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Into the Woods ii
~ “Playing catch up sucks.” Shea was sitting around the dining table with the others playing with a crumpled piece of paper.
Marx had called yet another meeting for them to hit their heads against a brick wall. He could tell Shea didn’t think they made a difference. Nothing new came out of them. All they did was point out how unprepared they had been to launch this impromptu rebellion. In the attack’s aftermath, morale was down to an all-time low.
“Sven has had years to plan all this,” Marx said. “All we can do now is to be a thorn in his side.”
“Go after the portal,” Helick suggested. “Without it, he can’t go to Lansguard.”
“He would have it heavily guarded,” Garrick pointed out. “And not just by werewo
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Enter the Shadows Into the Woods iii
To say they were edgy about going into the woods was an understatement. When Marx called the gathering to announce the little expedition,he could see the dread on all their faces. The last time a group of them had gone out, two didn’t come back. They buried one, and the other was alive but missing. Their expressions saiddon't pick me.Some tried making themselves smaller by hiding behind taller members of the pack. Internally, Marx sighed. Their enthusiasmin the rebellion had certainly fallen along with their numbers. Pulling the short straws were Daniel, Helick, Bryan—who surprisingly volunteered—and two others who stepped forward like sacrificial lambs so that none of the others had to. Enrique and Yuri tried to square their shoulders, but Marx could still see their apprehension. He unders
Enter the Shadows Into the Woods iv
~Every rustle in the woods had them spooked. As instructed, they had built a massive fire in the middle of their camp. They made an outer ring of smaller fires. To Bryan's way of thinking, there could never be too much fire. If the plan had gone smoothly, they would have already been off the mountain. Daniel felt restless. "Who's up for a bonfire story?" Enrique asked. Yuri elbowed him. "We're already sitting in one." Not expecting to be stuck on a camping trip, they had only brought enough food to last the night. They sat around the fire eating and discussing their shaky alliance with Ava. "I don't trust that woman," Helick said. "She doesn't require you to trust her," Daniel stated flatly. "But if we tried to get
Enter the Shadows Into the Woods v
~They set up camp a short distance from the caves. Ava, like she had been doing the entire trip, stood off to the side in the shadows, watching the others. If they hadn't hated her before learning that she was not just part of the Order but the wife of the King would be a kicker. She hadn't meant to reveal so much. Especially not in front of Daniel. But, it was too late for regrets. She had meant what she said about not all shadows wanting to massacre the ones who made them. Her husband ruled with a heavy hand and a stony heart. She had come to this world for one reason. With her reason accomplished, she sent herself into a deep sleep. The presence of shadow magic woke her from her slumber. It had been a light touch, but she knew it was out there. She followed the trail that led her to the mountain. The threat of the portal being opened triggered fears
Enter the Shadows 8. Good Karma Bad Karma i
~Sven was tired of losing. He knew the second the first trap went off. In the daylight, however, his magic was not strong enough to bridge the distance. The unraveling of his trap cut his celebrations short, washing away the taste of sweet revenge from his mouth. He ground his teeth, raging as one by one his traps became undone. At night, their movements ceased. Sven had remained watching, hoping for one of them to slip, and so it happened. Now he had hours until sunrise. Sven was not aware that Marx had anyone who could match him. As far as he knew, he was the only one on earth who used or knew how to use shadow magic. Whoever it was, he needed them dead and out of the way. Littered about his feet were pieces of wood from his bed, the chairs, one nightstand, and half of his vanity. There were also th
Enter the Shadows Good Karma Bad Karma ii
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Enter the Shadows Good Karma Bad Karma iii
~The girl kept looking at all of them nervously, especially Ava. All Ava did was scowl and mumbled to herself as she created an alternative path towards Native lands. The traps here, as Ava told them, did not show the same level of sophistication as the others. It was as if Sven had expected no one to come through. No werewolves, at least. "My father will have your heads." It was the first thing the girl had said in almost an hour. "Be grateful we're not sending him back yours." "Ava." "Every time she opens her mouth, it's another insult. The child needs to be taught manners." "Lopping off her head would not teach her that," Marx said. "The Natives hate us for good reason. Our ancestors' sins are our own."
Enter the Shadows Good Karma Bad Karma iv
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Enter the Shadows Good Karma Bad Karma v
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