ã€ŠSecrets of a Hybridã€‹


 Prologue

    Boom!

    Oww¡­

    Shit. That hurt¡­

    "What¡¯s this?" I asked the still air and the dangerously stacked books around me. I examined the dusty, red leather bound book in front of me. The book commanded me to open it, and my curiosity obliged.

    Passage from The Grand Wizards

    Over a thousand years ago, there was a guild of wizards who focused their magic on form shifting which they called polymorphic spells. The wizards studied creatures and objects to understand what they were on a fundamental level. With this knowledge, the wizards could create polymorphic spells to allow them to transform into that creature or object. When the spell was created, the wizards would make jewelry or tools to allow the wizard to focus and amplify the spell on themselves. Before long, the wizards could shift into tall, sturdy oaks, speedy, little mice, rocks rolling down the mountain and most simple objects or creatures until a young wizard¡¯s ambitions took it a step further.

    The young wizard was studious and ambitious in his research to morph into more complex creatures. He wished to morph into hawks to soar the blue skies, dolphins to explore the secrets of the seas, and bears that rule over the mountain peaks. The young wizard wanted to break through barriers that blocked the other wizards from fully understanding complex creatures. He started with the hawk as he began his expedition. The young wizard ran into a rare beast woman while on his expedition into the nearby forest as she sped past him chasing her prey. He had never met one of her kind before, so his heart quickened at the encounter. Filled with intrigue, he followed after her. The young wizard searched for the beast woman, but she left no trace behind her. For days, he hiked through the forest in search of the rare creature, but he had failed in his quest.

    A year later, he saw her once more speeding through the brush of the forest. He had spent the year perfecting his hawk polymorph spell and decided now was the time to test it. In an instant, his bones cracked and bent while skin was set ablaze as feathers sprung from each pore on his body. Some bones contorted while others conjoined to form his legs and talons. He had never experienced such a painful shift, but a complex creature required a complex shift. Blood ran down his face as his new beak hardened. His eyes blurred as his sight became acute. The young wizard had success as the pain began to dull while he settled into his new form. Only a moment passed before the new hawk attempted flight. Smacking into a tree, the hawk stumbled on the forest floor. He stared at the sky understanding that his form does not grant the knowledge of a hawk but the body of a hawk. ¡°A spell can give you wings, but you must learn to fly with those wings.¡± The young wizard heard his teacher, Loulee, echo in his mind. He knew he would not find that beast woman now, but one day he would see her again.

    Another year passed as the wizard mastered his hawk form. He had accomplished his first goal in only two years earning him fame inside his guild, but he had not forgotten the speedy beast woman in the forest. He set out to find her using his hawk shifting capabilities. True to form she appeared again in the forest speeding after her prey. The young wizard followed her through the forest to an unmarked cave. His curiosity pushed him to follow this incredible creature. Through the cave, he followed her as she darted down each tunnel when he realized she had shifted into a beast, but he sensed no magic. His interest in her grew from intrigue to determination to learn all about her. Finally, they reached the cave¡¯s end. In the light of the moon, she shifted into a beast woman as he admired her form as it rested along a river bank. His wings were sore after hours of tracking her. He landed on the branch above her to rest.

    Now that he had tracked her, he was determined to learn all he could about this rare race that seemed like a legend. He studied her for months on an expedition when he realized his interest had turned into attraction. There was beauty in both her beast and woman forms. She could easily become one to the other without magic. She was often alone, but on occasion another would appear, and they would speak in a language formed of growls and words that he could not understand. So much mystery before him that he hungered to learn. Soon he knew he had to return to the guild because hawk form had begun to weaken. He spent one last hour admiring the beast woman asleep by the river bed. Her fur was silver like the clouds in a storm with tips of black upon her ears and tail. Her long, black hair lay wildly under her head as she slept. Attraction filled his heart, but his small hawk body grew tired. Back to the cave he flew leaving the fair woman peacefully asleep.

    Once more, he walked on two legs into the wizard guild.The young wizard had stayed a hawk for nine months, which left him with some side effects. For weeks he slept before emerging from his slumber with his magic restored. He visited his teacher to report his latest adventure in shifting. As he recounted his trip, he realized he missed the beast woman and was faced with an impossible romance, which he could not escape. He dove into his research to escape his desires by studying the far sea though his mind returned to the forest every day. The beast woman haunted his dreams beckoning him back to the river beyond the cave. In the depths of the sea, he would drown his mind in the dolphins. Swimming with them. Bursting out from the water to breathe salty air. Eventually, he morphed into a dolphin. It was more painful than the hawk as skin changed on the sleek shine of a dolphin. Ramire began to understand how the more complex a creature was the greater the pain he would encounter during a shift.

    His dreams of the beast woman continued as if the forest cave and river called to him. He reminded himself that such a romance is illegal and impossible. He would end up dead if he pursued that damn beast woman. This was an unanswerable scenario. He remained tormented until the day Ramire found the solution in his studies. By creating a ring with the spell to turn himself into a beast man, he could be with the beast woman as one of her kind. However, the spell had one complication. When Ramire became a beast man, he could only hold the form for a day unlike his previous polymorph spells.

    The young wizard visited the woman beyond the forest cave as a beast man after adapting to the strength and speed of this unusual form. Their first meeting resulted in his near death because the best woman chased him away from the river bank, but still he returned time and again. The more time he spent trying to get to know her; the more he learned about his form. Soon, the young wizard began to speak her language, but she would continuously chase him away. No matter what he said or how he interacted with her, he would run away with his tail tucked between his legs. Until one fateful day, Ramire arrived in time to rescue the beast woman from a rock slide near the entrance of the cave, and for the first time he heard her say thank you. At that moment, Ramire realized he had fallen in love with the beast woman. Ramire met the beast woman many times in beast form after that day until she fell in love with him too.

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    However, interracial love was forbade by most of the races for fear of what the offspring would become. These offspring were considered illegal, and the whole family could be put into slavery or sentenced to death. Ramire knew he had to reveal his secret to his love. Ramire told her of his secret and of the masking ring he used to meet her. The beast woman accepted his secret, but she knew they had no future. Ramire could never live with his beloved because after one day the spell ended and his beast form mask would fall. Ramire was forced to wait three days before he could use the masking ring again. Ramire decided to try to perfect the spell further like he had done before with his hawk transformation. Ramire worked with the beast woman for two years trying to perfect the spell.

    Finally, he reached a breakthrough by understanding the beast woman on a molecular level by studying her blood, and he could become a beast man for a fortnight at a time. Since the spell''s strength grew, Ramire would have to wait a month in between each spell to allow his body to rest. The beast woman would faithfully wait each time for him to come back after he would revert back to his wizard form. The month would go by so slowly for them both. The beast woman wanted to find another way to help them be together.

    One day, the beast woman asked if she could shift to a wizard to spend more time with Ramire. Ramire considered carefully if such magic could be used on a non-wizard or what effects it could have on the woman. Theoretically, the masking ring could cast the polymorphic spell on a non-wizard creature with innate shifting abilities after being created by a powerful wizard. Ramire decided to try to create such a spell for his beloved.

    Ramire went to seek counsel from his lifelong friend and mentor, Loulee. Loulee and Ramire spent an entire month in archives to learn what such a spell would need to exist. They found that to allow non-magic users to use a wizard''s item freely, a blood pact must be sealed in with the spell to form the ring. The blood pact would allow any blood relative or descendants of either bloodline to use the ring. Loulee cautioned Ramire that such an item could bring chaos to the guild and his beloved if he moved forward. Ramire thanked his mentor for the wisdom and forged the new masking ring with the beast woman at his side.

    Ramire was successful in his quest to create the ring for his beloved. However, the ring did come with a cost for the beast woman. Each time she would use the masking ring some of her lifetime would be sacrificed. The woman would lose a day of her life each time she spent a day as a wizard, but she had no fear because she could spend all her time with Ramire. The two finally wed after 5 years of their courtship.

    After a decade of peace together, the beast woman''s clan learned of her secret union. Her clan came after Ramire to punish him for the crimes of interracial marriage by putting him to death. The beast woman begged and pleaded for the wizard¡¯s life, but the clan refused in fear of the punishment the Gleaca Council would deliver upon the clan. To save her beloved, the beast woman brokered a deal with her clan to have Ramire returned to his guild, but the beast woman would die in Ramire''s place.

    Furious with this deal, Ramire reached out to his mentor for help upon his return to the guild. The mentor, Loulee, was ashamed of Ramire, but he would not allow that poor woman to die. Loulee had to confront the wizard guild about the masking ring and Ramire''s request for help for his beloved. The guild was astonished by Ramire''s accomplishments and crimes, which caused them to deliberate over the ordeal for days.

    Finally, the guild sent Loulee in secret to the beast woman''s clan with a new proposal. The guild offered for Ramire to make the beasts a new masking ring each year for a member of the clan as long as the beast woman lived. The beast clan would not know what race the masking would shift to and that the spell could only work for 3 days at a time. Ramire would have to turn over all his work and research to the wizard guild. In addition, the beast woman and Ramire would have to give up their marriage, but in place of death, the woman would have her memory wiped of her relationship with Ramire. The beast clan would attain an advantageous power, and the guild would avoid the fury of the Gleaca Council and access to Ramire¡¯s research.

    The beast clan accepted the deal, which saved Ramire and the woman''s life. Ramire spent the next 48 years studying the races, creating a new ring each year, and bonding the ring with each selected beast person through blood pact. Ramire tried to avoid the aggressive races in favor of the peaceful races on the planet. He only made a few rings that could shift into the aggressive races after the beast clans¡¯ complaint. On the 48th year, Ramire received word that the beast woman had died in her sleep. Ramire had fulfilled the deal between the guild and the clan and turned over his research to the wizard guild.

    Ramire was finally free to live his life again. He had spent so much time on research that he had forgotten about the people he left behind. Although his mentor had passed on, Loulee''s daughter, Touree, reconnected with Ramire, and two years later they were married. Ramire and Touree had twins a few years later. Ramire passed on the masking ring he still had on to his children. Eventually war ravaged the land causing the magical rings and the beast clan that wielded them faded into history. The story is known only in legends to warn future wizards of the dangers of ambitions and magic.

    End of passage¡­

    What the hell! Did that book hit me that hard on the head? I feel like I actually watched that wizard¡¯s life unfold. Chills exploded through my body. My mother''s ring on my finger began to glow.

    "What the-" Lightning burst out of the ring, and my whole body was charged with magic. The bolts of light struck the towers of books and the high ceiling above me. I couldn''t move from my spot in the wooden chair. Why is this happening to me?

    "Hey, you!" A voice shouted at me from afar. I couldn¡¯t turn to see who was there, but I could feel someone approaching me. The person groaned as stray bolts of lightning burned them.

    I can''t just let myself sit here in this chaos. I focused hard on the flow of magic storming in my body. If I can halt the flow then I can save the now crispy person behind me. All my attention went to blocking the magic like damming a river. Chills flooded my whole body as the magic ceased and the lightning storm faded. All the strength in my body fell away, leaving me limp in the chair for a moment. I couldn¡¯t stay like this. This was supposed to be a simple in and out job, but instead this damn book got in the way of the plan¡­

    Lightning cracked above me as the person trying to stop me called magic of their own. I made my limp body move, keeping the book close to me as I tried to escape the library. Narrowly dodging all of the known traps, I headed toward my window of escape. The bolts of lightning began streaking my body, but my skin was numb from my own lightning magic a minute ago. Every spell my attacker launched, my body absorbed like a lightning rod. Bouncing and dodging traps was easy at this moment. I looked up at my exit and went for it with the book in hand. I needed time to understand what I saw. What this ring had just done¡­ I jumped through the window just as the sun began to rise, leaving my purser behind me. Charging into the forest, I left the Wizard¡¯s Guild behind. Hopefully, this book would be all I needed.

    ¡°Rory¡­I mean, Ro, what took you so long?¡± My best friend asked as I returned to our little campsite in the Evergreen Forest.

 Guild Life

    ¡°Rory! Emalynn! Get back here!¡± Myrra, the guild master hollered through the mess hall of the White Rapids Guild. Myrra jumped from table to table chasing the girls leaving smashed plates across the floor.

    ¡°Why are we running exactly?¡± I asked Emalynn darting past our guild mates enjoying the fried spice fish dinner special. The mess hall was full as usual for dinner hour in our little adventurers¡¯ guild. Our guild mates are not phased by evening chase because it was a daily occurrence.

    ¡°I may or may not have taken a S class assignment from the S rank board.¡± Emalynn grinned. ¡°I want us to have a chance to rank up in the guild. If we can make it to the assignment desk, we are home free.¡± Emalynn wants so much rank-up in our guild, so she could make a name for herself. She is by far the best archer in the guild, but she is still a minor according to guild laws. She has been trying to find a way around the guild law since her last birthday.

    ¡°You cheeky little monkey.¡± I laughed. ¡°But Myrra doesn¡¯t seem to be happy with your plan. What are you going to do when she catches us?¡± This was not the first time Emalynn has tried to get a S class assignment. Every one of her plans ends the same way with a punishment of extra work around the guild house while being grounded to the guild house. I, personally, am not in a rush to raise my rank, but she¡¯s my best friend. Besides I can usually minimize the damage for her, the guild master, and our guild mates when I am involved.

    ¡°Beg for forgiveness if it comes to that.¡± She gleaned until an ax hit the table next to us knocking us over to the floor. Around us, whispers of laughter filled the room as our audience watched the graceful disaster.

    We sat up to see a shadow leaping over us.¡°Time to start begging.¡± I said as the ground shook from the guild master¡¯s landing. Her terrain magic was overwhelming, which is why she¡¯s the top dwarf magic user this side of the Hailain Mountains. The guild master was intimidating for only being five foot tall. Her hazel eyes could see right through you. The guild master swooped her long amber color pony tail behind her and pulled her ax from the table strapping it to her back.

    ¡°Did you two really think you could escape your guild master?¡± Myrra huffed with her hands on her hips as she stood in front of us. ¡°Give it up, Emalynn.¡± She stretched her rough hand out waiting for the gold assignment key.

    Emalynn gave her best apologetic face, pouting her small pink lips and batting her sad amber eyes as she handed over the golden assignment key. ¡°Sorry, guild master. I just wanted a shot to prove that Rory and I are ready to rank up.¡±

    ¡°Rory, maybe ready to rank up, but you know you aren¡¯t of age yet, Emalynn. Even if you were of age, you don¡¯t have the maturity for a S rank mission. Look at the mess your little game of chase created.¡± Myrra pointed to the disaster of a mess hall.

    Emalynn¡¯s fluffy white ears folded back and her cheeks filled with a blushing pink of embarrassment. There was food, broken plates and cups, tossed tables and chairs and worst of all chuckling guild mates in our wake. Neither of us had meant to disrupt the mess hall in our grand escape, but it was fun while it lasted, at least for me. Myrra continued her repermanding while everyone else cleared the mess hall. For a small dwarf, Myrra had volume and power in spades, which made her a feisty guild master. Before long, she had us cleaning the mess hall as she decided to lecture us on how our ranking system works.

    ¡°How many times must I remind you both! The system is based on skill and age. In order for you to be in S class, you must be at least 21 years old and able to complete five S class assignments while your skill is evaluated. Right now, Rory might be able to do it, but Emalynn you still have another two years before you reach the age requirement.¡± Myrra explained. ¡°Your skills need that time to grow because you are still B ranked for your age group. Have patience. You and Rory can spend this time honing your skills getting you up to A rank with Rory. Besides, once you become S rank, you will have more responsibility and less freedom. It¡¯s not just a change in status.¡±

    I could see Myrra¡¯ inner fire become sour at the thought of us being restrained to S class responsibilities. Maybe there¡¯s more than tough missions and accolades for S rankers to deal with. "Myrra, it¡¯s okay. We will take our time to become S rank, won¡¯t we Emalynn?¡± I gestured at her to agree in the hopes of giving Myrra peace of mind.

    ¡°Sure. I will try to slow down a bit. I wouldn¡¯t want to destroy the guild house next time I try to become an S rank.¡± Emalynn jokes.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I believe you two?¡± Myrra sighed.

    ¡°Perhaps, because these two are trouble makers.¡± A low voice cut in.

    ¡°Elias, you''re back!¡± Emalynn dropped her broom as she rushed to hug Elias. He has been gone for five months on a secret visit back to his wolf beast village in the Savage Valley, but everyone believes he is an elf from Le¡¯ Ansia, a town on the outskirts of the Elf Kingdom. He is known as the Spear of the White Rapids Guild because he is in the top three S rank guild members, but truly he¡¯s a wolf beast man like my mother and my aunt. In fact, he trained them both when they were young. Elias trains most of the new wolf beasts that want to be a wolf hunter or huntress in the Elite Guard. When I first entered the guild, he took care of Emalynn and me. He has trained me on and off over the years.

    ¡°Hello Ema, I missed you too.¡± Elias squeezed Emalynn sweetly. He has become a little more gentle since he is getting up there in age, but he can be stubborn about everything. They chatted for a few minutes before Elias called out to me.

    ¡°Uncle Elias, you came back early.¡± I greeted Elias as he walked over to hug me. His big burly arms looked as if they would swallow me.

    ¡°I had too. I ran into someone when I was traveling, and I decided to bring them back to see you.¡± He gestured to the door behind him. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you in your room.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I said, confused by his words. Who would he bring to see me?

    ¡°Go on, Rory. Elias will help Emalynn finish cleaning.¡± Myrra chimed in with an exciting smile on her face.

    I nodded and headed upstairs to my dorm room leaving the wrecked mess hall behind. No one has visited me in a couple years, so who could have found Elias on his way back from the valley? But the way Myrra had smiled at me, it had to be someone good. I climb up three stories before reaching the room in the back corner of the floor. I took a deep breath before opening my door. My hand automatically landed on my dagger as I turned the knob. Looking through the cracked opening, I could see a femine shadowed figure confirming what Elias had told me. I pushed the door open with one hand still on my dagger.

    ¡°Rory, do you really need to be so cautious of family?¡± A warm, familiar voice called out.

    I pushed the door wide open to see my aunt standing there with her arms out. ¡°Aunt Leah! You¡¯re here!¡± I ran to my aunt and hugged her tight. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought they needed everyone back at the village.¡±

    ¡°Oh, your Uncle Axel ended that ¡®crisis¡¯ quickly. Since Elias was headed back here, I took the opportunity to accompany him.¡± Leah explained as we settled in my living room area. ¡°I see you have been upgraded to the third floor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Myrra insisted that I move up since I turned twenty-one a few months ago. She said I am an adult, and I need to start living like one.¡± I gestured to my dorm room, getting up to bring back some drinks from the kitchen. ¡°Apparently, living with Emalynn and the other kids in academy dorms is unacceptable for a woman my age.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did graduate from the academy early, so you probably should have left eons ago.¡± Leah jokes as she cracked open her sour plum juice that I had placed on the little wooden table in front of us. ¡°So what¡¯s next in your life? Or do you plan on helping Emalynn steal S rank assignments forever?¡±

    "I have been trying to figure that out," I sighed. I know I have some options, but I think all I really want is to earn some money and get myself my own place. Somewhere, I can let my guard down, but she wouldn''t understand that. "The whole world is open to me at the moment since Uncle Elias taught me how to use my mom''s ring."

    "I admit I can rest easier knowing that you can maintain your human form these days. Does that mean you can become a wolf now as well?" Leah''s face lit up with excitement.

    "I can for a few days at a time. No where near as long as you can hold the form."

    "Well, look at me dear. I am a full wolf beast woman." She joked, gesturing to her tall, brown furry form. Most beast folk are furry from head to toe with certain animal characteristics like Aunt Leah¡¯s black wolf ears and tail. Her body is shaped like a human except for her nose and paws, which are a blend of wolf and human. Her best features are her emerald eyes and thick blackish brown hair.

    "And an Alpha Huntress to boot." I giggled.

    She finished her giggle and gave me a once over. "It''s just me sweetie. You can lift the human mask."

    ¡°What?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°You can shift back to your base form, honey. No one is going to bother us tonight.¡± She explained.

    I shook my head. ¡°I am comfortable in my human form like my base form. In the guild, I can¡¯t let my guard down. Emalynn likes to have midnight slumber parties anyway.¡±

    ¡°Elias is spending time with Emalynn, so there won¡¯t be a problem. Just let your mask down and relax.¡± Aunt Leah persisted.

    ¡°Aunt Leah, I a-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®Aunt Leah¡¯ me, young lady. I know you haven¡¯t shifted back to base form for a while, but it is important to let your body rest. Staying shifted all the time could damage your body and drain your magic.¡± She lectured. ¡°Shift now.¡±

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    I stopped for a second before realizing what she was right. I was so used to the constant human form that I forgot it''s not my basic form. I nodded at her and put my drink down. Deep breaths filled my lungs as my human ears folded back into my skin. My skull morphed allowing my wolf ears to rise causing a splitting headache. My spine extended out like a knife piercing my skin at the bottom of my lower back to create my tail. Tensing muscles tightened all over my body revealing my well defined curves. Feeling tingles in my nails and tinges of pain in my jaw, I felt my bones thicken, fangs sharpen and claws blacken. Skin stretched out over my wolf extensions, and finally the skin burned as furr erupted to cover the ears and tail. Drops of blood fell from my ears into my black, curly hair.

    My Aunt Leah watched as the contorted expression subsided from my face. "I don''t remember your transformation causing you so much discomfort before."

    I got up to pull a rag out of the bathroom to soak up the remaining droplets of blood in my hair before deciding that I need to clean myself off completely. "It wasn''t that painful before because I returned to my base form more often. Elias theorized that since I can hold the human form for months now that it might have a negative effect on my ability to shift into other forms. Basically, the less I shift into the form, the more painful the shift will be." Turning on the shower, I let the water run over my hair and ears. It had been two months since I last returned my base form, and I had forgotten the pain I experienced last time. The cool water eased the remaining tinges of pain on my ears and my lower back. Rinsing the blood from my hair and the fur on my tail made me cringe at the tenderness around my ears and tail. I grabbed the rag to dry my head and turned off the water. I pulled out a change of clothes that would better accommodate my tail. After cleaning myself up, I returned to the couch where Aunt Leah was waiting.

    ¡°Feel better?¡± She asked as I sat down next to her.

    ¡°I think so. It¡¯s been a while since I was in my base form.¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for guild life.¡± My eyes looked down to my drink to avoid Aunt Leah¡¯s gaze. I could tell she had questions, and I sat there hoping she wouldn¡¯t ask them.

    ¡°Truth, now.¡± She said sternly to me. She knew there was more to the story.

    ¡°For not being a mom, you have no trouble acting like one.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Comes with the territory as your aunt and an alpha. Let¡¯s have it. Why are you not returning to your base form? You know the cost of constant use of the ring to shift.¡± She crossed her arms waiting for me to start talking.

    ¡°First of all, you don¡¯t know if I will pay the same cost you do. I am a hybrid. No one knows what I am capable or incapable of, which is a blessing and a curse. As a hybrid, I should not exist. I am illegal! If anyone were to catch me, I would end up dead or as someone¡¯s lab rat. What¡¯s even worse is I am half wolf beast and half human. Since wolf beasts disappeared after the Race Wars two hundred years ago according to the public records, I am an even bigger target than other hybrids. I don¡¯t look like any other beast people known or unknown to the world. So excuse me, for hiding in my human form to blend in with the world and keeping myself safe!¡± Rage and sorrow spilled out into my words and tears began to fall. ¡°I am a one of a kind, orphan freak show. Everyone would either run in fear if they saw me as I am now or try to catch me¡­ It is easier for me to just stay human.¡±

    Leah wrapped her arms around me just like she did every time I cried since my parents died. My aunt¡¯s hugs seem to always make my fears subside just like when my parents hugged me. It made me wish that I could have stayed with her growing up instead of being raised in the guild. She wiped away my tears as she studied my face.

    "Your eyes are as blue as the Northern Sea, just like your father. I knew that was one of the reasons your mother fell in love with him, so naturally I hated him for it. But, I think I like him a little better for giving them to you." She smiled at me. She patted my black curls that were being tamed by a simple braid and let her hand fall to my small cheek. Aunt Leah pulled my round, pointed chin forward giving me one last thorough glance. "You have truly become a beauty, which is scarier than the time you nearly killed your uncle playing with those daggers."

    "It was not that bad! I only clipped off a chuck of his hair." I defended back at her. "He always said ''aim for the head, so your target is dead.'' I just practiced what he preached."

    Aunt Leah started to giggle. "He''s a good Alpha Hunter, but a terrible influence on kids."

    "Is that why I don''t have a cousin yet?" I joked.

    "I will tell you what I tell the Elders, our parents and the whole baby crazy clan. It will happen when it happens." Aunt Leah quickly changed the subject. "What about your love life? Found any cute humans to court?"

    "Humans call it dating these days, Aunt Leah. You really should get practice blending in while you are here. I would hate for you to fail a mission due to your lack of knowledge on current human culture."

    "Are you calling me old?" Her eyebrows raised.

    "Not old, just out of touch." I explained.

    ¡°Maybe with the world outside of the valley, but we can fix that. I think I can afford to stay a few days. Besides, I need to see what kind of woman you have become¡± she proclaimed. ¡°First thing in the morning, we need to get a job assignment, so I can see these skills Elias would not stop boasting about on the way here.¡±

    ¡°I am not that good. Uncle Elias can still beat me with little effort.¡± I admitted. ¡°I am not sure I will ever be as strong as Uncle Elias, you or my parents. I suppose being a hybrid means I have limitations.¡±

    ¡°We will see how you do tomorrow. I know you are stronger than you will admit.¡± Aunt Leah boasts her confidence in me. ¡°You are my niece after all.¡±

    We spent the night giggling and catching up on the last few years. She can''t get away from her Alpha responsibilities as easily as she could when I first moved to the guild. Still, she has been there over the years whenever I needed her. Doubt plagued my heart about my strength, but maybe my aunt could help with whatever block I have hit in my training.

    The next morning, Aunt Leah woke me from my unpleasant dreams. She bounced around my dorm getting her gear ready for the day. She even made my favorite honey lettuce hog wrap for breakfast. It was like someone dumped sugar into her herbal breakfast tea, but I guess this is the energy she needs to have as an Alpha to deal with the clan¡¯s problems. I, however, have never been a morning person, which means I had to fake it for Aunt Leah. She sharpened her knives on the floor while I prepared for the day. I finished my hog wrap, and entered the bathroom only to stop at the mirror. It was time to be a human again, so I could walk out of my dorm freely.

    Staring at my reflection, I took a deep breath and began to concentrate. My wolf ears rolled back into the top of my skull, and my black and silver fur faded back into my black, curly hair. My fangs retracted and nails dulled back to plain human fingers. The human ears unfolded on each side of my head drawing the pain from the top of my head to each ear. The intense headache increased before peaking as the world was silent for a moment until the new ears settled. Another deep breath filled my lungs as my tail shrank back into my spine. Compression pains radiated from my spine as the spine normalized in my body. Again, my skin burned as the silver fur receded into my pale skin. Scars appeared where my wolf extensions once stood on my skin. Opening my eyes, I saw my human outline as my vision dulled with the headache. There was less blood this time, but my body ached from the shift. Another warm shower later, my body relaxed as I geared up to go on an assignment.

    As I settled my daggers in their sheaths, Aunt Leah appeared in my doorway. She commented on how my serious facade looked similar to an assassin preparing for a hit. I assured her that I was only preparing for success on whichever job assignment we chose to embark on. Uncle Elias walked through the door announcing that he had picked the perfect assignment for our little team. Behind him, Emalynn''s tail danced peeking over his shoulder as she giggled with excitement. This was her first assignment with Uncle Elias in two years since Uncle Elias had been training his nephew until last month. We all headed down stairs to register our job assignment.

    Walking through the lobby, I can only imagine how strange our team looked with Elias, a blond woodland elf carrying his spear, Leah, appearing as a human with painted hunting markings on her face and large swords strung across her back, Emalynn, a spunky simian beast with her bow and quiver full of arrows, and me, a short woman armed with daggers on each hip and throwing knives fasten to the belt of my bag. My guild mates did not hide their stares. Our group was definitely attracting attention since Leah and Elias were on a team together. Elias is known as the Spear of White Rapids for his strength as an S rank, but Leah is known as the Ghost to most of the guild since she only appears once every few months or years. Most of the guild assumes she takes on secret missions for the guild association, but they couldn''t be more wrong.

    "What an odd little team you have formed, Elias." Myrra laughed watching as we walked up to her at the job assignment counter.

    "No odder than you sitting behind this counter. I expected you to be patrolling the guild to keep our rowdy guild mates in line." He retorted with a sly smile.

    "Would, if I could. Being chained to a desk is not my speed, but Jani and Lyla are sick with hangovers from your little fiesta you had last night in the mess hall. They will be down in a few hours to resume their duties after getting a few hours of shut eye." Myrra snapped at him. "In fact, most of the guild is suffering from hangovers after last night. Perhaps, you should be the one manning the counter to help out your guild mates."

    When Aunt Leah mentioned Elias made sure no one would disturb us last night, I didn''t know he would do it with a drinking party. Uncle had always been a fun spirit. I wonder how Emalynn fared at his little party last night. She hadn''t reached drinking age yet, so I wonder what she did to keep busy.

    "Well, Myrra. I distinctly remember you thanking me a bunch last night for helping everyone cut loose. You said you owed me one for all the fun." He said slyly. "This seems like a good time to cash it in."

    "Only you have the gull to pull something like this. All right. You are off the hook this time." Myrra leaned back in her chair. "What job assignment did you choose this time?"

    Uncle Elias handed Myrra the job assignment. Based on the color of the paper, the job assignment was A ranked. If Emalynn could complete this job and a few more, she could be an official A rank with me. I am not sure if I should be excited or worried. I don¡¯t know if I have the strength to protect her on an A rank mission. It should be fine though with Elias and Aunt Leah around.

    Myrra broke my solitude with a concerned objection towards Elias. "I don¡¯t think this is a good assignment for your group, Elias."

    "What do you mean? It''s an A rank assignment. Leah and I are both S rankers, Rory is A rank, and Emalynn is trying to become A rank. There should be no issue." Uncle Elias clarified.

    "Can I talk to you in private?" Myrra asked. Elias nodded and followed Myrra to her office.

    Omniscient POV

    "Elias, thanks for speaking with me." Myrra said as she leaned back against her guild master desk. Her office was large with a desk and two long couches. The green and gold theme covered the room from her green curtain with gold emblems to her gold couches with green pillows. Her office reflected the colors of the guild and its crest.

    "What¡¯s up with you, Myrra? We are more than suited to hunt some saber grizzly bears down, so I don''t understand your hesitation." Elias questioned. "If you are worried about Emalynn, don''t be. She''s ready to rank up."

    "It''s not Emalynn that I am worried about. It''s Rory. Did you see where this assignment is located?" Myrra'' voice was filled with concern.

    "Yeah, it''s in the Old River Woods. What about it?" He asked sarcastically. Was Myrra really worried or was this some punishment for the rowdy gathering last night?

    "Yes, it is. The woods that are full of bandits terrorizing travelers. Also, it''s the same woods Rory went on assignment last year with that boy from the other guild who died." Myrra warned. "I still don''t know what happened on that assignment, but she hasn''t been the same since."

    Elias was stunned. "I know she''s been off for a while, but I didn''t know she went on that mission. What was she doing out there with that boy?"

    "It was supposed to be a simple bodyguard assignment protecting some merchant while he traveled through the woods. The merchant made it out of the woods safely, but Rory had to bring that boy''s body back to his guild. Something went wrong out there, Elias, and she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone what happened, except the boy''s guild master. I asked that guild master what happened, but his lips are sealed."

    The two of them stood in silence for a moment until Elias seemed to have sparked an idea. "Let¡¯s find out what happened then. Leah and I can use this assignment to push Rory for answers about why she isn''t training with anyone, where her confidence disappeared to, and what happened on that job."

    "I don''t know, Elias. Rory might not open up, and I don''t want you to lose sight of Emalynn in the process. Emalynn has never faced a saber grizzly bear before, and you guys are supposed to come back with 3 of them." Myrra adjusted and crossed her arms. The thought of those two girls being in harm''s way made her stress. She found Emalynn as an orphan in the Northern Mountains when she was only eight years old. Myrra bought her from a mining corporation who used Emalynn to clean the mining equipment in exchange for leftover food and a bed in the tool shack. Myrra couldn''t turn away from a child in need, so she used her status as guild master to start an academy in the guild for orphans who had nowhere else to go, which Rory attended two years later.

    Her guild was the first to have an academy for orphaned children. Although all adventure guilds were a place to find work, each guild did things differently. They all followed a set of rules handed down from the guild association, which is backed by the Gleaca Council. There were two basic types of guilds, adventurers'' guild and grim guilds. The adventurers'' guild allowed people to find work, learn trades, and enter tournaments to test their strength. Grim guilds served a darker purpose allowing for assassins, thieves and dark magic users to complete terrible deeds. The guild association allowed for both types of guilds because, like the Gleaca Council, the association believed there needed to be a balance of light and dark in the world. However, any crime committed by a dark guild member was still punishable by law unless the criminal is never caught. The guilds had to follow the guidelines given by the guild association.

    Myrra was able to convince the guild association that the academy would be an asset and produce strong adventures to take high risk missions for different kingdoms. Although Myrra had pure intentions for helping the orphans, the guild association just saw a monetary opportunity. High rank adventurers were often used as mercenaries or soldiers by different kingdoms, which paid the association for the use of high rankers. This was the reason Myrra didn''t want Emalynn or Rory to be an S rank adventurer. The girls would be slaves for the association like Elias has been. Myrra cared for each of those kids as her own, and she wanted to protect Rory and Emalynn as long as she could.

    "Myrra, we have raised those girls together along with seven other kids. Rory is the first to ''graduate'' from the academy, and Emalynn is next. We have to help them transition into full guild member status, and sometimes that means pushing them to their limit." Elias reminded her. "Emalynn has a free future where she can choose anything. All she needs is to improve her skills to attain her goals. Rory, however, has to remain disciplined, in control and on guard for the rest of her life. You and I know both that she has to get herself right in the head before she slips up."

    "Damn. I hate it when you''re right. I hate those stupid laws any way. It''s just unfair!" Myrra yelled as she slammed her fist into the side of the desk. She pulled back from the new hole cursing her strength.

    "Why is property damage one of your specialities?" He chuckled as he reached for her hand. She stood there in shock as Elias examined her swollen little hand. Her cheeks filled with blush and embarrassment having him so close. He looked up from her hand to see her scrunched, red face. "Sorry, I forgot you have issues with people getting too close since the incident," Stepping back, he released Myrra'' hand, letting it fall to her side. "I recommend switching from ice to heat for the next few hours to reduce swelling, and next time hit a pillow or put on your gear before hitting solid wood furniture."

    Myrra nodded at his suggestions while nursing her little hand. The two stood quietly for a minute until Elias urged Myrra to sign off on the job assignment. After more convincing, Myrra complied with Elias''s request. It was time to test the girls and prove what the academy could accomplish.

    Rory¡¯s POV

    Emalynn was recalling the drunken fiesta that Uncle Elias had hosted in the mess hall last night when I noticed Aunt Leah was half listening to our gab session while trying to hear Myrra and Uncle Elias''s conversation in Myrra'' office. As Emalynn had hit the ending highlights of her tale, I saw Aunt Leah¡¯s face suddenly redden, breaking her concentration. I wanted to ask what she heard, but I couldn''t break away from Emalynn without drawing attention to Aunt Leah. As our conversation wound down, Uncle Elias appeared with the guild master¡¯s seal of approval. Emalynn jumped for joy because we were finally ready to head out. Walking out the door, I felt a slight chill alerting me that this job was going to be anything, but normal.

 Elias Plan

    Our team traveled by horse drawn cart to the Old River Woods, which took about two days. The first spring rains arrived as we traveled on the Eastern Merchant Route. Most believe if you face rain on your travels then you will face a week of gloom. Another sign that this job would be anything but easy. Emalynn leaned on me fast asleep as the cart bounced along the beaten path. I watched the trees as the rain continued to drizzle on the tarp draped over the top of the cart. The area was beginning to look familiar to me, and I could feel my heart start to pound. Had I been here before? The chill ran through my body for the second time in two days. My reaction to the surroundings awoke Emalynn from her slumber.

    "Are you okay?" Emalynn asked sleepily.

    I nodded. "Just a little cold." I couldn¡¯t tell her about my misgivings about this place because I didn''t even understand them yet. This place was so familiar to me, and for some reason I didn''t like it.

    Emalynn must have been watching my expressions when she threw a blanket over me. She whispered, "Whatever is bothering you, you aren''t alone." She laid back on my shoulder and instantly fell asleep again. This girl was truly my best friend. Although she was still a kid in many ways, she had moments of wisdom and courage. I hope one day she will accept my true form.

    "Be on alert. We have entered bandit territory," Aunt Leah cautioned.

    Her words hit like a boulder falling off the cliff side. I had been here before on another job a year ago. Memories flooded my mind, and I felt tears escape my eyes. Before anyone could see my face, I dried my tears. This was the last place I wanted to be. No one seemed to notice my weak moment, and I am determined to keep it that way. I will keep myself together this time.

    We pulled over at the entrance of the trail going through Old River Woods. Exiting the cart, Aunt Leah arranged to meet our driver here tomorrow morning. Having a horse drawn cart on this trail would draw unwanted attention from the bandits. We planned to hunt until the driver returned tomorrow. Our goal was to collect 3 Saber Grizzly Bears for a rich nobleman in our town. Carrying only essentials, our group walked down the trail under the cover of the trees.

    "So, how do we track the bears in the woods?" Emalynn asked. Her excitement was brightly shown across her face. Not even the cloudy skies could ruin her smile.

    Uncle Elias explained we would set out traps to lure the bears into the clearings in the woods. Emalynn would stay in the tree branches to be our eyes from above. Her archery and monkey form make it easy for her to sneak around the trees as long as she keeps focused. She could hit a saber bear¡¯s eyes a hundred feet away in the pouring rain on a bad day. Her goal is to keep the bear from leaving the area, and she would be watching for any bandit activity around us. I looked over at her as she cartwheeled down the trail. It was hard to believe such a playful person could be such a skilled archer.

    Aunt Leah and Uncle Elias will be on either side of the brush to pull the net up and tie it off on the trunks of the trees. Their incredible strength from their wolf forms will allow them to hold the bears back even though they are both masking their base wolf beast forms. Uncle Elias would deliver the final blow to bring the bears a quick end.

    I have the distinct honor of being bait to draw the bears out. I am not as strong as my uncle and aunt, but I am faster than them. This is the only time being small comes to my advantage. I can run about 37 miles per hour on my best days, which makes me a little faster than the saber grizzly bear running about 33 miles per hour. I don''t mind being bait so much, but I do mind having to wear dead, bloody fish around my waist to attract the bears. The smell of bloody salmon makes my stomach curl. What¡¯s worse is we still need to catch our bait from the Old River in this forest. My day was just getting worse.

    The rain continued as we made our way down the beaten path toward the river bank. The woods seemed quiet which was unusual for this time of day. There should at least be bugs or gliding squirrels rustling in the trees. Where are the rabbits dashing through the bushes like the last time I was here? It¡¯s like a cemetery out here. Are we really going to find any saber grizzly bears? I steadied my breath as I concentrated on my hearing. In a densely wooded area like this, I can hear about five miles away, which I hoped would dispel my suspicions. I heard the flap of a bird¡¯s wings, a tussle of quills on a porcupine  and the rush of the river beyond the bend of the trail. Another breath passed through my lungs allowing me to deepen my concentration. Faintly, I heard the growl of a saber grizzly bear a little ways up the river, and a thunk of a step on a branch¡­ Bandits¡­ damn.

    Aunt Leah looked back at me because I had stopped moving at this point. ¡°What¡¯s up, Rory?¡± She questioned. She could only hear about two miles in her base form. Leah and Elias were somewhat hindered in their current forms, but being half human and wolf allowed my wolf abilities to work well even in my human form.

    ¡°Our first target is about a mile up the river, but there are bandits about three miles down the river.¡± I said holding back the uncomfortable anger bubbling inside me. I am not here for those bandits. I am not going to worry about them. They are far enough away for now. I took a calming breath allowing my anger to sink inside of myself. Focus on the bears.

    ¡°Yay! Our first catch!¡± Emalynn clapped happily causing me to giggle at her. ¡°I am so happy you learned some tracking magic! This will be a breeze.¡±

    Uncle Elias just shook his head at Emalynn. ¡°This will be far from a breeze, Ema. Rory¡¯s magic will help find them, but that does not change the strength those bears have or their long sharp teeth. Stay alert.¡± He cautioned.

    Emalynn¡¯s perky ears dropped as she nodded to Elias. I patted Emalynn on the back to reassure her. It¡¯s not her fault she¡¯s always optimistic about everything. Her people are just naturally optimistic and playful, which is one reason I love her so much. I need her positivity to balance me out most days. Emalynn gave me a small smile and continued on the trail behind Uncle Elias.

    Aunt Leah appeared beside me urging me along. As we walked, Aunt Leah complimented my progress with my wolf skills. She was already impressed by my growth since she saw me at the tournament two years ago. I kindly thanked her and resumed our silent walk. I could feel Aunt Leah studying me from behind. She must sense my uneasiness about this place and the job. I tried to adjust my expression to keep her from worrying, but I know it¡¯s probably a lost cause. Aunt Leah knows me better than anyone, and Uncle Elias and Emalynn aren¡¯t far behind Aunt Leah in knowing my expressions and personality. This was going to be a hard few days for me.

    We made our way to the river, and I could smell the salmon swimming up the river. There was a faint scent of wet bear up the river. Although my enhanced wolf skills were useful, I hate accidentally smelling horrid things. The slimy fish scent filled my nose as we settled on the river bank. My aunt and uncle got to work setting up the traps around the area while Emalynn and I were stuck gathering the bait. She gets in the river while I sit on the river bank weaving a basket from the vines, sticks and leaves that I gathered as we approached the river. As I weave, I watch Emalynn use an arrow to stab at the water. She fumbles around splashing herself in the face. My basket takes form, and her clothes and snowy white fur are drenched. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She looked over at me as I was cracking up at her drenched appearance.

    ¡°Glad to give you a laugh.¡± Emalynn said in a snarky voice.

    ¡°You look like the fish tried to drown you.¡± I giggled.

    ¡°It is a part of my strategy. I am trying to blend in with the salmon.¡± She said proudly. ¡°I am an expert fisherman.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t fished since Uncle Elias took us camping five years ago. You couldn¡¯t catch anything back then either.¡± I reminded her. ¡°In fact, I remember a couple fish smacking you with their tails as you chased it through the stream.¡±

    Her cheeks reddened and her ears dipped back. ¡°At least, I am still working. Finish your basket, slacker.¡± She huffed.

    I went back to work on my basket as I heard more splashes and grunts from Emalynn¡¯s fishing attempts. Having Emalynn here is helping my uneasiness subside. Weaving my basket, I remember Aunt Leah gave Emalynn a net for the fish on the way down to the river. I looked over my shoulder to see Emalynn¡¯s bow and the fishing net sitting there. I started chuckling. Only Emalynn would forget to use a net to fish. Focusing back at my basket, I weaved the rim of the basket and decided to add a strap to help me carry my bait. As I finished my work, Emalynn shrieked in frustration. I wasn¡¯t sure how, but she was even more soaked than before.

    "Emalynn, it''s not time for a swim." I joked.

    "Ha, ha, ha. Let¡¯s see you do better." She challenged as she walked to the river bank. She let herself fall into the grass beside me. "Good luck." She hummed as she sat up to shake out her fur.

    I got up with my basket secured on my back so it sat just over the strap of my bag that hung around my waist. Grabbing the net into my hands, I unfolded it as I entered the river. Emalynn watched closely as I stretched out the net in the water. Emalynn¡¯s dumbfounded look gave me a giggle as I worked the current of the river. This time of year salmon follow the river back to their nest grounds at the lake just North of us. The river was full of schools of salmon, which brought the saber grizzly bears here every spring. The net was full within minutes as I worked under the water. I pulled the load back to the bank.

    Emalynn glared at me. "I call foul!" She crossed her arms in frustration. "I forgot about the net, so you had an unfair advantage."

    "Quit pouting and help me load the stinky fish into the basket." I retorted. Emalynn walked over to me as I pulled the basket off my back.

    "Why are you always better at this kind stuff?" Emalynn asked as we filled the basket.

    I stopped for a second to look at her. She focused on untangling each fish carefully. I wasn¡¯t better at things than her. I was just more observant. "Ema, come on. There''s no need to pout. All you need to do is focus, observe, and decide the best way to do things. You''re doing that right now."

    Emalynn paused for a moment, realizing her friend was right. "I guess I really am still a kid." She took a deep breath and looked up at me then she slapped me with a damn salmon. "I like being a kid."

    Picking up a fish, I was about to exact my revenge when the smell of wet fur filled the air. "Ema, trees now!" I shouted. She blinked at me in confusion. "Go. Our target arrived early." She gave a simple nod grabbing her bow and quiver before racing up a tree. I threw the rest of the fish in the basket. A growl bellowed behind me. I secured the basket and began to run into the woods. I hoped Leah and Elias were ready.

    Thank God for my wolf speed or I would be shredded by bear claws right about now. I duck and weave around the branches, but every branch just snaps behind me from the bear''s wrath. I looked for Elias and Leah as I ran so we could take the bear out. Closing my eyes for a moment to focus, I hear my aunt whisper that they are ready. My eyes shoot open as my stomach comes crashing into a low lying willow branch. The air is knocked out of me as I hang over this stupid branch trying to steady myself. Pain spreads across my abdomen causing tears to streak down my cheeks. I can feel bile creep up my throat. My insides feel squished and rearranged all at the same time. Struggling to inhale, I hear the snarling beast behind me.  Turning my head, I saw the bear stand eight feet above my curled up five foot, two inch form. I let myself drop from the branch to the soft grass at my feet. The stomach pain sharpened causing me to curl up on my knees.

    Snarling, the bear swung down at me, throwing my small body into the trunk of the willow tree. The bear''s paw knocked the basket of salmon off my back as my shoulder met the tree trunk. The bear turned toward the banquet beside him leaving me to writhe in the pain radiating in my shoulder. I am sure it would have been broken if I weren¡¯t part wolf beast. Taking a deep breath, I pulled my shoulder out of socket and pushed it back in. Being able to shift forms allows my joints to be flexible, which is helpful sometimes. I pushed myself up against the trunk of the tree watching the bear feast on salmon. What now?

    Omniscient POV

    ¡°Elias, are you sure about this? Since we reached these woods, I can sense Rory is off. She might get herself hurt.¡± Leah questioned as she tied off the iron laced rope for our trap. Both rope ends of the bottom of the net were tied to the trees. Now, they just had to wait until the bear came running through to pull the top of the net over the bear and tie it up. Wolf beast strength can take down a saber grizzly bear if there¡¯s enough of it. One on one and the wolf would be crushed.

    ¡°Leah, she won¡¯t face her demons unless she is forced. She won¡¯t let us help otherwise. This place and the stress of facing the bandits should be enough for her to start talking.¡± He crouched down in the brush. For an older wolf beast, beamed youthful confidence. ¡°My plan will work. Besides, we are here. She will be fine.¡±

    Leah seemed unconvinced. Elias¡¯s plan to force her niece to face whatever happened a year ago was risky and reckless. If Rory got too distracted she could be seriously hurt or worse, get someone hurt. Rory may never forgive herself if we or Emalynn were hurt because of her. Emalynn didn¡¯t even know about Elias¡¯s plan, but she needed to be here for herself. Emalynn needs to grow and Rory was the perfect catalyst for her. Emalynn being here was a part of Leah¡¯s plan to watch the girls blossom.

    A growl echoed through the woods. The girls must have encountered their prey already. Leah knew Rory would be listening for confirmation that the trap was set. She whispered, ¡°we are ready.¡± More growls and snarls filled the forest. Leah looked over to Elias and he gave her a smile of reassurance. The girls will be fine.

    Rory¡¯s POV

    I held myself against the willow trunk as I let the dizziness dissipate. This is the first tree that I genuinely dislike. Twice my body crashed into this tree within a few minutes of each other at a fast pace. Pain lingered in my shoulder and in my stomach. The smell of salmon guts polluted the air, returning my attention to the bear. I need a way to get it to follow me again without hurting myself again. I heard branches rustle above me, and I looked up to see a small, snow white monkey hanging from the tree branch. I let out a sigh of relief. Emalynn drew an arrow readying her bow in case I needed her. My balance steadied as I looked for an opening to grab some of the fish. The salmon was in a mess on the forest floor with pieces of my basket scattered in the mess. Deep breaths. 3...2...1

    Rolling away, I grabbed a few salmon from the bear¡¯s feast. Once my scent hit the bear¡¯s nose, he turned to see me holding some of his feast. I pulled a knife to gut a salmon to entice the bear to follow me. The scent wafted in the air and suddenly the bear seemed to see red. Rage covered the bear''s features. I definitely got his attention. I took off catching my uncle¡¯s scent along the trail. The bear growled chomping at the air behind me. I pushed myself to go faster as my boots beat the trail beneath me. Faster, my heart pounded. I have to go faster.

    Emalynn followed in the tree canopy above me. Her white monkey darted like a shadow above me. A saber tooth nicked my leg as the bear snapped behind me. I ran further dodging the trees, bushes, and a few unsuspecting squirrels. Elias and Leah are close now. I waved the stinky fish behind me to keep the bear¡¯s interest, almost causing myself to be sick. I no longer liked Elias¡¯s plan to catch the bears.

    Another growl and snarl later, I finally made it to Elias and Leah. I sensed them on either side of the trail ahead. I pushed myself for one last spurt as the bear once again nicked my leg. A pinch of pain registered in my mind as I raced between Elias and Leah. A loud growl bellowed through the forest as I fell on to the grass. I huffed as Leah grunted, wrangling the net over the bear. Elias tied his end to the tree trunk. Ema stood at the ready above to provide support. The bear slashed and snarled trying to stand and escape. Leah groaned as the bear pulled harder. Elias came around to aid Leah after securing his side. I made myself stand in case something went wrong. Elias and Leah pulled the net down forcing the bear down. The bear was done as it wildly thrashed left and right. I saw the struggle Elias and Leah had trying to keep their hold. So much for wolf beast strength. Elias gave me a look to be ready. I nodded, taking each of my daggers in my hand. If I go top speed, I might be able to come close to Elias¡¯s strength. I backed up to enable myself to reach a good speed.

    ¡°Rory!¡± Leah shouted.

    That¡¯s my cue. I charged toward the bear bringing my daggers up into a strike position. The bear was guarding its chest nullifying my plan for speed, so I opted for a throat shot maneuver. Running up the bear''s back, I dropped onto my stomach and forced my claws to form on my human fingers. I dug into the bear''s back causing its head to fly up exposing the neck. I took my chance and stabbed the bear''s throat with my daggers. I dragged the daggers back toward me causing the bear to groan and gush blood. Blood began to pool on the ground causing the bear to slow as it tried to throw me off. It clawed my arms in the struggle for me to let go. Elias and Leah pulled hard on  the net causing the bear and me to fall. I clung to the daggers as the beast collapsed. The bear fell to its side, trapping me underneath it.

    Pain started radiating through my back from being slammed to the ground under the bear. My chest was crushed under the bear''s weight. If I weren''t half wolf beast, I would be dead.  Only my head was free from the beast upon me. My hands still held the daggers inside the bear''s neck, which pinned my arms under the bear''s shoulder. It was getting harder to breathe. There was no room to move as I was slowly being drenched in blood. My vision began to blur and the sounds of Leah and Elias were fading.

    The weight on my chest began to lighten. My shallow breaths became deeper. Everything was still blurry, but I could hear my name being called. Slowly, my arms fell to the ground from their pinned position. The daggers rested in my iron grip.

    Breathing in, I tried to speak, but could only cough. I felt Emalynn¡¯s furry hands bring my head into her lap.  She was calling to wake me up.

    I pushed my voice out. "Ja...Elias"

    "Yes, Rory?" He said with a hopeful sadness in his voice.

    "Your¡­ pla¡­ plans..ss.. suck." I stuttered. The pain intensified with each inhale.

    "Agreed." Leah chimed in. "Elias, you are no longer allowed to make plans." Leah seemed serious this time.

    "Yes, ma''am." Elias agreed.

    "Rest, Rory."  Emalynn pleaded with me.

    "S..sure." I managed to say before closing my eyes and letting the darkness take me.

 Safe Haven

    Emalynn POV

    Rory¡¯s head laid on my lap as she fell asleep. Her body was covered in bear blood and some of her own. The smell of blood wafted through the air making my stomach turn. I should have helped her fight the bear. There were plenty of shots I could have taken, but instead I just sat and waited for one of them to tell me to do something. Rory just charged right in. This was the difference in our skill and experience level. Myrra was right about me not being ready to be an S rank. I have a lot of training to do to catch up to Rory before I ¡®graduate¡¯ from the academy.

    Leah came over to pick up Rory from me. ¡°We need to move. Emalynn, help Elias with the bounty.¡±

    I nodded. Picking up my bow, I stored it on my back with my quiver. Elias started dragging the bear on the ground trailing after Leah. Quickly, I joined him and pulled along the beast. Just taking down one saber bear has nearly wiped out Rory, and we need two more¡­ Leah had already asked Elias not to make any more plans, but we have a job to finish. This beast is heavier than I thought.

    ¡°Leah, where are we headed?¡± I asked, huffing as we started going uphill.

    ¡°We will make camp on top of the cliffs away from the bears and bandits. Then, we will make plans for finishing the job.¡± Leah explained. She is trying to keep everything together even though she is holding her hurt niece.

    Whoosh. My balance was lost as I fell over a large root laying across the forest floor. Leaves and dirt filled my mouth as I crashed to the ground. This reminded me of how Rory had cursed the willow tree earlier. I need to remember to check her stomach later.

    ¡°Ema, are you alright?¡± Elias questioned as he held his hand for me.

    ¡°Yeah. I am good.¡± I took his hand and pulled myself up.

    ¡°Keep your focus on what¡¯s in front of you. We have a ways to go.¡± He gave me a smile, and he started on the trail again.

    I walked alongside Elias as we made our way to the cliff side. The forest was thick blocking the on and off rain showers above us. Most of the morning was behind us by the time we made it to the merchant route from the bear trap. We needed to cross the muddy road to reach the cliffs. Leah had wanted us to camp on top of the cliffs, however, we had two major problems with climbing the cliff side. I could feel the strength in my legs drain from pulling this eight foot bear across the forest floor. The rain stopped as we neared the bottom of the cliffs.

    ¡°Elias, watch over them while I give it a quick once around.¡± Leah commanded as she laid an unconscious Rory in the grass.

    I let the iron laced net drop from my hands behind me. My hands ached and bled from scrapes left behind by the iron. My legs wobbled beneath me causing me to fall as I tried to make it over to Rory. I pulled out my cantine to pour water over my hands. The water felt cool over my wounded hands. I tore the sleeves from my brown tunic. Bandaging each hand, I watched Elias look over Rory. He checked her pulse and studied her breathing pattern.

    "Is she going to be okay?" I asked, watching Elias¡¯s serious expression.

    "She is breathing steadily and her pulse is strong. She has three broken ribs on her right side and two on her left from the bear crushing her. Sprained wrist on the left and two broken fingers it feels like." Elias rolled Rory to her side to look at her back. "Most likely, a headache from hitting the ground and two gashes on her back from the bear¡¯s claws. We are going to need some herbs to heal the gashes." He said, finishing his examination. He tore away the bottom of her black shirt, exposing her wounded back and purple bruising on her sides. What''s left of her shirt barely covered her chest, exposing the wrap she used to keep her chest bound. Her black pants had tears and blood stains from her battle. Splatters of bear blood made her brown boots appear red. Elias pulled the daggers from her hands, wiping them down and placing them in the sheaths on her hips. Her black curls were tied back in a mess of a bun. Rory was no longer the thin, short, awkward girl that I grew up with.

    The wind is picking up making the trees bend and leaves batter the cliff side. The dead bear smell began to consume the air alerting birds of our presence. Thunder boomed over the forest. Our need for shelter was increasing by the minute. Elias beckoned me to sit with Rory while he dragged the bear closer to the cliffs.

    I could hear steps approaching behind me as I grabbed a knife from Rory¡¯s bag. Spinning around, I found Leah approaching us. Leah had found a cave not far from us, so Elias began dragging the bear towards us. I placed the knife back in Rory¡¯s bag and scooped her into my arms. Rory was heavy for her small body, but I  have a strength boost being a beast woman although I wonder how Leah carries Rory so easily. We followed Leah to the cave as the rain began to pour. The rain drenched us as we entered the cave, and it washed away most of the blood covering Rory.

    Leah disappeared while I settled Rory on the cave floor. I searched in my bag for the cloak I had worn this morning. "Elias, I am going to remove her clothes, so she gets warm and dry," I said, pulling out my long, forest green cloak. He nodded to me and turned around.

    I pulled off what was left of her shirt leaving the bandage that secured her busty chest. Readjusting her arms, her chest bounced in my face as Rory let out a deep breath. A little jealousy filled my mind as I gently laid her head back on the ground. Rory has more curves than I will ever have. I moved down to her feet removing her brown boots and black stockings. Pulling off her pants is more like a game because each time I tug on her pants, she moves toward me. I can''t help but chuckle as her body scouts along the ground while I try to shimmy off her wet pants. Tug, thump, tug, thump echoes in the cave as Rory and I move around. Stupid pants!

    Elias chimes in asking if everything is alright as I give one last good tug freeing her legs and sending me into the cave wall. I break out into laughter as I try to get up. Elias called out again wondering if I needed any help. "It''s fine," I huff. I slipped a few times on the wet pants trying to stand up, making my laughter louder. With a deep breath, I cover Rory¡¯s almost naked body with the cloak. I was through trying to remove her clothes.

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    "OK, Elias. You can look." I say, pick up Rory¡¯s garments to lay them out to dry.

    "What happened, Ema?" He questioned looking at how far Rory had moved across the cave.

    "She played tug of war with me in her sleep. Luckily, I won." I giggled replaying what happened in my head.

    "Well, at least she''s out of her wet clothes." Leah cut in while entering the cave. "Let¡¯s see if we can warm her up." Leah put down all the wood in her arms, and her sack which carried more wood, leaves, and herbs. I wondered where she got the sack to begin with. Within minutes, Leah has a fire warming our little hideout.

    ¡°So, what''s next?¡± I ask, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Next, we survive until the cart returns tomorrow.¡± Leah states matter-of-factly.

    ¡°What about the job? We only got one saber bear.¡± I wanted to turn this job around since things took an unsuspected turn.

    Elias stoked the fire as Leah mixed her herbs into what looked like a salve. Elias sighed, ¡°The bears are not the priority. Surviving is. This was a higher ranked job for a reason, plus the bandits will find us eventually if we go back in the forest.¡±

    My ears dropped at his words. I had never heard Elias sound so defeated. This is the first job we have done together in two years. We have always completed the job despite any complications. There has to be a way. Think Emalynn, think. Wait. ¡°Could one of you take down a saber bear on your own?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but we can¡¯t risk it. Saber bears are aggressive. Even if I or Elias could take it down, we would need help retrieving it, and leave you two unprotected.¡± Leah finished making her salve for Rory¡¯s wounds. Gently turning Rory over, Leah cleaned the wounds, applied the medicine and bandaged the gashes. She laid Rory down and covered her back up with the cloak.

    ¡°Then, let me help with the bear so that way Rory will be safe.¡± I suggested. ¡°I know I can do this. I just need a chance.¡±

    ¡°She is a good shot, Leah. It might be worth a try.¡± Elias looked up at us with optimism.

    Leah scrunched up her face considering the possibility. ¡°Okay. We will give it a try. Elias will guard Rory while Emalynn and I catch some bears. Load up Ema, we¡¯re going on a bear hunt.¡±

    Elias POV

    Leah and Emalynn left the cave a few hours ago. I know Leah is mad at me since Rory got hurt in our struggle with the bear. I admit my plan failed miserably due to the bear''s sudden appearance, but Rory made a good kill. When we get back, Myrra can use healing magic that will have Rory up and moving in a few days. Still, Emalynn mentioned the bear sneaking up on them by the river bank. Why did the bear suddenly move down the river? Why would it leave its plentiful fishing spot?

    "Emmm¡­" Rory groaned as stirred from her sleep.

    I let out a sigh of relief. Her stirring means her head is okay after hitting the ground. In my head, I know she will be fine because her wolf beast side makes her more durable. Still, I  know her mother is turning over in her grave with worry since her daughter is injured. Sorry, Astrid.

    The fire crackles in front of me, reminding me that we are getting low on wood. Looking out of the cave, all I see is rain with no sign of stopping. This is the worst weather for bear hunting. I thought this would be an easy job with Leah and I here, but I guess I need to accept that I am getting up there in years. Hell, my 63rd birthday is in a few months. Maybe, I should consider slowing down a bit. I am supposed to retire in ten years anyway. Ugh. I took out my flask and took a swig. Retirement will be so boring! I am sure the Guild Association is counting the days until I resign from my S rank status. Another swig flowed down my throat. The liquid burned my throat, but my mind eased from the negative thoughts. Axel and Leah still need me. My nephew needs more training. Myrra is waiting for me to come annoy her everyday. Rory and Emalynn still need more fine tuning. There''s still much to do. I am not done yet.

    "Uhh¡­mmm¡­" Rory mumbles as she shifts under the cloak.

    I take one more swig before restoring my flask in its secret pocket. Rising from my seated position, I hear my joints pop. In my head, I can hear Myrra giggling calling me an old timer as if she¡¯s one to talk. Myrra is 589 years old herself. Little dwarf gets to live 800 years while I only get 120 years if I am lucky.

    ¡°Jaaa¡­.le...nnn,¡± Rory mutters as her eyes try to flutter open.

    I sit down next to her and take her hand. Between Astrid, Leah, Rory, Emalynn and all my other students, my life has been full even if it¡¯s short compared to other races. Although, ogres only live about 50 years and humans about 70 years, so at least I have them beat. I wonder what that means for Rory. Will she only be around for 70 years or will she make it to 120 like most wolf beasts. She has so many unanswered questions about her life. ¡°I am here, Rory. Uncle Elias is here. Now, hurry up and wake up. I am bored sitting in this cave babysitting your sleepy ass.¡±

    Her eyes popped open, glaring at me. "Shut...up...old...man," She grumbled.

    That''s the Rory I know. Just the right amount of spunk like Leah. "Don''t move. You have a few broken ribs thanks to your bear killing skills." I mocked. She stops trying to sit up and just rests.

    Suddenly, Rory''s eyes grow wide while readjusting the cloak. "What happened to my clothes?" She asks.

    "Well, they were wet, you needed your wounds cleaned and treated, and you started shivering causing Ema to decide to strip you. Although you didn''t seem to like the idea, you unconsciously played tug of war with your pants according to Ema." I laughed remembering Emalynn''s grunts and the thump of Rory¡¯s body. The girls were full of awkward and hilarious moments. Rory¡¯s cheeks blushed at my response. "Don''t worry. It was nowhere near as bad as the night Emalynn and you found my flask on the last training camp before the tournament a few years ago."

    "Uncle, you promised never to- Uhh!" Rory fell back to the cave floor after trying to sit up again.

    "Easy, Rory. Leah and Myrra are going to make me work double if you get banged up anymore. Just rest, kid." I pleaded.

    "Uncle Elias, why did you and Aunt Leah struggle with the bear? I thought two wolf beasts could easily pin a bear." She questioned. I could tell that she wants to understand why my plan didn''t work like it usually does.

    "Well, Rory, it should have worked. The bear seemed stronger than normal although I am an old man, and I am not as strong. Perhaps, the constant magic use has hindered me." I allowed my words to trail off. I don''t like admitting that my age was slowing me down, but something was different about that bear. "Tell me, again, how you came across the saber bear by the river." Something was off with this bear hunting job.

    "We were putting the fish in the basket when I smelt wet bear fur. The bear was not in sight yet, so I told Emalynn to head into the trees with her bow. Next thing I knew, the bear was after the fish in my basket. I had a dispute with a willow tree that I want to chop down now. The bear got a lucky swing and took my basket with it. I made a decision to have the bear follow me by stealing back the stinky fish. That''s when we reached you and Leah."

    "Something is off with this whole thing. First, the bear leaves it''s fishing spot. Then, it comes after you for your basket and chases you for stealing. Bears are territorial, but they are lazy and keep to themselves. Let me go look at that bear again." I got up and walked over to the bear. I began searching for any abnormalities. Looking all over the body, things appear normal. On a hunch, I decided to check the mouth. The tongue is green which is a common side effect of a potion. "Someone messed with the bear. It had some sort of potion. If I had to guess, it was an aggression potion. It temporarily doubles a person''s aggression and strength. Why would someone give a bear the potion?"

    "The easy answer is to distract and weaken us." Rory said matter-of-factly.

    "The only people in the forest are us and the bandits, which means the bandits know we are here. Why haven¡¯t they come after us then?" I walked away from the bear and sat by the fire. The bandits are coming for us, and the girls are out bear hunting. We could be playing right into the bandits'' hands. "They will be coming for us soon. You need to rest, Rory. If they come, you need to try to escape."

    "Uncle Elias, I¡¯m not leaving you. I may be injured, but you taught me to fight through the pain. You and I both know the world will not wait for me to heal." She huffed.

    "Perhaps, I taught you too well." I mocked her. Rory would never leave her team in danger. I shook my head. "Then rest so you might stand a chance to help me." She nodded and closed her eyes. Such a stubborn little girl.

 Bears and Bandits

    Leah¡¯s POV

    We left the cave over an hour ago in search of bears. We only need two more. Emalynn is keeping up my pace pretty well so far. I could smell a bear only a half a mile away. Excitement began to pump through my wolf blood. I may appear human, but the thrill of the hunt is drawing out my wolf instincts. I told Emalynn to spot me when we confronted the bear. She will aim for its eyes and throat. I want to make this fast because I have a feeling those bandits are closer than we thought.

    Emalynn returned to my side giving me a nod. She spotted our prey just beyond the tree line. I felt my fangs poke through my human facade with excitement. This is the thrill of the hunt. I gave Emalynn a sign to go high in the branches as I crept behind the tall oak tree in front of me. My heartbeat quickens as I observe my prey from my perch. The bear has its back to me while eating blueberries, seeming so clueless to its unfortunate situation.  I draw my sword and take a deep breath to keep my instincts at bay. I would much rather hunt as a wolf instead of a human or a wolf beast. Twenty years of shifting between forms, and I still have to remind myself that humans kill with weapons not claws and fangs. My plan is to have Emalynn hit the eyes as I aim for the throat. A fast and bloody death is in order for this bear after the last one injured my niece. A good kill will curb my frustration. This saber bear was smaller than one from earlier, so this fight should go smoothly if Emalynn is as good as Elias says. One more breath in. As I exhaled, I charged forward with my sword in hand.

    Lightly, I treaded toward the bear. I know that he will smell my scent any minute, so I need to make my first strike count. The bears tipped upward, smelling the air. It¡¯s now or never. I jumped, adding force to my wolf strength plunging my sword into the bear¡¯s hip. Blood sprayed and oozed down his thick brown fur. A whimper rolled out of the bear¡¯s mouth as his head shot back to look at me. I abandoned my sword buried in his hip and retreated toward the oak tree. The first blow was all mine. I grinned at my handy work. The bear was already moving slower.

    Warning growls from the bear filled the gap between us as the bear sauntered toward me. The bear raised up on his haunches with one paw up to smack me away. I made a sudden choice to jump around the side of the bear. I sliced his uninjured leg with my blade as I ran by causing more blood to trickle down the bear¡¯s fur. The bear howles falling down from his haunches. I know his anger is building as he turns to follow me. Thumping paws pounded the ground as the bear chased me. The injured bear is still faster than me in my human form, but I am enjoying our battle. I am an Alpha Huntress after all. The bear closed the distance between us and made a quick doge to the left causing the bear to go head first into the oak tree. I chuckled as the bear growled again. I love to hunt.

    Another pass by the confused bear allowed me to slice the front leg allowing the bear to swat me away, sending me flying back into the berry bush. I started bleeding from the gashes on my arm. Ugh, now I have bear blood and my own blood all over. Ok, no more Mrs. Nice Wolf. The bear rested for a moment, licking his wounds. I pulled the sash from my waist to wrap my arm. It was a sloppy bandage, but I need to end this. Climbing up the nearest tree, the bear turned his attention back to me and started swiping at me. All right, let¡¯s see if the little monkey is actually an archer. I signaled Emalynn to take a shot. Within a second, blood rushed down the bear''s face. Emalynn hit her mark. A sly smile grew on my face as the bear pawed at its bleeding eye, leaving its neck partially exposed. In one flying leap, I stabbed the neck squirting blood all over my clothes. The bear fell to the ground with my second sword buried in its neck. One down, one to go.

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    Emalynn dropped from the tree branches above with her bow drawn towards the fallen bear. I stood there watching this little gray, brown and white monkey poke at the catatonic bear. I couldn''t help but laugh. This little monkey is a serious archer when she wants to be, but she is far from mature because even now Emalynn is playing with the dead bear''s ears and laughing. So much for being serious. This girl would not last one day in the Elite Guard back home. I could not decide whether to praise or reprimand the girl. I let out a sigh. Watching this girl grow up with Rory, I could see her skills and her personality mature. I couldn¡¯t help but be a little proud that Rory had chosen Emalynn as her best friend. Just then, the little gray, brown and white monkey grew into her snow white simian beast self.

    ¡°All done playing with our kill?¡± I smirked at Emalynn.

    Emalynn blushed with embarrassment at Leah¡¯s words. ¡°I just wanted to be sure it was dead,¡± she frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± I gently patted Emalynn¡¯s head. ¡°You made a good shot, kid. Just don¡¯t disrespect your kill in the future. A good huntress respects her prey.¡±  Emalynn nodded. I pulled out my iron laced rope and walked over to the bear. The bear is still gushing blood from every injury we inflicted on it.  ¡°Let¡¯s get this bear back to the cave.¡± We tied the bear tightly with the rope, so we could drag it back toward the road.

    Two Hours Later

    Together we dragged the bear toward the road over roots, around trees and sometimes through bushes. The brown fur of the bear was matted with dried blood and dirt from the forest floor. My strength is diminishing the closer we get to the road. It has been two hours of dragging this dead, now smelly carcass through the forest. During our break, Emalynn gathered berries and fresh water for Rory to have when she woke up. I could see how loyal Emalynn was to Rory. Maybe one day, we could trust Emalynn with our true forms. It would make these team jobs easier to use my actual strength and speed. I, also, picked more wood for our little fire to keep us warm.

    Our added cargo has slowed us down considerably, and the rain has slowed again. This dang bear is heavy even with Emalynn¡¯s help. If only this bear could float or sprout wheels, we would have reached the cave already. At this point, Emalynn is fading next to me from dragging the bear. My human hands are burning from the iron laced ropes. Suddenly, Emalynn fell to the ground, and I realized we would need to rest again. There is no place to hide close to us, which means we are easy pickings for bandits. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the bear. We can come back for it.¡± I said, helping Emalynn up. ¡°We need to rest.¡±

    ¡°No, I can keep going. Just give me a minute.¡± Emalynn huffed as she tried to steady her legs. ¡°We can do this. I helped Elias before, and I will help you now.¡±

    ¡°We can come back for it, Emalynn. It¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± I argued. I admire her spirit, but this bear isn¡¯t worth the danger. Emalynn is trying hard to complete this job, but that could get her killed. I scooped her up in my arms leaving the bear behind us. We still had about half a mile before reaching the main road. Emalynn started to shift out of my arms to go back for the beast when I heard a branch crack. Someone is following us and we almost lead them to the cave. A branch above us rattled, and I could see our stalkers.

    This human handicap on my strength and speed is going to have to go if I want to protect Emalynn. I am going to have to trust her with my true form if we are going to get out of this alive, but that means all these bandits had to die. This means I get to have more than one kill today. I chuckled at the thought. This day just got a little bit better.

 Ambush

    Leah¡¯s POV

    ¡°Emalynn, I know you are tired, but we have another fight on our hands. I need you to pay attention.¡± Emalynn looked at me with fear in her eyes. ¡°It will be fine. I just need you to trust me, okay?¡± She nodded as I gently helped her stand up again.

    Emalynn pushed herself to stand, and I could see her ears twitch. The bandits are surrounding us, and they are past the point of hiding. "Draw your bow and eliminate who you can. I will cover you." I grinned at her. I know we''re in a grave situation, but that means I get to have some fun. Drawing both my swords, I drop into a defensive stance in front of Emalynn. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Emalynn ready her arrow. She shook her head to keep from fading out. I need to make this quick for her, or I could indeed end up with another injured teammate.

    Thunder crashed above us signaling the bandits that their cover was blown. Looking around, I could see three dwarves wielding bows in different trees above me, three orcs behind each tree that held a dwarf, six humans with swords, maces and knives poking through the surrounding brush, and, oddly, a dark elf based on the dark gray complexion and white rune tattoos indicating a magic user. What in the world was this dark elf doing here? Usually elves did not care for other races. He stood out among his crew of bandits, which meant he is probably the leader. Great, a magic user and leader of the crew is a dark elf. Still, my wolf instincts were excited for a challenge.

    I became a ruthless killer on my quest to become the Alpha Huntress because an alpha must be able to be compassionate, merciful, cunning and ruthless according to our traditions. I struggled with it when I began my training, and I still wasn''t comfortable until my sister left. I had so much anger and hurt that I channeled it all into my missions as a huntress. I became a top class assassin and S rank guild member outside of the valley. I continued my sister''s work on the tunnel beneath the west mountains showing my compassion toward our people and outsiders. The council took notice after several years, and I was named Axel''s mate and Alpha Huntress. Although I still carry compassion, I have learned to give into my instincts and enjoy my killing sprees.  Too bad for the bandits though because this day will be they''re last.

    "Give up, ladies. You''re sorely outnumbered." One of the humans barked at us.

    "Hang on, Markis. Look at the woman''s eyes. She seems to be ready for a fight." The dark elf smiled at me. I could tell he is hoping for a good challenge just as I am.

    ¡°Yes, Markis. Give us a chance. We are good for a fight.¡± I started smirking at our attackers. Emalynn sighed next to me. She didn¡¯t want this fight, but I am not about to let these bandits get their hands on my ring or my weapons. I glanced back at Emalynn to see if she could handle this fight. She gave me a slight nod, and the bandits started to creep forward.

    Emalynn takes some deep breaths as she draws her bow. I get low to avoid her firing range and  to defend her from the three humans rushing toward us. A short bald man with mace in his hand ran and jumped off an awful smelling man¡¯s shield as the smelly man ducked to the ground. It was a classic hit high and low at the same time, but with an added twist of third human, a brunette woman who smelt similar to the smelly man, came running around the side. They are trying to separate us, but I am not going to let them succeed.

    Grabbing a knife from my belt, I threw it at the woman to buy time. I step out, thrusting my first sword toward the bald man in the air making him curl up to avoid my blade. In the blink of an eye the bald man is injured by a barrage of arrows from Emalynn. Slinking forward, I threw my second sword forward, which the smelly man blocked with his shield. My first blade came around toward his legs, and he leaped away from me. I look back at the woman to see her kneeling on the ground holding her side and leg from arrow wounds. From the corner of my eye, I could see Emalynn aiming at dwarves in the trees. I felt something moving toward me causing me to jump back. I narrowly escaped a blade a few inches from my face. Mr. Smelly Man is making his move, and all I can do is grin at the thrill of the fight.

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    He defended well with a shield as we exchanged blows. I deflected his advances with my dual swords. I could see the woman getting up again to charge Emalynn. So, I did a fast swing low and hit high to make the smelly man focus on me. Quickly running in a circle, I thrust my blade in the ground to push my feet off the ground. My feet hit the shield knocking the man back and pulling my sword from the ground. Continuing my speed, I collided with the woman pulling both of my blades behind me. The woman plunges a knife in my thigh as we hit the ground causing me to yelp. "You are going to pay for that," I mutter, pulling the knife from my thigh. I have her pinned from the way we landed. One fast sweep of my blade and the woman is gone back to God. Blood squirted all over me mixing with dried bear blood.

    Rising from the woman''s gushing body, I see the smelly man only a foot away from me about to ram me with the shield. I am already tired of this man''s advances. He pushes toward me forcing me back, but I know that it''s a distraction as his sword jabs forward as he turns. I let my body drop and slide beneath him, cutting his legs with my swords. The smelly man fell to his knees applying pressure to his slashed thighs. The bald man came limping over to the smelly man dragging him to the brush.

    "See, Markis. These ladies still want to fight. You already have one dead, two injured attackers and one injured bowman. Would you like my help this time?" The dark elf taunted the man named Markis meaning Markis is the actual leader. So why is there a dark elf here?

    "At what price, Tanal? You only appear when our targets have something you want." Markis spat at the dark elf called Tanal.

    "No charge as long as I get what I came for." Talan gave an evil grin.

    Emalynn fires another barrage of arrows. She successfully knocks another dwarf out the tree, but I can hear her huffing behind me. She doesn''t have much stamina left. I need to end this. My best guess is that the dark elf can sense my ring is a powerful magical item. He must be drawn to power. Let¡¯s see if I can delay the elf''s involvement.

    "Come now. I thought we were going to have a fair fight, Markis. If that elf is after something then it''s probably worth it for you to get yourself, right?" I coaxed him. The pain in my leg is becoming dull, but I am still bleeding. I won''t be able to move well at all.

    "You know what he''s after, woman?" Markis asked.

    "I may, but if it''s what I think it is, then it''s inside the bear. He swallowed it during our battle." I lied. I need them distracted. Thankfully, Emalynn is keeping a straight face as Talan and Markis study us.

    "There''s no way you all let some powerful magical item get swallowed by the bear. You are trying to trick us. What an amusing human you are." Talan chuckled. "Perhaps, I should make you my pet."

