“That’s still well within House Rowan’s lands,” Becka replied. “Unless she went to the river and crossed over into House Birch’s territory?”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Quinn replied.
A soft bark caught her attention. Becka looked to the right, where a pack of five very large gray wolves had emerged from the trees. They ran alongside for a few moments, before pulling ahead and loping down the winding road ahead of them.
“Looks like they found the scent,” Caeda called out.
Becka hadn’t seen a shifter in animal form since her fight with Woden after Tesse’s funeral. As always, the sight did not disappoint. Their burly forms moved with grace and flow she associated with the predatory hunters. Were regular wolves this large? She guessed not, but wasn’t about to ask now. She wasn’t sure which one was which, but assumed the largest, with the brilliant white coat, was either Brent or Shamus.
Every so often a wolf would fall back and run next to them for a short while, only to yip and then run forward again at full tilt, rejoining their packmates. Becka had the impression the wolves were going slower than they’d like so the horses could keep up, and that these brief interactions were their way of saying, hurry!
Becka wasn’t surprised when they passed Padrig’s estate. Becka had expected the excuse Alvilda gave Yaeli, that she had something to pick up from his house, was a cover story.
They rode a few miles down the road at this pace with an occasional warble or yip from the wolves. Becka’s lower back and thighs ached lightly from being unaccustomed to the movement of the horse under her, but she appreciated the feeling of the wind against her skin. They passed a pair of fae with a horse-drawn cart headed towards the manor with a load of fall squash in the back, their eyes large as they took in the wolves and enforcers. Becka waved but wasn’t surprised when they didn’t wave back.
Another mile down the winding road and the wolves split left, heading into the forest. They followed, the land sparsely treed so they were able to maintain a trot and keep up with the now loping wolves.
Becka’s hips groaned at the added unevenness to the bounce in her mare’s gait. The wind whipped her face, her hair getting into her eyes and mouth. How did anyone enjoy riding?
They passed rocky outcroppings and copses of aspen surrounding boulders. This land lay at the border between Birch and Rowan, separated by a shallow river. What would have brought Alvilda all the way out here?
Rounding a boulder-filled outcropping, Becka spied the river, and beyond it, a small rustic cabin with a dirt road next to it. In minutes they reached the water’s edge and stopped. The wolves yipped and howled at the river’s edge, waiting for the enforcers to catch up. The largest instead growled deep in his throat. She was fairly sure that one was Brent.
Quinn stared at the wolves, who looked back and forth between the enforcers and the cabin. “They smell something. We need to cross and check it out.”
“We don’t know how deep the river is,” Becka replied. “And that’s House Birch territory. Crossing without sanction could cause problems.”
Quinn did a double-take. “Look at you, caring about customs.”
Caeda let out a short, harsh laugh. “We’re enforcers first, Lady Becka. The shifters’ concern is all I need to follow the investigation across this river. Besides, the water is slow and I’m a good swimmer.” Caeda urged her mount into the water. His whinny conveyed doubt, and his eyes went wild when the wolves followed him into the water.
When Caeda had reached halfway without getting in past the stallion’s flanks, Quinn turned to her.
“You can stay here if you want. I can get a wolf to stay with you.”
“I don’t want to be separated by the river,” Becka replied, and urged her horse into the water. The mare was careful the first few steps, but then moved with the confidence of experience. Quinn followed and soon they were neck-and-neck in the clear water.
The large white wolf howled, urging them to move faster.
When they exited the river, Becka realized she’d lost a sandal in the crossing. If she spent more time around enforcers, she’d have to wear more practical footwear. At least the standard enforcer attire was sleek and practical, unlike the floofy House Rowan standard.
The conclusion hit her out of nowhere, but she thought about it as her horse followed Quinn’s closer to the cabin. Working with the enforcers would also mean more research, more hunting down clues, more figuring out puzzles like the book now in her bag.
Plus, if her work was based out of the city, then she’d have an opportunity to circle back with Professor Traut regarding her internship. Surely, she could juggle the internship, part-time enforcer duties, and periodic jobs from the council?
Surprising herself, Becka realized she liked the idea. But how would she convince Maura not to fight it, especially the enforcer element?
“Do you see it?” Caeda said, pointing to the cabin. She dismounted a moment later and Quinn followed suit.
Becka pulled hard on the reins, stopping her mare. She studied the cabin. Nothing stood out as odd at first, but then she saw it too. She spied a pair of feet and legs, prone on the ground, the rest of the body hidden by the outline of the cabin. She dismounted, the ground cool under her one bare foot.
The wolves growled and paced, eager to investigate. Quinn and Caeda both pulled out stun guns, which Becka knew were standard issue, but had never seen them carry.
“Saige, will you stay here with Becka?” Quinn asked.
One of the smaller, black-furred wolves whined and shook its head, but then padded over to Becka and sat down.
“I want to come with you,” Becka said, anxious at being left alone. Not that she didn’t trust Saige, but Becka felt safer by his side.
“No,”
