Author's Preface
Friday seemed to sneak up on Felix, leaving him to pack his things last-minute the morning of the field trip. He, Arisa, and Mason were out front of the castle with their bags by ten a.m., and Sebastian’s car waited along the road just twenty feet from the front doors. Sebastian himself showed up five minutes after the trio with a suitcase, two duffel bags, and a backpack.
“That looks like a lot,” Mason commented.
“It’s mostly weapons,” Sebastian replied. He somehow managed to carry all of the luggage without looking awkward or strained as he walked to his car. “Oh, and board games.”
“Won’t we be busy with the wolves?” Felix asked.
Sebastian kicked the back of his car. The trunk popped open. “We’ll have some time to kill during the day.”
The group loaded up their bags and climbed into the vehicle. Felix half expected Archer to pop out of nowhere again, but he didn’t show.
Felix and Arisa passed the time by looking for Volkswagen Beetles and punching Mason when they spotted them. Mason took it well, not looking up once from the spellbook he’d found in the library a couple days earlier. He’d finally picked out a uniform, and today he wore it with a shirt the same shade of dark purple as the horns hidden under his maroon beanie.
When they arrived at Cold Creek Motel, Sebastian left the three of them to unload the luggage while he checked in. He returned a couple of minutes later with three room keys.
Sebastian held out the key cards. “Here’s Arisa’s, this one’s for Felix and Mason—”
Mason grabbed the key before Felix could.
“—and this one’s mine,” Sebastian finished.
“You paid for three rooms?” Felix asked.
“It’s an extremely cheap motel. Which reminds me, keep an eye out for bed bugs. I won’t hesitate to set everything on fire to stop them from coming home with us.” Sebastian plucked a stray hair off his jacket. “I have some very nice pillowcases, and I’d hate to have to throw them out.”
“Is there at least a pool?” Arisa asked. “I brought my swimsuit.”
Felix glanced at her. “You did?”
“You didn’t?”
“There is a pool.” Sebastian gathered up his bags. “You can check it out now, if you’d like. We won’t leave to track the wolves until after a late dinner. In the meantime, I have some Guardian business to deal with, so you three are on your own.”
“What kind of Guardian business?” Arisa asked as Sebastian led them to their rooms.
“Boring stuff. Guardian emails, Guardian phone calls, possibly a trip to get some Guardian snacks.”
Felix adjusted the bag hanging off his shoulder. “You’re really leaving us alone after we walked into a demon-infested building on our last field trip?”
“As far as I’m aware, there are no demon-infested buildings around here. Just don’t summon anything, okay?” Sebastian opened the door to his room. “I’ll come get you kids around seven.”
After they dropped their bags in their rooms, Arisa pestered Felix and Mason until they agreed to accompany her to the indoor pool. Mason brought along a stack of books, while Felix brought a silver sword to practice with.
The sword’s weight was different from Helena’s, making Felix’s already subpar sword wielding skills even worse. He tried to work through his frustration and be patient with himself, as Hana constantly reminded him during training, but patience wasn’t one of his strong suits.
“Good thing this place is empty,” Arisa commented as Felix paced along the edge of the pool, swinging the sword back and forth.
“Pretty sure it’s because that water is freezing,” Mason said. He sat on a pool chair pushed into a corner as far from the water as possible.
“You barely touched it before running off into that corner.” Arisa rolled her eyes. “It’s not that bad once you get used to it.”
“I’ll stay over here, thanks.”
Felix turned the sword in his hands and cut through the air. “Do you guys think it’s weird that I haven’t interacted with Gideon since I took in his ghost?”
Arisa rested her arms on the edge of the pool. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“I guess. I just wonder if he’s aware of anything that’s happened.” Felix swung again.
Mason looked up from his book. “Are you completely sure you have him?”
Felix paused. “Pretty sure. I mean, there was the same flash of light I saw with the rest of my family. Kendra and Archer saw it happen.” He moved to swing again, but his hands slipped, and he lost his hold on the sword. Without thinking, he reached out to catch it. The blade grazed his palm.
Mason tensed. Arisa’s eyes widened.
Felix flinched at the sting but forced himself to take a deep breath. He held up his hand. “It’s fine. Just a scratch.” He bent down and picked up the weapon by the hilt. A few drops of blood stained the ground as his hand brushed over it.
“Maybe you should practice with the scabbard on for a little longer,” Arisa suggested politely. “Or stick to your powers tonight.”
