Chapters (46)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
Tristam screamed, a ragged sound that he hardly recognized as his own voice. In an instant, he was off his horse and running toward the pen. The cat raised its head and focused its amber-slitted eyes on him, and Tristam froze, suddenly realizing his mistake. After one last glance at the motionless Jack, the creature jumped lightly over the fence. Crouching low, it advanced slowly, gaze never deviating. Cursing his moment of madness, Tristam drew his sword, every muscle tight with fear. He had seen how quickly the cat could move.
The animal sprang for Tristam’s throat. Tristam’s reflexes took over, and he dropped to the ground, blindly slashing with his sword. He felt the blade hit the cat’s underside, but the sword edge glanced off its stiff black fur. The cat landed behind him and coiled around. It seemed more focused now, even eager. Tristam hastily raised himself to a crouch, keeping his shield and weapon between himself and the cat. At the cat’s next charge, he threw his shield up as he thrust his sword at its neck. The impact jarred his arms, and the cat’s claws sent splinters flying off his shield. The beast screamed. When they broke apart, there was a shallow slash across the creature’s shoulder. Tristam gritted his teeth and braced himself for the next attack.
The charge never came. It took Tristam a few moments to realize that the woman had spoken. Now both the cat and the woman looked into the distance. Hoofbeats sounded behind him, but Tristam didn’t dare turn to look. The cat exhaled through its nostrils and loped back to the livestock pen, crouching down as the woman vaulted over the fence onto its back. She dug her hands into the hair of its neck, and the two sped off across the field and into the forest.
Tristam stood there, petrified, breath coming in painful gasps as he stared after his attackers. Finally, he regained the presence of mind to wonder who was coming. Far up the road, soldiers dressed in Forge’s red livery galloped toward the farm. Tristam waved his arms, and a few riders branched off toward him.
Jack.
Tristam jumped into the livestock pen, dread squeezing his chest. His friend was pinned beneath his horse and barely conscious. Blood flowed from the gash in his side, and his breathing was shallow. The part of Tristam’s mind that knew about battle wounds whispered that this was mortal, but Tristam ignored it. Jack was going to be all right. He had to be. Tristam removed his shirt and knelt down, pressing the fabric to Jack’s side with clumsy hands. The cloth didn’t even cover half the gash, but he was not giving up.