CHAPTER 41: IN CONTROL
Smoke still lingered in the ravaged clearing.
The remains of their ambush—shattered trees, scorched soil, and blood-slick roots—reeked of failure. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and silver, and the stench of singed fur hung like a noose above the ground.
Lucio staggered to his feet, cursing as he brushed debris from his shoulder. A gash ran along his left jaw, shallow but infuriating. He tasted his own blood—metallic, hot—and spat it out.
“f*****g wolves,” he growled, eyes burning as they scanned the c*****e.
Kaya limped toward him, her arm wrapped around her ribs. One was broken—she could feel the jagged edge grinding beneath her skin every time she breathed. Her once-elegant braid had unraveled; strands clung to the sweat and soot on her face.
“Sh