    "Powerful magic item, hmm. Well, I can tell you won''t last much longer, so I think I will take it myself. Then, if you really want it, Talan, you can buy it from me." Markis announced. "Second wave, go."

    Dang, I was hoping they would bicker, but what can you expect from a dark elf? Dark elves don''t give into pettiness. Talan seems to agree with Markis'' idea, which is a little better because that means no magic.

    "Ahhh¡­this hit does hurt," Emalynn squeaked. Arrows are grazing her arms and puncturing her legs.

    Before I could get to Emalynn, a knife ripped into my arm where the bear scratched a few hours ago. Blood ran down my arm again. "Emalynn, show no mercy." I shouted as my new opponents approached me.

    Emalynn is firing as many arrows as she can, but I can tell she can barely stand. My bloody arm ached as I tried to swing both my blades. Attack, retreat, attack, retreat. This is how the battle drones on. I tumble away from my opponents, and I go low striking their legs. I repeat this a few times until they are on their knees. Slipping away from my opponents, I slide my blades away into their holsters, and I see Emalynn kneeling drawing her bow. I run and pick up a collapsing Emalynn. Grabbing a few smoke bombs from my bag, I create an escape for us.

    Once we are far enough away, I shift into my large black wolf carrying an unconscious Emalynn on my back. I only left because Emalynn had faded during the battle. Now, Elias and I will have to finish this and protect the girls. The rain had washed away the blood on my wounds and turned the road to mud.  At least, my rapid healing ability has kicked in. Although, it won''t completely heal for another day or two. I sweep away my track with my tail as I reach the cliff side. I trot over to the cave for a brief rest. I can smell the bandits only a mile away. God, watch over us.

 Battle

    Elias¡¯s POV

    Suddenly, a large black wolf with beautiful purple eyes trotted into the cave with an unconscious and wounded Emalynn. They were back, but why like this? It''s forbidden to show others our true form. "Leah, what happened?" Worst case scenario, Emalynn saw Leah, and she might have to... I picked Emalynn from Leah¡¯s back. I removed the quill from her back and lay Emalynn next to a sleeping Rory.

    Leah laid on the floor shifting to her beast form with her black wild hair tied back in a braid. I noticed her bleeding arm and leg. I grab the leftover salve and treat her wounds. She pulls out her spare sash and bandages her wounds as I tend to Emalynn. "Leah, what happened!" I demand an answer this time. I know she has already begun healing.

    "We got the bear, but we were worn out from the fight, and we tried to drag it back here. Unfortunately, the bandits found us." She took a drink from her water pouch. "There were twelve bandits. Two are dead and three injured. The worst part is that a dark elf is watching this whole thing. And yes, he has already sensed my ring, and he probably knows about yours too. He wants it badly."

    "Shit. I think they knew about us when we got here. The first bear was fed an aggression potion. That dark elf must have noticed us because there are three rings between us. Meaning, they will be here shortly." I grumbled. "Worst family outing ever."

    "You should be proud of the girls. They really have held their own today. If it weren''t for the bandits and the elf, we would be celebrating right about now." Leah tries to reassure me. "Now, we just need to get them home."

    I gave her a nod, stretching the cloak to cover both girls. "Rory did wake while you were gone. She is healing a little faster thanks to her wolf side." Leah smiled at the girls. The fire is nothing but embers at this point, so everything appears dark in the cave. Only a little light is illuminating the cave unless another lightning bolt strikes. "This weather is odd too. It has done nothing but rain since we traveled on the Merchant''s Route."

    "The dark elf must have been watching. He has weather magic, and who knows what else." Leah said in a distraught voice. "Elias, I am sorry for blaming you earlier."

    "Leah, don''t worry about it. We need to focus on making a plan." I countered. "Come on, Alpha Huntress. How do we get our girls home?" I give her a reassuring smile since she can see in the dark thanks to her wolf abilities.

    Leah cleared her throat and shifted on the ground. "Well, I have to be a human again, so they don''t suspect anything. I will go up to the cliffs to draw them toward me. You can act as my familiar in your wolf form that way they will believe that''s what my ring can do. I will call out a fake spell to summon you."

    Pride beamed on my face. "That''s the Alpha, I trained." I didn''t waste a minute becoming my wolf form. Even forty years later, my skin tingles as fur erupts out each pore of my skin. My bones cracked as they reformed into my wolf form. Although shifting is not painful for me, it does leave my body full of tingles. Now, a large brown wolf stood where I once was. I could see Leah clearly through the darkness. She stands up allowing her beast woman features to fade into her soft human features. Lifting my nose in the air, I could smell the dirty bandits approaching the road. I nudged Leah, alerting her to our incoming guests. She nods and darts out of the cave.

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    I crawl low to the ground exiting the cave. Leah is already at the top of the cliff, so I stay hidden along the cliff side waiting for her signal. I sniff the air again, and I can smell the dark elf''s burnt aroma. The dark elf may sense me in my hiding place, but it will be the same as sensing Leah¡¯s ring, making him believe I am her familiar. When we win this battle, I am going to rip that elf''s throat out.

    "Give up, woman!" I  hear one of the humans call out to Leah.

    "No, thank you. I think I can handle this just fine." Leah chimed.

    "But, I see the monkey girl is no longer with you. It seems you didn''t handle the last one very well." The human taunted. I am so ready to rip this man to shreds.

    "I am sure I am more than enough for you." Leah teased.

    Suddenly, yelps of pain filled the air. "Opps. Weren''t you ready for me?" Leah jokes. She must have taken Emalynn¡¯s bow and quiver before leaving the cave. I really do train my prot¨¦g¨¦s well.

    "Climb the cliff. This pay day may set us up for the rest of our lives." The human roused his crew.

    I know she will "call" me out momentarily, so I start stretching and shaking out my fur.

    "God of heaven grant me an ally for this fight. A beast, a friend to give me strength before the moon''s first light." Leah chanted. Smoke filled the air from a smoke bomb as I jumped from the ledge on the cliff. I get to sink my teeth into some lousy bandits. I am a young soul, and today, I prove it.

    The Battle Rages On

    The battle was a blur. I ripped as many of those bandits off the cliff side as I could. Only one human and two orcs remain. The dark elf hasn''t moved from his perch, yet. Leah is currently beating back one of the orcs as I try to sneak over to the last human.

    Every joint aches. Every stab wound. Every bleeding gash. Maybe, I am past my prime because beasts are supposed to be tougher than this. These bandits weren''t strong, but they were scrappy. Blood has drenched my brown fur, and my mouth tastes metallic from all of their blood. Nine deaths that could have been prevented had these bandits not given into greed. The leader is about to pay for causing needless bloodshed. I have taken many lives in the last forty years, but it''s never easy, only necessary.

    I approached the lead human, stalking him like I do a deer. Hidden in the trunk of an old tree, I watched the human converse with the dark elf.

    "Talan, I need your help now." The human pleaded.

    "Markis, my friend, I thought you could do this. Instead, you have lost almost all of your crew to this woman and her familiar. If I were to help you now, you would have to face ''him'' with your failure." The dark elf named Talan cautioned the human.

    The human, Markis'', face grimaced at Talan''s words. He stood quietly for a moment looking back at Leah fighting his last crew members. "I will pay any cost to avenge my crew. Save my last two friends, Talan."

    "Very well, Markis. First, I need to rid the woman of her familiar." An evil grin rested on his face, and I knew he was on to me. Time to retreat.

    My paws carried through the mud as I heard Talan''s laugh fill the air. "Run as fast as you can, little dog. You are about to be barbecued." Talan taunted. The thunder boomed and lightning sparked, illuminating the sky. It''s confirmed he has been in control of the weather the entire time.

    Zzzz...BOOM!

    Holy shit! Lighting struck the ground next to me as I ran. Stupid elf! I loathe myself for appearing as an elf now. Granted, my form is a woodland elf, but this guy makes me loathe it anyway. Stupid pointy ears, tall stature and charming appearance! Screw it all! My anger raged.

    Zzzzz¡­BOOM! BOOM!

    Two strikes this time! My aged body is a little slower than most wolf beasts, but I still escaped the blast. I can feel the fur on my tail is singed. Leah looks over at me with worry. She knows we are in trouble now. I am not sure if we will be able to protect the girls or not. Leah is being backed toward the cliff by the orcs.

    Shit. Shit. Shit.

    Boom!

    Ahhhh! Damn it! My tail was hit that time. Shocks painfully spread through my body. I want to fall to the ground in pain. I stumble a bit, yet I keep running. I can''t give up.

    Boom!

    "Ooooo!" I howl in pain as the lightning bolt strikes right under my feet. The shock overwhelms my body causing me to stumble forward into the cliff side. My head hits a boulder embedded in the cliffs. I fell, crashing to the ground. My sight became hazy as darkness filled my head. The last thing I heard was a wolf growling before my eyes shut.

 Frenzy

    Rory¡¯s POV

    A painful howl stirred me from my sleep. My eyes blink a few times as I listen to the wolf''s painful declaration. After a minute of being groggy, it clicks in my head that I know that howl. I look around the seemingly dark cave as my wolf abilities kick in allowing me to see easily. I find an unconscious and injured Emalynn beside me. Gently, I cover Emalynn with the cloak as shivered next to me.

    A breeze blows into the cave and I feel my body shiver. I look down to myself almost naked with only my chest wrap and loin cloth. "What the¡­" Emalynn took my clothes! Shit. Shit. Shit. I look around, but even night vision isn''t helping find my clothes or boots. What do I do now?

    Another painful howl echoes in the cave.

    I rush myself up and stumble to the cave entrance where I see a brown wolf go head first into the cliff side. The smell of burnt fur filled my nose, and a low growl escaped my chest. The brown wolf lay still on the ground, and I realized that the wolf was Uncle Elias.

    "Elias," I cry softly as I run towards him. The rise and fall of his chest lets me know that he is still alive. My tears soak his brown fur as I fall to my knees beside him. "This can''t be happening. Not again. I won''t lose you too." I mumbled. When I touch his fur, I am shocked by the leftover charge in his body. Was he struck by lightning? His fur is crisp and full of static. I pull my hand back, watching my uncle lay unconscious.

    Zzzzz¡­.boom!

    I barely dodged the lightning bolt headed straight for me. The enemy has spotted me. I need to move, so Elias isn''t struck again. I get up and study my surroundings.

    Aunt Leah is nowhere to be seen, and my body begins to shake from the pain, anger and sorrow filling me. What the hell is happening? I sniff the air and find a sweaty human standing next to what seems to a dark elf based on the pigment of the skin. My breath hitched and my heartbeat quickened at the sight. Bandits and a magic user have done this to Aunt Leah, Uncle Elias, and Emalynn.

    The pain pulsed in my body, feeling like it was going to explode. My hands pressed against my head to ease the pressure, instead, my hands found globs of blood in my hair. I can feel myself losing control of my emotions. I want to scream, but I can''t let the enemy know where I have hidden. Next, my mouth and fingers tingle like when I shift although this is much more painful. My jaw is on fire as my entire skull aches from movement. I curl up in a ball quietly whimpering. A wolf snout begins to appear in my vision. No amount of tears or silent screams reduced the pain.

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    "Uhhh!" A groan from above breaks me out of my agony.

    Another cry from the woman.

    Crap, is that¡­ My grip on reality is slipping like last time.

    More groans..

    It is...Aunt Leah!

    She screams in pain.

    All the pain and anger is boiling in me.

    Then the stupid human laughs and the dark elf spells another burst of lightning toward the cliff.

    Whatever last bit of sanity I had snapped. The final stage of my shift completes, and I know I am now just a passenger in my own body. My body forces itself up, and I see claws where my nails were and feel fangs where my teeth once stood. My hearing is crisp and my sense of smell sharp. My body moves on its own toward the groaning woman above me. I can''t control my body as it rushes up the cliff.  My eyes looked down to see my feet were more like paws with long claws. I am not human, nor am I a wolf. It''s not exactly my base form either. It''s more wild than that. Almost like my base form in a frenzy...

    Shit.

    I try to stop myself, but I am unable. I am only allowed to watch what happens. All I feel is anger and sorrow imploding. These bandits are going to pay.

    My body reaches the top of the cliff where I see a bloody version of my aunt defending herself against two orcs. I sped toward the battle with my claws elongated. One blink and I watch my claws tear through an orc''s throat. The stench makes me want to gag, but my body has other plans as I tackle the second orc.

    This orc stabs his blade in me as we fall to the ground. I don''t feel the pain at all. I know blood is pouring out of me, but that''s the only reaction my body has to the stab wound. The orc lets go of the blade letting it sit in my side and tries to grab my wrists.

    This poor bastard doesn¡¯t know what he''s in for. I swipe his face causing the orc shout. A proud grin fills my face because the sound is satisfying my rage. I grab his exposed throat and crush it. The orc becomes lifeless under me as I pull the blade from my side. The bleeding slows as I get up and turn back toward a worried and injured Aunt Leah.

    "Rory?" She asks weakly as I pick her in my arms.  I give her no response. I am not sure I could if I wanted to. She stays still in my arms as I walk to the edge of the cliff. My grip tightens as I jump off the ledge and she squeaks out small yelps until we land on the ground causing a depression beneath us. I put her down next to the brown wolf and darted away.

    Time to make the elf and human pay. They notice me as I head towards them. I can smell fear from the human already. The elf seems unfazed by my approach.

    "Do something Talan! That beast is headed right for us!" The human panicked.

    "Fear not, Markis. I have a plan." The elf known as Talan chuckled.

    It was only seconds before I appeared beside them. The elf threw the human at me to give him time to escape. The human tried to stab my stomach as I pinned him to the tree.

    I did something that I didn''t know was possible in this form. "Human," I growled at him. "Know that all these deaths are your fault. I will show no mercy."

    "Just kill me, beast." The human, Markis, grumbled.

    "Gladly." I grinned. My hand plunged into his chest, crushing his heart. Part of me is happy to rid the world of this scum, but my body continues on its quest to kill. I am not sure whether to be grateful for this state I am in or if I should be scared like last time. Last time was more brutal with three times more bodies. That time I don''t remember as clearly as I am experiencing this time.

 Frenzy II

    Whoooosh!

    What is that?

    Whoooosh!

    My body turns to see a tornado headed straight for me. Damn, weather magic. I throw the human behind a tree as I zigzag toward the elf. The dark elf doesn''t  move from his new perch in a tall willow tree. The tornado follows my path, and I know this elf is up to something.  My body turns back to the tornado, and if I could cry out in fear, I would.

    Now, my body runs in the opposite direction of the funnel. I am picking up speed, and I know I have never gone this fast. What the hell is happening to me! I don¡¯t understand. The tornado slows until it is gone completely, but my body doesn''t rest. It heads for the elf, and what happens next terrifies me.

    The elf had some barrier up to keep me away from him, but my body wasn''t going to let that stop it. I dug a hole and a tunnel, popping up just behind the elf only to be shocked by a lightning bolt. Thankfully the bolt was grounded out by the dirt around me.

    "You really are a mutt, aren¡¯t you?" The dark elf taunted me without looking at me.

    His next spell washed me back to my tunnel, filling it with water. I dug a new tunnel with a new exit to escape. I took deep breaths feeling my shifted body tire.

    "I hate the wet mutt smell." The dark elf scoffed at my reappearance, blasting me with another blast of lightning.

    The shock tingled my insides and burnt my wet fur dry. This blast hit my exposed stomach where the human attempted to stab me. My eyes briefly looked over my wounded body that had stopped bleeding. On my stomach, a black blast mark resided.

    My body wobbled as I tried to move. The dark elf laughed at my clumsiness. He started whipping gust after gust to push me left to right like a stupid dance. The anger bubbled in my body again. This stupid elf is playing with me as I crash into trees on either side of me. I have no idea how I am still conscious at this point, but I am only observing this battle. My body is fighting on instincts and ragging emotions. I am numb to every injury because of it. Knowing I  have lost a good amount of blood, it''s a wonder I am still standing. What is wrong with me?

    "Stupid little mutt, you''re worthless, weak little trash. I thought hybrids like you were illegal because of their extreme power, but it must be how useless they are that makes them unwanted." The dark elf taunted as my body began to shake from the anger. "Worry not, little beast. I will dispose of you, quickly. Just like your parents should have."

    My body tensed at this elf''s words. He is wrong. He is so wrong! The anger burst through my body like fireworks. My speed accelerated instantly, and I stood next to this dark elf. My claws ripped into his arms, spraying his blood in my face. The elf winced for a moment before flooding me with water. The force of water pushed me to my knees, but my claws were buried in his arms. That''s when I realized something was off about this elf. Why is he only using weather magic? If he has these tattoos then he knows a lot more than this¡­

    My vision clouded red as I flung this menace to the ground. The elf just laughed at me until another bolt of lightning struck my back. I nearly collapsed on my prey. I looked down at the dark elf, Talan. "Goodbye, Talan." I smirked as my fangs sank into his neck, ripping his throat out.

    The elf corpse dropped to the ground. Although I know that he is dead, I could still sense the dark elf''s magic around us. I look around to find the source of the magic. Looking down at the corpse, it melts into the dirt. What the¡­ Crap, it''s a water golem. All that for nothing.

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    "Don''t worry, little wolf. We will meet again." A creepy voice cackled into the air.

    My body dropped to the ground and howled. All I could do was howl the painful anger away. I could tell my body was upset that it didn''t finish what it started. I am beginning to think this form has a will of its own¡­ God knows that last time I wasn''t even conscious of that bloody mess I created.

    "Rory!" Aunt Leah called, freeing me from my thoughts. I watch her cautiously approach me as if she is scared of what I will do. My body recognizes her and becomes still. "Rory?" My body did not answer. I tried to make myself speak, but I had no control. Aunt Leah came closer to put a hand on my cheek. "Rory, sweetie, can you revert back to another form? One you can communicate in?" She asked in a gentle, low voice. My head nodded, and she stepped back.

    My body tingles with pain. I looked at my aunt as my back bones crunch together. I realize I am actually shrinking down to my normal height, but I didn''t even know my shift had made me taller. The snout fades into my face. My claws shortened, and my fangs retracted some back into my mouth. My skin burned as the tufts of my fur pulled back into my body. I fell to my knees as my feet began to look more human. Bones popped and cracked and trickles of blood ran down my mouth, hands and feet. My tail and ears didn''t change. I am returning to my base form. A pounding pressure built in my head like before. Closing my eyes, I could feel magic receding into me. Was that why I shifted into this form?

    The headache disappeared. I open my eyes to see a concerned Aunt Leah watching me. The sky turned dark, and I knew my headache had lasted longer than it seemed. I took a breath as a dull pain from my injuries filled me. I am getting tired of feeling pain today.

    "Rory." Aunt Leah started toward me. I pushed myself to stand. Aunt Leah grabbed my hand, helping me up. She helped me to our cave where a fire was going, and Emalynn stood cooking food. Now, I know I was out for a while. I stopped to question Aunt Leah about Emalynn seeing my base form. She just pulled me with her toward the fire. Guess, she thinks it is okay.

    I sat next to a sleeping brown wolf that I know to be Elias. Aunt Leah shoves a water pouch at me. "Drink," she bids. I nod. I sip the water and watch the fire. Aunt Leah sits next to me with a medical salve she made, a rag and a bowl of water. "Let me see your wounds." She stated. I nod again. The cave is quiet except for the snaps of the fire eating the wood.

    I lay on my back exposing the blast mark and sword stab to Aunt Leah. I look at her, and I can see a tear on her cheek.

    "Aunt Leah," I said, softly. "There''s no need to cry. Wounds heal as long as I am alive. I am here, alive. Please don''t cry."

    "What happened today, Rory? What was that form I saw?" Aunt Leah asked.

    "That¡­ I am not sure what it is. All I know is I can''t control it. I am surprised it even spoke." I looked down. I didn''t want to see any judgment from her. "It happened after I saw Elias unconscious and heard you scream. Those two men foolishly laughing pushed me to become...that. I killed almost every bandit left because of it."

    "Almost?" Emalynn asked.

    "Yes, the dark elf was only a water clone or golem of the original." I utter, defeated.

    "So, the dark elf knows we have powerful magical items and that a wolf creature exists." Aunt Leah said. "He''s out there right now watching us¡­ Shit."

    Emalynn pouted, watching Aunt Leah and I process our situation. "How do we fix this?" She asked. She is now a part of secret existence because if anyone connects her to us then she is dead.

    "We can''t fix what we can''t find." Aunt Leah said, solemnly. "We can''t undo this day, so we have to live with it. Unfortunately, Rory, by saving us today, you have forfeited your freedom. The Gleaca Council and my Council of Elders will learn that you exist. They will not leave you alone."

    "So, what happens to Rory now? And us?" Emalynn paused. "We can''t go home, can we?"

    "No, you can''t. I know you didn''t ask for this, but there''s no way to change what has been done. Your guild and academy life is over girls." Aunt Leah held Emalynn''s hand. "My dear, you don¡¯t have to stay with us. You run to a new village and start over."

    "She is right, Ema. You don''t have to live on the run." I encourage her. "You could make a wonderful life somewhere."

    "Without you? Without my family?" Emalynn gasped. "Never. I need you, and you need me. I don''t want a boring life in a village. I am a guild member, an adventurer and your best friend. You can''t go on without me."

    I beamed at Emalynn. "I can''t tell you what that means to me. Thank you for not letting me go alone." I hug her and instantly regret it as my injuries flare up at the movement.

    "OK, girls. Celebrate later. First, we need to escape our dark elf problem." Aunt Leah cautioned. "That elf will notice when we leave the cave."

    "Then we don''t leave the cave. We go deeper." I suggest. "Maybe, dig deeper."

    "You mean to tunnel our way out?" Emalynn squeaks. She never was a fan of cave exploring or dark places.

    "Exactly. If we head towards the mountains, we can escape. The elf''s observation magic won''t work right underground. The mountains will give us choices of where to go and get supplies." I said proudly. "We just have to avoid the Savage Valley."

    "Sounds doable. You must have been paying attention all these years to come up with that plan." Aunt Leah smiled at me. "We leave in two hours. Eat, pack and rest. It will take both of our wolves to dig tunnels toward the mountains."

    "Yes, Aunt Leah." I hummed. Emalynn hands me charred meat and an assortment of berries and nuts. I drink my water pouch and eat my dinner without fuss. I lay down for a short rest before we begin our escape.

 Tunnel

    Rory POV

    "Rory, wake up." Emalynn shook me from my slumber. "We need to get moving."

    "Hmmm? Moving?" My eyes flutter open to dark cave walls and an anxious Emalynn. Right, we need to get away from the dark elf. "OK. I am up." A breeze blows in carrying cold night air. I shiver and hug myself, realizing I am still undressed. "Emalynn, where are my clothes?"

    "Oh yeah. Your demon pants are right here." She giggled. "Here''s your half top, stockings and boots."

    "Demon pants and half top? What?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°What happened to my clothes?¡± Holding my shirt, I saw what she meant by half top, but my pants looked normal.

    ¡°Your pants clung to you for life, so they are demon pants. And, the bear wrecked your shirt.¡± Emalynn explained. ¡°I really hate those pants. They are way too tight for you.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I will get new pants later?¡± I offer. She gave me a simple nod and finished packing.

    I quickly dress and fix what''s left of my bags and weapons. My poor daggers are covered in dry bear blood. My supplies are low after the day of battles. Aunt Leah brings me half of Uncle Elias'' gear to carry with my own gear since he is still out cold.  "Will Uncle Elias be okay?" I ask.

    "Don''t worry about him. As shifters, we heal fast. Give him another day or so, and he''ll be back to his normal talkative self." She shrugged. "For now, we take turns pulling him on this sled that I made from the rope, cloak and my sheaths for my swords."

    My jaw drops at her makeshift sled. "Seriously, when did you learn all these medical skills?"

    "Your mom taught me. Did she ever tell you how she wanted to be a healer?" Aunt Leah spoke with pride.

    "No, but I know she knew a lot. She started teaching me when I was eight, so I don''t know that much¡­ but I do enough to heal some sickness and wounds." I smile, thinking about mom teaching about herbs by the lake near our home.

    "I will give you the handbook that she made for me growing up. I am sure it will help you." She lightly patted my head, and suddenly I felt like I was ten again. She would pat my head whenever I made progress in my training my first year with her. We lived together secretly in the mountains around the valley before I suggested that I join the guild.

    "Ready to strap in, Uncle Elias?" Emalynn mused. She had a slight happiness to her movement that gave me a smile. Even in gloomy moments, she can find something to be happy about. In this case, I had to agree with her little giggles because Elias¡¯s wolf looked silly strapped to the make-shift sled. His paws dangled as if he were begging for a treat, and his long tongue spilled out of the side of his mouth. If I had time, I would want to sketch his silly pose, but sunrise would come soon and the dark elf with it.

    "Let¡¯s move ladies." Aunt Leah hurries us along as she shifts into her beast form. Her emerald eyes shine brightly in the dark cave. She ties Elias and the sled to her waist and marches forward. Emalynn follows closely behind her while I try to erase as much evidence of our campout as possible.

    We moved forward through the darkness easily due to our beast forms'' night vision. Wait¡­ Emalynn hasn''t said anything about us being beast folk or me being a hybrid. Surely, she has questions, right? Or is she mad I didn''t tell her all these years?

    "Emalynn," I ask quietly. "How are you handling all of this?" I gesture to my hybrid form.

    She looks at me confused. "Same as you. I fought a bear, then those stupid bandits showed up. My body gave out from exhaustion and minor injuries. This whole assignment is chaos. What else is there to say?" She just shrugged her shoulders.

    Aunt Leah just gives a little chuckle at us before explaining. "I think she wants to know what you think about her secret identity and how you are feeling emotionally, Ema. Especially, since you discovered our little secret."

    "Oh! That makes more sense. Well, first I was in shock when I woke up to Leah tending to Mr. Wolf over there. She explained that it was Uncle Elias, and my eyes nearly fell out of my head." Emalynn giggles at herself. Only Emalynn can find humor in this. "Then Leah had me take over, so she could find you. She found you pretty quick, but your shift back took at least an hour. She stayed with you while I found food and restocked the water."

    So that headache did last more than a few minutes. She doesn''t seem upset at least. Maybe, I should ask anyway.

    "I did see your strange form earlier and even now you aren''t quite a human or wolf beast. Is it magic?" She smiled at me. "Either way, your forms look awesome."

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    "Well, I am part wolf beast and part human, a hybrid." I admitted. She looked at me curiously until a smile formed on her face.

    "That explains why you are so awesome." She said, patting my shoulder. "I have the coolest best friend ever!"

    "Thanks, Ema. But, it''s not that great. I am illegal according to the Gleaca Council, so all the people who know my secret are in danger constantly." My thoughts were filled with my parents and my friend.

    "We are coming up on the tunnel''s end. Rory, get ready to shift. I want to see how far you can tunnel as a wolf without me." Aunt Leah said with curiosity gleaming in her eyes. Aunt Leah was testing out some thought or theory she had, and I never liked it when she did that.

    Dropping my pack, I prepared for another shift. I needed to focus to shift into my full wolf form. Closing my eyes, I let the tingling sensation cover my skin. Shifting from my base form is less painful on my body, but shifting into a wolf requires more focus. The theory is that since the whole body changes, it requires more focus and energy. My bones begin to soften and a hot heat builds at each one of my joints. My body bends and contorts to all fours.The snout returns elongating my head. Fur erupts over the skin like tiny needles pushing out. I feel the dirt shifting under my paws as the wave of the shift flows through my body. My eyes open again and my night vision feels a hundred times clearer.

    "Is this what it''s like when I shift?" Emalynn asks with her mouth hung open.

    "No, Ema. Rory¡¯s shifts are just a bit¡­ dramatic." Aunt Leah chuckles, causing me to glare at her. Unfortunately, I can''t actually speak in this form. Elias told me that there is a way to communicate with others when we are beasts, but it may be impossible for me since I am a hybrid.

    I sit back on my hunches because I can tell Emalynn has more questions coming.

    She inspects me closely before she speaks. "Your wolf is really pretty, Rory. I love your black fur and silver highlights. I don''t think I noticed the silver tips on your head and tail." She lowers down to my level. Her hands gently scratch behind my ears. "You are so fluffy!"

    Aunt Leah is trying hard not to laugh as she watches Emalynn rub her face in my fur. I plead with my eyes for this cuddle session to end with, but it just makes Aunt Leah crack up. I love Emalynn, but I don''t like being pet that much. I resist the urge to growl as hugs tighter. After a few minutes of this cuddle session, Aunt Leah finally suggests that we move on to digging. Emalynn gives me one more tight squeeze before getting up.

    Once I am free, I shake my fur and stretch my limbs. Being held tight like a pillow makes me want to run, but right now I need to dig. I look back to Aunt Leah for a direction for a new tunnel. She pulls out a compass and studies the area. As soon as I try to sit again, she runs and marks a point for me to begin. Okay, let¡¯s see what I can do. This will be my first time using this form to dig a wide tunnel. Lucky for me, wolf beasts use magic to enhance their tunneling skills or this would take a really long time.

    In that weird form before, I didn¡¯t have to activate my magic to tunnel into the ground because of the high level of strength and force in that form. I am surprised I was able to stay conscious this time. This weird form is not really new to me, but this is only the second time I became...that. My mind wanders as my body goes through the digging motion. I manipulate my body to travel clockwise to make a wide enough tunnel for Aunt Leah, Elias and Emalynn.

    After an hour, Emalynn follows Leah with Elias entow down the tunnel that I created. I see the light from a lantern coming up behind me as I continue to push forward. My muscles are already beginning to ache as my paws push through the dirt at a fast ring. I can feel the magic emanating out of the ring, empowering my own natural magic. This ring seems to be doing more than what I was taught it can do. It¡¯s almost like a reservoir full of magic, not just jewelry that contains a spell. Can magical items do more than the spell that they are created for? Maybe, I should investigate this further since it seems like my ring may have helped me while I was in that weird form. What do I even know about this ring? My thoughts spiraled as my body continued to move forward.

    Eight hours later¡­

    ¡°Rory, stop!¡± Aunt Leah calls from behind me. My ears twitch as I start to slow to listen to her words. ¡°I can see your body needs rest.¡± My body continues to dig. ¡°Rory! Listen to me!¡± I hear her words, and push myself to slow. Stopping the magic flowing through me is harder than starting the circulation of magic.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding again dummy! Stop!¡± Emalynn yells at my wolf form. The magic flowing through me runs cold, causing my body to drop into the dirt. All the exhaustion in my body overwhelms me, and I fade in and out from the world around me.

    Cold water splashes me back to reality. I look up to see an angrily twitching white tail. My vision focuses as another splash of cold water hits my face. ¡°Get up, dummy!¡± I hear Emalynn whine. I guess she is mad at me for not stopping sooner. ¡°You are in so much trouble, missy.¡± She taunts.

    I can¡¯t help, but laugh at her puffed up cheeks as she continues to lecture me. ¡°How could you be so reckless! I thought I was the immature and thoughtless one, but noooo. Somebody is trying to shake things up! First the bear, then the bandits and now a tunnel...¡± Her eyes welled up. ¡°Stop playing the hero all by yourself! We are a team, dammit.¡±

    All I could do  was whimper and put my head in her lap. Maybe I was playing hero too much since I keep winding up injured. I still haven¡¯t healed much either. I guess I need to cool it until I can better handle this ring and my magic. Emalynn petted my head as she dried her tears.

    A black wolf with vibrant emerald eyes trotted toward us. I smelt the air and knew it was Aunt Leah in front of us now. She laid down panting next to me. She must have tunneled further while I was out again. At least, we were making progress. Knowing that the dark elf is out there looking for us sends a shiver down my spine. We sat in silence for a while until Aunt Leah shifted back into her beast folk form.

    Her shift is quick and almost mystifying. Her fur recedes and bones snap into place leaving her claws and fangs in place. Her brown is neatly woven into braids tying back the rest of her flowing hair down her back. The snout faded into a cute little nose somewhere between wolf and human. Her tan complexion matched that of her human form. Her strong black tail swayed as she walked and her ears wiggled adjusting to the environment. The fur remained on her paws or wolf-like feet. I never tire of watching others shift. I wish I could do it as easily as they could.

    "I finally hit another tunnel. We must be close to the mountains now." She pants, sitting next to me. "I am glad you''re up, but we need to move. I need you to pull Elias and carry my stuff while I close the tunnels behind us." I gave her a nod.

    Concentrating on my breath, I released my shift. My bones unfolded. Joints popped and cracked. A few tears escaped my eyes as my head reformed into a human face and wolf ear. Fire burned through my body as the fur retracted into my skin. My tail remained as my hands and feet returned. The waves of pain and heat subsided as I stood up.

    Aunt Leah was already behind us going to close the tunnels we dug to get here. I quickly strapped on all the gear and tied the sleeping Elias around my waist. The sound of a crumbling tunnel echoed behind us. "Run, Emalynn." I urge as I grab her wrist. We dashed forward with a howling Aunt Leah following closely.

    The tunnel ends as a fork giving us two ways to go. I pull out the compass to pick a direction. Aunt Leah nudges me to the right, which will take us east toward the valley.

    I nod and head down the path. My stomach is growling from lack of food. By now, we have traveled for an entire day underground, and Emalynn is beginning to slow down. As we continue down the tunnel, I hear Aunt Leah collapsing the last of our "created" tunnels behind her. It''s the only way to ensure that dark elf can''t follow us with or without magic.

    Aunt Leah trotted to the front to lead the way down the tunnel. I think this cave is familiar to her. I sniff the air looking for anything familiar. It¡¯s been almost ten years, but I faintly smell sweet radishes and a rare musk of red and yellow pines that only grow in Aunt Leah¡¯s valley. We were heading to her home. My mother''s home. But, I know we won''t actually enter the valley. If we did, we would all be dead¡­

 Surveillance

    Talan POV

    "Damn that wolf thing!" My voice thundered through the halls of my manor as I stirred from my meditation. Flames heat in my hands from my burning frustration. ¡°What creature was that!¡± I feel the flames illuminating across my whole body.

    ¡°Sir.¡± A voice calls my attention away from my frustration.

    "What is it, Nefrisse?" I gritted through my teeth.

    She cowered in her place trying to keep eye contact. Her lips trembled bringing a smile to my face. I love it when she trembles. I pull her chin up to look up at me. Her fear is almost enough to rid me of my frustration. Almost.

    "Speak." I demanded from the woman.

    "S...sir. Lord Ulrich is here." She stuttered as I released her chin.

    The last thing I want is to see that doofus. "Tell him that I am not receiving guests today." I commanded as the large brown doors behind her creaked open. The frumpy, round Lord Ulrich came creeping in. Damn, nosey elf.

    "Hello, old friend." His raspy voice sounds rough like a sword dragging across the stone floor.

    "What do you want, Ulrich?" My frustration returned just looking at his plump, greasy face. This man was a poor excuse for a woodland elf. His greed got him his lordship, but unlike other elves this man had no pride. Only a greedy love for money. But, the man had resources, which is the only reason I tolerate this disgraceful elf.

    "Come on, Talan. You could be a bit kinder to a friend who brought you a little, generous opportunity." He said with a disgusting grin.

    "What generous opportunity?" I mocked him, gesturing at his empty hands.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Come in, Ms. Athyra Eshwyn." He called back to the wooden door.

    In walked a young, female dragon from behind the wooden door. Her ice blue skin and silver hair stood out in the dark, gloomy study. She wore a bright blue robe that complimented her silver eyes, black pants and black knee high boots. Her garments hit each small curve of her body, perfectly. I could easily devour this little dragonette, however, that is part of the allure of dragons. She stood confidently with her arms crossed.

    "Ulrich, what brings you and Ms. Athyra Eshwyn here?" I stifled the sarcasm in my voice. I watched the little dragonette with amusement. My mind lived in fantasies waiting for an explanation.

    "Well, my friend, Ms. Athyra is looking for employment, and I heard you lost one of your assets in Old River Woods." His toothy grin pulled my mind from the wonderful fantasy world.

    "Your resources never fail you, Ulrich. I did indeed lose an asset earlier today, but it¡¯s not really mine. I managed the asset for an associate. Tell me, how did you find out so quickly? It happened less than an hour ago." I asked him without hiding my sarcasm. This elf is slicker than a greased eel.

    He gave a chuckle. "Talan, you know as well as I that someone is always watching. But, that''s another matter entirely. We are here to discuss employment for Ms. Athyra."

    She stood there with no emotion on her face. Her beauty was almost ethereal like the fairies. Dragons really are a unique race. "Yes, I believe you mentioned that. Well, Ms. Athyra, tell me what kind of employment you are looking for." I cross the room to the sitting area and gesture for them to join me. I look back at Nefrisse standing like a statue until she notices me. She disappears into my study kitchenette momentarily before returning with tea and vanilla cookies. Once we are all settled, I turn back to the little dragonette. "Go ahead, Ms. Athyra."

    She drinks her tea quietly just to make me wait. I am enjoying this little woman so much. She was trying to control the situation as much as possible. My smile must have been obvious because I could see Ulrich smirking in the corner. She finally put her cup down revealing her ice blue glistening lips. I sat at the edge of my seat waiting for her to speak. She finally looked at me with a small smile.

    "Sir Talan," Her voice sent shivers through my spine. "I am new to this land, and Lord Ulrich said you could help me find some high paying work. I am a skilled fighter and tracker where I come from, and I believe my skills may be of service to you."

    "Fighting and tracking, you say. Hmm." Maybe, this little dragon can help me attain that magic item I encountered earlier and exact revenge on that wolf thing¡­ "I may have just the job in mind, Ms. Athyra." Her eyes showed a hint of excitement at my words. "First, I would like to test your skills. You see, I have a job in mind, but I don''t want to send you to your death." I could hear my amusement in voice as well. This dragonette is driving me wild just by being here. She gave me a nod, accepting my proposal. "Great. You can stay at the manor tonight, and get a fresh start in the morning. Ulrich, I will send you a finder''s fee and your bonus tomorrow. Please let yourself out. Nefrisse, please show Ms. Athyra a guest room. I am going to retire for the evening." I stood and walked out of the room. Manifesting a clone of myself takes a lot of energy and magic to maintain, and I am at my limit.

    Entering my room, I stumble to my bed. Exhaustion overwhelms me as I climb into my bed. Rogue thoughts float into my head of the wolf thing that destroyed my clone earlier. A wave of heated frustration flows through me again. Where did that thing come from? Was it a person? It talked, so it had to be. Maybe a shifter? Whatever it is, I will have it''s pelt hung on my wall for interrupting my acquisition of that powerful magical item and the emerald eyed woman who had it. I will come for you, emerald eyes.

 There was a boy...

    Rory POV

    "Emalynn, help me get Elias in bed." I call out to her as I untie the make-shift sled from my waist. I step aside from him and drop my gear, half of Elias¡¯s and half of Aunt Leah¡¯s that I have been carrying for hours. We finally reached a safe point in the tunnels where Aunt Leah and Uncle Axel built a safe house of sorts outside of the Savage Valley. I stayed here with them for a while when I first came to them.

    "Coming, Rory." Emalynn hurried through the living room area to my side. The safe house is underground, and dug out by Aunt Leah and Uncle Axel. They used gray stones to pave the walls and floor and red pine logs across the ceiling to keep the dirt from caving in. There are four bedrooms that have two small beds in each room. Down the hall, there''s a large bathroom with a shower. A small kitchen with a large wooden table with benches on either side. The living area consists of two long, brown couches and a small library. There''s no view to the outside because this underground house is under one of the mountains.

    I turned around to find Elias snoring with his tongue hanging outside of his mouth. He is a huge wolf almost as tall as me. Right now, he is bound with bandages made from his black tunic. Emalynn lifts his legs, and I carry his front half walking backwards down the hall.

    "Wat-"

    Klunck!

    Shit.

    I land flat on my behind with Elias''s long, pink, wolf tongue draped over my boot after tripping over a stone. And I can''t hold back the laughter. This man who taught me how to wield weapons and survive on nothing is a big puppy licking my dirty boot.

    "Haha." I hear spill out of Emalynn¡¯s mouth. "He looks ridiculous." She giggled, dropping him behind to the floor. We laughed hard at the once mighty Elias, now a puppy with a mouth full of dirty boots. Aunt Leah walked out of a bedroom and her laughter boomed in with ours. This is exactly what we needed after the last two days.

    Just then, Elias began to stir. His paws began to wiggle.

    "Do you think our laughter is finally waking him from his nap?" I asked, looking at Aunt Leah.

    "It''s possible, but I think he might be transforming back. There¡¯s a limit to our shifting magic in exchange for the ability to use the ring.¡± Aunt Leah reaches down to pet a whimpering Elias.

    ¡°Limits? Like what?¡± Emalynn questions with a concerned look on her face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get him into bed.¡± Aunt Leah redirected. Together, we carried him into a bedroom and laid him down on a small bed against the wall. Aunt Leah pushed the bed against Elias¡¯s and covered him in a soft gray blanket. His tongue still hung out of his mouth and twitched under the blanket.

    ¡°Come. Let¡¯s go. He needs to rest.¡± Aunt Leah hurried us out of the room. ¡°You two get settled. I will try to make something to eat.¡± She said disappearing into the little kitchen.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with her?¡± Emalynn asked. ¡°Why is she being so secretive and dodgy?¡±

    ¡°Emalynn, I promise to explain everything later, but I am dying to use the shower because of the dried blood and dirt. Don¡¯t you want to clean up, too?¡± As much as I want to explain how Aunt Leah is being weird since we are so close to her home, and her need to be with Axel is nearly overwhelming her. Being a wolf beast is complicated, but being Alpha Huntress is even more so. "We have time for me to explain my¡­ well her world to you. For now, let''s take care of ourselves."

    ¡°Yeah, I guess. Let¡¯s go get our stuff. I have a sudden urge to clean my bow and arrows.¡± I could hear the frustration in her voice. Emalynn usually cleans her weapons when she is stressed, so this is normal for her. Although, I prefer the happy, fun Emalynn that gets me in trouble with the guild master.

    I walked around the couches picking up my bag, weapons and other belongings. Emalynn silently gathered her things and claimed an empty bedroom. I walked down the dimly lit hallway to the last bedroom and lit some candles like Aunt Leah had done throughout the rest of the house. Looking around, I realized this was the room I had used before when I stayed with Aunt Leah and Uncle Axel. This is the place where I met my grandparents and learned how to shift for the first time. Where Elias taught me to play poker and Uncle Axel taught me to through knives. It was only a year of my life, but it was the best year I had after my parents died. Tears fell from my cheeks.

    "Will there ever be a day that I don''t cry?" I said to God. I sat quietly on the bed waiting for an answer.

    The door creaks open revealing a tired Aunt Leah coming in. "Emalynn beat you to the shower. I made spicy cream potato soup. Are you hungry?"

    "Sure." I followed her out to the living area where she handed me a bowl she made. "Are you sure you aren''t a mom, yet?"

    "Positive." She gave me a small smile. "Just a good aunt."

    ¡°How long until Uncle Axel arrives? I know you two have your weird communication magic.¡± I fumble through conversation as I start downing my food.

    ¡°It¡¯s beast folk magic, dear. It happens when a pair mates for life. Some day, it may happen to you or Emalynn, too.¡± She smirked at me until my dinner flew out of my mouth onto her face. ¡°Rory!¡± She shouts as the soup drips down her face. I throw my napkin at her, so she can dry off.

    ¡°It¡¯s your own fault for bringing that up.¡± I laugh as I try to finish my soup.

    ¡°Come on, Rory. You are at the mating age, already. What happens if you do go into heat?¡± Aunt Leah became serious, throwing the wet napkin at me.

    I put down my empty bowl and wet napkin on the small table next to the couch. She knows I don¡¯t want to talk about this again. I decided a while ago that I don¡¯t need any romance in my already complicated life. ¡°I will live with it. I don¡¯t need a mate, husband or companion. I am on the run now, remember?¡±

    ¡°Being on the run, didn¡¯t stop your mom from mating and marrying your dad.¡±

    ¡°My mom lived with going into heat until she married my dad. Besides, I am a hybrid. We already learned normal rules don¡¯t apply to me, so I may never go into heat. I couldn¡¯t shift into a wolf until three years ago. I am not as powerful as a normal wolf beast. I am smaller than average for a wolf and a human. I have to use magic to conceal my identity because I am an illegal monster that brings nothing but death to the people around me. I shifted into some wild beast that I can¡¯t control just yesterday! Remember?¡± I paused to catch my breath. The tears from earlier were forming in my eyes again. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough my identity is screwing with Emalynn¡¯s life. Why would I want to endanger somebody else because I feel lonely? I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect them!¡±

    Aunt Leah broke away from the couch to size me up. I could tell my lectures were just beginning at this point. ¡°What is with the lack of confidence? Where is my feisty little niece that placed first in Guild Exhibitions in the minor division two years ago?¡± Her hands rested on her hips as she got fired up just listening to my self doubt.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    This is why I didn¡¯t want to talk about this. I can barely protect the family that I already have. I can¡¯t repeat what happened a year ago. I stayed silent wondering if I should tell her what happened in Old River Woods or not. I suppose she wasn¡¯t going to let this go even if I asked nicely. ¡°I am done talking about this.¡± I managed to say hoping she would drop the interrogation.

    ¡°Not a chance. You haven¡¯t been yourself for a while according to Elias, and your self doubt is making me sick. No more pity party about being a hybrid. Tell me the honest truth, or I am dragging you back into the valley, so your grandparents can deal with you.¡± She threatened.

    My eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t bring them into this. I am nothing but a danger to them. Going into that valley would bring nothing but trouble.¡± I argued.

    ¡°They would never consider you a danger. Tell me what¡¯s going on with you now!¡± She demanded.

    I could hear the worry in her voice. I must really be scaring her if she¡¯s using that tone of voice with me. ¡°Ok. You win. Promise me no more mate talk if I tell you why I feel like this.¡±

    She looked at me for a minute. I know I must look like a mess since I still haven¡¯t taken a shower after our mess of a job went sideways. My body is bandaged, dirty and tired. My muscles are aching. My shirt is a rag at this point, and my pants are torn in several places. I have a tear stricken face and a scattered brain. Although in comparison, Aunt Leah is the same state I am. Her emerald eyes were still filled with strength.

    ¡°I will think about it.¡± Aunt Leah answered.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I took a deep breath as I was about to relive one of my worst nightmares. ¡°About a year ago, I made friends with a boy named Jerico. He was from a guild we teamed up with to deal with some bandits terrorizing a neighboring town. It was a simple mission, which ended with him asking to train with me. He was impressed with my speed during the skirmishes with the bandits. I agreed to let him train with me a few times, and before I knew it, we were spending all our free time together.¡±

    ¡°So, you have discovered the attraction of males!¡± I rolled my eyes at her comment. ¡°How did that affect your confidence?¡± She wondered with her eyes full of excitement.

    I gestured for her to sit back down as I continued. ¡°Jerico was getting closer to me, so we went on an assignment together to see if there was something more to explore between us when our assignment went south.¡± The excitement drained from her eyes as she sat back on the couch. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold my human form after getting seriously injured, and Jerico saw my base form.¡±

    ¡°Rory.¡± Aunt Leah reached for my hand to console me.

    ¡°Before he could say anything, we were pinned down by bandits. He took them all on to draw them away from me. I watched from the tree line as he struck down one after another when an arrow shot him down from the tall branches. Jerico fell when the arrow pierced his knee from behind. Like a hive, they swarmed him. I watched five guys cut his chest and sides.¡± I try not to burst into tears remembering the pain in his caramel eyes. ¡°What happened next terrified me. After a wave of pain washed through me like I would explode... Suddenly, I was moving in on the mercenaries. I watched as my body massacred those bandits. I even threw a dagger into the tree killing the archer instantly. It was kind of like what happened to the bandits, yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Ro-¡± Aunt Leah tried to cut in, but I had to finish the story.

    ¡°Jerico just watched as he bled out on the forest floor. He called out my name with his last breath. I brought him back to his guild where he was buried. He died before we could figure out what was happening between us. What¡¯s worse is he died because he was protecting me. He saw the real me and tried to protect me. It was unfair. No one should have died for me. I should be able to protect myself.¡± After I uttered my last word, I could feel myself curl into a ball on the couch. This whole situation was ridiculous. Some adult I turned out to be.

    ¡°Wait, did you shift into that thing back then, Rory? The one from yesterday?" She shouted.

    "Maybe? I am not sure, but I think I did. I was fading out while it happened." I try to push down the memories floating through my mind.

    "Rory! Why didn¡¯t you tell anyone?¡± Aunt Leah sounded pissed although I am not sure what disappointed her more about my story.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. This is my issue. I have been training hard with Uncle Elias and completing solo assignments to work on my skills. I won¡¯t let that happen again. I managed to save you yesterday, but I don¡¯t know about next time.¡± I spoke sternly.

    ¡°Rory, you have faced such tragic situations in your life. More than most will see in a lifetime. Instead of running away from yourself, you should be embracing yourself in spite of what happened. If you run away from yourself, you will always be running. Your mom had the same problem until she left the clan to find herself and be with your dad.¡± Leah began rubbing my back.

    Tears just ran down my face. ¡°I am not my mom. Her life was not as complicated as mine. My mom had everything under control.¡±

    ¡°Not really, Rory. She was an amazing Huntress and liaison in the outside world, but it¡¯s not who she wanted to be. She wanted to fall in love and to be a healer to help people. Denying herself nearly destroyed her. The Elders say she betrayed our clan, but I know she set herself free.¡±

    I turned my head looking at her stunned. ¡°Mom never told me why she left home. How is my situation like my mom¡¯s?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°You are so scared to embrace being a hybrid that you are hiding it like an ugly scar. You are so angry about that boy, Jerico, and your parents'' deaths. You blame your hybrid status and your weaknesses for their deaths. This is causing you to run from yourself by hiding as a human even when it¡¯s unnecessary. Just like your mom dove into her work as a huntress." Aunt Leah explained.

    ¡°Okay. So mom and I struggle with who we are. What¡¯s your point?¡± I said exasperated.

    ¡°Embrace being a hybrid, Rory! You are a unique and beautiful woman. Being a hybrid has granted you powers that no human or wolf beast could possess. You utilize your mom¡¯s ring better than any of our ancestors could. The raw power that you had yesterday is proof that you have surpassed your wolf beast heritage.¡± Aunt Leah said, nonchalantly.

    I hate it when she¡¯s right. I grumble, ¡°I am certainly unlike anyone else. That¡¯s why people fear me. That''s why I am unwelcomed.¡± My parents and Jerico died for no reason.

    ¡°You were born in this place and time for a reason, Rory. Your dad told me that you were meant for something special.¡± Aunt Leah wrapped her arm around me.

    ¡°Parents are supposed to say that.¡± I sighed. ¡°They didn¡¯t need to die, Aunt Leah. My life is not worth three lives.¡±

    ¡°You keep thinking that way, and you will be right.¡± Aunt Leah stood up and began waving her hands around with purpose. She is in full lecture mode now. ¡°They gave you the precious gift of life. Instead of living life to the fullest and giving back, you are being swallowed by self doubt and hiding from life. How selfish of a person you are!¡±

    Damn it! I didn¡¯t want their gift. ¡°You are right. I am a selfish person, and now, I can¡¯t stand myself.¡± This is not¡­ They shouldn¡¯t have¡­ Damn...Damn...Damn! ¡°Fine! I will do something worthy of their damn gift. You said mom and dad did good work, right? I remember traveling a lot. We helped villages we passed through. Maybe, I can do that for them.¡±

    Aunt Leah gave a small smile and sat next to me on the little brown couch. "Does that mean you will stop with all the self doubt? Otherwise, your mom might try to haunt me from her grave."

    I nodded my head. "How did you accept me, Aunt Leah? I know you were apprehensive at first."

    "That might be an understatement. I was upset that my sister that ran away from me had her husband drop their daughter in my lap. I took you because you looked like your mom, and my love for her was greater than my anger. I grumbled about you and the burden that your parents put on me. Although, once I saw you cry, all I could was a little girl in need of family. Axel had faith that your hybrid abilities could be managed if you trained. Plus, being part wolf gives us a pack mentality. Once we recognize you as our own, you are stuck with us for life." Aunt Leah pulled me into a hug. "Your pack is slowly expanding, Rory. You may be away from us, but you have Emalynn to worry about. I am sure you will find more family along the way." She gently let me out of the hug, but kept a hand holding mine.

    Right. Emalynn decided to stick with me after finding out my true identity. I have to move forward for her. "What do you think I should do next?"

    "Rest for a while. Axel should be here by morning." She stated, releasing my hand.

    "How do you know it¡¯s night time? Do you have an inner clock or something?" I am astounded at her skill.

    "Not quite. I am a wolf beast. I always know when the moon is up even if I can''t see it." She ruffled my hair like a child.

    There have been several things lately that I seem to know little or nothing about these days when it comes to being a wolf beast. "I think I need another lesson on my wolf beast heritage and abilities. I don''t seem to remember much from ten years ago." I said humbly.

    "Sure thing, sweetie. Now, go get clean. You look like a horse dragged you through a rocky mountain pass and smell like the horse sat on you for hours after." She urged.

    Her descriptions were always strange. "I can''t tell if my appearance is that bad, or if you just dislike horses."

    "Both. Shower, now." She commanded, pushing me off the couch. I gave a nod, and set out for that warm shower. It was time to let hot water erase the last few days.

    After grabbing my clean spare outfit, I rush into the large bathroom. The stone walls and floor matched the rest of the safe house. The sink and toilet were carved from stone, and the plumbing part still confuses me. Aunt Leah tried to explain magic spells that give us water and working plumbing, but I never understood. All I know is that one switch gives hot water and another gives cold. Pull the lever on a toilet and it flushes. Who came up with these concepts I will never know. All I will do is quietly thank the creator and enjoy the shower. I step into the shower and let the steam fill the room.

    Soon, Uncle Axel will come and drag Aunt Leah away for a while before he turns his attention to our situation. I feel like a child waiting for her father to come home and punish me. Going into that frenzy shift saved my family, but the repercussions of my frenzy could mean the end of this valley haven. Wolf beasts are extinct to the outside world at least until yesterday. All the training that I have done since Jerico died hasn¡¯t stopped this build of magic in me. I have to figure out how to control it or I will wind up dead one day. I think I may need help¡­

    ¡°Jerico. I am sorry that I couldn¡¯t protect you¡­¡± I whispered into the steam around me. If I was crying, I couldn¡¯t tell anymore. The water flowed through my thick black hair, over every stinging wound and sore muscle. I breathed out pushing all of my pain out with it. I let the shower cleanse my body, and the quiet ring through my mind.

    When the shower ended, I dressed in my black clothes and rebandaged my wounds. I walked out to see Uncle Axel dragging Aunt Leah into the far bedroom. I gave a small smile at the girly giggle coming from Aunt Leah. Her hardass personality turned into mush when it came to Axel. They had the same kind of strong love as my parents, which made the room a little cheerier. I returned to my room crashing onto my bed. I have a few hours before I have to deal with life, so I let my eyes drift close.

 Dragonette

    Athyra POV

    Where the hell am I? Sitting up, my eyes opened to a bland, gray room with sunlight peeking through the dark gray curtains of the window. There was a gray couch, a black dresser with a mirror, paintings of frumpy little dark elves that look like they have sticks shoved up their ass hung on the plain gray walls and an uncomfortable, creaky bed beneath me. My thoughts of last night were foggy, but I remember that nasty Ulrich introducing me into some perverted dark elf. He looked at me like I was a plump, roasted hog on a platter at his table. I must still be at the pervert¡¯s manor. He said he would give me a shot at a high paying job, I think. Ulrich put some potion in my wine yesterday, but I think he was disappointed when it didn¡¯t work right away. Thankfully, potions don¡¯t affect dragons that well, however, they do make us sleepy. I must have gone comatose when that maid brought me to this room. If my father knew that I let this happen to myself, he would subject me to potion immunity training. I only arrived here two days ago, and I already got myself in trouble. I ran my hands through my silver locks. Maybe, coming here was a stupid idea after all.

    Exiting the bed, I stood in front of the mirror. My human appearance paled in comparison to my ice blue scales. Quickly, I brushed and tamed my silver hair into a waist length braid. Washing my face in the marble washbowl, I began to feel awake. Looking through my bag, I pull out a dark blue tunic, light blue robe, and black leggings. Once dressed, I straighten the gloomy room. I could still feel the eyes of the painted elves staring at me. Yuck.

    Leaving the room, the hallways were a deep purple on the walls with dark wood floors. More paintings of proud dark elves with creepy faces lined the walls. The gold outlandish chandeliers and sconces lite the hallways. My host has terrible taste¡­

    I prefer the beauty of my icy home to this dreary place. Why did I choose to come to Gleaca? I could have just gone to the Serpent Isles like everyone else, but then my jerk of a brother would win. I will earn my title and my own fortune. My mind rambled on it''s thoughts until a gentle voice broke me free of my thoughts.

    "Madam Eshwyn. Please come with me. My master is waiting for you in the dining room." The little woman from last night said to me. The little woman was a plain human with dark hair and eyes. There was nothing about her that really stood out except for her generous curves.

    "Very well. Lead the way." I gestured for her to start walking.

    She led me through several long hallways until we reached the dining room. The room was different from the dark, long hallways. There were large windows that stretched from floor to ceiling illuminating the blue walls and gold fixtures. A grand dining table was centered in the room. I spot the dark elf sitting at the far end of the table. He looks the same as he did yesterday, creepy and perverted.

    The little woman guided me to a chair beside her master. The elf''s eyes looked hungrily over my body. A nauseous feeling stirred through me. I sat down in the chair, and the little woman brought me a plate of smelly fish. My nose stung at the burnt skin of the fish.

    "Good morning, sweet dragonette." His smile was vile. ¡°Best eat up. I intend to put you to work this morning.¡±

    My skin crawled at this man¡¯s gaze. Every one of my instincts screamed at me to claw his eyes out. Put me to work, will he? Maybe, I should just kill the elf and take his money instead¡­ That would defeat my purpose of earning my title honestly though. Play nice, Athyra. ¡°What kind of work do you have in mind, mister¡­ Mister?¡±

    ¡°Talan. You may address me as Master or Lord Talan.¡± His yellow teeth grinned widely. I can see his delight in my displeasure of his gaze.

    ¡°Of course, Lord Talan. So, the job?¡± I want to get away from this creep as soon as I can. My stomach begins to rumble and betray me. I picked up my utensils and cut a piece of gross fish. I was able to chew and swallow the burnt meal.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Well, dragonette.¡± He began.

    ¡°Please call me, Athyra Eshwyn.¡± I corrected him. Being called dragonette made my nausea flare up.

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Athyra. Today¡¯s work will be simple. I need you to find some information on a group of adventurers that came through a forest near here. One of them has an item that I would like to inquire about.¡±

    Investigating people? With all of my combat and stealth skills, he wants me to be an information peddler? What a waste! This item he wants must be something quite valuable. If he wants to throw away my talent on this, fine I will complete the job and get my pay. Little does he know my skills won''t be cheap. "What do you know about these adventures?" I asked, feigning interest.

    "I see you are eager, Ms. Athyra. I know little about these adventurers, but I will tell you of my encounter with them." He smiled enthusiastically. "Why not finish your tea before I tell you my tale. We can move to my study as soon as you finish."

    I gave a nod and nibbled on my bread to ease my stomach. The little woman topped off my tea and returned to the kitchen, leaving me alone with this pervert.

    He stared happily at me as I sipped my tea. His eyes were glued to my chest, which helped me daydream of quick painful deaths for this elf. I day dream, sweetly, of this man''s death.

    I can see how much Talan wants to reach out and touch me as he sits there, staring at me. Yuck. Why did I have to meet perverts at the port first? I just sailed here a few days ago, and I already disdain this land. Looking out the tall windows, I see the beautiful blue skies, and get the urge to stretch my wings. I finish my tea, and ask the dimwitted elf if he''s ready to move to the study.

    He gets up and gestures for me to follow him down the ugly halls once more. We make several turns as we approach his study. This manor is feeling more like a grim labyrinth by the second. The little woman suddenly appears, opening the door to the study. My escort must have taken me in circles if the little woman was able to get here first. He suggests I sit on the obnoxious red couch like I did yesterday. His study is nicer than the hallways because every wall is lined with books. Most of them seem to be rare editions. The little woman serves more tea for us as the dark elf rattles off his tale.

    He came across the adventurers when they entered his territory. The adventurers consisted of four people, an older, male woodland elf, an adult female human, a younger female human and a female simian beast. Talan didn¡¯t know about the elf since the elf didn¡¯t show his face much. The adult woman had bright green eyes and dark hair, and she carried twin swords. The younger human had daggers, but something was odd about her according to him. Finally, a white simian beast who wielded a bow and arrow. What a boring group.

    He continued by telling me that the adventurers came to hunt saber tooth bears until they came face to face with bandits. The bandits were his friends, but he wasn''t able to stop the adventurers from killing the bandits. The green eyed woman carries the item that he wishes to obtain. I study him as he goes silent for a moment. This dark elf has rage burning his eyes and flames smoking steadily on his hands. These adventurers have left quite the impression on him. Maybe I can use his rage for a higher pay day.

    "Anything else I should about the encounter, Lord Talan?" I made my tone sweet as sugar to flatter him.

    "If you ever come across those adventurers, beware the wolf hiding in plain sight. It finished those bandits off brutally." He said slyly.

    "Wolf? Like a familiar?" I giggled as I asked. To think a little wolf would stand a chance against a dragon. This dark elf must have a few screws loose. "No animal could beat me, Lord Talan. You have nothing to fear." His expression did not change from my reassurance.

    "Ms. Athyra Eshwyn, this is no woodland animal that I speak of. No. This wolf must be a part of the beast folk. It stood about my height and threatened me. It wasn''t exactly a beast. A monster is a better name for it. It ran on two feet though¡­" His voice trailed off. I sat there in disbelief of this elf. Wolf beasts were extinct because of the last Race War centuries ago. Or at least according to the Gleaca history books that I read last week, they were extinct.

    "You must enjoy insulting your guests by testing their knowledge. I may be new to this country, but I am not ignorant." Anger was laced in my voice. This elf is making fun of me. My scales itched under this human skin with rage.

    He must have noticed my rage because the elf began chanting as a storm appeared above his head. His eyes glowed purple as he chanted. "Ms. Athyra," he called out. "Please calm yourself. I do not wish to battle you. You asked for information, and I have explained what I know. If you no longer wish to take this job you may leave the manor at once. Otherwise, please defrost my study."

    Defrost his study? I looked around. Everything was covered in a layer of frost except the elf. His storm must have protected him. I took a deep breath, melting away the frost. "Fine. I will hunt for information on your adventurers, but I want traveling expenses as well as triple the amount you mentioned on the way here."

    A smirk filled the elf''s face. "Very well, dragonette." He emphasized every word. "You leave this afternoon."

    I gave him an understanding nod, and I walked to the door. I bid the little woman to guide me to my room to make preparations for my trip.

    "See you later, dragonette." He said as I left the room.

    I frosted the hallway as I walked away. Enjoy your icy manor, Lord Talan.

 New Direction I

    Rory¡¯s POV

    I heard the door crack open and someone sneak inside my little room. The candle by the bedside had gone out while I was asleep. Shit. I left a candle burning while I slept! Suddenly a warm figure crawled into bed with me.

    Rory, this is not the time to worry about burning candles! I scolded myself internally. My grip tightened around my dagger as I saw a white fuzzy tail¡­

    ¡°Emalynn?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°You woke up? I thought you were sawing logs.¡± She moped while sitting next to me on the small bed.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Ema? I could have killed you!¡± I exclaim, sitting up with the dagger still tight in my grip.

    "You are too slow to catch me, Rory." She stated matter-of-factly.

    This is not the conversation I thought I would be having first thing in the morning. "Not even close. I have won 347 of our races and tied 17 times as kids. You won 5 races when we first met, but none since then. Do you like making me brag first thing in the morning?" I gave her a smile.

    "I will beat you again one of these days." She poked me in the side forcing a laugh to spill from my sleepy face. She started tickling me.

    "Aren''t we too old for this crap?" I giggled.

    "Never." She grinned.

    "OK. Ok." I pushed her away. "What did you come in here for?" I asked her.

    "Well, I am bored out of my mind. I have already slept, cleaned my bow and arrows, sharpened the arrows, and rebandaged my shallow wounds. What else am I to do?" She crossed her arms in a huff.

    "I see your point. Let me get cleaned up, and we can get something to eat." I said, pulling myself out of bed.

    Emalynn grabs my arm. "You are going to want to wait on going to the bathroom. It''s occupied by some loud people¡­"

    "Oh, so Uncle Axel is here." I respond nonchalantly.

    "So it''s not Elias and Leah?" Her snow white ears popped up in surprise.

    "No. Yuck." I said, shaking my head dramatically. "Aunt Leah is mated to my Uncle Axel. My uncle sensed she was near and¡­ I guess you know what happened."

    Emalynn looked deep in thought while processing my words. "So, mating is like being married?"

    "Yes and no. They appear the same, but mating only happens between beast folk¡­" My cheeks burned red.

    "Why? Can it happen between other species and beast folk? That''s what happened between your parents right?" She asked with no shame at all.

    My whole body was red with embarrassment, and a pit of disgust formed in my stomach at the thought of my parents mating. "It''s complicated. Maybe Leah can explain it."

    Emalynn studied me closely when ears popped up and a wicked smile settled on her face. "Rory, why are you so flustered about mating? I know someone had to have given you ''the talk'' by now. We are adults, just breathe."

    I balked at her. "Roll back a second, Ema. You can''t just flip from innocent curiosity to all knowing, confident deviant!" My whole body was calm. I hate these conversations because they always make me uncomfortable. I don''t want to even consider getting a mate or getting married. My life is too complicated for that crap. Then there''s the whole creepy bonus that comes with mating. Who wants someone just invading their thoughts? Not me. I want nothing to do with telepathy, thank you.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Don''t look so serious. Your face could be contorted that way forever." Emalynn jokes, and I decide to pull the blanket over my head to hide.

    Adult or not, mating has always been an embarrassing subject for me. I understand the mechanics of the process, but I have yet to meet a male that would make me want to do it. Plus, I have my own insecurities about my own body. Imagining bodies moving together to mate is just awkward. The sounds that you would hear make me cringe. Ugh.

    Emalynn pulls the blanket off my tomato complexion and cracks up laughing at my exasperated expression. If she wasn''t my best friend, I would punch square in the face. She knows how this talk bothers me. Why must she tease me?

    "The answer to your question is because of your hilarious reaction. I may be childish and ignorant about hunting and battling tactics, but at least I am knowledgeable about aspects of everyday life." Emalynn explained to my surprised face. "While you amped up your training over the last year, I explored the joys of everyday life. I went on a few dates too. You always train or go on missions unless I drag you away."

    "Isn''t your dream to be S rank?" I questioned. It feels like I didn''t know Emalynn as well as I thought. She did have some maturity under her playful nature. How did I miss that?

    "Yes, because I want to compete and be the best. I surpassed everyone at my level right now. Yet, I still want more some day. To enjoy life or fall in love. You have been so down for a long time that I decided our time together should always be fun." She gave a reassuring smile. "Since we are stuck together for the rest of our lives, you will have plenty of time to have fun now."

    I laughed at her version of our situation. "You make being on the run for the foreseeable future sound like a vacation."

    "No vacation. Just an awesome adventure." Emalynn smiled.

    I was happy she wanted to stay together after the past few days. However, I need to be sure that she understands what kind of life we will lead. "You won''t be an S rank or have a chance to find love if you really want to stick with me. It will be constantly sneaking around and camping. Different looks and identities that may change all the time. No home to go back to."

    "All the more reason for me to be with you. Besides, we will be less lonely together. Maybe one day we can even leave Gleaca behind. We could be world travelers!" She clapped her hands with excitement. There''s the playful Emalynn that I know and love.

    "I think I need to learn to control that wild form of mine first before we visit other lands. We don''t need a world wide manhunt after us." I reasoned with her.

    She gave a nod in agreement. "Let¡¯s go check on Elias and find some food." I suggest as I heard Emalynn¡¯s stomach growl causing an echo to bounce off the stone walls and ceiling. Her cheeks reddened like she had been painted red. "I will spare you from the jokes. Let¡¯s go wake up Elias. He''s probably as hungry as you." We climbed off the bed, and I did a quick tidy up of the room and blew out the candles. Emalynn followed behind as we knocked on Elias¡¯s door. I heard him snore and pushed the door open.

    "Elias." I paused to listen for a response. He stirred and grumbled out louder snores. "Grumpy old man, wake up." I shook him from his slumber.

    "Child, go away." Elias bid.

    "Not a chance, Uncle Elias. You must get up and move again or you will roll out of bed painfully." I urged him.

    "You know, I am just waking up. Your logic doesn''t affect me." He retorted.

    "Very well. Don''t say that I didn''t warn you." I turned and waved to Emalynn to commence the operation wake up call. She nodded. Suddenly, my fluffy white friend became a smaller brownish version of herself. Her monkey form has always been adorable. She quietly snuck over to the grumpy man''s bed. "Brace yourself, Uncle."

    Emalynn jumped on Elias¡¯s back as he laid in his bed. I watched little Emalynn, about a third of the size Elias, just bounce around on his back. I couldn¡¯t stop the laughter spilling out of my mouth. Emalynn¡¯s little paws made a splat with every bounce against Elias¡¯s skin, and Elias would respond with a groan.

    Splat, groan, splat, splat, groan.

    It sounds like a terrible musician groaning in frustration at his broken drum.

    Elias turned his body to get away from Emalynn¡¯s paws pounding him, however, Emalynn just landed right on his gut. He groaned out loud, making me fall to the floor with laughter. Poor Elias asked for it. I know Emalynn won''t stop until he is out of the bed. Elias once again rolls, but luck is not on his side or mine as he falls off the bed to the floor, naked, in front of me.

    Eww. I quickly cover my eyes. "Uncle Elias, the blanket!" I shouted in a hurry. I hear pull the blanket over himself. I open my eyes to see monkey Emalynn hit the wall behind the bed and the room fills once more with my laughter. "I swear our family should join a circus."

    "Or perhaps, just let me wake in my own time, Rory." Elias said sternly.

    Emalynn¡¯s puffy white form returned, standing tall on the other side of the bed. "You have been asleep for three days. How much more do you need?"

    "Shit. I guess that I needed it." He took a minute to survey the room. "Why are we at the safe house, Rory? What happened?"

    "The short version is that my secret was revealed during that battle with the dark elf. My body took on a wild form that I can''t seem to control. The dark elf was a water clone. We escaped through underground tunnels and wound up here." I said quickly. I am at the point that I want to move past the last few days. "Also Aunt Leah and Uncle Axel are ''occupying'' the bathroom." My cheeks burned red at my last statement.

    "Wow, I missed that much? Is that why I am naked?" He said sitting there in disbelief. I nodded at him. "My damn age is starting to affect me. I must be becoming senile. I hate being old. You two better not get old on me or I will kick your asses."

    We left his room so he could get dressed. Entering the small kitchen, I found fresh yachi bread probably brought over by Uncle Axel. I made quick work of the bread with some sweet berry cream and served it on the little table near the couch. Emalynn watched as I brewed tea on the small stove after lighting the burner. I had her pull out cups for the tea while Elias hobbled to the couch. I left the tea to brew and lit a few lamps in the living room. Emalynn made Elias a plate, and the kettle whistled, beckoning me to the kitchen. Bringing in the tea, I served everyone a cup. Looking around, it all seemed so normal and domestic. Two things that I have never had before in my life. Even at the guild, I was always onto the next assignment, training or hanging around Emalynn.

 New Direction II

    A door down the hall creaked open and the silence fell away. My stomach stirred, knowing that our uncertain futures would be taking a new direction. Aunt Leah came in hand in hand with Uncle Axel. She had a smile that warmed the room from being reunited with her mate. I wonder if that''s how all mates are¡­

    "Yum, yachi bread!" Aunt Leah squeaked as she ran toward the little table in the living room. She had a slight bounce in her step spreading berry jam over her yachi bread. The joy in her face captivated the entire when she took her first bite. "Mmmm¡­ perfect."

    "Leah''s sweet tooth strikes again." Elias chuckled. He continued his slice of yachi bread with a happier expression than had sat there before.

    "I am glad you like it, amica." Uncle Axel said, placing a kiss on Aunt Leah¡¯s forehead.

    "What does amica mean?" Emalynn asked from her spot on the couch next to Elias.

    Uncle Axel turned around and greeted Emalynn and began to explain. "Amica means sweetheart in the old tongue of our people."

    "It sounds so sweet. I have never seen Leah be so girly and childish, so you must be her mate." Emalynn giggled.

    Their dialog faded into the background as I studied my make-shift family. Aunt Leah had washed away all the dirt and blood revealing her thick brunette hair woven into two braids to let the bottom of her hair cascade down her back. Her bright emerald eyes looked relaxed for the first time in days. Uncle Axel had not changed much since the last time I saw him. He sported his usual somber expression, but he had a gentle hand resting on Leah¡¯s back. Elias¡¯s complexion was a golden, caramel color. His green eyes were beginning to show his age, but he still looked handsome in a distinguished kind of way. Emalynn still looked chipper but a little bit older since our journey started. Her tail twitched playfully as she savored every bite of the sweet yachi bread. It dawned on me as I watched Emalynn that she was now seeing all of our base forms for the first time. She didn''t seem bothered by our different appearances one bit. I had expected a bigger reaction than this.

    "Emalynn," I whispered, sitting next to her on the now crowded couch. She turned face while munching on her third or fourth slice of yachi bread. "I wanted to ask. Is it weird seeing our base forms?"

    "Yep. You guys are fuzzy like me." She gave a smile. "Except, you are not really fuzzy aside from your tail and ears. You are quite adorable though."

    My cheeks burned at her compliment. I regretted asking my question. I have never been comfortable with compliments or intimate conversations. My once strong confidence about those things faded once I realized why I always had to hide my hybrid status. My family has always accepted me, but this world will never accept me. So, I will just live for my family.

    "I am glad you have adjusted so quickly, Emalynn." Aunt Leah complimented.

    "Leah told me what happened. I am thankful you all returned in one piece. I am aware most of your identities are known although Elias¡¯s may be salvaged since his face was not seen by the dark elf." Uncle Axel said.

    His face wasn''t seen? I thought back to the battle. Elias had been in his wolf form the entire time. This made me feel a little better about the whole thing. Uncle Axel turned to me with a concerned gaze. I know he wants to speak to me about the whole event, but my stomach started churning at the thought of that conversation. He waved for me to follow as he walked back down the small hallway. Begrudgingly, I followed. I learned early on to never piss off the Alpha Hunter.

    Entering my room, I found Uncle Axel lighting a lantern to illuminate the room. I had left only one burning when we went to see Elias. Plopping down on my bed, I tried to sit properly while attempting to be comfortable. Uncle Axel had always been professional unless no one else was around. On the day I met him, he was very patient and soft with me like he always is with Aunt Leah. Only in small moments since that day, have I seen Uncle Axel be warm. He sat across from me on the other twin bed, letting me stew in the suffocating stillness of the room.

    "There''s no reason to torture me with silence, Uncle Axel. I am an adult. I can take your lecture." I stated. The truth is I am an adult now. A young adult, yes, but still an adult. My uncle watched me squirm, waiting for him to speak.

    "Yes, you are an adult. You have been for three years, yet you still seem to have childish tendencies. A little bit of still silence never hurt anyone, Rory." He said with a slight smile.

    "My uncle, the secret jokester." I said sarcastically.

    "In all seriousness, you have grown up so much. It¡¯s thanks to you that the dark elf didn''t have his way with you all. From what Leah told me, you took down a potion powered saber grizzly bear, a crew of bandits and a dark elf clone. In addition to your battles, you discovered a new shift form."

    I nodded. There was no anger in his voice, which surprised me. I had exposed myself unknowingly and put a target on my family''s backs. He just sat there waiting for me to speak. Ugh. I love him, but his very presence is intimidating. He''s the tallest male that I have seen, and his shoulders are wide and strong like the stone walls of this room. He''s dark like thick caramel and his eyes are green in color. If I had stood before that dark elf, the elf would have shit his pants. Another reason I don''t need a mate¡­

    "Rory," Uncle Axel commanded in his Alpha Hunter tone. "Tell me everything."

    His tone compelled me to speak. Although I could have objected, I allowed myself to comply. My patient uncle was beginning to become impatient with toes tapping on the floor. "Okay, okay. Aunt Leah surprised me with a visit and decided we would all complete a job for the guild. Elias and Leah picked a job and brought Emalynn and I along. I remember Elias and Myrra, the guild master, having a private conversation before we left. Everything had been normal past that point until we came across the bear."

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    "That was the first abnormal thing to you? Why did you start acting strange once you neared the woods? Leah told me how you became hyper aware of everything." He urged me to explain.

    I sighed at his questioning. Aunt Leah had noticed everything I did during the cart ride and the hike into bandit territory. The feelings of anxiety and loss flooded back to me as memories of Jerico filled my mind. He didn''t need to die. My body shook from intense emotions. I could see Jerico in my arms slowly bleeding out on the woodland floor.

    "Rory!" Uncle Axel called, pulling me out of my memory. I felt a cold wave recede from my body.

    Looking up, I saw Uncle Axel panicked, standing over me and tightly restraining my arms. What was his problem? "Let me go, please." I murmured.

    "What were you thinking about!" He demanded to know. What the heck?

    "I was thinking about the woods." I said quietly. "Why?"

    "What about the woods, Rory?" His voice was urgent as he relaxed his grip. "Be specific."

    "Jerico," I answered. "I was thinking of when I lost Jerico."

    "It happened in the same woods?" He asked.

    "Yes. Why?" I stared at him, letting him see my confusion.

    "Look at your hands and feel your teeth." He responded.

