It was a fatal shot, but not immediately so.
Alena felt the wolf jump for her. She dove to the side, rolling and coming to her feet while running at a right angle from the direction she had been. The wolf landed and turned, ready to pursue her, but not before Azaleth put a final stone through its head.
The wolf dropped, twitching and still, as Alena watched, fascinated. It only took Azaleth a few moments to come next to her. She gestured, letting him know that she was unharmed.
They stood together, looking down at the wolf’s corpse. Dead, it looked so normal, like any of the other creatures she had hunted over the years. But in life, this wolf had been different.
Wolves didn’t attack. Not like that. Startled by hunters, a wolf should retreat. Beyond that, wolves were pack animals, and this one was alone. And it had followed their family for days now.
The wolf’s behavior was odd, but they had been seeing more odd phenomena lately. Animals didn’t act in the manner they should. Clan leaders had been searching for explanations, but none were forthcoming.
The unusual behaviors weren’t just limited to the animals, either. Rumors on the wind told of people behaving in ways that were distinctly not Etari. Murders and thievery had become growing problems, particularly for the clans out near the western shores.
The problems hadn’t affected Sooni’s family. After bringing Alena out of Tonno, they had avoided imperial lands for almost a year, running trade routes for larger clans.
Since then they had resumed trade with the empire, although further to the south, away from Landow and Tonno. They had been on their way to the Etari capital when they first spotted the wolf.
This wolf had stalked the family for several days. Azaleth, although no longer the youngest member of the family, still always jumped at an opportunity to prove himself. Alena had little say in her own appointment. Sooni still believed Alena didn’t possess enough experience, and made her take every hunting opportunity that presented itself.
“It looks like a wolf,” Azaleth said.
“You were expecting something different?”
A hand sign representing uncertainty. “I thought maybe it would be sick.”
“It might be, just in ways we can’t see.”
They had instructions not to bring the meat back to camp.
That, by itself, was indication enough of how odd the Etari found the events happening around them. Food was never wasted. But Sooni didn’t want anything from the wolf. She wanted it dead, which they had accomplished.
Azaleth, who still considered himself her teacher, even after all this time, turned to her. “You shouldn’t have run.”
“I know.”
They spoke Etari now, the language second nature to Alena. She was grateful that they still made the trips into the empire. Without them, she worried her fluency with her native tongue would slowly disappear.
“I know you know, but you need to understand. Running put you in far more danger. It’s not that there isn’t a time to run, but it’s still your first instinct when trouble happens.”
“I know.” Her voice dripped with venom. She loved Azaleth like a younger brother, but he could be overbearing at times. He acted as though her protection was his responsibility, even though it never had been.
Azaleth looked like he wanted to say more, but he wisely held his tongue. He turned in the direction of camp. “We should return. Sooni will want to know that the wolf is dead.”
Alena followed him as he sulked his way back to the camp.
43
Walking the road to Landow twisted Brandt’s emotions like wringing out a wet rag. In the years since he last visited, he had forgotten many of the details of the journey to the town. But some were familiar.
He recognized an inn they had stayed at, the sign above the door weathered by the intervening years. His wolfblades had drank too much that night, celebrating some minor event he no longer remembered. He and Ana walked past the inn without pause. He had no desire to relive those aching memories.
Despite the poignant nature of his remaining memories, he remembered nothing of their destination. Landow had changed the course of his life, but he felt as though he was visiting for the first time.
Brandt wondered if the one who had stolen his memories still lived in Landow. He often fantasized what revenge he would extract if he encountered the bandit again. At times, he caught himself grinning viciously at the possibilities.
Ana didn’t share his feelings. For her, Landow was the site of her greatest failure. Brandt viewed it with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity. Ana viewed it with shame.
They were walking through the forest just south of Landow when Brandt heard Ana’s sharp intake of breath. He turned to look back at her. She leaned up against a tree and appeared faint.
“What is it?” he asked.
“This is where we fought the bandit for the first time.”
Brandt looked around and tried to hide the truth that one of his secret hopes had been dashed. Some small part of him had never believed the emperor, had always hoped that if he just returned to the area he’d encounter some sight that triggered his lost memories.
He felt nothing.
It was just a road through a forest.
He gave Ana some time to recover. When she did, they completed the trek to Landow’s walls. They were part of a group of twenty monks. After a night in Landow, they would separate to different sections of the coast.
Brandt took note of the city watch that walked the walls. They appeared alert, and took their duty with the seriousness it deserved. Brandt considered such details evidence of strong leadership in the town.
Brandt’s walk slowed to a stop when he neared the gates. He searched his memory, waiting for a flash of recollection.
None came.
Ana stopped next to him, grabbing his hand.
“I hoped I would remember.”
“Nothing?”
He shook his head. “I feel like I’ve never been here before.” He let go of her hand before he crushed it in his fist.
Without another
