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Chapter 171: Midnight in the Forest

ELIA

"Elia, I love you so much, it hurts," Reth whispered desperately, and took her mouth again, showing her with his tongue what he planned to do with his body.

She had just arched her back, shivering with the delicious tingles that always came when he entered her, when the night was broken by the sound of a distant horn, a bellowing, rich note that rose through the night and sustained for a breathless count of ten before fading. Then beginning again.

"Shit. NO!" Reth swore and tore himself off of Elia, scrambling to his feet, and pulling her to follow him.

"What? Reth, what\'s wrong?"

"That\'s the attack alarm. That\'s Behryn, it has to be! Shit!" He tugged on his trousers, hopping to get them up as she gaped at him, then scrambled over to her dress and shook it out.

"I\'m coming with you."

"Like hell you are, Elia."

"Reth! This is why I\'ve been training!"

"No, Elia!" he roared, turning on her and gripping her by the upper arms, his eyes fire as he spat the words. "Even Aymora—even Lucine—would not be accompanying me. This could be battle. True war! I pray it is only the Bears, or a Silent One, but the horn—"

It echoed through the night again, and Reth swore again. "No, Elia. I\'m taking you back too the cave, to the guards, then I\'m going to find out what\'s happened."

"You\'re serious?"

"Yes! You cannot—"

"No, I meant about war. About an attack on the city?"

"Yes, of course. Do you think I would joke about that?" He was already striding through the tree, parting the branches and pulling her along behind him.

"Then you need to go, Reth. You can\'t help me get back. You need to go."

"Don\'t be ridiculous."

"No, Reth, I\'m not being stubborn, listen." She darted around to stand in front of him, her hands at his stomach. "This is what I\'m training for: To defend myself so others won\'t have to. And if you\'re serious about war, about an attack, then the focus is on the City, right? That\'s why they called the horn there?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then the most important thing for the Anima is that you get to the City and protect it. I will get back to the cave—what is it? Five minutes?"

"Less, but—"

"No, Reth. This is it. This is when we have to decide. So the risk for me is low, but for you, for the city, the risk is very high. You have to run. You have to go. I\'ll be fine. You give me the star to aim for and I\'ll go straight to the cave. I\'ll report to the guards—hell, I\'ll even let one of them come check the cave for me if you want."

He stared at her, his jaw tight and eyes dark.

"Reth," she said, putting a hand to his face. "I\'m fine. I\'m safe. Go. Go help your people. I\'ll be at home waiting for you when you come back."

He took a deep breath then, then took her by the shoulders, and turned her. "You see that crag of rock, near the peak of the mountain," he said, pointing to a dark shadow silhouetted by moonlight.

"I see it."

"You keep heading straight for that and you\'ll end up on the path. When you hit the path, you run. Do you understand me? You run straight to the guards and you tell them to take defensive positions, and I will…. I will be back as soon as I can."

"I know you will," she said, and turned, pulling him down into a kiss again. "I know you will, Reth. I\'ll do exactly as you say."

"I love you, Elia. More than my own life."

"And I love you more than mine. Now go."

He looked like he might balk, but the horn called again, and he tensed, then kissed her again, just a brush of his lips. "I\'ll be back. Wait for me. Even if it takes all night and all day. You do not come to the city!"

"I won\'t, Reth," she said, smiling, hiding the trill of nerves in her stomach about navigating the forest alone at night.

But then he took two running steps past her and his body tore into Beast form and, with a single glance over his great maned shoulder, he was gone, disappearing into the dark.

Elia took a deep breath and waited, but from the moment he had four paws, she didn\'t hear a single sound from his passage, despite the speed with which he moved.

She shuddered. The beasts were still something she was getting used to.

"Well," she said to herself a moment later. "Here we go." She turned back to where he\'d shown her, found the crag in the mountainside, and started towards it.

She\'d only been walking a minute—maybe less, when the trees closed over her and she had to do her best to keep walking in the same line. Gahrye had talked to her about the risk of wandering in a forest, how a person could think they were walking straight, when in fact, they were always looping in one direction or another. Landmarks were important.

Elia nodded to herself and saw a patch of moonlight ahead. Hopefully it would be big enough for her to see the crag though, so she could check her line.

Walking as quickly and silently as she was able, on the balls of her feet like Gahrye had shown her, she was forced to circle a large tree to reach the patch of light ahead.

When she came around the broad trunk, a shadow moved and at first, she thought it was only her own.

But then she froze, her heart in her throat, as she looked back towards the tree to find two eyes, reflecting moonlight, staring back at her.

"Who\'s there?" she asked, as forcefully as she could, backing away slowly.

Whoever it was didn\'t answer, but began walking towards her, marking her pace, and keeping up with her as she backed towards the moonlight.

"Name yourself to your Queen!" she barked.

"Why would I do that?" A low, growling voice asked.

She scrambled backwards, turning to run, but the man snarled and leaped forward, catching her wrist.

Without thought, she used a twist-and-strike technique she\'d learned from the disformed to snap her wrist free. The man snarled again and snapped his teeth together.

Elia twisted, pushing herself to run, to sprint, to flee—and ran smack into the chest of another, much taller man who smiled down at her when she bounced off his chest and into the dirt.

"Hello, Elia," he said softly.

Elia\'s breath tore out of her throat as she got her feet beneath her and slowly straightened, heart hammering in her ears.

"Hello, Lucan," she said.

*****

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TAMING THE QUEEN OF BEASTS: Elreth is about to challenge her father for dominance--and win! But as the Anima\'s first ever Alpha Female, she has a difficult road ahead. Her best friend, Aaryn, is a disformed wolf. Definitely not the people\'s first choice for the new Queen\'s mate. Can love conquer all? Or will their bond be the end of Elreth\'s rule?

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