    My claws were in place of my hands, and I felt my fangs erupting from my mouth. I had started to shift¡­ but what form was I becoming? I am losing control over myself. Shit. Tears slowly fell from my eyes. I knew the new shifting form was dangerous, but not this bad¡­ What will I do? My breathing became shallow. What if I involuntarily shift and hurt someone¡­

    "Rory, breathe." Uncle Axel soothed. "You will get through this. The thing is, Rory, we don''t know enough about you or the ring to predict what may happen to you. I think the next step is for you to learn more about yourself and your ring."

    "How do I do that? I thought you knew everything about the ring." I stammered. Were these rings not made by the clan?

    "Well, I can''t help with learning more about the past, but I can teach you more about the ring. Our clan didn''t create the rings. A powerful wizard crafted them for us." He had a small smile. Uncle Axel had always loved teaching. He spent a lot of time sharpening my skills with weapons the year I stayed with them. Training was the only time I saw my uncle relax and laugh unless he thought he was alone with Aunt Leah.

    "For generations, we have passed down the rings through each family line. Each ring is to be bonded to a certain family, so only descendants of those families can use the ring. Your grandparents were from two different families that could use the rings, which is why both you and your aunt have a ring." He paused for a moment in deep thought while I stared at my ring, processing what he was telling me.

    "The rings came as a set crafted by a powerful wizard that was infatuated with beast folk. He was said to be an odd human that fell in love with a she-wolf as she was running through the Evergreen Forest one bright morning. The wizard had never seen any beast folk before and chased the she-wolf until he could run no more. For months, the wizard tried to get close to her, but she was too fast for him. Time passed and the she-wolf became a huntress, trying to catch food for her declining clan. The wizard returned to seek the huntress once more. This time the wizard said a spell transforming him into a hawk to track the huntress. The two played the game of chase for quite some time until the wizard found the huntress asleep on a riverside."

    Goosebumps raised on my arms at his words. A vulnerable woman asleep in broad daylight even I know how stupid that is. Men see that as an invitation to mess around with the woman. What kind of huntress was this girl? Wasn''t she taught to always be alert?

    "The wizard then did the impossible. He became a wolf using his strange magic. The huntress could not ignore the wizard anymore. She arose from her slumber at the scent of magic to find a wolf staring at her. She knew that he was not a beast folk or a natural wolf of the forest from the stench of magic around them. The huntress attacked the wizard because she believed he could be a threat to her clan. To her surprise the wizard instantly submitted to her, transforming back into his base form. The huntress questioned the wizard of his intent, and he claimed to love her. This was the start of their problems. The clan and the wizard¡¯s people learned of the interaction between the wizard and huntress. Instantly the two groups felt threatened by each other and readied for war. The clan was low in numbers at the time, so the clan captured the wizard and his people to force a surrender. The wizard and huntress came to a deal to save their people. The wizard would provide the wolf beasts with a means to disappear, and the wolf beasts would release their captives. Both sides made good on their deal. The wizard made the rings, developed the legend about this valley, and let our existence fade from history."

    My mouth hung open processing the origin of my ring. This wizard had a crush on a huntress, which almost caused a war. "It''s twisted that people were ready for war over a crush." I said all flabbergasted. "How could the clan and the wizard¡¯s people do something so foolish!" My hands began to animate my words. "The huntress didn''t even indulge his crush, right? She just wanted to assess the situation. Besides, I don''t buy that our small clan could have captured the wizard¡¯s people without a fight. That makes no sense. Are you sure that''s the whole story?"

    "Rory, breathe. Your fangs are showing." He commanded. I nodded waiting for more answers. "Yes, that''s the whole story as I know it. How things were done though is very vague. I like to think we were more cunning than the wizard, and that''s how we won, but I have no clear answers. Nor do I know why both groups were willing to wage war over a little crush. My only guess is years of war and mistrust filled their hearts and clouded their minds."

    I sat quietly, trying to understand their reasons for considering each other an enemy, but no valid conclusion came to mind. Even I try to analyze a situation before striking. "You wouldn''t go to war over an interracial romance, would you?" I asked hoping he could help me understand the reasons these people had to feel threatened.

    His eyes dropped to the floor and my heart fell along with them. He would go to war over it. He would have to because interracial marriage is against the law all over this land. Even with my family I am still considered an illegal hybrid. I want to cry, but I can''t. I know Uncle Axel loves me, hybrid or not. This stupid law is literally ruining my life.

    I just need to move on with my life. I decided to live for my parents and Jerico, and I am not going back on that. The past is the past anyway. Focus on the here and now, Rory. I need to control my new form and my ring. "Is there anything else you know about the ring?"

    Uncle Axel looked up with empathetic eyes. "No, but I know where the wizard made them. Maybe you can learn more there."

    "Okay. I guess I have a new direction." I said softly. Although I do want to learn more about the ring, I couldn¡¯t help feeling anxiety over the coming danger. Or was it anticipation?

    A sudden knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. Uncle Axel hurries from the bedside to the door to see Emalynn poking her head in the room. ¡°I think you girls have some things to talk about. I will see you later.¡± He walked out of the room.

    Emalynn bounced on to the bed, knocking me onto the floor. ¡°Whoops. Give me your hand.¡± She extended her hand out to me, and I gladly took it. Once I sit on the bed, Emalynn is quick to ask what happened.

    ¡°In short, my emotions trigger my new shifting form, and unless I learn to control the new amount of magic flowing through me and the ring, I won¡¯t control my transformations anymore.¡± I will explain. Emalynn¡¯s eyes are wide as she processes my new problem. Her tail twitches as she thinks.

    ¡°So what are we going to do about it?¡± She asks.

    I feel surprised by her response and guilty for pulling her into this. ¡°I need to visit where the ring was created. Uncle Axel believes I may find some answers there.¡± I wonder where this ring was made. I don¡¯t want to put Emalynn in danger. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with me, you know. I can take care of myself.¡±

    Emalynn shook her head at me. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. You could shift at random. Besides, I want to come with you. We are in this together.¡± I wanted to argue with her, but I decided against it. Instead, I went to hug her. She warmly accepted me. I know there is no way to get rid of her, and it makes me feel at ease to have her as a friend.

    ¡°When do we leave Rory?¡± She asks, pulling away.

    ¡°Tomorrow. The sooner I can control this the safer we will be.¡±

 New Direction III

    The next day¡­

    Emalynn and I are packing to leave after spending most of the night talking with everyone about our plans and things the two of us should know. It¡¯s like they tried to pile in a lifetime¡¯s worth of knowledge into one night. Although I know we will see each other again, everyone acts like this will be the last time. Aunt Leah decided Elias would escort us through the Imber Mountains toward the Wizard¡¯s Guild where the research on the rings may still exist. Elias reached out to one of the contacts to create new identification papers for Emalynn and myself. Some may know our faces, but odds are good that most do not.

    After cleaning my daggers that reeked of rotten bear blood, I sharpen the blades to center myself. I am doing my best to remain calm and focused since I shift at random when my emotions are in control. There was one incident last night when Aunt Leah explained more about how mates are different from marriages or partners. Emalynn was mesmerized by the conversation. Who wouldn''t want to learn about their culture''s companionship rituals? Me. I don''t. What''s the point of learning about something that I can never have? Safe to say I growled and bared my fangs. Emalynn flicked my snout, and Aunt Leah growled behind her forcing me into submission. I released my shift and everyone crowded me for a hug. Although it was suffocating, it managed to temper my discomfort and anger.

    This underground house has been the closest thing to a home that I have had in years because everyone already knows my secret, but I can''t stay down here forever. I won''t put those I care for in danger.

    My ears twitched at the sound of bouncing footsteps approaching my door. To my surprise they are heavier than Emalynn¡¯s. Who else could bounce when they walk? The door knob started to turn and without a second thought I flung a dagger at the door.

    "Shit." Elias¡¯s voice murmured as he evaded my blade. "Rory!" He yelled. I was flinching at his voice, expecting some lecture on controlling my paranoia. "What a shot! It almost took my eye out." His tone was excited, leaving me confused.

    "What?" Was the only thing I could say. Never has he ever been excited that I almost nailed him in the eye.

    "Hey Leah! Rory almost took my eye with her dagger as I opened the door." Elias cheered. My mouth dropped open. Did he hit the cliff too hard the other day?

    "Really?" Aunt Leah came running to my room inspecting my clean, sharp dagger wedged into the wall of the hallway. It was eye level with Elias, so Aunt Leah had to stretch up on her tiptoes to reach it. She pulled hard falling to the floor on her fluffy tail whimpering. A rock fell beside her just missing the end of her tail. She looked back at me with astonishment. "Nice work, Rory." She complimented me.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    What the hell! "Did I miss something? Did Elias prank you all with the opposite potion or something?" I could feel my brows furrow as I studied them.

    Elias shook his head. "I would not do that a third time. I learned my lesson."

    "There was a second time?" Aunt Leah¡¯s voice clicked.

    "Wait. So, you are happy I destroyed part of the wall and nearly took out your eye?" I asked, flabbergasted at the reality that was before me.

    "Rory, we are happy that your skills are sharp enough to protect yourself and cause a fair amount of damage without igniting strong emotions." Aunt Leah explained as Elias helped her up.

    So, they were testing me? I know I had some close calls yesterday, but I didn''t think I worried them this much. Who willingly spooks someone trained to kill? You would think they would have come up with a better plan. "Are we done poking the beast, or do you guys want to push me some more?" I huffed, laying on my annoyance nice and thick.

    "Aww. She''s annoyed at us. She used to make that same face when missed a target during training. So cute!" Elias pinched my cheeks adding to his sarcastic tone.

    "Yep. I may not have changed much, but thank God you are aging with grace. All the grays must be attracting many of the ladies these days."

    "Oh, and she responds with a low blow to his ego." Emalynn giggles as wiggles her way past Elias into my little room.

    "Remind me again why I need to escort them to the Imber Forest." Elias questions Aunt Leah.

    "Because you volunteered." Aunt grinned widely at him. Elias shook his head at her, clearly regretting his decision. "Besides, you have to get them new traveling papers. Maybe, get a morph spell from the local salon. Any changes will help hide them, but don''t do too much. They still need to be believable."

    Elias nodded. Emalynn helped me pack my weapons and strap them on. Elias and Aunt Leah exited the room as I did one final check on my gear.

    "So, we are getting new identities, huh?" Emalynn asked as she plopped down on my freshly made bed.

    I nodded. I thought through our plans of getting new traveling papers and new looks. I loved my black curls and blue eyes that I got from my parents. With the olive complexion of my dad and heart shaped face from my mom, I knew I had a piece of them with me. What would I look like a few days from now? How would my name change? If I know Elias, he''s going to pick names that he finds hilarious. Crap. What if he gives us goofy names for his own entertainment!

    "Girls, let''s get moving on. We have to meet my contact in three days to get your new papers." Elias called out from the living room. "I can''t wait for you to see what names I picked out this morning."

    Yep. I am screwed.

    "He picked out our names already. How?" Emalynn squeaked with a nervous tone.

    "They have messenger hawks. Kind of like a familiar that wizards use. They can carry a message within a few hours. He must have contacted the person last night." I answered. Their communication system is quite intricate. All the hawks are paired with a person, and the hawks trained to find their pair and the central hub. It''s faster than the human mailing system.

    "Do you have one too?" She asked with a bit of excitement.

    "Yep. I got my mom''s." I said with a sad smile. Uncle Axel paired the hawk with me for my thirteenth birthday. It was an emotional birthday to say the least.

    "Emalynn, Rory, come on. We have a schedule to keep." Uncle Axel chimed from the doorway. "You need to eat quickly. Elias is itching to go. He''s probably excited to see her again."

    "Who?" Emalynn pried. Her tail flicked with amusement.

    "Someone special." Uncle Axel gave a small smile.

    And the journey just gets more interesting.

 Peddler

    Athyra POV

    I had a huge smile on my face as I iced the halls of the dark, ghastly manor. The little woman began to frantically plead for me to defrost the walls as I gathered my bag to leave. The blue ice made the muddy purple and pornograhic pictures hung across the manor less nauseating. There was no way I would remove my beautiful creations from this horrid manor, or so I thought. I went to leave, and my greedy grinning host met me at the front door. He seemed unphased by my redecorating of his home and defiance of his authority. His confidence rivaled mine, and I knew having him as an employer may be the worst idea that I have ever had. Stupid dragon challenge. That''s when the worst interaction I could have had without killing him happened.

    Mr. Talan, the dark elf, is a good for nothing slime ball. That dumb ass had the nerve to pat my ass like he owned me as I left his manor. His grimy hand made me want to explode with disgust and turn his manor into a beautiful ice carvarn. He had the audacity to touch a pure dragon. I wish I could just run my claws through his guts and rip it out for the birds. Then I would pop out his eyes with my blade and shove them down his throat with his balls. As he bleeds and chokes on his stupid man parts, I would toss around him with my dragon tail until he was out cold. It would be the best day ever.

    Ice began to form on the carriage bench where my hands gripped tightly into the thin red cushion. The air began to chill as my rage swirled. My scales tore through my skin on my arms when I heard someone calling to me from the front of the carriage. I feel the carriage stop as the whole bench ices over. My vision is out of focus, but I know the door to the carriage is now open. A hot hand melts my frosty grip. I look up to see the carriage driver gripping my hand while engulfed in flames.

    ¡°Ms. Eshwyn,¡± The driver called to me in an urgent voice. ¡°Please, stop. You are going to freeze the carriage.¡±

    The driver¡¯s voice reached me. My rage was not the fault of the driver or this carriage. I swallowed my rage. My scales burrowed deep into my skin, and the bench thawed. The driver retracted his hand, waiting for me to signal that I was alright. I looked at the human male standing before me. He was older than me by a few years but he seemed gentle enough. Why was a human working for a dark elf? I looked at the man¡¯s wrist and noticed an obsidian shackle. I had my answer, and I hated it.

    ¡°I am fine, sir. We can continue.¡± I said quickly to keep him from seeing my brewing rage.

    ¡°Very well, Miss.¡± The driver moved away and closed the door.

    I felt sorry for the man. He is stuck in servitude to the sleezmo. When I get my pay, I may ask to set him free as well. He is still young. He has a whole life to live. The carriage began to move once more, continuing on our way to White Rapids. All I have to do is track down this group of adventurers that most likely came from a guild in this town, at least that¡¯s what Talan thinks. Still, I wonder what he truly wants with some adventurers. I know he said that one of them had a magic item that he wishes to obtain, but perhaps I could use this item instead. I would love to see Talan¡¯s face when I succeed in getting this item, knowing he will never have it.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Earning a title has been harder than I thought, and I am only a week in. I can see why dragons just steal and kill for power and title. It¡¯s easier. There''s only minimal risk to themselves as they pillage away from those who worked for their wealth and status. I wish to do the same thing to the sleezmo elf. Had it not been from my brother''s dragon challenge I could have my own kingdom by now.

    I could just ditch the elf and find someone who is worth my time. Yet, my dragon pride won''t let me. I want this dark elf to burn and ice over at the same time. Frost tingles over my fingertips. The carriage began to slow, pulling me back from my thoughts. One sweet inhale later, I let my anger settle. The driver picks up speed once more, and I relax. There will be time to end the sleezmo. Maybe, even free this driver who I suspect is an empath based on how he responded to my anger.

    Now is the time to plan.

    The green hills and trees rolled past as we made our way to the town. I am almost embarrassed for my frigid outburst, however, I am proud that the driver isn''t an ice statue. The manor fades far behind me as I begin to feel the pull of sleep arise in me. I have spent so much energy withholding my full power during my icy outbursts. This driver doesn¡¯t seem to mean any harm. Perhaps a small rest will help me be calm when we arrive in White Rapids.

    Few hours pass¡­

    "Miss." A warm voice calls to me. I try to ignore it and focus again on my dreams of slaying the dastardly, dumb dark elf. Images fade in and out of the dream as I hear the voice once more. "Ms. Eshwyn, please awaken. We have arrived."

    Huh? Why does this stupid person dare to wake me? My mind begins to function better, and my eyes begin to flutter. This person better pray I don¡¯t ice them over for this. It was such a splendid dream though. My eyes, fully open, take in the carriage that I vaguely remember falling asleep in. The air is warmer than when I fell asleep. I turn to see the driver looking at me with concern.

    ¡°Ms. Eshwyn, are you feeling well?¡± He asks, cautiously approaching me.

    I must have scared the shit out of him or something with how slow he is coming toward me. What a pity that this driver is scared after seeing only a portion of my power. I suppose I am something to be feared since I could turn him into an ice block. ¡°I am fine. Did we make it to White Rapids?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Eshwyn. That¡¯s why I came to wake you.¡± He said nervously.

    I could see a lively town behind him, which excited me for a new place to explore. ¡°Are you returning to the manor?¡±

    He shook his head, extending his hand to me. ¡°I am to accompany you through your journey, Ms. Eshwyn. I have been instructed to provide you with funds for your journey and ensure your accommodations.¡±

    ¡°No, you were sent to watch and report back, which is fine. I would expect nothing less from your master. Since you will be with me for a while, I will need to know your name.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, Ms. Eshwyn, I am here to assist you per Master Talan¡¯s instructions. My name is Eriz.¡± He pulled forward through the carriage door, revealing a colorful little town. The streets were paved instead of the bumpy dirt road that used to get here.

    ¡°Whatever you say, Eriz. Please, go find us an inn for the next three nights. I am going to scope out the town.¡± The buildings are painted bright colors, and the town is bustling with people waltzing around the streets. No one seems distressed compared to the towns near my brother¡¯s stronghold. This country is unlike the ones I have seen previously. I see a cafe behind Eriz with flowers in the window boxes and dark green walls. Little iron tables and chairs sit outside the door. It was quaint, not my style, but it would make for a decent meeting place. The sign above the door read Garden Tea. ¡°When you finish with the accommodations, meet me here.¡± I said to Eriz, pointing at the cafe. He gave a nod and mounted the carriage in search of an inn.

    Time to investigate the town and peddle some information on my targets.

 Namesake I

    Rory POV

    It¡¯s been a few hours since we left Aunt Leah and Uncle Axel in the underground hideaway. With the looks Aunt Leah was giving Uncle Axel, I would say that the next time I see them, I may have a cousin on the way. Other than my handsy aunt and uncle, Elias seems fairly excited for our new expedition, which is worrisome. He only gets like this when he¡¯s plotting a prank or to cause major trouble for someone. His unpredictable nature has made him one of the best trainers among my aunt¡¯s clan. All of his students are always over the top with each assignment they complete for the clan. Hell, he has trained me to be both a warrior and assassin per my request. I wanted to protect everyone even as a kid before I met Jerico.

    Emalynn carried a torch as we continued through the caves beneath the Imber Mountains. The caves are dark with stalactites as tall as my five foot two inch frame. The stalactites glistened by the light of the torch. There was a beauty to the empty caves and caverns. Emalynn had spent time asking Elias about his dual life as an elf and wolf beast. She seems fascinated with our whole existence although few wolf beasts actually live with dual identities. The main reason I still have my ring is because I would be dead without my identity as a human. I felt a sigh escape my mouth alerting Emalynn and Elias to my less than thrilled attitude.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Rory?¡± Emalynn probed as she walked beside me. She gently nudged me to pull my focus on her.

    ¡°Just thinking about how we are uprooting lives. Poor Myrra is going to beat on Elias for what¡¯s happened.¡± I said with a small smile. I can picture small, amber haired Myrra on the shoulders of the tall, muscular, elvian Elias.

    ¡°Ha, ha. Very funny. Just wait until she sees you again. You will be running from an ax like you did less than a week ago. An angry, little dwarf named Myrra will be charging after you at full speed. It will make my beating seem like child¡¯s play.¡± Elias smirked as my smile dropped realizing Myrra may actually kill me for putting everyone in this situation. Let¡¯s just add to the complicated pile that is my life.

    Emalynn¡¯s ears lowered at the thought of facing the ax again. Her face was filled with worry. Elias turned back to see why we were so quiet, and I could see the guilt on his face at Emalynn¡¯s reaction.

    Our pace slowed. ¡°Emalynn, you can still out run her. You have no need to worry.¡± I said letting my hand land on her shoulder.

    She shook her head. ¡°I just miss her already. She can chase me with an ax any day.¡±

    ¡°We will see her again. After we are sure we aren¡¯t followed and I can control the shifting, we can go anywhere. We will find a place to call home again.¡± I reassure her by bringing her into a side hug.

    ¡°Rory, you are being a bit optimistic.¡± Elias cautioned. ¡°Life on the run is not as simple as you believe it to be.¡±

    Before I could react to Elias¡¯s words, my wolf hearing overwhelmed my senses with the sound of tiny legs crawling in the cave walls. The stones on the cave floor bounced with the vibration of the digging. I quickly took my stance back to back with Elias and Emalynn. Did someone follow us? Before I got my answer, the walls began to shake.

    Rumble! Crash!

    The walls fell revealing two large, brown centipedes, slithering toward us. My blades were drawn, sitting in my still healing hands. All the magic and healing potions speed up the process of healing, but it still takes some time. The sound of their legs running across the rocky floor made my little wolf ears twitch. The centipedes circled us, pushing us closer together if that was possible.

    Emalynn fired first, releasing a barrage of arrows. She nicked a few legs off one of the centipedes. A greenish blue substance akin to blood leaked out where the legs once wiggled. In one quick strike, the centipede managed to sting Emalynn¡¯s arm with it''s venomous front legs. Emalynn pushed the bug back only to fall to the floor, clutching her throbbing arm.

    Elias and I moved to cover her from any more attacks. She let little moans from the pain. I struggled to keep my anger from surfacing. Pain tingles in my jaw where my fangs wanted to sprout. Breath in. The stupid bugs will be squashed. Breath out. I will slice their heads off. Breath in. I can stomp on their guts. Breath out. They will be dead soon.

    ¡°Emalynn, are you good?¡± Elias asks without taking eyes off our bug dance partners.

    I felt her shift her body next to my leg. ¡°I will live.¡± She groans. ¡°Already took a potion to stop the poison.¡±

    Only a few hours out of the safe house, and I have failed to protect Emalynn. What a crap friend I am. ¡°Rest, Emalynn.¡± I command as a centipede makes a move toward me. One forceful strike into the abdomen and more bug guts spill onto my clothes. The centipede seems to move unaffected by the gash as it tries again to sting me. ¡°How much fluid can this bug lose before it dies?¡± I ask.

    Elias deflects a few swipes from the centipede. ¡°Short answer is until the last drop leaves their body. Cave Centipedes aren¡¯t strong, just annoying and resilient.¡± He growled, defending his position.

    The centipedes charged us head on. The bugs managed to knock us away from Emalynn. She quickly stood holding a small knife in her uninjured hand. I stumble to my feet to assist her, but the bugs cut me off as they strike her. She dodges narrowly escaping another sting. Emalynn plunges the knife into each centipede a few times. The ground is becoming slippery from the greenish blue bug guts making a gross mud around us. Her little knife is sticky from the bug fluid, and becoming less effective by the minute.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Elias is next to me as we try to find a way through the centipede bodies blocking our path and knocking us back. ¡°Any ideas, Elias?¡±

    ¡°One, but it¡¯s a bit reckless. We have to decapitate our uninvited friends. I launch you in the air, and you slice the heads clean off. You have to get both to keep Emalynn from getting another sting.¡± He said.

    He makes that sound easy. Flying into the air and decapitating two giant cave centipedes is not easy by any means. Emalynn slips to her knees, and I know this is my only shot. ¡°Launch me.¡± Elias¡¯s hands gently grab my wrists as he spins quickly. I start to feel sick as my world goes around and around. Suddenly, Elias lets go, and I fly up to the centipede heads. I quickly chop off its head. The second moves out range causing me to crash into the wall. Sliding down the cave wall, I feel every rock knick my skin. My arms and chest hurt from impact. I probably broke another rib or two.

    A thud echoes in my ears while I try to pull myself from the ground. I slip in the muck of bug blood and dirt. Another thud hits the cave floor. My head snaps over to Elias standing over a weak Emalynn. I see dead centipedes next to them and relief washes over me. Elias manages to finish the job. I guess the old man still has a few fights left in him. I stand up, using the wall to walk toward them.

    Elias pulled Emalynn into his arms as I resheathed my daggers. We quickly made our way to the cave¡¯s exit. When it¡¯s only Emalynn and myself, will we be able to face such problems on our own? We hubbled toward the light at the end of the cave¡¯s path. I am grateful for feeling the sun on my skin for the first time in days. I look around to see we are in a forest with tall pine trees everywhere we look. I quiet my mind to listen to the forest. The forest bustles with the sound of woodland animals scattering about the trees and grass. There are no signs of any people in the area.

    We quickly made our way through the forest, avoiding the friendly wildlife and peaceful predators. I only stopped for a moment as we passed a saber grizzly bear eating berries. A regretful reminder of how our journey started, but the moment passed without a second thought. Like a distant echo, I hear water babbling beyond the trees. The pine trees were packed tightly, causing my skin to itch from the pine needles grazing over my skin. My desire to jump into water was growing.

    "Rory, do you hear the river just east of here?" Elias questioned. He walked ahead of me, carrying Emalynn gently in his arms. She looked like a sleeping child in his muscular elf arms. At some point, he shifted from older, warrior wolf beast to wise, strong elf.

    "Yes, it''s about a mile east of here if I had to guess." I responded, trailing behind his steps.

    "Good." He stopped abruptly. "Take Emalynn there. Get cleaned up and patched up. Follow the river to the town. I am headed there now to find us an inn." He handed me Emalynn, and loosened up his muscles. "Be there before sunset, and don''t forget to shift." He gave his sly grin and took off.

    Emalynn slumped in my arms as I hiked and weaved through the trees. The sun sat high in the sky beating down on the forest. Water kept sounding better and better in my mind. My senses perked up as I heard Elias¡¯s footsteps fade away. The river came into view through the pine thicket in front of me. I wanted to drop Emalynn and sprint into the river. I almost did, but I found a safe spot to lean her against a tree instead.

    First, I needed to tend to sleeping beauty before I could enjoy the refreshing water. Filling my canteen, I surveyed the plants around me for anything that could help Emalynn heal from the slow working poison. I pulled out a bowl from Emalynn¡¯s pack and poured in some fresh water. Moving back toward the river, I grab a slimy little frog. It pops out of my hand more than once as I try to walk back to the bowl. Small river frogs produce a slime that can aid in curing venomous stings, which includes giant cave centipedes. I dunk the little frog in the bowl while scaring it with my fingers, so it secretes more slime.  The frog escaped my grasp, but I was satisfied with the slimy water in my hand. The last thing I grabbed was an abracia flower on the river bank. I bleed the lavender flower dry of its nectar because it gives the body a healing boost. Mixing my little medicinal water together, I knew Emalynn would hate the slimy, mucus feel of the drink on her tongue.

    I gently tilted her head back for an easy swallow. My first try spilled out of her mouth. The second was spit back into my face. The third, I poured in her mouth hung with one hand and doused her with water from the canteen on her head, tricking my shocked patient into swallowing and waking up.

    "What slimy shit did I just swallow?" Emalynn asked, in a flabbergasted manner. She dry heaved, trying to rid herself of the feeling of slime in her throat.

    "A medicinal concoction." I gave her a relieved but evil grin. "You still need more treatment, but that will kick start your healing."

    "Blah. It tastes like a slug slithered down my throat." Emalynn whined. She started licking her hands, the grass and the pine sap to rid herself of the slime taste.

    "That bad?" I ask, trying to hold in a giggle. She gives me an exasperated nod. "It was only a little river frog slime." I smile widely.

    She stares at me in disgust. "If I could, I would shove a river frog down your throat too."

    In that moment, I saw her innocent, play facade fall away from her fierce gaze. "Yes! The fierce simian warrior has finally shown her face!" I exaggerated to break her tension.

    "What?" The confused innocence returned to her face.

    "For a moment, you looked like a threatening hunter and not a little girl pretending to be an adventurer." I smiled at her. She seemed torn between being happy and offended. "Alright sleeping beauty, let me patch your arm with some sap and bandage you up. Elias wants us to get all clean before entering the town up ahead."

    Emalynn thrusts her swollen arm forward. I drain the sting with a knife as she bites hard on to the leather sheath for the knife I am using. She groans as quietly as she can while squeezing out every drop of the blue poison I can. "Hang in there. I just need to clean it out and doctor it." Washing it with some water, smearing abracia sap on her arm and binding it with cloth, before I finally finished her mending.

    Emalynn stands up slowly, and pulls me up behind her. She wastes no time avenging herself for her haunting slime swallowing by throwing me into the river. "That ought to clean you up." She smiled with her little tail twitching behind her.

    The water isn''t deep. It reaches my waist, so I easily pop up to the surface. I relish the clean feeling on my skin. All the blue centipede guts have been washed away except for the dried bits in my hair. I dunk my head in the water trying to comb out the bug gut bits. I can hear Emalynn laughing at my display from the river bank. What she doesn''t realize is her white fur is knotted up with dried, blue bug guts. Her green tunic with gold edging and black shorts caught more of the bug juice than my black tunic and leggings.

    She splashed me as she leaped into the water next to me. Her head popped above water as she began combing out her white fur. I finished rinsing my black hair in the water. Elias¡¯s reminder to shift rang through my mind. I decided to take advantage of the river and inhaled deep plunging myself underwater.

    The world around me melted away as I began to focus on the shift. Pain radiated all the way to my toes as claws morphed into nails, fangs retracted in my mouth, ears folded into my head and my tail receded into my spine. The cool water took the edge off the tingling pain along my skin. Human ears formed and my head felt like splitting in half. Had I not been underwater, blood would be running down my neck and back by now. The cold sensation running through my veins faded, and I knew my appearance was completely human. Pushing myself to the surface, I gulped down a big breath.

    "What happened down there?" Emalynn paused, staring at me.

    "Shifting." I answered. "My transformations are a bit painful and dramatic unlike yours. Elias thinks that it is because I don''t shift frequently. I usually stay human until my body or circumstances force my change."

    "I suppose you are limited because of your- I mean our secret." She gave me a supportive smile. "Any more secrets that I should know about?"

    "When I think of it, I will tell you." I smiled back at her. We combed as much bug guts as we could out of her fur before laying out on the river bank to dry. "We will need to get a job after we get our new travel papers. We need money to buy supplies for the next leg of our journey."

    "I guess that we can''t just walk into a guild for work like we usually do." Emalynn sighed. "What kind of job should we get?"

    "Something that won''t miss us when we leave." I responded.

    We lay there daydreaming about finding a beautiful place in the middle of nowhere and building a home. Emalynn suggests continuing what Myrra did for us and take in orphans. I am surprised by her idea. She''s barely an adult, and I am only a couple years older than her. Then again, we would be lost in the world had it not been for Myrra and the academy at our guild. It''s something to think about later. For now, I need to figure myself out, so I can protect Emalynn and my family.

 Namesake II

    An hour or so passes by and we begin to follow the river to town. My stomach growls loudly, causing Emalynn to giggle at me. I just shake my head at her as we close in on the town. Standing there waiting for us is Elias. I wonder if any of his other pupils have given him as much trouble as we have.

    "There are my girls. I have been waiting for you for hours." Elias exaggerated. He gives us both a hug as he leads us toward our inn. "Welcome to Pine Row. A small traveler''s town." He gestured to the simple little town around us.

    There are a few shops, a bakery, a pub, five or so inns, and what looks like a guild hall or maybe town hall in front of us. We follow behind Elias to the last inn on the road. The sign reads Pine Sky Inn. The outside of the inn is a light brown with dark pine green accents. Elias opens the door of the three story building, which seems bigger on the inside. The inside has a small lobby with a few comfortable looking chairs and an old bookcase. Sitting behind the welcome desk, is a man about the age of Elias.  He greets us and gives us our key. The inn is plain like most inns that I have stayed in during my jobs and travels. This inn does have a dining room for breakfast and dinner unlike most inns. Elias leads up the charmingly creaky steps to the second floor and to our room. Elias is in the room next to us.

    Our room is adorable. There are two single beds with blue linens and a small couch and table with blue carnations in a white vase. Two paintings of a river surrounded by pines are above each bed. There is an oil lantern sitting on the table between the beds. Two large windows look out to the farmland beyond the inn. We even have a small bathroom with a shower. I suppose this inn isn''t as plain as I thought.

    Emalynn lands on the first bed she sees. "I am going to nap and then take a nice long shower." She mused.

    Elias walks into the room with a smirk on his face and two garment bags. "No time for sleep, Emalynn. We must hurry to my contact''s manor. We are to join my contact for an evening gala."

    Right now, I want nothing more than to throw Elias out of the room and lock the door. How he expects us to have the energy for such an event is beyond me. Emalynn passed out only a few hours ago. "Right now? We still have some dried bug guts in our hair."

    "Worry not, Rory. Your Uncle Elias has a plan." His smirk turned into a softer grin.

    Emalynn just pouted at the thought of getting up again. All she wanted right now was her nap. My stomach growled loudly filling the room. Both Elias and Emalynn broke into laughter. I guess I need food more than a hot shower. "Come on, Emalynn. My stomach needs food anyway." She groaned as she rose from the bed.

    "Leave the large weapons here. Only bring concealable weapons with you. We don''t need to scare the town''s folk." Elias said.

    "Fine. So who is your contact, old man?" I grumble, sliding off my bed.

    Emalynn perks up her head with curiosity. "Yeah, who is this mysterious person?" She probed.

    "You''ll see. Put on your cloaks. Come, we must be going." He said slyly.

    We pulled out our cloaks and put up the hoods. I think Elias is trying to minimize the number of people that will see our faces. I know we have plans for makeovers, but I am not sure when or what could even be done, especially since magic already alters my form. But who knows. Magic is constantly changing and growing with new applications. Maybe, someone will replicate this magic that the ring uses.

    We made our way out of the Pine Sky Inn. There are few people wandering about the town while we make our way off the main street toward the farmlands that I saw from the window. Pastures were filled with cows, goats, horses and llamas. Some fields were filled with vegetables and workers. Workers were tending fields where there were colorful barns and large manors. Small houses lay in between properties. This little town was like many others that I visited with my parents.

    Elias appears chipper with that extra spring in his step. I would almost say he is skipping down the road. The person we are meeting must be extremely special to him. I can only imagine who the person could be. Elias never talked about family over the years except for Aunt Leah and my mom. Although, he did just finish training his nephew, so he must have a brother or sister out there somewhere.

    Emalynn is quietly staring off into the passing pastures and fields. I know she must be worn out from last week. Even though our beast folk bodies help us heal faster, she''s been unconscious more than once this week. We only rested for a day at the underground hideaway. I am sure her body is begging for rest. Her arm is still bandaged in the white cloth, and I wonder what we can do to hide it at the gala. I wonder what we are wearing this evening.

    A long, winding walk leads us to a beautiful cream colored manor. It looks as big as our guild. There are floor to ceiling windows on each end of the manor and crafted glass that almost looks like stained glass. The roof is a medium brown like the moldings around each window. An arch doorway opens letting us into the spacious home. The entrance is beautiful with marble steps and grand furniture. All the furniture appears elegantly made from solid cherry wood, and everything had accents of pine green. A young maid stood next to the door asking Elias if she should announce our arrival. He gladly nodded to her.

    We trailed after the maid through a few hallways before arriving at a library, or maybe a huge study? Elias¡¯s contact seemed to be very wealthy if nothing else. We enter the book filled room to find a desk on the far side of the room. The maid crosses the distance as Emalynn whispers to me. "I bet you would lock yourself in here for days to read all these books."

    "Guilty as charged." I grinned at her. She seems to have let the excitement of mystery override her exhaustion. Somewhere along the way I needed to find us a spa and hot spring, so she could truly recover.

    "Announcing the arrival of Master Elias and his nieces, Madam Kaya." The maid said to the middle aged woman at the desk.

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    Madam Kaya nearly jumped from her chair rushing toward Elias. She slammed into him, sending both of them crashing to the floor. Elias hugged her tightly as they both burst into laughter. ¡°You crazy old coot! How dare you stay away as long as you have!¡± She badgered him playfully.

    ¡°How else would you appreciate me, Kaya?¡± Elias joked back. ¡°You always said that I am an acquired taste, and too much of me would make you sour.¡±

    The two of them climbed to their feet and hugged. Who is this Kaya? She appears to be an elf woman similar to Elias with blond hair and bright eyes. They clearly go way back, but I can¡¯t tell how. Emalynn looks as perplexed as I am about the woman. Actually, Emalynn is looking impatient, which means she¡¯ll explode like a toddler if the mystery isn¡¯t resolved. I am curious how this will play out if Elias doesn¡¯t do something soon. Good luck, Elias.

    Madam Kaya turns to us first before Emalynn has a chance to make her move. She glides toward us happily with Elias at her side. ¡°So who are these young ladies, Elias?¡±

    ¡°We are his nieces.¡± Emalynn cuts in before Elias could speak. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Ema-¡± Elias starts to say, but Madam Kaya holds up her hand to stop him.

    ¡°Well dear, I am Madam Kaya, the governess of Pine Row and Elias¡¯s older sister. And, I believe that makes me your aunt as well.¡±

    ¡°But, you look younger than Uncle Elias.¡± Emalynn said dumbfoundedly. Elias gave her death glare while Madam Kaya seemed flattered by her statement.

    I lean into Emalynn and whisper in her fluffy cloak covered ear. ¡°I think it¡¯s time just to listen, Ema.¡± She shook her head in agreement. Elias tried to apologize for Emalynn¡¯s outspoken behavior. I just snickered at the whole scene under my breath. I have never seen an embarrassed Elias before.

    ¡°Madam Kaya, I believe Uncle Elias said you wanted us to attend a gala of some sort. I am sorry to say we are not presentable at all for such an affair.¡± I decided to play the part of a dear niece to ¡®Master Elias¡¯ since that was who I was supposed to be.

    Elias glared and gawked at me. Perhaps my proper speech is surprising? I don¡¯t know, but I am eager to get on with the whole affair. At the moment I don¡¯t know what name to go by or how they expect us to attend a high class affair. Emalynn gave me a quick thank you glance. Her flustered emotions seemed to settle finally since Elias is now focused on me.

    ¡°I have answers to your questions. Please follow me to the guest room. I should have everything you two need there.¡± Madam Kaya replied.

    With that, we were on our way out of the study, or was it a library? I had no idea. Maybe, Madam Kaya¡¯s staff can help shed some light on a few things. I quieted myself as we walked about the halls. My brain went into auto pilot, so I could focus on listening to the world around me. The first thing I could hear is dishes being clanged and tossed about in what I think is the kitchen. Footsteps echoed everywhere, some heavy and some light. Tables and chairs shifting across a room. Lanterns being lit and some musicians testing their instruments. It is all loud in my head. I can¡¯t hear any voices anywhere. Another deep breath in to drown out the useless noise. Finally, I hear the chuckle of a man ring in my mind.

    The man¡¯s voice is low as he talks to a fairer voice, which sounds like the maid from the study. He laughs at her description of Kaya knocking Elias to the floor. She laughs with him and explains her delight that Elias has come for a visit. Elias has not returned to the manor in three years, and Kaya has been sullen since he last left.  Even Kaya¡¯s husband hasn¡¯t been able to brighten her spirits. They are excited that Elias has brought his nieces because he never brings guests on his visits. Both the man and the maid seem curious about Elias¡¯s nieces, but it¡¯s mostly excitement in their voices. They believe we will make the gala more fun than the last few that Kaya and her husband have put on.

    I let their voices fade from my mind and focus on the people staring at me like I am a chicken rat balancing cheese on my beak. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I offer to the captivated audience.

    ¡°You mean that didn¡¯t hurt?¡± Emalynn asks, studying me up and down.

    What is she talking about? What hurt? I feel fine. "No? I am not hurt."

    "We watched you slam face first into the door." Madam Kaya explained. "You are sitting on the floor dear."

    I looked down to find her words to be true. My behind is indeed on the floor and a dull ache in my nose. I must have concentrated too hard listening to the man and the maid. From the look on Elias''s face, he knew what I was doing and he wasn''t happy about it.

    I got to my feet. Emalynn giggled behind me as we rushed through the door that I ran into. Madam Kaya closed the door and observed the area for eavesdroppers. A cricket could have filled the space with a click of its tune. Madam Kaya finished her check of the guest room.

    The room reminded me of my room at the guild. The only thing missing is the kitchenette. The room is white with pink accents and floral designs. It appeared very sweet. We all sat at a round table where tea and cookies were waiting for us. Elias laid the garment bags on the couch before joining us at the table.

    "I see what you mean, Elias. You have had a full plate for years. You may remove the hoods now girls." Madam Kaya gestured toward us.

    We complied with her request. I took a look in the mirror in the corner of the room, and my appearance is rough. Bandages covered my torso, arms and sections of my legs. My normal bouncy curls were flat. Pale complexion and tired eyes stared back at me. I need some serious recovery time, but I am not sure that is even possible.

    Madam Kaya pours everyone some tea and slides some papers in front of Emalynn and me. ¡°So, we should get started, girls.¡± And, without warning Madam Kaya dropped her elf facade revealing her brownish red wolf beast form. Her green eyes sparkled like Elias¡¯, and it became obvious that she was indeed Elias¡¯ sister. She gave us both a gentle fanged smile. ¡°You really need to practice being aware while focusing on your senses, dear. I don¡¯t need you running into anymore doors.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you smashed into the door?¡± Emalynn gave me such an amused look.

    ¡°Yes, that is what I was doing. I was being cautious.¡± I said, curtly.

    ¡°Yep, she definitely learned from you, Elias.¡± Madam Kaya laughed, and Elias blushed. I guess he can be embarrassed easily when it comes to his sister. ¡°Elias told me about the dark elf problem. I am surprised that one of Alpha Leah¡¯s cousins would want to live outside the valley, but I suppose after the lot you have been dealt, it makes sense.¡±

    I felt that punch to the gut. Emalynn hit my arm and pointed to my elongating claws. An unwanted transformation has already started because of a thoughtless comment.The chill of magic began flowing through my body. I have to act fast, so I don¡¯t shift. Downing my tea, I think of my aunt and uncle in my mind. All the times that I nearly chopped off parts of my uncle and every time my aunt would scare the crap out of me for ¡®training¡¯ purposes. Each time Emalynn comes running with an S class job assignment with a fuming Myrra behind her. When Elias drops ice down a guild member¡¯s shirt and blames it on me. The chills stop. A calm warmth washes over me and Emalynn places her hand on my arm to reassure me. I need to be more careful, so people can¡¯t get under my skin.

    ¡°Here is the plan. In a few minutes, my friend will come and give you a glamor charm that will alter your appearance to everyone else but you. We aren¡¯t going to go overboard with changes because we need it to be believable.¡±

    Relief washes over me. I may morph into other forms, but I like the way I look. Every scar has a story behind it and every feature is a memory of my parents. I wouldn¡¯t want to lose those parts of me. What changes will be made by this glamor charm?

    "Before my friend comes in, let''s open up your new travel papers." Madam Kaya suddenly sounds bubbly like Elias when he pranks Guild Master Myrra. "You first, dear." She gestures to an impatient and twitchy Emalynn.

    Emalynn quickly looks through her new papers. I can tell she is anxious to find her new name. Leaving her old name behind might be fun for her though. She slows down using her finger to read each word carefully. A smile forms on her face, but her eyes hold a tinge of sadness. Seems like Elias has either picked a meaningful name or it''s so ridiculous that she is sad.  She turns to me with a bit of pride and introduces herself with her new name. "Hi, I am Emera Myrra Rhys, but you can call me, Ema."

    A genuine smile is plastered on my face because Emera was Emalynn¡¯s mother''s name and Myrra is who rescued her from life as an orphan. Such a perfect name. I didn''t think the old man had it in him to be so sentimental. Emalynn goes back to reading her new identity in her travel papers with pure joy on her face.

    My turn to see what name the old man has given me. Will it be as sentimental as Emalynn''s name? It has to be a human name¡­ My dart up from staring at my travel papers to find Elias giving me a weary look. Madam Kaya just huffed and encouraged me to read the darn thing. One deep breath and I begin to read the papers. I glance through the pages before my eyes settle on my name. My new name. My mother''s namesake.

 Parting Ways

    Emalynn POV

    Taking a peek at Rory, I can see her overwhelming emotions surface. "My name is Rosewyn Sillber. My friends call me, Ro." Rory had happy tears trickle down her face.

    "Is that name special?" I asked, trying to keep my excitement from spilling over. I haven''t seen her this happy in a few years. We both needed this uplifting moment.

    "Sillber is her mother''s maiden name." Elias said. Rory nodded with misty eyes.

    "It fits you well, Ms. Ro." Madam Kaya smiled. ¡°Go ahead and get clean ladies. There is a bathroom on either side of the room, so you may both freshen up. I will call my friend to come for the glamor charm. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Madam Kaya left the table without another word.

    I can see that she is definitely the older sister in Uncle Elias¡¯s family. She¡¯s worse than Myrra as my guild master. Yuck. I kind of just want to run wild here and piss her off, but I know Uncle Elias would go all parental on me. Rory would probably make me double my training as punishment. I regret asking her to train me a few months ago, but I want to catch up to her. Just because I am a little bit younger doesn¡¯t mean I am not strong enough to handle myself. We had plans to become S rank guild members, so we could prove to the Guild Association that the academy at our guild is worth having. We would make our names and our story known, so kids like us could have the same opportunities.

    I could feel my tail twitch in all directions from my passionate feelings. This whole situation is bonkers because I am just leaving all that I knew. I have grown so much in my skills and confidence in this one week than I have in the last year. This job opened my eyes as to how big the gap in skills between Rory and I actually is. She went to some shit crazy mode to save our asses from bandits and a magical dark elf. I owe her my life, but I will settle for being her best friend for life. She needs me to help her keep her emotions in check and find out to control her shit crazy mode. Plus, I need the time to find out what¡¯s actually going on in her life since she¡¯s been living in secret her entire life.

    Elias excused himself from the room. Neither of us said anything as we proceeded to our much needed showers. The bug guts might be dry, but they have started to make me itchy. Entering the bathroom, I realize this the fanciest place I have ever seen dedicated to peeing and shiting. I would feel bad for stinking up the gorgeous white and gold accented masterpiece. A closer look at the sink, shower and toilet and there are roses imprinted into the porcelain. I thought the house was amazing, but who spends the time to make a guest bathroom this fancy? I look in the gold framed mirror to see my eyes nearly bugling out of my head. It¡¯s then that I realize I should not be so worked up over a fancy bathroom.

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    Disrobing, I turn the water on nice and hot, and I find six different kinds of sweet smelling soaps with scrubbers, shampoo and conditioner for each kind. This Madam Kaya doesn¡¯t play when it comes to providing a wonderful experience to her guests. I picked the jasmine scented collection and let the water soak my skin and fur.  My fur doesn''t cover all of my peachy skin, which means less knots to untangle. On my arms, the knots are bunched and reach all the way to the peaks of my fur on my elbows. On my legs, the knots peak about midway on each calve where my fur ends. The fur covers most of my back, but not my front, which makes getting all the knots out a pain.

    Ten minutes of scrubbing, shampooing, conditioning and combing later, I am free of dried bug guts. The towels are ridiculously soft, and I kind of just roll up and fall asleep. A knock at the door ends my spa time for now, but I will be back. Wrapping up in a towel, I open the door to find a fresher looking Rory. She''s wrapped in a towel as well looking at the mysterious garment bags Uncle Elias left behind.

    I sneak up behind and jump up exclaiming, "The mysterious garment bags!" Rory squealed at me in surprise, but my focus turned to the garment bags. I realized that they were probably for us. I bet Uncle Elias picked out some weird colored dresses or something. He always knows how to make things fun.

    Rory cautiously opened the first bag and a tag with the letter R fell out. She found a lovely dark blue, sweetheart neckline dress with silver scrolling and embellishment. The short sleeves were off the shoulder showcasing Rory¡¯s beauty. Rory held the dress up in the standing mirror, admiring Elias¡¯s selection. She would look beautiful.

    Opening my garment bag, I found a beautiful pink gown that would hug my small curves. Like Rory¡¯s, mine had gold scrolling with straps instead of sleeves. There was a thin gold sheer wrap to match my bright dress. "I believe it is safe to say Uncle Elias does good work." I said, raising my eyebrows to give a wow factor. At the bottom of the bags were black ankle length boots for Rory and pink ribbons for me. I don''t do shoes. Most beast folk don''t do shoes. I laced the ribbon around my feet and legs, and put on my gown. Last time I was this dressed up was the banquet after Rory¡¯s tournament win. I look in the mirror and admire my womanly figure. My childhood days are behind me.

    Rory appeared next to me in her beautiful blue and silver gown. Her stylish black boots complimented her gown perfectly. We are ready for Madam Kaya and her friend to finish our looks though I wonder what they could really change about me since I am at least half covered in white fur. I adorned my white tail with a little pink bow from the ribbon wrapped around my feet. If I have to change the color of my fur, I wonder if it will match my happy attitude as well as my white fur does. My body is already bored of just waiting for Madam Kaya to appear, so I go back to reading my fake identity and background.

    Emera Myrra was born in Nel''s¨ªan, a small village on the edge of the Desfyra and the Northern Mountains. So, new me was born on the edge of the elven Kingdoms unlike my birth village that bordered the Northern Mountains and the giants'' kingdom, Jotunuvar. I will have to remember my elvish that Elias taught me. Although most people speak a common tongue these days, some elders prefer their native languages. I read further to find that unlike me, my new identity had a whole family. My heart sank. I know I had a family once upon a time. My memories are vague, but I remember my dad teaching me to do flips. My mom''s green eyes that with one look would get my brother and I to behave. I lost them all to the last of the beast folk hunters. Tears formed at the edge of my eyes and remembered their voices apologizing to me. It was about a week later that I started working for those miners until Myrra found me.

    Knocking on the door, pulled me out of my memories. Rory answered the door promptly, revealing Madam Kaya and her cloaked friend. The two walked in the room, seemingly pleased with our appearances so far. Madam Kaya stopped in front of a vanity, prompting me to come to her. Rory stood beside me as I sat on the bench in front of the vanity. I took Rory''s hand in mine as the cloaked figure started digging in her bag. I guess this means it''s time to bury Emalynn for a while.

 Becoming Ro

    Rory POV

    "Ladies, please let me introduce you to my friend, Iris." Madam Kaya gestured to the cloaked figure.

    Iris removed her cloak to reveal a bright pink hair that fell around her pointed ears. Her silky skin is a pale yellow like a creamy rose and her eyes are purple as ripe plums. Each ear faded from yellow to pink with a glittery texture about them. She had an ethereal beauty with her big eyes and plump lips. The tips of her translucent wings were poking out of her cloak. ¡°Hello,¡± Iris said, melodically.

    ¡°Are you a fairy?¡± Emalynn yelled, excitedly. Emalynn went hopping around the room expressing her excited energy.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t miss anything, does she?¡± Iris giggled.

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± I answered in disbelief. My mom told me stories of the fairies as a child, but in all our travels, I had never seen one.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude. Introduce yourselves, ladies.¡± Madam Kaya said in a firm tone.

    Emalynn stopped her rampage and joined me. Her tail swayed and bounced happily looking at Iris the fairy. ¡°My name is Emera, but you can call me, Ema.¡±

    ¡°I am...Ro,¡± I said with a smile. I could smell the woodland air coming off Iris like perfume.

    ¡°That was good, but you hesitated, Ro. You need to believe that you are who you say you are, which is why I am here to help.¡± Iris explained. "I am going to help you look the part." Iris snapped her fingers with a dramatic flair. "This is going to be so much fun. Who''s first?"

    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say Iris is some sort of bard or dramatic actress. She truly seems to dance with every word that she says. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about this entire thing, but she makes it seem fun. I think Iris and Emalynn, I mean, Ema are kindred spirits. They both seem carefree.

    "I will go." My mouth moved before I knew what was coming out of it. What the hell, mouth?

    "Splendid!" Iris said in a cheery voice. "Come sit in front of the mirror while I prepare your glam charm, Ro."

    I nodded and watched as she brought out a crescent moon pendant. It reminded me of when my parents would sit and watch the moon with me next to the lake. Those days are long gone. Iris pulled out a thick red book inscribed Athruithe in gold lettering. I had never seen such a book before. She pulled out a pen to take notes in her book as finished her preparations. Looking back at the mirror, I could see Emalynn- I mean, Ema. I have to get her name right. Ema is looking like she is going to burst from excitement.

    ¡°So, Ms. Ro,¡± Kaya smiled at me. ¡°What hair color should we go with?"

    What color should I make my hair be? Hmm. Rosewyn was born in a coastal city, Mare, in the human kingdom of Solis. Rosewyn is the only daughter of a blacksmith where she taught basic swordsmanship with her mother, a former adventurer. So, Rosewyn probably has her hair constantly tied back and long out of family tradition. Brunette seems rather common though¡­ Being blond is too elvish¡­ I could go silver like my wolf fur highlights or red like Myrra, my guild master.

    "Ro, come on already. You''re drowning me with suspense!" Ema whined.

    "Am I? Does that mean you know what color your fur will be?" I asked. She seems so confident in herself and her decisions.

    "Of course," Ema put her hands on my shoulders looking in the mirror. "My fur will be amber-like my eyes, and my eye color will be green like my mother''s." Iris pulled some fur from Ema''s twitchy tail. "Ouch." Ema patted her fur plucked tail. The gears in her mind seemed to be turning from the expression on her face. "Do I get to change my height too?" She asked Iris, happily forgetting the fur plucking.

    Iris laughed at Ema''s bouncy little tail waving around Ema''s head. "I think shortening you a bit would be fairly simple."

    Ema''s ears dropped. "Aww¡­ I wanted to be taller¡­"

    "Ro''s the only one in need of a height boost, Ema," Kaya teased.

    "Hey!" I glared at Madam Kaya.

    "Here, Ema. This pendant will enact the glamor charm based on what you asked for." Iris giggled as she handed Ema her little star pendant.

    I looked back at Iris'' work area to see a pot brewing with a glamor potion. When had she made the potion? "That was so fast¡­" I murmured.

    "It''s easy when the girl knows what she wants," Iris explained. "Plus, I have been around a while, so I have had time to perfect my magic. These pendants will last as long as you live. Should you die, the spell will break as if it never existed."

    "So, the spell is linked to our magic?" I asked.

    "Woah! Ro look at me!" Ema called.

    I turned to see the snow-white monkey appear amber-colored with bright green eyes like a budding leaf. The pink dress still suited her well in glamor form. Her body seemed slightly smaller, and her ears and tail seemed to darken into a maple brown. Her skin even tanned from a peach color to a golden color to match. Ema was different. Beautiful but different. "Do you like it?" I asked her stunned face as she looked in the full-length mirror.

    "It''s not as playful, but I can make it work." She smiled at me. "Your turn," she declared.

    Right. My turn. I had meant to go first, but my brain went down a rabbit hole, looking for a logical answer.

    "How about you give this a try," Iris beamed at me as she handed me the moon pendant.

    "When...how?" I stuttered.

    "I snipped your hair a moment ago. Besides, you seem unsure of what you should do, so I threw something together for you." Iris answered. "Now, go on. Try it on."

    I nodded and turned toward the mirror. The shiny moon pendant glistened silver like my ring as I slipped it on. My ring''s red gem glowed a bit as my exterior changed. My spine stretched a little longer giving me two more inches of height while my hair turned red as the blood in my veins. The length of my hair straightened and stretched past my waist. My eyes deepened into a dark blue, and slight scarring appeared on my right eyebrow and left side of my chin. I even had freckles, now! This was the face of Rosewyn Sillber. I am Ro.

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    My blue and silver gown seemed to shine more with my blood-red hair. I heard Iris whisper a spell behind me as my hair became braided and pinned like ribbons hanging from a twisted bun. I had slight makeup to make my eyes shine and cheeks appear rosy. I was astonished at the changes.

    "Aren''t you a beauty!" Madam Kaya complimented me. "The two of you will steal all the attention of every young man in the room tonight."

    "That sounds fun." Ema batted her glittery eyes at me.

    "Be my guest. Just don''t get attached. We need to leave here as soon as we earn the money to go." I reminded her.

    "About that," Madam Kaya cut in. She handed me a pouch of silver coins. "You got rid of those disgusting cave centipedes for me. So, here is your payment. That should be enough to get supplies, clothes, and transportation to the Wizard¡¯s Guild."

    "Madam Kaya, you are so awesome, but we can''t depend on handouts from people. Ro''s right that we need to earn our way on our own." Ema said, causing the room to become silent. "You have already provided us with so much. We need to work to pay our way from now on."

    "Ema? Is that you? My best friend doesn''t talk like that." I teased.

    "She does now," Ema put her hands on her hips to emphasize her mature attitude.

    Madam Kaya nodded her head at Ema. "Very well. You are hired. Starting the day after tomorrow you will be my errand girls. Now, come. We have a gala to attend."

    "Wait...what?" I asked confused, Madam Kaya only pulled Ema and myself out of the room. She insisted that we talk about the details later. She wanted us to go have some fun as normal young ladies do at events like these. We walked back through the hallways to the main staircase where Elias and another familiar young elf stood waiting for us. The young male elf looked like Madam Kaya and Elias. He had long blonde hair tied back into a ponytail and shimmering gold eyes.

    "Katar! You''re home." Madam Kaya hurried toward the young male elf. "Oh, my brother and my son are home!"

    Son? Oh right. Uncle Elias had been training his nephew recently. I vaguely remember meeting him, but I was always in a hurry to go on another mission or train somewhere. This must be him. At least, he doesn''t know it''s me standing before him, or this could get awkward.

    "Katar, come meet your uncle''s nieces." Madam Kaya pulled her son forward to meet us. Ema and I gave a slight bow to our hosts. "This young lady is Emera Rhys," Madam Kaya gestured to Ema. "And this young lady is Rosewyn Sillber."

    Katar bowed his head to each of us. "It''s a pleasure to meet you both."

    "Katar, could please escort my nieces for the evening? They haven''t been to a gala in a while, and I am sure they could use a break from me." Uncle Elias asked. What was that man thinking? Katar has met me before¡­ Would he recognize me? Probably not. We had met briefly.

    "Of course, Uncle. It would be my pleasure." Katar grinned toward his uncle.

    Madam Kaya came and whispered in my ear. ¡°Let¡¯s put your new identity to the test, shall we?¡± So that¡¯s why they were dragging us to the gala. They wanted the gala to be a proving ground for Ema and me. Great another test. I nodded at her words.

    "Have fun girls. We leave at midnight." Uncle Elias said before escorting Madam Kaya toward what I imagined to be the ballroom.

    Katar didn¡¯t say much, but he offered us his arms, so he could escort us into the ballroom. This whole situation felt weird, especially with Katar awkwardly glancing at me every 5 seconds. Ema just giggled at my discomfort as we walked down the staircase. We enter the ballroom to see Madam Kaya dancing with a handsome, older elf that resembles Katar. That must be Madam Kaya¡¯s husband. Katar finally steps away to greet some friends allowing Ema and me to talk.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Ema asked me. ¡°You seem uncomfortable with everything since uncle told us to have some fun.¡±

    She¡¯s okay with this? ¡°They are testing us, Ema. They want to see how well our new identities work, I suppose. Couldn¡¯t this have waited? We need to rest and heal,¡± I sighed. ¡°And Madam Kaya just decided we are going to work for her without even discussing it with us. Once we leave Pine Row, we won¡¯t have these adults around to make plans for us or give us things. We will be on our own. It bothers me that they are deciding for us on everything.¡±

    Ema took my hand and dragged me away from the crowd around us. ¡°Ror- I mean Ro, you need to relax. They just want us to practice our new identities and have some fun tonight. That¡¯s all. They all know we will be on our own soon with no help. No friends or a safe place to rest. This is their present to us. I know you are worried about being on our own, but there¡¯s no reason to worry about what we can¡¯t control. Please just allow yourself to get used to being Rosewyn and have fun during our time here. Besides, Katar can¡¯t take his eyes off you. Even now, he keeps glancing over here.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? He didn¡¯t notice me as my normal self, but now that I am a hot redhead, he can¡¯t stop looking at me¡­¡± I groaned.

    Ema pinched my freckled cheeks. ¡°This is your chance to experiment and have fun. Go be a young woman who can have fun for a change. I plan to do just the same.¡±

    ¡°But¡­but¡­¡± I stuttered.

    ¡°Hey, Katar!¡± Ema called him and his friends. ¡°Over here.¡±

    Katar waved and walked over with his friend, a dapper-looking fox beast. They gave us both a warm greeting and asked us to dance. Of course, Ema wouldn¡¯t let me say no, so I took Katar¡¯s hand and walked to the dance floor. Katar¡¯s hand was rough and warm in mine. He had the hands of a warrior instead of an aristocrat, which was a relief. I don¡¯t think I could handle dancing with a snobby aristocrat. The music was a gentle waltz, so I uncomfortably allowed Katar to place his hand on my waist as we danced.

    ¡°Nervous, Ms. Rosewyn?¡± Katar asked, looking down at me.

    I looked up into his amber eyes. They were kind and curious with the way they were looking back at mine. Maybe Ema was right. I could just have fun tonight since my carefree time at the guild is over. Besides, Katar seems genuinely interested in me, and I already know I don¡¯t want a mate. A little flirting might be okay, right?

    ¡°You think I am nervous?¡± I questioned him playfully, trying to hide how forced it was coming out of my mouth.

    Katar raised his brow at me. ¡°Well, you seem to be constantly looking toward the exit instead of your dance partner.¡±

    That sounded sour. He¡¯s a wolf-beast-born elf aristocrat but still seems spoiled given his sour tone. ¡°Aww. Did Katar get his feelings hurt because I wasn¡¯t focused on him?¡± I said sweetly.

    His expression changed from a confident smile to annoyance as his grip tightened on my hand and waist. ¡°I think you are confused about my intentions, Ms. Rosewyn. As your escort, I was only concerned about your well-being.¡±

    Oh, this guy is getting on my nerves. "You''re right. A good-standing elf aristocrat like yourself would never look. I am only a lowly human that your Uncle has taken in. I think I have had enough dancing. Thank you, sir." I pulled away from his grip leaving him on the dance floor, dumbfounded. Poor Katar.

    I made my way to the buffet table. There were locally sourced delights from savory to sweet. I picked up a plate to fill with delicious food. Roasted hog, tender beef cutlets, cheesy potatoes, fresh vegetables, flavored dressings, and sweet fruit platters filled my plate. It was a bounty befitting a royal banquet. Finding a place to sit, I enjoyed my meal when Katar came and sat down next to me. The food wasn''t as good once my mood had soured from his presence.

    "Enjoying your meal, Ms. Rosewyn?" Katar asked, curtly.

    "I was. Is there something you need, Katar?" I answered without looking at him.

    "Ms. Rosewyn, I think we got off on the wrong. Please allow me to apologize for any misunderstanding that may have occurred." Katar sipped his drink next to me. I was unsure what he wanted, but his words were very diplomatic. "For clarification, I do indeed find myself attracted to you. If that has offended you-"

    Pppppleh. I spit out my food at his words and began choking. Did he just say he''s attracted to me so nonchalantly? How can he just say that? Katar is an elf after all, and being attracted to me as a human is not allowed. My coughing continued as Katar began asking if I was all right. "You certainly... know... how to be... forthcoming...when you wish to be."

    "Being aloof didn''t seem to help our conversation much," Katar said, honestly as he offered me water.

    I sipped on the glass contemplating his words. Had I been too quick to judge him? This whole situation was just weird. I looked over to the dancing couples and cheery musicians playing a whimsical tune. Uncle Elias was happily joking and drinking while Madam Kaya danced happily with her husband. Even Ema was still dancing with Katar''s friend. The smile on her face made this evening seem less annoying.

    "Feeling better?" Katar asked.

    "A bit. Tell me, what is this gala celebrating?" I was curious why the whole town had come to the party tonight.

    "Mom didn''t tell you? The town is celebrating the end of spring planting. All the farms have successfully planted their crops for the season. My parents put on the gala as a celebration for the town and to boost the local economy. It started about 10 years ago now." Katar explained.

    ¡°How charming,¡± I answered. It was nice of Madam Kaya and her husband to do something like this for the town. Madam Kaya is truly kind just like Uncle Elias. Perhaps, Katar isn¡¯t as bad as I once thought either.

    ¡°You certainly are an odd one, Ms. Rosewyn.¡± Katar smiled at me. ¡°I have met many people since my mother is the governor of this town, but never an unpredictable lady like yourself.¡±

    Great. Now, Katar was charming. My thoughts drifted to Jerico. Jerico had been similar in his approach to me by pushing his way into my life. Although, he was much sweeter about it than Katar has been so far. Not that things could go far with Katar anyway. He¡¯s an elf on the outside and a wolf beast on the inside whereas I am a human on the outside and a hybrid on the inside. This is just a harmless flirtation, right? ¡°Odd? Should I take that as a compliment, Katar?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Ms.Rosewyn. I wouldn¡¯t mean it any other way,¡± His smile grew bigger if that was even possible.

    Heat flooded my cheeks from his words. He was indeed a politician¡¯s son. ¡°Katar, you should know, I won¡¯t be in town long. I am here to do some work and earn a good wage, so Ema and I can go traveling. I don¡¯t intend to stay. I am not someone you can get attached to. Ok?¡±

    Katar¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade or flinch at my words. ¡°You are rejecting my advances after calling me out on my obvious attraction for you. Tell me, Ms. Rosewyn. Is there anything that can be done to change your mind?¡±

    How did I end up in this situation? My black curly hair never attracted this kind of attention. Does my red hair make that much of a difference? ¡°Katar, whatever attraction you feel is only skin deep. There¡¯s no changing my mind, but I can offer friendship if you truly desire to get to know me. Nothing more.¡±

    Katar shook his head thinking over my words. ¡°You are mysterious and guarded, Ms. Rosewyn. I will, indeed, accept your friendship, but I am determined to change your mind about me.¡±

    ¡°Best of luck, Katar,¡± I answered. There will be no changing of my mind. I can¡¯t have a mate in my situation and nothing can change that.

    ¡°On that note, let¡¯s dance again, Ms. Rosewyn. I want to show you a good time.¡± Katar gave me his best flirty gaze.

    ¡°Very well, Katar. Give me your best shot,¡± I reluctantly agreed. After all, I was here to have a good time according to Elias. Perhaps, Katar could show me a good time.

 Pine Row

    Emalynn POV

    Light filled the little blue room at the inn as I stirred in my bed. Last night was so much fun. That fox beast knew how to show a girl a good time. What was his name? D¡­Darren? No. it started with a D¡­ hmm¡­ It¡¯ll come to me eventually. Getting up, I felt a rush in my head. Ugh. Guess I got up too fast. My eyes blinked adjusting to the bright light coming through the window. I saw a girl snuggled up in the bed next to mine. She seemed familiar to me, but where have I seen her before? Her red hair splayed out in a knotted mess blocking her face. Who was she?

    I turned to look in the mirror only to find myself, staring at an unknown face. Green eyes like my mother¡¯s were staring at me, and my fur was amber like my eyes once were. Did I do something weird last night? That¡¯s a dumb question. I always do. Looking closer, I noticed the star pendant around my neck, causing my memory of yesterday to return. I chose to look like this, and the redhead over there is Rory. I mean¡­Ro. Ugh. This will take a while to get used to.

    Walking back over to Rory, I gently shook her arm. ¡°Ro, you need to wake up.¡± No response. Ok. New plan. I shift into my little monkey form. My fur stayed it¡¯s amber hue instead of becoming brown like usual. That¡¯s new. Oh well, jumpy time. I get on the bed next to Rory and start jumping, causing her body to bounce like a ball.

    ¡°Uh¡­uh¡­ugh¡­¡± Ro groans as she starts moving.

    I continue my jumping when I am suddenly slammed with a pillow, knocking me off the bed. My head hits the ground hard as I hear Ro¡¯s laughter from the bed. ¡°Serves you right for the bouncy wake up call,¡± she said.

    Shifting back to my simian beast form, I pop up from the ground. ¡°Not my fault that you are a heavy sleeper,¡± I called back to her. Her stomach growled filling the little room. All I could do was giggle at my friend¡¯s sudden embarrassment. ¡°Come on, we have to get up or we will miss breakfast.¡±

    Rory¡¯s freckled tomato face faded as she got out of bed. She was still wearing the blue and silver gown from the gala. ¡°Partied too hard last night, Ro?¡± I asked as I slipped off my nightgown into my last set of clean clothes.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ro uttered standing up to see her gown still on. ¡°I was tired after all that damn dancing Katar made me do. I guess I forgot to change.¡±

    ¡°Oh? So, you did have a good time, huh?¡± I snickered. I pulled on my green halter and black pants, securing a few knives on my body just in case.

    ¡°Haha. Yeah, tease the new red head who had a damn elf on her heels all night.¡± She said sarcastically, ripping off her gown in favor of black shorts and a blue top.

    She¡¯s still sour over being forced to attend the gala last night. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad, was it? Katar seemed nice enough.¡±

    Rory sighed, ¡°He¡¯s nice, but he¡¯s also pushy. He wouldn¡¯t stop asking questions and being flirty. I barely had a chance to breathe.¡±

    All I could do was laugh at her frustration. She is not equipped to handle guys at all, and now, one has set his sights on her with no plans to stop courting her. We both finished cleaning up and getting ready for the day in time to get down to the dining area to eat. Breakfast smelt delicious as we got our food from the kitchen. The innkeeper informed us that Uncle Elias had returned to his sister¡¯s manor this morning, and that he wanted us to go by the manner after breakfast. Rory continued her tale of Katar¡¯s attempts to court her last night while I told her of the handsome fox shifter. I still can¡¯t remember his name. We finished eating and made our way to Madam Kaya¡¯s manor.

    ¡°Good morning, ladies,¡± Madam Kaya welcomed us in her study when we arrived. ¡°I trust you had a good night¡¯s sleep after the gala last night. I know Katar can¡¯t stop talking about you, Ro. I would say you passed your test well since Katar told me every detail you shared with him. I would say he¡¯s smitten with you.¡±

    ¡°How interesting since he didn¡¯t care much before I was a redhead,¡± Rory commented.

    Madam Kaya only laughed when Uncle Elias and Katar walked in. Rory suddenly seemed uncomfortable, but Katar grinned like a child in a candy store. His mom was right. Katar is smitten.

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    ¡°Ms. Rosewyn, I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon.¡± Katar greeted Rory.

    ¡°Save it for later son. They are here for work.¡± Madam Kaya interjected. Katar nodded and his mother dismissed him.

    Rory relaxed again once Katar left the room, and Madam Kaya went to explain our jobs. We were her errand girls, doing whatever task needed to be done. Within two weeks, we would have enough money and supplies to leave for the Wizard¡¯s Guild just beyond the Evergreen Forest. There, Rory and I would search for information about her ring and the wizard who created it in the hopes of her learning how to control it. It all seemed easy on paper, but I had a feeling our journey would not be so easy.

    Two weeks later¡­

    The next two passed by awkwardly as Rory and I ran around town for Madam Kaya. We did everything from delivering packages to acting as security for the farmers as they traveled to nearby towns for trade. Watching Rory learn to sew was my favorite job though. We had to help the local seamstress with a wedding gown, and Rory had never sewed a day in her life. Her fingers were constantly pricked from the sewing needles. She sewed her shirt to the dress while we were mending the dress, so I had to cut her free.

    Katar had come by the inn each day, trying to court Rory. She reluctantly went to dinner twice and for a walk three times with him. The rest of the days she claimed to be too tired or busy shopping with me. We did go shopping for supplies and new clothes, but I think Katar saw through her excuses. The townspeople greeted us every morning on our way to manor. We had developed a new normal here, but our time was almost up. We need to leave soon for the Wizard¡¯s Guild, so Rory doesn¡¯t have to keep hiding her emotions.

    ¡°Ema, come on. Madam Kaya is waiting in her study.¡± Rory said, dragging me toward the manor.

    The sun was already going down after we spent the day helping farmers plant a new plot of vegetables. I knew my face was covered in dirt, and Rory had weeds and dirt in her hair. No one can say we didn¡¯t work for our pay because Rory and I gave it our all. We even discovered some hidden talents like Rory can bake and I can sew. The manor was coming into view, so I challenged Rory to a race. She was super tired already, which means I actually stand a chance at winning.

    ¡°Ready¡­Set¡­Go!¡± I called, charging toward the front door of the manor.

    Dust of the road kicked up into the air as we sped toward the manor. A farm dog barked as we raced by its yard. Rory may be tired, but she wasn¡¯t going easy on me. She got ahead of me as we turned the corner toward the manor. It was a straight shot to the door, I pushed my legs as hard as they could go. Rory beat me by a second as we both went tumbling through the door. Laughter filled the parlor as we lay on the ground. The maid came in to see the dirty mess we had brought in with us and nearly had a panic attack. Her fussing reminded me of Myrra chasing us through the mess hall every week.

    ¡°No one would believe you were Master Elias¡¯ nieces if they saw you behaving like this,¡± the maid scolded us.

    ¡°Come on, Gina,¡± I teased. ¡°We were just having fun after working in the field all day.¡±

    ¡°At least, I know where the dirt came from.¡± Gina, the maid, commented. ¡°Go to the guest room and get cleaned up before Madam Kaya sees you.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± We answered in unison, getting off the floor. We headed up the stairs to the guest room. It seems Gina must have known we would be a mess because there were clothes laying out for each of us.

    ¡°It¡¯s shower time!¡± I sang, enter the amazing bathroom. Rory laughed at me as she went into the other bathroom. One hot shower later we both reemerged and got dressed. We wore simple spring dresses with floral designs, which was totally Gina¡¯s style.

    ¡°Shall we go see Madam Kaya and Uncle Elias now?¡± Rory asked, tying up her long red hair.

    ¡°I guess, but wasn¡¯t today the last day of work? Once we go see them, our little vacation is over.¡± I sighed, brushing out my amber fur.

    Rory smiled. ¡°I enjoyed our stay, too.¡± She sat down in the chair to rest for a moment. ¡°But we can¡¯t stay. At least, I can¡¯t. I have to master my new wild form and the polymorphic ring. Hopefully, I will find answers at the Wizard¡¯s Guild, but that¡¯s not a guarantee. The journey is mine to take. But, you could stay here if you want. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    This girl, I swear, she never changes. Always trying to be selfless for everyone else. ¡°Ror- Rosewyn Sillber! I am not abandoning you. Do you hear me? Quit trying to get rid of me.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Rory giggled.

    I got up and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the room to Madam Kaya¡¯s study. Rory has a way of winding me up sometimes. She¡¯s lucky I love her or she would have an arrow in her head. I opened the doors to find Madam Kaya at her desk as always. Uncle Elias sat across from drinking whisky by the smell of it.

    ¡°Girls, you''re early,¡± Madam Kaya greeted us.

    ¡°Early for what?¡± I asked before Rory could get a word out.

    ¡°Dinner, of course. I can¡¯t let you leave tomorrow without feeding you well tonight.¡± Madam Kaya grinned.

    ¡°Thank you, guys, for everything.¡± Rory said with a sad smile. She didn¡¯t want to leave yet either.

    ¡°Room for one more at dinner?¡± Katar asked, walking into the study. You see Rory visibly flinch.

    ¡°Of course, son. You are always welcome.¡± Madam Kaya answered.

    ¡°Splendid.¡± Katar grinned as he offered to escort Rory and I to the dinner table.

    ¡°We will be there in a minute, Katar. We need to speak with Madam Kaya for a moment.¡± Rory kindly rejected him.

    ¡°I will save a seat then, Ms. Rosewyn.¡± Katar nodded, leaving the study.

    Rory let out a deep breath as he exited the room. ¡°Still not used to him?¡± I teased.

    Her face became flustered at my words. Uncle Elias and Madam Kaya laughed with me at her expense. She had no defense after two weeks of his constant pestering to spend time with him. I wonder what he will do when we leave tomorrow. Rory did her best to calm her emotions because she knew we meant well.

    ¡°We leave tomorrow after breakfast,¡± she forced herself to say. ¡°We purchased passage to the Wizard¡¯s Guild with a traveling merchant. He was headed there anyway.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s face turned somber at her words. We would all miss each other and the time that we spent here. Madam Kaya handed Rory the rest of our pay, and Uncle Elias escorted us to the dinner table. This was our last dinner together before we left Pine Row behind.

 Cold Trail

    Athyra POV

    Two weeks in this town, and the adventurers still haven¡¯t come back to White Rapids. Lord Talan has been nothing, but a thorn in my side with his constant need for updates on my progress. Most of my dreams still revolve around stuffing his eyes and genitals down his throat, so I can¡¯t say my situation has improved much. Shortly after I arrived, I infiltrated the White Rapids Guild to discover the identities of Talan¡¯s targets. It was relatively easy since the adventurers are well known throughout the guild. The warrior woman with emerald eyes is known as the Ghost to guild members, but her name is Leah Setzen, an S rank adventurer. The monkey girl was super easy to find out about because she is a troublemaker named Emalynn. Rory Bishop is the other human girl who wielded the daggers. The elf was a bit harder to narrow down, but based on his companions, I would say he¡¯s the Spear of White Rapids, Elias Wulfric. People in this town like to brag about their top-class adventurers, and these four are among the best in the guild.

    The guild master has been ¡®frantic¡¯ according to the guild members since the group hasn¡¯t returned from their job assignment yet. They went hunting saber grizzly bears for a local furs dealer two weeks ago and haven¡¯t returned. I admit the dwarf woman does seem on edge with the way she yells and throws her ax around the mess hall. It seems she has a vested interest in the missing adventurers, so I have been keeping a close eye on her, waiting for the adventurers to contact her. She isn¡¯t an easy person to track though. I would even venture to say she is paranoid. Thankfully, my dragon abilities have made sneaking around easier.

    ¡°Ms. Athyra,¡± Eriz, my driver and babysitter, called to me from the staircase above me. ¡°Ms. Athyra, where are you?¡±

    Damn, babysitter. He¡¯s going to blow my cover. The guild master just got a confidential letter that got her excited enough to squeal. My instincts tell me she has news about her missing adventurers in her letter. I allow my scales to rise from my skin and shift my appearance to blend in with my surroundings as I sneak around the corner into the guild master¡¯s office.

    ¡°Ms. Athyra? Are you around here?¡± Eriz was only a few feet away from me as I entered the office.

