CHAPTER 29
THE TREK BACK to where Lenore had seen Charie was daunting, to say the least. She had once thought that every rustle, twig snap, and vague animal noises was unsettling, but at least she had Edmund with her. Now, it all tripled in intensity.
Stop trembling. You’re a werewolf. A werewolf.
A werewolf—Lenore’s repeating thoughts froze when she heard a distant flutter from up above, triggering her to bolt forward.
Though the burst of speed was only temporary, Lenore’s heart continued to race from the adrenaline.
Ears lowered, she palmed her own muzzle.
I’ll lose control from my own dumb panic at this rate. She shook her fur, as if trying to shake off the particles of fear clinging to her body. I’m not just a defenseless human anymore. I’m a werewolf. Repeating the words once more in her head, she moved.
Other than the soft glow of Pip flying above, Lenore was surrounded by a sea of darkness. Vaguely familiar scents drove her forward, and her adjusting vision confirmed any recognizable signs.
Lenore cautiously padded through the terrain, making sure she wouldn’t find herself snagged in the sharp thorns of an umbral thistle once more.
Fallen leaves brushed against her paws while dewy moss dampened the underside of her pads.
The cool night air pierced her nostrils with every sniff.
The occasional rustle soon became something she ignored, trusting her nose to alert her to anything off.
A familiar perfume of flowers drifted past her nose, interrupting her in her step.
I made it. Lenore’s ear twitched in surprise as she realized she was standing before the bush she and Edmund had hidden behind.
She peeked through the foliage for good measure and caught sight of the etheria bush ahead.
The soft white of the closed buds glowed softly, dotting the darkness like stars.
I really made it. Lenore let out a held-back breath. Oh, thank the One Above!
The excitement dwindled with every passing second while she stared through the small gaps between the foliage. Lenore swallowed nervously. Her claws dug into the soil, leaving scuffed marks in the hard-packed dirt. She took a breath, then pushed forward.
The leaves rustled loudly around her, brushing against her thick coat of fur.
Lenore winced as she forced her way through the tangle of thick roots, grimacing to herself when the wood splintered and groaned against her.
As she broke free to the other side of the bush, her once clean coat was ensnared with leaves and a scattering of splintered bark.
With a few strong shakes, a flurry of leafy debris flew off her fur, spraying out in different directions.
Silence settled over the area as the last splinters fell to the ground.
“Alright then,” Lenore whispered once she was ready. She glanced at where Charie once stood and moved toward the spot. At first glance, there was nothing amiss. No matter how many times she circled around, nothing strange stood out.
Lenore stared at the bountiful etheria buds ahead in growing frustration.
They hovered all around her, some subtly quivering despite the still air, waiting to be plucked and used for what it was intended.
She leaned in and took a sniff at the tightly bound buds, hoping to find some sort of lingering clue.
The sweet scent went deep into her nostrils, evoking a sneeze from her.
A cascade of tiny glittering sparkles fell from the outer petals, and she watched in fascination as the white speckles disappeared into the ground below.
Lenore’s head followed the trail as she leaned down onto her front paws to watch the sparkles melt away into oblivion. Pip flew down toward her head until it bobbed just a few inches above the ground. Lenore’s eyes lingered for a moment more before her gaze slowly peeled away.
She froze. Something had caught the corner of her eye. Hastily, Lenore sank onto her belly.
“Pip, can you shine your light in there?” She gestured with her head toward the undergrowth. Pip flew in closer, and the light of its body shone brighter.
Deep within the intricate web of etheria’s roots were inky black thorns, surrounding the roots in twisted barricades of slick darkness.
Umbral thistles.
Lenore’s ears lowered as her wide eyes landed on a specific point. There, between the crowns of thistles, something had torn open a jagged gap.