Noak sheathed his knife and raced after Elsa.

“Stop!”

She ignored him and ran faster, the shotgun bouncing on the strap across her back, her head down and her hand clutching her side. Elsa turned onto a narrow animal trail and Noak followed on her heels. The undergrowth thickened, slowing him down. Noak seemed to catch on everything, while Elsa’s slighter form slipped through. He cursed as she pulled further away from him.

“Elsa!”

Noak pushed through the dense scrub, with its sharp leaves as thick as bristles on a hairbrush. He’d thought he’d lost her, but Elsa’s frustrated cry rang out ahead. She came into view and Noak saw the animal track had become a dead end.

“Wait there.”

“Not happening.” Elsa shielded her face with her arms and crashed into the thicket. Dry wood snapped and the bushes shook.

“Damn it.” Noak dove in behind her and fought his way closer. Branches grabbed at his hair and clothing.

“Elsa, stop.”

He reached for her. His fingers grazed Elsa’s hood, but she broke from the thicket patch before he could get a good hold. She shook off the last few snares and ran up the rocky hill.

“Damn it, Elsa!”

Noak freed himself and drew on the Source. He sprinted. He dodged tree trunks and leapt over rocks. The distance between them closed.

Metres from the cave entrance, Elsa called out, her voice frantic. “Mina! They’re here. Don’t come out!”

Noak tackled her. They hit the ground together and Elsa took the full force of his weight. The air whooshed from her lungs and she gave a great howl of pain.

“Get off me!”

Elsa heaved her body. Noak let go of her waist and she rolled away. He tried to grab her foot. She kicked him in the face, hard enough to make him see stars. She scrambled to her feet and freed the shotgun. The gun barrel became a barrier between them.

“You don’t touch me!” Elsa backed up until she was blocking the cave entrance. “You don’t come anywhere near me.”

Noak rose to his knees and held his palms out. “Okay. I won’t. But let me explain.”

Laughter cut across the clearing and a feeling of dread entered Noak’s chest. He’d lost his chance to keep Elsa out of danger.

Noak schooled his features and turned towards the laughter. His long-standing rival sat on a nearby boulder. Edgar scratched a patch of flaky mud on his sinewy chest and took in the scene: Noak on the ground with his hands raised, Elsa with her rusted gun.

“That was quite an entrance.” The wolf tattoo covering the left side of Edgar’s face stood out, even with the mud painted on his shaved skull. It rippled with his smile. “You certainly have a way with women.”

Noak clambered to his feet. Edgar’s sudden appearance threw him off balance. He needed time to collect his thoughts and come up with a new plan.

Noak made a show of checking his injuries. The thicket had left deep scratches on his chest and arms. Noak rolled his jaw back and forth, testing the spot where Elsa’s boot had connected with his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“You look like you lost a fight with a feral cat,” Edgar said. He inspected Elsa. “Though maybe cat is too generous…more like a little mouse.”

Noak spat out a gob of blood and saliva. “I thought we’d decided you’d wait at camp, so I could meet the Chosen first and explain to them about their new life.”

Edgar hopped from his perch. “Yes, but then I realised I don’t trust you. Who knows what you’re telling them? I want to make sure their young minds aren’t being poisoned against me, or our master.”

Edgar inched closer to Elsa. “She seems a little old to be part of our collection.”

“She’s not,” Noak answered, a heartbeat too quick. “She’s no one.”

“And yet, you just chased her as if she was very much someone.” Edgar turned back to the woods. “What do you guys think?”

Edgar’s Blood Wolves slunk out of the fog and Noak wondered if they’d been there all along, watching from the trees. He counted six youths dressed in muted greys and browns. Every one of them was fully armed and loyal to Edgar.

“You do understand we’re here to collect children,” Noak asked, “not hunt Bonemen?”

Edgar shrugged. “We like to be prepared.”

Gray, Noak’s second-in-command, emerged from the woods a few paces behind the main group. The stocky Blood Wolf pulled up next to him and took in the scratches on Noak’s face and arms.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“What happened to you?”

Noak brushed off Gray’s question and asked his own. “Why is Edgar here?”

“I couldn’t stop him,” Gray said, his frustration plain in the lines on his face. “Edgar wanted to watch how you do things.”

“Where’s the rest of our pack?” Noak asked.

“Tidying up camp. They’re on their way.”

Noak knew they’d arrive too late. Edgar’s hardened band had already pushed past Noak and formed a tight semi-circle around Elsa.

She waved the ancient weapon at their mud-covered faces. “Stay back!”

Edgar ignored her warning and strode closer.

“Where have you come from? The mountain?” His eyes travelled the length of Elsa’s body. “No, you’re too skinny to dwell in that cesspool of luxury. With a bit of food, perhaps…” Edgar’s gaze did another round.

Noak wanted to rip out his throat.

Gray’s hand fell on his shoulder before he could react. “What are you doing? We’re outnumbered. You need to calm down.”

Gray was the steady one, always the voice of reason. It was why Noak had chosen him as second-in-command. He’d never ignored Gray’s warnings before, but this time Noak barely heard him. He watched Elsa scan the circle and felt a desperate need to help her.

“Noak,” Elsa whispered.

Edgar’s mouth broke into an even wider smile. “This mouse knows your name, Noak.”