    ¡°Eriz? Is that you out there?¡± Guild Master Myrra asked, walking toward her office door.

    Shit. I had to move quickly, or they would run right into me. I tucked and rolled past the guild master into the center of the room as quietly as I could. The guild master stopped for a moment, looking back at me. For a second, I thought she saw through my cloaked scales, but she turned back to Eriz who had entered the office.

    ¡°Eriz, is something wrong? You seem stressed.¡± Guild Master Myrra asked a frantic-looking Eriz.

    ¡°I seem to have lost Ms. Athyra. We were supposed to do delivery this afternoon for the blacksmith, but I can¡¯t find her anywhere.¡± Eriz sighed. He may be my babysitter but he does seem to care about me. He has only been kind and caring since I met him, if only he wasn¡¯t annoying me every minute with his desire to help.

    ¡°Come, have a seat, Eriz,¡± Myrra invited him in.

    He nodded and sat on the couch. I snuck over to the wall to stay out of their way. I need to be as quiet as possible to keep from being discovered. Myrra poured Eriz some tea to help him relax while I silently cursed myself for allowing this situation to occur.

    ¡°Tell me, Eriz. How long have you known Athyra?¡± Myrra asked.

    I knew this moment was coming. Now, I prayed he could stick to the backstory we discussed before joining the guild. Lie Eriz. Lie like your life depends on it.

    ¡°A few months. Do you want to know how we met?¡± Eriz offered.

    ¡°That is one of many questions that I have about Athyra. So please, enlighten me.¡± Myrra said with a curious look.

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    ¡°In all honesty, I am a slave, guild master. My owner is for lack of a better word, abusive. Athyra stumbled upon me on my errand to town. She had just arrived in Gleaca, and I spent time helping her find a place to stay and telling her about our town. We got to talking, and she wanted to help me escape my master to repay my kindness to her. Only a day later, we ran out of town to escape. I am forever grateful to her for help.¡± Eriz looked truly happy when he spoke. He must be happy to get away from Talan. This whole experience is paradise compared to that scum¡¯s manor. Note to self, when I kill that scum, I need to free Eriz from slavery.

    Myrra had a pleased expression on her. ¡°Athyra is unlike most dragons that I have met. She is still icy in her demeanor, but she has compassion and a desire to earn her way, which is respectable. I wonder why she chose to join a guild.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy to answer, guild master. She wanted me to have a chance to earn a better future too. Joining a guild was the safest way she could ensure we both had that chance,¡± Eriz had a thankful look on his face as if he believed his story to be true. I wish it was true. It would be a better story than us both spying on this guild for the scum bag. Chills ran through my body as I thought of Talan and his grubby hands. Breathe Athyra. You can¡¯t ice over the guild master¡¯s office. You will kill him once you get this powerful magic item.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, Eriz. I would hate for all of this to be some elaborate scheme against you or this guild.¡± Myrra finished.

    If I weren¡¯t a cunning dragon, that last statement would make me feel guilty about my intentions here. Myrra is a good guild master and rightfully suspicious of me. I will have to take better care of my actions to reassure her.

    Eriz thanked Myrra for the tea, but he decided he should go look for me again. Myrra smiled and told him her door was always open. Her kindness is probably one of the guild¡¯s strengths. I was lucky that someone called Myrra out of the office, so I could make my move. Her large desk was a mess of papers. Where is that letter? Myrra¡¯s voice got close to the office door again, causing me to flinch. Only a moment passed before someone else called her away. I shuffled through the papers until I finally found a letter that I think she had gotten this morning. The envelope was from Governor Kaya Valaris of Pine Row. Pine Row is a mixed-race town according to the adventurers. An elf governor over a mixed-race town?

    ¡°Sure. Just let me grab my ax,¡± Myrra¡¯s voice carried into the office.

    I placed the envelope on the desk and darted out the open window, leaving the office behind.  Tumbling into a tree, I tried to grab a branch as I fell to the ground. My cloak wore off while I was being whacked by the tree branches. Dropping from the tree, I fell directly onto a familiar-looking guy.

    ¡°Ooof,¡± The familiar voice below me uttered.

    I quickly climbed off the guy, so he could get up. ¡°I am sorry I fell on you. I lost my balance in the tree.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you were?¡± Eriz questioned getting off the ground.

    I knew the guy I was falling on looked familiar to me. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s such a nice day. I didn¡¯t feel like working, so I hid in the tree all morning. Even had a little nap in the shade of the tree top.¡±

    ¡°A lazy dragon. Yep, that sounds about right,¡± Eriz laughed, standing up. He held out his hand to help me up.

    Giving him a death glare for his comment, I took his and pushed myself off the ground. His hand started to frost over. My temper was getting the best of me. He quickly responded as his hand began to overheat in my grasp. Steam was rising from our hands. We needed to walk away from this public space. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡±

    He nodded as let go of my steaming hand. We walked away from the guild building toward the town. Eriz didn¡¯t say anything as we walked. His expression was blank. I had no idea what was going on in his mind, but we had a job to do. ¡°I have a lead on the adventurers, but we need to go to Pine Row.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in Pine Row?¡± Eriz asked.

    ¡°An elf governor over a mixed-race town. The guild master got a letter from the governor of Pine Row. which seemed to ease her frantic behavior.¡± I answered.

    ¡°But are you sure the governor is connected to the elf adventurer? I thought Talan didn¡¯t have any information on the elf.¡± Eriz doubted my lead.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t, but this guild doesn¡¯t have many snow-white monkey girls. Based on that information alone, I was able to discover all of their identities, remember? Why are you doubting me?¡± I questioned him. He looked down toward the ground like he was hiding something.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to end up on some wild goose chase that ends with me being punished by Lord Talan.¡± He said, weakly.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that.¡± I challenged him. I thought back to how happy he had been talking to Guild Master Myrra about our time here. That was it. Eriz didn¡¯t want to leave. He didn¡¯t want to return to his life as a slave. Can¡¯t say I blame him for feeling that way. ¡°You are scared to leave, aren¡¯t you? You are finally living a free man¡¯s life here, and you don¡¯t want to be Talan¡¯s slave anymore.¡±

    He grimaced at my words. ¡°There¡¯s truth in what you are saying. I don¡¯t want to return to Lord Talan, but I am just as scared of his punishment for failure. Lord Talan gave us a cold trail to follow with little expectation of success.¡±

    ¡°Well, cold trail or not, we have a lead that we need to follow.¡± I sighed, ¡°Look when the job is done. I will free you from slavery, okay?¡± I will free him once the scum bag is six feet underground.

    ¡°Wait, Ms. Athyra, are you serious?¡± He said, stunned. ¡°You are really thinking of freeing me?¡±

    ¡°I am not just thinking about it, Eriz,¡± I answered. ¡°I have decided that I will free you then you can come back and join the guild. Live your life however you want.¡± If I free you, you shouldn¡¯t have any issues with me killing Talan.

    ¡°You are an unusual dragon, Ms. Athyra,¡± Eriz responded with a smile.

    ¡°Go pack our bags, Eriz. We leave tomorrow morning at dawn.¡± I said, crossing my arms. Eriz nodded and ran toward our inn. This was going to be a long journey to Pine Row because we would have to go through a mountain pass.

 Westward Bound I

    Rory POV

    Morning came too quickly. The sun rose, and Ema and I had to rush to get everything loaded into the merchant¡¯s cart. Last night was wonderful with Uncle Elias and Madam Kaya giving a sort of going away party. Katar didn¡¯t let my leaving stop his positive attitude and flirty nature all evening. He nearly kissed me on the balcony until I stomped on his foot to send a clear message. This was not the time. I am not his girl or mate, and I certainly wasn''t going to do anything to make him think otherwise. He still smiled at me as I left last night, so I don¡¯t think his crush on me has faded, unfortunately.

    Ema grabbed her last bag stopping at the door to look back at our sky blue room with two little beds. It had been our home while we were busy establishing our new identities. We made friends in this little town of Pine Row and made memories that I won¡¯t soon forget. However, it only gets harder from here.

    ¡°Come on, Ema,¡± I urged her forward. ¡°The merchant is waiting for us.¡± Her amber ears drooped sadly behind her head. ¡°We will come back someday, okay?¡± I tried to comfort her with my words since my hands were full of stuff.

    She nodded with misty eyes and headed out of the room. We walked down the staircase to see the merchant waiting for us. Luckily, he didn¡¯t seem impatient as he stood there with a smile. He seemed like a gentle old man from the way he looked, and he had a good reputation with the townsfolk.

    ¡°Mr. Applegate, is there anything I can get you while you wait?¡± The innkeeper asked the merchant.

    ¡°No, I am good Bill. Just waiting on the girls to finish loading the cart. We have a long way to go to the city of Hyacinth just outside of the Evergreen Forest. It¡¯ll take us about a month to get there from here.¡± The merchant explained as Ema and I walked outside to finish loading the cart.

    ¡°A whole month of traveling with Mr. Applegate, huh?¡± Ema looked to me for confirmation.

    ¡°Yeah, the Wizard¡¯s Guild is on the other side of the mountains past the Evergreen Forest,¡± I answered by throwing the last bag into the cart. Ema walked to the front of the cart where two large horses stood. I watched her greet the gentle giants and snuck them some treats from her pocket.

    ¡°Keep that up and you are going to spoil them,¡± Mr. Applegate chuckled at a stunned Ema. ¡°Don¡¯t worry one treat won¡¯t hurt, but if you give them too much they won¡¯t behave as they should.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ema bowed her head as she petted the horse¡¯s face.

    ¡°No need to be so formal, miss¡­miss¡­ What was your name again?¡± Mr. Applegate questioned.

    ¡°Emera Rhys, but everyone calls me Ema,¡± Ema answered him.

    ¡°Right, your Elias¡¯ niece, right?¡± Mr. Applegate asked.

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    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s my Ema,¡± Uncle Elias cut in. Madam Kaya and Uncle Elias came strolling over to us. ¡°Mr. Applegate, I am glad to see you are the one caring for my girls.¡±

    ¡°Anything for my favorite adventurer. Well, that and Ms. Rosewyn paid me well.¡± Mr. Applegate admitted.

    They all chuckled. I stood there as everyone chatted to see Katar coming out from behind Uncle Elias. I guess he couldn¡¯t resist coming to say goodbye. More of the townspeople began to gather around our cart. Were they all coming out to see Mr. Applegate or Madam Kaya? The people gathered around laughing and exchanging pleasantries. It was nice to watch everyone seem so happy.

    ¡°Why are you standing over here?¡± Katar asked, coming up behind me.

    ¡°Crowds aren¡¯t my thing. Why are you sneaking around like a thief? Trying to take my money or something?¡± I asked, sarcastically.

    ¡°You wound me, Ms. Rosewyn. I would never,¡± Katar pretended to sound defeated.

    ¡°Two weeks of sarcasm and you still keep trying,¡± I commented.

    Katar chuckled, running his hand through his hair. ¡°To tell you the truth, I almost gave up when you stomped on my foot last night, but your feisty comebacks just re-energize my efforts to win your affections.¡±

    ¡°I am not now nor will I ever be looking for love, Katar. I told you that. Besides, you are an elf and I am human. It was never meant to be.¡± I responded, honestly. It would be better to squash his fantasy now than later.

    Katar grabbed my hand pulling me behind the cart away from everyone. ¡°Listen, Rosewyn, I don¡¯t care about some ancient law. Sure, at first I was infatuated with your beauty, but the more I learned about you¡­The more my feelings developed for you. I enjoyed hearing the stories of your dad teaching you to work with metal, and your mom training you to fight. The stories of you teaching the kids in your hometown how to defend themselves. I have seen your kindness and watched your hard work and dedication. I know you need to go on this journey to learn more about your family, but when you are done I will be here waiting for you. Please don¡¯t tell me to forget you or move on. I just want an honest chance with you, Rosewyn. That¡¯s all. Please.¡±

    What the hell! I just turned him down, and now he¡¯s confessing and begging for a chance with me. How did we get here? He¡¯s an elf on the outside and a wolf beast on the inside, meaning he has a mate in the valley somewhere. Katar can¡¯t do this to his mate. I can¡¯t let him. ¡°Katar, I know there is a woman out there for you. I can¡¯t be her. I am sorry, Katar, but I can¡¯t be her.¡± I kissed him on the cheek and walked away. I couldn¡¯t look at his face, but I could feel his heartbreak from here.

    Coming up to Ema, I whispered to her in her ear. ¡°We need to go. Now.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± She turned to look at me and saw my somber face. Walking away from the crowd, she saw a broken-looking Katar. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go tell everyone goodbye.¡±

    We walked into the crowd hugging and telling everyone goodbye. Once we got to Uncle Elias, tears streamed down our faces as we whispered goodbye. Madam Kaya hugged us tightly and wished us well on our journey. The townspeople gave us some care packages for our journey and bid Mr. Applegate take care of us. It wasn¡¯t long until we were in the cart ready to go, and Mr. Applegate climbed into his seat to drive the cart. We shoved off leaving Pine Row in our wake.

    The goodbye was bittersweet, but I felt bad about Katar. He was sweet and sincere with his words. Katar had truly wanted to try to make a relationship with me. There was too much going against us though. With the ancient law against interracial romances and my illegal hybris status, the relationship would have been doomed. Plus, he has a mate out there although he doesn¡¯t know that I know about his future mate. He¡¯s predestined to someone because he¡¯s a wolf beast. I may have a mate too. I suppose Ema does too since she¡¯s a simian beast. We are the only race to have predestined mates, but some say that¡¯s because we are half animals.

    Ema nudged me. ¡°Quit thinking so hard about Katar. I know you feel bad, but we aren¡¯t in a place to entertain love interests. We have a mission to complete, and you have skills to master. Katar will survive. He¡¯s a strong guy, so pull yourself together, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Everything will be fine for him.¡± I tried to believe what I was saying. I didn¡¯t like hurting people like that, but there was no other way. I just hope that is the last heart I have to break. Please, God, don¡¯t let my mate find me. I don¡¯t think I could put my mate through what I put Katar through.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you girls get some sleep while you can,¡± Mr. Applegat suggested. ¡°We will need to do a lot of work when we stop this evening, so you should be at your best then. We have a whole month of camping and hunting ahead of us.¡±

    Mr. Applegate was right. We need our rest to hunt our dinners and set up camp when we stop. Ema agreed and quickly got comfortable, using me as a pillow. I leaned back against the cart, looking up at the sky. The sun was shining unlike our last cart ride, which was a good change. Maybe, this journey will be safer than the last¡­ My eyes drifted closed under the warm sun.

 Westward Bound II

    Two weeks later¡­

    Everything had been so peaceful. Cart traveling until sundown. Camping under the stars. Hunting spotted deer in the night for food. It reminded me of traveling with my parents when I was young. Mr. Applegate had been impressed with Ema and me when we went hunting. Ema had made enough arrows for a small army when we traveled in the cart. In the mornings, I would train her hard, so her skills wouldn''t be dull from the lack of work.

    ¡°Girls! Quick run!¡± Mr. Applegate yelled running toward our campsite. ¡°Into the forest quick!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Applegate, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked as the old man came running toward us. Behind him, I saw a large shadow figure chasing him. What the hell was that? ¡°Ema, get your arrows.¡± She gave me a nod as she grabbed her bow and quiver.

    The shadowy figure roar behind Mr. Applegate, trying to swat at him with its claws. What had the old man gotten mixed up in? I could see golden eyes glaring at me as I prepared for battle. I pulled out my daggers, waiting for it to get close enough to strike. Mr. Applegate ran past me toward the forest, leaving the beast for me to face. The shadowy figure stood over me with its menacing fangs hanging over me. Great, I was facing a silver mountain lion.

    We had entered the mountains a few days ago, but we hadn¡¯t run into issues until now. My body started wanting to shift to take care of this giant cat above me. I kept my breathing calm as I tried to hold back the shift. I began to shake as I held in the shift. The big cat didn¡¯t seem to care what was going on with my body as it pushed me down to the ground. I was at the cat¡¯s mercy if I didn¡¯t allow myself to shift. Shit. What could I do?

    ¡°Ro! Just shift!¡± Ema called as she released a barrage of arrows unto the mountain lion.

    She¡¯s right I had to shift or I was going to be a sitting duck. Maybe, I can shift into my wolf form instead of my wild shift. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to become my wolf self. My human ears folded in and pointed ears sprouted out the top. My arms and legs became furry as large paws formed at the ends. My spine stretched out of my skin and turned into my tail. In a moment, I was a blood-red coated wolf. So, the glamor charm did affect my shift forms.

    ¡°What the heck! Rosewyn!¡± Mr. Applegate stared at me stunned from behind a tree.

    ¡°Not now Mr. Applegate,¡± Ema called from the tree above. ¡°She needs to focus or we may not survive.¡±

    Mr. Applegate just stared at Ema, unable to process her words. The mountain lion pinned me down while my attention was on Mr. Applegate. I growled at the hissing cat on top of me. Taking the opportunity, I chomped down on the cat¡¯s front left leg, causing it to roar in pain. The right paw came swinging at me, forcing me to let go of my hold on the cat. In a second, the cat bit the back of my neck. I was in deep shit now. Using my back paws, I pushed both the cat and myself to the ground, forcing it to let go.

    We both scramble to our feet as Ema started firing arrows to give me a break. I shook off the pain from my bleeding neck. We began circling each other, trying to intimidate each other. The mountain lion was at least a head taller than me. My blood dripped from its yellow teeth as it growled at me. A normal person would be intimidated by this large cat, but when you are a fierce wolf, a cat, no matter how big, won¡¯t intimidate you. Call it canine arrogance.

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    I blinked and the cat pounced with its jaws open and claws out to tear me apart. I had to wait until the last second to move because the mountain lion was bigger and faster than I am. I can outrun a saber grizzly bear, but a mountain lion can run as fast as 50 mph, topping my 37 mph speed. The lion was quick to turn around and try pouncing again. To dodge the cat, I used my earth magic to tunnel into the ground, frustrating the lion. The lion pawed at me in my whole, trying to pull me out. I had to think of a better plan than hiding in this damn hole.

    My daggers were the only thing that might make a difference in this fight. I dug a tunnel toward my daggers and grabbed them from my spot by the fire. Pulling back into the tunnel, I forced my body to shift into my human form. No need to show Mr. Applegate my base form. The fur, claws, ears, and tail receded as my wolf feature became human again. Drops of blood from transformed features and wounds ran down my body. The blood on my head mixed in with my blood-red hair, giving it a sticky wet look. I took a deep breath as I poked my head out from the whole to see the big cat coming right toward me. I crawled back through the tunnel to escape the lion¡¯s paws.

    One more breath before I force myself out of the hole. The lion heard me and turned back toward me. I quickly draw my weapons and charge at the lion. Using my small frame, I slid under the big cat, shoving my blades into its belly as it ran forward. Lion blood splashes onto my face as the lion escapes me, groaning in pain. The lion moved slower from its bleeding stomach as it tried to attack me again. I left several cuts along the cat¡¯s legs as it clawed me. We both stood there bleeding when the cat finally gave up and ran off into the forest.

    Falling to my knees, my breath became shallow. I was losing a lot of blood from the scratches the lion left on my body. ¡°Ema¡­¡± I choked out. My head felt dizzy when water suddenly poured all down my body. The cool moisture stung the wounds, washing away the blood from my body. I took a breath when another bit of water rushed down my body. The dizzy feeling eased allowing me to open my eyes. Ema stood over me, dousing my body with water.

    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder how you survive these life or death battles,¡± Ema said. Her face was filled with worry as she looked down at me. ¡°Mr. Applegate, get the medical supplies, quick.¡±

    The old merchant emerged from behind a tree. He looked hysterical from what he had just seen, but that didn¡¯t stop him from doing as Ema asked. He grabbed the supplies and came running to Ema. Ema pulled out an old brown medical book that Aunt Leah had given us from my mother. She flipped through until she found what she was looking for. She moved quickly like a magic machine grinding and mixing herbs before applying the paste to my skin. Mr. Applegate helped bandage me as I sat there in pain. Another concoction was made, and Ema had me drinking the medicine until she had me lay down to rest in the tent.

    The moon had risen by the time I was safely in the tent. My enhanced healing ability had already begun working. By tomorrow, I would be moving around again, and we could keep traveling. I hoped Mr. Applegate would just accept what he saw and never utter another word about it. We didn¡¯t need news of a girl and magic wolf taking on a mountain lion to circulate. Besides, we still had another two weeks before we reached the Wizard¡¯s Guild. Uncle Axel did warn me that I may have to kill people to keep my secret. I hope that¡¯s not the case with Mr. Applegate.

    Ema came into the tent to bring some water. Her face seemed so serious. She was completely unlike her playful self right now. Is this what traveling with me will be like for her? Will she lose her playful side because of me?

    Ema looked down at me and pinched my nose. ¡°Quit thinking so hard or your head will explode. I worked hard to patch you up, so don¡¯t let my work be in vain.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was the mature one,¡± I muttered trying to sit up.

    ¡°Mature, yes, but smart not as much as you think. Do me a favor and stop trying to kill my best friend, okay?¡± Ema¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears.

    I sat up and wiped her face. ¡°Hey, I am fine thanks to you. No dying here, okay?¡± I hugged her. She¡¯s like my little sister. I just want to protect her the best I can.

    ¡°Okay. Okay. No more tears. You need to rest.¡± Ema said, letting go of me.

    ¡°But, what about Mr. Applegate?¡± I questioned as I sipped on my water.

    Ema giggled. ¡°Well, you actually scared the shit out of that man. I think he¡¯s burying his soiled pants as we speak. It¡¯s safe to say he won¡¯t tell a soul what he saw today. At least, he swore he wouldn¡¯t when I put my arrow to his head. He screamed like a sissy.¡±

    I was in total disbelief for a moment until I realized Ema was capable of threatening someone¡¯s life. ¡°Good job, Ema,¡± was all I could say as I laid back down.

    ¡°Get some rest. We leave at dawn,¡± Ema said as she left the tent.

 Wizards Guild

    Unknown POV

    ¡°Silas, would you slow down!¡± Braxton complained, chasing after his best friend.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Either keep up or I will see you later,¡± Silas answered, nearly running through the hallway toward the library.

    ¡°You know, that¡¯s not how this works,¡± Braxton said, flatly.

    ¡°Then keep up. I finally hit a breakthrough in my studies, and I need to get to the library to confirm it,¡± Silas glanced at his nearly, huffing friend. ¡°I thought military generals were supposed to be fit.¡±

    ¡°Most generals don¡¯t have to chase princes up ten flights of stairs to get to the library,¡± Braxton huffed. His green orc skin was sweating from the climb. ¡°Why the hell did they put a library on the top floor of the guild anyway? It would be easy for a wind magic user to come up here and steal priceless books.¡±

    ¡°The powerful and priceless books aren¡¯t on this level. This level is ancient history and records,¡± Silas answered as he waited for Braxton to catch his breath. This man had won wars, but he couldn¡¯t handle a few flights of stairs. What the hell?

    Braxton narrowed his gaze at the elf prince in front of him. ¡°You mean to tell me that we ran up ten flights of stairs to the dusty and forgotten records part of the library. Seriously, Silas?¡±

    Silas¡¯ need to rush into the library lessened when he considered Braxton¡¯s words. What was the likelihood that anyone except the librarian would be in there? Very unlikely. The proof of his research wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Still, he felt a need to hurry into the library like he was going to miss something. What could he be missing in the forgotten record section of the library? A spider making a new web perhaps? He joked to himself. ¡°Look, I just feel like I need to hurry. I know it doesn¡¯t make sense, but when do I make sense?¡±

    Braxton chuckled, ¡°Hardly, ever.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I am just following my gut wherever it leads.¡± Silas confessed as they finally reached the grand door to the library. Wooden carvings of great wizards decorated the doors. The golden crown molding around the door matched the golden doorknobs. Each floor of the library had different wooden carvings in the door like magical items, powerful spells, and historic magic moments. Silas traced his fingers over the wooden carving at the bottom of the door of Ramire Bishop. Ramire Bishop is the breakthrough that Silas had discovered in his research. It was recorded in his ancient spellbook that Ramire Bishop mastered polymorphic magic in his time at the guild, but nobody has reached his level since. Silas hoped to find more about Ramire Bishop and his research in the forgotten records section of the library. He wanted to see if he could master polymorphic magic as Bishop once had.

    ¡°Are you just going to stare at the wooden carving or are you going into the library?¡± Braxton asked, studying the zoned-out Silas.

    Silas snapped out of his train of thought. ¡°WE are going in.¡±

    ¡°So, you need me now, huh?¡± Braxton joked.

    ¡°Of course. Who else will help me carry all those old heavy books?¡± Silas grinned.

    ¡°I suddenly wish I had stayed in bed this morning¡­ I could have slept in instead of climbing stairs.¡± Braxton moped.

    Silas chuckled, pulling his large, moping orc friend behind him. Once through the door, they entered a huge room that looked like a labyrinth of books. In the center of the room, was a frumpy, grumpy male fairy stacking books on a cart. Silas dragged Braxton across the creaky wooden floor to the help desk where the fairy stood.

    The fairy was indeed grumpy to see his visitors approaching the help desk. ¡°Great, more people.¡± The old fairy mumbled.

    ¡°More people?¡± Silas questioned. ¡°You mean we aren¡¯t the only people here?¡±

    ¡°Great, nosy, and arrogant people are here.¡± The old fury grumbled under his breath. ¡°What are you looking for, boy?¡±

    Braxton chuckled at the fairy. He had never encountered such a grumpy creature before. This must be why the guild keeps him up here. He watched Silas¡¯ frustration as Silas asked about the other people in the library. He has never seen a librarian get under Silas¡¯ skin so easily. Why was Silas even concerned about other people in the library anyway? Anyone in this guild was allowed to come to the library, so what was all the fuss about? ¡°Silas, what about your research?¡± Braxton reminded his friend.

    Silas tilted his head, thinking about why he had come up here in the first place. Silas was like that though. As long as Braxton had known him, Silas would easily forget his train of thought if he wasn¡¯t completely focused on it. Silas, also, switched focuses all the time. He would go on tangents on certain things he would try or want to learn, and then he suddenly wasn¡¯t interested anymore. Heck, that''s why the queen, Silas¡¯ sister, had sent them both to the Wizard¡¯s Guild because the prince was driving everyone in the castle crazy with antics. Braxton was assigned as Silas¡¯ official bodyguard and babysitter before they left on their adventure two years ago. He went from being a decorated war general to being a glorified babysitter for his best friend.

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    Silas shook his head. ¡°Are the other visitors still here, librarian?¡± He wanted to find information on Ramire Bishop, but something bothered him about there being visitors in the library.

    ¡°Great, nosy, and ungrateful people.¡± The old fairy muttered. ¡°No, boy. Only you and your brute companion are here. Either tell me what you need help finding or get out of my library.¡±

    ¡°But, the library just opened. How can the others have left already?¡± Silas asked.

    ¡°Grand Fairy Darius, I came as soon as I got your message.¡± Master Wizard Maximus Renaldy said as he hastened into the library. Master Renaldy looked down at Silas, Braxton, and a grumpy Grand Fairy Darius. ¡°Oh, Silas, Braxton, good morning. I am sorry, but we need to close the library today. Perhaps, it will reopen tomorrow, and Grand Fairy Darius can help you then.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why is the library closing?¡± Braxton asked.

    ¡°Sorry, boys, but that¡¯s classified wizard council business.¡± Master Renaldy replied. ¡°Now, off you go.¡± He gestured for them to leave.

    ¡°Does it have to do with Fairy Darius¡¯ visitors this morning?¡± Silas refused to leave. This whole situation bothered him.

    ¡°Oh, did Fairy Darius mention visitors?¡± Master Renaldy asked.

    Silas looked back at the old, grumpy fairy who had crossed his arms in annoyance. ¡°He did¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I am sure it was nothing. Go on, boys. I need to speak to Grand Fairy Darius.¡± Master Renaldy insisted, but Silas and Braxton didn¡¯t budge. Master Renaldy whispered a spell under his breath, and the wooden floor came to life, rolling like hills to push Silas and Braxton out the door. The two men landed on their asses in the hallway as the door slammed shut.

    ¡°Great, just when things were getting interesting around here,¡± Braxton sighed.

    Silas glared at his companion. Sure most days had been boring for Braxton, but every new spell that they have learned had been exciting so far. At least, Silas had thought it had been fun. Wait¡­ That¡¯s it. Braxton had learned a hearing enhancement spell in his boredom a month ago. ¡°Braxton, use your new hearing spell to find out what¡¯s going on, quick,¡± Silas insisted.

    ¡°But¡­Master Renaldy¡­Then, again, it would be better than being trapped in the library tomorrow,¡± Braxton thought. He put his hand on the wall and focused on the fairy¡¯s voice while whispering his spell. Suddenly, he could hear the grumpy old fairy¡­

    In the library¡­

    ¡°Like I said in my message, Master Renaldy, the book on The Grand Wizards is gone. The sneaky little woman moved like a ninja bouncing around the room. She avoided every trap we have set. I shocked her many times with my lightning, but she didn¡¯t falter. I know I injured her, but it was like she was a ghost. I haven¡¯t seen anyone move like that without using magic in a long time.¡± The old fairy grumbled thinking of the woman he saw. ¡°She wore all black with raven-colored hair, but there were animal-like ears and a fluffy tail¡­¡±

    ¡°A beast woman? They usually have limited magic capabilities. I don¡¯t know why the woman took that particular book. There¡¯s no research or secrets in there. Just history¡­like a kid¡¯s storybook almost.¡± Master Renaldy rubbed his chin. Why would a beast woman want a magic history book? It doesn¡¯t make sense. He leaned back against the help desk until Grand Fairy Darius swatted him with a book.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess up my desk, Renaldy¡­¡± Fairy Darius muttered. ¡°The woman was not a normal beast woman. She had a powerful magical item with her though she didn¡¯t use it. It was ancient¡­and immensely powerful¡­¡±

    Master Renaldy pondered the fairy¡¯s words. ¡°Perhaps, she took the book to learn about her magical item. Although that doesn¡¯t explain how she came into possession of such an item, it does give me a why. Maybe, we can trap her by finding her magic item¡­¡±

    The grumpy fairy shook his head. It would not be easy to find this woman again even if Master Renaldy could track her magic item. This woman was meant to be hidden. He was certain she wasn¡¯t supposed to exist at all. ¡°Renaldy, it won''t work. That woman is protected by something even I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    The fairy¡¯s words bothered Master Renaldy. He began to have a nervous twitch in his arm. What could be so special about this woman? ¡°I am just supposed to accept that this woman can come in here and steal whatever it is that she desires! I am a Master Wizard on the Grand Council. I am supposed to protect the guild, including its students, treasures, and secrets. Are you telling me that I am incapable of doing my job?¡± He huffed.

    ¡°No, Master Renaldy. I think we are all incapable of stopping this woman¡¯s destiny to learn what she needs to learn here.¡± Grand Fairy Darius answered.

    Master Renaldy chose not to heed the old fairy¡¯s warning. No beast woman was that strong. The fairy is just making excuses for letting her get away. ¡°Ha. Whatever you say, Fairy Darius. I am sure I can stop this beast woman with no trouble. Perhaps, you were just having a bad morning when she came.¡± Master Renaldy offered.

    ¡°I warn you, Renaldy. The woman can¡¯t be stopped as long as it is her destiny calls her to it.¡± Fairy Darius cautioned the wizard. ¡°The magic of this world connects all life, guiding each individual down their path. Her unusual magic guided her here to that book.¡±

    ¡°What did you see that you aren¡¯t telling me, Grand Fairy Darius?¡± Master Renaldy questions the fairy. The grumpy fairy had seemed foolish in his words, but maybe there was truth in his words.

    ¡°When I entered the library, it was full of light. Lightning surrounded the woman until she sensed my presence. Then it all stopped¡­ She took the book and left. Nothing I did could stop what happened this morning.¡± Fairy Darius recalled.

    ¡°The beast woman wielded such magic¡­ That¡¯s unheard of¡­ Perhaps, it has to do with her magic item. All the more reason for us to catch the thief and find out.¡± Master Renaldy decided. ¡°I shall make arrangements with the rest of the Wizard Council. For now, Fairy Darius, fortify the library.¡±

    Outside the library¡­

    ¡°Come in, Silas. We need to go,¡± Braxton said, moving away from the wall. He grabbed Silas¡¯ arm and headed down the hallway. He dragged Silas into a corridor, trying to keep the elf prince quiet as Master Renaldy exited the library. Once the wizard passed, Braxton removed his hand from the fidgety elf¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Silas asked, wiping his mouth.

    ¡°Did you want to get caught spying on their conversation?¡± Braxton complained at Silas.

    Silas¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°You mean the spell worked? You know what happened?¡±

    ¡°Yes, impatient elf, I do. For now, let¡¯s just say there¡¯s an interesting thief on the loose.¡± Braxton smiled.

    ¡°Does that mean you want to hunt the thief down?¡± Silas questioned his friend. He secretly hoped Braxton would. He wanted to know everything about this thief.

    ¡°We have plans to make. That is if we want to catch the thief before Master Renaldy. This is going to be so interesting.¡± Braxton laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s the first time in two years that I have seen the look of the excited war general,¡± Silas commented.

    Braxton chuckled as they headed down the stairs. ¡°Well, this will be my first time trapping a beast woman.¡±

    ¡°Wait, a beast woman broke into the library without getting caught?¡± Silas was stunned. The library was full of traps and guarded by a master-level magic user on each floor. How could a little beast woman escape with anything?

    ¡°The fairy said she could use magic, and that she had a powerful magic item with her.¡± Braxton watched Silas¡¯ excitement grow. Silas was now hooked on learning about this beast woman, which would save Braxton from being trapped in the library.

    ¡°Braxton, we are going on a hunt,¡± Silas grinned and ran down the stairs.

    ¡°Yes! No more libraries!¡± Braxton cheered chasing after Silas.

 Illusion

    Rory POV

    Running down the hill, I escaped into the Evergreen Forest, leaving the Wizard¡¯s Guild in her wake. I stopped for only a moment to put the glamor charm around my neck once more, and change my clothes. I shifted back to my human form, erasing any trace of the woman who had broken into the Wizard¡¯s Guild. Blood from my wolf ears streams down into my red hair, making it sticky. I grab a cloth from my bag to catch the blood on my lower back before it can soak my tan skirt. The ends of my fingers and my gums are tender from the transformation. My body still aches from the shifts, but the shifts are beginning to hurt less. Putting the black clothes and bloody cloth into my bag with the book, I set off toward my cave campsite. Emalynn¡­I mean, Ema, should be there waiting. I have to keep correcting myself on Ema¡¯s name, or I might mess up in front of somebody.

    The sun still hadn¡¯t risen very high by the time I saw a nervous Ema pacing in front of the cave. ¡°You might dig a trench there if you continue pacing,¡± I chuckle at her.

    She glared at me with her amber tail twitching behind her. ¡°What took you so long!¡± She nearly shouted.

    ¡°Ema,¡± I cautioned her to keep her voice low with my hands. ¡°Stealth is not your strong suit. We need to add that to your training.¡±

    ¡°Ro, focus. Tell me what happened out there. You were supposed to be back before dawn. In and out, remember?¡± Ema lectured. She was beginning to sound like Uncle Elias or Guild Master Myrra.

    ¡°Breathe, Ema,¡± I tried to calm her. We arrived in the Evergreen Forest about two weeks ago when Mr. Applegate dropped us off here. Ema has been acting more and more like Uncle Elias and Myrra ever since. I spent the last two weeks learning the area, studying the Wizard¡¯s Guild, and figuring out how to get to the research since I can¡¯t join the guild without being able to use magic. Or at least, I had never used normal magic until last night, but I think that was more the ring than me. The ring was still shining like a red flame on my finger. Damn, that¡¯s not normal.

    ¡°Ro? Hello?¡± Ema waved in my face to get my attention.

    I snapped out of my thoughts. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her into our cave. I didn¡¯t want to be out in the open while discussing the crime I had just committed. Ema followed me into the cave when her eyes grew large as my ring lit up the cave. I didn¡¯t let her stop or ask questions until we were deep enough in the cave that I felt safe. We were far passed our sleeping area when I finally stopped and let my body sink to the cave floor.

    ¡°Can we talk now?¡± She asked, annoyed.

    ¡°Yes, we can talk now.¡± I imitated her tone.

    ¡°Haha,¡± She said sarcastically. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the ring?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been glowing since this damn book fell on my head and showed me the story of a powerful wizard¡­¡± I explained. ¡°A lot of weird things happened in the library.¡±

    ¡°The book showed you a story?¡± Ema looked at me confused.

    ¡°Yeah¡­It was like a dream or memory playing in my head. The powerful wizard was named Ramire, and I think he may have been the one to make my ring and help my aunt¡¯s clan a thousand years ago.¡± I recalled Uncle Axel¡¯s origin story. There were many similarities except the ending of the stories. The book claimed that the wizard and beast woman fell in love, but were eventually caught by her people. Both stories probably have some truth to them, but either way, I now know who created my ring.

    ¡°Are you sure this wasn¡¯t an illusion? It seems awfully convenient for the book to just find you and show you what you are looking for.¡± Ema cautioned.

    I sighed. ¡°I wonder about that too. I can¡¯t say for certain, but if the ring is reacting to it then it has to mean something, right?¡± Ema nodded at my logic. If this was a trap or illusion then someone is going through a lot of trouble to set us up.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°So, this Ramire guy was a powerful wizard who wanted to shift into other creatures?¡± Ema asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I have the book. You can read what I saw¡­ Since I encountered the book, the ring has been glowing and I used lightning magic in the library. The guy who saw me even shot me with lightning, but it didn¡¯t phase me. It was like my body was charged with magic or something.¡± My body tingled, recalling the magic sensation.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. You stole the book that magically fell on your head, saw an illusion or dream about a powerful wizard, and you were caught by someone who couldn¡¯t stop you because you used magic!¡± She ranted at me.

    ¡°You make it sound worse than it is,¡± I whined.

    ¡°Well, you were seen committing a crime. And I missed out on the magic and fun! Am I supposed to be happy about that?¡± Ema crossed her arms with frustration on her face. I shook my head no at her words. Her furry little tail was whacking the cave wall as she sat listening to my adventure. Silence filled the cave as I waited for her to process what I had told her about last night.¡°So, your weird powers are growing because of the ring, right?¡±

    ¡°In a nutshell, I think so although there''s no record of this happening to others,¡± I sighed. It was hard to know for sure without asking the wizard who created the ring. "My case is different from other wolf beasts because I am a hybrid."

    She nodded. ¡°What does the book say about the ring?¡± Ema asked.

    I pulled the book out of my bag and opened it. Again, the ring glowed bright, and the book flipped to the same passage. Ema looked astonished at the display. ¡°Let¡¯s see. The first talks about Ramire and his passion for polymorphic magic. While he was creating advanced magic, he fell in love with a beast woman, which drove him to create the polymorphic spell to become another race, so they had a chance to be together. He had to understand them on a molecular level.¡±

    ¡°Molecular-level? Is that one of those fancy science terms?¡± Ema questioned.

    ¡°It means knowing what they are made of on the smallest level, like knowing what¡¯s in their blood,¡± I explained.

    Ema scrunched her face trying to make sense of what I said. ¡°So, there¡¯s stuff in my blood?¡±

    I shook my head at her and giggled. ¡°Yes, your blood is made from stuff.¡±

    Ema¡¯s eyes grew bigger at the realization that her blood was made from other things. "Are those mole¡­molecul¡­molecular stuff made of stuff?"

    I burst out laughing at her curiosity. This wasn''t really the best time for a science lesson. "Everything came from somewhere, Ema," I laughed. We both laughed loudly until I heard the call of a hawk from outside the cave.

    "Was that-"

    "My messenger hawk? Yes. Let''s see who sent us a message." We went back toward our campsite, and I grabbed a freshly-gutted, horrible-smelling fish and my leather glove. Slipping on the glove and exiting the cave, I whistled the tune Uncle Axel taught me to call Skya, my mom''s hawk. Skya landed on my gloved hand, adjusting her beautiful chestnut-colored feathers. I turned back toward Ema while untying the little note on Skya¡¯s leg. ¡°Ema, this is Skya,¡± I introduced her to my hawk. Ema¡¯s auburn ears perked up, and her eyes filled with amazement. Ema held out her hand to pet Skya¡¯s feathers. Skya watched Ema with intense golden eyes, trying to decide if Ema was friend or foe. Ema inched closer slowly. With one finger, she gently stroked Skya¡¯s back. Skya didn¡¯t move, allowing Ema to continue.

    ¡°She¡¯s so soft and fierce at the same time,¡± Ema cooed.

    I nodded, opening the note.

    Ro,

    Visitors have come to town asking about a simian beast. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence. The illusion we created for your identity is beginning to fall through. Be on guard.

    -K

    ¡°Crap,¡± I grumble. ¡°I hate that dark elf.¡±

    Ema turned away from my hawk and looked at the small parchment in my hand. ¡°You mean the elf guy is getting close?¡±

    ¡°Well, he figured out we went to Pine Row,¡± I sighed. ¡°I am going to have to find Mr. Applegate now¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Ema asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that bring them closer to us?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, the only way to ensure they don¡¯t find us will be to take care of Mr. Applegate,¡± I answered. Her entire face dropped at my words. Her ears sunk low behind her as she processed my words.

    ¡°Do you mean¡­Are you¡­¡± Ema couldn¡¯t finish her question.

    ¡°Ema, you do know that I have killed people before, right? You watch me, slaughter bandits and criminals, all the time.¡± I reminded her.

    ¡°They attacked us. It wasn¡¯t a planned assassination!¡± Ema huffed.

    I sighed, letting Skya fly off my arm toward the trees. ¡°Ema, right now, Mr. Applegate is a threat to our safety. A loose end that could lead that dark elf right to us. I have to get rid of any loose ends to protect us, Aunt Leah, Uncle Elias, Myrra, Madam Kaya, and everyone else in our guild and Pine Row.¡±

    Ema had tears beginning to fall down her face. ¡°Is it the only way? Honestly?¡±

    I bit my lip, not wanting to answer. ¡°Living in the shadows has been my life since birth, Ema. The dark elf is after us because he so my psycho magic and sensed Aunt Leah¡¯s magical ring. Aunt Leah and Uncle Elias already have the means to disappear. Hell, they have connections on another continent. I don¡¯t have those connections nor can I use theirs without my secret getting out, yet you still followed me. This is how my parents taught me to live in case I ended up living on the run. Aunt Leah, Uncle Axel, and Uncle Elias just re-enforced their teachings. Okay?¡±

    Tears streamed down her face. She didn¡¯t like what I had to do, but how else can I ensure our safety? Besides, I still have the people from the Wizard¡¯s Guild to deal with. They won¡¯t take theft from their library kindly. Ema walked away from me toward the cave. I am probably going to get the silent treatment from her for a while until she accepts our reality. It¡¯s that I want to kill Mr. Applegate, but I don¡¯t want any else I care about to die. Ugh. I had plans to make and only until sundown to prepare.

 Agenda

    Talan POV

    Blood streamed down my arm where the mutt¡¯s claws dug into my skin. Pain pulsed through my body as the mutt¡¯s grip tightened on my arm. Every spell I cast toward the mutt hits it hard, but it refuses to go down. The blue determined eyes stared me down no matter how much pain I inflicted on this beast. Fear began to grow in my stomach as the mutt gave me a sinister smile. The beast happily tells me goodbye and rips out my bloody throat with its free claws. My whole body goes cold as I am unable to scream.

    ¡°Master Talan!¡± Nefrisse screams pulling me out of my horrible dream. ¡°Master Talan! Please, wake up,¡± she called to me.

    Thunder boomed into the room and lightning flashed through the window. My eyes fluttered open to see a panicked Nefrisse shaking my body. Pain still flowed through my body as I pushed myself up from the bed. Nefrisse pulled back from the bed nearly in tears. My throat burned from the phantom pains of the dream as well as my arm where the claws had been. I touched my arm and throat, but no wound or scar existed on my skin. Nefrisse was rambling on about my violent thrashing and screaming in my sleep. Sleep? Had it been a nightmare? My water clone had been destroyed by that beast of a mutt. My brain finally caught up to the situation that I had experienced. The water clone spell came with a few side effects like phantom experiences from the clone¡¯s memories. No wonder I felt the pain so strongly.

    ¡°Worry not, Nefrisse. It was only a nightmare. I am all right now,¡± I reassured her. ¡°I will meet you in my study in a while, all right?¡± She shook her and left my room.

    Forcing myself out of bed was easier said than done. Every time my eyes closed, I saw the sinister, smiling mutt with her determined blue eyes. I wanted to bleed the mutt dry and use its coat as a rug in my manor.  One day, I would get revenge on that mutt. I need the dragonette to work faster, so these nightmares would stop. The mutt appears in my dreams every few nights without fail. Today was going to be a long day¡­

    A few hours later¡­

    Nefrisse walked into my study with her serving tray. Her clumsy plump form clattered across the floor toward my desk. Rain splattered on the windows in an uneven beat. All the noise distracted me from my paperwork. I had so many requests from the citizens on my land for random and unnecessary things like luxury farm equipment and new buildings in town. Most of their ridiculous requests were not thought through at all. I regret becoming a lord from time to time, but my boss insisted on it nearly a decade ago. Which reminds me, he should be calling through the crystal ball soon. I better summon the new bandit captain before then.

    ¡°Here, Master Talan. The mail has arrived,¡± Nefrisse¡¯s timid voice broke my train of thought as she placed her tray on my desk. Her eyes still looked scared like I might take a bite out of her at any moment. Although her plump jugs were eye level with me, I resisted the urge to fondle them. I don¡¯t need her whining every time she sees me.

    However, that won¡¯t stop me from playing with her a bit, grabbing her wrist as she handed me the letter. ¡°Why the sad face, Nefrisse? Have I not been giving you enough attention lately? Would you like me to make you feel better?¡± I cooed, taking the letter with my free hand. I could easily pull her into my lap. She was so close. Her eyes flashed emotions of shock, disgust, and mostly embarrassment as she looked at me.

    ¡°N-n-no, sir. I-I should return to m-m-my duties,¡± she forced out.

    Disappointed, I released her wrist. Will I ever have a woman enjoy my games of seduction? I sighed, looking back at the letter she handed me as she made her escape from my study. "Oh joy, another letter from Eriz. Hopefully, he will have better news this time. Waiting for the dragonette to make progress on her assignment is like watching paint dry," I groaned going through my mail. My maid had brought the mail into my study after showing Lord Ulrich out for the third time this week. That slimy little elf is trying to wiggle his way into my business since he brought me the dragon. I opened the letter and began to read.

    Dear Master Talan,

    Ms. Athyra found a lead shortly after we arrived in Pine Row. No one had seen your targets here, but the governess recently hosted a young woman and her simian companion. Although the simian beast girl was said to be amber in color, Ms. Athyra believes the coincidence is too great to rule out a connection. We have begun digging for information on the two females. Ms. Athyra has dinner plans with the governess''s son tomorrow in the hopes of learning more. What we do know is the two women came into town cloaked, hiding their identities until the governess introduced them at a gala. They were associated with the governess''s brother who is said to belong to the White Rapids Guild, which I mentioned before. I will write when we know more, Master.

    Your Servant,

    Eriz

    "Well, there''s some good news after a month!" I exclaimed. "Perhaps, the tasty dragonette has more uses than just something to look at after all." I needed some good news since my boss has been breathing down my neck since the bandit crew was destroyed by those adventurers. Boss hated losing such a lucrative opportunity that he insisted I set up another crew of bandits immediately. The only problem is there aren¡¯t any capable candidates to run a crew of bandits as Markis did. The dumb human had to go and die. Plus, I still haven¡¯t figured out what that weird mutt was. I believe the creature was connected to that rare magic item the adventurers had. The emerald-eyed woman had used her magic item to summon a wolf familiar, which was unheard of in the world of summoning magic. Wolves are mysterious creatures, to begin with. Some wolves are common and easily tamed, but some incredible wolves are said to control magic to some extent. Most animals can¡¯t use much magic if any, but there are always exceptions to every rule. If the dragonette can obtain useful information or even the magical item itself, it would be priceless like most of the magical items in my collection.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    A knock on the door called my attention. ¡°Come in, Nefrisse,¡± I answered. I am surprised she returned so soon.

    Nefrisse cautiously entered the room. ¡°You have a visitor, Master Talan,¡± she whispered. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor. ¡°L-lord Ulrich¡­is¡­here. He refused to leave the manor. Please, forgive me.¡±

    Rage and annoyance filled my being as the greedy little elf pushed his way into my study. Just as my good mood had come, it vanished again. I wanted to squeeze the life out of this greasy little eel-like my breath depended on it, but being a lord means I can¡¯t kill other lords without cause¡­ Damn politics¡­

    "Well, if it isn''t my dear friend, Talan, buried under paperwork like usual. You really should go out more my friend. Your complexion is utterly pale." Lord Ulrich greeted with an obscene smile that would curdle milk.

    I choked on my breath, struggling for words. Ulrich had shown up in this lavish red suit that was so flashy it nearly burned my eyes. Secretly, I wondered if fashion could indeed kill a person from the way Ulrich dresses. How this elf became so slimy and glitzy at the same time was a mystery itself. I know I am an asshole, but this guy is in a category all his own. "Lord Ulrich, what brings you by?" I grit through my fake smile. I wish he would have just left when Nefrisse had asked him to.

    "Opportunity¡­curiosity¡­entertainment¡­ The list goes on. You, Talan, are so busy and quick with your endeavors that I have to personally stop by to understand what you are trying to accomplish! Your agenda is long and mysterious. Honestly, I brought an A-class bounty hunter, and I have heard nothing about it since. Your village is in the middle of renovations. Recently, you acquired a new batch of slaves. Now, I hear you hiring mercenaries for a side project you are doing off the books. How could I not come by?"

    Does this man have good spies or do my servants have loose lips? He is well informed about all of my projects, except for the dragonette. "I don''t know whether to be flattered or concerned by your interest in my affairs, Ulrich. I have many plans in the works at the moment as you seem to know. I appreciate your concern, but I really must return to my work."

    "Aww. Come now, a little break with an old friend will do you good, Talan." Lord Ulrich happily sat himself down on my couch. "Where did that servant woman go? Oh, Pork Bottom! Come here." he called. His eyes searched the room for Nefrisse. Across the room, he saw her cleaning up. He started oinking at her to get her attention. Her body went stiff at the noise. ¡°Your guest needs some service, little sweat hog!"

    Nefrisse froze in her spot where she had been putting away my books on the shelves. She seemed unsure of how to respond. Her face was twisted with disdain and shock. If Nefrisse were to slap him right now, I would double her wages for the next 10 years and shield her from any backlash Ulrich attempted. Come on, Nefrisse! Slap him, please. I begged, internally. Lord Ulrich kept calling after her, and I could feel her fury from my desk.

    "Who are you calling for, Lord Ulrich?" Nefrisse spits out before turning to face him.

    "I am calling for you, Porky. Make your hammy thighs useful and fetch some fresh tea and cakes for your master and me," he demanded.

    Nefrisse shook with anger. She tolerates my antics out of fear of my lust, but I never insult her figure as Ulrich had. She knows I adore her shape. Actually, I just adore women. I am an equal opportunity pervert when it comes to women. Nefrisse glanced my way as if asking for permission to respond. I give a gentle nod although I am nearly bouncing in my seat with anticipation.

    "Of course, Lord Fatness. How could I have missed your uncouth pig calling or hogwash of nicknames? Your words were so clearly meant to insult me and get my attention at the same time. You are quite talented when it comes to being a slimy, crook of a lord! I hope a brave soul will run your greasy, little body clean through with their blade sometime soon. What a brighter day it will be in the world once your black, bloody soul leaves this world. Good day, you fat, old jackass!¡± Nefrisse exclaimed, leaving a speechless Ulrich in her wake as she left my study.

    I couldn¡¯t help but applaud Nefrisse. Her performance had been just as enticing as the fear she expressed at my every advance. In fact, I was worked up that I would need hours alone to calm down again. Ulrich¡¯s stunned face was priceless and satisfying all at the same time. How would he react? Could he come after Nefrisse? Who cares! This idiot had finally met his match.

    ¡°Talan, are you going to let that wench treat me that way?¡± Ulrich was beyond flabbergasted.

    I want nothing more than to laugh in his face and kick his greedy ass out of my manor for good, but I can¡¯t protect Nefrisse that way¡­ugh¡­damn it. ¡°Ulrich, surely, you jest. Nefrisse is my dear housekeeper, and you insulted her honor as a woman with your jokes. I know you to be above such behavior as a gentleman. Come, my good man, let¡¯s discuss potential new hires that you have for me and your commission for the dragonette.¡± I sweet-talked him to the best of my ability.

    His anger changed to flattery as he considered my words. A deep breath and greedy laugh soon followed as he agreed to look past the incident with Nefrisse. We both sat down and discussed his potential hires for me, and I grimaced internally signing a check for this buffoon¡¯s commission for bringing me the dragonette. It took an hour for the idiot to finally leave, but as he left, his servant handed me files on the prospective new hires that Ulrich had suggested. A few prospects had potential from what Ulrich had told me, so the buffoon wasn¡¯t completely useless. Relief flooded over me as his carriage pulled away from my manor.

    I sighed walking back in the front door. A tear streaked, frumpy Nefrisse appeared in the foyer.  Her eyes were glued to the floor and face flushed from crying. Nefrisse could have a sharp tongue when needed, but she is as fragile as glass. My daily harassments of her cause her shock, embarrassment, and some fear, knowing that, Ulrich¡¯s words must have torn her apart on the inside. I was unsure whether to comfort her or wait for her to speak. She briefly glanced at the door, breathing a sigh of relief. This woman definitely deserved a pay raise for enduring Ulrich¡¯s torment no matter how brief the experience had been.

    ¡°Master Talan¡­I won¡¯t apologize to that jackass of an elf. I would rather receive lashings for my behavior from you than see that horrible man again.¡± Her lips quivered as she held back more tears. She dropped to the floor in front of me grabbing my hand. ¡°Please, Master Talan, do not turn me over to that jackass. I will endure any and every punishment from you. Please, sir, I beg you.¡±

    Nefrisse was broken in a way that I couldn¡¯t stand. I liked to see her cringe or beg me to stop my advances toward her, but the Ulrich incident had left her broken in fear of her life in Ulrich¡¯s hands. It bothered me, and I don''t like it. I pulled her off the floor. This ends now. ¡°Nefrisse, that¡¯s enough. You will have nothing to do with Ulrich in the future. I have already sorted it out. No more tears, all right?¡±

    Her expressions flashed from confusion to happiness to concern. ¡°Will I still be punished, Master Talan?¡±

    ¡°Do you not listen, woman? I said the matter is sorted,¡± I grumbled looking down at her sweet, round face. I wanted to pinch her adorable cheeks. The things I could do with this curvy and beautiful woman. If only¡­

    With glistening eyes, she wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Thank you, Master Talan,¡± she whispered.

    Her plump chest pressed against me, and it took all my willpower not to fondle the chest in front of me. This woman has no idea how she is teasing me! ¡°Nefrisse, go wash up before I indulge on my urges.¡± I patted her thick brown hair to urge her to let go.

    Nefrisse¡¯s expression changed from appreciation to shock as she let me go. Her face was bright red as she awkwardly backed away from me. Each movement seemed stiff. I chuckled at the display. She backed up to the large black staircase until she quickly ran up the steps to escape me. My laughter continued as she tripped every few steps. Silly, delicious woman, what a pleasure to watch her panic. My good mood had returned at last. Now, I had to return to my agenda. Bandits don¡¯t hire themselves after all.

 Gossip

    Emalynn POV

    Rain had poured all through the night. Thundering and flashing, keeping Ro and I awake most of the night. Water streamed into the cave dousing the fire before we could eat dinner. Rory used her tunneling magic to burrow small coves into the cave walls for our beds. At least we weren¡¯t soaked as we slept. Was this how we would live from now on? Hiding in caves, forging in the forests, and fishing in rivers? It didn¡¯t sound so bad, but not interacting with others was beginning to take a toll on me. Could we earn money while living like this? We could always hunt and sell our kills that we didn¡¯t eat. It would be the only way I could earn money living like this, especially since I suck at fishing. Rory and I had discussed a future where we could raise orphaned children like ourselves, but would this be any kind of life for them to live? Always on the run, never able to settle down, or have friends¡­

    I had cried on and off since Ro told me that she would have to eliminate any loose ends that could lead back to us. I have killed people before, but I never imagined someone would have to die for just helping me. I know Mr. Applegate found out too much when he saw Ro transform, but I didn''t think it would come to this. He had been so sweet to us on the way here from Pine Row. I am not sure what upsets me more, Mr. Applegate having to die or how easily Ro decided the man needed to die. Ro''s been my best friend for years, but there were still many things that I don''t know about her. I thought my life had been traumatic until I learned how Ro had to live her entire life. I looked down at her sleeping form as I cleaned up my area. The cave floor is muddy from the endless stream of water last night. Part of me wanted to jump into the mud puddle and squish the mud between my toes. I had to fight my instincts to drop everything and play. My tail twitched just needing to roll in the mud, but I needed to head into town to get more supplies and probably medicine in case we end up with a cold from our wet campsite. Stupid responsibilities! ¡°I promise to play with you when I come back, muddy puddle,¡± I whispered to the teasing muddy goodness.

    My little cove in the wall didn¡¯t leave much headspace for getting dressed, so I rolled up the blanket neatly to give me room to move. Crawling toward my bag, ¡°Owww¡­¡± I groaned. I lifted my knee off my fuzzy, amber tail. Part of me was missing my fluffy white coat although the orange-amber fur is easier to clean and maintain because of its wax coating. I gave myself a good brushing and pulled out a cream-colored dress to wear to town with my gray cloak. Dull colors attract less attention according to Uncle Elias. I pulled on my brown boots, trying not to wake Ro with my grunts. Getting dressed was like a worm trying to put on clothes because the space was so small. I wiggled out of my cove into the squishy mud of the cave and squashed my way to the entrance of the cave. Sunlight was just peeking through the trees above, so the morning was just beginning.

    The Evergreen Forest had a beat to it like a distant drum from the rain dripping off the tree branches. I didn¡¯t want to leave a muddy trail of footprints toward the cave, so I jumped into the tree. I removed my clothes to put them into my bag, so I didn¡¯t ruin them with my shifting. With a deep breath, I called my small monkey form forward in my mind and allowed my form to change into a small primate. My fur became a brownish amber as each little individual hair tingled across my body as each wave of change washed over me. It made me want to itch every inch of my body like something was crawling under my skin. My bones began to compress into a smaller size as my point of view changed from over five feet down to my two-and-a-half foot size. There was a dull pain from the compression of my bones, but my shifting was otherwise painless. The last wave of a skin-crawling itch faded from my body as I shook out my fur. My little tail flicked with excitement as I grabbed my bag and secured the bag¡¯s strap around my small form. It had been a while since I could freely leap and swing in the trees. A cool breeze blew through the whiskers on my face as I leaped from tree branch to tree branch toward the town. Flipping and twirling with each jump, I swung my way noisily through the treetops. This is exactly what I needed to feel myself again after yesterday.

    The town came into sight after an hour of traveling by treetops. Stopping outside of the town¡¯s sight, I shifted back into my simian beast form and dressed again. I covered myself in my gray cloak to keep from drawing attention to myself. Unlike Pine Row, this town was huge and busy due to the Wizard¡¯s Guild. All the buildings were huge and had different hues of blue, gray, and green. Some were built from sturdy brick with high peaking roofs and stylized accents while the wooden buildings were newer and had a warmer feeling to them. Down Market Road, there were large wooden stalls that were built for merchants to sell their goods. Small cafes, loud taverns, and fancy restaurants were settled on every other corner of the street. The town was a well-mixed town of races from all walks of life. I was happy that I wouldn¡¯t be sticking out in this town, but the number of people was overwhelming compared to the towns and villages that I had traveled through.

    Off in the distance, stood a gray stone compound like a giant castle with giant creepy statues watching over the compound. The castle-like compound is the Wizard¡¯s Guild that Ro had stolen from yesterday. A chill ran through my body just looking at the Wizard¡¯s Guild. Knowing Ro, what Ro had done there only a day before made me wary of the townspeople around me. My grip on my cloak tightened. I needed to focus and retrieve the supplies that I came for. The town was loud with chatter and bustling movements. I peeked out the hood of my cloak for a cheap clothing merchant. Ro had worn out her three sets of clothes since we left Pine Row and mine were tattered from use. I had been training hard with Ro each day to improve my skills. Ro could be a slave driver when it came to training, which speaks volumes of how Elias and Leah trained her.

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    After half an hour of wandering down Market Road, I had successfully retrieved all the supplies on my list from clothes to food. The last thing I needed was to get the latest scoop on the town. Walking into the closest tavern, I ordered myself some lunch and allowed my big round ears to do the rest. Two town officials were rumored to be having an affair with the same person. Boring¡­ The town baker had made a new dessert that the town was going crazy over. That sounds yummy. Another raise in taxes was being proposed to fix a broken bridge on the other side of town. Yawn. My tail twitched with anticipation. I knew someone would mention the break-in at the Wizard¡¯s Guild. It was only a matter of time.

    ¡°There you are, Braxton!¡± A male voice exclaimed. ¡°What are you doing in this tavern? We have a mystery to solve.¡±

    Now that sounds intriguing¡­ I listened as I finished my stew.

    ¡°Silas, we spent the whole day and night searching for information about the thief. If I don¡¯t get some food in me, then I will end up eating you instead.¡± A deeper, raspier voice responded, which I could only guess was Braxton, according to the first voice¡¯s greeting.

    ¡°Grumpy orc,¡± Silas sighed, sitting down at the bar. ¡°Can¡¯t go a day without eating, huh?¡±

    ¡°Why should I? Just because you don¡¯t eat much when you start a new obsession, doesn''t mean I should go without food.¡± Braxton reasoned with Silas.

    Silas groaned, ¡°It¡¯s not an obsession.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s normal to drag your best friend all over the guild and town, trying to find information about a thief without stopping for an entire day and a half. My mistake.¡± Braxton mocked his companion.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your sandwich, sir. Do you two need anything else?¡± A female server asked.

    ¡°Yes, could I get a pint of your best draft beer, and my friend would like a bowl of stew,¡± Braxton answered.

    ¡°Sure, big guy,¡± the server replied and left the men be.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, Braxton,¡± Silas whined.

    The two men argued over food and each other¡¯s habits for at least 10 minutes until the server brought their order over. I was beginning to think I had wasted my time listening to them whine over lack of sleep and ridiculous behaviors that each one had. I finished my stew by the time Braxton finally asked what Silas wanted to do next about the thief. This had better be worth my time.

    ¡°Well, Master Renaldy, has the whole guild under lockdown. Their investigation has been kept quiet. Few people outside the guild even know about the robbery.¡± Silas went quiet for a minute.

    Yes! My patience is paying off at last. These guys know about Ro¡¯s theft. I walked into the right tavern. Keep talking boys, Ema needs more information. I felt a smile creep onto my face as my tail swooshed under my gray cloak. If anyone had noticed me at this point, they would think I am some sort of psycho. Actually, I wouldn¡¯t mind being called a psycho. They seem to have all the fun anyway.

    Braxton chuckled, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you lucky, Silas? I happened to hear something useful on my way here.¡±

    ¡°Really! What did you hear?¡± Silas asked, excitedly. If this man were a dog, his tail would be wagging like a branch in a windstorm.

    ¡°See, you are obsessed with the thief,¡± Braxton laughed again. This Braxton guy had a point. The Silas guy did seem a bit too interested in the thief.

    ¡°I am not obsessed! I am merely intrigued by the impossibility of her identity. Have you ever heard of a beast woman harnessing such strong magic?¡± He paused. ¡°No, right? This woman should not exist, Braxton, and it bothers me that she does.¡± Silas huffed.

    Great. They know more than Ro thinks they do. She¡¯s making her normal identity into some sort of wanted criminal although I suppose her normal form was a criminal from the start. When Leah and Elias told her to lay low, I don¡¯t think this is what they meant.

    "Well, my obsessed friend, it seems a merchant saw a dark figure run into the Evergreen Forest not long after the robbery that morning. Now, I know for a fact that Master Renaldy hasn''t heard this bit of information yet, so we have a chance to find this rogue first." Braxton sounded chipper from the pint the server woman had brought him.

    "You think the thief is a rogue?" Silas questioned this new label his friend had given the thief.

    Braxton scoffed as if it were obvious. "What else could she be? Only a rogue class person could break into the Wizard¡¯s Guild, face off with Fairy Darius, and escape without a trace. It''s a blessing Fairy Darius didn¡¯t have anything but a hurt pride after that encounter. This rogue is powerful, rare, and someone that you want on your side. Too bad she pissed off Master Renaldy. He''s not going to let this go¡­"

    ¡°Leave it to a former general to profile a thief with such ease,¡± Silas jokes.

    My heart beated rapidly in my chest. Either Rory had seriously messed up, or these wizards were smarter than she thought. Maybe it was both. Would she kill them all because of what they knew? Was she capable of murdering so many? What if the whole town knew it wasn''t just gossip? Would she kill a town over gossip? My head ached from the questions overwhelming me. I needed to leave. I got the gossip I came for anyway. How will she react to all of this? Ro must know the guild will come after her, but does she know these men were after her? Damn¡­ We just can''t catch a break. I quickly paid my tab and left the tavern in a rush, grasping my cloak for dear life.

    Rushing through the town, I did my best to seem normal. I didn''t want to draw attention since Ro had managed to get enough attention for the both of us. My tail was twisting and knotting under my cloak like my stomach. I wanted to vomit all the stew that I had just eaten. Damn it. Why was this happening now? It''s been 2 months since Ro went into a frenzy, revealing herself to the world, and now more people were looking for her. I came with her to help, but I am not sure how to help her. Did she do this on purpose?

 Followed

    Braxton POV

    Suddenly, a table behind Silas and me thudded against the floor as someone stumbled to get up quickly. We had been in the tavern for a half hour now, laying our trap. Silas had come up with the idea of visiting all the popular taverns and cafes in town and gossiping about the book thief in the hopes of getting a reaction out of someone. There had been no new developments in the case since Master Renaldy had started his investigation, so our only hope was to smoke out the culprit according to Silas. It seemed silly to sit around gossiping like the townswomen in the cafes and taverns, but I got to drink! Who cares that I sounded like a silly woman with loose lips? I was slowly getting sloshed after so many pints of beer. This was the best day that I had in a while.

    Silas¡¯ eyes glanced behind me at the bumbling person as we talked about the fake lead that we had come up with to smoke out the culprit. His eyes quickly glanced at mine, hinting that we may have found our target. We didn¡¯t move from the bar as the gray cloaked suspect hurried their way out of the tavern. Silas swiftly got up to chase after the suspect while I stumbled a bit to get up and pay our tab. I had become sloshed after that last beer, so I had to take my time moving through the tavern and the crowded street outside of the tavern. After a minute, I caught a glimpse of Silas hurrying down the road and started my pursuit. Elbows were pushing me from side to side as I crossed the crowd. I was barely able to keep my eyes on Silas as he raced through the street with ease. If only I wasn¡¯t so burly, this would be so much easier. Or maybe it was all the yummy beer I drank¡­ No, my huge form has always been a problem in crowded towns. What¡¯s an orc general to do?

    Silas leapt over barrels and dove under goods people were exchanging like a slick snake weaving his way through the brush of the forest. He is nimble and fast like any typical elf, but there was a certain grace in his movements that screamed elf royalty. Poor Silas, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t hide his royal upbring. I should get him some orc whiskey. If he were drunk, his graceful nature would finally be obscured. Yeah, I will get him some yummy whiskey to help him relax for a change. Silas was barely in my view anymore as I sweated out the beer I had consumed trying to keep up with him. My stomach was starting to twist from the alcohol and unwanted exercise. I stopped to vomit in an empty barrel outside of a merchant¡¯s stall. After hurling my lunch and a chunk of beer, I placed the lid on the barrel and left a good sum of money for the merchant as an apology. Something told me to avoid this area on the way back to the guild later.

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    By the time I caught up to Silas, we had reached the edge of our town. He looked at me for a moment, annoyed. The beer was still heavily in my system. I had to lean against a tree for support. He shook his head, staring at the forest again. We stood in front of the Evergreen Forest looking for any sign of the cloaked suspect. All I could see was a sea of green trees in front of us. Where had the person disappeared to?

    ¡°Any ideas, Silas?¡± I questioned as he looked at the trees perplexed by the suspect¡¯s disappearing act. There were no tracks or broken branches on any path into the forest. It would seem no one had been in the forest yet today.

    He shook his head, ¡°There should be tracks, broken limbs, a sense of a magic trail, something¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Silas. All I see are trees blowing in the window and heavy leaf piles on the ground. Nothing else. I hear branches swaying in the wind, but that¡¯s it.¡± I said as clearly as I could manage. It would be a few hours until I sobered up from my sloshed state.

    ¡°Piles of leaves on the ground and branches blowing in the wind¡­ Maybe¡­¡± Silas mumbled to himself.

    I rested my hand on my best friend¡¯s shoulder to steady myself. ¡°Your brain¡­ is going to combust, Si,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Braxton, you are wrecked,¡± Silas handed me a canteen of water. ¡°Drink this and sober up. I have a theory, but we need to keep moving.¡±

    I opened the canteen and downed the freshwater. The sting of beer in my throat eased at the canteen emptied into my body. Closing the canteen, I shook out my short hair and beard. My head felt lighter as I tried to focus on Silas. ¡°What¡¯s your theory?¡±

    ¡°Follow me,¡± Silas answered as he walked into the Evergreen Forest.

    ¡°Great,¡± I huffed under my breath. Silas was going to make me walk on the uneven ground of the forest. Just my luck. He wasn¡¯t going to share his thoughts at all. Yet, I followed my fearless friend into the woods with the biggest hope of not falling all over myself.

 Choices

    Rory POV

    Waking up to an empty muddy cave left a sick feeling in my stomach. I know Ema is still upset over last night, but she left me alone without a word. I saw her muddy prints trailing outside as I rolled up my bedding in my tight little nook. My red hair fell into my face as I stood barefoot in the squishy mud. The cool mud sank between my toes, distracting me for a minute. Ema would love to play in a cool muddy puddle like this. At the thought of Ema, I started to focus again, feeling my stomach twist again. I slip my untamed red hair into a messy braid as I walk toward the cave entrance. Ema is nowhere to be seen, but her footprints end at the base of a tree. She probably went for a treetop stroll to cool off. At least, I hoped that''s all that happened.

    Anxiety began to set in at the thought of Ema being out there in the forest alone and upset. I understand why she is upset. Sigh, I allowed my body to slump down against the base of the tree. Honestly, I don¡¯t want to track down Mr. Applegate just to kill him, but he¡¯s¡­a loose end that could result in our deaths. My head was beginning to hurt just thinking about this again and the way Ema and I were treating each other. Suddenly, I could feel my skin begin to crawl and nails start to burn as my body was forcing a shift. Shit. Stupid anxiety! I needed a distraction, so I opened up my wolf senses to focus on the world around me.

    Closing my eyes, I was smelling the green leaves on the musky trees, morning dew on each blade of grass, and unfortunately the stinky craps of the forest creatures. Yuck. I could feel the stench of large bear crap in my mouth, causing me to vomit my dinner. Why did I have to smell bear shit? Why couldn¡¯t I just smell sweet flowers or something? It¡¯s spring, after all, damn it! The breeze was changing direction, carrying a flurry of new smells in my direction. A refreshing creek scent filled my nose, and I sighed in relief. Another familiar scent wafted my way. Ema! She was on her way back to me.

    Focusing on the sounds of the forest, I heard Ema swinging through the treetops like I imagined she had been doing. I heard the thunk of each branch as she leaped from tree to tree in her small monkey form. On the edge of my hearing range, I started to hear footsteps. One person stepped gracefully like a dancer weaving through the brush with ease. The other person was heavy and sloppy in the way the person caught themselves on each passing tree as the person could hardly walk forward. Those people were trailing behind Ema. Did she know was being followed? Her hearing isn¡¯t as good as mine, but she should still hear them coming. Maybe she heard them but didn¡¯t care since we shouldn¡¯t be in any danger. No one should be looking for us in our new identities after all.

    Ema and her pursuers were nearing our cave. I was trying to remain calm, but I could feel anxiety rising inside of me. I can¡¯t transform here. I need to stay calm. My heart beat rapidly with each step they took. Inhaling deeply, I couldn¡¯t catch my breath. Holding my human form was becoming impossible. Claws scratched at the ground beneath, and I knew I had to get out of here. ¡°Sorry, Ema,¡± I whispered into the air as I forced myself into my wolf form to keep from going into my frenzy form.

    Shifting while sitting down turned out to be very painful. As my human ears faded into my skull, I hit my head against the thick trunk of the tree, causing my vision to become hazy. I could feel the blood mix into my red hair as my wolf ears poked through my braided locks. My hips ached as my legs changed shape and compressed until I was sitting on my haunches. Hands and feet folded into large fluffy paws with sharp black claws. The spine burst through my skin, and my skin was covered with fur wrapped around the bone to become a large fluffy tail. I could see my blood-red fur through the haze of my vision. I smelt Ema nearby and forced myself into the forest away from Ema.

    I stayed close to the cave, hiding in a brown blur that poked and prodded me like a leafy bush. Praying my dark red fur blended into the brown mass of leaves, I quietly sat and listened to the scene in front of me. Patiently, I waited for my vision to clear, but I could make out Ema''s amber-colored figure jumping down from the tree that I had been leaning against. She shifted to her simian beast form and quickly redressed herself. A shocked look dawned on her face as she scented the air. Behind her, she smelt her followers, and to her left, she smelt me, hiding in the bush. Ema didn''t have a chance to react when her pursuers finally reached the clearing.

    ¡°What the-¡± Ema muttered as two men entered the clearing behind her. I could see her ears drooping behind her as she adjusted her hood and turned to face the men.

    My vision leveled out as I observed the men. The first man was the graceful walker that moved like a dancer. His long, black locks reached midway down his strong back. The man was slender but very muscled, or at least he looked that way under his sleek, leather garments. His pale skin and long pointed ears indicated he was an elf. There was a dorky charm to his face that matched the intellectual facade he had. The way he carried himself illustrated his elf nobility. He had no visible weapons on him, only small potion bottles and odd trinkets that I had only seen in books. I sniffed the air for his scent in case I needed to track him. He smelt of leather-bound books, pen ink, and a burnt musk fire like a candle. Was he a scholar? Maybe from the wizard guild?

    The second man was the opposite of the first man. He was tall with muscles under his grass-green-colored orc skin. Battle scars and tattoos were prominently displayed like jewelry on a noble. His beard was gruff and his hair screamed military cut. He carried a long sword, a few hidden blades, and some blast grenades. This man was massive, powerful, intimidating but sloppy with how he moved. His scent reeked of alcohol, putrid sweat, blast powder, and the steel of a sword. Was he drunk or suffering some ailment? Is he from the wizard guild?

    "Excuse me," the elf guy walked toward Ema. I internalized my growl as he extended his hand to her. "Can we speak for a moment?"

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    Ema backed away from the elf. "Not interested," Ema replied. She turned to walk toward the cave.

    "Hey, wait," the elf reached out and grabbed her cloak. The cloak tore away from her body, dropping into his hand.

    Ema''s fluffy, amber fur brightly stood out amongst the green forest and gray cliff. She shrieked, "What the hell dude! I said I wasn''t interested. Who just goes around stealing people''s cloaks anyway. Are you some stalker or something?" Her amber tail bounced angrily.

    "Listen¡­" He stopped studying her for a minute. "Mist¡­er¡­ I mean, miss-"

    "You did not just call me a mister! I am a simian woman! Hell, I have a dress on," she shouted. Her tail whacked the man in the face. "You are a rude, creepy jerk who stalks poor, unsuspecting victims!"

    Shit. He pissed her off.

    "I will admit to being a bit rude, perhaps being a jerk. But a stalker? No. Miss, I would never be so vile! My friend and I only wished to ask you a few questions," He huffed.

    My growls were getting louder with each word the man spoke. I wanted to tear his leg off. The stupid elf was getting too close to Ema. Thankfully, the sloppy orc hadn''t moved other than his slight swaying.

    "Leave, Mr. Elf. I have nothing to say to you," Ema answered.

    "Please, miss. My name is Silas. All I want to know is if you have seen anything strange around here. There was a theft at my guild, and you left hastily as my friend and I were discussing the whole thing." The elf who called himself Silas stopped Ema by grabbing her hand.

    Okay. This Silas guy was becoming too much for me to stand. Growling loudly from the bush, I was done hiding. My emotions were churning inside me. Magic began rushing through my body from my ring. Charging forward, I watched Ema and Silas'' stunned faces looking back at me. Growling more, I let my mouth open slightly. I was going to chomp down on the handsome, little elf''s hand.

    Three different things happened at that moment. First, the sloppy, clumsy orc closed the distance between us, and he held out his long sword in front of me to block me from the elf. Second, the elf turned toward me charging up some sort of light magic to blast me with. Third, Ema tried to tackle me out of the way of the sword and magic, but none of those things collided with me. I turned on my heel going around those three. Ema fell to the ground being barely scathed by the burst of magic. My anger bubbled up inside of me as I saw her arm bleed. The drunken orc stumbled onto the ground next to her. Silas reached down to Ema, possibly to help her, but all I could do was growl at this stupid elf.

    ¡°I apologize, miss,¡± Silas started. ¡°Let me help-¡±

    I snapped at his hand as he tried to touch Ema again. Ema looked at me confused and concerned by my actions. Part of me wanted to stop, but when I saw Silas get close to Ema, that part of me vanished. Ema tried to get closer to me, but the drunken orc swooped her up in his arms. The orc smiled like a dummy, believing he was helping. Silas came at me with more bursts of light. I dodged most of his magic as I approached him. He tried to force me backward with another burst of light, but I ducked down, crawling toward him. Snapping at his feet, Silas squealed as he hopped away. He barraged me with smoke bombs, which ignited my urge to chomp down into his fair, noble, elf skin. Turning on my heel, I dove into his next burst of magic, firmly biting his wrist. For a brief instance, I had won and my tail was wagging.

