“I’m sorry, girl,” Marmal cooed to the dragon.
Even though my wolf was invisible, the dragon suddenly jerked her head in my direction, staring me right in the eyes. The light in the barn filtered through the bars, lighting up those milky pearl scales, and my wolf froze, entranced by her deep turquoise eyes. She was the most magnificent creature I’d ever seen.
“What’s—?” Marmal said and turned her head just as my wolf solidified.
Marmal jumped a little. “Who are you? How did you get out of your cage?” She looked over her shoulder, anxiety playing across her features as she scanned the room for Trip. My wolf stepped forward and nuzzled Marmal’s leg, causing Marmal to frown. Reaching out, Marmal stroked my wolf’s neck. “Come on, girl, you can’t be out of the cages or I get in trouble.” She dropped her scrub brush and stood, just as my wolf darted across the room.
“Get back here!” Marmal whisper-screamed, taking off after my wolf.
Now was my chance. In human form, I opened my eyes and ran from where I’d been quietly standing, near the place Sage had tied the horses off. Pumping my legs, I booked it through the trees and up to the back door of the barn, knowing that’s where my wolf was going to lead Marmal.
Marmal had never met my wolf, so she wouldn’t recognize her. I skidded to a stop just in front of the door at the same time my wolf leapt out of it, going from spectral to solid. The door flung open then and I was met with Marmal’s bewildered face, arms outstretched to grab my wolf. The moment she looked up at me, I pulled my hood back slightly, and she paled before breaking into a grin. Slipping out the door, she glanced over her shoulder and closed it to make sure she wasn’t followed.
Neither of us said anything, we both just opened our arms and pulled the other into a tight hug. It was crazy how you could bond with someone so deeply in such a short amount of time. I’d known Marmal only a few days and yet I knew I could ask anything of her. I knew that in the core of her person she was good.
“I thought you were dead,” she croaked, pulling away to get a better look at me.
My eyes trailed over a reddish scar on her right arm; it was angry and puckered and big. It looked like a burn. “I’m so sorry about your farm. Had I known, I would have—”
She cut me off, grabbing me by the armpit and pulling me away into the trees. Her eyes looked cagey, like she expected someone to come out and grab us at any moment.
“You can’t be here. The bounty on your head is unfathomable.” She reached up and pulled the hood back up around my face.
I frowned, an unfathomable bounty price was not good, but I didn’t like the way she was acting, like she was scared.
“Is Trip beating you? Have they hurt you?” There was a growl in my voice and my wolf went erect beside me.
Marmal looked up at me then, shaking her head as she hugged her arms against her chest. “No, but they hurt the animals and that might as well be the same thing.”
Oh God.
I shook myself. “Look, we don’t have a lot of time. I’ll explain on the way. Is there anything you need to grab before we go?”
I started to back up and lead her to where Sage and our horses were. Marmal frowned, the tiny white tusks in her cheeks bent inward, making a divot into her skin.
“What?” She sounded bewildered but slightly hopeful.
“Mar, I’m not leaving you here! Sawyer is in Magic City Prison. Come with us to get him out and then you can come live in Paladin Village forever. I’m the alpha.”
A slow grin pulled at her lips. “Alpha? I knew there was something special about you. Is that … your wolf? I swear I recognized the scent. You smell the same but…”
I nodded, and my wolf went spectral before leaping into my chest. Marmal staggered backward, eyes wide.
“Split shifter. Come on,” I pleaded. “I’ll explain on the way. There is a troll who broke out of Magic City Prison like ten years ago. Help us find him and then we can all go home together.”
Marmal looked back at the barn, her brow creasing. “I … want to … but I can’t leave them. I can’t leave her.”
My stomach dropped. “Who? Do you have a child? A mate?”
Marmal shook her head. “The animals, my dragon.”
The moment she mentioned the dragon, my mouth dropped open. “Your dragon?”
Marmal’s cheeks pinked. “Well, no but … I’ve named her and … she speaks to me.”
Holy shit! The dragon could speak to her? Maybe that was troll magic, I didn’t know. But that was how I felt about Astra the moment I’d seen her, and I knew I couldn’t ask Marmal to abandon the animals she had clearly grown to love over the past year. “Okay…” My mind raced trying to come up with a plan. I could tell Marmal’s did the same, because she looked deep in thought.
“The troll you spoke about, who broke out of Magic City Prison…?” Marmal said.
I nodded.
“I think he came in a few months ago to see Trip, got drunk and told the guys the story. I thought he was lying to look cool,” she said, and hope burst open inside of my chest.
I could barely contain my excitement. “Where does he live?”
Marmal put her hands out. “He’s not pure troll. He’s Ithaki, half troll and half fey.”
And the hope bubble popped like a balloon. I wasn’t exactly on the Ithaki’s nice list right now. If I had to trek back into the Wild Lands and look for this dude, I was going to be pissed, especially after our attack.
“But he lives here. Doesn’t like the Ithaki and is a loner type,” she added.
And the hope was alive again. She should have started with that!
“Where?” I stepped closer, hoping she could see the desperation in my eyes.
She took in a deep breath. “I can draw you a map of the general area. I know he’s in a place called South Hill, but not which cottage is his. It’s a day’s journey there and back.”
I nodded. It was almost nightfall. We could leave first thing in the morning to go see him! “And in that time you’ll find a way for us to break the animals out so you can come save Sawyer with me?” I really wanted us to be on the same page. I wasn’t leaving here without her.
She grinned, nodding. “The day after tomorrow is Pearl’s harvesting day. They let her out of the cage to get scales and nail clippings and … blood. I’ll … I’ll figure out a way to get her free then.”
My heart pinched at the mention of a fucking harvest day. Those bastards. I loved the name Pearl; it was perfect for her.
“My friend Sage came with me. We can help you get Pearl and all of the others out,” I promised, then gestured to my redheaded bestie, who waved through the trees.
Marmal waved back; tears lined her eyes as she pulled me in for another hug. “I can’t believe you came for me.”
I would have come a lot sooner had I known the shit situation she was in. “Always,” I promised.
When she pulled away, she pointed to my face. “Stop in a village and ask for a bridal veil before you see Seam—that’s the Ithaki. I only know his first name. But if he knows who you are, he’ll probably just turn you in for the bounty. Troll brides wear a full face veil in public for an entire month before the wedding, only taking it off on their wedding night.”