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I

 lifted my nose into the breeze and inhaled. This deep in the forests south of Efra, the woods were quiet, save for the rustle of small creatures picking through the undergrowth, and the whisper of the cold breeze through the canopy overhead. The earth was soft beneath my paws, and my ears flicked back and forth as I listened for any suspicious sounds.

Suddenly I caught the scent of my mate, warm and familiar on the cold air. I went at a trot, padding through the woods as I followed the smell. It was a cold winter day, but my thick white pelt kept me warm, and the sun overhead was only just beginning to dip lower in the sky. Ever since Kodan had burst into the throne room a few weeks ago, frantically announcing the emergence of unfamiliar Fae portals, Elias and I had added these perimeter inspections to our duties.

Strangely, though, nothing had happened. The portals were there, but no Fae had stepped through. The lack of activity only made me more suspicious. The Fae Queen Corinne had to be planning something — this had to be part of some scheme she was developing to take control of Frasia.

Of course, the Nightfall guard did these patrols as well, keeping an eye on any existing portals and noting any changes. It’d be easy to leave it to them, but a deep suspicion in my gut had me running my own patrols, too. After what Corinne had done to me, kidnapping me, trapping me in Faerie, and using my wolf magic to support her own, this didn’t just feel like a threat. It felt personal.

I was closer now to Elias’ scent, weaving southward to the trees until I emerged into a small clearing. In the center, Elias stood in his wolf form. He was an immense beast, with a rich brown pelt and sharp golden eyes. But as soon as I stepped out of the tree-line and into the clearing, his tail began to wag like a pup’s.

I bounded forward and nuzzled against him, burying my nose in the thick fur at his hackles. He folded his head against my neck and exhaled, a soft chuffing sound. The closeness briefly soothed the anxiety coursing through me.

We broke apart. Elias led me to the other side of the clearing, where a portal gleamed like a small puddle. It swirled in rich purples and blues, and warmth emanated from it, cutting through the Frasian cold. I sniffed around the edges curiously.

Careful, Elias’ voice sounded in my mind. Don’t get too close.

Scared I might fall in?

More scared something might fall out.

I took a step back and flicked my ears again. The portal was ringed in a growth of white-capped mushrooms, arranged in a perfect circle despite the cold. Closer to the portal there was more grass too, and moss and lichens crept up the trunks of the nearby trees. It was as if the portal had brought a taste of springtime with it.

Elias shook out his pelt. Then with a ripple of magic, he shifted back into human shape and stretched his arms overhead. He ran his fingers through the fur behind my ears. The sensation sent a shiver down my spine, and I nuzzled closer to his bare leg.

“It’s strange,” Elias said. “I didn’t see any portals along the perimeter other than the ones we’ve already marked. If anything, some have closed. But they’re all causing more growth, wherever they are.” He wound his fingers thoughtfully across my pelt. “Did you see anything on your search?”

I shook my head. We’d split up, covering the southern boundaries of Efra together, but I hadn’t seen any new portals.

“We should head back,” Elias said.

I nudged his thigh with my nose, then wagged my tail gently. He laughed, then dropped down onto the grass of the clearing and tugged me close. I covered his bare body with my wolf, snuffling at the column of his throat, and even licking teasingly at the beard on the solid curve of his jaw. We’d done our rounds, and now it was time for us to return to Efra. But the cold air just felt so good on my fur, and the earth was still so soft under my paws. We had daylight left - and I was itching to run.

“Little wolf,” Elias teased. “I never thought I’d be the one encouraging you to shift back. I remember when I could hardly get you to change into this shape at all.”

I sighed heavily, and then with an easy ripple of magic, shifted back into my human form. Elias wound his arms around me. My bare body pressed against his didn’t do much for my distraction though. He hummed, pleased, and squeezed me tightly. “As much as I’d love to stay here,” he said, as his voice rumbled in his chest, “we really must get back.”

I sighed heavily, then nodded. “Can we at least eat dinner in town instead of the manor?”

“I suppose we can do that.”

Reluctantly, I stood up, and then helped Elias back to his feet. We pulled on our clothes, stashed in a small bag by the largest tree at the clearing’s edge. I tugged my fine silk dress back over my head, and then swung on my heavy fur cloak. Already my cheeks were beginning to redden in the cold. I wore boots, but Elias went barefoot, dressed in plain dark canvas and his own cloak as well. Though I’d grown accustomed to Efra, I still wasn’t quite as comfortable in the lower temperatures as he was.

A well-trod path led from the clearing back toward the southern edge of Efra, as it was part of our routine, and the guards’ as well. The waiting guards opened the gates for us, and we slipped inside into the bustling city.