Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Death is warm, ticklish and…fast?
My eyes burst open, and the first thing I notice is a glowing, transparent bubble around me, lifting me up, with endless darkness on the other side. Except for a flash of deep lavender that disappears the more I focus on it.
I’m still in the water, but able to breathe and quickly being pulled towards the surface.
Gone are the roots, and although there are several cuts and bruises all over my body, air flows through my lungs again. But who’s pulling me out of the water? It feels different than the powers of the dark creature.
At that point, I break through the surface and softly sway towards the frozen ground with tenderness. A wave of water splashes everywhere and I look around me, searching for my rescuer, expecting to see Ami or Aramis, but I am utterly alone. Except for…the scent hits me instantly.
No.
It is still here. The dark creature. And it apparently brought some friends. It’s as if they were waiting for me, standing around me in half a circle. I might have outrun one of them, but four? Even with all my optimism, I know a lost cause when I see one.
That doesn’t mean I will go down without a fight.
Roots shoot out of them, quickly traveling towards me.
I jump up ready to run on trembling legs and not enough air to breathe, but an invisible barrier around me halts me.
The bubble is still here, and with nowhere to run to, I can only determine I wasn’t actually rescued, but brought to another torturous ending.
I don’t even try to summon my flames, I nearly died a few minutes ago, steamy thoughts are the last thing on my mind. I prepare for impact, but the roots bump into the dome around me, the colour changing to blue and purple on contact.
What in the…?
I try to stand, but my legs are too weak, trembling uncontrollably now that the adrenaline wears off.
I watch the dome light up every time a vicious root bashes into what seems to be a shield.
Turns out I have a secret hero after all.
But as the horrifying creatures keep pressing the barrier, I am unsure of how long it will last. It continuously lights up, purple and blue mingling together. Until all of it stops.
The roots retreat, the barrier goes transparent again. But the creatures move towards me, and when the snow beneath me starts to melt and turn from white, to grey to black, I realise they have found another way to hurt me.
A clawed hand reaches out into the dome, sharp edges digging into the shield and I’m almost hopeful when the barrier even withstand that. But my joy is short-lived as a wave of dizziness washes over me and the air feels wrong, too…thin.
I fall to the ground, watch as my skin dries out, but rehydrates again in a matter of seconds. Everything turns hazy and I cry out for help, even though I know it’s futile. I beg and pray, hoping some passerby might hear it and come rescue me.
As I lay waiting, for death or help, a dark shadow in the sky catches my attention, its feathered wings enormous, even from this distance. Unsure why, I reach up to the sky, as if I can touch the magical bird. “Help…please.”
It’s all I manage, the imaginary bird gone in a blink of an eye.
Who even talks to birds? I blame it on the lack of oxygen.
I turn my head to the side, seeing the four creatures digging into the shield with their sharp edged wooden fingers, its glow fading with every passing minute.
I look past them, seeing the beautiful nature that brings me peace.
The tree branches sway in the wind, bushes rustle as animals move past them.
And three massive shapes emerge from the shadows.
Or is that my imagination as well?
No. They are huge. I’d say they look like wolves, but my sight is so cloudy, I’m surprised I can distinguish them. They are probably waiting for their next meal. That meal being me.
My eyelids become too heavy and closing them, even only for a second or two, might resolve that. I’m fine with however this will end.
Minutes passed, or maybe hours, I can’t tell. But when I manage to open my eyes. There isn’t as much pressure on my chest as there was before. I push myself up on one arm, looking around me.
Two predators walk around the barrier in circles while the other animal, the white feline-like beast sits with its nose nearly pressed against it.
As soon as they notice I’m awake again, the two stop in their tracks and the white feline pushes her nose into the barrier. No angry teeth or razorsharp claws dig into the earth to get to me.
Huh.
Seeming the shield-barrier still stands — and due to my stupid curiosity — I press a palm against my side of the now transparent wand and watch as the feline, who looks female to me, presses her magnificent head into the place where my hand sits.
When I move my right hand, the one with the ink black fur does the same.
Although these creatures are easily twice my size, they are not hostile. Quite the opposite actually, I think I even hear a faint purr. In a world where magic exists and gruesome wood like monsters, isn’t it possible that these are my saviours?