    "Bad dog," Silas said smoothly as he sent me flying into the trees. Within a moment, I was back on the ground feeling my anger peak as I stood waiting for his next attack. No one calls me a damn dog! I waited for him to move, but he never did.

    Instead, a cold rush of magic flooded my body, and each strand of my fur stood on end. Suddenly, the lightning returned, forcing everything back. I continued running forward as electricity discharged from my body. It felt like I was vibrating with magic lightning in my body. The lightning bolts appeared red as they discharged around me. I wanted to check on Ema, but I couldn¡¯t control the electric magic pumping through me. Looking around, the men and Ema were out cold. Before I could try to approach anyone, I needed the magic in me to disperse.

    Running into the cave, I hoped the magic would either run its course or I would pass out from exhaustion. Mud caked itself to the bottom of my red paws as I journey deeper into the cave. Red bolts of lightning strike the walls, and I immediately regret entering the cave. It was too late to turn back as I passed my campsite. Rocks fell as the cave began to crumble from the blasts. I have no control over my overwhelming emotions or raging magic. The only bright side is that I had shifted into my wild form. I just had to choose to attack the elf. I just had to argue with Ema. I had to steal the book from the wizard guild! It''s been a series of bad decisions, and I still have more choices to make. So many damn choices!

    I can feel tears prick the corners of my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but the wind passing by me made it worse. I kept running forward as I closed my eyes. Why was I doing this? Emalynn doesn''t need this. She is in so much danger because of me. Those stupid guys are probably freaking out about a red wolf attack. The lightning bolts still haven¡¯t slowed down. I am lucky this damn cave hasn''t collapsed yet.

    Slowing my run, I try to take deep breaths as my body continues down the dark tunnel. Muddy water splashes against my red fur. The water level rises up my legs as I continue forward. Breathing in, brown water kicks up onto my face as I wade through the muddy stream. The bolts of lightning strike the water, creating a red electric current through the water. Mud and sparks fly through the air. I didn''t ask for a mud bath. Ugh. Breathing out again, I  can feel the water level sink back down. My red fur is muddy brown, and all I can smell is burnt, muddy fur in the air.

    Why is it always tunnels lately? First, I escaped the dark elf by traveling through and digging tunnels. Then, there was escaping those giant bugs to Pine Row, and Mr. Applegate took me through a tunnel under a mountain to get here. Now, I live in a damp cave in this gigantic forest, but I am still escaping into this cave tunnel to hide, again. I am either really stupid, or I am a coward. When I meet up with Ema later, we are getting out of these damn caves and tunnels. No more underground passages unless it is necessary. I want to live in the sun during the day and look out at the moon at night. I may be in hiding, but Ema and I will not become hermits or cave dwellers. We should have real beds and join another guild to get jobs to earn money. If my parents could do it with people after them, then I can do it too. I will accept being a thief, a hunter, a rogue, and even an assassin, but I will not be a coward. With that, my overwhelming feelings shattered. The lightning bolts sparked into a soft red glow around me as I opened my eyes. My pace slowed into a mild trot until I finally sat back on my haunches. The thumping of a wagging tail filled the space as I panted. Running was tiring, however, I succeeded in calming my magical rage and avoiding my wild form. This time, at least.

    The glow lit up the cave although I could see well in the dark already. At some point, I began feeling like a candle or a fancy wolf flashlight. The cold rush of magic rushed through my body like an ocean current, causing some tingles in my legs and paws. I couldn¡¯t understand where this magic was coming from. I have always been able to shift and use wolf beast Terran magic, yet now, I can glow red and randomly shoot off lightning bolts. Clearly, my emotions play a huge role in my ability to use magic, however, it doesn''t make sense. My life doesn''t make sense anymore. Still, it''s my life to live. My choices to make. I have so many things to decide on, but I am making my choices, starting with leaving this damn soggy cave for a warm bed and a shower. Now, I just need to find my way back¡­

 Check In

    Elias POV

    Dust kicked up under my paws as I darted across the mountain pass. My belly thundered with hunger and mouth water. The white tails of fluffy mountain goats waved in my face. Following these damn goats up the steep cliffs was wearing on my joints. Traveling in my wolf had a speed advantage, but even a wolf has his limits. Each leap from ledge to ledge had the ground crumbling beneath my paws. I am going to melt under this damn sun. The scent of a bleeding goat filled my nose. One of the goats must have hurt itself on the sharp cliffs. Yum. Goat thighs are my favorite! Drool dripped from my mouth as I reached the goat herd. The male goat started to charge toward me. Excitement rushed through me. This is the thrill of the hunt.

    Horns were aimed right at me as the fierce little goat made his last stand. I swung around the little white goat at the last second. Chomping into its thigh. Blood gushed into my mouth and dripped down onto my brown fur. I ripped the dark thigh muscle clean off the male goat. The male goat called out in pain as it slammed into the dirt. I feasted on the thigh meat as the herd abandoned the injured male. The stupid goat kept whining! ¡°Can¡¯t you die quietly, you old goat!¡± I barked although no one could understand me. I tried to finish my bloody thigh, but the goat wouldn¡¯t shut its noisy trap. Fine! I trotted over to the ¡°mehing¡± fleabag. It struggled as my teeth wrapped around its dying throat. One bite and my dinner fell limp to the ground. No more dinner interruptions. Now, I can eat my fill before I start my search for the river just North of here. I need to hurry because I don¡¯t want to keep my company waiting.

    Three hours later¡­

    The smell of the freshwater greeted my snout. My brown, muddy tail wagged as I heard more footsteps pacing around the river. Finally! I will have some company. It has been a month since I left my sister, Kaya, and her family in Pine Row. Scouting the whole area between White Rapids, Pine Row, and the Evergreen Forest, I had been searching for any signs of the dark elf or rumors of our crazy adventure in Old River Woods. The only news that I caught wind of is a noble hiring some questionable mercenaries in a town called Creekmont, which borders Old River Woods. After exchanging messages with Leah via hawk, we agreed to monitor the situation. There was a chance the noble in question was indeed the dark elf, but I had no evidence. Creekmont was a wealthy town full of nobles, wandering around without any leads would be a waste of time. However, I heard some other news from Kaya yesterday and an interesting rumor that I wanted to share with Leah.

    Once the river was in sight, I ran straight into it. The cooling water eased my aching joints and cleaned my clumpy brown fur. The water even washed away the blood stained on my muzzle. I swam deep toward the river bed, allowing myself to enjoy the moment of quiet until I felt a tug on my tail. Looking back, I saw a familiar body above the water as the hand on my tail tugged on me again. Pushing my way to the surface, I was greeted by an annoyed emerald gaze.

    ¡°Come on, Elias. We don¡¯t have much time. I have ceremony shit to do tonight,¡± Leah grumbled as she sat down on the shore. She was in her natural beast form was similar to a human shape, but her body was furry with paw-like feet, fluffy black tail and ears, and a wolfy nose. All the black made her emerald eyes shine like stars in the sky.

    I shifted back to my beast form. I was sore and clumsy as I walked toward her on the shore. My form was similar to hers except mine was brown fur. My long mane was woven back and knotted in place, and the rest flowed wild down my shoulders. Sitting next to my longtime friend, I could feel the paranoia of being a lone wolf subside. "Well aren''t you a sight for sore eyes, Alpha Huntress."

    "Cheeky old wolf," she muttered. "Cut the formalities. You were my mentor once. You don''t need to use my stupid title."

    "Whatever you say, Leah," I chuckled. "My wolf instincts are finally relaxing for the first time in a month."

    "Is that your way of saying thanks for meeting me?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

    "Save an old man his pride, would ya? Just take the thank you," I elbowed her.

    "Oww. Ease up ol'' man," she joked. "So, catch me up. What do you know?"

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°I talked with Kaya. Have you heard about the frost dragon girl?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ What frost dragon?¡±

    ¡°Myrra wrote to Kaya about a month ago about an odd, female, frost dragon that joined the White Rapids Guild with a fire mage as her companion.¡± I let my paws slide down to the edge of the river.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°The same girl showed up in Pine Row last week with her companion,¡± I sighed. ¡°They completed their job that was nearby after the first day. It¡¯s been making Kaya nervous.¡±

    ¡°Because?¡±

    ¡°Because they were asking about a simian beast girl.¡±

    ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°Now, the frost dragon seems to be cozying up to Katar, who had his heart broken by a certain human girl we know,¡± I finished.

    ¡°Double shit.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Leah groaned. ¡°Katar knows better though. He can¡¯t mate outside of our clan or we will have more Rorys. Ugh. I am going to call that little casanova back to the valley for a little more education on our customs.¡±

    ¡°Although I agree, I am worried about the frost dragon getting close to him,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Why would a frost dragon be interested in a simian beast or Emalynn for that matter?¡±

    ¡°Could be a coincidence,¡± Leah suggested.

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Just observe for now. Our girls are safe.¡± Leah placed her hand on my back reassuring me. ¡°Anything else to share?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll like this one. A passing merchant caught sight of a red wolf saving another merchant with the help of a monkey archer from a wild mountain lion,¡± I grinned wildly.

    Leah looked at me in disbelief. ¡°Rory and Emalynn?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Those girls are bad at hiding,¡± Leah rubbed her temples. ¡°Really bad.¡±

    ¡°Still, they are helping others like true guild members should. We raised them right.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide the pride in my words.

    ¡°Hopefully, this one will be the same¡­¡± Leah muttered under her breath with her hand on her stomach.

    My eyes nearly popped out of my head. ¡°Wait. Wait a freaking minute! You and Axel finally made a pup?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­yeah. Why are you flipping out?¡± She deadpanned.

    ¡°You are basically a wolf queen who is pregnant with a pup. Why wouldn¡¯t I flip out?¡± I stated matter-of-factly. "Since when?"

    "Remember when we were at the safe house?" She said, sheepishly.

    "Are you serious! Did that crazy battle do something to you?"

    "Almost losing all of you definitely affected me, yes," she whispered, solemnly.

    I gently rubbed her back. We all nearly lost each other that day. "Yeah, but Rory saved us. Twice, actually."

    She gave me a misty smile. "Emalynn showed promise too. I couldn''t be more proud."

    "Wait! The girls don''t know yet." I laughed. ¡°Rory is going to freak out too!¡±

    ¡°Maybe. If she ever gets to know. She¡¯s on the run, Elias. All because she saved our asses with some wild form that has never been seen before,¡± Leah¡¯s face dropped. ¡°Rory has been through hell her whole life, and now her safety depends on her managing her emotions.¡± Tears started rolling down her face. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair, Elias. None of this should be happening. When she got older, it was supposed to be safer.¡±

    I wrapped my arm over the woman who was basically my little sister. ¡°Leah, she¡¯s not alone out there. Emalynn is with her. Besides, we both know Rory needs to be out there learning about herself. Rory is one of a kind, and both of her parents were powerhouses in terms of strength, magic, and abilities. Her father, Ronyn Bishop, was the famous ¡®last strike¡¯ swordsman. He used a lightning sword that could split a castle in half at full power. Her mother, Astrid Sillber Firestone, was once the strongest wolf in our valley who went on to be a great healer in her human form. Rory is not weak. Her roots are strong. Hell, Emalynn is as feisty as they come. Her skills as an archer ate better than any in the guild. Emalynn will make sure that they are not just continuously running. Our girls will come home and watch their cousin grow up. We just need to eliminate the dark elf while Rory figures out her growing abilities. God will guide us. Have faith."

    "I want to, Elias. Axel says the same thing. My parents aren''t thrilled about Rory''s situation either," Leah sighed.

    The image of the current Rory rolled through my mind. "Honestly, they wouldn''t recognize her if they saw her."

    "Tell me about the girls," Leah''s eyes had a slight, sad sparkle to them.

    "For starters, both the girls are redheads now," I smiled as I told all about the girls'' disguises. Leah started to relax and chuckle at my stories of the girls in Pine Row. She gave me a disgusted look when I mentioned Katar¡¯s affection for Rory. She was acting like a mother more than before. This pup was already changing Leah as all new parents change. Hopefully, I  can end this dark elf drama before Leah loses her patience. God bless Axel for enduring Leah¡¯s wrath over the next few months.

    "The sun is getting low. I need to get back for my ceremony crap," she groaned. She stood tall next to me, wiping stray tears. "Go kill the jackass elf and bring the girls home."

    "You got it, Alpha Huntress,"  I grinned as she cussed me out. I stuck my tongue out at her right before shifting and running back into the darkness of the forest.

 Stalkers

    Emalynn Pov

    Rory¡¯s red wolf form came charging toward the cave to get away from Silas. Why was she in her wolf form? Red lightning shot out of her as she charged forward. The air was dry from her lightning as it cracked around us. It was wild like a firework bursting in midair. My amber fur was burnt from the heat of each burst. Her magic was wild and dominating like her emotions right now. I knew she was only protecting me when she came charging at this elf called Silas, but this wasn''t a good way to handle the intrusion. At least, she hadn''t gone into frenzy mode. That would''ve been worse¡­

    I wiggled trying to get out of this green giant''s arms until my body flinched from the bleeding burn on my arm. It''s his fault that my bestie just ran into the cave. With her luck, the whole thing will just crumble on top of her.

    "Damn it! Stupid green lug, let me go," I barked.

    The dumb lug had a tight grip on me although he swayed like a tree limb in the breeze. He smelt awful. Did he roll in a puddle of vomit? I felt my stomach start to curdle. This green guy was sweating whiskey. These two guys must have been the gossipers from the tavern. My stomach gurgled as I felt acid rising in my throat. The green guy¡¯s clumsy spinning motion finally forced me to vomit all over the guy. Now, this guy smells even worse, and I can¡¯t stop vomiting all over him and the ground, causing the guy to drop me in a puddle of my vomit. My open wound on my arm burns from my vomit.

    "What the hell!" I scream, trying to stand up in my vomit puddle. My amber fur reeked of last night''s dinner. Chucks of vomit clung to my fur. I vomited again, completely emptying my stomach. My arm aches because of the stupid proper elf''s magic blast, and holding myself up is slowly becoming an impossible task as I try to get up again.

    "Miss, can you just stop for a moment?" The proper elf gracefully was over to me and gently bent down to pull me out of my puddle.

    If I had more strength, I would have stood up and socked both of these stalkers square in the face. The graceful elf succeeds in rescuing me from my vomit puddle. He steadily guides me to the base of the tree where he helps me sit. My body aches. My arm is bleeding and burns with the pain while my stomach convulses at the emptiness inside it. The dumb, green lug is loudly whining about everything as he stumbled toward another tree. The sticky, chunky, reeking vomit is beginning to dry in my amber fur, and I wish I had a damn river to wash in now.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "Miss, if I may, I can help you wash up," Silas, the graceful, offered.

    "Isn''t that a bit forward of you? Never mind. That fits perfectly with the creepy stalker type that you are," I snapped at him. "Who else would have tracked down a simple, cave-dwelling, huntress, huh?"

    "Listen, Miss, the stench coming from you and my companion is utterly horrendous. I am going to douse you both in water then we will continue this interrogation, okay?" Silas seemed frustrated as he did his best to cover his nose. He yelled at the green lug to stand beside me.

    I opened my mouth to protest when a gush of water began dumping on me. It was like I was under a damn waterfall. The water was cool but heavy as it washed over my whole body. As if it were a shower, I ran my fingers through every inch of fur. All the sticky chunks gave way to strong water pelting my body. It felt freeing under the water. I suddenly realized that I hadn''t done a good job of preparing to hold my breath as I felt my body want to gasp for air. Shoving my head through the downpour I gasped for air. Silas had a blue aura around him from the water magic he was performing, which faded when he saw me gasping for air. Sikas stopped the waterfall and steadied me against the tree.

    "Dang it, Silas. Why can''t I be the one helping the cute, little monkey?" The green lug stammered.

    My jaw nearly reached my toes. This stinky, drunk goon just called me cute. I wanted to slap his soggy face. Could I slap them both? Honestly, I am barely standing as is. Although I was mostly clean, my body was heavily worn out and in pain.

    "Braxton, please refrain from speaking any further," Silas cautioned the big green lug. Silas appeared distressed by the whole situation as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

    Honestly, I was done with these men and their antics. Sure, I didn''t know who or why they were here other than my suspicions about them looking for more information on Ro''s little library heist, but I was ready for my stalkers to leave. I forced Silas away from me using every bit of strength to stay standing.

    "All right. As fun as it''s been¡­" I huffed, forcing myself to stay on my feet. "And as rude as you stalker guys have been," another breath. "It''s time for you to go."

    The giant lug named Braxton started to pout. "Silas¡­why did you make the¡­cute monkey¡­mad? She wants us¡­to¡­to leave."

    "Hell, Braxton! What was in those drinks? I can hardly believe you are an honored general and war hero." Silas shook his head. He turned toward me. "I realize this whole thing has gone to shit between the dangerous wolf-"

    "Let me stop you there. The wolf is my hunting companion and familiar. She was just protecting me from you dumbass stalkers! Get out of here before this gets ugly," I demanded.

    "Isn''t it already ugly?" Braxton cut in. The smelly orc pinched my cheeks as if I were a small child.

    At that point, my patience had run out. I got a clear uppercut under his chin, causing him to release me. I stomped on his toes so hard there was a slight crunch. The supposed war general came at me to manhandle me. I swooped through his legs and kicked the back of his knees causing him to fall. Something told me I was pushing my luck if this conflict continued any further. My tail violently twitches behind me. "Take your friend and leave, Twinkle Toes." I barked at Silas as leaped up into the trees. How I did all of that was astounding. I should have passed out, but those guys pissed me off. They can take their questions somewhere else.

 Athyras Date

    Athyra¡¯s POV

    One month. I have wasted a whole month on this fruitless job. I came to Gleaca to earn my way into power and develop my own horde, but this whole adventure has felt like a fucking waste. Chills pricked my human skin as my scales itched beneath the surface of my skin. I want to run out of this little inn in this backwoods town and unleash my true form. Anyone who looked at me knew I was a dragon, but I couldn¡¯t just unleash my huge form in such a small town. The locals would panic at the sight of my forty-foot tall, icy blue form that could flatten a building without any effort. Although, seeing these locals cry and beg for mercy might make me feel better.

    Looking in the mirror, I could hardly believe how much effort Eriz was putting into helping me get ready for my ¡®date¡¯ with Katar if you could call it that. Eriz zipped up my black flowy dress with a sweetheart-shaped neckline. This elf was about to see true beauty in such a simple form. Most races can''t hide their affection for dragons as fierce as we can be, so many boneheads still pine for a moment of our attention. This little elf boy would be no different.

    "Eriz, why are you making such a big deal about this fake date?" I questioned as he handed me a pair of ankle-cut, black boots.

    "Honestly?" He looked at me with a raised brow, so I nodded back at him. "This may be our last lead on these guild members, and it''s not an exact match to my master¡¯s depiction of them either. My master is obsessed with magical objects. I can only imagine they must have some very rare item for him to have pushed this quest so far." He collected the stray items across the room and neatly repacked them into my bag. "Don''t get me wrong. I have no desire to return to his house of discomfort, but he writes letters non-stop, asking about our progress. If you get information, then we will have a trail to follow, and I can avoid my master for a longer time. I won''t have to worry about him using me as a target for practice or forcing me to watch horrible things he does. So, yes, I am invested in your fake date going well."

    Shit¡­ I am sorry I asked. Guilt hit me like a damn punch in the gut. "No pressure though, right?" I tried to say casually, but I was feeling a tinge of anger for the guilt he just put on me. Bit of a jerk move, if you ask me.

    "The pressure isn''t on you. It''s on the elf. He needs to be in a good mood, or I am screwed. " Eriz faked a smile.

    Eriz is an idiot. I can through him like a polished crystal. Stupid guilt. Now, I feel like have to charm this elf. First a peddler, then a bounty hunter, now a glorified elf charmer¡­ Am I losing my dignity as a dragon? Any other self-respecting dragon would have seen this whole venture beneath them. Eriz¡­nothing but a slav¡­A self-respecting dragon would see Eriz beneath them. A dragon wouldn''t learn a poor servant''s name let alone a slave boy. What the hell am I doing? I should go blast that damn scumbag of a dark elf to hell and resolve all the problems with a simple solution.

    "Remember, his name is Katar. He is the son of the governess of this territory. He is well-liked by the people, so don¡¯t scare him off. At least not too much¡­" Eriz mumbled a knock pounded on the inn room''s door.

    Damn. The idiot showed up.

    Eriz opened the door, knowing full well that I refused to answer the door for anyone.  There stood a very blonde elf man with gold shimmering eyes. His hair was braided behind his back, his shirt was a rich pine green that made his eyes pop, his black pants and boots were primped and polished, and he gave a pleasant tundra scent like fresh snow. Maybe¡­I  should be nervous. He looked better than all the times we met while he was working in the town. Katar went from country bumpkin to stately gentleman although that is a typical elf trait¡­

    "You clean up well, Ms. Athyra," Katar complimented me. His eyes already displayed a pleased expression.

    It was that small proud expression of his that dumped over me like ice water. Sure, he was a pleasing elf to look at, but he was a jerk like every other elf I had met.

    "Are you ready to go to dinner?" Katar asked. He ignored my now sour expression as if it didn''t matter.

    "Sure, let''s go," I smirked at the thought of dumping my dinner all over his lap.

    We left the little inn and walked down the main street toward a small restaurant.  It wasn''t upscale like the ones in White Rapids, but the restaurant had a comfortable vibe with candles lit on the tables for romance. All the decor was white and black with touches of pine green. The whole town seems sold on this pine green theme. We sat at a small, pine wood table. Katar forced a smile as he pushed my chair in like a gentleman should.

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    Things were quiet for a few minutes as we looked through the menu and got refreshments.

    "So, are you ready to tell me why you are here, Ms. Athyra?" Katar leaned back in his chair as if what he said wasn''t a loaded question.

    I refused to react. This little elf boy was not going to bait a dragon. I merely sipped on my wine, which tasted like water down grape juice. Yuck. Minutes passed, but I refused to speak.

    He tried again. "Come on, Ms. Athyra. Why are you keeping me in the dark when you went through all the trouble to bring us here?"

    Did I go through the trouble? I think not! He just showed up where I went looking for information on my targets. I thought maybe he could be a resource if he tried to pursue me. Why is he putting all this on me? Eriz, I am not sure this will go well after all. "Look, I am confused by your accusations. All I did was agree to dinner. How this became what it is, is solely on you." I answered the golden gaze with my own confidence. "However, I can leave as soon as I finish eating if this is too much of a bother for you. But, then why did you ask me to dinner, Katar? Were you bored with all your free time? Did you just need someone to dine with? Perhaps, you plan to use me as an alibi for a crime."

    "Ms. Athyra, what an imagination you have," he grinned at me.

    Dick move. "Dragons aren''t quite that frivolous, Katar. When my skin changes at least people know I grow scales. What about you? What do people see when your skin changes?"

    Katar just grinned. "You don''t hold back much, do you, Ms. Athrya?"

    "Nope," I replied.

    "Well-"

    "Ready to order?" A young waitress asked interrupting Katar.

    I sighed. It was just getting interesting. "Sure. I want the grilled salmon basted in lemon sauce." Katar ordered a hog chop. The whole time the guy was grinning like a wicked cat from the children''s story. The stupid cat smiled all the damn time until it finally bites everyone. I wanted to kill that cat.

    "Ms. Athrya, let me be straight with you. I know you have been looking for information on a simian shifter. I gather that the town mentioned my family hosting one not long ago, so go ahead and ask me what you want to ask."

    He didn''t flinch as he stared at me while stripping me bare with his words. My intention had been revealed. How to play this was the question. Honesty or semi-honesty is best in this case. "Yes, Katar. I planned to ask about that because I am looking for someone, and she was last seen with a simian beast woman. I just want to find her because my employer wants to buy a magic item she had. I am not as malicious as you seem to believe."

    "So, you say little dragon," Katar said, nonchalantly.

    Now, I know this guy was being an imbecilic ass. Rule one of dealing with dragons is don''t belittle them. This is the second time some idiot was trying to talk down to me. First, there''s the perverted dark elf commanding me, and now a forest elf is talking down to me. Rage coursed through me as a chilling whirlwind erupted from my body. Hard scales erupted from my skin and took root while the whirlwind hurled the dinner table, Katar, and all the furniture in the room against the walls of the building. Glass shattered behind me with the next burst of wind as my icy blue wings tore through my scaly back. The floor froze beneath me. I am tired of hiding, withholding my emotions, and dealing with jerks. This stupid forest elf was just the final drop in the bucket. My humanoid form became lost in an icy fog my dragon form unfolded. As frustration and rage coursed through my blood, my body evolved into the fierce giant it was supposed to be. The whole building collapsed, and the townspeople ran away screaming in fear. A toothy grin enveloped my face looking down on the scrambling little elf.

    ¡°All right, elfie boy,¡± I growled through my teeth. A puff of my chilled breath made the arrogant elf shutter. "No more playing games, right?"

    Katar cringed under my gaze. His fancy words and confidence were nowhere to be seen. This man was nothing more than a melting ice pop. "Tell me, Katar. Where did the simian beast go? I need a little distraction from my growing hunger." My smile stretched open at the quivering elf backing up against the rumble. He stayed silent. "What¡¯s wrong Katar? Never had a lady get serious before?"

    "I would hardly call you a lady, Ms. Athrya," Katar grumbled.

    "Is that so? What might I be then? A monster? A shrew? A descendant of the legendary demon?" I huffed at him.

    Katar shook his head. "None of those describe your sheer pompous, self-absorbed attitude! Clearly, you are nothing more than an entitled dragon flexing her massively, hefty body around to get her way, which I believe makes you a sl-"

    My rage overwhelmed me like a roaring fire. Before I could stop myself, the taste of soured iron flooded my mouth. A warm, red liquid dripped from my mouth. Muscle and bone hung from my teeth. I saw a hand at the end of the flesh in my mouth. Shit. This meat tastes like shit. Elf tastes like shit.

    "Fucking dragon!" Katar exclaimed as he tried to stop his bleeding. I managed to rip his arm clean off his body. "It''s so damn cold it burns!"

    Ugh. I didn''t want to kill Katar. I have already made a huge mess as is. My claw tapped the floor sending out a chilling blast. Katar¡¯s bloody shoulder froze over from my magic. This way the jerk wouldn''t die. "Answer me," I commanded. "Where did the simian beast go?"

    "Why would I tell you?" Katar glared at me in spite.

    My claws pressed down onto his tiny body. "I can squish you like a bug, Katar."

    "Fair point, you big ass lizard." He shouted. "They went south or west possibly.  I don''t remember which."

    My claws began to puncture his skin.  "Remember better."

    "Ahhh. Okay. Ok. West. I think they went west, you damned, scaly fowl."  He muttered.

    My bloody grin reached ear to ear. I picked up the broken elf. Perhaps, I should squish him¡­ No. Too gross. I walked forward and hung him from an ice shard protruding from the ground. Hopefully, this elf wasn''t lying, but at least I got him to talk. My wings stretched out behind me. All my frustration was released as I took off from the ground. A trail of snow fell behind me as I glided through the air. Now, to find Eriz.

 Exhaustion

    Silas POV

    The monkey girl hopped off into the trees, pushing herself as far as she could go. Her whole body had been unsteady from the vomiting, bleeding, and near drowning that I had caused her. If she had only stayed, I could have healed the poor creature. Braxton sat on the ground next to me moping. "Come on, Braxton. We need to get a real bath and a full night of sleep. We are done here for today."

    Braxton looked up at me with tears in his eyes. He looked like a smelly drunk crying over a broken toy. "Why did the fluffy monkey leave, Silas?" He pouted, which looked ridiculous because of his battle scars and a short beard.

    "Honestly, Braxton?" I asked, pitying the state of my dear friend. He still smells of vomit. His eyes stared at me waiting for me to continue. "You scared the monkey away with your desire to play with her."

    "Why is she so scared to play?" He pouted.

    I just shook my head at my drunk friend. The monkey girl was gone, and her wolf "familiar" had run into the cave although I don''t believe that wolf was a familiar at all. Simian beasts typically can''t use summoning magic like that. How could she have a wolf as familiar? Plus, the wolf was using powerful lightning magic, which is impossible for a normal wolf to do. This girl, that wolf, and the missing book must be connected somehow. Didn''t that fairy say the thief used lightning magic? "What kind of magic did the thief use, Braxton?"

    "Thief? Huh?" Braxton looked at me confused.

    I sat him down on the ground. War general, my ass. He can''t hold his liquor just like everyone else. "Focus, Braxton. What magic did the grand fairy say the book thief used against him?"

    "Hmm¡­" Braxton seemed to be thinking hard. "The thief was blasted by the¡­fairy¡¯s lightning magic¡­ I think."

    "Okay, but what magic did the thief use?" I asked again.

    Braxton ran his fingers through his hair. "The same as the fairy¡­maybe¡­"

    Could the wolf be the thief? Now, there''s a wild idea. A wolf with a human-like form is a beast person. But a wolf? None have been seen for centuries. Could one exist? Better yet, can a beast person use lightning magic? I thought their element magic was terrain magic. Is the monkey girl hiding the thief?

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    "Si, can we go back to the guild now?" Braxton said, trying to stand up again.

    Going back to the guild was the last thing that I wanted to do. My instincts told me to chase the wolf into the cave that disappeared or find the monkey girl.

    Braxton tugged on my shirt. "Come on, Si. Help¡­" Braxton let out a large burp. "Me get back to¡­the guild."

    Braxton was pitiful and a deeper shade of green. Damn it. I will just have to hope the monkey girl and her wolf stay put. "Give me your hand." I sighed. With that, I  carried the big, bad, war general of an orc back to the wizard¡¯s guild. I prayed that we didn''t miss our chance.

    Once we reached the guild, Master Renaldy sent for us, but I put Braxton to bed. He had enough excitement for one day. I walked down the stairs of my dorm into the grand courtyard. Master Renaldy''s office was on the west side of the courtyard with the other wizard guild employees. To North of the courtyard were the grand entry, an extensive lobby where job requests and reception took place, and the great dining hall where wizards could eat their fill. To the south of the courtyard were research laboratories, classrooms, practice fields, and the great library where all the wizards could practice their magic. On the east side, is where I was coming from, the dorms and the magic archive. From the outside, the guild looked like a castle or an impenetrable fortress. The thief proved that thought untrue.

    After a maze of hallways, I made it. I dumped my lump of a friend on his bed. I turned him on his side to be sure he didn''t vomit and choke in his sleep. I am not sure when he passed out exactly, but if not for my magic, I would have been crushed under his gigantic weight. My bed caught my fall as I clasped out of exhaustion. So many things flashed through my mind of things I needed to do, but my eyes closed without warning. The day had worn me out.

    A loud pounding stirred me from my slumber. ¡°Silas! Braxton!¡±

    Huh? Who could that possibly be at this hour? No light came through the window, so it must still be night outside. Sitting up in my bed, I glanced over to see Braxton still snoring like nothing was going on. Got to love the effects of overdrinking.

    ¡°Silas! Braxton! Master Renaldy has summoned you!¡± The voice announced through the door.

    I forced my body out of bed and hurried to the door. Opening the door, I saw little Polly Wog, a dwarf research assistant to Master Renaldy. ¡°What in blazes does Master Renaldy want at this hour?¡± I exclaimed at the frustrated little dwarf.

    ¡°You must hurry. Where is Braxton?¡± Polly Wog responded.

    ¡°What does Master Renaldy want?¡± I repeated.

    ¡°For both of you to meet with him, right now.¡± Polly Wog answered.

    I was too tired to do this back-and-forth game with Polly Wog. ¡°Okay. Give me a brief reason why I should drag my hungover, giant, orc friend out of bed.¡±

    Polly Wog looked past me to see Braxton half hanging off his bed while snoring loudly. ¡°Master Renaldy wants to talk about the library thief and a dragon sighting.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t surprised about the first thing, but the second thing didn¡¯t make any sense to me. Dragon sighting? Why would we care about a dragon sighting? Dragons can shift into people forms too, so they usually come and go as they please. ¡°What about a dragon sighting?¡±

    ¡°One nearly destroyed a town last night.¡± Polly Wog stated.

    ¡°Does that mean we are going on a dragon hunt?¡± I asked. My voice became shaky from excitement. Could anyone have imagined that I might get to hunt a dragon in this day and age?

    ¡°Master Renaldy is waiting for you,¡± Polly Wog answered.

    ¡°Fine. I will wake the cranky, hungover orc,¡± I muttered.

 Growls

    Rory POV

    The cave entrance came into view as I trotted forward quietly. It was night outside the cave. Ema wasn¡¯t at our camping spot in the cave, so I approached the entrance slowly to look for her. Sniffing the air, the scent of the forest filled my nose. The stalkers¡¯ gross scent had faded from the area as well as Ema¡¯s scent. All I could hear in the surrounding area were the normal woodland creatures from the tiny little wings of a beetle to the grunting of a deer. There was a slight unnatural rhythm in the trees. A bounding noise on the tree branches echoed into my ears. Emalynn! At least, I hope it''s Ema.

    Ducking back into the cave, I tried to shift back to my human form. Nothing happened. I took a deep breath, focusing hard on my human form. Nothing. Damn it. Switch back body! Staring at my paws, I tried to will them into my hands. Still paws¡­ What the hell? One more time. I focused on my fur. Turn to skin! No burning tingles. No bones cracking. No shifting. Shit!

    My tail fell between my legs as I paced about the cave. My ears drooped behind my head. This was not good. All my shifting has been inconsistent for a while now. Uncle Elias warned me that I could suffer side effects from not returning to my base form. Although forcing myself into this form instead of that frenzy form might have caused this too. There''s too much unknown information.

    "Ro?" Emalynn paused, taking in my worried wolfy appearance. "Why haven¡¯t you shifted back? Those stalkers are gone. I made sure. You''re safe."

    All I could do was whine as I lowered my head. I couldn''t shift. I can''t tell her anything. Damn it.

    Ema just stared at me and waited. Nothing happened. "Do you want me to turn around or something?"

    Her confusion about my situation just made me sad. Looking up at her, all I could do is whine. She can¡¯t even understand me. What can I do? What did Uncle Elias say to do? Come on, Rory, think! My thoughts were interrupted by Ema poking my head.

    ¡°Hello? Are you listening? I am trying to talk to you, fluffy,¡± Ema said.

    I looked at her, but she just kept poking me and calling me fluffy. ¡°Switchback fluffy!¡± She cheered. It wasn¡¯t long before she started messing with my face and tugging on my ears. ¡°Seriously, fluffy, I tracked those guys back to the Wizard¡¯s Guild. They are gone. The big green one is too shit-faced to do anything now anyway. The wizard guy had to carry the loaf into the guild. It was hilarious!¡±

    Did she just say she tracked those stalkers? I am not sure if I should be proud or exasperated with her. Those guys are going to be back. How reckless can she be?

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    ¡°You look like your brain is going to explode, Ro,¡± Ema held my face in her hands. I let out a low growl to show her my disdain. She just raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°Are you stuck as a wolf?¡±

    I let out a whine to answer her.

    ¡°Does that mean yes? This is all confusing without words,¡± Ema sighed. I tilted my head at her. ¡°How about this? Whine for yes and growl for no. Whine if that works for you.¡±

    Finally! We were making progress. I whined. She smiled. Yes! This will work.

    ¡°Are you stuck as a fluffy butt?¡± Ema asked.

    Yes. I whined.

    ¡°Has this happened before?¡±

    I growl at her to tell her no.

    ¡°Does it have to do with your magic?¡±

    I barked at her because, honestly, I have no idea. It¡¯s the most likely cause of my situation, but there is no way to know for sure.

    ¡°What the hell does a bark mean?¡± Her eyebrows furrowed at me. Was Ema that confused by my action? Poor little monkey was thinking so hard about what I could be telling her. ¡°Is that your way of saying I don¡¯t know?¡±

    Yes.

    ¡°Okay. So, you are stuck as a wolf, people are searching for a book thief, which is you, and those men will be back. I think that means we should leave, right? Since you got that book, things have only gotten harder, plus Mr. Applegate is still a loose end out there. We need to go.¡± She verbalized my thoughts exactly.

    Yes.

    ¡°All right, fluffy. Let¡¯s pack and go before the sun rises. We will worry about your wolf form later. Come, my loyal familiar.¡± Ema ruffled my fur before making quick work of our little campsite.

    An hour passed.

    The moon was high above us as we traveled down the road. Ema was happily skipping behind me as if this were a grand adventure. It was nice to see her so carefree after she lectured me for an hour while we packed. I am still in shock that Ema of all people was lecturing me on my reckless actions. She wanted us to leave the cave as badly as I did. Where should we go? I am not sure what we will come across traveling in the cover of the night. We will just keep heading south. I know this turns into dwarf territory eventually, maybe hiding there would be best for a while. Part of me wants to return to White Rapids, but then all the work we have done would mean nothing.

    ¡°So, I was thinking. We could continue this cover story that you are my familiar. We could join a guild for a while. Earn some money while figuring out your peculiar powers. I would like to rent a place with a bathroom. A shower sounds amazing,¡± Ema said.

    All I could do was whine with excitement at the idea of a shower. Joining a guild might be a good idea. It would give us more stability. Could I be a familiar though? Can a simian best summon a familiar? Hmm. We can¡¯t draw attention to ourselves, but I am going to draw attention anywhere I go. My coat is blood red like my hair, and my magic goes bonkers. All of my options are limited until I get control of myself. South to the dwarf territory, we go.

    The path was quiet for a few hours aside from Ema¡¯s random comments and ideas. In short, she wants to build a purple house in a green meadow with money we earn from becoming S-rank adventurers. I am not sure how much of her plan is possible, but for the moment, she is happy. However, my body was tense with my senses on high alert. The feeling that an impending danger was on our heels filled my mind. Something was coming. I heard the roar echo through the night sky. A roar that bellowed and shook the branches of the trees around me. I look behind me to see Ema searching the sky for the source of the roar. Her happy mood had vanished.

    ¡°Ro, was that a dragon roar?¡± Ema said in a low whisper. My friend was startled and angry it seemed. Or was she just frustrated?

    Yes, I whined. Unfortunately, the booming roar did belong to a dragon. Dragons are known to be ruthless and rage driven. Many have died at the claws of a dragon, but I don¡¯t think the dragon was close enough to notice us. What was a dragon doing out here?

 Friend

    Eriz POV

    Dread. Pure dread.

    The moment Ms. Athyra walked out the door with that prideful elf, I knew this date would fall to pieces. We would have to make a getaway. An overwhelming wave of fear consumed me at the thought of Master Talan finding me and drawing me back to his mansion. I would run away if wasn''t for the fact Master Talan would destroy what''s left of my family. I can see my aunt''s face in my mind. She is always having to serve him as a maid and toy for his amusement. Aunt Nefrisse¡­ She¡¯s the one who raised me. Master Talan would gladly torture my aunt to get to me. My hands slammed down on the vanity causing makeup powder to fly in the air and hair brushes to fall. Inhaling the powder, caused me to cough hard. I got control over myself after sitting back on the chair.

    ¡°Ms. Athyra, I don¡¯t think these horrible feelings are a good sign¡­¡± I murmured to no one.

    I know I can¡¯t just sit here. We needed to be ready to run. I wish I could have more faith in Ms. Athyra, but she has been moody since we left White Rapids. She¡¯s talented in everything she does, and she has more than anyone I have seen. However, her emotions tend to rule her actions. Without thinking, I started gathering our bags. We each had one bag, so packing wouldn¡¯t take long although I had to clean up my mess.

    One hour later¡­

    Waiting outside the inn, my anxiety rose. Constantly looking around for an angry dragon was tiring, but I knew we would have to make a quick exit. Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked me onto my side from above. I looked up and saw an ice dragon form. A fierce frosty muzzle exhales a freezing breath on me before swooping me with her claws. My body felt faint as we took off into the air, My stomach dropped. I was never one for thrills, and this seemed like the ultimate thrill. My face was stuck on a stunned expression as I admired her beautiful white scales. They were sharp, elegant, and menacing all at the same time. Her two horns glistened like glass in the moonlight.

    ¡°Eriz, hang on,¡± She called out as she picked up speed.

    Ms. Athyra¡¯s claws were silver with a red stain on them, which made me feel dread all over again. She held me just tight enough that I wasn¡¯t crushed under her strength. Her body was long and sleek with a silver underbelly. Ms. Athyra is a beauty. ¡°You certainly know how to make an entrance, Ms. Athyra,¡± I stammered.

    All she did was huff. There was frustration in her eyes. The date must have crumbled as I predicted. The question was how bad things had things gone. I questioned whether I should say anything, but I was trying to distract myself from how far up I was in the air. The red staining on her claws and muzzle was bothering me though. ¡°Ms. Athyra-¡±

    ¡°Hang on,¡± She grunted as her giant wing thrust us forward.

    My rough hands held tightly to her claw as we spiraled down in a nose dive. I started to scream. ¡°Ok, I want off this ride!¡±

    ¡°Too late,¡± She chuckled.

    After a few successive loops and corkscrews, I began dry heaving. I gurgled and dry heaved as she climbed high through the air. Soaring swiftly through the sky, I could feel the tension in Ms. Athyra begins to melt for the first time in weeks. She looked like she had finally escaped a cage. ¡°Ms. Athyra,¡± I called as her wings finally leveled out. ¡°Mind telling me what happen with Katar?¡±

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    All she did was huff and give me a side glare. ¡°Ms. Athyra?¡± I questioned, quietly, trying not to upset her any further. Rage filled her eyes as she looked down at me. I could see her debating whether to drop me to fall in the forest below. A few silent moments passed before she grunted and turned away from me.

    ¡°Katar was an ass. He knew all I wanted was info and treated me like shit. So, I ripped his arm off to get an answer before picking you up.¡± Ms. Athyra admitted.

    ¡°You ripped his arm off?¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised by that statement.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She grunted. ¡°Got a problem with that?¡±

    My voice was caught in my throat. Did I have a problem with it? I have only known this woman for a few months, and she was quick to let her emotions control her. She has nearly killed me more than once, yet I don¡¯t feel the need to run from her. Honestly, she¡¯s my only hope to rescue my aunt in this situation although I haven¡¯t told her about my aunt yet, either.

    Impatiently, she broke the silence. ¡°He made me, Eriz. That blonde elf was no different from Talan. He wanted to intimidate and control me. I am not going to take his shit. I am not taking anyone¡¯s shit. Deal with it or leave.¡±

    Shit. Katar broke her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me. I knew the prideful elf was a long shot,¡± I answered. ¡°What answer did you get from him?¡±

    Ms. Athyra seemed speechless. She wouldn¡¯t look back at me. Did she think I was that shallow? I am a slave with an obsidian cuff on my wrist permanently. Who could I judge? This icy woman makes me feel like I am the calming woman and she is the raging man. She¡¯s frustrating definitely.

    ¡°West. We are headed west,¡± Ms. Athyra whispered.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied.

    Two hours passed.

    Ms. Athyra had been silent for a long time now. Simply sailing through the night air among the stars. The moon was full in the sky. I don¡¯t know when, but Ms. Athyra had begun to fly southwest. We passed over a few towns and mountains. The land below had been quiet for a while as if the land had gone to sleep, or so I thought.

    Something suddenly came wisping through the air before colliding with the mighty dragon. Next thing I know, Ms. Athyra tightens her grip on me as she lets out a painful roar into the dark sky. What the hell? I finally looked down to the land below, and I saw balls of fire aimed right at us. ¡°Ms. Athyra, get us out of here.¡± She looked down at me and saw the fireballs. She flapped her wings, thrusting us forward. Magic fireballs whipped passed me, and I felt my skin begin to burn. Ms. Athyra¡¯s claws were singed by the fire and beginning to bleed. Are we going to die? Blasts of magic fire followed us as we tried to escape.

    ¡°Eriz,¡± Ms. Athyra said, seriously. ¡°I am not going to run. I am going to fight back without holding back.¡±

    Why was she acting like this? If she wants to fight back, she can. Is it because someone might die? Sad as that is, I don¡¯t want either of us to die. ¡°Do what you have to, Ms. Athyra,¡± I answered. I kept my gaze as reassuring as I could. She wasn¡¯t in this alone.

    Without hesitation, I watched her unleash her ice upon the ground. There were faint screams below from our attackers. Ms. Athyra moved like the wind as she dodged their magic blasts. She tucked, rolled, flipped, and dived through the sky like a white stream of light among the stars. The battle was over in a flash after a few ice blasts blanketed the forest where our attackers were hiding. Ms. Athyra roared to the moon in victory as she flew away from the Enchanted Forest. We were safe.

    Ms. Athyra stopped in the middle of the sky without warning.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I called out to Ms. Athyra.

    ¡°I thought our attackers were behind us, but I sense strong magic ahead. I think it might be a magical item,¡± Ms. Athyra stared at the ground with concern. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if they are with our attackers or not.¡±

    ¡°Could it be our targets?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°No,¡± Ms. Athyra answered. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let it be this easy to find them. Not after two months of chasing them. Right?¡±

    I looked down to see an arrow headed straight toward me. Covering my face with my arms, I felt the arrow burrow into my arm. I felt the tip of the arrowhead hit my bone. Pain filled my body as I screamed. Blood spilled out of my arm onto Ms. Athyra¡¯s claw. I could feel Ms. Athyra¡¯s eyes on me as I pulled the arrow from my arm while groaning from the pain. After the arrow was dislodged, I tore my sleeve and used it as a bandage. I knew this wouldn¡¯t be enough to heal my wound, but at least, I could try to stop the bleeding. Who the hell fired an arrow at me?

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ms. Athyra questioned. She hadn¡¯t moved the entire time I had been dressing my wound.

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Athyra. I will be fine, but I need to dress the wound better,¡± I replied, hoping to calm the raging ice dragon. ¡°Who hit me with an arrow, and why did they fire at me?¡±

    Ms. Athyra breathed out a chilled mist. Anger rolled off her in waves. Whoever had fired that arrow was about to wish they never had. This ice dragon was about to tear apart the forest below. Should I try to stop her?

    ¡°Three times today, I have been assaulted. First, the bastard, Katar, tried to assault me with words, the relentless fire wizards tried to burn me, and now, a sneaky archer attacks¡­ It ends now. The archer hurt my friend, and I won¡¯t stand for it,¡± She roared.

 Arrow

    Emalynn POV

    The forest shook. My legs knocked together as I heard Rory whine a ¡®yes,¡¯ confirming that I was seeing a huge ass dragon. Why can¡¯t we catch a damn break? On instinct, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and drew my bow. The sky beast was in my sights. A swift exhale- ¡°Ro!¡± I exclaimed as she knocked into me. ¡°Shit.¡±

    And, in an instant, the arrow flew from my bow. No control. No clear target. Just a loose arrow fired into the night sky. We watched as my arrow flew directly toward the right, front hand¡­paw¡­ or is it a claw? Hell! It hit the foot of the damn thing. The sky was silent for a moment as the white dragon floated in the air. Ro growled next to me and tugged on my cloak with her teeth. My eyes stayed on the dragon. It looked sharp, clean like a new blade in a weapon¡¯s shop. My admiration came to an end when Ro dragged me deep into the forest.

    We heard the bellows of the dragon through the forest as it dove down toward the ground. Ro kept pulling me forward into the thick of the woods, trying to put as much distance between the dragon and us. At some point, she gave up on pulling me along and just threw me on her back, which was probably for the best. I was frozen. My thoughts just couldn¡¯t connect. The image of the dragon wouldn¡¯t get out of my head. I shot an arrow at a dragon. What the hell Emalynn! Why couldn¡¯t I leave the damn thing alone? We just escaped danger, and now, I have brought us into something worse.

    Ro whined at me. I think she wanted me to hold on tighter, but I couldn¡¯t be sure. My arms tightened around my friend as she bounded through the dark like it was her home. Has she been here before? Had I? All I could see was Ro¡¯s red fur. It made me miss her black fur. She was still fluffy and warm, though. Gripping tighter to Ro, I closed my eyes hoping this whole situation was a dream.

    Rooooaaaarrr!

    Shit. Shit. Shit. It¡¯s not a dream. It¡¯s a living nightmare with sharp teeth and a deafening roar. The dragon was closing on the forest. It was closing in on us. What could we do? My thoughts are a jumbled mess. Suddenly, I felt little shocks in my fingers. It was painful and hot, forcing me to release my grip on Ro¡¯s fur. The heat was building up in her fur. I could feel my body sweat from the heat as I struggled to stay on her back. Ro didn¡¯t slow in her speed, but she began to growl. Her growl was fierce and on-yielding as she cocked her head to the side to look at the dragon behind us. More growls, more roars, I was beginning to believe I might go deaf being between the two of them. They were sizing each other up, and I was in the way.

    Ro barked at me as we began to zig-zag through the thick overgrown brush. She wanted me to be ready, I think. Was she going to drop me? Am I just dead weight right now? No. I won¡¯t let myself be deadweight. I am an archer and a simian beast, and I can hold my own. Or, at least I was going to try. The brush began to clear ahead. My tail twitched with anticipation. Time to jump. I felt Ro¡¯s body begin to turn beneath me, and I took that moment to jump into the tree while the dragon was focused on following Rory. The crackle and dryness of the air made my fur stand on end as Rory moved to confront the angered dragon. I took the moment to climb to the peak of the tree.

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    The giant dragon lowered its head, long tendrils of frosty breath escaping from its nostrils as it gazed unblinkingly at the charging figure before it. Rory, with eyes that blazed like the rising sun and electricity crackling in her fur, rushed forward to dart beneath the white dragon. A frosty fog floated out of the giant¡¯s nostrils. I think the giant, white dragon was a frost dragon, which could be problematic for Rory. Her powers were new and untested. Rory has no control over anything when it comes to her magic. Could her lightning beat a mighty dragon¡¯s ice?

    The forest was quiet, except for the sound of leaves crunching underfoot and the flash of claws and teeth as Rory rushed in, lightning magic sparking from her jaws. The ice dragon huffed a plume of icy breath as Rory leaped toward the dragon, preparing to strike. With a swift movement, the snow-white dragon lifted its mighty paw and swatted Ro away, sending her tumbling through the air. The size of the dragon had Ro¡¯s little red wolf form at a disadvantage, but watching her crash into a giant tree trunk made me cringe. I could hear the cracks in her bones as I watched from the tree top. This dragon was going to kill my best friend.

    Drawing my bow, I aimed my bow and arrow at the dragon, hoping to end the conflict before anyone was hurt. Before I could release my arrow, the dragon let loose a blast of frost that sent me tumbling into the tree branches. I became tangled in the branches and forced to watch my friend battle the dragon alone. Rory bounced back to her feet, electricity arcing from her fur as she reentered the fray. The ice dragon roared in fury, leaning back as it prepared to unleash a fiery breath attack. Rory was too quick for the dragon as she was already summoning a lightning bolt that slammed into the dragon''s chest, causing it to stagger. The frost dragon flew toward the forest floor, crushing the forest beneath it and allowing it to gently place something on the ground.

    My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I realized the dragon had put a person on the ground in the crushed forest. Why did the dragon have a person? Damn, the person looked hurt. Wait¡­ Did I? Was it my arrow that hurt the person down there? My ears drooped to the side of my head and my tail waved around frantically. I had hit an innocent person out of fear. Shit. This was all my fault. I wiggled around trying to break free of the branches, but I didn¡¯t budge. Why am I messing shit- My pity party ended dramatically when I saw the dragon continue its fight with Rory who had been trying to store up magic without the dragon noticing.

    Claws clashed against scales, frost met electricity, and the night was illuminated by flashes of fire and lightning. As the moon began to sink below the horizon and the sky began to brighten with the first rays of dawn, the battle reached its climax. The ice dragon''s powerful wings beat furiously, sending gusts of frost in all directions. Rory''s fur stood on end as she summoned a final burst of lightning magic, and with a mighty roar, the two beasts charged forward to meet each other head-on. With a blinding flash of light, the two collided, each equally matched in power and skill. But in a surprising twist, the ice dragon spread her wings at the last moment, enveloping both herself and the red wolf in a powerful burst of icy breath that encased them in a cocoon of frost.

    Above me, the dragon and Rory were frozen in ice. Below me, a person was in pain, laying on the demolished forest floor. In front of me, dawn was splashing colors of warmth and light over the icy battleground. What could I do besides keep trying to escape the twisted branches that held me captive? Things seemed lost. I wasn¡¯t sure how Rory would survive this, but the droplets of sunlight on my face made me feel warm. The sun would eventually melt the ice, but I wasn¡¯t sure Rory could stay alive that long. Beams of sunlight poured over the enormous rock of ice as the ice began to melt.

    It was a race against time for their lives.

    At least, that¡¯s what I thought until the party of wizards appeared out of the shadows of the forest. They were probably here to slay the dragon. Finding the ice cocoon must be shocking for them. A familiar scent wafted through the air. Sweaty, alcoholic¡­ the big brute! Great. Now, they will probably find me, a tiny, adorable monkey, trying to free myself from the tree branches. That would be embarrassing¡­ Forget this. Forcing a shift, my larger simian form broke the branches holding me. How was I going to deal with the ice block, the frost dragon, my best friend slowly dying in the ice, a party of wizards, and the stalkers that were in the party of wizards? All of this happened because I shot a freaking arrow. Damn.

 Fate

    Silas POV

    The air was frigid. I could sense the enormous amount of magic permeating in the air. The power behind the magic was even grander than I imagined a dragon could be capable of utilizing. The frigid air meant we were about to encounter a frost dragon, but there was a familiar energy mixed in with the frost dragon¡¯s magic. I know I have felt this power before. As the party neared the center of the magic residue, I noticed the scorch marks on the trees and brush. I had seen this somewhere¡­recently. It wasn¡¯t fire magic.

    ¡°Silas, I can smell our friend from yesterday nearby,¡± Braxton whispered.

    Friend? Did he mean the monkey girl from the forest? Wait. Scorch marks¡­lightning. It¡¯s the wolf with the red lightning! What were they doing with a giant frost dragon? ¡°Do you smell her companion, the red wolf?¡± I asked him to confirm.

    ¡°Sort of. It¡¯s here, but it smells off for some reason. Almost like it¡¯s covered in snow.¡± Braxton looked perplexed at the thinning forest in front of us.

    Beyond the scarred trees, was a battlefield covered in smashed forest and fresh snow. In the middle, a giant sphere of ice towered over the whole field. Magic was emanating from inside the sphere. The wizards began to mumble to themselves in awe of giant ice magic. Master Renaldy stood out in front examining the snowy sphere. No one knew what it was other than it held immense magic inside of it. Master Renaldy called out for options and theories as to what happened here. The only problem is the party was full of battle magic users, not many of them knew any magic or knowledge to help with an explanation.

    I have a theory, but I am pretty sure Braxton wouldn¡¯t want me to mention the girl from yesterday. Braxton gave me a look that said he didn¡¯t like the eerie feeling settling over the icy battlefield, or that his cute little monkey friend was in the area. None of this was thrilling for me either. Master Renaldy was sure we knew more than Braxton and I told him, which was getting on my nerves. However, I was more annoyed with the fact we hadn¡¯t seen the dragon yet. It should be right here. All I could see was a sphere full of ice. Dawn finally rolled up over the treetops and higher into the sky, which is when things became complicated and my theory was confirmed. On the ice, I saw the frost dragon at odds with a huge, familiar red wolf.

    ¡°Is that a dragon fighting a red wolf?¡± Polly Wog asked.

    ¡°What a discovery!¡± Master Renaldy cheered. ¡°The dragon has trapped itself for us to capture.¡±

    ¡°How are we going to capture those two, master? They are frozen in a ball of ice,¡± Analee Himera asked.

    ¡°We can kill them,¡± Polly Wog suggested.

    ¡°Now, there¡¯s an idea. We are on a dragon hunt after all!¡± Master Renaldy smiled at the excited wizards.

    Kill them? They wanted to study dead magical beings. You can¡¯t take good samples from dead beings. Killing them this way would be murder. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Surely, you jest, Master Renaldy. We can learn much more from these creatures if they are alive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. But how would we catch them, Silas? We came here to stop a rampaging dragon. We all agreed to stop it by any means necessary,¡± Analee Himera replied.

    Master Renaldy approached the ice block. He seemed lost in thought as the rest of the group began to argue about the fate of these creatures. Honestly, I don¡¯t care what others think. I know the red wolf and white dragon wouldn¡¯t allow themselves to die or be captured. All of this arguing is pointless. A fog was beginning to flow off the ice block as the sun started melting the ice. Another chilly wave of air sank toward us. Master Renaldy seemed to shiver from the cold air. Was he waiting for something? There¡¯s a group of wizards feuding behind him because he won¡¯t lead them one way or another. I question how he got to be so high-ranked, but I am more concerned about what he¡¯s thinking.

    Braxton shifted behind me, watching the trees. I felt someone¡¯s eyes on me. It had to be that girl from yesterday. I know Braxton wants to protect this girl on some level, but yesterday she was uncouth. I don¡¯t feel the desire to protect her if she decides to show her face. Although, I might be able to get my answers from her if I do help her. I swear it feels like fate is messing with me with its tempting possibilities. Yet, there is no guarantee that she will come out. Why haven¡¯t the other wizards detected her? She¡¯s been running around in the trees for a while now. It¡¯s like she is trying to hunt us or something. Wait¡­is she hunting us?

    ¡°By my calculations, the ice block should be completely melted by midday with some magical help. Given the thickness of the ice, the dragon has barely become an adult. A fully grown, experienced frost dragon would have created an ice block, so thick it would have taken months to thaw,¡± Master Renaldy explained. ¡°Still, this young dragon is strong, and the dragon is not afraid of bloodshed. It nearly killed the son of Pine Row¡¯s governor. What¡¯s to stop the dragon from attacking if we keep it alive?¡±

    ¡°What if the dragon doesn¡¯t want anything to do with us?¡± Braxton challenged. ¡°What if both these creatures mean no harm? You want to capture or kill these creatures without knowing anything about them.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Come now, war general, Surely, you want to do what¡¯s best for the troops,¡± Master Renaldy started baiting Braxton. ¡°We all know that you specialize in light magic. Couldn¡¯t you just melt all this ice away?¡±

    I watched Braxton¡¯s face change from cautious to annoyed. It''s no secret Braxton is proficient in some magic. How else would he have joined a wizard¡¯s guild with me? Still, he uses magic to make weapons or manipulate the battlefield. He doesn¡¯t just make sunlight appear besides fire magic would be more effective. Master Renaldy can see Braxton shifting next to me, trying to hold back. Master Renaldy was becoming a pain in my ass.

    "There¡¯s no battle here for our troops, only a score those beasts were trying to settle. I do not see this as war. Have you ever met a dragon, Master Renaldy?" Braxton did his best to keep his voice steady. "They are not monsters like you are making this frost dragon to be. The few I have met are greedy but respectable if given the chance."

    Master Renaldy didn''t falter at Braxton¡¯s words. "Interesting point of view, Braxton, but I wonder if Silas agrees. See, the young man this dragon attacked is an elf like you, Silas. What''s going to stop the dragon from harming you?"

    "The red wolf will," I replied. "The frost dragon is already locked in battle with this wolf. How the wolf has survived against a frost dragon is a mystery to me, but the wolf looks determined not to lose. I would wager these two will continue their battle when they are free."

    Master Renaldy''s smile dimmed. My answer was not what he was hoping for from me. I suppose he was wanting to use me to manipulate Braxton, but I don¡¯t play petty games like that. This man may be a master of magic, but he is quick to betray an ally. I regret agreeing to come on this dragon-hunting quest. It¡¯s all drama and no adventure. The red wolf¡¯s appearance has been the only highlight of this whole thing.

    ¡°The red wolf shouldn¡¯t be much of a match against a frost dragon, though,¡± Polly Wog interjected. ¡°How could a simple wolf do any damage to a frost-powered giant?¡±

    Suddenly, the trees above me rustled from movement as the monkey girl finally made herself known. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the amber-furred simian in front of us. The girl looked back at us with a fierce expression. Her hand gripped tightly around her bow and the other held an arrow ready to fire at any of us. ¡°These creatures are none of your concern. Leave,¡± She gritted her teeth at us.

    Master Renaldy looked at the girl curiously. ¡°You must be mistaken, girl. We have been commissioned to capture or kill the dragon in that ice block. I assume your guild received a similar request, right? That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you, blabbermouth,¡± the simian girl answered. Her tail twitched as she zeroed in on Master Renaldy. ¡°Leave.¡±

    ¡°I have a job to do, young lady. Stand down,¡± Master Renaldy demanded.

    Braxton tensed behind me. I knew he wanted to rush toward that little monkey because he had the same face he gets when he plays with puppies. It¡¯s like their cuteness begs him to protect them although I had a feeling this girl could save herself in a fight. I didn¡¯t know much about her, but this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to find out more. Before I could speak, another voice cut in.

    ¡°Why do you want us to leave, monkey girl?¡± Analee Himera asked, crossing her arms. ¡°We can just give you a cut of the reward.¡±

    ¡°Leave,¡± she commanded, raising her bow to aim at the next person who questioned her.

    Braxton seemed to be impressed by the girl¡¯s confidence since she stood up to Master Renaldy and Analee with ease. I needed to figure out a way out of this without anyone getting hurt. The girl would be the only way to keep that damn wolf from attacking me again. The bite on my arm was still fresh from yesterday, and I didn¡¯t need a repeat. ¡°We wil-¡±

    ¡°You have no claim here,¡± Master Renaldy was irritated.

    Time was running out to resolve this conflict, but I was struggling to get word. The girl was impatient. Braxton was gearing for battle behind me to defend his little crush. Polly Wog and Analee were ready to move. We didn¡¯t need to battle here.

    ¡°I have asked three times,¡± her tail snapped, punctuating her words. ¡°You appear to be wizards¡­then you should respect my claim here. The red wolf is my familiar.¡±

    Could this be an opening? ¡°I thought I had seen this wolf before,¡± I said. All eyes turned to me. This is good. Now, I controlled the narrative. ¡°You must be the huntress who lives in the Evergreen Forest.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow at me before speaking. ¡°You must be the man that got himself bitten trying to pet my companion. Didn¡¯t anyone teach you not to spook unsuspecting, woodland animals?¡±

    Seriously? That¡¯s what we are going with. Ugh. ¡°Well, Braxton just thought Little Red was adorable, so we had to chance it.¡± I pulled Braxton forward with my arm on his shoulder. ¡°My buddy is a sucker for cute animals. He just gets this desire to love on them.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you know her?¡± Analee asked.

    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s the cute monkey girl!¡± Braxton exclaimed, shocking everyone.

    Master Renaldy shook his head in disbelief. ¡°So the wolf is this girl¡¯s familiar, and you knew all along?¡±

    ¡°Suspected and confirmed upon her appearance in front of us, Master Renaldy,¡± I answered.

    He rubbed his temple.¡°What¡¯s your name girl?¡¯

    ¡°Emera,¡± she answered.

    Braxton gave a goofy smile to Emera. I could see he wanted to say a lot of things to her that shouldn¡¯t be said here. My poor infatuated friend was losing it. ¡°Emera, we were commissioned to take down the dragon. I am sure that no one here will touch Red once we get Red out of the ice. Will you guys?¡±

    ¡°We are only interested in the dragon but do tell us how your wolf got into it with a dragon. Also, how is the wolf not dead?¡± Master Renaldy questioned.

    Something about his question bothered me. The look in his eyes read greedily to me. I signaled Braxton to watch him. Master of magic, sure, but the man was a rat. Anything Emera says, this man will use against her. I did my best to hint to her to be careful of her answer. The girl blinked twice at me. What that meant, I wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°The beast landed on us,¡± she said.

    That was a good answer. No weaknesses were revealed in that answer.

    ¡°How did you two survive?¡± Master Renaldy pressed.

    ¡°Skill and a desire to live,¡± she shrugged. Her tail flicked with boredom at his words as if it should have been obvious. ¡°Any more questions?¡± she yawned.

    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Master Renaldy said unamused.

    ¡°Great. You wizards get the fire magic going while the big brute and I prepare to attack,¡± she commanded. She took Braxton up into the trees without another word, leaving the rest of us to stare at each other.

    ¡°Did that just happen?¡± Analee asked.

    Polly Wog turned to me, ¡°You actually know her?¡±

    ¡°Yes and yes. Here¡¯s the bite mark her wolf gave me,¡± I unwrapped my arm to show them the recent bite. ¡°It¡¯s all true.¡±

    ¡°Is it just me or is Bruting Braxton smitten with the monkey?¡± Analee asked.

    ¡°Uh-¡±

    ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s just get our dragon,¡± Master Renaldy grumbled.

    We watched him walk over to the ice block and start blasting fire magic at it. The three of us chuckled and shrugged. Emera got the better of Master Renaldy, and I was slowly getting answers about Emera. It was all beginning to work out. The dragon and wolf no longer had a death sentence hanging over their heads. They had a chance to live since Emera was in control of the beasts¡¯ fate now.

 Brute

    Emalynn POV

    Leaping into the treetop, the brute slowly followed behind me. The brute was strong, pulling himself up onto each branch with ease. However, the big lug was unsteady as he attempted to reach for the next branch. Why did I need this lug¡¯s help again? Oh, that¡¯s right. Elf boy and the lug are trying to help me, I think. Elf boy is hard to understand sometimes. I bet Uncle Elias could get him to loosen up his upper-class pants. I wish Uncle Elias were here to help me save Ro. Stupid white dragon. Stupid me for shooting that arrow.

    The big oaf finally caught up to me at the biggest branch I could find. I didn¡¯t want him to break any branches with his giant orc size. We were about forty feet up from the ground and three trees over from where I left the wizards. I left in a hurry because I didn¡¯t want to argue with that old man any longer.  Being a good distance away, I was pretty sure the wizards couldn¡¯t hear me if I spoke since none of them were beast folk. Suddenly, I was very appreciative of my classes at Myra¡¯s academy. They were proving useful, finally¡­

    ¡°So, Emera,¡± the brute whispered to me. ¡°I think we have some things to discuss.¡±

    My skin felt irritated when he said my cover name. It bothered me until I noticed his demeanor had changed. He turned very serious with his expression. His whole persona changed from slob barbarian to smart and confident. It was impressive. ¡°So the slob can be more than a brute? Well, this might be interesting after all.¡± My tail gave away my curiosity with how it bounced and curled about. I still don¡¯t like this guy since he made me throw up though.

    ¡°Call me Braxton,¡± His voice was stern as if he disapproved of my tone. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Emera?¡±

    There he goes with his serious tone, but in my head, I can only see the clumsy drunk that swung me around like a doll. ¡°To get my familiar back alive.¡±

    ¡°That sounds more like an end goal,¡± the brute answered. He slowly sat himself down on the branch next to me. Braxton as he wishes to be called nearly slipped four times trying to sit down. I couldn¡¯t hold back a chuckle as he fell on his butt on the branch. All his tumbling about shook the branch alerting everyone to our location. I was able to stay steady thanks to my incredible balancing skills. Braxton was not as lucky. His hands had a deadlock grip on the branch.

    ¡°You¡¯re not graceful at all.¡± Leaning back against the trunk of the tree, I gave him a small smile. ¡°If I simply poke your back, you scramble to steady yourself. Do orcs not climb trees? With your forest green skin, I imagine that you would blend in easily.¡±

    If it were possible, I think his grip had tightened on the branch. He gave me a confused look. ¡°We are supposed to be making plans, and you want to know if orcs climb trees?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a yes or no question. I already know you aren¡¯t a climber, brute. You are clumsy, heavy, you like to drink, and you find fluffy things cute. Oh, and you can¡¯t hold your liquor worth a damn.¡± I guess I am still angry from our previous encounter. Part of me was still seething that the elf guy mistook me for a man, and both of them caused Ro to rampage into the cave. She has been stuck in her wolf form since those guys followed me.

    Braxton¡¯s gray eyes looked hurt at my words. ¡°Right. Sorry about all that the other day¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry doesn¡¯t make up for the mess you guys left me with,¡± I mutter. I was bitter over the last two days, which started with them stalking me. ¡°You followed me from a pub, messed with my companion, and got me injured. Sorry doesn¡¯t mean much.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    His gray began to tear up. He was truly sorry. ¡°I wish things had gone better.¡±

    For some reason, his sad face was bothering me even though I was the one squished, swung, vomited on, and injured by those two boneheads. How could this guy look so sad? He¡¯s an adult, and much older than me by the looks of it. Ugh. I should have picked the fancy elf. ¡°Would you stop looking so sad? Aren¡¯t you an adult?¡± I teased.

    He looked surprised at my words. Braxton blinked away his sadness. ¡°Um, yes. I am a twenty-five-year-old adult, but that doesn¡¯t change how I acted the other day, Emera.¡±

    ¡°Would you stop saying my name like that? It feels like sandpaper on my skin.¡± I replied. The way he said my name felt weird. It wasn¡¯t rude, but it felt personal, which is weird since I barely know him. Of course, it could be the fact it wasn¡¯t my real name to begin with. Maybe that¡¯s why it bothered me so much. Not to mention that the temperature around us was beginning to get warmer. The cool atmosphere from the giant ice block was fading quickly.

    ¡°Honestly, I am just saying your name normally.¡± He was beginning to look uncomfortable due to the heat as he readjusted his posture. The heat seemed to remind him why we were up in the tree in the first place. ¡°Anyway, what are we going to do once the wizards break the ice open? You said we would attack. How? A dragon is hard to beat even with your familiar,¡± Braxton questioned.

    I guess I need to tell him. ¡°Your elf friend can use healing magic, right?¡±

    ¡°We both can. Why?¡± he looked at me with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°That works out even better.¡± I smiled. With his help, I could fix the problem I caused. ¡°How long until they melt the ice?¡±

    ¡°Considering it just got a lot warmer around here, maybe an hour.¡± Braxton wiped the sweat from his brow.

    I hadn¡¯t realized the wizards had already started the heat spells. We would need to hurry and help that person the dragon put down on the forest floor. ¡°Come on. We need to move quickly.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting how easily I fall over,¡± Braxton looked down, causing him to feel nervous.

    Shaking my head at him, I popped up from my spot on the branch and helped the orc to his feet. Braxton took my hand reluctantly. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another way to travel besides treetops?¡±

    ¡°I am a simian beast. This is the only way I travel,¡± I smirk. His grip was tight on my hand as he steadied himself on the branch. Braxton didn¡¯t seem to appreciate my humor as he gave me a look that was meant to intimidate me. I giggled. ¡°Scaredy cat.¡±

    His glare intensified. ¡°I hate heights,¡± Braxton responded.

    ¡°Come on, Braxton. Let¡¯s go.¡± He didn¡¯t trust the branch holding us as he crept toward the edge of the branch, but we didn¡¯t have time to go slow. ¡°Okay, brute. Let¡¯s try this another way. You like cute things right?¡±

    His gray eyes smiled at my words. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at him. If I had time, I would mess with this guy. I can tell by his reactions that I could spend a long time getting a laugh out of the things he does. ¡°I believe you called me cute multiple times. Think you can focus on my cute, fluffy self?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah! I mean¡­ yes, I can¡­¡± His green cheeks turned red.

    Now this was entertaining. ¡°Watch me. Focus. Move when I do. As long as you stay in sync with me, I can help you through the treetops.¡± He looked at me in disbelief as if my plan was impossible. ¡°Braxton, trust me.¡± I took the brute¡¯s large hand and pulled the giant forward as we leaped from branch to branch. It was easy to get in sync with him. His eyes were focused on me as I guided him through the trees. For a second, it was like we were in a trance and his trust in me was infinite. We were one. It bothered me how this stalker had become my ally so easily within a few days. The whole situation felt weird. Luckily, it didn¡¯t take long to reach the guy on the forest floor.

    Braxton jumped down to the ground with me. He was confused by the man laying on the ground in front of us. All he could see was an unconscious man that was bleeding. The hot air around us seemed to make his injury worse than when I last saw him as well. ¡°This is our plan. The dragon carefully laid this man down on the ground before chasing after us last. It seems I accidentally shot the guy with an arrow.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to lie about the gravity of the situation to Braxton. We both needed this guy to heal to avoid the dragon¡¯s wrath.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± He looked at me in disbelief. ¡°You caused all this?¡± He gestured to the melting ice block and the destruction of the forest around us. ¡°With a misfired arrow?¡±

    Wait. Was this scaredy cat of a brute about to lecture me? Oh heck no. Ro was going to scold me already. I was not about to listen to him drone on and on.¡°Story later. Heal now.¡± I reminded him.

    ¡°Fine, but I have to say you are less cute right now and more of a pain in the ass.¡± He teased as he knelt next to the man.

    Braxton turned serious again as he examined his patient. Blood was seeping out of the wound, and the man¡¯s breath was shallow. The man¡¯s body was sweaty and pale in complexion. I hoped that there wasn¡¯t an infection in the man¡¯s wound. After assessing his patient, the brute didn¡¯t look confident, which made me feel sick to my stomach with guilt. Braxton didn¡¯t waste a minute as I saw soft glowing light envelop his hands.

    ¡°Your plan might work if the dragon actually cares for this guy,¡± Braxton gave me a small smile. ¡°I just hope I can save him.¡±

 Ice Block

    Rory POV

    Cold. That¡¯s all I could feel around me. The ice was gnawing away at my bones now. I was past a simple chill against my fur. Damn, dragon. It froze us before I could make contact with its underbelly. The large white wings enveloped us both. I couldn¡¯t see nor move in this damn ice block. This dragon was trying to kill me by freezing to death. I remember from the guild¡¯s academy that dragons can go into hibernation in extreme weather situations and come out just fine. The only thing keeping me alive right now was the electric plus of magic flowing through me from my mother¡¯s ring.

    My fur might be keeping me warm, but I longed for the ability to speak in my human form. If I had been able to speak, Ema wouldn¡¯t have shot that damn arrow. I wouldn¡¯t have been thrown into a fight with a frost dragon. I could have protected Ema from those damn stalkers that followed her to the cave. If only I had more control over my emotions to prevent my transformations and magic from exploding, then I wouldn¡¯t be stuck as a wolf. If only I didn¡¯t have a frenzy mode to transform into¡­ I wish I could scream. Hell, I would settle for growling at this point, but it¡¯s far too cold to use that much energy.

    What a journey Ema and I have had. It¡¯s been one thing after another. Ema was forced to mature in ways I hadn¡¯t expected. We counted on my crazy magic in ways we hadn¡¯t expected. Sleeping on the ground became far too normal for us. We became the adults making decisions on what happens next, and I wish we were still at the guild where we had guidance and advice. I long for my bedroom at the guild where I could just stretch out and relax. I miss my raven curls and blue eyes. I miss Ema¡¯s fluffy white fur and running from Guildmaster Myra. I want all of it back. Being twenty-one is hard. I have been on my own for the most part for a year, but I wasn¡¯t being hunted like now. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t be freezing to death if I had made a better plan.

    I wonder if Ema is frozen. She would be dead if she was¡­ If she is, I hope I can freeze to death too. I don¡¯t want to keep running on my own. Besides, my death would mean safety for everyone I love. Should I just give in to the cold? It wouldn¡¯t matter if I am a hybrid if I freeze to death, right?

    Although¡­what if Ema isn¡¯t frozen? She could be trying to find a way to thaw this damn ice block right now.

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    Ugh. What is humming noise?

    Shit. What¡¯s that voice?

    Shut up. All I have heard for hours is constant humming! Just shut up already.

    I will talk when I want. It¡¯s my head after all.

    Stupid wolf. I am not some voice in your pathetic head.

    What are you then, smart ass?

    I am Athyra, the frost dragon. Why am I stuck with a brainless animal?

    The frost dragon that I fought and got encased in an ice block with is talking to me¡­ Is that even possible? I thought dragons just hibernated in cold weather to preserve their life force. That¡¯s what I was taught at the academy. However, I suppose dragon knowledge would technically be incomplete because dragons are a secretive species. This frost dragon isn¡¯t friendly though, so if we are stuck here for a long time, this could become torture for both of us.

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    Shut the hell up! I was angry before you started speaking because of the incessant humming of your thoughts, but your voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

    So, you only heard a humming noise from my thoughts earlier? You couldn¡¯t make out any words?

    That¡¯s what I just said! Damn it. I wish those dumb wizards would hurry up and break the ice.

    Break the ice¡­ Someone is trying to get us out of here? Wait. How are we even talking?

    Use your brain, idiot. Your magic collided with mine and created this weird connection. The magic from you feels weird in a way I can¡¯t explain, but it isn¡¯t normal. And, yes, wizards are trying to melt my ice.

    Oh. Magic is unpredictable, especially with me.

    So, we agree. This is all your fault.

    Mostly, my fault. I am not responsible for the giant ice block, and you can cut the insults, snow lizard.

    Not likely, stupid wolf. And, just like I am not responsible for your freaking arrow¡­

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    I could feel the dragon seething through her words. She was angry although I would be too if someone hit me with an arrow. I have a feeling the moment the ice breaks she will try to kill me again. She could be the very thing that kills me even in my frenzy form. I barely survived in this wolf form as is. There had to be a way to keep from dying today. Since the dragon hasn¡¯t mentioned anyone else, I believe that means Ema is safe. I won¡¯t die here.

    The frost dragon¡­Athyra, I think she said her name was. She said wizards were trying to melt her ice. Where did wizards even come from? Ema wouldn¡¯t have brought them here. Not after those stalkers yesterday. There¡¯s a chance they stumbled upon the battle scene or they saw the magic from our battle and got curious. The real question is what do they want. They have some reason for wasting magic on this ice block. Maybe they want Athyra? Dragon items are worth a ton of money, and they can use some of her scales and stuff for potions. It would make sense their main goal is to catch or kill her, and I am probably a bonus prize to them. Shit. Either way, I have to fight my way out of here. Maybe Athyra has a plan¡­

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    So, Athyra.

