1 preface

It had all come to nothing.

Every maneuver, every plan we had come up with and put into effect, had failed.

I watched the small form in front of me bend, arms tense, ready to defend me to the death. She was outnumbered—I was just a liability.

No one was coming to help us. They had their own fight to get through. We were absolutely alone—no, she was alone. I didn't count for anything. However, there was no trace of doubt in her face, no hint of fear. She stared back at our assailants with absolute concentration.

As we stood there, I wondered if we would ever know what had happened to the other part of my family—both families. If they had won their fight, or if they were losing, even as we stood here. Would we live long enough to find out?

I looked back into the face of the enemy, the deep black eyes that stared at me with wild bloodlust. The face that I'd seen so many times in my nightmares. He stood where he was, waiting for the moment when the small figure standing in front of me would shift, distracted for just a moment. The moment when he would strike, and put an end to me.

Somewhere, off in the distance, I heard the mournful howl of a wolf.