Part 52 (2/2)

A spell erupted, hitting the tree trunk next to r noctu He pointed his Wiccan Mark at Ballard

Ballard howled There was a sound like lightning The ground exploded It rocked me where I stood

Ballard was no longer there He had been replaced by a huge, husky, electric-white olf

Ballard bared his fangs and shot at the hunter, who fired his ic, latching his teeth onto Rayven

I heard a quick succession of lightning strikesone, two, three there in the distance, the voices drawing closer

Rayven stu er and disappointment were etched on his face ”So be it,” he said

He pointed histhee woht erupted my way

The spell connected with Ballard squarely in his chest He had thrown himself between us Ballard fell in a heap

The Hunter backed away, pointing his finger at me ”Reertips and crawled through the airconnecting with me ”Soon,” he said I had a momentary impossible fantasy No It couldn't be

Rayven turned and was gone

All thoughts turned to Ballard I raced to hie, sickly-looking gash down his left side His pristine white fur matted in blood His muzzle had been cut

I put my hands on hi He was covered in blood I heard howls behind

Ballard breathed in and out So in his eyes I felt somehow connected to hi to communicate with me It was like a poorly-tuned radio station, or current passing through a faulty electrical switch, in out, in out I heard him say my name

”Halsey?” he whispered to me

Only, the Ballard Wolf had still not shi+fted back; I was talking to his Aniic was in Ballard's wound A curse I could see it spreading through his limbs Hadn't I knoas out there, and I hadn't said anything By not including Ballard, I had allowed this to happen If my parents were here they would be so ashamed

”Patience!” said a voice behindHe earing his spotted leather pants and led on a chain fro with a swirl inside of it

”Dobry den, Halsey Rookmaaker,” he said to me

”Please! You have to help him!” I said I didn't have time to fathom how Asher could be here ”I'm not Adept! I don't knohat to do!” I said

He bent his head over Ballard, tying his dreadlocks behind hies of Ballard's wound, probing with his fingertips

The ground was ru into dogs So the word koruna, I later learned was Czech for crown Then I reister Equitu Is this where they lived? The Stroion surrounding Prague

As if in answer, I heard ht in front of me, but I was still too dazed to really notice

”He needs a doctor,” Asher said ”That foul! Do you knohat he did? Never ht in Ballard's eyes was fading fast

”I cannot stop the bleeding,” said Asher ”It is too late”

It was everywhere, in thedown my face

Ballard, you can't leave me You can't I didn't knohat to do

A storhsoon

”I will give you some time,” said Asher

”That's it? You can't just quit,” I said, indignant, but Asher repeated his line: ”It is too late, Halsey Rookh the StrohtI realized that now Rayven had a plan for meto kill me, if he could Sos first, I needed to stop the bleeding The only way hoas to cauterize the wound

I looked at the Spellcaster's Mark running down the length of ht, fire?

Storet quickly out of hand The fire spell consu in its path Could intent and forcefulness change its intensity? At least if I ertips sparked As if, either they knehat to do, or Mistress Genevieve's recklessness was taking hold offroers, and as carefully as I could, said the ic warin to let up; thefrohtheaded; yet giddy, because the tissue around Ballard's wound was knitting itself of its own accord Then I re Werewolves had accelerated recuperative properties Good thing too Silly Ballard He had just jumped devil-may-care in front of Rayvento protect me

Asher looked on, wide-eyed

”I didn't know you could actually do ic,” he said

Neither did I I could see Ballard breathing again; it was ragged at first, and he was going to have a scar, but still I broke the connection, wiping the sweat offBallard's blood on host,' then,” said Asher ”Perhaps you are the One”

Asher looked atfire-opal eyesso there Two of his men appeared who updated hionethe trace is muddledwe picked up that other scent as hoever they are, they're crafty”

Asher nodded He directed them to take up Ballard's body ”We will follow behind Laurinaitis, if you could, please take some of your men and set the periht, and wander into our traps”

Asher grabbed Ballard's motorcycle and I followed after hi that had happened in the last few days, including the grey wolf