“I won’t be able to kill a wolf with my powers!” Felix wiped the last of the remaining blood off on the sleeve of his jacket.
“You could if you were strong enough,” Arisa told him. “Silver’s the easiest way to kill wolves, but it’s not the only way. You just have to beat their regenerative abilities.”
“Do you think I’m strong enough to kill one with my powers alone?” Felix asked.
“Uh…”
“No,” Mason said.
Felix’s grip tightened around the sword in frustration. How was Helena so good at this? Stupid question. She’d had her sword for as long as he could remember—
A figure appeared next to him. “Your technique is better, but you lose focus quickly,” Helena said. “Here, you need to adjust your grip.”
Mason nearly fell out of his chair in surprise. Arisa yelped. “A real ghost!”
“You’ve never seen a ghost before?” Felix asked as Helena repositioned his hands.
“Well, I have, but only weak ones that barely show themselves.” Arisa leaned forward and looked Helena up and down. “Which one are you?”
“This is Helena,” Felix said. “She’s the one with lightning.”
Helena looked around the pool while Felix attempted another swing of the sword. “Where are we?”
“Cold Creek. We’re going after some werewolves,” Felix told her.
“Ooh, fun!” Helena rested a hand on her hip. “Reminds me of my first real mission. I think I was fourteen.”
“What? Seriously?”
Helena smiled. “It was just a banshee. Nothing too scary. Mom and Dad are going to be excited for you, though. May might be jealous. She always wanted to fight a werewolf.”
“It’s not technically a mission,” Arisa said. “Since we’re all on probation. Our teacher’s just showing us how to track werewolves.”
Helena turned. “You’re Hana Tamura’s sister, right?”
Arisa nodded. “Arisa.”
Helena’s attention shifted to Mason. “And you are?”
“Mason Briggs,” Mason answered. “Not technically a magician.”
Helena stared at him for a long moment. “Right. You’re the demon my dad mentioned.”
“I’m also a witch.”
“So, still no sign of Gideon?” Felix asked, changing the subject.
Helena’s expression darkened. “We haven’t…seen him. But we can sense him in your soul.”
“That doesn’t sound great.”
“I still don’t think he’s aware of what’s going on,” Helena said. “And I think a lot of your energy is subconsciously going into suppressing him.”
“Oh, good,” Felix said.
“It’s good that you’ve been able to keep him under, but it also means you’re wasting a lot of energy that you could otherwise be channeling into your magic.”
“It’s not like I really have any other choice though, right?”
Helena sighed. “I guess not.” Her form flickered and came back paler. “Looks like I’m going. Stay safe tonight, okay? And don’t forget to drink a lot of water. May usually downed three bottles before a mission.”
“Okay, okay, I will.” Felix watched his sister fade. “Love you!”
“Love you, too.”
He, Arisa, and Mason hung out at the pool for another hour or so before heading to Felix and Mason’s room to try some board games. That didn’t exactly go well.
“Arisa’s animating the dice to make them roll in her favor,” Mason announced after a several-hour long losing streak.
“Am not!” Arisa folded her arms. “You’re just jealous that I’m so good at these games.”
“Monopoly isn’t a game of skill. It’s a game of luck.”
“Yeah, I’m good at being lucky!”
A knock came from the door. Felix got up and opened it while Arisa and Mason continued their argument.
Sebastian peered past Felix into the room. “Uh, you kids ready?”
“Also, Clementine can’t be on your team if she’s going to peek at the community chest cards!” Mason exclaimed.
“Yeah, we’re ready,” Felix said.
Arisa rose to her feet, picked up Clementine, and set the bear on her bed. “Guard the place while we’re gone, all right?”
Sebastian handed out a few more silver weapons as they walked to his car. “Remember, you’re not supposed to go after the wolves,” he said as he handed Mason a dagger. “This is strictly for self-defense. Arisa, hold on to this silver net. We’re probably going to need it.”
Felix ran a hand along the strap holding the silver sword behind him. Sebastian had given him a couple of knives, too, but if they wound up in a fight, he was sure he’d fall back on his powers first.
Arisa shoved the net Sebastian had given her into the small bag at her side. “Where are we going?”
“We’ll grab dinner, then drive to a trailhead a few minutes from here once it gets dark,” Sebastian said. “Most of the documented kills happened in the same part of the forest, not far from the trail.”
“Do a lot of people go hiking at night around here?” Felix asked.
