Chapter Four – Ashes and Shadows

"I need silver," said Thorne, the voice low but urgent .

Ivy stared at him. "You just told me that Silver kills your kind."

"It does. That's why it also works on them."

The cabin shook weakly of a snap against the ceiling. Outside, the forest had become unnatural. Even cricket was quiet.

"You mean hollow wolf," she said. "Do you want to fight it with something that can kill you?"

"I don't plan to knife," he said, already searching the room.

Ivy pointed to the chest by the fireplace. "I keep some prey that was delivered there. Silver-split arrow."

Thorne limped to it, knelt and opened it. His hands trembled, whether it was because of the loss of blood or something, she couldn't tell.

"How do we know it's going to come here?" ivy asked. 

Thorne took out a quiver and examined the tips. "Because I still breathe. That thing doesn't like loose ends."

"You said it's a shadow. How do we trap a shadow?"

Thorne looked up at her, eyes sharp again. "We don't. We bait it."

Ivy's stomach dropped. "With what?"

He gave a dark smile. "Me."

"No."

"It'll come for me, whether I'm ready or not. I'd rather be ready."

She grabbed his arm. "You're barely standing."

"I'm not badly injured."

"Yes? And see how good it turned out."

He met her gaze. "I can't let it take you."

For a second everything still went into it. Then she withdrew.

"We do this my way," she said. "You're not dying on my floor."

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "You have a better plan?"

She went to the hearth, opened a hidden panel in the stone and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in a rolled parchment and velvet.

He naps. "What is it?"

"My grandmother was a hedge witch," she said. "This land - this house - is accompanied by old protection. The mantra that binds. The burns that are burning."

She opened velvet, revealed to dig a silver ring with a race. "This marks the perimeter. When active, nothing can cross it without combustion."

Thornes lips spread. "Witches and wolves. You keep interesting company."

"I try."

They had to work quickly. Ivy pushed a silver ring in a wooden beam across the door, and recited the incantation from her memory. A soft hum passed through the floor as if the cabin breathed.

Outside the trees swayed barely.

"Where do you want me?" Thorne asked.

She looked around. "There. On the carpet. You'll be the bait. I will be behind the obstacle."

"You trust it?"

"I trust her," Ivy said softly, glancing at the ring.

Thorne slowly sat down, the wound on the ribs was still bleeding through the fresh strip. His muscles were tired under sweaty shirt.

"I've never seen anything like that," she muttered.

"What?"

"The Hollow. It doesn't move like we do. Doesn't breathe. Doesn't blink."

Ivy leaned next to her. "So what does it want?"

His gold eyes met her. "To be real."

A tremor traced her spine.

The fire decreased. Lantern became flicker. And then the silence - pushed into the room like invisible hands.

Ivy reached for her bow, filled with silver bodies. Her palms were full of sweat.

"Don't fire until I say so," Thorn said.

"Are you planning to give a speech?"

"I plan to talk to it."

A heartbeat passed.

So give it.

Then-

Something scraped against the window.

Ivy rotates towards the sound.

A dark place passed. Then again, by the second window. Very quick to follow. The wind was dead. No one is left now.

The door collapsed - just a little.

Then nothing.

"Ivy," Thorn said and didn't look at it.

"Yes?"

"If I don't make it—"

"You will."

"But if I don't," he said, "don't let it take your brother. Promise me."

Her jaw clenched. "You're not dying, wolf."

A breath of laughter escaped him. "You've got a temper."

The door flew open before she could answer.

But no one came in.

Instead, the air became dark in itself, like ink bleeding through water. A shaped formed - humanoid, but changing. Its eyes glow unconscious blue, no student. No soul.

Ivy's breath caught. "That's not a wolf."

"It used to be," Thorne said softly.

The shadow hovered right in front of the threshold. Then its shape twitched, the cramps-one nap, semi-supported muzzle.

"I smell the blood," it hissed, a sound like dis lining silk. "Yours."

"Then come and get it," Thorne said.

The creature bent.

But the moment it crossed the threshold - the flames blasted with an invisible obstacle.

The hollow shrieked, recoiling in a flurry smoke and ash.

It narrowed into the wall, writhed like a snake and then disappeared into the fog.

Ivy turned to Thorne. "Is it gone?"

He shook his head. "Just testing us."

"Why isn't it there?"

"Because it can't."

"Then we're safe."

"No," he said, standing with difficulty. "We're just out of time."

Before she asked what he meant, the walls shake.

A distant howl rose - not from the forest, but from underground. Less. Echo.

Thorne's eyes expanded. "It calling others."

Ivy's heart increased. "Others like it?"

"No worse."

She swallowed hard. "We can't hold off an army."

"No," he agreed. "We run."

He grabbed her hand, his grip burning.

"But my brother—"

"We'll save him," Thorne said. "But we need allies first."

A crashing sound outside, it disturbed them - trees fell and tore a little large scale through brush and bark.

"What the hell is that?" Ivy whispered.

Thorne's answer was grim.

"This is the alpha of the shadow."

The door blasted inward - splinters flying.

And standing there - at least eight meters tall, twisted, fur black as a tar and eyes molten gold - was a beast ivy never imagined in her darkest dreams.

Not a wolf. Not a man.

Something in the middle.

And it growled her name.