Edgar intercepted Elsa’s pleading glance. “Now, why do you keep looking to him? Do you think he’ll help you?”

Elsa stood straighter. “I can take care of myself. Gun beats knife.”

Noak remembered Amos using the same line during their first encounter, moments before Ysolde had almost strangled him. It seemed Edgar wasn’t convinced by her threat either.

“Is that so?” He feinted in her direction.

A tiny sob escaped Elsa’s mouth.

Edgar heard it. “Little mice should know better than to poke their noses from their burrows.”

Elsa raised the gun between them. “I’m warning you. Mouse or not, I will shoot.”

Edgar wagged his finger. “I see your hands shaking, I doubt you could make the hit.”

Her features hardened with determination. “Come on then, take the chance! Step closer and I’ll make some quick improvements to your ugly face.”

Edgar laughed and Noak couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Stop toying with her.”

Edgar advanced on Elsa. “I don’t want to.”

Noak stepped into Edgar’s path. “You told Cohen I couldn’t be trusted. You insisted on having your pack here with you as witnesses. Stop messing around and let me do my job.”

Edgar waved at the cave entrance. “Go on then, fetch.”

Noak clenched his fists. “The girl is not part of the collection.”

“In that case, she’s not yours to worry about.” Edgar turned his hard eyes back on Elsa. “I will take responsibility for her.”

Noak infused his body with the Source, ready to force Edgar to back off. The Leashworm shivered in excitement. Gray grabbed his arm. “Have you lost your mind?”

Noak shook his friend’s hand loose.

Gray grabbed him again, halting his attack. “Cohen is testing you. He’s waiting for you to make a mistake. You attack his favourite and there’s no going back.”

Edgar sneered. “You should listen to that big, dumb dog of yours, Noak.”

Gray wouldn’t be drawn in by Edgar’s insult. “The others will be here soon. Edgar won’t challenge you then.” He leant in closer, so only Noak could hear. “Stick to the damn plan.”

Noak rolled his shoulders and released the tantalizing power. He forced his rage away and made himself focus on the reason they were all here. Once he had himself under control he pointed a finger at Edgar.

“If Elsa’s part of the collection, she’s under my care, not yours. You don’t go anywhere near her.”

Edgar gave Noak a final smirk. “For now.” He retreated to the edge of the clearing with his followers.

Noak took a deep breath. He’d dealt with one problem, but now he faced an even greater one. He approached Elsa. Her breath came out in rapid, ragged gasps. She’d fixed her gaze to Edgar, marking him as the biggest threat. Noak sidestepped and blocked her view.

He waited until her green eyes met his. “We need to talk.”

“I’m not going with him,” Elsa said, her voice whisper quiet. “And I won’t let you take the Chosen.”

Noak stepped forward until the barrel of the gun poked him in the stomach. Elsa started to back away and he put a hand on the weapon to keep her in place.

“If you fight us, you’ll be injured. The men and women surrounding you are not kind. They’re waiting for an excuse to hurt you.”

“Then they’re going to hurt me,” Elsa reasoned, “no matter what I do.”

“Please, Elsa. Do as I say.”

“No.”

They’d been in the position before, when Noak had needed Elsa’s cooperation, but she’d been too damn stubborn to give it. Coins and threats hadn’t worked then, and in the end, he’d only managed to secure her help with a simple promise: to give her a life without fear. This time, Noak didn’t need to resort to oaths and blood bonds. He understood Elsa a lot better.

Noak leant closer. “I can take you to your uncle.”

Elsa’s breath caught.

“You were right before,” Noak said. “I know where he is. You just need to step away from the cave entrance and come with me.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. These children, they’re not meant for your life. They’re meant for the Guardians. I let you take them and nothing good will happen.”

“You can’t help both your uncle and these children. You have to choose.”

Elsa’s face twisted in pain. “But you’re asking me to choose between my wants and the well-being of four others.”

Noak touched her hand where it held the barrel and steadied it.

“No,” he said, “I’m asking you to trust me.”

Elsa closed her eyes to block him out. The silence stretched.

Noak knew she was currently at war with herself, fighting between the choice she felt was right and the one she really wanted to make. Elsa cleared her throat. “Is my uncle alive?”

“Yes.”

“And you’ll take me straight to him?”

Noak nodded. “Give up now and you can see him before the day ends.”

“And the Chosen, you’ll take care of them?”

In the past, he would have said yes straight away. He would have done anything to get Elsa to do what he wanted. Now, he hesitated to lie to her.

Elsa opened her eyes. “They’re innocent and kind…they deserve to go to a better place. Promise me you won’t let anyone hurt them...and you’ll get them to the Farm as soon as you can.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Elsa squeezed her lids tightly shut again. “Oh darkness. Forgive me.”

The shotgun made a soft plunk as it hit the ground. Elsa sunk to her knees beside it.

Noak hardened himself to her guilt. He jerked his chin towards the cave entrance and Gray disappeared inside.

“Cooee!” A shout from the woods announced the arrival of Roan and the rest of Noak’s pack. The tall Blood Wolf appeared in the clearing with a grin on his face and Noak’s backpack in his hand. His smile wavered when he noticed Elsa on her knees, tears in her eyes.

“You’re late,” Noak snapped.

Roan nodded. “I can see that.”