Chapter 12 · Frontier Lord - Chapter 12: The Wolfskin Woman's Price

The woman stepped into the firelight like she owned it.

Ava's hand went to the hammer at her belt. Stupid. A hammer against whatever this was. The wolf pelt draped over the woman's shoulders still had its head attached, jaw hanging open, teeth catching the flames. The fur moved wrong. Like it was breathing.

"You built fast." The woman's voice was low, almost conversational. She looked at the stone wall behind Ava, then back at her face. "Your mother always did have good hands."

Rain was already moving. He put himself between Ava and the stranger, one hand out to the side like he was holding back the other refugees. Most of them had scrambled away from the fire when the woman appeared. A few held tools like weapons. Sera stood near the food tent, a knife in her grip.

"Back off," Rain said. His voice was flat. Cold. Ava had never heard him sound like that.

The woman smiled. It didn't reach her eyes.

"Rain Graywood." She said his full name slowly, like she was tasting it. "I thought you were dead. Heard the whole squad got torn apart up north."

Rain's jaw tightened.