    Why are you talking again? I was thankful for the humming instead of your voice. Leave me alone.

    Wish I could, but we share a connection as you said.

    An unfortunate happenstance.

    I sense you are still angry about the arrow. I will apologize for that. I didn¡¯t want to disturb you last night.

    Hogshit!

    I probably deserve that, but maybe we should focus on the problem at hand.

    You are my problem. Stupid, inconsiderate wolf. Wolves don¡¯t usually have magic like this! No one has this weird magic that I sense from you. It¡¯s like it''s older than you somehow. Why did we have to run into you?

    Did you say we?

    No. Just leave me alone.

    What did you mean by we? Were you not alone last night?

    What does that matter? I distinctly remember you having someone with you last night. The archer was a monkey if I recall.

    Did the arrow hit your companion instead of you?

    Is your monkey still alive?

    Is your companion still alive?

    Just shut up and leave me alone.

    Wait! What about those wizards? Aren¡¯t they also your problem?

    Not even close. They are simply targets for my ice. Now, shut up and let me sleep.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    I guess I am on my own when the ice breaks. Athyra is more than angry at me. I think she is livid with me because Ema¡¯s arrow hit her companion. If she does kill me, she will go after Ema in a heartbeat. How can I save Ema like this? A group of wizards and an ice dragon are trying to kill me. Even in frenzy form, I don¡¯t think I can get out of this one like I did before.

    Athyra has incredible power to the point she can sense the magic I use is old. If she wasn¡¯t so livid, I would probably be in deeper shit than I already am because of how intuitive Athyra is. If we stay like this too long, she might just figure out what I am hiding. That''s a whole other set of problems that I will have to deal with including Athyra trying to kill me and the wizards trying to trap me. I have been in hard spots before, but this feels like a new low. All I can do is plan and pray until this ice block breaks.

 Shattered Ice

    Athyra POV

    It¡¯s her. This wolf has to be Talan¡¯s weird wolf. I can sense an older, powerful magic coming from this wolf. Does she have the magic item that Talan wants? For two months, I have hunted her by chasing rumors and gut feelings, but here she is encased in ice with me. The magic she wields is unlike anything I''ve ever seen. Her magic item is strong enough to force a connection between the two of us. She was the beast, I believe, that Talan warned me about. Well, this wolf was fierce but very stupid. She can¡¯t seem to harness her magic well or her senses for that matter. If only I could tell Eriz¡­

    Right. The archer¡­ The idiotic monkey who chose to fire an arrow at me and missed must be the snow monkey.

    I want to kill her.

    After all that I have endured today from that spoiled ass of an elf, relentless wizards hunting me, and the stupid ass monkey, I just want to kill them all. I can see that sweet scared monkey¡¯s face begging me not to kill her as yank that little heart out of the monkey¡¯s chest. Life will drain from the little beast¡¯s eyes as I get my vengeance for Eriz. Maybe, I will even stab each one of the monkey¡¯s pressure points with an ice lance to add to the little stupid animal¡¯s pain. I will make the simian beast pay for its thoughtless actions.

    Talan might have offered an insane amount of money for the magic item and the wolf thing, however, the wolf will likely be dead the moment this ice breaks. I can¡¯t wait for those wizards to finish thawing the ice. The heat is beginning to build right above my left wing. It won¡¯t be long until I am free to let my rage rampage on all those who have wronged me. Should I destroy the monkey or the wolf first? Or should I simply catch them and give them to Talan for his sick, perverted torture? So many opportunities!

    Eriz POV

    "Come on man, wake up!"

    Who¡­who is that?

    "Would you wake up already?"

    This voice is young and rude. Why is it yelling at me¡­ Could be one of Lord Talan¡¯s servants? Did I forget to clean one of the stalls or something? Oh, dear. Lord Talan will surely beat me again.

    Pppplllaaammm!

    I forced my eyes open because of the stinging pain on my cheek. Above me, I see a scruffy, large orc and a smaller, amber monkey staring down at me. I try to force myself backward, but my back is flat against the chilled grass. The whole air around me is cold enough to make me shiver. The trees appear to be sprinkled with ice. I know exactly who is responsible for this, but where is she? The monkey waves her hand in my face to get my attention, which causes my eyes to cross for a moment.

    ¡°Do you mind?¡± As my jaw moves, I feel the sting of pain in my cheek. Was I slapped?

    ¡°He speaks!¡± The orc says happily.

    ¡°What were you expecting?¡± I respond without thinking.

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    ¡°Honestly, we thought you might die. The arrow that hit you nicked one of your organs, causing some internal bleeding. Luckily, this young lady got you to me in time.¡± The orc explained.

    An arrow¡­ Oh yeah, I was struck with a random arrow while flying around with Athyra. I remember setting me down in the forest and then thrusting herself into a battle with my attackers. With all the blood loss, I must have blacked out. So, the orc decided to save me, but why would he do that? He doesn¡¯t even know me. Or this monkey girl¡­ Wait, wasn¡¯t Athyra looking for a monkey beast?

    ¡°Are you able to remember anything?¡± The monkey spoke.

    I studied the monkey for a moment, realizing that the monkey was a young lady. Was she the rude voice from before? ¡°Did you slap me?¡±

    The monkey girl¡¯s ears and tail drooped at my words. Her cheeks flashed a bright red, which was oddly cute. ¡°Uh¡­yeah. I, also, fired the arrow that hurt you¡­Look, I am sorry for everything. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I saw a giant dragon and panicked.¡±

    Athyra was frightening in her large dragon form. I can understand that, but it sounds as if I nearly died. ¡°I can understand your fear, but my life nearly ended, and you slapped me.¡±

    ¡°She was trying to wake you up, plus she sought me out to come to heal you. She nearly killed you, yes, but she made sure you lived.¡± The orc interjected. ¡°That must count for something.¡±

    ¡°I guess. I still think you are quite rude and reckless, little miss.¡± I answered as I forced myself to my feet. ¡°I need to find my companion. Do you know where the dragon went?¡±

    ¡°Look behind you,¡± the orc answered.

    I turned around to see a giant block of ice. This was the source of the cold air around me. Something was on the ice, but what was it? ¡°What¡¯s in the ice?¡±

    ¡°Your companion and mine,¡± the monkey girl sighed.

    Athyra was in the ice? Did she freeze herself on purpose or did her emotions get the better of her¡­ Only Athyra could tell me. ¡°How long have they been this way, miss?¡±

    ¡°My name is Emera. They have been in there all night into this morning. Some of Braxton¡¯s companions are melting the ice now. They should be free soon.¡± So, her name is Emera, and the orc is Braxton.

    Athyra will be furious the moment the ice breaks. Those wizards, Emera¡¯s companion, and anyone else around here will surely be in danger. I might be in danger because I am in her blast radius. Would she calm down if she saw me? I wonder if I could calm her like the first day we met. If I don¡¯t at least try, all these people might die. Athyra may not care who she kills, but I don¡¯t intend to be responsible for these people dying.

    Crrrraaacckkk!

    It sounded like the ground was breaking. Oh no, the ice! ¡°Hurry, take me to the wizards or we might all die,¡± I commanded the two.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we were hoping you would say,¡± Emera smirked. ¡°Braxton, lead the way. I am going topside.¡± Braxton nodded as Emera jumped off the ground onto the branch above us. I watched her for a moment before she disappeared into the treetops.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her, umm¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± Braxton asked.

    ¡°Eriz,¡± I replied. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Silas POV

    Crrrraaacckkk!

    The ice thundered under the stress of the heat from the fire magic. Heat was building up all around us from the constant fire magic. Breaking through the dragon¡¯s ice has been more difficult than I imagined it would be. It feels like I have been caught in a steamy rain with the sweat rolling off my body. Warm water is beginning to pool at my ankles. The ice may take another hour to fully break at this rate. We need to speed this up, or we won''t have enough magic to face the dragon inside the ice.

    ¡°Full power now, everyone. We are close.¡± Master Renaldy urged.

    The four of us forced the heat magic to strengthen. My skin feels like it is roasting in this heat. My legs were beginning to wade in the water pooling around me. The ice was melting faster and chunks of the ice were floating past me. The white dragon and red wolf should be feeling the ice begin to break. If only those two beasts would try to fight their way out of the ice, then the ice block would break faster.

    Crrrraaacckkk!

    A large divide formed in the ice as steam began to fill the area, clouding my sight. Suddenly, I heard the thunder of the ice shattering. Giant rocks of ice came raining down around us. I stopped the fire magic and yelled for everyone to move. I could only see Master Renaldy in front of me as we ran for safety. I saw a large maple tree in front of me and climbed up to the highest branch that I could. The tree bent and shook from the force of the ice as it crashed into the tree. Thankfully, this tree was thick and firmly rooted into the ground. I tethered myself to the tree, so I wouldn¡¯t get knocked out of the tree. I had lost sight of everyone at this point, even Master Renaldy. Shattered ice rained down around me like a hail storm for nearly twenty minutes.

    ¡°Is anyone out there?¡± Braxton¡¯s voice cut through the sound of the ice settling below me. ¡°Hello?¡±

    Roooaaaarrr!

    ¡°Shit. The dragon is awake,¡± I muttered as I released my magic tether from the tree.

    Oooooowwwww!

    ¡°And the mutt, too.¡± I sighed.

 Icy Meadow

    Emalynn POV

    ¡°Who are you calling a mutt, fancy toes?¡± I jumped onto the branch where Silas stood. This guy looked like he had been hit by a gust of wind that carried some of those sharp ice shards. He was injured from being battered by the ice.

    Ooowww!

    Another howl! Rory is finally free. The ice has shattered thanks to these arrogant wizards, but I have no idea where the other wizards are. Well, my first goal has been achieved.

    ¡°Monkey girl, your arrival is fortuitous,¡± Silas said, sarcastically.

    ¡°Oh, shut your mouth, fancy pants,¡± I muttered as Braxton leaped down onto the branch we stood on. Eriz followed him. The branch shook from the weight of these heavy males around me. I could hear the wood beginning to fracture underneath us. ¡°Forget this.¡± I jumped to the branch above us, and I wrapped my legs around the branch allowing me to hang upside down. The branch below bowed under the males¡¯ weight, but the branch finally steadied under their feet.

    The men looked unphased by the branch beneath them. Silas simply shook it off and eyed the new face that stood with Braxton. ¡°Who is this?¡± Silas asked.

    ¡°Well-¡±

    ¡°My name is Eriz, sir,¡± Eriz answered.

    ¡°Ok. Why are you here?¡± Silas didn¡¯t waste a minute with his questions.

    Rrroooaaarrr!

    Eriz smiled at the sound of the dragon¡¯s roar. ¡°I am here for her,¡± Eriz pointed at the sky where the snow-white dragon took flight.

    Rory POV

    Cccrrraaaccckkkk!

    The ice around me began to fracture into pieces, allowing me to feel the tinges of heat that broke the thick block of ice. Magic began circulating through my body rapidly, trying to awaken my nearly frozen body. I could feel my muscles begin to loosen, so I forced my body to begin shaking to help it wake up. If I am beginning to break free then Athyra, the ice dragon, must be escaping the ice as well. She wants to kill Ema¡­ I have to hurry. Heat began building up inside me. Athyra isn¡¯t going to get the chance to find Ema if I have anything to say about it. The chill in my bones from the ice began to feel like sharp needles piercing my insides as I tried to focus on the heat in my belly. Power, this heat was the magic lightning that I had used before. This magic seems instinctual like my terrain magic. No words are required. The ring on my finger began to burn hotter than power building up in my belly. I didn¡¯t understand this magic well, but I knew it would be released from my body any minute.

    I could hear more ice splitting. Undoubtedly, it had to be Athyra. She was truly angry. The wizards had granted her wish to escape. This magic in me connected her to me. I could feel her anger. Shit, I have to save Ema. Come on, magic. Work!

    Rrrroooaaarrr!

    Damn it. She¡¯s free. I will not be undone.

    Oooooowwwwww!

    CCCRRAAASSHH!

    The ice fell around, and I could feel the sun touch my fur. Warmth, true sunlight was warming my fur. My eyes thawed enough that I could finally open them. As I looked up, I saw Athyra taking flight. She wastes no time. I am still trying to shake off her ice magic. Most of my strength was gone from trying not to freeze to death. Mom¡¯s ring protected me in the ice, and I hope it has enough power to help me protect Emalynn.

    Shaking off the rest of the ice, I began scenting the air for Emalynn. Surely, she was nearby, but part of me hoped that she was long gone. All I could smell was ice and the burnt ends of my fur. I needed to head for the trees to have any hope of tracking her in all this ice and snow.

    My body was stiff and still chilled from being a wolf popsicle, but I didn''t have time to go slow. I could see the tree line a hundred or so paces away from me. It was different from the dense forest that I attempted to lose the dragon in last night. Without much thought, I raced toward the treeline. Jagged shards of ice are sticking out of the white landscape. It was an unbelievable sight.

    Athyra flew overhead. She was shadowing me. I am pretty sure she thinks I will lead her to Ema.  Rushing off into the forest may not be the best choice right now. I slowed my pace walking around the wide opening. Think Rory. I can''t just attack Athyra. She''s too far up in the air for me to just land an attack. Yet, I feel¡­and smell another-

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    "You are quite a sight, red wolf. I see why the simian girl is so protective of you," An older voice said.

    My jaw clenched into place as I growled at the man approaching me from behind. Did he think I couldn¡¯t see him? He must be one of the wizards who freed me from the ice since he knows about Ema. Yet, I sense he intends to catch me or possibly kill me. He¡¯s way too happy to catch me alone than someone with good intentions would be. I turned to face this older man. He had some magic in him, but it was less than the dark elf that I faced a few months ago.

    ¡°My goodness, you are a cranky one, aren¡¯t you? Growling at the man who freed you from your ice prison isn¡¯t a smart thing to do, Red.¡± The man said as he slowly got closer.

    My growling wasn¡¯t enough to keep back, so I snapped at his condescending ass. He stopped dead in his tracks. The jerk smiled as if he was happy with this result. ¡°There is no fear in your eyes, just contempt, which is a shame for such deep blue eyes. What secrets do you hold, Red? I have heard of a wolf that could use lightning magic like you. Come to think of it, you remind me of the beast woman who used lightning magic the other day to steal a book. I wonder if you and that beast are related."

    His wicked smile made my skin crawl. He reminded me of that dark elf that I faced a few months ago. This man just made me angry. I had enough to deal with already, and now, this man walks in piecing shit together. He''s a threat to Ema and me. Should I just kill him?

    "Wicked wolf, I can see you perceive me as a threat, and you''re not wrong. Still, I can''t decide if you are worth more alive or dead." The arrogant man said. "Dead or alive¡­Dead or alive¡­I simply can''t decide."

    His words cued more growling from me. I was beginning to wish I had my dagger, so I could dice this man into tiny pieces. Blinking only for an instant, the man shot a fireball of magic at me. I jumped out of the way, but I felt the heat of the blast on my skin. The man didn''t give me a chance to react as I was cornered by four more fireballs. The ice shards around me began melting from the heat as I attempted to outrun the blasts. Behind me, the man was laughing. All of this was ridiculous. I had just gotten out of the damn ice, and now it''s melting into a pond of water.

    I opted to turn around and race back toward the spellcaster. Water splashed at my paws as I ducked under the heat blasts, narrowly escaping the fire. My fur was singed again from the heat. The man didn''t let up his blasts as I got closer to him. The ice was slick beneath my paws from the water pooling on top of it. It was long before I started sliding through the water toward the man. I felt one of those fireballs about the size of my head hit my back leg. My fur would have been set ablaze had it not been for the water splashing across my fur as I slid toward the man. I dug my claws into the ice under the water, trying to stop before I hit the man. In my wolf form, the top of my head hits somewhere above the four-foot marker. If I hit this man, he will be flattened from my large size.

    Looking at the man, his smile had faded. He seemed to realize we were about to collide unless he moved out of the way. He didn''t waste a moment as he dodged the collision and continued his fireball assault. More of his fire balls were battering my body while I managed to stop my body from sliding across the ice any further. I hated that my battle with Athyra created this icy meadow in the middle of this once dense forest.

    I didn''t have a chance to process the pain from the fireballs because this man didn''t stop his spell barrage. The chill that had caused my bones to ache was replaced by bruises and burns from the fireballs. Magic began to build in my body again. This magic was instinctual like before, acting of its own accord. The air around me began to sizzle and snap as the red lightning began sparking around my body.

    The man looked in awe of my magic before terror suddenly fell across his face. He began running toward the treeline, putting as much distance as he could between us. If I could smile, I would. It had only taken him a minute to figure out my plan. A howl escaped my muzzle as the red lightning escaped from my body. The water carried the current of my lightning directly toward the once arrogant man. This wasn''t how I usually fought, but it was effective. However, the discharge of my lightning scattered in all directions through the water. No one could escape this attack except the frost dragon circling the sky above me.

    The man fell to his knees, slumping over from the shock to his system. Did I kill him? Maybe, he just passed out. Although¡­ Weary of his possible trickery, I took the opportunity to the area. Some part of me wanted to go back and finish the spellcaster off, but I had to stay focused. I wasn¡¯t alone in this icy meadow. Athyra flew above me, awaiting her revenge. There were more wizards out here that were on the hunt for Athyra and me as well as the threat of Athyra killing Ema. I was alone and surrounded by the unknown. If I stayed out in the icy opening, I would be an easy target, but if I go to the treeline, Athyra might spot Ema. I took a deep breath. The treeline is my best chance at survival and finding Ema. Without a second thought, I ran off toward the trees. I just needed to be ready to fight Athyra again at any time. Wolf versus dragon¡­round two¡­what could go wrong? Damn it. Where are Elias, Myrra, and Aunt Leah when you need them? Hell, where is Ema?

    Reaching the treeline, I jumped up on what was left of a low branch and climbed my way toward the treetop. My paws were thankful for the tree bark beneath the pads of my feet. It was the first surface I touched that wasn¡¯t wet or cold. Most of the trees near the edge of the icy meadow appeared broken and barely standing due to the impact of the ice rocks. I could smell ice and the soft scent of wet bark from the damaged trees. No sign of Ema. No sign of any wizards either. Just the nosy frost dragon above me. I wondered if my magic was still connected to hers.

    Athyra. Can you still hear me?

    Dead silence.

    Come on, Frosty. Surely, you can still hear me.

    Athyra didn¡¯t even look down at me.

    Ugh. I guess when the ice broke, our connection broke, too. That sucked. I was enjoying actually talking to someone. It¡¯s been two days in this wolf form, but even if I could shift back to a human, now would be the worst time. Athyra was watching me like a hawk, waiting for a moment to strike. Wizards have seen me in this form, and Ema told them about me. If I were to change now, one of those wizards would notice. I was stuck until the wind suddenly blew by¡­

    Ema. Ema¡¯s scent was on that wind. She was close, but I couldn¡¯t let myself react. My dragon shadow would pick up on any happy reaction. Another breeze blew through the trees, and I scented Ema and a few others. She was with some of the wizards most likely, but the last scent was similar to Athyra¡¯s. Did Aythra have a companion like I thought? I slowly followed the scent. The breeze came from the other side of the icy meadow, so I opted to take the long way around.

    I wasn¡¯t even halfway to where I thought Ema was when I ran into another person. Chances are this woman wasn¡¯t a friend of mine. She looked up in the air and saw Athyra¡¯s large form circling above me. A smirk formed on her face.

    ¡°What luck! My prey has found me,¡± she boasted. The woman did a little dance and straightened her plum-colored jacket like she was the coolest person around. ¡°Take that Renaldy!¡±

    My head tilted at her odd behavior. Most people who have hunted me are quiet and strategic with their movements. This woman was the total opposite. She looked no more than seventeen at best. Why was a child out here hunting me alone?

    ¡°Hey, mutt! I hope you are ready for a new master! My name is Analee Himera, do your best to remember it.¡± Analee walked forward. ¡°First, I will make you, my familiar, then we will defeat, snowy, up there.¡±

    Athyra didn¡¯t react, but I was sure she heard this woman¡¯s ridiculous words. This woman seriously thought that she was going to control me. To make it worse, she was annoyingly popping bubblegum in her mouth. I could see her starting a spell as magic welled up in her palms. Here we go again.

 Spellcasters

    Rory POV

    Analee grinned like she had won the biggest prize of her life. She was excited as magic began pouring out of her palms. A mist was filling the space between us, thickening into a dense fog. ¡°Are you ready to play, mutt?¡± Her laugh put me on edge.

    Another wizard that has elemental magic¡­I have poor luck. Analee disappears into the thick fog. My eyes will fail me here, so I close them and focus on my hearing. I can hear the light crunching of snow beneath Analee¡¯s feet. The girl is moving quickly through the fog, hoping to catch me off guard. My lightning magic will not help me in this fog. It will only give away my position. I have more than just lightning magic though. Wolf beast folk can use terrain magic.

    Digging my paws into the icy slush that covered the ground, I felt the rush of magic through my body like an internal cold wave. My paws began to move at a fast speed as I tunneled through the ground below. I need to create a network of tunnels, so I can get close to Analee easily. I dig toward the north for twenty feet or so before popping back to the surface. I run toward the southwest and begin a new hole in the ground to form a tunnel going east. Repeating this method, I worked to create a network of tunnels that connected back to the first one.

    Analee didn¡¯t wait for me to finish my plan. She managed to shoot a few icicles at me. One landed in my left thigh, which was now bleeding. The girl had aimed well in this dense fog she created. Moving was painful, and I wanted nothing more than to stop and scream. My flesh was torn from the impact, but I can¡¯t let this shit stop me. I charged forward to try to make another tunnel.

    Analee chose to hop into one of my holes to bring the fight to me. ¡°Here, little mutt. I just want to play with you.¡± She gave out a shrill cackle. ¡°Come on, mutt. I have a surprise for you.¡± I heard her charge through the tunnels, trying to find me. ¡°It¡¯s just a lifetime of servitude.¡±

    What the hell is wrong with this girl? Is she deranged? I know slavery exists. Some of the kids Myrra brought to the academy were former slaves. Everywhere I have been, there were slaves assisting their masters on adventures and working in different businesses. None of them chose servitude for their life, nor did they want to stay that way. I am not going to let this wizard make me a slave or familiar, nor will I let anyone have control of this power that I can¡¯t control.

    Analee¡¯s scent permeated through the tunnels, alerting me of her nearing my position. I had two choices: run or fight in the tunnels. Running could mean that I could find Ema, however, I might run into more enemies. Athyra was attacked by wizards before fighting me, and now the wizards were trying to take me down too. If I could revert back to my human or normal form, then running would be easier¡­Although being in another form could cause my identity to be known, or even risk the frenzy form appearing again. Diverting the transformation from the frenzy form is what got me stuck in this wolf form in the first place. Theoretically, my body will force a transformation by sunrise tomorrow because I can only hold this wolf form for three days.

    Fighting in the tunnels is just as risky. My magic is temperamental at best with the way it reacts to my emotions. The bursts of magic will likely cause a cave-in from the icy ground above us. I know I could survive the cave, but too much damage may keep me from fighting Athyra later. I have more enemies than friends at the moment. I am relying on magic that I can barely control, and my body is on a timer that will run out at the next sunrise. Uncle Elias would tell me to do whatever I could to survive. Myrra would tell me to be strategic. Aunt Leah would say protect my secret, so I can live freely. Hmm¡­ Screw it. I am going to fight my way out of this as a wolf like my mother would have.

    Darting down another tunnel, I used the connecting tunnels to loop around the girl. Her scent was heavy with human sweat, and her heart thudded at the thrill of the chase. I knew where she was. I could see her poorly laid traps in the tunnels. This wasn¡¯t Analee¡¯s best work. This girl was more powerful than I care to admit. She was probably using these mud and ice traps as a distraction for me. Ok, Analee, let¡¯s play. I worked up the energy in my body allowing the chill of magic to splash through my veins once more. Red sparks sizzled and zapped around me as the air became dry. I could feel the lightning in my paws, so I charged forward sending the bolt directly at the girl sneaking about the tunnel in front of me. She turned back to see the red bolt headed straight for her. Without any hesitation, she fired an icicle at the bolt, forcing it to discharge into a web around her. I watched as she screamed at the burns she received on her right arm from the uncontrolled discharge.

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    ¡°You, damn mutt, that hurt!¡± Analee yelled as I was suddenly barraged with fireballs.

    Ducking into a side tunnel, I felt the impact of at least four fireballs. My red fur sported black scorch marks from the fireballs. The smell of burnt fur invaded my nose. She¡¯s a quick spellcaster where I have to put all of my focus into my magic to hit something. I may need to fight this as a wolf instead of a spellcaster. I let out a growl of frustration from the soreness of my body. I could hear Analee heading toward me, so I forced my body into an attack position.

    Analee tumbled into my tunnel with a barrage of fireballs. I chose to take the hits as my body lunged forward tackling the girl. My teeth sunk into her shoulder as she attempted to push me off her. I wouldn¡¯t budge. My teeth were crunching her collarbone to bits. Would this immobilize one of her arms? Maybe. Did it feel like sweet revenge for the icicle in my thigh? Hell, yeah.

    ¡°Let go, you, dumb animal!¡± Her voice was loud and full of pain.

    She shot off some fireballs, but I clamped down harder on her collarbone. Her hands switched back and forth between pulling out fistfuls of my fur and casting spells. My paws held down her uppers as I decided to start tearing away at the muscle. Her screams were shrill as began shooting little ice rocks at my gut. The short distance and stress of the moment seemed to cut the power of her attacks to less than half, but the ice rocks were still making gashes across my belly. Blood was spilling out of both of us as we were locked in combat.

    ¡°Do you want to die, mutt?¡± She shrieked at me as ripped more fur off from the sides of my body.

    I couldn¡¯t take her shit anymore. Turning my head, I released her collarbone in exchange for her neck. Hot blood soaked my mouth as I felt her struggle to breathe beneath me. If this idiot had just left me alone, she wouldn¡¯t be dying in such a brutal fashion. Analee tried to fight back, but I crushed her throat ending this battle before I lost any more blood. Her heart slowed, and her body went limp under me. I dropped the dead flesh of her neck on the floor of the tunnel and backed away from the dead body. Making my way toward the surface, I used my terrain magic to collapse the tunnel network, leaving Analee buried under the icy dirt.

    Climbing out of the tunnel, the pain of all the wounds caught up with me. I lay down on the ice to cool the pain in my belly. More ice had melted after my fight with Analee. The sun had sunken lower in the sky, but Athyra hadn¡¯t left the sky above me. This ice dragon just watched as I took on two different spellcasters within minutes of each other. Not a word or glance came from my sky shadow. If another fight were to come, this dragon would not lift a talon to help. Athyra is an enemy in the end. There¡¯s no way I can let my guard down. Laying down, I knew I needed to rest, but how long until another person appeared to attack me?

    Resting my head on my paws, I tried to block out the pain and let the ice numb my body. In the distance, I could hear movement near the treeline. None of them smelt like Ema, so these people were likely enemies. Would they attack me or just try to get my flying shadow above me? I stayed in my spot not wanting to move again. Deciding to wait and see what this new group of people will do, I let myself relax a little more. Until I leave this damn forest, I am in a fight for my life. If this new group of people wants to attack me, they will do it whether I am lying here or running away from them.

    Time passed quickly. The sun sunk toward the horizon. Sniffing the air, I could finally smell the new group of people approaching me. When the wind shifted, a familiar scent hit my nose. My eyes flew open as I processed the smell in my mind. It clicked in my mind who that scent belonged to, and my head sprung up from my paws. Is she here to fight the dragon? This wasn¡¯t my enemy. Immediately, try to shift back to my human form, but nothing happens. I try to force a shift with magic, but nothing happens. She won¡¯t know that I am not her enemy. At least normally, she would not have been my enemy, but she wouldn¡¯t recognize me as a red-colored wolf. I had a glamor charm that made me look and smell different. Shit.

    The footsteps were only a few feet away. I looked up to see a party of ten people nearing me. The woman who led them came to the front looking down at me. ¡°What have we here?¡±

    If wolves could cry, I would have. Almost four months ago, this woman was chasing me through the guild hall because Ema stole an S-rank mission from the job board. I whined at the sight of her because I still didn¡¯t have a voice to speak to her. I wanted so much for her to know who I was, but my body wouldn¡¯t allow it. All she saw was a giant wounded red wolf lying on the ice. Dried blood on my muzzle and sadness in my eyes, I looked up at the woman who helped raise me. Please, recognize me, Myrra.

 Guiding Guildmaster

    Rory POV

    ¡°You guys can come here. She won¡¯t hurt us.¡± Myrra calls out to her party.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.¡± A new, annoying male voice called out. ¡°I watched that beast kill two wizards today. One was my master and the other a fellow apprentice from the Wizard¡¯s Guild.¡±

    Myrra turns around to find an awkward, gangly human male speaking to her. This guy is from the Wizard¡¯s Guild? ¡°Really? This heavily beaten animal killed two wizards?¡± She lets out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°How could she have possibly done that? Sure, she might have some terrain magic, but I doubt she could best be a master wizard.¡±

    ¡°I am not sure how, but this beast has lightning magic.¡± The man answers.

    ¡°Wolves can¡¯t do that kind of magic. Are you sure you are a wizard?¡± One of Myrra¡¯s male party members asks the intruder.

    ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t listen to me, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Some simian girl claims that the beast is her familiar, so that beast could be capable of anything. Hell, we found it locked in battle with the dragon above us in a giant ice cube.¡± The man became agitated. ¡°Nothing about today has made sense from what I have been taught about magic.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you might need some more magic lessons, kid.¡± The same guy from Myrra¡¯s party laughs. ¡°Go back to your guild and learn something.¡±

    The man throws his hands up in the air in frustration. ¡°Fine, Mr. Half Elf. Risk your life. I am done with all of this shit. Silas is on his own, and I am not waiting around for that dumb orc.¡± The man runs off in the other direction before anyone else can get another word in.

    Myrra turns back to see me exhausted, weak, and silently watching everything unfold. ¡°June can you come work your magic on this supposed familiar?¡±

    ¡°Myrra, are you sure?¡± June, the small, human woman in a gray cloak, steps toward Myrra. She must be the healer of the party. I suddenly missed my hands more than before because I could have made my own healing potions. June looked at me like I was about to eat her for dinner.

    ¡°This ball of fluffy is in no state to hurt a fly. I am confident we are safe. Besides, if she really did fight Athyra before then she might help us to convince our guild mate to come home.¡± Myrra¡¯s words confuse me as she sits next to me on the ground. Did my guildmaster just say that the frosty lizard flying above me was a guild member? When did that happen? I tilt my head in confusion as my red-headed guildmaster smiles down at me.

    June approaches and Myrra takes her hand to pet my red fur at the top of my head. The gentle pets cause me to lean into June¡¯s hand. I watch as June begins to relax, causing Myrra to pull her hand away. June doesn¡¯t seem bothered as Myraa scoots back to give her room while she begins to heal me. I feel a warmth pull in my stomach as June¡¯s hand begins to glow a soft purple from her magic. Pain lessens as I lay there under June¡¯s now curious gaze. There was a pinch of pity for me in her eyes, which meant I must be worse off than I thought. The party asks if Myrra feels confident that I was safe to be around after what they saw and heard today. She reassures them and suggests they start a fire. The cold temperatures haven¡¯t subsided since I broke out of the ice block, so Myrra¡¯s party must be freezing. Two of her party members melt away the ice in a small area while others begin setting up camp. Myrra doesn¡¯t stray far from June because she doesn¡¯t want her to feel uneasy. There¡¯s nothing I can do for Myrra¡¯s party, so I just watched Athyra sail through the sky.

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    The sun has gone down when June tells Myrra she has done all she can for the wolf. June is positive that the wolf will recover from her injuries, but she isn¡¯t sure how long it might take. Thank the Heavens I am a faster healer, which is the only hybrid trait that I am proud of most of the time. June goes to join the rest of the party around the fire. Myrra scoots back toward me and curls up next to me to stay warm while the rest of the party warms up by the fire. She leans toward my head and whispers, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rory. I got you.¡±

    Myrra¡¯s words made me want to cry. I am so exhausted and the pain has made me feel truly weak, but I force my eyes to stay open to look at this woman who was my teacher and caretaker for most of my life. How could she have recognized me? I have a glamor charm from a fairy, not a run-of-the-mill wizard. My fur is blood red, and my eyes are brighter than before. Will others see through this disguise as easily? Have I been careless with my actions?

    Then, as if Myrra sensed my brain was about to overload she rested her hand behind my blood-crested ear and scratched in just the right spot. ¡°I can see your brain is about to combust, girl. I have known you long enough to recognize you know matter what form you take. You are safe for the moment, but you are still injured. Rest.¡±

    Safe. Maybe, for a moment I am safe. The concept feels foreign. I have been on edge for months, and I haven¡¯t seen Emalynn since I was a furry popsicle. There are so many worries and loose ends that I haven¡¯t taken care of like I should have. Yet¡­I can¡¯t fix anything if I am dead. My giant white shadow still circles in the air, reminding me that we have unfinished business.

    Myrra looks up at the dragon above us and sighs. ¡°What happened between you and Athyra, R- girl?¡± She¡¯s quick to keep from saying my name. Her party huddles closer to the fire trying to stay warm in this slushy landscape. The ice is slowly melting away, but since the sun went down everything has come to a standstill. When daylight comes, I might be able to answer Myrra¡¯s questions, but for now, all I could give her was a small whine. Myrra looks down at me with seriousness. ¡°Do you know where Em- I mean, your companion is?¡±

    I give her another whine and rest my head on my front paws. If Emalynn were here, I would be locked in battle with my ¡®guild mate,¡¯ Athyra. I know Ema is around here somewhere. That intruding wizard guy said as much. With Myrra here, I am not sure how such a battle over Ema would end. Can I beat a dragon? Not in my current state.

    ¡°I guess you can¡¯t answer me, huh?¡± Myrra¡¯s voice sounds sad. ¡°I want to know why you are in such a condition all on your own, girl. Do you have any idea how worried I have been about you? The Gleaca Council has posted warnings with a bounty for a beast folk hybrid all over Gleaca. There are a dozen reports of a wolf-like human killing animals, monsters, and bandits as well as the tale of a beast woman stealing from the Wizard¡¯s Guild. If you are trying to keep a low profile, you are doing an awful job of it.¡±

    My ears lack back behind my head involuntarily. Myrra was lecturing me because I had managed to get the attention of the Gleaca Council. This was the worst news Myrra had ever brought me. Now, people will be looking for a beast folk hybrid. I will truly be looking over my shoulder until the day I die at this point. All the plans Emalynn was trying to make have evaporated into thin air. My worst fears were becoming a reality.

    Myrra looked down at me and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. She can¡¯t understand me. I am a wolf for heaven¡¯s sake! All she sees is a bloody red wolf with matted and sticky fur. The hunger pains have begun to pile on with the rest of the pain. Wounds all over my body. Burnt fur in a few places and muddy paws from the magic battles. I couldn¡¯t get up right now if I wanted to, even with a healing boost from June and my speed healing. My whines are all the same to her because she has no idea of the guilt and fear in my heart right now.

    Myrra smacked me on my nose causing me to jolt. ¡°Quit going to that dark place, girl. There are other tales and whispers of a wolf woman who killed bandits on the merchants¡¯ road and saved a simple merchant from a mountain lion. There are whispers that the wolf woman is a protector of merchants. Any idea who they could be talking about?¡±

    I know I killed bandits, but when did I face a mountain lion? Oh! Wait, she must be talking about Mr. Applegate from our journey west. So¡­ Mr. Applegate was telling people that I saved him from a mountain lion. He¡¯s making me out to be a hero. Damn. Guilt spread through my chest causing it to ache more. I was ready to kill Mr. Applegate for being a loose end, but the man called me a hero. How did I let myself think that killing him would keep Ema and me safe? We weren¡¯t safe before, and we still aren¡¯t safe whether he is alive or dead. My fear got the better of me and caused an argument between Ema and me. The fear must be what has locked me into this wolf form. Stupid magic. I let out another long whine.

    ¡°Girl, I may not know what you have been up to for the last few months, but you have the option to make a better choice now.¡± Myrra may not know the details, but she always knows the right thing to say.

    A better choice¡­ I choose not to give in to fear anymore. That¡¯s what got me into a fight with a frost dragon. I choose not to go after Mr. Applegate. He turned out to be an amazing strength, not a loose end. I choose to apologize to Ema for our fight. She was right. I should have trusted her. It¡¯s time I start controlling all my forms and shift on a normal basis instead of just impulse shifting.

    ¡°Sleep, girl. We don¡¯t know how long it will stay quiet.¡± Myrra commands and I am not about to argue with her. My eyes close without much effort, and I surrender to the darkness.

 Crystal Ball

    Talan POV

    Craaaccckkk!

    Bolts of lightning bounced around my study leaving scorch marks on my purple rugs and curtains. A booming voice bellowed out of the crystal ball on the corner of my wooden desk. ¡°TALAN!¡±

    My stomach curtled from the volume of the voice. Only one person would dare challenge me like this¡­Master Zaros, my boss. He¡¯s the man who had the power to make me a lord and to crush the once bustling port city of Hyghtown that was just north of here. Without hesitation, I pull the crystal ball in front of me. Immediately, I can see my boss¡¯ scowl though a hood covers most of his face. Master Zaros keeps his face hidden whenever we talk to each other. He¡¯s a man of mystery, but the build of his body tells me he¡¯s likely an orc although his skin appears tan like a human. Scars mar what little I can see of his chin, which makes him all the more intimidating. ¡°Master Zaros, how may I be of service?¡±

    ¡°Service? What good has your service done for me lately? Nothing. That¡¯s what!¡± Zaros scoffs.  ¡°Imbecile!¡±

    His words would hurt if I wasn¡¯t aware of how Master Zaros truly is. Master Zaros is the definition of conniving and powerful. He plans meticulously and obliterates anything in his way with a graceful destruction. Master Zaros has loyal employees who would never betray him because he finds those who have nothing and turns them into something. I was once an orphan in a woodland elf town begging for food. Master Zaros plucked me off the streets and made me a gentleman for his gain. HE wanted to control the port city on the east coast, so he destroyed Hyghtown with a fire and created the Port of Creekmont under my name.

    ¡°I beg your forgiveness, Master Zaros. What can I do to improve?¡± I keep my voice as even as possible to keep from angering him further although I am not sure how I angered him to begin with. Thanks to Ulrich, I have set up another crew of bandits that seem to be more efficient than Markis¡¯ crew ever was.

    ¡°Your stupid dragon has screwed with my plans, Talan. You said you had her under control! That your slave boy had her well under thumb, and she would bring back or out down that mysterious mutt that wiped out my bandits. There was a promise of a powerful magical item as well.¡± Master Zaros shouted. ¡°Your damn dragon caused the death of one of my most useful pawns, Talan!¡±

    The tasty dragonette killed someone important to Master Zaros, which has landed me in trouble. ¡°Master Zaros, I apologize. She was in Pine Row last I knew of, trailing a lead on the mysterious mutt.¡±

    ¡°Are you living under a rock, Talan? That dragon attacked the Governor of Pine Row¡¯s son and fled two days ago.¡± Master Zaros¡¯ anger was increasing as he spoke. ¡°Have you not heard the news from the Gleaca Council? There¡¯s a bounty on her head and the wolf creature that she brawled with in the Evergreen Forest, which caused the death of my pawn. Talan, you have clearly lost control of your assets if you don''t know that much.¡±

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    What? I thought the dragonette was getting information from a lead, not attacking people. My little dragonette has been quite naughty since I last received word from Eriz. The boy assured me that he could handle the dragonette. Master Zaros was right. I have failed, miserably. ¡°I apologize, Master Zaros. I will correct this error right away.¡±

    ¡°Talan, bring me the dragon and the mutt. I will use them to make up the loss for the pawn they cost me.¡± Master Zaros commanded.

    My teeth clenched at his words. Master Zaros means to take my revenge against the mutt and my tasty little dragonette away from me as a punishment. ¡°Of course, Master Zaros. Consider them yours.¡± I grit out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me,¡± Master Zaros said before disconnecting himself from the crystal ball.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I knock the crystal ball off my desk when my hands slam down on the desk. The crystal ball clatters to the floor and shatters. ¡°Damn. It.¡± Why was this happening now? I thought I was getting closer to the mutt and the woman with emerald eyes, but now, I have to give up my prize.  Eriz will pay for this. I walk around my desk only to step in the shattered crystal ball. ¡°Nefrisse! Get in here, woman.¡±

    Nefrisse rushes through the door with a broom and dust pan. Her bouncy curves briefly distract me as she hurries to clean the crystal at my feet. My eyes take the moment to enjoy the view of her backside as she sweeps. Without meaning to, Nefrisse has calmed my emotions, but it will make her uncomfortable the moment she notices. That revelation delights me more than it should. I take in her plump figure as long as I can to distract myself from what I need to be doing.

    Nefrisse finishes her work and quickly turns to address me. I watch her face as it dawns on her that I have been watching her plump curves bounce around while she works. Her face goes from stunned to acceptance in an instant that I nearly miss it. ¡°Is that all, Master Talan?¡±

    My mood has soured with that reaction. I had hoped her cheeks would go flush like they usually do, and she might squirm under my gaze. Nefrisse doesn¡¯t move. Her gaze is soft as she looks at me with acceptance over my crude perversion of her. ¡°Is today Opposite day, Nefrisse?¡±

    Nefrisse looks at me surprised. ¡°Excuse me, Master Talan?¡±

    I give her a pointed look. ¡°Is today Opposite day?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡± She mumbles. ¡°Why would it be Opposite day?¡±

    ¡°Because my employees can¡¯t do their job. Because my boss is angry with me. Because the crystal ball shattered. Because you are pitying me, Nefrisse!¡± I challenge her.

    Her eyes nearly pop out of her head. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t understand. I am not pitying you, Master Talan.¡±

    I cross my arms at her boldness. ¡°You are, Nefrisse. How else would you explain your reaction to my lustful gaze?¡± Her cheeks began to redden at my words, proving me right. ¡°You should have squealed in surprise and become flush when you saw me staring at you.¡±

    Nefrisse puts her hands on her hips as she says, ¡°Master Talan, you have looked at me that way since you pulled me out of the slave auction ten years ago. Nothing discourages your intense lusting over my body, so I am trying to force myself to accept that this is something you will always do.¡±

    Her words hit me like a hammer. I can feel her disgust and resignation to my actions, and it truly bothers me. Before I understand what I am doing, I take the shocked, plump woman into my arms and plant a kiss on her lips. An intense emotion that I don¡¯t understand fills me as I enjoy her sweet tasting lips on mine. In an instant, I break apart from her to keep her stunned and start walking out of my study. ¡°I have to go on a trip, Nefrisse. Please have Gilbert ready my coach while I pack.¡± I instruct her as I walk through the door.

    ¡°Coach? Wait, what? Master Talan!¡±

    I hear her call after me, but I have already escaped into the hall, leaving her in my study. Although my desire to claim Nefrisse has become more intense, I have bigger fish to fry. There¡¯s a naughty dragonette and a haughty mutt that I must bring home for Master Zaros. My water clone died in the clutches of the mutt last time, and I have to face the dragonette too. Part of me has become excited at the thought of facing the two of them in battle. Time to pull out some of my rare magic items and go on a beast hunt.

 Raging Fog

    Athyra POV

    Monkey girl.

    Stinking mutt.

    Pathetic wizards.

    And the fucking pervert.

    Yep. That¡¯s the whole of my shit list. For now, at least. Breaking out of the ice left me a bit sore, but I am entirely healed. The moment I was released from the ice I was ready to rip people to shreds, but I needed the mutt to get to the monkey. For hours, I have been watching this mutt stumble across the battleground from one battle to another. These damn wizards were focused on the mutt, so I haven¡¯t had to lift a claw against anyone yet. The mutt nearly died a few times, which almost had me get involved in her battles. The mutt has to be lucky because she managed to win against her opponents after using most of her magic to stay alive in the ice block.

    The mutt collapsed on the ice below after the boulders crushed the shrill shrew. I almost thanked the mutt for ending that annoying little witch. I know the mutt has been watching me fly over her constantly, but her sad face has become annoying. Not to mention, I could use a rest, Flying in circles has been monotonous to the point I fell asleep for a while. The only thing keeping me airborne has been my desire for revenge against the monkey for Eriz.

    It¡¯s been an hour and the mutt hasn¡¯t moved. She¡¯s a sitting duck in the middle of a melting meadow. The air has warmed since the sun peaked in the sky a few hours ago. I have been scanning the area for my prey and Eriz. The annoying idiot has left the area where I laid him down to rest. If that idiot gets into trouble, I am going to-

    ¡°You guys can come here. She won¡¯t hurt us.¡± A voice calls out.

    Who the hell is messing with my bait now? The mutt won¡¯t be able to survive another battle in her damaged condition. Looking down, a few faces look familiar, but a scrawny man has come to spit his bullshit at the other people surrounding my bait. The redhead by my bait scares the scrawny man off with her words and the help of a taller male in her group. Her red hair falls away from her face as she locks eyes with me.

    Great. Of all the people who could have shown up, it had to be Myrra. She will automatically know who I am since I am her guild member. Eriz, where are you when I need you? I have been following this battered mutt for hours as she got herself in trouble over and over again in the hopes of finding the little monkey girl. Myrra has a younger girl heal the mutt with magic, but even I know the mutt can¡¯t stand in this state. Night has fallen over the clearing, and I have been circling the same spot for hours. I can feel Myrra¡¯s eyes on me. She waits for the mutt to fall asleep before she begins calling to me.

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    ¡°Athyra!¡± Myrra shouts. Her party watches as she attempts to get my attention, but I don¡¯t intend to give a second of my time.

    The thirst for revenge and heated pit of anger keep me awake as I continue to observe the land. My eyes constantly scan the treelines, looking for the monkey. The monkey has become my priority since she shot Eriz with her arrow. Taking out the monkey allows me satisfying revenge, and it will cause the mutt to rampage, so I can catch her unfocused. With my revenge completed against the monkey, I will use the grief-stricken mutt as bait for the dark elf. It will be the start of a bloody killing spree.

    ¡°Come on, Athyra. We need to talk.¡± I hear Myrra call out. ¡°Where is Eriz?¡±

    That was a gut punch. Guildmaster has now been added to the fucking shit list. I could just squish the dwarf woman, but she brought a party with her. More people, more complications. Coming to Gleaca has been a shit show. My anger begins to build again, causing the air to chill. If Myrra keeps this up, the whole meadow will be iced over again.

    ¡°Athyra!¡± Myrra shouts from below. ¡°You have been flying for hours! Come down and rest for a while.¡±

    Now, it sounds like she thinks I am a weak dragon. The ground crackles as the slushy water freezes over from my anger. The guildmaster is acting like an idiot calling out to a mighty dragon. Does she want another weather event in this meadow? Perhaps a forest of ice would shut her up? My muscles may ache from the constant flight, but I had all the rest I needed in that ice. The mutt below will be my prize after I finish the monkey, and Eriz and I¡­ I mean the stupid head and I will make plans.

    In the distance, I hear a rustling of branches on the other side of the clearing. There¡¯s a faint chatter of voice that sounds familiar in the same area. The voice gives me an annoying feeling in my gut, and I know it has to be Eriz. Only one person has ever annoyed me like this, and it¡¯s him. Without hesitation, I circle once more and take off toward the noise. It¡¯s only as I get closer that I see a monkey and some other shitheads standing with Eriz against some adventurer party. It¡¯s like the Gleaca guilds are full of endless idiots seeking their deaths. At least, I found my targets.

    The hunt is finally on!

    Picking up speed, I zero in on my prey. My heart thunders in my chest as my body ignites with excitement. I haven¡¯t felt the thrill of a good hunt in years, and now, I get to have a hunt and take revenge. The air around me cools as I glide through the air with speed. Chunks of ice form in my wake, dropping to ice-covered ground only to shatter on the hard surface. My approach is anything, but stealthy. My prey turns to see my large form coming in for a landing near the treeline while bursts of magic explode in the thicket of the trees. Excite burns brightly in my heart as the monkey leaps deeper into the forest.

    Landing on the treeline with a crunch under my claws, I follow the monkey into the forest. There are three other figures near the monkey, but all I can think about is Eriz passing out in my clutches. Should I squash the monkey or chew her up into bits to spit back at the mutt? Either choice seems perfect to me, but there is something satisfying in watching that mutt squirm.

    The crunch of the ice beneath my weight rings out in all directions. Damn. I just painted a wider target on my back. The opposing party looks up at me and a couple scream in surprise. The Gleacans hardly see dragons in this land, let alone a frost dragon. The thought of flying away crosses my mind, but I miss traveling with Eriz already. He¡¯s annoying but sincere. I prefer him to the lonely life dragons usually have.

    ¡°Shit!¡± The little monkey shouts. ¡°N-n-nice, drag¡­on.¡±

    My large form carries me forward, knocking over trees around. The monkey backs away from me as her three companions come forward. An orc comes in between the monkey and me, and my jaw immediately clenches. ¡°Idiot with a death wish, move out of the way,¡± I commanded. A puff of chilled smoke leaves my nostrils, causing the orc to shiver.

    ¡°Athyra,¡± a familiar voice calls to me. It¡¯s annoying, but oddly comforting. My gaze shifts from the monkey to the two remaining figures to my left. Rage still pumps through as my eyes settle on a man with an obsidian cuff on his wrist. He looks to be nothing special as he approaches me, and I bare my teeth at him. It¡¯s only when the warmth of his magic touches one of my scales that the fog of rage clears from my mind. The annoying man was Eriz. He survived¡­

 Sunrise

    Rory POV

    ¡°Athyra! Come back!¡±

    Roar!

    The loud bellow of Athyra forced my eyes open in the dead darkness of night. My head pops up, examining the starry sky for a giant white lizard, but my shadow has disappeared. I look around to see what¡¯s going on. Smoky embers were cracking a few feet away where Myrra¡¯s party was sleeping. Myrra was standing next to me shouting at the sky for Athyra to come back. I watch as she sinks back to the ground beside me, and I feel my body tense as she settles next to me.

    Myrra steadies herself against my side. ¡°Shush. Keep quiet, girl. Athyra flew toward the other side of the clearing. It¡¯s like she¡¯s hunting something.¡±

    My ears spring up at her words. Athyra is hunting something? Is it¡­Ema? Shit. I rustle myself up onto my feet. My body aches from my injuries, and my stomach growls in the silence of the night. I ignore all of it. My night vision allows me to see Athyra landing on the ground across the clearing, and I just take off, leaving Myrra behind.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I hear her cry out to me, but time isn¡¯t on my side right now. I know Athyra has been waiting for Emalynn to reappear, and I refuse to let Athyra take her revenge.

    My paws carry me across the icy landscape as ungracefully as possible. I trip and stumble through the darkness because my body was still injured and everything was slick. Athyra has landed on the ground on the treeline ahead of me. Panic has set in causing my heart rate to accelerate. If I don¡¯t get there¡­ No! Just run, Rory.

    Athyra creeps into the forest ahead. Trees and other obstacles were crushed under her weight. Her head lowers into the trees, and a few screams sound off from the treeline. Damn it! Ema¡¯s voice reaches my ears as she shouts out of panic. I am too late! Athyra has started closing in on my best friend, and there¡¯s no way I could stop Athyra in time. A cold, thin wave of smoke floats through the air, causing my body to shiver while I run forward.

    Athyra has stopped moving. My pace slows as I try to quietly figure out what¡¯s unfolding in the forest in front of me. She doesn¡¯t seem to notice me as I begin crawling along on my wounded belly into the flattened debris around the giant lizard to get a better look at what¡¯s happening. The sky has started to brighten above the forest, warning me that sunrise was fast approaching.

    Finally, I can see the scene unfolding with Athyra. Ema has backed herself against a tree, keeping her eyes locked on the dragon. A familiar-looking heavily armed, green, tattooed person stands between Ema and Athyra. The massive green person reeked of putrid sweat, blast powder, and the steel of a sword. Everything about him screamed at me that I had seen him before. Was he an orc, maybe? He looked like he was ready to defend Ema, which was surprising and welcomed for the moment. Athyra was frozen in place, but I don''t think the orc or Ema caused Athyra to stop in her tracks. What was she looking at?

    Athyra has her eyes locked on the figures to her left that I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Shifting around, I saw two males looking up at Athyra, but everyone was silent. One male was a plain, young adult human dressed in blue and brown worn threads with an obsidian cuff on his wrist, short black hair, and concerned brown eyes looking up at Athyra. His scent wasn¡¯t threatening like most males because he smelled like cinders cooling in the fresh snow. The other male was a fancier dressed elf in high-quality leather with long black locks, pale skin, bright eyes, and¡­ Was that? It had to be! He smelt of leather-bound books, pen ink, and a burnt musk fire like a candle! Just like before. The stalkers were here, and the orc was defending Ema?

    Nothing in this scene made sense to me. When did the stalkers appear? Why was Athyra stunned by the human? Did Ema bring all these random people together? I had questions with no way of asking them. The sky had gone from a deep purple to a radiant orange, and still, no one moved. Ema¡¯s eyes shifted in my direction a few times as I lay hidden in a pile of broken limbs from the newly fallen trees not far from Athyra¡¯s giant butt. This whole thing was getting more ridiculous with each second, but I didn¡¯t have the strength to take on Athyra right at that moment. Plus, Myrra wasn¡¯t far away, which meant this situation would only get more complicated. I may as well be the one to move first.

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    Ema was glaring at me as if willing me not to move from my spot, but there was no point in hiding when more people would be showing up soon. Myrra had called Athyra a guild mate for heaven¡¯s sake. We were all connected although the two stalkers still made me uncomfortable. With a single exhale, I step out slowly from my spot. All the males fix their eyes on my ragged red form while I trot toward Ema. Athyra didn¡¯t seem to care as her eyes never left the human beside her.

    The green, military-styled orc watched me as I neared him. He looked back toward Ema for a moment, but she waved at him to move. The stalker had been promoted to bodyguard in my absence, and I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that. My paws carried me past him to my best friend as she crumbled down to hug me. It was warm and welcomed like Myrra cuddling me only an hour before.

    ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± Ema whispered in my ear. I wish I could answer her, but I can¡¯t talk in this form. I licked her face, causing her to smile. ¡°That¡¯s gross, Ro-¡± she murmured.

    Maybe it was gross, but at least she knew I missed her. The warmth of the sun rolled through the forest as the sunrise finally came over the horizon. I found myself wondering if we were finally coming over the horizon since Athyra hadn¡¯t moved in quite a while. My appearance hadn¡¯t changed the thick tension that fell over everyone, which was a good thing. I guess.

    ¡°Athyra, say something,¡± the human male asked in a weird voice.

    ¡°Eriz¡­¡± Athyra¡¯s voice boomed in my ears. This was different from hearing her in my mind. ¡°You¡­you survived the arrow.¡±

    Oh. So, Ema¡¯s arrow did hit Athyra¡¯s companion like I thought. Her companion was the human named Eriz, whom Myrra had asked Athyra about. Things were beginning to make sense now. Eriz was technically my guild mate like Athyra. This feels like some complicated tale about how all the nobles were actually related to each other in the Morning Tea section of the newspaper. The question was will Athyra still attempt to attack Ema and me or could we end this peacefully?

    Athyra¡¯s gaze shifted back toward Ema and me. ¡°You shot that arrow, you little shit!¡± Her anger had returned.

    ¡°Athyra!¡± The man named Eriz ran in front of us before Athyra could attack. ¡°Wait a minute!¡±

    ¡°Get out of the way,¡± Athyra growled. Icy fog leaked from her nostrils, causing nearly everyone to shiver.

    ¡°Listen, Athyra!¡± Eriz forced Athyra¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°Emera accidentally shot off the arrow. She wasn¡¯t hunting you. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be here if she hadn¡¯t convinced this orc to heal me.¡±

    Another low growl escaped from Athyra as the ground froze into solid ice under her. ¡°She almost killed you, Eriz. She¡¯s a pathetic little shit head just like the annoying mutt. They are worthless-¡±

    ¡°Hey! You are angry and hurt, dragon lady. We can all see that, but the monkey and her mutt didn¡¯t mean to hurt your friend.¡± The slender, hot male elf cut in.

    Did I just call the elf hot? Wait, he called me a mutt! I would growl at him and bite his fingers off, but I might need him in a minute. Damn.

    ¡°And, what do you care, fancy pants?¡± Athyra scoffed at the elf. She bared her teeth at the elf.

    ¡°Stop, please. Don¡¯t kill them, Athyra.¡± Eriz pleaded with her. ¡°We need to stop for a minute because the constant fighting and reacting to everything hasn¡¯t helped you. I don¡¯t want people to hunt you, Athyra. At least for a minute, let me be a friend to you. I want to hear what¡¯s going on instead of watching you react in pain. You aren¡¯t alone.¡±

    Suddenly, I feel bad for Athyra. Eriz wants to listen and console her, which must feel foreign to her. Dragons don¡¯t grow up with close relationships. Even when they mate every ten years, the dragons don¡¯t connect more than they have to. At least, that¡¯s what I learned in school at the guild. Athyra looked young, so Eriz might be her first real friend. Will she listen to him?

    Athyra¡¯s eyes are full of emotion. Pain, anger, and sadness come off her in small waves while the air grows cold from her raw emotions. She lets out a bellowed roar that causes everyone to fall to the ground from the power behind it. No one can keep their eyes on Athyra as the ice around us cracks and refreezes over like a scar. Protrusions of ice pop up out of the ground and out the trees around us like a cage blocking us in. A chilled thick fog envelopes the area, and several cracking noises follow the end of Athyra¡¯s roar.

    And, as if the dramatic moment needed more theatrics, my own body erupts into pain. Ema lets go of me as I let out a pained howl. My whole body morphs amid the chilled fog as the fur recedes, and the tail curls back into my body with speed. Hands, feet, ears, red hair, and normal teeth reform. The wolf features vanished entirely, leaving me to appear human. I would be celebrating right now if it wasn''t for the excruciating pain I felt. My body was battered with bruises, gashes, burns, and scars. All I could do was lay at Ema¡¯s feet, tucked into a ball as I hugged my legs. Shivers wrecked my body as the ice beneath was causing my temperature to drop.

    The fog began to clear around us, and a new wave of panic set in. Everyone would see me naked. I was a naked woman lying where a red wolf had been. I can¡¯t let that happen. Ema throws her cloak at me as I force myself to crawl around the base of the tree to hide. My whole being was shivering and shaking, but I managed to wrap myself in Ema¡¯s cloak. Tears streamed down my face from pain, panic, and relief because on the third day¡¯s sunrise like always I shifted out of my wolf form. It¡¯s always at sunrise.

 Clash of Wills

    Emalynn POV

    ¡°Not even my thick fur can keep me warm in this ice cage,¡± I mutter as my teeth chatter. I rub my hands along my arms trying to warm myself since I had to give up my cloak. This situation has gone from bad to chaotic. The cold fog has cleared, but my body stays tense. It was only a few minutes ago the giant white lizard charged at me, and I fear her anger won¡¯t be soothed by Eriz like I had planned. Everything has gone to shit since Athyra spotted us before we were ready for her. Braxton, the giant green orc, hasn¡¯t moved from his spot between Athyra and me. The men have their eyes trained on Athyra who keeps glancing back and forth between Eriz and me. The fancy elf has situated himself near Eriz, and I can hear the pounding of footsteps approaching us. And, if that wasn¡¯t enough, Ro transformed back into her human body¡­without any clothes. She must be freezing her ass off because I can hear her teeth chattering from behind the tree.

    ¡°Emera, are you alright? Your teeth might fall out from all the chattering.¡± Braxton asks me in a low voice, trying not to disturb the grumpy lizard.

    I try to bite my tongue, but words fly out of my mouth faster than I could process. ¡°Really, Braxton? Are any of us truly okay here?¡± I quietly yell back at him. ¡°Our fate depends on this grumpy white lizard forgiving me for shooting her boyfriend with an arrow!¡±

    Athyra snapped her head in my direction and focused on me. ¡°You little rat! How dare you insult me when I squish you like the pest that you are. You are nothing but a careless, clueless idiot, monkey girl.¡± She turns to advance toward me causing Eriz and Silas to run in between the two of us. Athyra growls at the three men between us as her claws crack the ice beneath her. She narrowed her gaze at her human companion. ¡°Do you have a death wish, Eriz?¡±

    Eriz doesn¡¯t flinch as he approaches Athyra. ¡°Hardly,¡± he answers her. ¡°In fact, I think it¡¯s time we let walk away from this, Athyra.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Eriz. Not when this clueless child plays with a weapon she can¡¯t control while her little dog fights all her enemies for her. Besides, the mutt has a hefty bounty on her head. I can use that money to buy your freedom and start my own treasure horde. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± Athyra says coolly.

    Eriz stands directly in front of Athyra¡¯s narrow and fierce snout. ¡°Not like this.¡± Eriz pleads with the dragon. Meanwhile, Silas whispers to Braxton. Was now the time to be whispering to each other? Our lives hang in the balance¡­

    Athyra gives a dry laugh. ¡°There¡¯s no better time. The wolf reached her limit sometime ago, and she lays a shriveled mess beyond the clueless monkey. It will be easy.¡±

    Braxton immediately reacted to Athyra¡¯s words by glancing back at me. My ¡°wolf familiar¡± was nowhere to be found. The same damaged wolf that limped past him only minutes ago has disappeared from my side, and everyone here has taken notice of her absence. ¡°Emera, where did the wolf go?¡± Braxton asked me quietly.

    How can I answer this without causing trouble for Ro? The truth was there was no way to explain away. Any answer may lead them all to find Rory behind the tree trunk. ¡°I told her to leave.¡± Athyra began to laugh again. She seems to know that Ro hasn¡¯t left the area. This situation has become more dangerous based on Athyra¡¯s behavior.

    Ahtyra shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re lying, little rat. The wolf-¡±

    A cracking noise caught everyone¡¯s attention as we watched an opening appear in the ice cage that surrounded us. A familiar voice filled my ears, causing tears to escape my eyes. The warm, familiar voice called out to the giant white lizard, and I felt something in me break as Myrra walked through the opening in the ice. I fell to my knees, letting my body crumble at the base of the tree. Ro was balled up, suffering from the cold and her extensive injuries while my energy feels like it has been sucked out of my body. I wanted to rip the glamor charm from my neck and run into the safety of Myrra¡¯s arms. All I could do in this moment was watch Myrra begin to scold the white dragon with a whole party of people around her.

    ¡°Athyra! Look at the mess you have caused.¡± Myrra flipped her ax sideways to keep the sharp edges away from Athyra as she slammed her down on Athyra like a mallet pounding on a peg. Athyra cried out as the ax hit her head, and her whole body collapsed to the ground. The dragon¡¯s body began to take a human-like form as she shrank in size. In less than a minute, a scaly, light blue, young woman replaced the snow dragon. ¡°Tactless child, you and Eriz must return to the guild immediately.¡±

    Athyra pushed herself off the ground to look up at Myrra. ¡°What did you do to me?¡±

    Myrra explained how the wizard in her party prepared a spell to cause Athyra to revert back to her humanoid form. It was how Myrra planned to drag Athyra back to the guild to face her crimes from her rampage. Myrra was acting as my savior once again although she had no idea that she was saving me. She has always had this habit of showing up like a storm settling the chaos with her fierce presence. Myrra had Eriz come to help Athyra to her feet. She called Athyra and Eriz her guild mates¡­ When did the lizard join the guild? I have only been away a few months.

    Silas turned to Myrra with a look of relief across his face while Athyra rambled under her breath to Eriz. Braxton hurried over to me as I silently watched everyone around me moving. Tears still streamed down my face. Braxton sat on the ground trying to talk to me. His voice called my name over and over again, but my gaze was locked on to Myrra. I know Braxton doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening to me right now, but I feel like I am stuck. It was too much. Seeing the closest thing I have to a mother not even notice me because I have to hide myself was torture. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Athyra look at me with a sly smile. What was wrong with her?

    ¡°Fine. I will settle for a deathless revenge.¡± Athyra said loud enough that I could hear her. Eriz looked at Athyra curiously. ¡°Myrra,¡± she called out, causing Myrra to look at her.

    ¡°Yes, Athyra?¡± Myrra answered.

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    ¡°I think the broken little monkey over there may want to have a word with you. I believe you know her. Her name is Emalynn.¡± Athyra grinned.

    Myrra and her whole party turned toward me with a questioning look. ¡°I think you are mistaken-¡±

    Athyra chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize your almost daughter through a simple glamor charm?¡± Eriz quietly questioned Athyra, but her focus was on me.

    ¡°What?¡± Myrra nearly choked on her words looking from Athyra to me.

    ¡°Oh, and the one called Rory is slowly freezing to death behind that tree,¡± Athyra finished.

    Rory! Damn it. Once Myrra appeared, I completely lost all sense. Without a second thought, I rose to my feet and wiped away my tears. Braxton tried to help me, but I just brushed past him. I walked over to Athyra with as much confidence as I could muster. ¡°What are you talking about, mighty dragon? My name is Emera. My familiar behind the tree is indeed in a weakened state, but her name is Rosewyn. I don¡¯t know anyone named Rory.¡± I bid Eriz to release his hold on Athyra, so she could come toward me. He reluctantly let her go at my request. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on me, but I couldn¡¯t let their concerned looks stop me now.

    ¡°You are quite the liar, monkey girl.¡± Athyra gritted her teeth as she shuffled toward me. Her humanoid form was sleek, beautiful, and bruised from her constant battling in her dragon form. She held one arm in hand as she stood in front of me. Her tall form imposing itself over me. The things she must have gone through and the toll of her constant use of magic had drained of her energy.

    This won¡¯t end. I know Athyra won¡¯t forgive me without a real act of revenge. I have no idea how she found out my real identity, but I have to satisfy her somehow. Ro won¡¯t survive much longer. Eye for an eye and flesh for flesh as the old saying goes. ¡°I did hit Eriz with my arrow though, so you deserve your pound of flesh.¡± I reached down to pull my knife from its sheath and handed it to Athyra. ¡°Take your flesh and be at peace.¡±

    Everything happened so quickly once Athyra grabbed the knife from my hand. She whispered, ¡°My revenge has been satisfied,¡± as she stabbed my gut and let go of the blade. Athyra backed away from me with a look of peace on her face. All her malice toward me had melted away like the legends of a dragon¡¯s emotions consuming until the dragon satisfied their desires. Athyra¡¯s thirst for revenge was quenched, and she was free. Was the fabled curse of the dragon¡¯s consuming emotions real? It certainly seemed that way.

    A chorus of shouts and curses were flung about the air like rain coating the area. Myrra, Braxton, and others ran toward us as Eriz ripped Athyra further away from me. I held my gut where the knife pierced my skin. There was a piercing pain consuming my body, but it felt far away at the same time. I felt myself fall backwards into some strong arms. The scent belonged to Braxton, and something felt comforting about his musk. So many voices panicked around me. My body began to feel numb from the pain. Blood spilled out of me, but I could faintly feel a warmth on my stomach. Was this Braxton¡¯s healing magic? My vision faded to black before I could say anything.

    The next day¡­

    ¡°Em,¡± a voice calls out.

    My eyes flutter open when I hear Myrra¡¯s voice calling to me. She knows it¡¯s me. Did I fail to keep others from discovering that I am Emalynn? Possibly. I only get glimpses of the world around me because my eyes refuse to stay open. From the fragments of the scene around me, I can tell that I am in some sort of tent. There¡¯s a brown canopy above me, and I feel myself lying down on a thin bed roll with a blanket on top of me. My body no longer shivers from the cold, and I am still breathing. Everything blurs together as I try to remember how I got here. Flashes of Athyra stabbing me run through my mind as well as Rory finally transforming back from her wolf form. I remember Braxton¡¯s warm arms catching me after Athyra pulled away from me. He must have healed me and saved my life.

    I don¡¯t have the strength to move, but I make out the red headed version of Rory laying near me out of the corner of my eye. Rory seems to be alive, which means my sacrifice saved Athyra and Rory from their suffering. It was an instant decision to speed up the conclusion of whatever clash of wills was happening. Athyra had been consumed by her emotions causing her to go on a dragon rampage. The only way to stop her was to give her exactly what she wanted because I knew I had no strength left at the time. No one was ready for a fight with an revenge obsessed dragon. What Myrra taught me about dragons back at the guild academy ended up coming in handy.

    Myrra grabbed my hand after noticing my fluttering eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t rush yourself to get up, Em.¡± She commands me. ¡°You need rest although your wound has healed.¡±

    Braxton must have healed me up while I was out. Now, I have to thank the big lug for saving my life. He¡¯s going to get all excited again and fawn over my cuteness, but that''s a problem for later. Myrra was here acknowledging me. It warmed my heart to have her next to me like when I would get sick as a kid. Her expression told me she was both relieved and frustrated at the same time. I could feel another lecture hanging over my head.

    ¡°Em, I am so proud of you and angry with you all at the same time.¡± Myrra admitted. ¡°You let Athyra seek her revenge to satisfy her, but at what cost? How can you so freely allow the life I saved end abruptly?¡± Myrra¡¯s voice was muddled from her crying. Her words were so soft no one except us beasts could hear her words as she spoke to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got here or what caused all of this, but this orc assures me that he will continue to heal you when I leave.¡±

    Wait, she¡¯s leaving? My grip on her hand tightens allowing her to know that I can hear her talking to me. Is she leaving so soon because of her work or because she is upset with me for sacrificing myself to Athyra¡¯s wrath? I try to force myself to speak, but my lips never move. My eyes refuse to stay open long enough to get a good look at her, but she continues talking again as if she can sense my distress over her words.

    ¡°I have to leave, Em. It¡¯s already been a day since you were stabbed by Athyra. We waited here for some sign that you were going to wake up.¡± Myrra said. ¡°Eriz told me how Athyra was sent to hunt you and Ro down because her employer wants whatever ancient magical item you guys had at the time in Old River Woods. Also, Eriz wishes to warn you that his employer will likely reach this forest in a week. It¡¯s the same dark elf that Elias told me about in his letter. I wish I could stay to face this employer of theirs, but the Gleaca Council has called for my return since I captured Athyra. She must answer for her crimes against Gleaca.¡±

    Athyra was hunting us down for that creepy dark elf. Why would she do that? She¡¯s a dragon! Shouldn¡¯t a job like this be beneath her? Whatever. Rory or Rosewyn as Myrra has been calling her beat the dark elf once. As long as she recovers, we will stand a chance at ending this. Would we be able to return home if we eliminated this guy?

    ¡°The Gleaca Council has put a bounty for a wolf folk hybrid. Someone might think your odd familiar is this wolf folk hybrid given her unique ability to have a human form. Even when you face Eriz¡¯s employer, it would be dangerous for you to return anywhere that you have been previously. Athyra had been a bigger concern at the time, however now that I have her, the council will focus their resources on hunting this hybrid. Beware.¡± Myrra warned.

    My eyes snap open to look at a somber looking Myrra. This was no joke. Damn. We can¡¯t go home. Elias warned us that it could be months or years on the run. I hoped that we could return home eventually, but I am not sure that¡¯s a possibility. More people will come after us with rumors of my unique familiar floating around. My life at the guild was over at this point. Ugh. This means more nights in a damn cave. Stupid caves.

    Myrra reaches ¡°The elf wizard found Rosewyn behind the tree after you were stabbed. She¡¯s in bad shape, so you must recover quickly to protect her. I will leave some supplies for you and Rosewyn.¡± Her voice broke into sobs. ¡°Please, my daughter, live past this. I want our paths to cross again.¡±

    Shit. Of all the times for my body to refuse to move, why now? Tears fall past my eyes as I feel Myrra hug my still body. I want to hug Myrra and assure her that we will be fine. I know we will because Myrra, Elias, Leah, and everyone at the guild are waiting for us to return. Please, Heaven, assure Myrra and everyone else that we will come home one day. We will win against our enemies. We will be safe. As I finish my prayer, Myrra sits back up. She looks at my eyes watching her and wipes away my tears. Gently, she fixes my hair with one hand while the other holds my hand tightly.

    Sunlight pours into the tent when someone pulls back the opening of the tent. A male from Myrra¡¯s party stands in the opening. ¡°Myrra, we must go. If we stay any longer, they will begin to send people after us.¡±

    Myrra nods at him and gives me another hug. She whispers her love for me before pulling away from my still form. Myrra gets up and hugs Ro once before leaving the tent. My heartaches to watch Myrra leave us as seeing her for the first time yesterday did. The only difference was the strength she gave by sharing her love for me. I don¡¯t feel broken this time, but my whole being still hurts. Myrra, my mother, my teacher, my savior, I swear I will make it home to you. I close my eyes and feel another bout of slumber take over.

 Familiar Rescue I

    Silas POV

    Everything went to hell. The calm and collected simian woman vanished when the dragon landed at our campsite. Only moments before we were going through our plan of using Emera as bait to lure the dragon in. Everything just went downhill further as more unexpected guests showed up. First, the dragon, then a wounded wolf familiar, and then an entire adventuring party arrived one after another. In less than a minute the guildmaster, Myrra, subdued the frosty dragon with a spell that trapped the dragon in her humanoid form. Eriz had the dragon restrained until something caused Emera to confront the dragon. Braxton kept his eyes on Emera while I was questioning the wizard who cast the spell on the dragon. I wanted to be sure the dragon couldn¡¯t cause any more harm.

    ¡°Damn it! Emera!¡± Braxton shouted as he jolted away from me. All eyes converged on Emera and the dragon woman.

    Eriz restrained the dragon woman who looked relieved like a weight had fallen off her shoulders. I knew dragons were wicked and cruel creatures by nature, but her smile perverted the whole situation in a new way. Emera was holding her abdomen as blood began seeping out of her body. Braxton caught her before she fell and began to heal her. The dragon woman had cuffs slapped on her wrist by one of the adventurers while the guildmaster aided Braxton in his healing treatment. The other adventurers began setting up camp around us while Eriz and another adventurer chained the dragon¡¯s cuffs to a tree. It was clear that no one was leaving the area for a while.

    What had I just witnessed? The whole scene had me puzzled. Emera wanted to say something to the dragon woman after the dragon woman had tried to get under her skin, which was understandable. The dragon woman had been restrained and searched for weapons by Eriz only a few moments before. Emera must have had the weapon on her, but how did the dragon get it? In the short time that I have known Emera, she didn¡¯t seem like the careless type. We went through a whole two days of this planning to catch this dragon and save Emera¡¯s familiar. She wouldn¡¯t throw all of that away, would she?

    Wait. Where did her familiar go? Emera said her familiar went into hiding, but it came running when it sensed Emera was in danger although that wolf looked like it had seen some battles over the last day since it was freed from the ice. I stepped away from the chaos around me toward the tree Emera had been cornered by the dragon. The ice beneath my feet was rigid and slick. The last two days of ice had me missing the hot summer weather. The ice wall around the campsite trapped the cold air causing chills to constantly run through my body. I had come on this hunting quest to see a dragon in the flesh and get Master Renaldy off my back. What I hadn¡¯t expected was to find the peculiar simian woman and her familiar here. Nor did I plan on spending this long away from my research on polymorphic magic and Ramire Bishop.

    Braxton and I should have walked away by now. We should have returned to the Wizard¡¯s Guild, but Braxton has a soft heart for fluffy creatures. He won¡¯t leave right now even if I commanded him as his prince. His beloved little monkey was fighting for her life. How could a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall, former war general be enamored with a five-foot-tall simian girl? If I didn¡¯t know Braxton as well as I do, I would think he had gone mad. The truth is Braxton appreciates every bit of good in the world since his mother died gruesomely on the battlefield. Anything as fluffy as Emera must be good in Braxton¡¯s eyes. I wonder if I should be worried about him getting too attached to Emera.

    A soft chattering noise filled the air the closer I got to the tree. Was the familiar making that chattering noise? My interest had peaked as I walked around the trunk of the tree. Where I had expected to find a red wolf, I found a weak, trembling ball wrapped in Emera¡¯s cloak. Kneeling, I could see the small figure shivering violently. This figure was not a wolf by any measure, so who lay here in front of me? ¡°Excuse me, can I help you?¡±

    The form in front of me stilled at my words for a moment then began to shiver again. If I were to leave this figure alone, they may not survive in this ice patch. The frozen ground beneath us was probably causing this figure to freeze. I reached out to touch the cloaked form and heard a soft moan of pain as my fingers brushed against the thick cloak. Had I caused this figure pain with such a light touch? Perhaps, the figure was wounded under the cloak. ¡°Listen, I need to check to see if you have any wounds.¡±

    The figure shivered harder in front of me. Between the teeth chatter, I heard a small voice respond. ¡°N-no, w-w-wai-t-t.¡± The voice was soft and feminine sounding. This figure in front of me must be a woman. Now, that I looked closer I saw blood-red strands of hair slipping out of the cloak. It was nearly the same color as the red wolf¡¯s fur.  Normally, I wouldn¡¯t even consider that Emera¡¯s familiar could be this girl in front of me, but that red wolf was anything but normal.

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    ¡°Miss, you need help,¡± I placed my hand on her as gently as I could. Her body panicked under my touch. Was she in that much pain or was she just scared? ¡°I can heal you, but I need to see what I am healing.¡± Waiting to see if she would respond, I gently laid my other hand on her side. Her form was shaking under the cloak. She was freezing. Maybe, if I warm her up a bit, she will let me heal her. With that in mind, I focused on a warm light to envelope her body. A soft orange light wrapped around and her body began to shiver less.

    The small woman relaxed a little in the warmth. Her teeth chattering slowed. Even the ice beneath her body had started to melt away. My hands stayed on her side gently as the magic soothed her chilled body. It has been quite some time since I healed, held, or helped anyone besides Braxton. Her form felt firm beneath the cloak. This woman was strong, definitely some type of warrior. She can shift between wolf and this human form, which should be impossible. Even beast folk retain animal characteristics when they are in a humanoid form, but I don¡¯t feel any fur through the cloak. She doesn¡¯t have any ears peeking out of the hood of the cloak. I can sense copious amounts of magic flowing through this woman. She has at least one or two magic items on her as well. What was this woman?