“When it’s warm, sure. There’s also some camping sites nearby, but they were mostly empty when I checked them out earlier. The full moon pattern’s becoming hard to ignore, even if the deaths have publicly been blamed on bears.”
They stopped at a small diner to eat, and dinner gave Felix the perfect amount of time to get nervous. When he’d been attacked by Gideon’s ghost and the poltergeist and demons and the undead, there had been no time to think. Now, it was hard not to imagine wolves jumping out of the shadows and sinking their claws into him.
“You don’t have any problems eating normal food, do you?” Sebastian asked as Mason picked up the sandwich he ordered.
“It tastes different,” Mason said. “But I don’t have any issues eating it.”
“Different?”
“Not as good as it used to.”
“Hm.”
“What do demons usually eat?” Felix asked.
“They don’t have to eat,” Sebastian said. “But they can use possession to feed on a human’s life force for energy. They also enjoy the taste of flesh and blood, even if they don’t need it to survive. It probably increases their power.”
“Oh.” Felix shuddered.
“I have no desire to do any of that,” Mason said. He took a bite of his sandwich.
The sun wasn’t quite gone when they left the restaurant, so they wandered around the town’s few shops for a little while before getting back in the car and driving to the trailhead. After they parked and climbed out of the car, Sebastian drew a dagger and led the way into the forest.
“Based on the number of kills, it’s probably a small pack,” Sebastian said. “I’m betting about ten wolves.”
“So, what’s the plan from here, exactly?” Felix asked.
“We need to be sure what we’re dealing with first. Especially after…recent events. Our goal is to locate the wolves without them noticing us, and we’ll follow them as long as we can. If they get close to anyone, of course, I’ll intervene immediately.” Sebastian twirled his dagger around in his hand a few times. “Ideally, I’d like to catch one and interrogate it.”
They walked for ten minutes before Sebastian had them stop and try sensing the werewolves’ energy. The air was definitely heavy with something, but Felix couldn’t pinpoint a source.
“It’s all over the place,” Mason said, echoing Felix’s thoughts.
“Felix? You feel anything?” Sebastian asked.
Felix nodded. “I think so. But I don’t know how to tell which direction to go.”
“The most recent traces of energy are coming from that way.” Sebastian turned and faced the trees to the north. Beyond the trail.
“How can you tell what’s more recent?” Arisa asked.
“Practice,” Sebastian answered. “That’s the only real way to tell apart fresh and stale magic. Take a second to see if you can tell a difference between the two directions, then follow me.”
Felix thought he could sense a slight difference between the magic behind them and ahead of them, but he wasn’t positive. He wondered dimly just how much practice it would take to get the hang of it as he pushed through the undergrowth with the others. Sebastian lit the way with a small orb of light, enough to help them avoid tripping, but not so much that they would draw attention from anything that might want to hurt them.
Felix wasn’t sure how long they walked, but at some point, he looked up and was startled by the bright moon hanging above them. Not long after that, a howl sounded in the distance. Felix’s heart skipped a beat. A second, closer howl answered a moment later.
“I don’t like how close to town that sounded,” Sebastian muttered.
“I don’t like how close to us that sounded.” Felix scanned the shadows around them. A third howl sounded, this one much farther. The group waited in silence for a minute longer, but the sky remained quiet.
“The pack has split,” Sebastian said. “They’re looking for prey. When one finds something, they’ll howl again to signal to the others. This is our chance to catch one alone.”
The four moved forward again and didn’t make it more than twenty feet before emerging in a clearing.
“Careful,” Sebastian said as they crossed to the center. “This makes us an obvious target, and the wolves have great senses. Plus, one has been stalking us for the past ten minutes.”
“What?” Felix yelped.
In the blink of an eye, Arisa had a dagger in each hand. Hellfire burned in Mason’s open palm. Felix scrambled to draw his sword.
“Relax. I’ll be the one they attack first.” Sebastian turned around and raised his voice. “You’re somewhere over here, aren’t you?”
A low growl emanated from the darkness. Felix, Arisa, and Mason moved closer together. Sebastian stood between them and the monster waiting in the shadows. Felix’s heart skipped a beat.
A figure burst from the black. A flash of dark fur flew through the air toward Sebastian.
The werewolf was massive. Much bigger than Felix expected, much bigger than an ordinary wolf. It had almost reached Sebastian when he lifted his arm and swung his fist into the wolf’s chest. There was a flash of light, and the wolf sailed backwards through the air. It slammed into the ground with a strangled yelp.
