthazar left Arfak writhing on the ground in pain and walked over to his Luna in noble stride."Come, Lunus," he said, the deep voice of the wolf inviting her to the safety his care secured.Lunus smiled up at him, thankful for the sight of the forest's fearful shadow. "Balthazar," she said, hugging his neck an
They stayed together in the cave until it was nearly dusk, and Evan's eyes turned to Lunus."I really think you ought to take my pelt as payment," he told her.Lunus sighed, "Evan, I already told you-"
Evan woke Lunus an hour before daybreak and urged her to come with him to town. She jumped willingly upon the strong back of the furry creature and grabbed hold of his black coat for stability as he ran.Evan carried her towards the walls of the town with their guarded watchtowers and soldiers behind. He scaled the wall, jumping high and climbing with his powerful claws, taking them up and over. No one saw. They were all very much distracted by the hordes of wolves already inside, and Balthazar was black as the darkness.
The sound of the door closing was enough to startle Lunus to alertness as she rested contently in her lover's arms. She had laid her head on Evan's chest and lifted her eyes to look at him."Perhaps he's home?" she asked, becoming aware of the sunshine as it seeped in through the closed curtains of the window.
Evan knocked hesitantly upon the worn wooden door of the Kingsman's residence after a long internal discussion over the wisdom of taking refuge with a stranger.Still, he had little choice in the matter. The risk of being caught with Ba'reel was too great, and if Arthur was caught hiding him, they would both be tried and executed... if they were so lucky as to have a trial. The wolves were not always afforded such courtesies.
"You slept with her?" Ryan repeated, realizing that Evan wouldn't speak until he did.Evan nodded. "Yes... she was helping me, as you know... to find a cure to the curse, but Arfak wanted her dead. He hated people, and he has a unique hatred of hunters. So... he set himself to attack her when she entered into the forest. I saved her from him, but when I brought her back to the cave, I..."
"She'll be gone by now!" Evan protested, careful to keep with Ryan's brusque pace as the two walked together through the empty streets of the sleeping city."Then we'll go where she is!" Ryan replied. He was being very insistent on this."She's clear in Gelsome!" Evan reminded him, incensed by the Kingsman’
The last thing Evan remembered was walking into the lobby of the Gelsome Inn with Ryan Hollis, who had walked up to the desk clerk and asked about a room. While they were talking, he had also asked the man about Lunus, and he had assured the two of them that she was, in fact, a guest there. That was good news. What wasn’t good news was whatever had happened to his eyesight.Evan Marshal had been curiously examining the unfamiliar craftsmanship of the wooden beams and decorations which the brightly lit lobby proudly displayed amidst its grand staircase and crystal cha