    ¡°So warm,¡± I heard her murmur.

    Leaving her on the ground wasn¡¯t an option. She needs medical care. Magic may be flowing through her like a circuit of energy, but she was too weak to do anything with it. I scooped her in my arms. Her cloak opened a bit, and the hood fell off her head. It was at that moment that I realized how much of a powerful woman I was holding. Her long red hair draped over her body, but I could tell she was unclothed. No wonder she was freezing. Her face had scars, small bruises, open cuts, and swelling. If her face was this battered, what did the rest of her look like? She could have open wounds, broken bones, and large bruises. This woman had to be the wolf familiar. She went toe to toe with a dragon for Emera.

    Gently, I adjusted the cloak to cover the woman¡¯s body. I kept myself steady as I carried the woman in a bridal carry. The smashed-up icy clearing was transformed into a campsite rather quickly. There was already a large fire crackling and emanating heat. Someone had melted the ice away around the campsite, leaving mushy mud in its wake. Eriz had the dragon woman settled next to him on a log beside the fire. I was surprised the dragon was still breathing after stabbing Emera. There were large tents set up around the fire, but no sign of Braxton anywhere. I continued to warm the woman in my arms as I looked around for Myrra. She should be able to help me with this woman.

    ¡°Guildmaster Myrra,¡± I called out for the dwarven woman.

    Myrra wasted no time in exiting one of the tents. Her pace hastened when she saw me carrying a cloaked woman in my arms. ¡°Where did this person come from¡­um, what was your name?¡±

    ¡°I am called Silas. The orc known as Braxton is my companion. We were sent by the Wizard¡¯s Guild to seek out the dragon. This person was behind the tree over there. She needs help.¡± I finished my summary of the situation.

    ¡°That much is clear, Mr. Silas,¡± Myrra answered. ¡°Follow me to the medical tent.¡±

    Entering the tent, I was in awe of the space for healing magic, potions, and medicine. A mat was prepared for the woman in my arms. Another adventurer appeared from behind a tent divider where I caught a glimpse of Braxton and the glow of his healing magic.

    ¡°That orc is well versed in healing magic, Myrra. I am surprised at his skill.¡± The adventurer praised Braxton. I felt a bit of pride for my dear friend. ¡°I am certain the simian woman will recover fully.¡±

    Myrra was busy rustling around through the medical supplies to prepare a workstation for the woman in my arms. She stopped for a moment to give a smile of relief over the adventurer¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you, June. I know your mana is running low, but Silas here brought us another patient.¡± She gestured over to me.

    June waved me over to the mat, ¡°Put her down, Mr. Silas.¡±

    Wasting no time, I laid the woman on the mat, but the odd creature refused to release her grip on my tunic. ¡°Warm,¡± a little voice whispered.

    My body stilled at her voice. ¡°Should I force her to let me go or continue warming her with my magic?¡± I asked the healer known as June.

    June quickly began to assess the woman on the mat in front of us. She gently tugged at the woman¡¯s exposed arm. The arm was pale, battered, and chilled to the touch. Would the rest of the woman¡¯s body be this way as well? June looked up at me for a moment trying to decide if I was going to be useful. ¡°She is hyperthermic. She needs all the heat she can get.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± I respond as I situate myself on the floor. The heat magic pours out of me in an orange glow, causing the woman to relax. ¡°I am a healer as well,¡± I volunteer.

    ¡°Good,¡± Myrra adds as she sits next to June with her gathered supplies. ¡°Our mana supply is running low at best.¡±  Myrra begins to pull back the cloak only to put it down again. She grabs a wrap and throws it at me. ¡°Cover your eyes, Mr. Silas. I want this woman to have some dignity left when we are through.¡±

    I temporarily stop the heat magic to blindfold myself out of respect for who this woman likely is although my curiosity about her extensive injuries has peaked. Once I am in the dark, I use my senses to fill the gaps of where everything in the tent is and begin heating the woman once more. Myrra and June pull back the cloak revealing the woman. Their gasps and astonished sounds tell me that this woman was lucky to be alive. June counts sixteen breaks with the use of some medical tools. Myrra logs eighty-three stitches will be needed on top of the healing magic that I will be supplying this woman. Somehow, I get the feeling this woman has been through worse.

 Familiar Rescue II

    Silas POV

    Hours go by as we continue treating the red-headed woman. The woman has been cleaned, and stitched, and bones set back into place. Her temperature has returned to a normal level, and Myrra dressed the woman in some spare clothes. The last thing needed was for me to heal the woman with my magic as much as possible.

    ¡°Mr. Silas, we leave her in your hands,¡± Myrra said, as she carried a sleeping June in her arms. ¡°Your orc friend will bring you some supper in a bit.¡±

    Suddenly, I was left alone with the red-haired woman. Her breathing was steady, which was a relief. The yellow glow of my healing magic had begun to engulf her. We nearly lost this woman a few times. Now, I had a clear picture of the red-headed woman.  Her hair was braided to the side revealing her sprinkle of freckles on her cheeks and small scars on her face. Her face was swollen and bruised from whatever life-threatening battle she won. I know this woman faced the dragon head-on and lived, which made her all the more mysterious.

    Could she have been the book thief that the librarian battled? The woman can shift between a wolf and human form, so she might be a beast woman. Honestly, I do not know a creature like this in existence. How does she have magic like this? A wolf beast has terrain magic if anything, and there aren¡¯t many wolf beasts around anymore. This woman was intriguing and may be worth studying. Oddly, I almost feel drawn to the woman. Her secrets are tantalizing to a researcher like myself.

    ¡°She¡¯s got a tight grip on your tunic, huh, Silas?¡± Braxton¡¯s voice stirred me from thoughts.

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    I looked down at the hand clutching my tunic. She hadn¡¯t let go once since I put her down on the mat hours ago. June had stitched her up with no pain meds, however, the woman didn¡¯t let go. She stayed unconscious for the whole treatment. Even now, she was still out of it. ¡°She¡¯s unflinching and unconscious,¡± I answered looking up at my friend.

    Braxton looks exhausted. His mana must be dangerously low at this point since he had been healing Emera all this time. ¡°I brought you some stew. I know you haven¡¯t eaten in almost two days.¡±

    Braxton hands me a bowl, so I stop healing the woman for a minute. He settles next to me on the ground beside the mat. We silently sit eating the hot stew. It¡¯s full of meat and vegetables, unlike most campfire stews. Camping with a guildmaster affords more comfort than I am used to. Myrra had big tents, a good stash of medical supplies, and plenty of food. Master Renaldy didn¡¯t provide anything like this although it¡¯s still less than a royal caravan.

    ¡°Silas, do we need to go back to the wizard¡¯s guild?¡± Braxton questioned.

    Braxton¡¯s abrupt question ended the relaxing silence. Did we need to go back? Hours ago, I thought we should have left them already, but a woman is clutching my tunic for dear life at the moment. Looking at Braxton, his eyes are begging to stay. ¡°I am not sure we can leave.¡±

    Braxton blinked at me, stunned. ¡°I need more than that.¡±

    ¡°Brax, you are silently begging to stay here. This woman has a death grip on me, and I have more questions that need answers from these people.¡±

    His tired face lit up at my answer. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    My biggest fear may have just come true. Braxton was far too happy that I agreed to stay. ¡°Tell me, Braxton. How attached are you to Emera?¡± His cheeks went red at my words. ¡°Are you blushing?¡±

    Braxton turned away from me. ¡°I¡­man, Silas, it¡¯s hard to explain. I feel this overwhelming need to protect her. It¡¯s a little more than a crush, but I am not in love after just a few days. That would be crazy, but I don¡¯t want to say goodbye.¡±

    He is attached¡­ This just got more complicated. ¡°Okay, we won¡¯t say goodbye yet.¡±

 Shadows

    Talan was his name. That much I remember. Yesterday, I got a lead on the dumbass elf while I was finishing an escort job for the guild. It seems a rich dark elf has been hiring mercenaries to terrorize the port town of Atlas. Atlas is a special port town because it¡¯s the port where the giants will travel and trade their goods with the other kingdoms of Gleaca. Although most of the giants who do business in Atlas are halflings, any presence of giants outside of  Jontunuvar, which borders the Northern Mountains, was rare. A giant halfling named Novu was at the tavern where I escorted a carpet merchant, Borgus Rug after we made it through Old River Woods. Novu, in his drunken stupor, told of the giants¡¯ plight against one of the lords living around Atlas. This dark elf lord decided to raise the toll to use the main road coming into Atlas. The lord even went so far as to hire a mercenary army to enforce the toll upon the giants. Novu witnessed this dark elf using elemental magic to convince travelers to accept the tolls. Few dark elves can use more than one type of elemental magic, so a dark elf lord utilizing more than one type of elemental magic was easily noticed by many. All I needed to do was confirm my lead before I made plans to eliminate the threat to Rory and Emalynn, which will happen after I rest.

    My old brown paws carried me through the thicket. Heavy rains pelted the forest last night, leaving the forest a swampy mess. Mudd squished between the pads of my paws and the sun''s heat was weighing on my shoulders, slowing me down on my way to my little cottage.  It was a long run from the town of Dover just outside Old River Woods to my cottage in the forest around White Rapids. When I have time between jobs for a reset, I leave my room at the guild for my quiet sanctuary. The older I get, the more I enjoy my time in the cottage away from my persona as Elias, the Spear of the White Rapids, the strongest combat elf in the White Rapids guild. The more time I spend as the elf from the guild, the less I feel like a member of the wolf folk who secretly live in the Savage Valley. I have no mate to go home to in the valley, and my sister, my only family, lives in Pine Row undercover.

    As I enter the small clearing of my little worn down, green cottage, I see Cliff, my messenger hawk, waiting for me. Instantly, I change from my fuzzy brown four-legged self into my dark-complected, brown-furred, wolf folk form. My aged body from constant use of my polymorphic ring. My joints ache after each shift. Facing my mortality hasn¡¯t been as frightening as annoying when my younger companions outperformed me on a job for the guild. It¡¯s been nearly two weeks since I saw Leah. I can only imagine what message was waiting for me as I sat down on the steps of my cottage.

    Holding out my arm, I whistled for my hawk to fly down to me. Cliff flapped his wings broadly as he landed on my bare arm. His talons dug into my bare arm causing blood to run down my arm, but I didn¡¯t flinch. I pulled the message off Cliff¡¯s leg and gently pet his ash-colored feathers. Over fifty years, I have had three hawks be my messengers, and each one has been a friend to me. Cliff flutters off my arm onto the step next to me where his water bowl sits overflowing from the heavy rains last night. ¡°Good job, Cliff,¡± I mutter to the bird beside me. Unfolding the crumbled note, I recognize the writing as my sister, Kaya¡¯s.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Eli,

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> So much has happened in just a week, but I will start with everyone¡¯s still alive. That damn dragon had a temper tantrum and attacked Katar. He lost an arm, but he will be fine. Part of the town was damaged, but everyone has been helping with the repairs. The dragon killed several adventures before clashing with a ¡°wolf creature¡± in the Evergreen Forest. Myrra was able to catch the dragon yesterday. I will meet her in White Rapids where the dragon will face judgment from Gleace Council in one week. Please meet me there. I need support, so I don¡¯t throw my tantrum.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">-K

    ¡°The dragon attacked Katar? Myrra told me the girl was reasonable¡­ although Myrra mentioned the girl was young.¡± I looked over to Cliff while talking through my thoughts. The dragon faced a ¡®wolf creature¡¯ according to Kaya. Knowing Rory, she would only take on a dragon if she was forced. Kaya said everyone lived through the dragon rampage, so I have to believe Rory and Ema are alive and hopefully safe somewhere. Still, Rory took on a nearly full-size dragon. What kind of power does Rory have? I know hybrids are more powerful than their parent species, however, Rory should be able to face a dragon on her own¡­right?

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    In only one week, a dragon rampaged through my family¡¯s lives while I was out there gathering intel on the dark elf. My whole life has been spent as a spy gathering intel, fighting to keep secrets, or training others to do what I do, rushing around to prevent some major disaster and save another person¡¯s life. I can¡¯t protect those I truly care about when it matters most. Rory rescued me several times recently. I wasn¡¯t there for Katar when a dragon attacked. Rory and Emalynn faced a damn dragon without me. Leah has been quelling the villages¡¯ concerns about a hybrid loose in Gleaca. Myrra captured a damn dragon without me. I have never been in the place to help anyone lately, not since Rory¡¯s frenzy on the Old River Woods mission. Even now, I will have to wait to follow the lead I got at the tavern because Kaya needs me in White Rapids. Getting older doesn¡¯t make anything easier.

    Instead of wallowing in a pity party, I ran inside the cottage to write Kaya a reply. Walking to my desk, I silently scold myself for tracking in mud on my white carpet. Why the hell did I buy a white carpet anyway? A brief memory flashed through my mind of Myrra picking out the white carpet for me years ago at the central markets in Solis. We had gone there on a mission to investigate an illegal child trafficking ring. It was a three-month mission to sniff out all of the traffickers and rescue the kids. The mission was overwhelming for Myrra because of the horrors we saw, but it was the closest we had ever gotten to each other¡­ Then we got separated because I had to return to Savage Valley. I remember coming back from the valley over two months later to find Myrra had been captured by some slavers. What happened to her during that time was unforgivable¡­ Myrra didn¡¯t let that incident steal her life, but it ruined any possibility of romance for her. ¡°Myrra¡­¡±

    Cliff flew into my cottage, snapping me out of my daydreams. I grabbed a pen and paper to write to Kaya. For a moment, I felt at a loss for words. No apology is needed here, but the guilt of what happened to my annoying but lovable nephew remained with me. I had no way to change anything, which had been a hard lesson to learn in my youth. All I could do was accept that chaotic events happened to my loved ones this week.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">K,

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> Got your message. See ya in White Rapids in a few days. I did get a lead on the dark elf, and I will tell ya about it when you get here.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">-Eli

    Short, that¡¯s my style of writing. Keeping things simple made life easier in my opinion. I tied my message to Cliff¡¯s ankle and took him back outside. Cliff waited for me to signal him to return to the valley. All hawks fly from the valley as their home base. Their trusted messenger sends off the messages to the right recipient¡¯s hawk. Then, the hawk tracks down their target anywhere in Gleaca. Although the messengers once told me the hawk could track a person across the seas as well, I find their ability to track me all over Gleaca amazing.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± My shoulders slumped down once I stood back in the doorway of my little cottage. I had tracked mud everywhere in the cottage. Great. ¡°Guess I need to clean up before heading to the guild,¡± I mutter. Myrra won¡¯t be back until the day after tomorrow anyway, then I will meet this tantrum-throwing dragon who ran a muck all over eastern Gleaca.

 Forward I

    Braxton POV

    Chills were finally subsiding since the ice wall around camp was melted down by the adventuring party this morning. A lot had happened this morning that I was still processing. Silas and I had all but given an oath to protect these girls that we have been nursing back to health since a dragon rampaged through the Evergreen Forest almost a week ago. Time had flown by as Silas and I had altered healing the girls with our magic over the last day in the hopes they would be able to travel soon. We were overworked and exhausted with depleted mana reserves. It would be a whole night before we could cast any more magic, but we had pressing matters.

    ¡°Eriz mentioned that his boss would be here by week¡¯s end, Silas,¡± I say as I stoke the fire between the two of us. Eriz, the dragon, Myrra, and her adventures left only a few hours ago. They left the girls in our care since they had a date with the Gleaca Council. ¡°We are going to have to move soon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stating the obvious, Braxton.¡± Silas draws his words. I hear his exhaustion coming through in his voice.

    Almost two days have gone by since the two of us turned into medics. It took until dawn for the redhead girl to let go of Silas¡¯ tunic. She¡¯s finally healed enough that her wounds were starting to close. Emera has been out of danger for a while. She couldn¡¯t stay awake long enough to eat or have a conversation yet. The Guildmaster Myrra was very insistent and protective of both the girls in our care. There was some secret Myrra shared with these girls that she quietly entrusted us with although we have no idea what the secret was.

    ¡°What do we do then, Silas?¡± I question him.

    Silas gave me a look that said he didn¡¯t want to discuss this now. ¡°Braxton, you¡¯re the general, right?¡± I nod. ¡°Come up with a battle plan.¡±

    ¡°So, we are going to follow my lead now?¡± My headache was pounding from the low amount of mana in my system. My best friend was pushing buttons I didn¡¯t have much control over at this point.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said?¡± Silas retorted.

    Daylight was fading around us. We both wanted and needed sleep. Silas has a bad habit of letting his attitude get the better of him after a few restless nights. ¡°Okay, Si. The plan is to move the girls in the morning. So go get some sleep. I will take the first watch.¡±

    Silas glared at me. ¡°Fine, Brute. You¡¯re the one who got us into this situation anyway.¡± He got up from his spot next to the fire and entered the tent with the girls.

    My head fell between my hands. These sleepless nights were wearing on me too. I got Silas and myself mixed up with these girls, sure, but he hasn¡¯t left the redhead girl alone for long. He agreed to stay with them a day ago. I can¡¯t go back and neither can Silas. We are the girl''s only hope for now.

    My newest problem was deciding on where to go. Emera had mentioned going south before, but I don¡¯t think that would be wise. These girls need protection and a place to hide. There¡¯s only one place we could go where we guarantee their safety. ¡°We need to go home.¡±

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    ¡°You need to go home?¡¯ A sweet little voice whispered.

    My body jumped at the sound of her voice. I had my knife in my hand ready for a fight when I saw the look in her frightened eyes. Emera looked smaller than she had before. Was she scared of me leaving or was she scared of being left? My heart was thundering in my chest at either possibility. A possibility that the fluffy little monkey might need me.

    ¡°Emera, you''re awake,¡± I kept my voice low as I lowered my knife. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±

    Her amber ears were neatly tucked back exposing her vulnerability. ¡°You said you needed to go home. Are you leaving now? Because, I came out here to thank you for saving my life, and I am thinking what ass leaves an injured person in the woods alone.¡±

    Emera looked as if her hope was fading by the second and slowly turning into anger. I fastened my knife back on my belt and walked toward Emera. ¡°I said ¡®we¡¯ need to go home.¡±

    ¡°You and Silas, right?¡± She almost shouted. ¡°Um, could you wait a day? I understand if you need to get back to your life, but I need help for a bit. Ro, she¡¯s not ready to move yet. I. also, need some more rest before I can-¡±

    I pull Emera in for a hug. It was the only way to politely shut her up. Her body was stiff and uncertain of my intentions. It wasn¡¯t a bone-crushing hug, but it was hard and comforting at the same time. Her fur against my calloused skin was soft. Emera began to relax in my arms.  The hug was my attempt to convey empathy without overwhelming her. ¡°When I said ¡®we¡¯ I meant all of us, Emera.¡±

    ¡°As in, Ro, Silas, you and me?¡± Her voice was small again and unsure.

    Slowly, I lessened my hold on her to see her face. I swear this monkey girl has the cutest face. Her eyes looked up at me, and I swear she was trying to make all my defenses melt just like hers were. ¡°Yes, all four will be going to my home.¡±

    ¡°I guess you came up with a plan then, Braxton.¡± Silas¡¯ interruptions caused Emera and I to pull away from each other. ¡°You want us to take them back to our home?¡±

    The sun had just gone down on the day, however, instead of sleeping, Silas was giving me an incredulous stare. I hadn¡¯t had time to think through an entire plan before Emera had come out of the tent, so I wasn¡¯t sure how to explain anything. Sighing, I returned to my seat by the fire with the anxious eyes of Emera and Silas on me.  ¡°You asked me to make a battle plan, Silas. Taking them to a place where they can hide with people protecting them is the best way to get away from the big, bad boss.¡±

    Emera looked between with a questioning look. She was probably wondering whether she should talk or just listen to this impending argument. Silas huffed but waited for me to continue.  That was out of character for him on his best days. He liked to talk over people and argue his point until he put his opponent in a state of speechless submission. Why was everything backward since we went to that library the other day?

    ¡°Silas, the dragon was working for this guy so he must have a good chunk of power behind him. Even if we were at our best, I am not sure we could take him head-on. I can¡¯t create a battle strategy with no intel on the big boss. As far as I know, this guy could be a giant or a grand fairy or another dragon in disguise. I know nothing about the enemy, so the best course of action is to retreat.¡±

    Silas¡¯ jaw tightened. ¡°I hate it when you are right.¡±

    ¡°Look, I am sure your sister will be happy to have you home after so long.¡± I tried to ease into the conversation about his sister.

    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s rich. My sister was the one who sent me away in the first place, Braxton. I doubt she will be happy to see me after only a few years. She expected me to be gone for decades.¡± Silas said, coldly. ¡°She made me leave.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but your temporary exile was over last year,¡± I replied.

    Silas walked away from the tent and passed Emera who was engulfed in listening to our conversation. He settled by the fire again, pulling out his canteen of water. His drink was brief. ¡°Why can¡¯t we go back to the guild for help?¡±

    ¡°I can answer that.¡± Emera cut in. ¡°Everyone will be looking for a wolf folk hybrid. My familiar would be a target.¡±

    If glares could injure someone, Emera would have died at that moment. ¡°So, you admit the woman is your familiar then, yes?¡±

 Forward II

    Braxton POV

    Emera remembered those two as well. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a fan of those two either. They weren¡¯t welcoming when I met them.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Polly Wog then?¡± I asked. Everyone seemed fine with Master Renaldy and Analee being dead. I wasn¡¯t about to let them sweep it all away.

    ¡°I only faced two people. It was killed or be killed.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were sad. She didn¡¯t want to brush past their deaths either. That gave me a bit of relief. There was another man who appeared when Myrra first found me with my injuries pushing me to the brink of death. He called me a monster and warned Myrra against helping me before he vanished.¡±

    Polly Wog walked away from this battleground, which meant we could face adventurers coming after us sooner rather than later. Two dead bodies were out there in the leftover slush. One was a man who irked me to no end and the other was a spoiled little princess. Choosing to follow these girls may be the most dangerous path Silas and I could take. Was Emera¡¯s cute fluffiness worth the risk?

    I nodded at the girl. Her wounds supported her story. She gave Emera a squeeze before coming to sit between Silas and me. ¡°Em, can you grab some wood? I need to have a chat with these boys.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the wood, but we all need to talk, not just the three of you.¡± Emera stood her ground toward Ro.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Ro acknowledged, and Emera headed off to get wood.

    When she left, Ro turned back to both of us. ¡°I think we need to start from the beginning. My name is Rosewyn. You can call me Ro. And, you boys are?¡±

    ¡°My name is Silas. His name is Braxton. Through a strange set of circumstances involving the Wizard¡¯s Guild, we ended up running into Emera a few times. We teamed up to go against the dragon and rescue you. As of this morning, we gave Guildmaster Myrra of the White Rapids Guild our word to take care of you two though I am not sure it was a good decision.¡± Silas explained.

    Ro took a minute to process everything Silas had shared. There was a heavy pause in the air. I could see Silas was doing his best not to ask Ro thousands of questions. Ro looked at him with a mix of appreciation, anger, and something I couldn¡¯t name. Her body tensed like she couldn¡¯t decide what to say first. Ro looked weak now, but she still had some fight in her.

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    ¡°Okay, Silas. I don¡¯t know why a stick has been knotted and twisted up your ass, but I will say ¡®thank you¡¯ for helping us.¡± Her face was serious. ¡°I admit we could use your help if you are willing to lend it to us.¡±

    Silas kept his intentions guarded with his expression. ¡°Braxton and I will help on the condition that you tell us everything. We need to know what we are getting into. I think that starts with who you are, Miss Rosewyn.¡±

    Ro didn¡¯t flinch. Her expression remained unchanged as she shifted into a comfortable position. Emera came back with a load of wood for the fire. She wasted no time in feeding the fire until the flames stood tall. Emera settled next to Ro on the ground, doing her best to support her friend. These girls have been together for a long time. They supported each other through everything. Emera whispers to Ro out of concern for the silence between everyone.

    ¡°Relax, Em. I was just waiting for you.¡± Ro says, patting her friend on the head. ¡°Silas, I accept your terms with the understanding that what is said can never be shared.¡±

    I am still reeling as I watch Silas agree for the both of us. Ro confirms Silas¡¯ suspicions. She was born to a wolf-beast mother and a human father who has been dead for a long time. She was raised by family friends who raised Emera as well. They were adventurers once until Ro began to struggle with her magic a few months ago. Her magic item helps her channel her magic, but she still lacks control. She has been on the run since and stole a book to learn more about her magic item. The dragon chased her down because some dark elf wanted her magic item. Now, the whole Gleaca Council is after her for being a hybrid.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look like a hybrid. How would anyone know?¡± I asked. This woman was allegedly the familiar to Emera. Was she really a wolf a few days ago? Sure, they had the same color hair, but it seemed impossible such a hybrid existed. She looks like a normal human.

    Ro wasted no time allowing red sparks to fly around her. The same red lightning as the wolf. Rosewyn was the wolf. There was a spark of anger in her eyes as she looked at me. Fangs were beginning to protrude from her lips. Her hands balled up into fists, trying to hide her claws.

    ¡°You can¡¯t control your magic, can you?¡± Silas asked.

    Her pale cheeks redden. ¡°No. I can¡¯t.¡±

    Silas became fascinated by Ro from her confession. ¡°Now, that¡¯s intriguing.¡± His mind was in researcher mode all of a sudden. ¡°Is it due to your hybrid status?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ro became visibly uncomfortable with the way Silas was looking at her.

    Emera glared at Silas before looking over at me. ¡®Do something¡¯ she mouthed. Me? There was no way to break Silas away from his new fascination, but maybe there was something we could do here. ¡°All right. Let''s do this. Silas and I will help you with your magic if you let Silas study you, Ro. Honestly, he won¡¯t stop trying to understand you anyway. This will give us a reason to travel together, and it will be a good reason for Silas to protect you both.¡±

    Silas immediately grinned at the idea. This was good motivation for him to face his sister when we made it home. ¡°Deal.¡±

    ¡°We need the help, Ro,¡± Emera added.

    I could tell Ro didn¡¯t want to. This was against her nature. She bit her lip looking from me to Silas before huffing in resignation. ¡°Okay. Nothing weird though.¡±

    Silas chuckled. ¡°Define weird.¡±

 White Rapids

    Athyra POV

    The journey back to White Rapids was full of spite and hateful glares. Shivers of ice crawled under my scales each time one of the adventurers looked at me funny. It was driving me mad, but my magic was bound to this humanoid form that the mysterious male wizard trapped me in. I didn¡¯t know Myrra had such a skilled wizard in her guild. Being stuck in this form was worse than going on that disaster date with the elf boy.

    We have walked for six days straight. I thought we would have been there by now, but I thought wrong. Every tree on this trail looked the same. I missed flying through the sky and the wind under my wings. Hell, I missed the carriage Eriz and I used to travel to White Rapids and Pine Row. I would take the smell of those brainless horses over my sore legs any day. Myrra had kept us going at a fast pace, trying to beat the Gleaca Council back to her town.

    My emotions were a mess like that dumbass wolf. The little monkey freed me from the endless rage when she allowed me to stab her. Once the rage left my system, I truly understood the curse of a dragon¡¯s rage. It was painful for everyone. I killed so many adventurers when they tried to face me in battle. The only thing that kept me remotely grounded was Eriz. He had defied nature and befriended me. Even now, he was by my side although Myrra had him acting as my jailer.

    The town was coming into view as we followed the winding river north. It felt familiar and foreign at the same time. Part of me wanted to redecorate the place in ice, however, Eriz¡¯s warm hand on mine kept me from trying. I was a dragon with a friend. It was merely unheard of back home. Dragons were considered solitary creatures by nature. Eriz annoyingly found his way into my heart as someone I care about. Had that been part of Talan¡¯s plan? No. Impossible. That perverted elf wouldn¡¯t have been that clever. Besides, if the council tries to burn me, I plan to take Talan down with me.

    ¡°Feeling nervous?¡± Eriz whispered. He knew I wouldn¡¯t divulge my true thoughts out loud.

    ¡°Nervous? No. The only nervous person is that perverted scum.¡± I sneered.

    Eriz looked confused for a moment. ¡°You mean Master Talan?¡±

    I nodded. The elf will burn once I reveal all I know about him¡­ I hope I get to watch it happen. The most satisfying bit will be when the obsidian cuff falls off Eriz¡¯s wrist. Eriz will be free by the time I am done talking to the council, and that was enough to leave a smile on my face.

    The town was the same as when we left. Colorful buildings and bustling streets surrounded us as we walked. It felt like I was a trophy being paraded through the streets for the glory of the White Rapids Guild. Myrra, the Guildmaster of the White Rapids Guild, led the party into the guild hall. My eyes were glued to my back as I passed people in shackles. Myrra decided to cut the party short in the guild hall by taking Eriz and me into her office. Not much in her office had changed in the last two months since I had been in here. Myrra sent everyone else away and closed the door behind us.

    ¡°I think six days of unwanted glares is enough for anyone, even a criminal.¡± She muttered as the doors thudded closed. ¡°Are you ready to talk, Athyra?¡±

    ¡°Talk? Talk about what? You caught me. End of story.¡± I hissed at her.

    Eriz frowned. He didn¡¯t like how I talked to Myrra, but he wasn¡¯t the one about to be on trial. There wasn¡¯t much to say, and I didn¡¯t want to repeat myself. I am not sure Eriz would understand that if I explained it to him. He pulled on my shackles to bring them over to Myrra¡¯s couch. Gesturing for me to sit, I gave in and rested on the couch. Myrra watched as I cautiously made myself comfortable on the edge of the couch.

    ¡°Athyra, you should talk to Myrra. She can help you plead your case to the council,¡± His eyes were pleading with me to participate in this conversation.

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    Ugh. Who knew caring for someone meant they would become a weakness of yours? Eriz had certainly become mine. I knew he didn¡¯t want me to be burned for my crimes, so he would try to keep that from happening if at all possible. I wasn¡¯t sure I should attempt to save myself because I did kill a lot of adventurers in my rage. I destroyed part of Pine Row and injured that ass of an elf. Hell, I demolished part of the Evergreen Forest chasing the red wolf and white monkey.

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to say, Eriz. You saw everything. I destroyed part of a town, injured and killed people, and turned part of a forest into my icy playground.¡± The bitterness in my voice was louder than I had intended it to be.

    ¡°Yes, but they want to know why. What caused you to rampage, Athyra?¡± Myrra cut in as she sat on the chair across from me. ¡°The motivation for such destruction must have been serious.¡±

    I felt my emotions tumbling just beneath the surface of my scales. All the bindings on my magic were keeping everything in, which caused me to scream in frustration. ¡°Why? That¡¯s what you want to know. Fine.¡±

    Myrra¡¯s eyes grew big as I stood in front of her. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I arrived by ship in Creekmont. A greasy rich asshole scooped me up to do a job for a nasty perverted dark elf who was licking his wounds after your adventurers killed his assets. He became obsessed with getting some magic items your adventurers had. He sent me after them.¡± I answered sternly. ¡°After that, I met Eriz, the single good thing on this heaven-forsaken continent, I attempted to free Eriz and get paid legally. I was trying to be different from normal dragons and earn my fortune. Chaos started as soon as we arrived here. It took weeks, but I found the adventurers in question. I followed the trail to Pine Row.¡±

    My head sunk into my hands for a moment as I relived my date with Katar. ¡°Everything that I had held back exploded when Katar tried to take advantage of me. I ripped his arm off. I killed those who attacked me. I squished buildings with my dragon form unnecessarily. The monkey hit Eriz with an arrow causing a big battle between me and that hybrid wolf. Rage consumed me after that.¡±

    Eriz came and rubbed my shoulders. It was an unnecessary touch, but I understood his intention to comfort me. There wasn¡¯t anything he could do to change my situation or the comfort he could bring me. This was what it is to have a friend. A foreign concept to someone like me.

    ¡°See, I didn¡¯t know about Katar taking advantage of you, the horrible people who employed you, or the monkey injuring Eriz,¡± Myrra responded.

    Eriz pulled me back toward the couch and sat me back down. He settled next to me, still trying to soothe me with his warm touch. I endured the light touch of his fingers on my back because I wanted to feel soothed by it. My body hated it when others touched me. One of the perks of being an ice dragon.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± I sighed.

    Myrra gently reached across to touch my knee as comfort, but it wasn¡¯t comforting at all. ¡°All of this may have been an error on my part. If I had just confronted you both before. I knew you broke into my office after you left for Pine Row. I had a feeling that something was off about you two. Kaya sent word a week ago that her son, Katar, was the frost dragon¡¯s victim. Katar had lost an arm in the struggle with you, but your ice kept Katar from bleeding out after ripping his arm from his body. Katar will live, but such an act from a dragon is a crime. The Gleaca Council has called for your capture to exile you for your crime. Naturally, that means sending guild members to capture you for the council, but I didn¡¯t want others involved if I could help it. Hence why I went after you myself with the binding spell that my friend made.¡±

    Did she just say this was her fault? ¡°Hey, I am the one who made the decisions, not you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you didn¡¯t have another way. No one gave you another option. I could have given you a way out.¡±

    ¡°I am not your responsibility, Myrra,¡± I argued.

    ¡°You became my responsibility when you joined my guild.¡± She fired back.

    ¡°I am an adult, Myrra!¡±

    ¡°Ha. Eighteen may be the legal age of an adult, but your decision-making skills are terrible. You need help.¡± She challenged me.

    I didn¡¯t like this. Myrra was acting like I was someone she cared for, but I didn¡¯t ask for this. Hell, I was still adapting to having Eriz at my side. Having Myrra there too felt overwhelming. Suddenly, my eyes betrayed me, letting tears slip out. Myrra forced a hug on me. Her arms were tightly wrapped around me like a constricting snake. She kept it brief and released me from her hold. What was wrong with this woman?

    A knock on the door ended the uncomfortable moment as Myrra called out, ¡°Come in.¡±

    A male elf and a female elf walked in. Both of them looked familiar to me. I had seen them before somewhere¡­ Were they members of the guild? I guess they were. Why else would they be here? Still, they both looked at me with such malice like I kicked their puppy or something. The image of Katar flashed through my mind. Both the elves looked like Katar¡­

    ¡°Kaya, Elias, what brings you to my office?¡± Myrra asked.

    ¡°Her,¡± Kaya responded by pointing at me.

    Shit. That¡¯s Katar¡¯s mom.

 Tracking

    Talan POV

    Talan follows the trail to find the creature haunting his dreams. Soon he discovers the dragonette will be on trial for her crimes. He resolves to find the wolf creature.

    Four days of traveling and I have finally reached the edge of the Evergreen Forest. It¡¯s unlikely that my little dragonette and her wolf prey were still here, but I had to try. Master Zaros¡¯ demands felt heavy upon me. Who did the dragonette kill that was so important for Master Zaros¡¯ plans? The dragonette was a powerful pawn, but Master Zaros considered his pawn more valuable than a dragon. It was odd, but Master Zaros never included me in his big plan. My part in his plan was to maintain control over the Port of Creekmont and to funnel money into his pocket. Not that I ever minded my minor role. It gave me freedom for my schemes.

    It won¡¯t be long before I reach Evergreen Town. The town was built around the famous Wizard¡¯s Guild. The guild was famous for its grandeur as a castle instead of a normal guild building. Thoughts of the magical items stored in the vaults below the guild were tempting. Magical objects called to me like a siren¡¯s song. It took all of my willpower to walk past the towering stone wall to avoid the lure of such tempting treasures.

    Walking through the town, I decided to visit a local adventurer¡¯s hangout to investigate the latest news in the area. The sign read Hallow''s End the most popular tavern on Market Road. As I walked into the wretched place, the scent of sweaty skin, salted corn bits, and putrid alcohol burned my nose. Taverns were homes for the lowest of the low. I should know since I worked in one scrubbing the floors before Master Zaros plucked me off the streets.

    I took my place at the bar, ordering an elven gin on the rocks from the bartender. Many adventurers surrounded me, deep in their conversations. Some of them rambled on about the recent viper wasp infestation along the Imber Mountains. Ugh. Those were nasty venomous creatures that ate wood like an orc drinks alcohol. Always taking too much and beating down anyone who blocked their path toward their addiction. I will need to avoid those mountains for the foreseeable future.

    ¡°Have you heard the latest bit on the dragon, Quinn?¡± A musky voice flooded my ears.

    ¡°Dragon? What dragon, Belas?¡± A crude woman¡¯s voice answered.

    The musky voice known as Belas chuckled. ¡°A dragon rampaged in the forest not far from here a few days ago. This town was flooded with adventures trying to find it, but the White Rapids Guildmaster came in with an adventuring party and took it down. I hear the council will be gathering  in White Rapids by week¡¯s end to sentence the beast.¡±

    The crude woman called Quinn gasped at Belas¡¯ gossip. ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard nothin¡¯ about a dragon. It was so close! The town coulda been squished¡­¡±

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    As predicted, the dragonette was no longer here. A guildmaster had hauled her off to meet her fate. It almost feels like a waste of a good dragon because of her potential and her ethereal beauty. She did have a frosty temper to her though, which made her hard to work with. Master Zaros wouldn¡¯t be pleased by this development. He would demand that I retrieve the dragonette, but I wouldn¡¯t risk my life against the Gleaca Council. I know not to mess with them.

    ¡°What¡¯d the dragon rampage about? Does anyone know?¡± Quinn asked while gurgling down a beer.

    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor of a giant wolf that battled the dragon,¡± Belas whispered. ¡°The same wolf took out most of the wizard guild¡¯s dragon hunting party.¡±

    ¡°Some of them wizards died out there, Belas?¡± Quinn sounded like her mind was blown away by that rumor.

    ¡°Well,¡±

    The tavern door slammed open and a group of rich, experienced adventurers walked in with an oddball dwarf following them. The adventurers were heavily armored, but their clothing was clean. They were all dressed up with no enemy to fight from the look of frustration on their faces. Several patrons greeted the dwarf like an old friend, so he must have been from around here. It was only when the dwarf turned toward me that I recognized him.

    ¡°Hey, Belas! Look, Polly Wog has returned to tell his latest conquest.¡± Quinn smiled.

    Belas broke out into laughter. ¡°I wonder what group of adventurers he¡¯s trying to impress this time?¡±

    ¡°It looks like a group from the Kingdom of Solis based on their clothes,¡± Quinn muttered.

    ¡°Poor souls, they don¡¯t know what they are getting themselves into.¡± Belas shook his head before taking another gulp of beer.

    That drunkard has no idea how true that was. No one in this tavern truly understood who that dwarf was, however, I knew better than to blow his cover. If I dared breathe a word of his identity, I would be more than just dead. The dragonette must have disposed of a pawn at the wizard¡¯s guild. It¡¯s the only logical conclusion of his presence here. I need to leave before he notices me.

    ¡°So tell me Polly Wog, are you the only wizard to return to the guild after facing the dragon?¡± One of the rich adventurers asked sarcastically.

    Polly Wog grinned. ¡°I am the only one here to tell the tale although I believe the elf prince may still be alive. He¡¯s annoyingly good at escaping tough situations.¡±

    Elf prince? What kind of company has this man been keeping, and why choose such a ridiculous name as Polly Wog? My respect for my boss has decreased significantly. I listened to him drone on as he boasted about thawing the dragon and wolf from a giant ice block. How his great master fell to the might of the dragon and the random wolf.  I wasn¡¯t getting any new information from Polly Wog¡¯s retelling of events. I decided to slip out the back to keep Polly Wog from seeing me.

    After restocking a few items, I found my way to the battleground of the dragon and the wolf. The ground was oversaturated with water. Broken limbs and fallen trees lined the giant clearing. Trenching through the mud, I noticed quite a bit of adventurers and Gleacan Guards investigating the area. With this much activity, I was certain the wolf was long gone. My dragonette has been captured to face trial. It didn¡¯t seem like there was a way to satisfy my boss easily.

    Liberating my dragonette would be risky at best, so my best bet was to find the bane of my existence. A chill rolled down my spine as the memory of the perverted creature flashed through my mind. I need to face that mutt if only to regain my sanity. The mutt has been haunting my mind for months. The question was where did the mutt go?

    It was a stretch, however, Polly Wog had mentioned an elf prince surviving their encounter with the beasts. Perhaps, the elf prince may know something¡­ If the elf prince didn¡¯t return to the wizard¡¯s guild with Polly Wog, did he choose to go back to his kingdom? It could be he need to report the event to his royal court. This was only a theory. I would need to do more research around here before I went to find the man down, but at least it was a way forward. I need to avoid Polly Wog at all costs, which was doable. I will get that wolf in my clutches one way or another.

 Confrontation

    Myrra POV

    After Kaya and Elias walked into my office yesterday, I chose to keep Athyra away from them. Kaya had her protective mama wolf attitude about her, so I knew there was no reasoning with her. I had to have June lock Athyra up in my suite with Eriz to keep everyone from prying into her business. Elias tried to calm his sister, but Kaya was volatile with emotion. It took a whole night of venting and drinking to get Kaya to back off and wait for the trial in a few days.

    Sitting at my desk, I felt my head become dizzy from lack of sleep. I didn¡¯t have much choice in missing a night of sleep between playing peacekeeper and handling preparations for the council¡¯s arrival. Buster Knalls, my event coordinator, was busy getting rooms for the seven council members'' arrival. Each council member had specific needs that had to be met while they were staying in town. Carter Wells of the Kingdom of Solis (Human) needs to be far away from Marta Black of Black Rock Hills (Orc). Jonah Gigas of Jontunuvar (Giants) wanted to stay somewhere giant-friendly because of his height. Farah Galin of the Kingdom of Galin (Dwarf) refused to talk to Mylor Anifya of the Kingdom of Desfyra (Elf) due to some insult at a banquet six years ago. Grand Fairy Flora of Mauve¡¯s Forest (Fairy) needed a place to fly in peace without people staring at her. Titan Mordue of the Northern Mountains (Beast Folk) required the coolest room I could find in this summer heat. It would be a rowdy crowd when the council members arrived.

    A knock on my door caused me to shutter. I didn¡¯t want to see anyone for a bit. All I desired was a painkiller and a nap. Before I could get up to answer the door. A familiar blonde elf strolled his way into my office. His expression was flooded with concern. He had returned from hunting the dark elf who started this mess with Rory, and he was greeted with news his only nephew had been injured by the very dragon after Rory. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say at this point. Kaya and I had it out yesterday as we yelled until we were blue in the face. I felt like this whole thing was my fault for not keeping a leash on the young dragon.

    ¡°Myrra,¡± Elias called to me, making me look up at him. He stood on the other side of my desk as he studied me. I wanted to comfort my friend, to have him comfort me in return. We have always been there for each other since he joined my little guild years ago. He trusted me with his real identity and greatest secrets, and I held him as my greatest council and comfort. ¡°You look awful.¡± He chuckled.

    That¡¯s the Elias I expected. ¡°I feel awful. I would almost trade it for one of these massive hangovers I get after your impromptu parties.¡± I rubbed my temples trying to will away the exhaustion and stress from my mind.

    Elias came around the desk and took my hands in his. Part of me wanted to pull him into a hug, but a sudden chill of fear filled me. A flash of memory caused me to shut my eyes in the hopes it would disappear as quickly as it came. Elias pulled me out of my chair into a tight squeeze letting his presence overwhelm me.

    ¡°Myrra, focus on me. Feel my warmth around you. Take in the smell of spicewood and whiskey on my clothes. Let my voice drown out the shadows of the past.¡± Elias whispered.

    My cheeks became beet red as I followed his instructions. This was the first time Elias tried to drown out my fear by anchoring me to the present. The horrid memory faded back to the depths of my mind as I relaxed in my friend¡¯s arms. I hadn¡¯t been this close to him in years. Not since the heaven-forsaken night when that monster ruined me. It was a relief to have Elias next to me without jerking away from him in fear. I feared we wouldn¡¯t ever make it this far, but with our girls in danger and the stress of the gravity of this mess growing, I needed Elias next to me.

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    Elias loosened his grip on me and tightened my grip on him. ¡°Don¡¯t let go yet. I haven¡¯t been able to hug you in years, and I am not sure when I will get to again.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like I was gone forever, My,¡± He wrapped his arms around me again.

    My grip on him tightened. ¡°When you are trapped in your own personal hell because of trauma like that, it¡¯s like those you love are gone forever.¡± We stayed like that in blissful silence until a knock sounded on the door. Elias stepped away like a gentleman to allow me to preserve my fearless guildmaster facade.

    Opening the door, Eriz pulled Athyra into my office toward one of the long couches. Elias growled lowly at the sight of Athyra, but I held up my hand to warn him against doing anything. Shutting the door, Elias followed me toward the long couch where Athyra sat looking pissed off and bored. She was the perfect persona of a spoiled teenager in trouble. Elias stood behind me as I sat across from Eriz and Athyra. Eriz looked worn out. I knew he was having to constantly try to tame Athyra''s emotions for her benefit, but the young man needed a break.

    ¡°Elias, can you take Eriz to get a drink in the mess hall? I think he needs a few minutes of breathing room.¡± I asked, curtly.

    Elias looked at me with an ¡®Are you crazy Myrra¡¯ look. I just nodded my head toward Eriz and Elias huffed. He agreed and forced Eriz to follow him out of my office. When the door shut behind them, I used terrain magic to spring up boulders from the ground to block all the exits. I wasn¡¯t going to let Athyra escape or give anyone a chance to interrupt us. We needed to have a serious conversation about her and my girls.

    Athyra growled at the sight of the boulders, but she didn¡¯t move from her spot on the couch. ¡°Tell me, Athyra. Why did you ignore me the night before you stabbed Emera?¡± I questioned Athyra. ¡°We could have avoided all of this if you talked to me.¡± Her face didn¡¯t change at my words. She was determined to keep up the ice dragon act.

    Athyra sat there giving me a frosty glare, unwilling to say a word.

    ¡°Okay, since you don¡¯t want to talk, just listen. I need you to agree not to reveal information on the wolf or monkey girl, all right? If you do, they will make accusations that could cost Eriz his freedom to stay here in the guild with you.¡±

    Her face hardened. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°As I told you, I plan to remain in guild custody to do community service in reparations for the damage and deaths that you have caused. I plan to have the council appoint Eriz as a caretaker for you, but my word will mean nothing if they think I let the ¡®suspected wolf hybrid¡¯ go when I captured you.¡±

    Athyra faltered slightly in her uncaring gaze. ¡°Why would that matter? You brought them a dragon.¡±

    I leaned back against the couch now that I had her attention. ¡°You are worth a lot to them, yes. However, they see a hybrid of a beast folk as an abomination. They were considered overpowered and unstable at best. They will rip apart this country to find the gruesome hybrid and execute the hybrid along with anyone connected to the hybrid. Any race that mixes with beast folk creates a dangerous offspring that causes harm to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that a red mutt is more dangerous than a dragon?¡± Athyra accused angrily.

    ¡°To the Gleaca Council, yes. It¡¯s only here that a beast folk hybrid has been forbidden.¡± I sighed. Maybe we should have sent Rory out of Gleaca years ago. She would have been safer if we had, but Rory always refused when we brought up the possibility. She had insisted that there was a reason she needed to stay here although whatever the reason was it doesn¡¯t seem worth it now.

    Athyra grumbled. ¡°A little hybrid has little worth compared to the power of a freaking dragon.¡±

    ¡°Right, so if I go down, my plans to help you and Eriz are finished before they¡¯ve started.¡±

    ¡°This is a load of shit, Myrra. Dragons aren¡¯t meant to be caged or forced into anything, yet you are sitting there doing both to me. I wish this damn country would burn to the ground!¡± She roared.

    ¡°I agree, Athyra, but there are too many innocents who would get killed in the crossfire. Some slaves need freedom and liberties needed for children of all races, but it won¡¯t come from a wildfire consuming everything. True freedom must be fought for in Gleaca or nothing will change.¡± I took a breath. ¡°I am on a mission to change this place, but I can¡¯t do it if I am dead, so Athyra, will you protect the wolf and monkey girls?¡±

    Athyra¡¯s eyes burned with malice for Gleaca, and I didn¡¯t blame her for it. ¡°Fine, but I will tear this country down the moment I get a chance, Myrra. It will either burn anew or face an eternal ice age.¡±

    A grin plastered my face. I managed to convince her, but the hard part was yet to come. I let the boulders crumble back into the floor. ¡°I will help you fan the flames of change.¡±

 Road to the Elves

    Rory POV

    Silas leads the group down a secret path to his homeland while he begins to study Rory. Will her secrets be revealed as she tries to control her frenzy form?

    Mountains, mountains, and more damn mountains! It¡¯s been six days since we headed north toward the hidden path that will take us to Silas¡¯ home in the capital city, Desfyra. We had to follow the secret path instead of the most direct route to Desfyra to stay away from adventures that were hunting me. Our little traveling group has been a freaking delight to journey with¡­ I wish. In six days, I have had twenty-three arguments with Silas alone. I am titering on the edge of falling into frenzy mode. Em has helped me stop at least twelve transformations in the past few days. The worst part was the act of stopping the transformations caused my injuries to heal slower than normal for me.

    This hidden path toward Desfyra followed around the edge of the Northern Mountains with built-in resting places for elves. Honestly, I was excited to share a bed with Em last night after sleeping on the ground so much, but Silas said we wouldn¡¯t make it to the next rest stop for a few days, which means more nights spent on the ground. The trails were barely marked as we walked through the narrow cliffside. The cliffs were full of Dust Horn Goats, which sounded harmless, but they were the exact opposite. The cute little Dust Horns spit venom at other creatures crossing in their territory. The venom causes its victims to see illusions for hours. Braxton spent six hours tied to Silas¡¯ waist with rope to keep him from wandering off the path. The giant orc rambled on and on about adorable woodland creatures. I wonder if Braxton was trying to pet a Dust Horn when he was hit by the venom. The good thing about the Dust Horns was the amount of prey to be caught for dinner. Hog tastes better than goat in my opinion, but I prefer goat to fish.

    ¡°Come on, Red. You¡¯re moving too slow.¡± Silas called out from the front of the group.

    Red was the nickname he gave me three days ago because of my deep red hair. Every time Silas called me Red my blood boiled like I should punch him in the face. I am proud to say that I only slugged him six times so far. He¡¯s annoying with the way he bombards me with questions about my shifting, diet, magic, routine, and other unnecessary information about me. I know I agreed to let him study me, but this was ridiculous. It feels like I am an experiment in a wizard¡¯s lab.

    Braxton has been kinder toward me. He spent the evenings helping master my lightning magic. Unlike most people, my magic seems to be tied directly to my emotions. Every time I have used the lightning magic it was on instinct. I had no clear direction in my mind for what I wanted the magic to do. Every sizzle of electricity was reacting to my emotions to ensure my survival, but I needed to control it. If I don¡¯t get it under control, someone will get hurt. Braxton says I am making good progress with controlling the shape of my lightning. Wielding it has been difficult though because of how different it was from the dirt of terrain magic. Lightning moves like water with the ferocity of fire guiding it forward.

    Between Silas¡¯ borderline stalking of everything I do and Braxton¡¯s magic lessons, I haven¡¯t had time to talk to Em like I want to. We were long overdue for a good heart-to-heart, but the timing never seemed to be right when we got a second away from our companions. I needed to tell her that she was right about Mr. Applegate. He wasn¡¯t a threat to us. We needed to discuss seeing Myrra and facing Athyra. Braxton had told me Em had almost died to satisfy Athyra¡¯s bloodlust, which was risky, to say the least. It felt like there was this huge gap between us with everything that happened last week.

    ¡°Red, are you listening?¡± He called again.

    Annoying little elf. It started as a joke, but Silas seems to think I am as slow as a tortoise. He constantly pesters me to go faster. At some point, I decided to hide my speed as an act of defiance against his need to study me. I groaned and sped past him using my wolf speed without giving it much thought. I just let the cat out of the bag on my little secret. His long silky black hair whipped around his face, causing me to chuckle. I stopped just a few feet away from him as he tried to manage his tangled mess of hair. His grumpy face was beyond satisfying to see as huffed at me. Emalynn and Braxton laughed at the exchange. The fancy elf made it too easy to pick on him. Last night, I put a fuzzy caterpillar on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t notice the bug until it crawled on his nose, and he screamed like a Dust Horn getting a horn to the thigh.

    ¡°So, you can go fast, Red,¡± His tongue clicked like he was disappointed in me. ¡°Just how fast can you go?¡±

    ¡°Over 30 miles per hour,¡± I grinned at his surprised reaction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to write that down, Mr. Researcher?¡±

    Silas¡¯ face changed from surprised to conniving in an instant. I had been hiding my speed from him because he was already running tests on every other ability I had. He was pissed I was withholding information from him. With a small gesture of his hand, a gust of wind pushed me backward, knocking me onto my ass. The fancy little elf didn¡¯t like my sarcastic humor. I forced myself back onto my feet and dusted off my black pants and boots. Silas sauntered his way over to me like he declared victory over our little prank war. He patted my wild red hair like I was a dog. This was his revenge for withholding information on my speed.

    ¡°Red, you might need to be more careful or the strong gusts of the Northern Mountains might knock you over.¡± Silas cooed at me like I was a child as he sent another gust of wind to push me over a second time.

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    My ass hit the dust ground once more, and I felt a tidal wave of frustration pour through me. Emalynn pushed the elf out of the way of her elbow and reached her hand out to me. ¡°The Northern Mountains just need a little break. We have been walking for hours anyway.¡±

    Braxton put his hand on Silas¡¯ shoulder to discourage any further argument, but Silas needed to have the last word. ¡°It¡¯s all good, Em. Red, should just sit and stay for a while.¡±

    My jaw clenched at his words. I was tired of his damn dog humor! Sure, I am part wolf, but he doesn¡¯t seem to understand how degrading his jokes can be to my kind. ¡°Shut up, Silas,¡± I commanded.

    Braxton stepped between us to keep Silas from saying anything in response while Em pulled away from them. She led me around the curve of the cliff path until the guys were out of sight. Em sat on the ground with her back resting against the cliff wall and patted the ground next to her, inviting me to join her. I reluctantly nodded and settled beside her. She didn¡¯t say anything to try to calm me down or anything. Instead, she gazed at the horizon. We were surrounded by mountains with a loud river running below the cliffside. Trekking along the cliffs of the edge of the Northern Mountains has been a challenge. Hardly anyone knows a safe path to take near the Northern Mountains, so the path we were on was difficult due to little foot traffic. I can understand why Silas calls this the ¡®Secret Road to the Elves¡¯.

    ¡°Damn, Silas. Why does he get on my nerves so easily? It feels like he has been watching me nonstop since I woke up six days ago. He notes everything I eat, how I walk, how much sleep I get, and yesterday, he told me I have been screaming in my sleep!¡± The frustration just came spilling out of me like a waterfall. ¡°At least Braxton gives me privacy, Silas has awkward questions about my bathroom habits. This morning I told him to shove it up his ass with a stick. Em, I am not sure I can take much more.¡±

    Emalynn gave me a sympathetic look. ¡°Sorry, Ro. He just finds you fascinating or at least that¡¯s how Braxton explains it. You are a rare creature with unknown limits. He wants to understand you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like he forgets I am a person too.¡± I sighed.

    A sudden rumbling noise above us caught my attention. Rocks began tumbling over the cliffs above us. I quickly pushed Em away as I scrambled to move out of the way. A Dust Horn came falling off the cliff with the tumbling rocks. Within two minutes, I had been pummeled by falling rocks, bitten by the stumbling Dust Horn, and dragged through the dirt by Emalynn. I only had a few minutes before that goat¡¯s venom would cloud my mind with hallucinations and illusions. I tried to reach into my pack to find the recipe for the antidote to the venom. I was pretty sure there was one in my mom¡¯s herbs and remedies book. My mind felt like it was going numb as I raced through my pack to find the book. I felt the spine of the book with my fingertips and threw it at Emalynn at the same moment Braxton and Silas reached us.

    Braxton rushed toward Emalynn to help her up as Silas began healing me with his magic. The warm magic spilled over like being wrapped in a plush blanket. His magic seemed to have this calming tone to it that immediately relaxed me, but I knew his magic wouldn¡¯t stop the venom from clouding my mind. I looked up at the elf healing me and there was something very attractive about him, but then he opened his damn mouth and complained about always having to heal me.

    ¡°You have a pretty face, but your damned mouth ruins it,¡± I muttered as he drew me into his arms. He gave me the weirdest look before noticing the goat bite mark on my arm.

    ¡°Were you bitten by a Dust Horn?¡± He asked.

    I tried to focus on his face to understand what he was saying, but I got too distracted by the fuzzy caterpillars I saw crawling across his face. ¡°Si..lassy, you got buggies on your pretty face.¡±

    ¡°Well, that answers that question. You were bitten.¡± Silas held me up in his arms. ¡°What about you Emera? Any bites or injuries?¡±

    My brain felt like it was humming as I tried to listen to the conversation. Did he just call Emalynn a different name?

    ¡°No, I am fine. Ro pushed me out of the way in time.¡± Emalynn answered as Braxton helped her up. Emalynn picked up something that seemed familiar to me, but then she turned into a dancing hog right in front of me. I was in awe. ¡°Ro threw her remedy book at me just a minute ago. Maybe there¡¯s a dust horn remedy in here.¡±

    ¡°She had a remedy book this whole time? Where was that when I was exposed to the goat venom?¡± Braxton asked.

    Goat venom? Suddenly, the green orc looked like a giant green goat. I scramble onto Silas¡¯ lap screaming, ¡°Green goat! Run!¡±

    Silas looked down at me with an odd disappointed expression as caterpillars roamed his face. ¡°Emera, can you make that remedy? I think she will be harder to deal with than Braxton was.¡±

    I cocked my head at him and pointed at Emalynn. ¡°The dancing hog¡¯s name is Emalynn caterpillar face.¡±

    Silas just shook his head at me. ¡°Whatever you say Red.¡±

    ¡°Red is the color of roses, not my name. I am Rory Bishop!¡± I whined at him.

    Silas just nodded at me, holding me close to him like I might escape. He felt warm, and I liked that. I leaned into him, watching the caterpillars trail across his face. The dancing hog and giant green goat disappeared from my vision entirely. Why was the fuzz face looking upset? His golden eyes looked like little suns staring down at me. This elf man was too good-looking. All elves are good-looking to a point, but his sunny eyes and silky hair made him kind of beautiful.

    ¡°Fuzz face, why do you stalk me?¡±

    He looked offended by my words. ¡°I am not a stalker.¡±

    ¡°You were when I first met you, and you watch me all the time. That makes you a stalker, Fuzz Face.¡± I poked his nose.

    He shook my finger off his nose. ¡°I am a researcher, Red. To fully understand something, I learn everything I can about it. You are a very rare creature that has piqued my interest. I want to learn everything about you as a hybrid.¡±

    Hybrid. That word made my inside tremble. It felt like a poisonous word. A word that I never wanted to hear again because of every bad thing that came with it. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±

    Two of his black caterpillars scrunched together above his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t say what?¡±

    ¡°The ¡®H¡¯ word,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Hybrid?¡±

    My whole body began to tremble inside and out. Why did he say that word? It was such a horrible word that made me panic. I could feel a rush of cold magic flow through me. It spread across my whole body as everything began to tingle. Stupid! Why did he say that? Pain slammed into my head hard as I rolled away from Fuzz Face. My head pounded as I felt a hot liquid spill into my hair. My hearing changed. I could hear Emalynn mumbling to herself over a fire and the crash of each spurt of water over the rocks in the river. My mouth ached as I pricked my tongue on a sharp tooth. Red fur sprouted from my skin and my bones rearranged. I felt myself cry and scream as I took a new form. My mind was numb and full of pain. I watched through my eyes what was happening, but I had no control over anything. This form¡­is it? Frenzy form¡­ Shit.

 Venom

    Silas POV

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Rosewyn¡¯s voice became hard like I had hit her in the gut.

    What had I said to upset her? This wily red-headed woman had crawled into my lap under the influence of Dust Horn venom. Her blue eyes held so many secrets with the way she was looking at me. I healed her wounds from the rock slide, but she was at the mercy of the goat venom¡¯s influence until Emera returned with the remedy. Rosewyn had said so many odd things in the last few minutes that I wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking. Not that I understood at all to begin with, but this woman looked like I had harmed her by speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t say what?¡±

    ¡°The ¡®H¡¯ word,¡± Rosewyn whispered.

    What ¡®H¡¯ word had I said? Does she mean hybrid? Why would a word she uses to identify herself bother her? She was a hybrid in all senses of the word. Her abilities reflected both of her parents'' races, which was quite astounding. When elves reproduce with other races, they usually only favor one parent¡¯s race. This must be why the Gleaca Council banned folk hybrids. Their abilities were truly unpredictable. So why would the word hybrid bother her so?

    ¡°Hybrid?¡± I questioned her, hoping to confirm my suspicions.

    Rosewyn began trembling in my arms. I could feel her magic intensify with her. She must be getting ready to shift from her human form. Rosewyn rolled away from me as painful groans slipped through her lips. I watched blood trickle down her face as wolf ears sprung up on her head. Her face took on a wolf shape as fur sprouted up across her body. A blood-red tail grew out of her backside. Her body was halfway between wolf and human she lay there crying out in pain. I knew healing magic would not affect her the way she was now. Her eyes had darkened like her mind wasn¡¯t present in the moment as she looked up at me.

    A roar escaped her mouth. ¡°Why do you want to hurt me, elf?¡± A voice coming from Rosewyn cried. The voice was unlike what I had come to know as Rosewyn¡¯s voice to be.

    The large version of Rosewyn struggled to gain her balance for a moment as she tried to stand. A feeling of danger-filled me. This creature before me didn¡¯t seem to be the girl I called Red anymore. Was it because of the Dust Horn venom? Had her mind become so clouded that she thought I was dangerous? It would explain her sudden transformation into this form. Her magic was triggered by emotion, so by me saying ¡®hybrid¡¯, I caused her an intense hurt. The creature before me growled and snarled.

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    ¡°You don¡¯t know what that word means to me. It¡¯s a burden to be an illegal hybrid. One of the few cross breeds who are considered a dangerous monster.¡± Red glared at me as she approached me. ¡°You spent the last few days getting under my skin by stalking my every movement. Every argument has added to my frustration like a bubble waiting to burst until now.¡±

    Her emotions had caused her to transform into this weird wolf form. I hadn¡¯t meant to cause her so much distress. Her magic reacted to the word ¡®hybrid¡¯ because of her status in society. Research is only a success if the subject can be studied in a natural state, not under duress. How had I not seen her struggling? ¡°I-¡±

    ¡°Fuzz face, even under the goat¡¯s venom, I am keeping myself from falling into a frenzy mode. A frenzy that would likely hurt or kill you,¡± Rosewyn hummed. ¡°I am¡­holding myself together.¡±

    Was this why beast hybrids were outlawed? Looking at Red, she appeared unhinged, yet she was holding a conversation with me. If she could control her ¡®frenzy mode¡¯, couldn¡¯t others? The answer was too complicated to figure it out now. I am not sure what to do now since I don¡¯t know Red well. If there was a way to help her, I have no idea what that may be. Emera would know. She could talk Rosewyn back into her normal form.

    Rosewyn stood above me as I stayed on the ground, looking up at her. She seemed wild and sad at the same time. A silence hung between us. There wasn¡¯t anything I could say to her that meant anything. Any apology I could offer wouldn¡¯t end her trauma. It would likely only make things worse if I understood her correctly.

    An arrow zipped through the air directly into Rosewyn¡¯s shoulder. She grunted before becoming dizzy and collapsing on top of me in her large form. Her body flattened me to the ground. My head slammed into the rocky trail causing a cloud of dust to fill the air. All the air was knocked out of me from the weight of her body on mine.

    To make things worse, the woman shifted back into her human form on top of me. Her body lay bare on top as she remained unconscious. Rosewyn''s clothes were in tatters in the dust from her first shift. Her breath was small and shallow. I could feel every curve against my body. Something about her was appealing, but I knew that thought was fleeting at best. I decided not to move. Emera was on her way, and I didn''t want to violate Rosewyn.

    ¡±Silas, what are you doing?¡± Emera asked as she rushed to Rosewyn''s side. She rolled Rosewyn off of me and covered her with a blanket. Pulling the arrow out of Red¡¯s shoulder, she quickly bandaged the shoulder before heading back at me as I sat up.

    ¡°I said something to upset her. She turned into a weird walking wolf and yelled at me. You shot her with a tranquilizer, and she fell on top of me. I chose not to touch her. Does that satisfy you?¡± I chose not to wait for her answer as I got up to start cleaning up our resting site.

    Braxton walked up to Emera with a pot of what I assume to be the remedy for the poison. Part of me was relieved to see Red get what she needed. The other part wanted to rid these mountains of the damned goats. Yet, I learned more about Red today than I had in the last week. Red¡¯s power was wild and ruled by emotion. Her magic item channels her emotion into power. It must be the key to her controlling herself, unlike other documented hybrid disasters. I need to learn everything I can about that item to help her.

    One thing floated to the front of my mind. Red said her name was Rory Bishop and she was influenced by goat venom. Could that be significant or was she just word vomiting? Bishop is a common name among humans. Still, the name Ramire Bishop might be related if her name was Rory Bishop. What a twist of fate all of this might be if there was a connection between Red and Ramire Bishop.

 Ghost Town

    Emalynn POV

    ¡°One more meal before we hit an elf town tomorrow,¡± Braxton said as he chopped wood.

    ¡°So, we are finally entering elf territory?¡± I asked unpacking the dinner pot from my bag. Our large backpacks carried enough supplies for six people thanks to Myrra. Myrra made sure we had everything except the kitchen sink on our backs. Her excessive love for us was heavy to carry along the mountain trail.

    The big green brute grinned at me from across our camp. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been out here for over a month, Emera.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± I groaned. The camp was quiet because Silas went out to scout the trail for tomorrow, and Ro was hunting a couple of Dust Horns for dinner. It took at; least two to feed the four of us since Braxton eats one by himself.

    ¡°This month hasn¡¯t been that bad,¡± Braxton retorted.

    I stopped meal prepping to look over at him stunned. ¡°What part wasn¡¯t so bad? Ro and Silas not speaking? Or maybe you mean the week when Ro spontaneously kept shifting from one form to another? Then there was last week, which consisted of Silas snooping through everyone¡¯s stuff because he lost his notebook that Ro roasted with her lightning magic.¡±

    Braxton picked up a pile of logs that he chopped up and joined me at the makeshift fire pit. He set up the logs to start a fire. The silence between us should have been uncomfortable, but I have grown used to Braxton¡¯s silence before he speaks. Within a week, I learned that Braxton was a general in the Orc Freedom Wars a few years ago. He lost his mother on the battlefield when he was fourteen. In his grief, he led a band of orc warriors through the battle of the Southern Hills against the minor human Kingdom of Polaris, which was a major pro-slavery kingdom in Gleaca. His young mind was molded by the wars. He later took refuge in Desfyra to hide from the slavers his band of orc warriors defeated in battle. It was quite a tale of an ignorant teenager becoming a wise leader.

    ¡°Rosewyn¡¯s struggling, Emera. She can manipulate lightning much better now, but her emotions are still controlling her shifting. It¡¯s like every time Silas and her look at each other, it makes her angry at him all over again.¡± Braxton answered as the fire sparked to life in front of us.

    There was a warmth and truth in his words. In just a month, we had become close from the lack of communication from our other traveling companions. Why couldn''t those two just get along?  ¡°They never talked about what happened that day. I can¡¯t tell if Ro¡¯s anger comes from the embarrassment of her actions or from something Silas said.¡±

    ¡°We may never know, Emera.¡± He put a comforting hand on my head for a second before pulling away. My tail dropped to the ground at his actions. This was something he had been doing a lot lately. He would initiate some form of contact between us for a moment then pull away quickly as if it didn¡¯t happen. I knew he liked me at least a little. His brief signs of affection were enough to say that he liked me. It was either fear of rejection or a desire to form a friendship that stopped him from following through on his affections.

    I broke my gaze away from it and picked up a stick to poke at the fire. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to address his actions because we had fallen into this comfortable relationship together. Braxton is my friend, and I am not sure I want to know if I like him more than a friend. Life was complicated enough with a pissy version of Ro walking around that refused to acknowledge Silas. We needed to solve that problem somehow. ¡°Then let¡¯s just get them to fix themselves.¡± My tail flicked around in the air as a bit of excitement flooded through me.

    Braxton chuckled. ¡°How do you plan to do that? Trap them in a room alone?¡±

    ¡°We could trap them in a cave.¡± I offered. His idea had been a joke that caused me to smirk because it was risky, dumb, and brilliant at the same time. ¡°Trapping them together is our best option for a resolution.¡±

    ¡°You know, I was joking about the trapping part.¡± He laughed. ¡°But you¡¯re probably right. We need to fix this before we reach Desfyra.¡±

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    The sun was setting behind the Northern Mountains, casting long shadows along the ground and a pale rainbow across the horizon. Our two shadows merged on the ground, and I tried to ignore the cheesiness of the sunset around us. We were friends and traveling companions, which was good. But¡­was there something better waiting for us?

    The silence and affectionate staring were broken like a spell when Silas came running up the path. His face looked pale with concern as he slowed toward us. Everything about seemed disheveled, which was weird for an elf. I wondered if he saw a ghost on the trail ahead because if I didn''t know better I would swear he was scared.

    ¡°Brax, the town¡­¡± Silas huffed as he tried to speak. ¡°N¡¯ila, it¡¯s abandoned.¡±

    Abandoned? My ears immediately fell behind my head while my tail stood at attention. Braxton¡¯s face distorted at Silas¡¯ words. He looked like he was stunned and full of grief at the same time. ¡°What is N¡¯ila?¡± I questioned although I knew it was likely the name of the town Braxton had mentioned earlier.

    ¡°It¡¯s the town I scouted out. Everyone there is gone.¡± Silas ran his hands through his long hair looking at the brooding orc next to me.

    ¡°Are you sure everyone is gone?¡± Braxton¡¯s voice changed to a somber tone.

    ¡°Yes. I saw Yuli¡¯s home myself.¡± Silas confirmed.

    Yuli? Who was that? ¡°I need some more clarity here. A whole town of people is missing?¡±

    Braxton tensed at my curiosity. ¡°N¡¯ila is a town on the rim of Desfyra. We were supposed to go there in the morning. Silas says the town of about 300 people have vanished. Yuli was one of my subordinates when I was a general.¡±

    Yuli was someone important to Braxton. We needed to do something about the town. ¡°Any idea what happened to all those people?¡±

    ¡°I didn''t want to go poking around on my own without knowing what I am up against,¡± Silas answered. ¡°That''s why I came back here. I need you guys to help me investigate the town. I owe it to the citizens of N¡¯ila.¡±

    Before Silas could say anything else, Ro came tumbling into the camp with a bundle of Dust Goats under her arm. Her expression was somber at best. ¡°At least, the elf has compassion for someone. I heard everything. Let¡¯s gear up and go.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s wise for you to come with us, Red?¡± Silas¡¯ eyes narrowed in Ro as she strung up her kills on the single tree along this cliffside.

    ¡°Not the best time to develop a sense of humor, elf boy. You need me out there. I am the best tracker in the group.¡± Ro stated as she slit the goats to begin the process of bleeding them out.¡¯

    Silas grumbled, but Braxton made him back down before he could speak again. Ro was right. She was the best tracker hands down. My concern was how emotional this empty town would be for her. If it was a normal town, then there were kids involved. Whole families have disappeared from their homes. Would she go into frenzy mode at the sight of an abandoned toy in the street? Knowing her, the possibility was high.

    Braxton led the charge after we regrouped to search the town. We walked nearly two hours down the path to reach the ominous town. Elven towns were usually well fortified no matter how small they might be, and N¡¯ila was no different. The five-foot-tall wall around the town was made of rocks from the mountainside. Entering through the East Gate, I could faintly smell something off about the town. Ro had her nose scrunched up like when we were catching fish in the river. Silas and Braxton seemed unfazed by the peculiar smell. The buildings in the town varied in height with green, dome rooftops and vines stylishly wrapping around each building. The doors were polished wood, and the windows were circles of different sizes. Everything there was still and silent.

    Braxton pointed to a lavender-colored home right on the inside of the gate. The door was left open like someone had just left a moment before. There was a thin layer of dust gathering on the door, which made my stomach drop. Dust meant the door had been like this for a few days at least. Braxton made his way toward the home with Silas while Ro and I continued down the main street. We saw carts full of supplies left along the road. A few discarded hats and scarves were randomly placed at the doors of the shops. There were no signs of a struggle. No noises to indicate life. Nothing here said the townspeople were in distress of any kind. The place seemed lifeless.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the people here evaporated into thin air,¡± Ro muttered as she walked further down the cobbled road.

    I looked inside every window as I made my way forward, hoping to see someone there. There were a few tables set for food in the restaurants, and pints of beer left unfinished at the tavern. The smell of rotten food drifted through the empty buildings, but it wasn¡¯t the same scent that I caught before we entered the town. All of the scents made my nose tingle as they competed for dominance. Fighting the urge to vomit, I came to the end of the street at the West Gate. The awful scent permeated the air like dead fish.

    I looked through the gate, and I instantly regretted it. The smell made sense now because I was looking at a giant pile of rotten fish. I vomited at the sight of the discolored, moldy fish pile. Bugs flew around everywhere while grubs had begun decaying the fish carcasses. My vomit smells better than damn dead fish. I turned away from the West Gate to head back towards Ro. There was no sign of any life here like this had become a ghost town only a few days ago.

    We gathered back with Braxton and Silas who confirmed the entire town was empty. No one had been here in a few days at least. Ro held a stuffed bear that she found along the road. Where was the innocent child who had dragged that toy out to play? Where was the shopkeeper and the bar owner trying to sell us goods? There wasn''t any blood or battle, making this place an official ghost town.

    ¡°We need to figure out what happened here,¡± Braxton said. His whole being had become depressed from being here, which bothered me.

    ¡°We will, Brax. Let¡¯s get a fresh look in the morning. The sun¡¯s almost over the horizon.¡± Silas promised his friend.

    I lightly ran my hand over Braxton¡¯s arm to comfort him. ¡°The mystery of the elven ghost town will be solved.¡±

    Braxton held my hand in his as he looked down at me with appreciation. ¡°Yeah, we will.¡±

 Definitely Something

    N¡¯ila was a ghost town. Empty and abandoned like the ruins of my mother¡¯s home. Sleep eluded me all night as my thoughts drifted to Yuli, one of my orc warriors from my days on the battlefield. Yuli was five years older than when we lost our parents on the battlefield. I remember when the last of our parents fell in that battle, leaving thirty or so orphans with no one to guide them. I wasn¡¯t the oldest or the wisest in the group, but I saw a bunch of hopeless eyes staring at me as the human slavers were closing in on us. Acting on the desire to survive, I rallied those orphans into battle with the hope we would remain free if we stuck together. We won against those humans because we battled them from the hills we grew up on. It was the saddest day of my life between the loss of my mother and seven of the orphans in that battle. A bond formed between us orphans that forged us into the mightiest orc warriors in the Orc Freedom Wars.

    Yuli had seen many battles by the time the wars ended. My battalion of orc warriors were war criminals and were considered slaves as part of the war reparations to the human slavers in the Kingdom of Solis. Our people from the Black Rock Hills couldn¡¯t protect us from the Kingdom of Solis. I took my battalion to Desfyra for protection. Queen Amory, Silas¡¯ sister, took pity on us, and we gained her protection in exchange for our service in her lands. Her protection freed us from the slavery that Solis tried to force on us. Yuli had come to N¡¯ila as an adventurer under the employment of the court to slay beasts that strayed too far from the mountains. Silas and I visited her last year on an expedition of his to find some rare herb that grew near the town. She was so happy here. The elves weren¡¯t as arrogant as those in Desfyra, and they seemed to welcome her presence in the town. She even started a garden like she had dreamed of while we were at war. Now, Yuli was missing, possibly dead, and I felt like I had failed her.

    The sun had come to greet us again before long, and I cursed the night for ending before I could sleep. My companions began to wrestle themselves awake from their pallets on the ground. I watched as Emera yawned sweetly looking up at the sun with a dazed expression. She was so cute. She started dazed from sleep then a burst of energy erupted through her as she tumbled out of bed. Her tail bounced with the excitement of a new day, which plastered a giant smile to my face. She quickly cleaned up her bedding before leaping up into the single tree near our campsite. She swung from branch to branch with her tail flicking happily behind her. Watching her energy burst out of her as she flipped and sailed up and down the tree made my body feel renewed with energy.

    ¡°See something you like, brute?¡± Emera called to me from the tree top.

    She had a bright smile on her face that made my dark thoughts from the night fade. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be astounded by your boundless energy first thing in the morning?¡±

    Her tail flicked about as she grinned. ¡°It¡¯s been a month, brute! My morning exercise should be normal to you by now.¡±

    Normal? No, I could never find her to be just normal. ¡°You are anything but normal to me, Emera.¡±

    Her tail stilled behind as she quickly hid her face from me. Was it possible that I made her blush? No, my words didn¡¯t hold that power over her. Sure, we have had sweet fleeting moments that made me wonder if we could be something. However, I know better. Emera and I have grown close because of our situation. Silas and Rosewyn¡¯s refusal to interact has forced us to be a bridge between them. Although I enjoy how close Emera and I have become because of it, I know we can¡¯t continue this way forever. Not if Silas was going to help Rosewyn with her form shifting like he said he wanted to, or if we were going to get his sister to grant Rosewyn and Emera protection from the Gleaca Council. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure Queen Amory would go against the council at all, but this was our only shot at the moment. The only other option would be for her to leave Gleaca entirely.

    ¡°Braxton. Are you done flirting yet?¡± Silas deadpanned. He had already packed his stuff away and began a fire to cook breakfast. His face was still upset from our visit to the ghost town last night. He hasn¡¯t told the girls about his title or why he had such responsibility to the people of N¡¯ila. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone called him by his title, but I wanted him to divulge his story when he was ready.

