Aiden stood perfectly still in the center of the village square, the late-afternoon sun casting long shadows across the cracked dirt and broken tents.
Surrounding him were the four Uldrien wolves who had only moments ago sworn their absolute loyalty to him, trembling on their knees with ears pinned flat against their skulls and tails tucked so tightly between their legs that it was almost painful to watch.
The air around them crackled with fear, but it was fear of a different kind now—fear mixed with the crushing weight of every villager's eyes.
"Kill them!"
The cry rose first from the front row, sharp and desperate.
"Kill them all!"
It came again, from a mother clutching her young son to her chest, her voice breaking on the last word.
Aiden remained silent.
