TIWAZ STALKED THROUGH the city streets like an angry storm. People consciously or unconsciously moved out of her way, pulling their children with them. Without any idea or care of where she was going, she knew only that she had to keep moving. With her self-control slipping from her grasp, she knew someone would be hurt if she lashed out.

She looked up at the sky sharply when an unwelcome but familiar sharp pain shot through her. The sun sank below the horizon, stars speckling the moonless sky. “New moon,” she whispered, arms wrapped around her middle. “No, I can’t change now. Not here,” she begged. “Focus. I need to focus.” Anxious, she ducked into an alley to hide. Running into the wall in the dead end, Tiwaz spun in dismay at the sound of heavy footsteps behind her. Several thugs blocked the exit of the alley, smirking to one another.

“Well, now, what have we here?” one of the men asked, leering at her. She doubled over when another stab of pain shot through her. “Pretty thing like you shouldn’t be wandering around all alone.”

“Yeah,” another man purred in an oily voice. “Something bad might happen to you. And out here, no one will do shit to help you if you scream. And you will scream,” he added ominously.

“Stay back,” she tried to command, but her voice sounded weak and desperate in her ears. Overwhelmed with fighting the change, she could not stop them from descending on her. She struggled weakly to push away their grabbing hands, her worn clothes ripping easily. With a howl of frustration, she gave into the urge to change, her body melting, black hair covering her nudity as she became the sleek panther.

Panic set into the group of thugs when they saw her change shape, their thoughts of rape turning to killing a contagion bearing monster. Unused to fighting in her feline form, she managed to dodge only the first few attacks before their numbers and weapons overwhelmed her. A club connected with the back of her skull and she staggered, then collapsed. Her yowls of pain grew weaker as merciful blackness began clouding her vision and dulling the pain of their kicks and hits. In her fading sight, she saw a familiar shadow looming behind the gang. Knowing her death would be avenged, she allowed the darkness to claim her.

Doom bellowed in grief and rage when he caught a glimpse of the panther’s broken body. He swung his makeshift quarterstaff so hard, he felled three men and still crushed a brick in the wall. The gromek raged blindly, letting none escape. The fury drained away when no one remained standing, his gaze drawn to Tiwaz’s unmoving body. He flung the broken staff away as he dropped to his knees beside the panther.

Déjà vu of Tiwaz laying near death in the sands at Shurakh Arln made his heart go cold. “No,” he begged. “Ti, please, don’t leave me. Please.” He bent over her, carefully gathering her broken body and holding her tightly against him, repeating his plea in litany. He sat up abruptly when he felt her body changing form again, instinctively returning to her more familiar human shape. Blood stained her pale flesh. Bruises darkened most of her body. But her chest rose and fell with shallow, wheezing breaths, reassuring she yet lived at least.

His relief turned to bewildered dismay. “I don’t understand. None of her injuries healed. They healed when she changed before.”

“She is too thin. She has nothing for her body to use to mend her wounds,” Gareth observed, his expression grim. “As much of a beating as she took, it will be several days before she’ll be able to simply stand, even with her accelerated healing.”

Doom shot a glare at the man. “What do you know of—?”

“Not everyone is ignorant about the differences between shape-shifters and lycanthropes,” Gareth replied with an edge to his voice. “I told you, I only want to help you. I did before I knew who you really were.” He took his cloak off, offering it to Doom to wrap Tiwaz in. The gromek grudgingly accepted the offered garment. His heart ached every time her expression twitched in pain.

He looked up at Gareth when the bard put a hand on his shoulder. “I know a place that will be safe for you both.” Doom looked down at the woman and nodded, drawing the cowl of his cloak forward to hide his face. He gathered her into his arms and turned to follow.