Aegis of The Gods: Book 02 - Ashes and Blood by Terry C. Simpson Page B

path he’d carved through the forest. He counted at least six or seven. More were sure to be close by, out of sight, possibly flanking them. Sure enough, he picked out flashes of gray among the trees farther to their east and west. The animals intended to cut them off.
    “Pass me your quiver,” Stefan wheezed as he reached him. Blood decorated his fur and leather armor.
    Ancel slung the strap from across his shoulder and back and passed it to his father. By this time, Kachien arrived, her limp a little more pronounced. Her clothing displayed several rents, exposing tanned flesh. Blood trickled from paw scratches in those areas. The holes from bite marks on her thigh were plain to see. She shivered profusely. Ancel removed his cloak and fur and threw it over the diminutive woman’s shoulder.
    “Thank you,” she said between clenched teeth, fixing her golden hair over the fur.
    “We only managed to escape because one of the packs decided to make a territory challenge,” Stefan nodded to where more gray forms slunk through the distant trees to the east.
    “How much time do we have before the fight’s decided?” Ancel asked.
    “Not much. These fellows appear just to be tracking us until then.”
    “It makes no difference now,” Kachien said, her voice strained. “Look.”
    Ancel glanced to where she nodded. The end of the Greenleaf Forest was in sight. Beyond were five-foot stone pillars—supports for an unfinished fence or wall of some type—stretching for several thousand feet. Unless the wolves intended to attack them on open pastures, they were safe. Even if the animals did attack, the group would be well within sight from Eldanhill’s towers. Help would be forthcoming.
    The mumble of a deep voice made Ancel look back toward the litter.
    Discolored face and all, the giant propped himself up on one arm. His emerald gaze took them in. Something flickered behind his eyes when they passed over Stefan, and he muttered, “Y-you … dead …” Then he focused on Kachien, features hardening, the recognition unmistakable. He lifted his sword and pointed at her. “A-And you—” He collapsed in a boneless heap onto the wood, his eyes fluttering shut.
    Ancel gave them both an incredulous stare. “Do you know him?”
    His father shook his head.
    “Yes and no,” Kachien said.
    Ancel frowned.
    “Remember I told you I had a task to protect a boy and watch a man in Carnas?”
    Thinking back to that time in the Randane’s sewers, Ancel nodded.
    “He is that man.”

C hapter 6
    I rmina waited patiently as she’d been doing for several hours now, inspecting the foyer and marveling at its cleanliness. Anything to keep her attention off the angry voice emanating from the inner room where the Exalted resided. Paintings decorated the closest wall. On the other side were bookshelves lined with glass-encased tomes, the vellum within as fragile as a mummified carcass. The dead-eyed expression of the High Shin standing before the shelves dissuaded her urge to approach the cases.
    Back the way she came, silver-armored Dagodin stood guard at evenly spaced intervals on a bridge that spanned the library below. Small lightstones hanging from chains around their neck, several dozen High Shin drifted among neat piles of aged books, stopping to jot down notes. Irmina yearned to go down into the Iluminus’ renowned Great Library and question its Custodians. The annals beckoned to her with promises of unraveling the truth of her family’s demise. Surprisingly, the entire area lacked the mustiness of old paper. It was devoid of odor. The missing scent evoked a sense of emptiness.
    High Shin Jerem’s voice rose behind the lone door in the foyer. Irmina fidgeted as she turned to face the entrance once more. She could count on one hand the number of times Jerem ever became that angry. Even muffled to the point where she could not make out the words, the vehemence attached to his tone was plain.
    She winced at another shout from her