Free Jack Templar and the Lord of the Werewolves (Book #4 of the Templar Chronicles) by Jeff Gunhus Page B

worked, and the creature’s instinct was to watch the shield, raising its head and exposing its throat.
    I charged, grasping the Minotaur’s spear with both hands. Reaching the dragon, I rammed the spear into its throat. A grinding sound filled the air, stone sliding against stone. The dragon roared, turning toward me with a claw raised over its head to strike me. I was totally exposed without a shield or anywhere to hide. Hoping to absorb some of the blow, I raised my arms even though I knew it wouldn’t do much good.
    But the blow never came.
    The roar stopped too.
    Cautiously, I raised my head to see what had happened.
    The dragon was frozen back into solid stone, the Minotaur’s sword sticking from its chest now part of the statue. The rest of the statue creatures slowly retreated from their spots behind the pillars and moved back into the entry room.
    An odd sound filled the air – Pythia slowly clapping for me.
    “Well done, monster hunter,” she said. “Perhaps you are the One after all. You have given me hope. This is a thing of great value.”
    I didn’t want to tell her that I didn’t think I was the One from the prophecy. Heck, I kind of hoped I wasn’t. No one ever gave me a straight answer, but I got the feeling that the prophecy didn’t end well for whoever turned out to be this magical One person. I decided to play it safe and keep my own doubts to myself. “Then I’ve kept my side of the bargain. Now will you tell me where I can find the Lord of the Werewolves and whether we can defeat him?”
    Pythia closed her eyes and swayed gently from side to side. “I only see probable outcomes. You must do the rest. But most men are heathens. It’s simple to predict their behavior even without the gift of sight.”
    “So can you or can’t you tell me where to find Kaeden?”
    Pythia closed her eyes for a long count and then reopened them. “I know where he is. Whether you can find him is a different matter.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “One can tell the lazy man how to become wealthy through hard work, but will it make a difference? Likely not,” Pythia said.
    “I’m not lazy.”
    “No, but you are reckless and consider it bravery. Will a reckless hunter be able to find Kaeden even if I give him a location?” Pythia closed her eyes for several long seconds. I was close enough to see her eyes moving behind her eyelids as if she was having a dream.
    Finally, she cried out, and her eyes shot open. They tore through me and I thought I saw fear in them.
    “You have many paths, more than I have seen in eons. In most, you and your friends all perish. In others, you simply fail and see the world crumble around you.”
    I swallowed hard. “Isn’t there a path where I succeed?”
    Pythia nodded. “Very few. Even in these successes, nearly all of them end with most of your friends dying. For you to succeed on your quest, you must walk a razor’s edge at all times. Every little mistake sends an earthquake into the future, taking away more paths until only the terrible ones remain.”
    “Are you always this cheery?” I asked.
    Pythia gave me a genuine smile. “There is a path where all your friends will live. If you leave here without knowing the location of Kaeden’s lair, you will never find it on your own, and you’ll be safe.”
    “But Ren Lucre will win,” I said. “He will destroy the world.”
    “Yes,” Pythia replied. “And if I tell you and you go and seek the lair, either you or one of your party traveling with you will surely die. All paths point to this fate – no matter what you do.”
    A pit formed in my stomach as I realized the choice Pythia had just given me. Turn and walk away, and my friends would live, but Ren Lucre’s army would sweep through the world. Or find the Lord of the Werewolf’s location and ensure the death of one of my team.
    “Choose, Templar,” Pythia hissed. “Choose now.”

Chapter 12
    I trudged back to the restaurant. I’d been gone for about