Candace
The forest was alive around me, but all I could focus on was the man bleeding out against the tree.
I stopped several feet away, eyeing him warily. What if this was some kind of trap? After three years of my own people turning against me, I wasn't taking any chances.
Moonlight filtered through the branches in silver ribbons, painting the forest floor in patches of light and shadow. Every dark space between the trees suddenly looked like a place someone could be hiding.
My heart hammered against my ribs. Was he really alone?
The man groaned again, his voice even weaker this time. He had one hand pressed uselessly to the deep gash in his side. It didn't stop his blood from pooling around him, soaking into the earth. The metallic scent was overwhelming.
I shifted back, my bones cracking and reforming until I stood naked in the moonlight, the cold night air prickling my skin.
"Who are you?" I demanded. "What are you doing here?"