“Damn.” Sebastian shook out his hand. “You’re weaker than I expected.”
The wolf was back on its feet in an instant. “Sebastian Armitage,” he snarled in a voice that was surprisingly human, albeit a bit raspy. “It’s my lucky day.” He tipped his head back and opened his mouth.
Before the wolf could howl, Sebastian lifted his hand and fired off a thin beam of light that pierced the beast’s neck. “Arisa, the net!”
Arisa yanked the net from her bag and raced toward Sebastian and the wolf. Felix and Mason followed. As they approached, the hole that the light had left in the wolf’s throat closed up on its own. The only sign the wound had been there at all was the blood splattered across the dirt.
The wolf let out a low growl. Sebastian jumped back, and the wolf’s jaws snapped at the air where he’d been standing. Sebastian unzipped his jacket and reached a hand inside. Arisa, meanwhile, threw the net onto the ground.
“I’m not stupid enough to walk into that.” The wolf turned and launched himself at Arisa with outstretched claws. She pointed a dagger at him, and he twisted to avoid the silver blade, hitting the ground a few feet away. Before he could try attacking again, a blast of purple hellfire struck the ground at his feet. He hissed in pain and jumped back.
“Get him in the net,” Mason said, turning his head to meet Felix’s gaze. Felix nodded. Together, they circled the wolf, firing off blue and purple fireballs in an attempt to herd it toward the net. Most of the attacks missed, but they came quickly enough to keep the wolf distracted.
“This won’t work,” the wolf growled, his head turning toward the net that was now only a few feet away. He ducked to avoid the next few fireballs and took a step in the opposite direction.
“Close enough,” Arisa said. The net lifted off the ground and flew at the wolf, wrapping around his body in seconds. The air hissed, and it took a moment for Felix to realize it wasn’t the wolf making the sound, but his burning skin.
Sebastian’s hand lowered to his side. “That was great!”
The wolf’s mouth opened, presumably to make another attempt at a howl. Arisa clenched her fist. The net wrapped tight around his jaw and forced it shut. More burns appeared across the wolf’s face.
Felix grimaced. “That looks like it really hurts.”
“This is nothing compared to what they put their victims through,” Sebastian said. “Let’s get him out of here. When he turns back into a human in the morning, we’ll start asking questions.”
They dragged the wolf back to the trailhead, careful to avoid his claws. Thankfully, a few adjustments of the net from Arisa stopped the wolf from struggling for long. When the group reached the car, it took all four of them to lift him into the trunk.
“Is this really the best way to do this?” Mason asked.
“If you have a better idea, I’d love to hear it.” Sebastian slammed the door shut. “Just hope we don’t get pulled over.”
They drove in silence for a minute before Felix asked, “Why do some wolves avoid people and others hunt them? Can they control it?”
“Wolves have no control over their transformation, but they don’t have to hurt people,” Sebastian said. “They have new instincts and abilities, but they retain their memories and intelligence. I’ll admit it’s not easy, though. The first few transformations are rough and confusing. Especially if you were turned and not born a wolf.” After a moment, he added, “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”
“Still,” Arisa said. “They are in control. It’s not hard to go after wildlife, instead.”
Sebastian nodded. “As to why they would choose to hunt people, the reasons vary. Some family lines of werewolves think they have a right to take human lives. Others just think it’s more fun.”
The car was quiet after that, until they parked at the motel.
“Let’s take the wolf to my room,” Sebastian said as he climbed out. He circled around the car to the back.
Felix stepped out of the car and scanned the parking lot. It was late, and there was no sign of anyone else nearby, but… “What if someone sees?”
Sebastian lifted the trunk door. “It’s okay. The motel’s pet friendly.”
The werewolf didn’t put up a fight, but he did let himself fall limp. It was a lot of dead weight to carry, and by the time they dumped him on the floor in Sebastian’s room, Felix’s breathing was ragged.
“There are still other wolves out there,” Sebastian said. “I’m going to head back out and make sure they don’t kill anyone. You kids get some rest, and we’ll reconvene in the morning to deal with him.” He nodded at the wolf, who glared at him through the gaps in the net.
“Are you sure it’s okay to leave him here alone?” Felix asked.
“There’s no way he’s getting out of the silver,” Sebastian replied. “But I’ll add a circle of trapping sigils on the floor just in case. You kids have nothing to worry about.”
Felix had a lot of things to worry about, but he was more than happy to take a giant, bloodthirsty werewolf off his list of concerns.