I don’t know if that’s even possible because I have no idea what I’m walking into. The river will have hidden my scent and washed away all traces of any Caeli wolf on me. That’s one good thing. I walk towards the city walls, and when I get to them, I realise there’s no door anywhere I can see. I search up and down the wall, realising I have to go through the main gates of the city.
Unless…
I look up and grimace. Maybe I can climb the wall and get into the city, even if my climbing skills might not be great. It’s worth a try. Using the roots, I climb as quickly as I can despite that every few steps I almost slip. My heart pounds faster each time.
I keep climbing until I get to the top and pull myself onto my back, breathlessly staring at the roots above me. Sweat coats my forehead, and I wipe it away. Falling, burning leaves drift down from the tree above and around me. They seem so beautiful in the many lights around me, the smell of smoke and fire is relaxing even as the noise of the city drowns out the idea of silence. The wall must have blocked some sounds as it’s much louder up here and reflects the noise a city of millions in it would have. The red glow is bright on my face, followed by a mixture of white light coming from the city. It almost appears like a sunset here, a sunset of so many shades of oranges, reds, and pinks. I always wanted to travel the world, but I always wanted to do it and then come back to tell my parents about the world outside of Caeli.
Now that can’t happen.
With strength I didn’t know I had, I slide myself over the other side of the wall and climb down the roots until I can jump to the floor. I quickly glance around me to make sure I’m safe. No one is close to me, nothing but rubbish and a dumpster that blocks anyone from seeing me. Two buildings are to my left, and I walk down the space between them and hide by the wall to peek around the corner. One massive pathway that leads right into the city is near me, and hundreds of wolves in human form stroll down them, some with small demon creatures on chains walking at their sides. So many people, and not one of them turn my way. I sneak out from behind the building, joining the crowd but keep my eyes down on the floor, and pulling my hood up to cover my hair. It doesn’t take long to get closer to the middle of the city. The noise of people talking, music playing, bangs, and wolves howling fills my ears and senses when I try to break out of the crowd.
I search the buildings, reaching out with my senses for any trace of Caspian, but there are too many scents, too many wolves for me to search for him alone. It’s all too much here, and a part of me likes it. The energy of the city is amazing. I come past a poster clipped to a building side and pause, seeing an advertisement for the bounty hunting trials in big bold letters.
Someone there might know where Caspian is, and it isn’t a place the alpha would look for me, I don’t think. At the bottom of the advertisement is a small map of Hell with a star over where the bounty hunting trials are. I rip it off and take a deep breath before setting off to find the only wolf in Hell who can help me.
Chapter 5
Lilith Thornblood
“Derek, if that’s you back without my fucking demon—” Caspian pauses mid-sentence, slowly dropping his deep caramel eyes down onto me.
I didn’t think the tip I got from a man outside the large fenced-off area for the demon-hunting trials was right when he said Caspian lived here. Mostly because the man appeared drunk, and it was too lucky that the first person I asked actually knew Caspian at all.
Turns out the long shot was bang on.
Caspian’s six-foot, built-as-hell frame towers over me. I forgot how intimidating his stare is.
“Who the fuck are you and what do you want?”
I’m speechless for a second too long. With unseeable speed, he whips a silver dagger out from his back and places the tip under my chin. Fury burns in his eyes, and two black marks that run down from his forehead and around his eyes to his cheeks glow a vibrant red. “You might be fucking drop-dead beautiful but you won’t trick me into whatever you’re selling. Get the fuck out of here before you regret it.”
He lowers the dagger and walks back into his house.
“I’m Leo’s sister!” I shout seconds before the door shuts in my face.
But then it swiftly swings open again, and Caspian rests his shoulder against the doorframe. This time, he pauses to look at me from head to toe, and I do the same to him.
Caspian Hardling has changed since he was eighteen.
He’s still as breathtakingly handsome as he was then but he is more now. So much more.
Beefy shoulders fill out his white button-down shirt, which is tucked into black leather trousers with laces at the front of his narrow but toned waist. The trousers showcase his thick thighs and other areas. His soft, silky blond hair is tipped white and falls to just below his ears. His ears are spiked at the top, a reminder of his demon blood, and I’ve always thought they suit him. All demons have tipped ears in human form, but it’s more complicated for half-demon, half-wolves like Caspian.
He is rare. Few half-borns survive childhood.
“You grew up, songbird.”
I narrow my eyes at his stupid nickname for me. The memory of it comes back like a hammer. How did I have a
