The Stone Wolf (The Chain Breaker Book 4) by D.K. Holmberg (digital book reader TXT) 📕

shouldn’t beg, especially not somebody who served Tristan, but what choice did he have? He needed to find Wrenlow. Gavin was convinced he could. He had to capture this woman, though he didn’t know if such a thing was even possible. The Toral magic she had access to was beyond what he could even fathom.

He rushed forward, holding on to the energy within him. Something shifted. Her magic shimmered and then solidified, throwing him back.

Gavin crashed into the far side of the room. He started to get up, and the woman watched him for a moment.

“You really don’t know about the t’ranth, do you?” She sighed, looking toward the door again. “I’m going to kill that man,” she muttered. Turning to Gavin, she said, “I don’t have them.” She stepped outside. Smoke swirled up and around her. Tension that had been in her face faded as she disappeared.

Gavin got to his feet slowly, which took everything within him, and he headed to the door. Imogen held her sword over a fallen figure.

Gaspar.

He didn’t have a chance to think through what the Toral had said to him, the confusion she’d shown, or the comment about killing someone.

If she meant Wrenlow…

The strange thing was that he didn’t think she did.

Which meant he didn’t have the full story.

What if the t’ranth wasn’t the egg?

Or maybe she didn’t want to use it, but wanted to keep it from Tristan—or the Fates?

She was powerful, and Zella had warned him that Toral often used dangerous magic, so he had to be careful with that line of thinking.

Gavin raced over to Gaspar and looked around the clearing. “What happened?”

“They were too much for us,” she whispered.

“They?”

“The creature we faced.”

“How was that even possible?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said.

Imogen sounded worried in a way that Gavin had rarely seen from her. Whatever had happened, whatever she had dealt with, had been too much for her.

Gaspar lay motionless, reminding Gavin of what had happened to Desarra. It was the result of power, but what kind? That was an answer he didn’t have, and he wasn’t sure that he was going to get it. Not from Gaspar’s unconscious state.

Gavin looked at Imogen. “We need to get him to Nelar. We might be able to get him the help he needs.”

“There won’t be time,” she said.

“There will be.”

He wasn’t losing Gaspar.

This was his team. That was what Gaspar had kept reminding him.

He wouldn’t let anyone fall.

Gavin placed his hands under Gaspar to scoop him off the ground. His hands came away wet, and he rolled Gaspar over and examined his back. Blood stained his clothing, and he continued to bleed heavily.

Gavin frowned and picked Gaspar back up. “Hold on.”

He started jogging. From somewhere in the forest, the stone creatures reappeared and started to follow them. Gavin looked over to see Imogen running alongside him as well.

“Why didn’t the stone creatures help us?” he asked.

“They couldn’t get through the protections,” she said. “I tried to lower the barriers quickly, but they were deceptively challenging.”

“How so?”

Imogen glared at him. “Is now the time?”

Gavin turned his attention straight ahead. “No,” he said. Now definitely wasn’t the time. All he needed to do was keep moving. “There will be several different kinds of healers in the city.”

“How well do you know this place?” she asked.

“A little bit,” Gavin said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been there, though.”

He jogged, knowing he couldn’t go too quickly and run the risk of burning off his energy, especially with as much power as he’d already drawn upon to fight. He had to keep moving, but he could already feel his strength fading.

“Do you want me to take him?” Imogen asked.

“No,” Gavin said.

“I know what you did in there.”

“Do you?”

“I know well enough.”

The strange part was that Gavin was certain she did know. He had no idea how she did, or whether he’d ever know what she had learned about him, but he wasn’t sure it even mattered. “I will carry him,” he said. “Besides, at this point, you might be the better one to fight if it comes down to it.”

She looked over, then she nodded. Under other circumstances, Gavin would’ve loved to have an opportunity to talk with her, to figure out more about her and her power, but now was simply not the time.

It felt like an eternity before they reached the edge of the forest and made it to the city. Gaspar still hadn’t awoken—not that Gavin expected him to. There had been enough blood loss that Gavin was surprised that Gaspar hadn’t perished, but this was Gaspar. The old thief was stubborn.

As they approached the city border, a squat stone building with a low surrounding wall greeted them.

“There,” Gavin said.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A sorcery outpost.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Look at the markings.”

The building was a pale stone, and there were runic markings all over the structure. They were signs of sorcery, or perhaps writing that came from an even earlier time. Approaching as they did, Gavin could feel the energy of the building itself push on him, as if trying to raise his awareness. In the daylight, the stone of the building and the wall surrounding it seemed to gleam.

“He won’t like this,” she said.

“I’m sure he won’t,” Gavin agreed. “I’m not sure he has much choice in the matter.”

And any run-of-the-mill healer might not be enough. What Gaspar needed was real healing, somebody who understood and could get him through what had happened.

Imogen pushed the gate open, and Gavin hurried up the path and kicked on the door to knock. He looked over at Imogen, who was watching intently. She had sheathed her sword, but there was a certain danger radiating from her.

When the door finally came open, a young face looked out at them. He had dark brown hair, a long jawline, and a serious expression on his face. “I’m sorry, but we are—”

Gavin pushed past him, ignoring the young sorcerer’s protests. “We need healing. This man has been hurt.”

“You