“Get out of here!” Granny shouted. At first Jessie thought she shouted at the beast, but then realized it was to her she cried. “The window, out now!”
Granny held the doorknob tight, and when the wolf-men tore into her, she never let go. Unable to stop crying, Jessie looked away and crawled for the other side. The window…the glass was shattered from the creature’s arrival. If she could sneak out and hide, she might survive. Stumbling onto her feet, she ran for it, unafraid of the jagged edges of glass that remained. Shards littered the floor as well, and they cut her bare feet. Something tripped her, and she cried out. Lyla’s body. They stared face to face, noses almost touching. Panic gave her speed she didn’t know she possessed. Her hands clawed at the window, and up she went, thinking only of escape. Something tugged her dressed, she fought, and then she was flying.
“No!” she shrieked at the top of her lungs, landing atop her piss-soaked bed. The wolf-man towered over her, blood on its claws and pieces of flesh hanging from its teeth.
“Four for Yellowscar,” it snarled, reaching for her throat.
The door burst inward, and in the distraction, Jessie dove once more to the ground. She rolled under the bed, her arms tucked against her chest. She closed her eyes and wished she could blot out the sounds. The wolf-man snarled, but several men were crying out. Steel hit claw, and daring to open her eyes, she saw the soldiers from Blood Tower had come. The wolf twisted and struck, but every time she heard it scrape against something, a shield perhaps, or maybe their armor. Another set of legs came through the open door. She wanted to run for it, but she feared getting in their way. Not knowing what else to do, she prayed the same cadence, her heart aching for poor Lyla.
“Blessed of the light, watch over me.”
A man cried out. Blood splashed to the floor.
“May I walk your road and never stray.”
The soldier hit the ground, his head facing hers. Air leaked from his torn throat.
“May I feel your arms around me when I fall.”
The life in his eyes faded, his arms twitching their last. The wolf-man growled deep.
May I sing your praises when I stand.
More cries. The legs of the soldiers surrounded the wolf, and she heard it yelp in pain.
Blessed of the light, may I love you, as you have always loved me.
A hand reached for her under the bed, and she took it. Crawling out, she looked up to see her father.
“Daddy,” she cried, flinging her arms around him and sobbing into his chest.
“There, there,” Jeremy said, stroking her head as beside her the soldiers dragged the bleeding, bound body of the wolf-man from the room.
She never wanted him to let her go.
10
“Are you sure there are no more?” Jerico asked as he followed the soldier through the town toward the Hangfield home.
“Fairly sure,” said the soldier. “It crashed through the window of Jeremy’s girl. Killed three before we got there, and another before we could get it down. We’ve got it tied up in Jeremy’s cellar. So far it hasn’t said a word.”
“Jessie…is she all right?”
Jerico felt his heart pause for a moment as the soldier thought, but then he nodded.
“Yeah. I remember seeing her crying in her father’s arms. She looked fine. Well, fine as circumstances allowed, if you get my meaning.”
The paladin breathed a sigh of relief.
“She’s a good soul,” he said. “I’d hate for something to happen to her.”
“Four others died instead of her,” the soldier said, halting before Jeremy’s house. “One of ’em was my friend. You saying they ain’t good souls?”
Jerico flushed, and embarrassed, he shook his head.
“Forgive me. I was wrong. What is your name, soldier?”
The man gave him a look, then nodded.
“All right. I see we understand each other. My name’s Gregory. Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Jerico muttered as they entered through the front door.
Jeremy was waiting for them, standing in his robes by the door. With him in the small room was his daughter, sitting in a chair near the corner. Her eyes were closed, and she rocked the chair back and forth with gentle pushes of her foot.
“Glad you’re here,” Jeremy said. “Darius and his, uh, friend are already down there, and I don’t like the sounds I’m hearing.”
“Sounds?” Jerico asked.
The man only shrugged and pointed them toward the musty door leading to the cellar. Gregory led the way. Halfway down he heard a strange shriek, and he realized it was the wolf-man crying out in agony. The sound made his skin crawl, and he pitied the others throughout the large house still trying to sleep. Jerico braced himself for the scene he knew he’d encounter, but was still unprepared for the brutality of it.
The wolf-man lay flat on the floor, this feat accomplished by the breaking of its knees so they might bend the necessary way, instead of backwards like a wolf’s. Ropes lashed across its body, nailed into the hard earth of the cellar. Patches of its skin were missing, as if burned, though he saw only a single torch hung upon the wall. Blood seeped across its body from a multitude of wounds. Pheus stood over it, shadows dancing across his fingers. Darius stood at his side. Watching with three of his men was Daniel, his arms crossed and his expression revealing nothing. The shadows dipped into the wolf-man’s flesh. It pulled against the ropes holding it, every muscle twitching chaotically.
“What is this?” Jerico asked, feeling stupid even as he said it.
“No business of yours,” said Pheus. “We have information to learn from this mongrel. Daniel’s soldiers were wise in keeping it alive, and should be commended for such quick thinking.”
Daniel scowled, clearly unimpressed with the compliment.
“You’re letting him torture it?” Jerico asked him.
“Three helpless women dead,” Daniel said, looking away. “Plus one of my men. Go take a look at Jessie’s room if you want to see why I let them be. The walls are painted red.”
Jerico glared at Darius, but the man returned his gaze unflinching.
“All our lives may depend on this,” said the dark paladin.
“Enough,” said Pheus. He knelt down and placed his hands on either side of the wolf-man’s head. “It is time you talk. Tell me your name, or you will feel pain a thousand times greater than you have felt before.”
“Yellowscar,” the creature whimpered. Its eyes were unfocused, with the whites of one turned pink and covered with veins.
“Very well, Yellowscar. Why did you kill those women? Were you under order?”
The creature made a strange sound. Jerico couldn’t decide if it were a laugh or a growl.
“I killed for honor.”
“Honor?” Daniel spat. “You killed helpless women for honor? ”
Yellowscar tilted its head so it could stare at him with its good eye. The pink one didn’t move with the other.
“You are weak. Human. You know nothing of honor.”
“Is that so?” Pheus said. He struck Yellowscar’s snout with his palm. Dark energy flowed into it, and the wolf-man yelped at the top of its lungs, a cry that stretched on for what felt like an eternity.
“Enough!” Jerico cried, not to the wolf, but to Pheus.
“You would challenge me?” the priest asked. Instead of angry, he appeared almost delighted by the prospect.
“I won’t watch you torture this poor creature.”
“Then leave,” said Darius. “You know this must be done.”
Jerico felt all eyes upon him, and he struggled to decide what was right. This creature might know when the attack would come. But making it suffer and howl while above children slept…it wasn’t right. He stepped toward Yellowscar, his motions careful. Black stars sparkled on the edge of Pheus’s fingertips, and he seemed eager for the slightest excuse to let them fly. Kneeling beside the wolf-man, Jerico put his hands on the worst of the creature’s wounds and prayed for the pain to stop.