When she stood on four paws, Feena butted Tal's flank with her narrow head before rushing out the alley through the legs of the paralyzed guards. The gesture said more clearly than words, "Run with me."
Together, they fled the alley. Pedestrians scattered at the sight of two wolves-all but one.
A man gazed at them from the street corner. Tall and broad-shouldered, he wore the rough woolen breeches and leather jerkin of a laborer. Thick mutton-chop whiskers gave the man a wild appearance, but Tal smelled a familiar scent on him. It was more than an animal scent. There was a familiar aura about the man, and Tal knew immediately he was like Tal and Feena-a werewolf.
Tal moved toward the man, growling. The stranger backed away, but Feena butted Tal again before he could close.
No, she was saying. This way.
Tal wanted to pursue the strange werewolf, to chase him off or fight him-he wasn't sure which. He ignored Feena and rushed forward. The stranger turned to flee, but two legs would never outrun four. Tal was almost upon him when Feena bit his flank.
Irritation more than anger spun him around to bite back, but the russet wolf was nimble. She slipped away before his teeth could catch her. Tal paused, torn between pursuing the stranger and chastising Feena. He turned toward the stranger, who was almost a street away.
Feena nipped him again, then ran away before he could bite back. This time he pursued her.
She was fast, but his legs were longer. He was almost upon her when she turned suddenly to run down a side street. His claws scraped on the cobblestones as he skidded to a halt before rejoining the pursuit.
People scattered before the wolves, and twice they ran past startled clusters of city Scepters. Once a bolt pierced Tal's shoulder, and he yelped as he rolled to break it loose. It came away easily, leaving an angry mark that soon healed over. It was no more harm than a mosquito bite.
Feena called to him in the wolf's voice, and he followed. His desire to punish her distracting attacks had faded, but he felt an urgent need to escape all the motion in the city. Dimly he knew that those crossbows could do more than sting, but even more he wanted wide spaces. In the city there were walls and buildings at every turn. He felt confined by the boundaries, harried by all the commotion wherever they ran.
At last, Feena led them to the city gates. The guards took one look at the running wolves and pushed open the gates, as one might open the shutters to free a bat caught in the house. Tal could smell their fear subside as he and Feena ran through the opening, leaving the city behind.
Beyond the walls of Selgaunt, they ran through grassy fields, heedless of the road. Feena nipped at Tal again, more playfully than before. He chased her again, but not for retribution. His anger and confusion were gone now, and he felt only joy at the wide freedom of the open land and the cool light of the radiant moon.
The chase continued until they were far out of sight and scent of the city. Still Feena led Tal along, nipping or butting him, or just feinting an approach before dashing away. Before long he learned the patterns of her play, and at last Tal caught her by the scruff of her neck. He held her tightly but without drawing blood, bearing her down to the ground.
Feena stopped struggling, at last laying her head down between her paws. Her scent was a strange blend of her human odor and animal musk. The combination evoked an uncomfortable but pleasant sensation in Tal. He released his grip and snuffled at her, drinking the smell of her. Rather than quench his desire, it inflamed him all the more.
Feena nuzzled him and licked his face. Their scents mingled, forming a heady blend of odors both male and female, human and wolf…
Tal's sudden passion was equal parts panic and desire. He wanted Feena, more than he'd ever wanted a woman- but not like this, not as wolves. Thoughts wrestled with emotions in a confusing tumble. He turned and walked away from Feena, trying not to look back.
He sat and listened for the sea, less than a mile away. It was but a black line on the horizon, discernable only by the reflection of the moon. Tal's ears pricked up to hear the faint susurrus of the waves. The constant rhythm soothed him, and gradually his racing heart slowed. He imagined himself floating gently on those waves, the water carrying him without filling his lungs. Slowly, slowly, he felt the wind in his fur become the breeze on his skin.
He looked down to see human hands, human legs. He looked up to see Selune shining full and bright above him. Behind her trailed the shards, sparking fragments of light. Feena had told him they were the goddess's servants, forever attending their Lady of Silver.
Warm hands touched Tal's shoulders. He turned to see Feena kneeling behind him. The moonlight washed away all but a few of her freckles and left her eyes big and dark.
"We're safe out here," she said. "No one will find us."
The warmth of her hands was thrilling and comforting at once. She stroked his shoulders gently, then pressed her hands against his back, leaning close. Tal could feel the warmth of her body only inches from his own skin.
"Thank you," he said. The words sounded feeble even as they left his lips.
"Are you cold?" she asked. Her lips were close to his ear, and he smelled her breath. Before he could answer, she added, "I am."
He turned and opened his arms to her. She nestled against his chest as if they were familiar lovers. Her artless gesture stole away his breath.
"I didn't want… I didn't know…"
He never finished whatever he was about to say. Feena pulled his face down to hers and stopped his lips with a long, warm kiss. It set his heart running once again, and he feared the wolf would overcome him once again. When their lips parted, their twined bodies were still human.
"I want," she said. "And I know."
She looked into Tal's eyes for assent, but he gave it with his lips.
They said no more that night, and when Selune passed her greatest height and descended gracefully to the far horizon, they fell asleep on the soft grass, their human bodies twined together.
Chapter 17
Tarsakh, 1372 DR
Uskevren is still in the city," Darrow told the cleric. "Exactly where, I don't know."
"Don't know or won't say?" she demanded.
Something about her blue eyes seemed disturbingly familiar. Suddenly he realized that this had to be Maleva's daughter, sent to Selgaunt to watch over Talbot Uskevren. If she had not yet learned of her mother's death, Darrow didn't want to be the one to tell her. After witnessing Maleva's powers, Darrow would have feared her daughter even if she weren't wielding a blade of holy light.
"What I do know is that Stannis Malveen has this man's daughter locked up," Darrow told her. "He's been blackmailing him for information on Talbot Uskevren."
"To what end?" asked the cleric.
"I'm not sure," said Darrow. She raised her weapon. "He changes his mind! At first it sounded like he wanted revenge because of some old quarrel with Tha-malon Uskevren. Later, he was making a deal with Rusk to get at Talbot."
"You're coming with me," she said. "You can explain all this to Talbot yourself."
"I can't," he said. "If I'm gone too long, they might kill her. Besides, I think Talbot is in jail."
"What?"
"That's why this one was meeting Radu, I think. They were going to make it look like he was robbed of the bail money."
"Tonight's the full moon," said the cleric, looking at the sky.