“Hurry, Liam,” I whispered as I slid to the floor and put my hands on the warm stone. “Please, hurry.”

The ride to the mineshaft proved difficult only because the wolves would be naked if they shifted to their human forms, since they couldn’t retain their clothing like he could, and without clothing they’d freeze in the air. Blaz grumbled the whole way about claws digging into his hide.

You are lucky I like you, Liam.

He just snorted. “Luck has nothing to do with it. You like Rylee, and that’s enough.”

Blaz echoed his snort. True.

The dragon spiraled down to the edge of the mineshaft and the werewolves jumped off Blaz’s back in unison. And then the second problem Liam hadn’t really considered presented itself. There was no way to get the wolves down the mineshaft. Sure, he could have them shift, but they just weren’t strong enough for shifting multiple times, and some of them were still healing from the battle with the other guardians.

They milled around him, and finally he shook his head. “End of the line. Go back to your territory here. I will call when I need you.”

The second in command, a young male that resembled a pinto horse with black and white splotches on his body let out a whine, his eyes full of worry. They’d lost one alpha already; they didn’t want to lose another. .

Liam nodded. “I know. But for now, you keep things going. I’ll be back for you.”

The much smaller pack gave out a chorus of howls as they spun in the snow and tore off across the badlands. Liam watched them go, the wolf in him wanting nothing more than to run free, to be wild and not have a single care in the world. But that wasn’t his life, nor meant to be.

“Alex, you coming?” He turned and his jaw dropped. Alex had already rigged himself up and was sliding down the open mouth of the mineshaft.

“Yuppy doody, going down, boss!”

Alex let go of the rope and disappeared from sight. A howl of excitement echoed up the mine shaft.

I think it won’t be long now, for him, Blaz said, leaning over the shaft and peering down into it.

“What do you mean?”

Won’t be long before he remembers how to shift.

“I wondered if that would happen.” Liam set to putting on his own harness. “Thank you, Blaz. We’ll see you on the other side.”

A smart blast of wind curled around them as he said those words and Blaz’s eyes narrowed with concern.

Premonitions abound, Wolf. Be safe. She needs you yet.

Nothing he could say to that; he agreed. Rylee needed him and he would fight for her ‘til his last breath.

Sliding down the ropes made him think of the first time he’d come down the mine shaft, with Rylee’s legs wrapped around him. How he’d come to realize she’d been innocent of the crimes he’d thought she’d committed. Lost in his memories, he hit the bottom of the shaft quickly.

“Vampire here,” Alex said softly, his eyes glowing with the little bit of light from the top of the mineshaft.

“Which one?”

“Rylee’s sister.”

That was interesting. Why would Berget be waiting for them?

Grabbing one of the torches they left at the bottom of the shaft along with a lighter tucked in beside it, he lit the torch and headed toward the doorway that led to the castle.

There, standing quietly with her hands tucked behind her back, still as a statue, was Berget. Her eyes found his and his gut clenched. Something had gone sour.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Rylee is fine, if that’s what you’re asking. But I cannot cross the veil into the castle. There is a fire raging and it is too much for me.”

“Fire? If there was a fire when you got here it should be out by now.”

“No, it is magical in nature.”

He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Orion is trying to keep us from closing the doorway.”

“Most likely.”

A strange energy rolled off her, one he realized a moment too late. Berget launched herself at him, teeth wide and eyes glazed with madness. He jammed the torch into her face at the last second, and she screamed and fell to the ground with a sob.

“I’m sorry, Liam. They are getting too strong. I will stay here; I can’t go to London. They hate her for trapping them in me.”

He knew ‘they’ were her adoptive parents and the ‘her’ in question was Rylee.

Taking a chance, he crouched beside her. “Berget, it will kill her to lose you again.”

“I’m not safe around her. Not in the condition she is in, especially. They know, they could tell when I took her blood.” Berget raised her blue eyes to his. “I wouldn’t risk innocent lives for this. I love her too much to hurt her like that. I will stay here and do what I can to help. When the last fight comes, I will be there. That is all I can do.”

Her words were too much an echo of Milly’s when Rylee had left her in the deep veil. And that had not ended well. He reached out and pulled her into a hug. “I don’t want to leave you here, but you’re right. We can’t risk innocent lives.”

She let out a sob and covered her face. “Tell her I love her. And … tell Doran, tell him the same.” Her eyes flickered and her face flushed, but he didn’t point it out to her.

“Of course.” He stood and let out a deep sigh. This was going to crush Rylee.

Alex moved up to his side. “Bye bye, Berget. I will miss you too.”

“Protect Rylee, for me, Alex,” she whispered and he nodded vigorously.

Liam put a hand to the door and Berget whispered, “Wait.”

He half-turned so he could look her in the eyes. “What is it?”

“Days, you only have days left.”

She blinked several times, tears streaking her face. “They … they just showed me. Days, at best. I’m sorry. Maybe less.”

His heart wanted to stutter, but he held it together. “Thank you.”

With a quick turn of the handle, he pushed through the veil and into the burning inferno that was the castle, shutting the door behind him. He stumbled over something at his feet. “Shit, Pamela!” He scooped her up and she let out a mumble.

Alex grabbed at her legs. “Pamie, Pamie, wakey up!”

Her eyes rolled, fluttered, and then opened. “Hurry, Liam. I can’t hold out much longer.”