As soon as the thought leaves me, the barrier disappears with a small plop and my fingers touch soft furry heads instead. I quickly retract my hand, unable to believe these creatures are kitten-like, instead of the mighty predators they represent.
The white feline has icy blue eyes that glow, long haired white and grey fur that has the same blue glowing swirls in it and a fluffy tail that playfully sways from left to right.
Her darker twin is bigger in size, but is equally as stunning. Where the white one is all joy and serenity, the black one is all shadows and deep green smoke swirls around him. I should be terrified, yet I am not.
He — because there is no other way than that creature is male — sits next to his lighter sister and —
Wait a minute.
I tilt my head to the side, looking from one to the other. There is no way… “Ami?” I whisper, to which she dips her head. My breath catches. That should mean that the creature next to her is… “Aramis?”
He walks closer to me and gently presses his wet nose to my cheek.
I snort. “Of course you can turn into animals, it shouldn’t surprise me. How do you —” A sharp pain pierces through my head and my fingers dig into my skull, palms pushing against my temples. I close my eyes and exhale slowly.
Warm air washes over me and the pain changes into a soft ache. I open my eyes to two felines sitting inches away from me.
Are you hurt? Aramis asks, his voice a deep rumble inside my head.
“I can hear you in my mind, that’s pretty cool, not going to lie.” I shake my head. “But no, I’m okay, I think. I will have some bruises by tomorrow, or maybe they are already there, and by the occasional sting I feel, I know I have some cuts too. But I’m fine, alive.”
Aramis walks a quick circle around me as if not fully trusting my words. Ami moves closer and licks my face, making me laugh even if I went through hell only moments ago.
When Aramis is done with his check-up of my current state, he nudges his sister. We should head back before more of them come out.
“What are those creatures?” I ask, the thought of the monstrosities giving me the shivers.
Ami and Aramis look at each other before Ami answers. I promise all your questions will be answered. This shouldn’t have happened. But we need to get you out of here, I can practically feel your teeth clatter.
I hadn’t even noticed, but now that she’s mentioning it, I am cold to the bone. My fire powers haven’t found their way back to me and I miss them tremendously. How do people survive when they feel cold so intensely?
Another animal joins the party, this one black as well, but more tiger-like with antlers and an enormous black blue owl flies above its head.
It’s Zale and Enver. They will scout ahead to make sure we avoid any more trouble.
Aramis puts his head in my lap and pushes against my arms so they fall around his strong neck. Can you stand?
I carefully grasp his fur and try to rise, but my legs are like pudding and I nearly fall, save for Ami who presses against my back, steadying me.
“Thank you. You’re both huge, you know that right?”
Aramis chuckles. You’ll get used to it. He lays himself in front of me, reaching my chips and turns his head to me. Climb on, it’s much faster this way.
I can imagine, but how…I sigh. I think it’s kind of the same thing as riding a horse, but since I haven’t done that either…
I promise I won’t let you fall.
I know that, but it’s good to hear anyway. Okay, here goes nothing. With some effort, the muscles in my legs seemingly gone, I swing my leg over his back. Aramis slowly rises and if I thought he was big when he stood before me, sitting up here makes him look even bigger.
He starts walking, leaving the dark clearing behind and heads for the forest. I feel weak, drained, the dizziness is a little bit better, but far from gone. Ami walks next to us, throwing worried glances every now and then.
I’m not even surprised when dark shadows crawl up my legs and anchor me in place. It could just as well have been his hands on my thighs. And even though I am cold to the bone, the sensation sends a wave of heat through me. “Handy trick you’ve got there.”
Oh, gorgeous, you have no idea.
My cheeks turn a hot shade of crimson, and not because of the cold this time. Ami lets out a huff. Can you two please get a room? It’s taking everything in me not to puke.
Aramis playfully nips at her flank before taking off, the wind whips past me as we race back to the Academy. His snow and pine scent fills my lungs and I sigh, letting myself sink into his warmth.
“Your scent makes so much more sense now.”
My…scent?
“Yes, snow and pine. Winter at its best.”
Laughter now sounds in my head. Do I now? A small pause. And you…like this scent or?
I softly stroke the fur between his shoulder blades. “Very much so,” I whisper.