I slept fitfully that night, lifting my head often to see if the wolf had returned. Ragnvald never came. By dawn I was exhausted, and I curled into a tight ball, praying to the goddess to help me.
When I woke and stretched, my legs felt light. Reaching down, I discovered I did not wear the chain.
Without stopping to question why, I rolled to my feet and ran for the mouth of the cave.
I reached the forest before I heard Maddox shout.
“Sabine, no!”
My legs sped faster, carrying me into the forest. Brush whipped at my face and arms, and I raced, my ears filled with my own ragged gasps.
A growl sounded behind me, and I almost shrieked in terror. The woods are full of monsters. Maddox’s warning rang in my ears.
A dark shape darted across my path.
I changed directions, fleeing wildly,