    ¡°Hello? Brax, are you in there?¡± Silas waved his hand in front of my face, and I smacked it away.

    ¡°What, Si?¡± I asked, annoyed.

    He grunted standing up from his crouched position in front of me. ¡°We have other pressing matters to attend to than your infatuation with Emera.¡± His tone was colder than I had expected it to be.

    Without saying a word, I cleaned up my bedding and packed my things. Silas was always the one to pull me out of my head. He grounded me after my years as a general and allowed me to have a semi-normal life that consisted of having friends and the freedom to be something beyond a battlefield. Yet, there were times when duty called for us to be what our titles called for us to be. Today, Silas needed to be a prince who protected his people, and I needed to be his right-hand man and protector like I vowed to do. Silas needed me now.

    I finished cooking the meat that Silas had started as he went back to making notes in his journal. He was always scribbling his thoughts away in a journal and trying to solve the mysteries of lost magic. I wondered if Silas had become stalled in his research since he refused to engage with Rosewyn on anything. He told me he wanted to help her, but I haven¡¯t seen anything to indicate that he was helping her at all.

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    Emera appeared next to me with Ro beside her, looking like they were starved animals. Although I suppose they were both animals as much as they were people. Beast folk have always been the odd race out. Never just an animal or a person, which made many people weary of them. Most of that prejudice has faded, but between the forbidden mating of beast folk with other races and the horror stories of hybrid brutality, there was always a stigma surrounding them. Emera was a beast person, and I have real feelings for her, which are considered illegal. Silas and I have signed up to protect Rosewyn although she is the very beast everyone fears. Our whole situation was messed up on so many levels.

    ¡°Hey, green giant! Are you just going to torture us with the sight of food or do you plan on letting us eat it?¡± Rosewyn stared at the sizzling goat meat.

    ¡°Sorry. Yeah, eat up.¡± I said, handing her a chunk of meat.

    Everyone ate quickly with today¡¯s mission looming over us. Emera and Rosewyn waited patiently for Silas and me to gather our thoughts over our meals. It was decided that we would scour the town again in broad daylight. Emera managed to enact her plan once our camp was completely tidied away. She grabbed my hand and raced us toward the town, bidding Silas and Rosewyn to work together. The look on their faces as she hurried me away told me we weren¡¯t getting away with this stunt unscathed.

    The ghost town sat quietly ahead of us, waiting to be explored. Emera revealed her aversion to the scent of rotting fish just beyond the west gate of the town. If we explored that far, I agreed to be the one to investigate the rotten fish. Her sensitive monkey nose couldn¡¯t stand the smell. I probably need to do something about the rotting fish anyway. It could set the whole environment around the town in bad health.

    ¡°Where should we start, brute?¡± Emera questioned me as we entered the east gate.

    I pointed toward the northern part of town, and she nodded, walking beside me. ¡°Are you always going to call me a brute?¡±

    She flashed me a smile. ¡°Well, in case you haven¡¯t noticed Braxton, you are almost three feet taller than me, and you¡¯re all muscled with big shoulders. With a swift kick, you make a thick tree fall below your knees. I think brute fits you perfectly.¡±

    She called me a freaking giant, strong person in such a cute way that it almost didn¡¯t bother me. ¡°I am more than a strong giant, Emera.¡±

    ¡°I know, Brute.¡± She hummed. ¡°But, you are and always will be a brute to me. A brute obsessed with cute, fluffy things.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say obsessed-¡±

    ¡°Look!¡± She acted all excited. ¡°A fluffy little rabbit.¡±

    Turning to where she pointed, I scanned the wall of the town for a little bunny. I ran toward the area to get a closer look. ¡°Where¡¯s the cute, little bunny?¡±

    Emera burst out laughing behind me while saying she had just proven that I was indeed obsessed with fluffy creatures. Does she think I am obsessed? Well, why don¡¯t I just show her what an obsession looks like?

    Getting up from the rock wall, I sauntered over to her. She kept laughing as backed away from me and slid herself up a stack of crates until she could go any higher. She sat there almost at eye level with me. I put one hand against the wall of a house behind her, pinning her beneath me. ¡°Obsessed, am I?¡± Her laughter faded as she kept her eyes locked on mine nodding. A sudden heat sprung between us that I hadn¡¯t expected. My free hand gently reaches for her cheek. Her eyes widen, watching as I graze her cheek into the soft amber fur of her head.

    Her breath hitched for a moment feeling my fingers run through her fur. She leaned into my large, rough hand, liking the warmth my touch brought to her. Her beautiful eyes looked back at me, trying to understand what was happening here. I wasn¡¯t sure myself. All of my actions were running purely on instinct as I moved closer to her face.

    She didn¡¯t move away as I whispered to her. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen what obsession looks like, Emera. You are the only fluffy creature I would consider becoming obsessed over.¡±

    Her cheek grew hot against mine. She was blushing this time. Being this close to her was intoxicating from the heat between us. I was crossing the line that I had drawn for myself at that moment. She was too compelling not to pursue. I felt her hand tighten on my shirt, pulling me closer. Moving to look at her, I saw two things in that moment in her eyes. She was caught in the heat of the moment just as I was, and she liked it. My forehead rested on hers for a moment to enjoy this heat.

    ¡°Maybe, you should consider it.¡± She whispered back looking at me before closing the gap between our lips.

    Her lips against mine made the heat explode between us. I thought it might have only been a peck, but she deepened the kiss. She tasted sweet like the mango she had consumed with her goat meat breakfast. Every movement I made, she matched. My hand slid down to her neck allowing me to control the angle of the kiss. My tongue ran across her bottom lip, requesting entrance to her mouth. She granted it. We had gone from joking around to a full-blown make-out session in a ghost town.

    I am not sure how long we stayed like that, but when we parted she giggled. My huffing and puffing was making her chuckle as I tried to recover from that kiss. Our foreheads leaned against each other for support.

    ¡°You are good at that,¡± I smiled at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re not so bad yourself, brute.¡± Her eyes looked like they were sparkling and her tail bounced happily. ¡°So, are you going to become obsessed with me?¡±

    ¡°If I get to kiss you like that again, you can count on it,¡± I tried to be smooth with my words.

    Her small grazed over my stubble. ¡°Are we saying that we''re doing this again?¡±

    I pulled back a little to look at her. I wanted her to hear me when I spoke. ¡°I want to. I think we have something between us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded. ¡°It¡¯s definitely something. Something I want to explore with you, but Ro and Silas need to be our priority. I am all she has, Braxton, and this can¡¯t get in the way of protecting her.¡±

    ¡°Agreed. Let¡¯s just keep this between us then.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± She gave me a small peck. ¡°Cause this is really something.¡±

    ¡°Definitely something,¡± I agreed.

 Closure

Rory POVy

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 Sweaty Iron

    Rory POV

    Heat slammed into me as I ran through the grove of trees toward the West Gate of N¡¯ila. A bright blaze came into view as I burst through the treeline. The smell was both disgusting and smokey, which made my nose burn. On the other side of the fire stood Ema and the guys. They were watching a roasting pile of rotten fish burn. They were safe. My heart slowed down to a normal pace as I trotted toward them.

    I sat beside Ema who acknowledged me by a matching behind my ears. ¡°I will never get tired of how soft your fur is.¡±

    Braxton was focused on the fire, trying to be sure he didn''t set the town ablaze with his magic. I cooked my head to the side to watch him focus on keeping the flames under control like we did during my magic lessons. I noticed that no one has taken any steps to create a barrier between the fire and the town. They could have at least dug a small trench to prevent the fire from spreading. My body started moving toward the fire to dig a trench. All three of them started calling me to get away from the flames, but I was a stubborn wolf on a mission.

    Once I had tunneled a small trench, I trotted over to Silas and grabbed his sleeve. I pulled him over to the trench and nudged him with my nose, hoping he would understand what I wanted. He stared at me and looked back at the trench confused. I pulled on his sleeve again toward the trench when Ema yelled at him to fill it with water. That¡¯s my best friend! She understood me easily without the use of words. Sometimes¡­

    It was night by the time the fire had burned out, and I hadn¡¯t bothered to shift back. Ema had my bag with her as I ran about freely on my paws. The stars blanketed the sky above, and I could tell Braxton was exhausted from his constant use of magic. Silas was dragging us around our campsite. I wasn¡¯t sure if Silas was physically tired or emotionally exhausted after burying the dead. Ema sloshed some soup in a bowl for me, and I lapped it up in a hurry.

    ¡°Did you find something on your exploration earlier?¡± She asked me as I was about to lay down beside her.

    Find something? Oh! Shit. The cart¡­ I had been so concerned about the damn fire that I forgot about the dead body I found. My whole body stood on alert as I nudged Ema to follow me. Sure, I could shift back, but it would be easier to see in my wolf form again. She looked at me weirdly before asking if she should follow me. I nudged her again and started walking back toward the south side. Ema grabbed her quiver and bow before climbing onto my back as we made our way to the broken cart.

    Crickets were chirping about as we hurried through the grove of trees. I heard owls singing into the night, and for a brief moment, I imagined how peaceful this would have been in other circumstances. I ran the mile toward the broken cart. The longer the evidence was left there, the more likely a scavenger would come to eat the elf¡¯s body. Ema got off my back and approached the cart carefully. Her night vision aided her in seeing the dead body and the newly minted obsidian cuff on the elf¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Slavers did this?¡± She questioned. ¡°They took a whole town of elves? That¡¯s impossible.¡±

    I whined back at her in agreement, but we were looking at the evidence. Whether I wanted to believe it or not, someone made this elf a slave before he died. Ema said we should take the body back with us, but I wasn¡¯t ready to turn back yet. There was an unusual smell coming from the obsidian cuff that I hadn¡¯t noticed earlier. I sniffed it with my nose and trailed on to the ground. It was from a person that smelt of sweat and iron. Someone must have come to retrieve the obsidian cuff since they are so valuable. The scent continues toward the south along the path. This could be a big break in trying to find the missing people.

    I shifted back for a moment to speak to Ema. ¡°Someone else was here recently. There¡¯s a scent I can follow headed south. I am going to follow it. You remember how to track me by following the faint claw marks in the trees?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you can¡¯t go on your own. Last time you got trapped in a giant ice cube when we were separated.¡± Ema argued.

    ¡°Right, which is why you will only be a few hours behind me.¡± I tried to reason with her. ¡°Braxton and Silas need time to recharge their magic. Once they are good to go, come find me.¡±

    Ema pouted. She hated my plans when they separated the two of us for a while. ¡°I swear you remind me of Uncle Elias more and more each day.¡±

    ¡°I am going to think of that as a compliment.¡± I grinned trying to assure everything would be fine. ¡°Besides, if you swing through the trees in your simian form, you will find me within an hour.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± She agreed, hugging me tightly. She let go, and I shifted back. Ema pulled some clothing out of her quiver and tied it to me. ¡°Now, you won¡¯t be naked next time.¡± She petted my head and shooed me away.

    My nose stayed low to the ground as I trotted along the path. The sweaty iron scent filled my nose as I followed it along the trail. My gut told me I was heading into a dangerous situation, but the thrill of the chase was too enticing not to follow. Instincts were kicking in as I began to run down the path, stopping every once in a while to mark a tree. I could hear the wrestle of the forest dwellers as I crossed their territories. Some animals warned me off with their loud calls while others merely watched me in curiosity.

    I looked up at the stars on occasion to find my south heading south still down this unkempt path. It wasn¡¯t a normal road, but it was smooth enough for wagons to get by. If this path continued to the coast then eventually I would cross into the Kingdom of Solis, but that would be at least two weeks'' worth of walking. If I were following the slavers, then they would need to move slowly, traveling at night to avoid unnecessary attention. I stood a small chance of finding those people, but I had to try.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Two days later¡­

    Ema, Braxton, and Silas caught up to me last night. We finally found fresh tracks this morning of what seemed like a small army of people. How were these slavers moving around with over two hundred people? Braxton had said that this was the powerful, experienced slavers were capable of during the Orc Freedom Wars. Why did they need so many slaves? Weren¡¯t there enough people who fell into debt every day to feed the slave market? It was ridiculous.

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    ¡°Ro, remember, you need to shift back soon,¡± Ema cautioned.

    I had stayed in my wolf form this entire time. It was easier to sneak about the forest as an animal than a human. I whined at her, but her no-bullshit gaze remained on me. Fine. I jumped into a nearby bush to shift. ¡°You sound just like Myrra.¡±

    ¡°Myrra?¡± Braxton interrupted. ¡°The same Myrra that we met almost two months ago?¡±

    Ema glared at me like I was careless. I shrugged her off. If she was going to have a real chance at romance with this guy then we needed to be a little more truthful with him. I need to establish trust with these guys. ¡°I like to think she¡¯s someone I knew in another life.¡± I smiled. There was a way to be vague and truthful, and I will walk that line for her.

    ¡°Yeah, she gave off that vibe.¡± Braxton agreed.

    Silas appeared out of the shadows of the forest. ¡°I found them.¡±

    We all looked at him stunned.

    ¡°As in the people of N¡¯ila?¡± Braxton asked in a serious tone. His whole attitude shifted like someone flipped a switch in his brain. ¡°Did you see Yuli?¡±

    Silas nodded. ¡°I saw Yuli, Mr. Garrison, Florist Vulpa, Mayor Tennison, Starly Winslow¡­¡± Silas named plenty of names to assure Braxton that we had indeed found them. His face wasn¡¯t one of victory. ¡°I think I saw over a hundred people up ahead.¡±

    ¡°Just over a hundred?¡± Ema frowned.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The mood had soured. We were still missing over half of the town. Still, this was significant. We needed to focus. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not a grand victory like we were hoping for, but we need to rescue them regardless.¡±

    Everyone agreed. Silas told us of the forty slavers controlling the group of slaves. He noticed how the children were at the front of the caravan, chained together. That¡¯s how they were controlling the adults. Braxton presented two ideas to rescue the people. One, we could try to ambush the group and use magic to separate the kids from everyone else with the hope that the adults will fight back with us. Or two, Ema and I could cut down the bad guys with arrows and speed. Each plan was risky. Most of the bad guys likely had some sort of magic, which could be a big problem with option one. The other problem was the obsidian cuff that was latched onto the slaves¡¯ wrists. It takes special magic to forge the cuffs and unlock them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with option two,¡± Braxton decided. ¡°Rosewyn is a rogue. Her specialty is stealth and speed. Emera is a sniper. She has never missed her target as long as I have known her. I think we should use physical abilities over magic with such a large crowd at risk. Magic can be wild and inaccurate, plus we probably need to save mana to heal the injured. We only need a few of the slavers alive anyway. Silas, update the Captain Onyx Yalton on our situation. He should be able to reach us by day¡¯s end from Le¡¯Anisa.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I will send out a message.¡± Silas agreed. He walked away to scribble a note on a piece of paper before using his magic to summon a white owl. My jaw dropped at the beautiful owl. Only the highest members of a royal court can summon white owls.

    Ema tugged on my arm as Braxton began setting up a safe zone for the slaves to run to. Being a general allowed him to learn complex battle magic and shield barriers. This was magic on another level beyond members of the White Rapids Guild. I was working with high-level wizards that were far beyond anything I thought I could do.

    ¡°Geez, you''re drooling,¡± Ema commented as she pulled me toward the slaves¡¯ location.

    ¡°Their magic¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s powerful, but not as powerful as us.¡± She said, coolly.

    I wanted to disagree with her, but I needed to act like I was that powerful if we were going to pull this off. When we were out of range of the guys, I turned to Ema with concern. ¡°The best chance of us rescuing those people is if we pull out all the stops.¡±

    Ema stopped walking. ¡°You don¡¯t mean your frenzy form, do you?¡±

    ¡°Hell, no. I mean my natural form. Half human, half beast form. I am at my fastest in that form.¡± I hadn¡¯t taken that form since Aunt Leah forced me to shift in my room at the guild.

    ¡°Really? Faster than a wolf?¡± She had a dumbfounded look on her face.

    ¡°Yeah, I top out at 43 miles per hour.¡±

    ¡°And, you didn¡¯t think to use it against the saber bears? The bandits? The centipede? The mountain lion? The damn dragon woman!¡± Ema shouted. Her tail bounced with rage.

    ¡°Stealth wasn¡¯t required then. We needed strength and power.¡± I crossed my arms in defiance. ¡°There weren''t any children involved at that time.¡±

    Her body softened when she thought of the elf children in danger. ¡°I still don¡¯t know if you should. Word could spread about you being here.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t use it.¡± Unless a child was about to die that is.

 Weird Red Lady

    Rory POV

    It all happened in a heartbeat. Emalynn first launched a barrage of arrows at the slavers walking with the children. Her strike knocked out four of them, and then chaos erupted. I rushed in with my twin blades at the ready. I aimed for the throat on the first few, watching them fall to the ground behind me as I sped across the divide of trees. The men and women were shouting ¡®Ambush¡¯ as they tried to tighten their grip on the slaves. Seven slavers died, and thirty-three were left to immobilize.

    Three horse-drawn caravans were separating the adults and kids. One probably carried supplies for the slavers. Another might carry some slaves, and the last one probably had more slavers inside because there were only ten around the kids. Two were on horses, four stayed close to the children, and the others had fallen from our attack. I saw fourteen of them walking alongside the adults. Four more rode on horseback around the caravans. Three were driving the caravans, leaving nine more inside one of the wagons. The whole group had come to a stop when the chaos erupted.

    Emalynn fired again striking one in the leg and another in the eye. I zigzag across the people, dodging fire blasts and swinging swords to finish the two Ema had shot. Thirty-one to go as I sliced through my targets. A woman blocked my path, matching my movements with her blade. Another threw magic at me like that would slow me down. I tripped the woman into the ice blast where she became stuck to the ground. Thirty more.

    The crowd began to rumble with cheers for their unknown rescuers. Shouts to save the children first rang out as I tried to keep any of the remaining slavers from reaching the group of kids. I let myself become a blur as I kicked the three remaining slavers back. Four more slavers popped out of a caravan to help catch me. Another magic user fired more wind magic at me. It wasn''t fast enough to affect me.

    ¡°It must be a wind magic user!¡± A male swinging an ax at me called.

    ¡°No, I have seen this speed before from a beast person.¡± An old man on a horse announced as he launched another fireball at my feet.

    ¡°Could it be the one the council is looking for?¡± The ax welder suggested.

    ¡°It could be. The bounty for catching or killing it is worth more than half of the slaves we captured.¡± The old man considered the situation closely. ¡°Whatever it is, it wants to save the children. Use that to your advantage-¡±

    The old man was shot in the eye by an arrow. He spit up blood and fell from his horse.  The horse ran off into the forest. Twenty-nine more bodies to subdue. Another barrage of arrows hit three men who were about to grab a kid from the group. I ran toward them and stabbed their exposed joints, disabling another three. Twenty-six left. Armor was only effective if you could afford to cover yourself in metal or if you were fast enough to protect the exposed areas on your body not covered in leather armor. Most of these slavers had leather armor, not metal.

    Five of them wore full metal armor riding horses, which was expensive. Those five were likely the ones in charge of this group since they had the money for the armor. It was possible they had gotten the armor another way, but if they were here herding slaves to Solis, I didn¡¯t care to know much about them. Slavery was wrong even if someone fell into debt. The people were often abused and tortured for fun. I can only imagine what they wanted elf slaves for and every bit of it was horrible.

    ¡°No,¡± Cried a father.

    Another voice begged, ¡°Leave them alone!¡±

    The four slavers, near the kids, had their blades ready to strike. There was still one horseman chasing me as I tried to keep them all back from the kids. My speed was helping, but the kids were in danger from the magic blasts and sharp blades flying about. Ema managed to hit the horse with a few arrows, causing the rider to fall off. I stabbed the rider in the back of the head when his helmet fell off from the fall of the horse. Twenty-five more to go.

    We weren¡¯t going fast enough. The longer we attacked the slavers, the better chance they had of winning. Where were Braxton and Silas? My speed wouldn¡¯t win this battle for us. I could feel my heart pound in my chest from the strain of constant running around a small area. Magic was flooding through my veins, threatening to take over. A frenzied attack wouldn¡¯t be beneficial in this fight. I could use my terrain magic, but I would have to stop long enough to cast it.

    ¡°Attack the kids!¡± One of the caravan drivers called. ¡°The blur can¡¯t save them all!¡±

    Shit. Shit. Shit.

    I flung myself back into the kids and slammed my hands into the dirt, plunging my magic into the ground. The ground shifted as I forced the ground to rise away from the attackers. Small clung to me as we slowly rose up into the air. I listened to the once scared silent kids cry out as the situation became more dangerous. We were out of reach of the blades for a moment, but it dawned on me that I had just trapped about thirty kids on a ten-foot dirt tower.

    ¡°My baby!¡± So many panicked parents shouted at the same time.

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    ¡°What the hell, lady?¡± One of the older boys behind me shouted.

    I wasn¡¯t sure I had a response for the sixty or so eyes staring back at me. Most of the kids were elves, but a few were dwarves and orcs. The smallest ones weren¡¯t higher than my knee, and I am considered short for a human. They were scared, angry, and very unsure of my intentions. Was there any comfort I could offer them?

    A fireball came flying at us. Kids began screaming, and I knew I needed to throw the rulebook out the window if we were going to survive this. Ema tried to stop the fireball with an arrow, but it flew straight toward me. I struck it down with a bolt of lightning, causing a stir below.

    ¡°It must be the nasty hybrid up there!¡± Someone yelled. ¡°No beast could wield lightning magic!¡±

    Myrra was right. I suck at keeping a low profile. If they knew who I was then there was no need to hold back. Braxton had helped me control the wild lightning that sparked at my fingertips. It was time to test my strength in battle.

    ¡°Kids,¡± I called out, silencing the group. ¡°I am here to help. I am sorry if I scared you with everything, but I am trying to keep you alive. So, huddle behind me and close your eyes if you get too scared because I am going to light it up down there.¡± The kids stayed quiet, but one small voice thanked me, which was enough to fuel the magic in my veins.

    The most amazing thing about metal is how it reacts to heat. I wonder how the heat of my lightning might affect those remaining horsemen in their fancy metal armor. Perhaps, I shouldn¡¯t be rash to burn them to the ground. The horsemen weren¡¯t showing restraint as they kept casting magic at the kids to get a rise out of me. I suppose if they want to see red so badly, they will adore the color of my lightning. Four powerful sparks snapped from my fingertips in bolts toward the horsemen. It was too quick for them to run, and they fell, shaking and screaming in pain. A second round of bolts escaped my hand to finish them off.

    Twenty-one slavers were left below. Magic attacks toward us on the dirt tower increased as I had to keep firing bursts of lightning to protect the kids. This was the most magic I had used since fighting that librarian at the Wizard¡¯s Guild. Some adults were breaking free from their bounds, fighting back against the slavers. The slavers scrambled out of caravans to try to load some of the slaves into the wagons. Another slaver was freeing the woman from the ice that I had left trapped. An all-out riot was ensuing below, and there was nothing I could do to stop or help it.

    That¡¯s when the cavalry had arrived. Braxton and Silas were standing with what I assume to be Captain Onyx Yalton from Le¡¯Anisa. Elf soldiers flooded the forest path, subduing all who were within reach. A few slavers fought back only to be stabbed on the spot. Some tried to escape from the soldiers, but only two got away. The magic attacks on me finally ceased, and I collapsed onto the ground of my dirt tower.

    A cheer erupted from the children the moment my ass hit the ground. Several kids tried to hug and tackle me while others watched me cautiously. They called me the ¡®Weird Red Lady¡¯. I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about it, but that was a problem for later. For now, the kids were safe, and the adults were rescued.

    ¡°Umm, Miss, can you get us down now?¡± An older girl asked as she pushed the younger children back.

    Oh, right. Was it safe to let them down? I looked over the cliffside. Soldiers had rounded up the last of the slavers. A few adults were hugging. Emera hadn¡¯t come out of hiding yet, which was weird. Did she think it wasn¡¯t safe? Before I could go find her, Braxton, Silas, and the captain approached my dirt tower.

    ¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± The older girl asked me like I would.

    The older boy crossed his arms in judgment. ¡°Huh, so the royal family does care about us.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Lyle,¡± the older hushed him. ¡°The prince could hear you!¡±

    ¡°Which one is the prince?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t want to spoil my first impression of a royal of Desfyra.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Lyle chuckled. ¡°Can you believe it, Estra?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°The man with the long black hair is Prince Silas Halestone of Desfyra.¡± The older girl called Estra pointed at the man I knew as Silas, a researcher at the Wizard¡¯s Guild with some connection to nobility.

    The same man then floated up to the top of the dirt tower on his wind magic. His eyes were full of relief to see the children who bowed to him out of respect. He allowed all of the little ones to run to him and tackle him. It was endearing to see him with the children although my head was still trying to wrap itself around who it was that I was looking at. Silas hadn¡¯t lied to me in any way, but he had secrets like I did, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to react to this new information.

    ¡°So, everyone is okay?¡± Silas laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, cause of the Weird Red Lady!¡± One of the small voices yelled.

    Silas looked at me laughing hard at the nickname. ¡°Is that true Weird Red Lady?¡±

    My words failed to form when I tried to answer him. Everything became fuzzy all of a sudden. I blinked, trying to focus enough to say something, but my voice was mute. Emera popped out of nowhere, catching me before I fell backward off the dirt tower. She examined me closely. Her expression became panicked as she called Silas over to me. The rush of battle had finally faded, and in its place came pain. Lots and lots of pain.

    The familiar comfort and warmth of Silas¡¯ healing magic consumed me. It dulled the pain, but I couldn¡¯t hear what was being said. Emera was twitchy and panicked while Silas had become serious. The happy cheery faces of the children had dissipated into grim expressions. Were they upset? Is it because they were stuck up here? I can fix that. My hands were mostly numb to me, but I called for my magic once more. I barely felt the ground under my right hand, but it was enough to make contact. Magic rushed through me once more as I forced it into the ground. The dirt tower shook as it slowly lowered down.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Emera shrieked, trying to pull my hand from the ground. When she tried to move my hand, it would budge like a sword wedge in stone. ¡°Ro, you have to stop! Your magic is feeding off your life force now.¡±

    Her words didn¡¯t make sense to me. The dirt tower had joined with the ground once more, but no one moved. My hand relaxed on the ground. The magic rush calmed into a stream as I felt Silas¡¯ magic pouring into me. No one moved as they watched us. It was peculiar to me. What did they expect? I didn¡¯t have time to think about every cut, gash, and magic burn I had obtained during the fight. I was not going to come out of something like this unscathed. If it wasn¡¯t for Ema, I would have been dead. Besides, after a long battle, a Weird Red Lady was bound to be covered in red blood.

 Little Archer

    Emalynn POV

    The plan seemed simple. Rory and I do as much damage as possible to those horrid enslavers while trying to separate the kids from danger. Braxton and Silas would jump in if needed or when the kids were safe. Our intel was incomplete. There were more of these scum in the woods. Mercenaries to protect their precious products. It was maddening how many lives I had to end today. My attention was split between keeping the vermin from getting too close to Rory while the hidden scum was trying to get me out of the trees.

    Braxton had come to help me, but there were so many. I would watch him momentarily before Rory would snap back into play on the forest path below me. Braxton would use tree branches like a hammer in a slingshot in between utilizing his brute strength. I watched this guy slam a few of them into the tree trunk like the rocks beating on an old target. He wasn¡¯t fast like most of my companions have been. Instead, he had perfect timing. Braxton would study, assess, plan, and humiliate his opponent easily. Every strike was brutal and angry. His entire being was fuming with anger. Blood would splatter on his face, and I would swear the look in his eyes was one of satisfaction. Did he thrive on war?

    I didn¡¯t have time to waste on such thoughts, so I released arrow after arrow on the vermin below. They kept running their mouths, trying to piece who the blur was disrupting their march to Solis¡ªstupid humans with their lax slavery laws. Myrra made Gleaca seem like it was past the time when enslaving other races without any debt was an illegal practice. She must not have been in Solis much. How can enslaving three hundred people for fun be legal there? These vermin should be enslaved instead, but right now they were guessing Rory¡¯s identity, and they were getting too close for comfort.

    Braxton was scrambling below to keep the mercenaries in check while Silas was off somewhere getting help, I hope. There was a moment when all the slaves shrieked, which turned out to be the turning point of this rescue. Rory had her back against the wall when the vermin went after the children. None of us could jump in and save the day as slaves had begun to riot. I saw her brain process her options for half a second before she thrust her magic into the ground. She built a terrain tower to keep the vermin from reaching the children. I tried to use my arrow to keep the magic blasts from hitting her, which is when everyone shrieked in fear for the children. Rory blew her cover right there by unleashing her lightning.

    A few slaves escaped and helped Braxton in his fight. The one orc among the slaves, Yuli as Braxton called her, had broken free. She was helping others get loose while motivating others to fight back. Rory¡¯s magic was keeping the kids safe like a web of electricity, diffusing every magic blast in its path. She was stuck on a tower among vermin who would happily see her dead because she defied them, and she had her revenge when she fried those wearing metal armor. Her control over each spark of electricity was impressive.

    Braxton wrestled with a few of the scum along the forest floor. His shirt was ripped off by the ground, revealing Braxton¡¯s torso to the world. All eight of his abs were visible and well-defined like every muscle in his body. My eyes were glued to his form for a moment, taking in each curve of his muscles. How the hell did someone get that well-defined? It was like he walked out of a damn art gallery. My whole being came hot just from watching beat the scumbag to a pulp. Why was such violence so attractive? I shared a few hot kisses with the man, and now I am drooling over him in battle. When did I turn into such a pervert by watching a brute in the heat of battle?

    Steps crunching through the forest floor caught my attention. Silas returned with a platoon of elf soldiers behind him. How had he gotten them here so fast? Another male orc stood proudly behind him. I wondered if this was another orc who had served with Braxton in the Orc Freedom Wars. Was he the mysterious Captain Onyx Yalton that Silas sent a message to? None of my questions were answered, however, Silas¡¯ arrival with the soldiers ended the conflict altogether. I saw two of the vermin try to escape, so I followed them.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Jumping from branch to branch along the interconnected treetops, I tracked the two men running through the brush. The one on the left was fat and a little slower than the tiny gut on the right. I decided to take out the twig first since he had a better chance of slipping away. My quiver was nearly empty at this point. Taking my knife from my belt, I decided to go for a ground assault. Leaping from the tree, I landed right on the twig man. He collapsed under my weight. My knife made some cuts into the twig¡¯s muscles. He yelled obscenities at me as I pulled his arm out of the socket and slammed my knife into the back of his knee. The man crumpled up onto the ground for a moment before I yanked him to march toward Braxton, but I lost sight of the fat vermin in the woods.

    No sooner had an elf soldier taken the twig from me than I had walked into a scene on top of the dirt tower. Wasting no time, I made my way to the top of the dirt tower. My best friend became pale in color. Rory was scaring the hell out of me. Her whole body had collapsed from her overuse of magic, and I kept her from falling off the tower she built. Looking closer, I found cover in wounds and seeping blood from magical burns. Did Rory like to dance to the edge of death so freely?

    I waved Silas over to come to heal Rory. He took her into his arms and a warm light of his magic enveloped her. It was a sight that I saw too often of Rory needing to be healed. Rory would make medicines and bandages from scraps and leaves. She heals fast, but she can only brush with death so many times. Rory watched all of us. Her eyes scanned the crowd with concern when she suddenly thrust her fingers into the ground. Red magic flared as the whole dirt tower began to sink to the ground. Her skin became paler as she forced her magic to carry us safely to the ground.

    ¡°Stop!¡± I begged her. There was no mana in her anymore, and it frightened me. I tried to pull her hand from the ground, but the pure follow of magic burned me. ¡°Ro, you have to stop! Your magic is feeding off your life force now.¡±

    The ground settled as it safely sank into its place. All eyes turned to Silas as he kept pouring his magic into Rory. Her eyes stayed open, focusing on Silas. ¡°They are concerned for you, Prince Halestone.¡±

    Is she hallucinating again? Rory just called Silas a prince.

    Silas¡¯ face dropped, but his magic kept flowing. ¡°Call me Silas, Red. Please.¡±

    Silas didn¡¯t correct her. He didn¡¯t laugh at being called a prince. Looking at everyone around us, it was clear they held Silas in high regard. Rory had commented on how he summoned a damn owl. This man was a freaking elf prince. Now, it makes sense how Braxton knows Silas will be able to help us in Desfyra.

    Braxton stood next to me, gently caressing my arm. It was comforting and confusing since we hadn¡¯t talked about anything. All we have done is make out several times, but they were the kind of kiss that fills you with heat until you melt into a puddle. Knowing that Silas is a prince just made things more complicated. Hell, rescuing these people has made everything more complicated since everyone here has seen the illegal hybrid in the arms of their elf prince. Will this Captain Yalton arrest Rory, or is she under Silas¡¯ protection? Braxton could tell my mind was about to explode from questions.

    ¡°Emera, relax,¡± he whispered. ¡°Rosewyn is their hero. The children call her the ¡®Weird Red Lady¡¯. Everything will be fine.¡±

    Rory started rambling again in Silas¡¯ arms. ¡°You could have shown up sooner.¡± She held her head up using Silas to keep her steady. I could hear her whisper to him. ¡°I don¡¯t do well with crowds, Fuzz Face.¡±

    A dry chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°Did you just call a prince Fuzz Face?¡± The kids snickered behind me. I had forgotten they were there. All their faces looked so sad as they watched Rory try to stand up. These kids needed some reassurance that Rory was fine, so I grabbed one of her arms and pulled her to her feet. ¡°You still have your humor, Ro, so I know you are going to be fine. Just walk it off.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, little archer.¡± She smiled.

 Gleaca Council

    Elias POV

    ¡°It¡¯s been a month and a half, Elias!¡± Kaya shouted as she paced the floor of my room at the guild. ¡°When will those damn council members start the trial?¡±

    Athyra¡¯s trial was scheduled to be held over a month ago, but there were complications in getting the council members and everyone important to the case. First, the council members demanded Katar attend the trial to tell his side of the story, so Kaya sent for the boneheaded a month ago. He arrived, and he¡¯s taking up residence at a local inn. Then, Athyra demanded to have a dragon representative to ensure the council didn¡¯t infringe on her rights. Kryzhany (kre-zaan-ey) Eshwyn, Athyra¡¯s older brother was called in to oversee the proceedings. He arrived last week, but Athyra doesn¡¯t know he¡¯s here. Lastly, the council has been trying to track down her employer, Talan, for the last month. Talan was forced to come here by a group of wizards from the Wizard Guild found him snooping around the Evergreen Forest near the border of Desfyra of all places. The dark elf I had been chasing was to arrive this morning.

    ¡°Kaya, I think we have more pressing matters than when the council members start the trial. For one thing, you are marking up my floors with your ludicrous pacing.¡± She paused to glare at me. ¡°Second, the guy who has been hunting our girls is about to fall into our laps.¡±

    Kaya stayed in one place watching me. Her finger frantically tapped away on her arm like a tic sound of a clock. ¡°You say it¡¯s more important, Elias, but there¡¯s no way to get the guy when he will be under scrutiny by everyone in this damn town.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you propose, Kay? Because Leah told me to eliminate the gu, so our girls could come home.¡± I grunted.

    Kaya sighed and walked over to me with a face of pity. ¡°Elias, this man¡¯s death will not solve the problem anymore. The council knows there¡¯s a hybrid out there. Ro¡¯s magic has thrust her on the grand stage of Gleaca, and Em was all too happy to join her.¡±

    A knock on the door cut the conversation short. I opened the door to find Buster Knalls, Myrra¡¯s event coordinator. He looked exhausted and sweaty like he had run a marathon. ¡°Governor Kaya Valaris and Sir Elias Wulfric, you are both needed at the courthouse. The trial is set to begin within the hour, and don¡¯t forget to bring your son, Katar Valaris, Madam Kaya.¡± Buster Knalls nodded his head to us, dismissing himself. He headed out in a hurry.

    Kaya made her way about the room in a hurry, concealing small weapons in hidden places beneath her pink gown. She wanted this trial over and justice for her disabled son. The stress had weighed on her since Leah had sent notice for Katar to return to the Savage Valley. Katar had proven that he was unfit to continue as an agent outside of the valley. He angered a dragon and caused an unnecessary rampage. The irony was that Katar had far bigger problems than losing his arm. When Athyra ripped his arm from his body, Katar should have transformed back into a beast person. Instead, his body has refused to release his elf form entirely. Alpha Hunter Axel¡¯s theory was that the dragon¡¯s magic interfered with the magic of the ring, leaving Katar in his elf form permanently. The ring that could have fixed Katar was lost in Athyra¡¯s rampage.

    Myrra greeted us at the courthouse. Katar followed us into the courthouse. The room was lavishly set up with eight seats set up high to oversee the room. Each seat had a plate with the name of a council member with the eighth seat named for Mr. Eshwyn, the dragon representative. There was a stand raised slightly above the audience benches where Athyra and anyone else being questioned would stand. The curtains were a rich purple color, and the symbols of each race decorated the walls. There were smaller desks on each side of the center stand where important players like Athyra, Myrra, and Katar would sit. People were filing into the courtroom from several different guilds. Many groups tried to hunt down Athyra and failed, and all those guilds were here for justice for those who died.

    Buster Knalls called Myrra and Katar to be seated before calling the whole room to settle. We all sat quietly awaiting the trial to begin. ¡°May I present Carter Wells of the Kingdom of Solis (Human), Farah Galin of the Kingdom of Galin (Dwarf), Marta Black of Black Rock Hills (Orc), Jonah Gigas of Jontunuvar (Giants), Mylor Anifya of the Kingdom of Desfyra (Elf), Grand Fairy Flora of Mauve¡¯s Forest (Fairy), Titan Mordue of the Northern Mountains (Beast Folk), and Kryzhany (kre-zaan-ey) Eshwyn of the Dragon Nation.¡± All seven council members and the dragon representative walked in as Buster Knalls announced their names. The end piece to the trial introductions was Waller Basik, the wizard responsible for keeping the dragon in her humanoid form, escorting Athyra Eshwyn into the room.

    Athyra gazed up at the council members when her face turned white as snow, looking up at her brother. ¡°Kryzhany? Why are you here?¡±

    The dark blue dragon male looked down at his younger sister. ¡°Someone had to come see what trouble you had gotten yourself into.¡±

    Athyra opened her mouth to speak, but no words left her mouth. It took a dragon to quiet a dragon. This was the first time Athyra had had been quiet since I have known her. I spent a great deal of time with Myrra going over everything that might be asked of Athyra because the girls and Myrra are at risk of exposure and accusations. Kaya grumbled about how I was helping the dragon.

    Jonah Gigas stood tall reading the accusations against Athyra. ¡°Ms. Eshwyn, you are being accused of breaking Article 29 of the Gleacan Treaty with the Dragon Nation, which states that all adult dragons will keep from rampaging and causing unjust destruction across the land of Gleaca. Should such an act be committed, the dragon in question will face a fair trial with the Gleaca Council. If found guilty, the dragon will submit to any punishment willingly other than death.¡±

    The whole audience stirred in utter shock. Many had died when the adventurers tried to stop her, but the council couldn¡¯t sentence her to death. I know many of the folks were hoping for the death penalty. With everything this girl has done, I can¡¯t say her death would suffice. She should pay in service to the people she wronged or be locked away with constant reminders of those who lost their lives at her hers hands. My hands are far from clean, but no adventurer can keep his hands clean for long. Not when there are abusers, bandits, and kidnappers out there.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    When the introduction bit had finished, Grand Fairy Flora spoke. ¡°Ms. Athyra Eshwyn, please tell us your account of ttheevents in Tteyeas¡¯sspunk rreturnin a  urry as she recounted her arrival here in Gleaca. Lord Ulrich sounded like a greasy man, but he offered her work the moment she stepped off the boat. She took the opportunity to meet the dark elf known as Talan. He tasked her with finding a group of adventurers that he had come across because they had a rare magical item he was interested in acquiring. Eriz, Talan¡¯s slave, was tasked with helping Athyra find the adventurers. Athyra came to White Rapids afadventurers why that t was our aadventurers whohad answered the job advertisement for Old River Woods. She began looking for those specific adventurerswhot had gone to Old River Woods. Athyra learned that I had gone to Pine Row after joining the White Rapids Guild. She followed me in hopes of finding me, but I had left before she could find me. It was there that she tried to ask Katar where I might have gone, but everything fell apart for her.

    Katar had been rude and questioned Athyra¡¯s motives on a date. Athyra had been put up with stress and unwanted attention by many people when she exploded on Katar for insulting her character. She had come to Gleaca because she bet her brother she could earn herself an honest hoard of money. Athyra gave into emotion and hurt Katar, but she stopped him from dying. She grabbed Eriz and left town after nearly destroying where she had been dining with Katar. For hours, she flew west while many tried to stop her at the request of the council. Eriz confirms that  Athyra only defended herself against those adventurers until someone shot Eriz with an arrow by mistake. The misunderstanding caused a wolf familiar to battle with the dragon in the Evergreen Forest. In the aftermath of the battle the wolf disappeared, and Myrra was able to apprehend the dragon. Several wizards died while trying to deal with the fight between the wolf familiar and the dragon, but Athyra fell victim to the dragon¡¯s curse. It consumed her while she battled the wolf until she saw Eriz alive in the end.

    ¡°Quite a journey you had, Ms. Eshwyn. Thank you for giving us your account, so vividly.¡± Grand Fairy Flora commented. Athyra wasn¡¯t permitted to speak any further after her crude language during her testimony. She was glaring at the council, but her brother kept a neutral expression throughout her explanation.

    ¡°Let us hear from the supposed employer first before the questions begin.¡±Carterr Wells suggested. The others agreed without argument.

    Buster Knalls summoned Moseley Hammond, an older dwarf warrior, and a fellow from the Wizard¡¯s Guild dragged in the bastard of a dark elf behind. Flashes of him burned through my mind from the day we faced him in battle. He struck me with lightning over and over as he harassed Leah. It¡¯s burned into my memory. I wanted toembodimentrt, but he was already bound in anti-magic cuffs. Athyra left the stand to allow the dark elf to walk up on the stand. The elf spat at Athyra as she passed him.

    ¡°Earl Talan Urdoy, you stand before the Gleaca Council to testify about your working relationship and business with Ms. Eshwyn.¡± Jonah Gigas¡¯ voice boomed through the court. ¡°How did you meet Ms. Eshwyn?¡±

    The atmosphere of the courtroom shifted like everything had become uneasy looking at Talan. He was visibly upset and disheveled. It was clear he did not want to be here. Talan wasn''t going to talk to the council. It was clear from his silence that he had no intention of answering anything. Different councilmen called on Talan to speak, but he remained quiet.

    ¡°Why will this man not speak?¡± Marta Black huffed, looking at the other councilmen. ¡°If he refuses to answer, he will lose his whole earldom from the title to any property.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Eshwyn and Talan¡¯s slave, Eriz, cautioned the guild master that this man would not speak if it didn''t benefit him.¡± Farah Galin reminded the court. ¡°Which is why the slave suggested bringing Earl Urdoy¡¯s slave and housekeeper, Nefrisse.¡±

    Talan''s expression changed from obstinate to concerned Did he cared for his housekeeper? Now, that was a surprise. It wasn''t long before Buster Knalls brought in a round, older woman at the request of the council. Talan''s eyes landed on the woman. His stance softened at the sight of her.

    The woman named Nefrisse was nervous. She had become sweaty in a hurry under the gaze of the councilmen. She stuttered as she spoke to them, but everything she said confirmed Athyra¡¯s story. From the ¡®pig¡¯ of a Lord, Ulrich to what Talan had asked of Ms. Eshwyn. The thing that bothered me was none of this was incriminating for Talan. All he had done was hire Athyra to find someone, and there was no law against that. I could incriminate the man by testifying about the Old River Woods. If I did that, he could end up in Isai Compound, the council¡¯s prison. Yet, I can''t say a word without risking Myrra and the girls.

    ¡°So, Earl Talan Urdoy hired Ms. Eshwyn to find a group of adventurers that he came across in Old River Woods at the same time that a group of bandits were slaughtered there. Is that correct, Guild Master Myrra?¡± Mylor Anifya asked.

    Myrra stood from the desk next to the stand. Her body became tense as she answered. ¡°The timeline matches with the discovery of the bodies in Old River Woods.¡±

    ¡°Didn''t Earl Talan file a notice about a mysterious wolf creature in the woods that day?¡± Mylor Anifya studied Talan as he spoke. Myrra concurred that Talan did file such a notice. ¡°So, Earl Talan Urdoy was in Old River Woods at the same time an adventuring party was there, and a group of bandits ended up dead by a mysterious wolf creature?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir Anifya. It seems that way.¡± Myrra¡¯s mouth seemed to go dry.

    ¡°Well, that leaves many questions unanswered. What happened to the adventurers, and what did Earl Talan see there, or was he involved?¡± Mylor Anifya questioned.

    ¡°Mylor, what does this have to do with Athyra?¡± Kryzhany stopped Mylor¡¯s line of questioning. ¡°This is about what happened to Athyra and how she responded, not something that happened in a forest somewhere.¡±

    The room was silent as everyone waited to see how Mylor might respond. Mylor just smiled. ¡°Well, if Kryzhany doesn''t care about why his sister was chasing these adventurers for Earl Tal, and what caused her employment to be needed, then I have no further questions.¡±

    Kryzhany smirked. ¡°Thank you for understanding, Mylor. The short of itis s, Athyra came here because she made a bet with me. She was impatient and took the first offer made to her. She screwed up and got tired of everyone''s bullshit. I think we need to move along to the first victim of her rampage, Katar Valaris. He sparked her tantrum after, which killed how many people?¡±

    ¡°113 people,¡± Buster Knalls answered.

    ¡°Not bad, dragonette,¡± Talan creepily grinned at Athyra Nefrisse clicked her tongue at Talan''s behavior. This dark elf was the embodiment uncouth.

    All of a sudden a heavy bang rang out in the courtroom when blood came spilling out of Talan''s ugly head. A giant smile settled on my face while the courtroom descended into anarchy. Talan fell over causing blood to pool on the floor in front of the stand. Someone has shot Talan dead.

 Fall Out

    Athyra POV

    The perverted scumbag was dead. His body has fallen over the front of the stand, leaving a crumbled mess on the floor. I would never hear him call me ¡®dragonette¡¯ again, and I was all too happy about it. Nefrisse screamed at his messy remains bleeding out on the ground. I recognized this style of assassination. The killer had used a heavy metal stone about the size of my fingertip in a slingshot. The shot was made from the arches along the ceiling, which meant this was a professional hit. Council guards were quick to tame the courtroom''s audience, and I wondered what the council would do now. Surely, this will delay my trial further.

    Giant Jonah shouted for everyone to reconvene at the guild¡¯s mess hall. There goes my hope that the trial shot would end. This whole thing was so embarrassing with Kryzhany here. Why did my dragon representative have him? Now, he knows I failed at our bet. It won''t be long until he drags me back to Parlay Passage where I will have to serve him for a freaking decade. This was supposed to be easy for me. I was so confident leaving our nest that I made a bet on it. Dragons aren''t servants, Kryzhany will ensure that was exactly what I became.

    My magic and my pride were crawling through my body like pins and needles, trying to free itself in rage. Stupid body entrapment spell. Damn, Waller. This guy''s spells were strong. How did I miss him when we spent time at the guild? It didn''t make any sense where Myrra hid this guy away. Waller pulled from the courtroom with Eriz following behind us. We made our way to the guild hall where Waller locked me up in the guild master¡¯s suite again.

    Eriz was in total shock after seeing Talan dead on the ground. I don''t think he realizes what this means for him and his Aunt Nefrisse. He was speechless as just stood by the door, waiting for someone to come tell us what to do. I glanced down at his obsidian cuff, wondering if it might just fall off since Talan was no longer breathing. If it could just fall off his wrist right now, I think Eriz would breathe normally.

    ¡°The scum bag is dead, Eriz.¡± I wanted to be sure Eriz knew what he witnessed was real. ¡°He can''t order you around anymore.¡±

    Eriz licked his lips before turning to hug me. The light of the window cast shadows upon us as we just stood there embraced. ¡°It doesn''t feel real.¡±

    ¡°Talan is dead. I don''t know who ended him, but he can''t get to you or Nefrisse.¡± I whispered as I stepped out of his arms. His cheeks were wet from tears. ¡°Happy tears?¡±

    ¡°Tears of relief.¡± He responded.

    A knock at the door cut the moment of peace short. Waller escorted me to the mess hall where the council sat at a table on a makeshift stage. Katar was seated in a chair in front of the stage. The audience was smaller now as they sat at the tables toward the back of the room. The mess hall was warmer and brighter because of the big window, which made this trial a little less cold. How did Myrra set this up so fast? Did she know she would need a backup location for the trial?

    ¡°We will now resume,¡± Marta Black announced. ¡°Katar Valaris, tell us what happened on your date with Ms. Eshwyn.¡±

    Katar stood from his chair. He looked ragged and perhaps humbled as he looked up at the council. His clothes weren''t nearly as neat and stylish as the last time I saw him. His nub of an arm was bandaged and hidden under a jacket. The sad part of this moment was I felt no sympathy for the man who insulted me. It was his words that finally made the dam of my emotions burst. I was free from the stress when I felt my wings glide along the breeze that night.

    Katar loosely explained how I tricked him into a date to get information on people who had stayed in Pine Row recently. He caught onto the rise before showing up to the day, and he tried to teach me a lesson with his arrogance. I got mad and shifted. I ripped his arm when he finally told me that the people I was looking for were headed West.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    It took all of my effort not to speak or punch that elf boy square in the face. Come to think of it, he seemed less powerful now. Was it the arm that I took from him that made him seem weaker? I am not sure a lost pound of flesh would affect the mana in his body that much. It was weird. There was such a difference that I looked back at his mom to see how different it was compared to hers. The volume of mana in her was immensely more than Katar although they had been evenly matched before. It was odd.

    ¡°Who was Ms. Eshwyn looking for, Katar?¡± Farah Galin asked him.

    ¡°My uncle''s traveling companions. She told me that they had a magical item that her employer was interested in.¡± Katar said.

    ¡°That tracks with Ms. Eshwyn¡¯s testimony and the housekeeper¡¯s,¡± Carter Wells concluded.

    ¡°So, you proved my sister isn''t a liar. Now what?¡± Kryzhany acted bored with everything.

    ¡°Now, we hear from the victims.¡± Marta Black was quick to keep Kryzhany from interrupting the proceedings any further.

    The next two hours were boring as I all got out and I listened to a bunch of adventurers whine about the destruction they faced when trying to engage me in battle. I heard sob stories from kids, wives, husbands, friends, and guild masters. It took my total focus to keep from reacting poorly. I needed everyone to believe I wasn''t proud of the destruction I caused, even though I was very proud. All I did was deflect attacks that night until I squared off with Rory. Dragon versus wolf.

    ¡°So, Mr. Polly Wog, have you witnessed the battle between the dragon and the wolf familiar?¡± Carter Wells questioned the dwarven man from the Wizard¡¯s Guild. The same man that helped handle the scumbag earlier.

    ¡°My party and I arrived after Ms. Eshwyn had frozen herself and the wolf in a giant ice block.¡± Polly Wog answered.

    ¡°Tell us what happened after you arrived,¡± Carter Wells prompted the man to continue.

    ¡°Well, my party consisted of myself, Master Renaldy, Prince Silas Haleston, the prince¡¯s guard, Braxton, and a woman named Analee. We came across a simian beast named Emera when we arrived at the giant ice block.¡± Polly Wog began.

    Mylor Anifya looked uncomfortable at the mention of the elf guy. Guess I messed with elf royalty too. Oh well. Mr. Fancy Elf had a stick up his crack the whole day that I knew he existed. Although, depending on what this Polly guy says I could be making my punishment worse with royalty involved.

    ¡°The simian woman claimed the wolf as her familiar and requested we help her free the creature,¡± Polly Wog shifted his stance as the whole council watched him. ¡°Prince Halestone vouched for her, having run into her a few days before that. The whole party was uncomfortable with the simian woman commanding us, but Master Renaldy allowed it because he wanted the dragon at any cost.¡± Polly Wog explained the aftermath of the ice block breaking and finding Master Renaldy and Analee dead before returning to the Wizard¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°What became of Prince Halestone?¡± Mylor Anifya implored Polly Wog for answers.

    ¡°Most of my party died at the hands of beasts, Sir Anifya. I came to see justice for them. But if you must know, Prince Halestone headed home after the Evergreen Forest disaster.¡± Polly Wog answered grimly.

    The mess hall was silent. Mylor Anifya grumbled.

    Titan Mordue of the Northern Mountains, a white tiger shifter of the beast folk began laughing. ¡°Perhaps, we should disregard Mr. Wog¡¯s testimony. The whole thing is laughable.¡± He chuckled some more. ¡°A simian beast having a familiar is impossible.¡±

    ¡°Impossible? Not really.¡± I cut in. This would be the only way to keep my word to Myrra. ¡°Unlikely, more like it. I battled the wolf. It was real. It came to the monkey girl¡¯s rescue. As far as I can tell, that thing was a familiar for her.¡±

    Titan Mordue growled at me.

    Farah Galin slammed her fist on the table. ¡°We have heard enough. We came here to hear what transpired during Ms. Eshwyn¡¯s unfortunate rampage. That has been done. Now, we shall retire and deliberate.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to deliberate, Farah. It¡¯s rather clear Ms. Eshwyn did hurt others during her dragon tantrum. The only thing we need to discuss is a punishment for her careless and rash actions.¡± Marta Black encouraged. ¡°We need only an hour to discuss. I am sure Kryzhany will hurry us along. We can finish this business before dinner.¡±

    The audience mumbled. No one in this courtroom liked what Marta Black was saying. Mylor Anifya was off in his world muttering curses under his breath. Titan Mordue was glaring at me, clearly pissed at my words. Jonah Gigas and Farah Galin appeared neutral. Carter Wells seemed on edge, and Grand Fairy Flora was amused just watching it all unfold. Kryzhany kept his eyes on me, and I was certain he had words for me.

    The next hour and a half were a blur. The council retired to deliberate. They called in Eriz, Myrra, Waller, and even Elias Wulfric! I never spoke to that man, but I suppose he was a key player in the story that was told today. My life was being decided behind closed doors, and the anger of losing control over everything once more was bubbling under my skin. If it wasn¡¯t for Waller¡¯s damn spell, I¡¯d be soaring through the skies by now. Everything I faced now was in the name of friendship, but I wonder if it would be worth it all in the end.

 Trials End

    Athyra POV

    That damn sun was sinking over the buildings already, and my stomach was growling like a wild animal. I am so close to eating Myrra¡¯s office curtains. Those council people said they wouldn¡¯t be more than an hour in their deliberations. It¡¯s been four long hours! ¡®We¡¯ll be done before dinner,¡¯ they said. Lies. My stomach gurgled with hunger. Anger has been brewing for hours inside me. Being shackled in this form has been nauseating with all of this anger stirring in me.

    ¡°Ugh, I just want this over with!¡± I let the book I was distracting myself with drop onto Myrra¡¯s desk. ¡°There¡¯s no book interesting enough to keep my attention on a day like this.¡±

    ¡°Are you anxious or is this the hungry dragon talking?¡± Eriz looked up from his book. He made himself comfortable on the couch a few hours ago.

    ¡°More like an angry dragon,¡± I pouted.

    The door finally opened with Myrra beckoning us to follow her to the mess hall. My stomach continued to growl heavily, causing Myrra to comment on the growling dragon. She was the one who refused to cook anything with the trial going on. I was locked in her office all afternoon. There was no way for me to get food! Eriz was told not to leave my side until everything was settled today.

    We entered the mess hall to see the council members and my brother glaring down at me. Did they hate me after today? These were people who had either just met me or wanted to use me for their own gain like my brother. Myrra sat me down in the chair in front of the council with the entire audience sitting on pins and needles behind me.

    ¡°Ms. Eshwyn,¡± Farah Galin began. ¡°We have reached a decision.¡±

    I nodded for them to continue. ¡°You don¡¯t need to drag it out.¡± My stomach gurgled loudly. ¡°I am not sure my stomach will wait much longer.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Ms. Eshwyn,¡± Jonah Gigas agreed. ¡°You are guilty of reckless destruction across the continent of Gleaca and unnecessary loss of life.¡±

    Well, I knew that was coming. I nodded along anyway.

    ¡°For violating Article 29 of the Gleacan Treaty with the Dragon Nation, you are sentenced to serve the Gleaca community by completing every job assigned to you by the White Rapids Guild for the next twenty years. You will not be allowed to collect any money from the jobs, and you will remain in the care and custody of Guild Master Myrra. For the next five years, you will remain in your humanoid form, which will be maintained by Mr. Waller. When your service has ended, you will be returned to your brother for another ten years of service owed to the Dragon Nation for your crime.¡± Marta Black finished, and I felt my insides tumble.

    My jaw dropped. How did my brother agree to such terms? Dragons weren¡¯t meant to stay in their humanoid forms. Five years in this horrible form! They were imprisoning me in the worst way for a dragon. For twenty years, I will be penniless and a slave to the guild. After all of that is over, I will still have to work for my brother. I am only eighteen. I was supposed to have my whole life ahead of me. Now, the next thirty years were no longer mine to have.

    ¡°Ms. Eshwyn, do you accept your sentence?¡± Carter Wells questioned.

    ¡°No!¡± I shouted. Are these council people crazy or something? ¡°How can any self-respecting dragon accept being forced to live humanoid life? Not one one of them would! Five years without spreading my wings. Five years of walking everywhere. Five years of remaining imprisoned!¡± Words were flying out of my mouth at this point. ¡°You''re sentencing me to five years of rejecting my entire identity. I won''t be a dragon that entire time! I will be less than nothing to everyone. Kryzhany! How could you agree to this?¡±

    Kryzhany raised an eyebrow at my behavior. ¡°They wanted fifteen years of imprisonment in that form, Athyra. I talked them down to five. Honestly, you are acting like a baby who left the nest too early. You messed up, and now, you must face the consequences.¡±

    Kryzhany wasn''t going to help me here. He was sent here to ensure I was given a fair trial and punishment by dragon standards. I guess he sees this as fair, but it''s torture. I have been like this for almost two months. It was different when I chose to stay in my humanoid form because I chose it. My choice is gone like this.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°There has to be another way or a way to shorten the five years by some measure. Could I get off early for good behavior?¡± I tried to bargain with eight stern faces staring back at me.

    Titan Mordue stood up with his palms firmly on the table in front of him. ¡°This isn''t for you, Ms. Eshwyn. Living a shiftless life will take a toll on you that many can''t bear. I have seen plenty of beast folk die from such a burden, but you are a dragon, Ms. Eshwyn. You will live in imprisonment as atonement to these people who lost so much, trying to end your destructive temper tantrum. There is no other way. You are penniless, so you can''t even pay reparations for the 113 people killed. You are too young of a dragon to have a proper horde to pay off such a debt, which is why you will work it off under our terms.¡±

    That''s how dragons got around such restrictive punishments. They paid reparations to the dead¡¯s loved ones. What they didn¡¯t know was that I did have a horde. It wasn¡¯t big, but it was mine. Eriz helped me get an advance in pay from the scumbag. We had earned some coins when we did jobs for the guild as well. I bought a place not far from town where I stored my modest wealth. I can¡¯t give it up. It¡¯s the only thing I can hang on to in this humiliating state.

    Eriz whispered to Myrra off to the side. I didn¡¯t like the look in their eyes as they decided something about me. Hadn¡¯t I lost enough control over my life? I am less than a dragon now, and I have barely been a dragon since the date with Katar. My pride and rage had taken over then, but it was just bottled up now in this state.

    ¡°What if she did make a reparations payment?¡± Myrra said, suddenly. ¡°Would her sentence be reduced?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Titan Mordue considered.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed. ¡°Am I not humiliated enough? You have clipped my wings and gutted my future earnings. I am hardly a dragon at all anymore.¡±

    ¡°Well, that settles that question.¡± Titan Mordue sat down.

    ¡°Then, this concludes the Trial of Athyra Eshwyn. Court adjourned.¡± Grand Fairy Flora announced, and the council scattered off. Mylor Anifya was the first to run out of the room. He was probably rushing home to his prince if I had to guess.

    The audience seemed content with my sentencing. No one objected or asked for a harsher punishment, so that was a good sign. Everyone disappeared around me in a blink of an eye. It was all settled. My humiliation was palpable to anyone who looked at me. I curled up into a ball on the chair where my humiliation had been branded upon me. The mess hall was nearly empty, but I felt unable to move from my seat as I tried to process it all.

    I couldn¡¯t feel my hunger anymore because of the broken feeling that overwhelmed me. There was some freedom granted to me in this sentence that the council had given me. I needed to focus on that if I wanted to stay sane in this form for the next five years in this wretched form. Myrra promised to take care of me if I kept my word to divert the council from asking about the wolf creature too much. I succeeded, I think. This was my solace for my disgraced status.

    Eriz came and hugged me, trying to comfort me. ¡°It¡¯s over, Athyra. Why don¡¯t we go find something to eat?¡±

    I lifted my head to look at him. He held no pity for me. Eriz was here because he wanted to be. I am sure that will mean something to me eventually. ¡°Not so sure that I am still hungry after that, but I can try.¡± I managed to answer. The anger had turned into a broken sadness inside of me, which felt worse. I traded my wings for friendship today. Was that smart of me? No. Was it avoidable? No. Can I live with it? I will try.

    We headed toward the kitchen when Carter Wells stopped us. The plump woman that worked for the scumbag was with him. ¡°Eriz,¡± Mr. Wells called. ¡°Come. I have one more duty to perform before I go home to clean up another mess.¡±

    Eriz stood next to Nefrisse at the behest of Carter Wells. He recited some words then a purple glow emanated from him toward the obsidian cuffs. He said a few more words, causing the cuffs to drop and shatter on the ground into black sand. The purple glow dimmed and the weight of what occurred set in.

    ¡°You are free from your debt to Talan Urdoy, and you may reclaim your full name once more.¡± Carter Wells stated before rushing off.

    Eriz ran his hand over his wrist like it was foreign to him. Nefrisse cried like a chunky toddler. Eriz and his only family were finally free of the scumbag in every way. Nefrisse never had to return to that awful manor again. They hugged, and I felt tears threatening to escape my eyes.

    ¡°Growing soft, sister?¡± Kryzhany whispered in my ear.

    I nearly leaped out of my skin at his presence. The heat of rage stoked itself back to life at the sight of him. ¡°What do you want Kryzhany?¡±

    ¡°Just to ask what that guild master meant earlier. Could you make a reparations payment?¡± His eyes glistened with curiosity.

    I knew he wouldn¡¯t let that go. ¡°Possibly, but I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, you did start a horde.¡± He looked at me with pride. ¡°Well, then. You might still be a dragon after all.¡± His grin was wide. ¡°I will check on you soon, sis.¡± Just like that, my brother was gone.

    All of the chaos subsided. Eriz and I finally got some food in us after a long freaking day. I had to endure spiteful looks from guild members and visitors alike, but there was no escaping this life. The mess hall shifted back to its normal atmosphere with people drinking and goofing off. Kids were running about with promises of becoming an S-rank adventurer. It felt calm, and I could get used to that.

 More Than Intrigue

    Silas POV

    Queen Amory,

    By now, you have heard about N''ila''s tragedy. As of now, I have learned this assault against our people is in revenge for granting your protection to the Orc Warriors six years ago. Mr. Iann, the big player in the Solis slave market, has been planning his revenge for some time. N¡¯ila was the first according to the mercenaries we captured during our raid.

    Out of 302 citizens of N¡¯ila, 94 of them have been rescued and 33 have perished, leaving 175 more citizens to be found. I removed 94 obsidian cuffs from the refugees of all ages. Captain Onyx Yalton promises to secure every bit of intel out of the mercenaries since we have arrived in Le¡¯Anisa. The refugees are on the mend in a temporary camp on the edge of Le''Anisa. A battalion of soldiers should secure N¡¯ila and bring rations. There wasn¡¯t much left in N¡¯ila when my party left it four days ago. A question should be posed about whether people should return to N¡¯ila or resettle elsewhere in the kingdom.

    As for my party, dear sister, you should know that I wish to grant them the court¡¯s protection when we make it to Desfyra. A woman who resides with me as I travel is speculated to have a dangerous power. I am not certain of her identity, but I do know, that the refugees call her the ¡®Weird Red Lady¡¯. She¡¯s a hero to the refugees for her brave feats that protected the children from harm during the rescue. I believe her to be a hero, an asset, and a friend to the Kingdom of Desfyra.

    Sincerely Your Dearest Brother,

    Prince Silas Halestone

    Sealing the letter, I hand it off to Braxton and Emera. They plan to explore Le¡¯Anisa and restock our supplies while we wait for intel from Captain Onyx. We arrived in Le¡¯Anisa last night and checked into the Little Kettle Inn. Everything moved so fast yesterday that we agreed to have a day of rest at the inn. I plan not to leave the inn unless someone truly needs me. The rumor of my appearance in town has spread like wildfire over breakfast. Braxton only left me in the inn because Rosewyn agreed to play bodyguard. I didn¡¯t think I needed one in Desfyra, but people recognized me was a dangerous situation. Being royalty puts a giant target on my back to get kidnapped, attacked, or killed.

    Rosewyn knocked on my door, and I let her in. The room was small with two single beds, a writing desk, and a small bathroom. White walls, a single window, and a lamp made up my standard room. Rosewyn wasn¡¯t shy. She took over my seat at the desk, putting her saddle bag on the desk with a thunk. I had asked her to bring the book that she stole from the guild library. It was time to dig into her past for answers.

    Sitting close on the bed close to the desk, I tried to get comfortable because this type of conversation was out of my comfort zone. I looked over at her leaning back in the desk chair. ¡°I wrote to my sister.¡±

    Her expression stayed neutral. ¡°I imagine you had a lot to tell her.¡±

    ¡°Considering everything we went through once we made it to N''ila, it was a long letter.¡± I tried to be humorous. ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°So?¡± She questioned. ¡°Oh, you want to see the book.¡± She turned around and pulled out an old, red, leather book. The title was The Grand Wizards & Lost Magic. ¡°I should warn you.¡± Her voice became soft as she caressed the book. ¡°My magic reacts to this book.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    Rosewyn told me of how the book fell on her head. When it opened, instead of reading the chapter, she saw it in her head like a play. She learned about Ramire Bishop and his polymorphic ring. The beast woman he fell in love with prompted him to create a ring unlike any other by allowing him to shift races. Her face lit up as she described their secret life together. Ramire and his love got caught by the beast woman¡¯s clan. The guild and the pack swept everything under the rug with their deal. Ramire made a set of rings for the pack, so they could hide away from the prejudice of their time. The whole story and the magic were lost to history.

    ¡°Ramire Bishop created genetically locked polymorphic rings?¡± I was in total disbelief. I knew he mastered polymorphic magic, but he redefined the boundaries of polymorphic spells in the name of love.

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡± She confirmed.

    ¡°Is that the magic item that you have? The one that channels and controls your magic.¡± She nodded, lifting her hand to show me a black banded ring with a red stone in the middle on the ring finger of her coarse right hand. ¡°This ring is ancient. Like over a thousand years old, kind of ancient. Will it come off?¡±

    ¡°Not since I turned twenty-one,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°There are more of these though, right? Have you come across anyone else with a ring like this?¡± The researcher in me was leaping with excitement.

    Red explained how she knew of others because her mother was connected to them. No one else had issues like hers. Her mother¡¯s clan had rules and instructors that taught select ring bearers how to use the polymorphic ring. There was no case like hers ever recorded in the clan¡¯s history. She told me her clan¡¯s version of the story as well.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°So, the blood from two different people of two different races is bonded in the ring with the spell. To use the ring, you must descend from one of the original people the spell was bonded to. Seems simple in theory, but why does the ring react strongly to you?¡± Wheels turned in my mind as I contemplated Rosewyn¡¯s unique situation. She was descended from two different races. Could that be the answer? ¡°Is it possible that you descend from the bloodline of both people used in the spell in the ring?¡±

    Her eyes got wide. She hadn¡¯t considered that possibility. The blood of a beast folk and a human were bound in the spell in the ring. Since she¡¯s half of each race, the ring could amplify her magic. Most of what has happened to Rosewyn should be impossible, but beast folk hybrids break the boundaries of the known limits of magic. At one time, she had told me her name was Rory Bishop. Her father could have descended from Ramire Bishop, the creator of her polymorphic ring.

    ¡°Your parents were human and beast folk like Ramire and the woman he loved. Maybe, that has influenced the ring in some way. You might descend from both the human and beast folk bloodlines that were bonded to create the ring.¡± I was careful to keep my Bishop theory to myself.

    Red nearly tumbled out of her chair. ¡°Are you saying I am some kind of karma, the prophetic love child of two people who gave their blood to Ramire Bishop for an experiment?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her dramatic and shocked expression. Rosewyn wasn¡¯t upset by my theory, but she was in total shock. She was a type of prophetic love child if she believed in fate, but she could just be a powerful person because her parents fell in love. Hybrids like her were written as overpowered in most historical accounts.

    ¡°If we assume you are descended from both people then the ring acts as a medium to regulate your power. Hybrids are unstable because their body cannot regulate the mana they create. The ring keeps you from exploding from too much mana production.¡± My mind was overrun with thoughts and ideas on the possibilities of what her ring could do. I pulled my journal out from my coat pocket and jotted down experiments I would need to run. If I study and recreate the ring then it¡¯s possible this could help other hybrids.

    Rosewyn was overwhelmed by my conclusions. ¡°If I take this ring off, I could explode?¡±

    Dropping the journal onto my lap, my arms created a giant x. ¡°You won¡¯t explode, but the high concentrations of mana will drive you crazy like the hybrids before you.¡±

    ¡°You know, I never thought my life would be tied to my mom¡¯s ring. Maybe a wedding ring, but not a magic ring. It¡¯s only this one item that separates me from an unstable existence.¡± Rosewyn was consumed by this realization.

    I reached out my hand to hers, and she seemed to relax a little. ¡°This is a lot to process, I know.¡± My voice had a slight excitement to it at the possibilities going forward. ¡°However, this is good. We are understanding your power and the mysteries behind hybrids. If you permit me to, I can study the polymorphic spell, the ring, your potential as a hybrid, and how to make another item like this. This could change the fate of hybrids in Gleaca, and possibly your future.¡±

    Her whole body sunk into her seat. ¡°All of my life, I have been in hiding. I have hidden what I am from others, and my feelings about my existence until my aunt pulled it out of me earlier this year. I felt as if I shouldn¡¯t exist because of the law and the potential destruction I could cause. Then people started to risk their lives to save me. My parents died for me. Jerico, my first crush, died protecting my secret. Aunt Leah, Em, and Elias nearly died when I was unable to fight. I have felt as if things would be easier if I just died.¡±

    Her words shook me to my core. Rosewyn¡¯s life was opposite to mine. She was forced to live in secret and constantly risking the lives of those around her because some laws said she should exist. I risk those around me because of my status. A law says I will inherit the throne after my sister although I never earned that right. I can walk in the light of day without hiding my face or giving a fake name. Was Rory or Rosewyn her real name? She may never tell me, but I know she is born and protected out of love.

    My hand fell away from her arm. ¡°This ring and my research could make it, so you may not have to hide yourself.¡± Just like when I found her freezing behind the tree and healed her with my magic, I felt this need to protect her. Rosewyn wasn¡¯t weak. I have seen the might of her magic and her vulnerable expressions. Why I am drawn to this woman, I wasn¡¯t sure, but she is worth the love and protection of those around her. This whole situation is worse than trying to explain polymorphic magic to a courtier.

    ¡°Silas, will it fix anything? Even if you can understand how my magic works, is there any future where the Gleaca Council will abolish the law forbidding hybrids? Could I walk in the sun without being hunted, fall in love and start a family, or return to the guild that I grew up in?¡±  Tears were streaming down her face as she hugged her legs to her chest.

    Standing up from my spot on the bed, I walked in front of her and knelt on the floor. My hands gently rested on her arms causing her to look up at me. Her sobs echoed in the room as she gave me a confused, tearful expression. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was doing, but this beautiful woman in front of me needed comfort. My movements were awkward and rigid as I caressed her arms. Her pain reminded me of Braxton¡¯s when we first met. He was loved by his companions but hunted for by an entire kingdom in his efforts to free his people. Rosewyn was born a secret and loved by those who were lucky enough to know her secret, but she could never stop looking over her shoulder in fear of the wrong person learning her secret.

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise it will fix anything, but it will be a step in freeing you from your hidden existence. It will help other hybrids if we are successful. We could unlock history if we work together. Maybe, you will learn more about your family or the clan you descend from. I am a prince and heir to Desfyra. I can offer some protection from the council, but we will need to find a long-term solution.¡± Red was no longer an existence that intrigued me. She was becoming a person that I cared about.

    Her tears stopped. She wasn¡¯t happy, but she had calmed down. ¡°Are you guys still wanting to make me the hero of N¡¯ila?¡±

    ¡°We can call it step one in securing your future.¡± I smiled at her. Red won¡¯t be sad like this forever.

    Red tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her red hair was tamed into a messy braid that looked like she had been sleeping before she walked in here. ¡°So, what¡¯s the backup plan if you can¡¯t secure my future?¡±

    What could we do if my plan falls through? There was only one answer that would allow her to live freely. ¡°I will help you leave Gleaca.¡±

    A stunned expression blinked at me. I think I may have left Red speechless. ¡°Did Em tell you why we hadn¡¯t left Gleaca?¡±

    ¡°No, but that would have been the safest option for you,¡± I said.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t leave because I can¡¯t control my power fully. I am not sure I could leave until I was certain that I had frenzy mode under control.¡± She sniffled.

    ¡°Sounds like we have research, studying, and experimenting to do.¡± The excitement of understanding a lost magic was tantalizing.

    She chuckled at my excitement. ¡°How will I repay you for this?¡±

    ¡°Besides helping me study a lost magic?¡± I asked.

    Her hand grabbed one of mine softly. ¡°You are talking about giving me the world, Silas. I am sure that¡¯s worth more than some lost magic.¡±

    ¡°If it means that much to you, we¡¯ll settle it later. Let¡¯s look through the book again for more information for now.¡± I squeezed her hand. ¡°It¡¯s more than intrigue in your situation that has me invested in you, Red.¡±

 A Little Closer

    Emalynn''s POV

    In just a week, we were in the wilds of Desfyra, heading toward a slaver¡¯s outpost. Captain Onyx has been successful in his interrogations. We learned about an outpost near the coastal city of Kanna. Kanna was ruled by a governor like Pine Row because it wasn¡¯t directly governed by a kingdom. The queen had given Silas her blessing to finish our efforts to rescue the victims of N¡¯ila. Once we received the intel, we headed for the cost. We were only an hour¡¯s ride from the outpost.

    Things have been weird since Silas and Ro made nice with each other. They had become very studious. Always whispering about magic and planning experiments. We left them alone for a few hours in the inn and came back to them arguing over theories about shifting forms using magic. Finding out Silas was a prince was an adjustment too. Everyone Le¡¯ Anisa constantly asked about how we met the prince and if we could introduce them. It was ridiculous every time we left the inn. Braxton and I had left the inn a few times hoping to get a moment alone. We haven¡¯t had the chance to say anything about this incredible tension and hot makeouts since we were trailing the slaver¡¯s caravan. It was like an invisible weight was bearing down on us.

    A memory of Braxton¡¯s hot lips kissing down my jaw flashed into my mind, causing my cheeks to overheat. If anyone looked at me right now, I would be redder than chili roots. There were so many things to consider if I took my attraction to the brute seriously. I only met the guy cause I am on the run with Ro. Her safety had to come first, but did that mean I would never fall in love? I would do anything for Ro in a heartbeat, but I think we need to continue to live life despite the threat to her life. Denying ourselves happiness would only cause us anger and depression.

    ¡°Emera,¡± Braxton called. He was driving the wagon we rode here in. It was a bonus from the queen for saving her subjects. I focused on the back of his head. His hair was getting longer, which I liked. ¡°Tell the others we will be stopping soon.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied. Our exchanges were simple and boring lately, which made me wonder if the spark between us had died out already.

    I informed Ro and Silas of our plan to stop soon. We need to set up camp and do some recon on the outpost. Ro and Silas would team up together, I hope because sitting in limbo like Braxton and I was like sitting on a prickled cactus. I needed a moment alone with him because I thought I might go mad if we didn¡¯t have some sort of definition between us. Was this all for fun or were we welcoming a difficult future together?

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">A few hours later¡­

    Ro pulled Silas along with her to study the outpost. Braxton got a little smile as we finished setting up the campsite. He was busy tending Twing Dove skewers that I shot down for dinner. Thankfully, I was able to restock my quiver in Le¡¯Anisa. If the raid on this outpost was anything like the last, I would need every arrow in my arsenal. This raid will require more plotting than the last. It wasn¡¯t something I wanted to think about right now. Not when I was finally away from everyone except him.

    I climbed the nearest tree and swung about on the limbs. A slight breeze blew through my fur as I flipped in circles. My stomach flopped about from the movement as my speed increased. A laugh escaped my lips as weightless feelings filled me with each turn. The thrill of playing in the treetops was all-consuming. I flung myself from one tree to another, rustling the limbs as I went. If I make it to an old age like Elias, I want to build a treehouse that I can retire in.

    My gaze landed on the green brute sitting near the fire. He was so tall that even when he sat down, he was almost as tall as me. Sometimes I wonder if I could climb him. He¡¯s as tall as the fruit trees in the orchards in Madam Kaya¡¯s manor. The leaves will be changing colors soon since the summer is about over. This would be the time the guild competitions would be announced. Rory and I would begin training for exhibition matches. I bet Braxton would win against any competitor from the other guilds.

    Looking down, my eyes felt like they might fall out of my head. I was on the tree limb right above Braxton. He must have gotten hot from the fire because he was peeling off his black tunic. His back looked like a well-defined wall of muscle. There were old scars from his war wounds on his glistening green skin. It was smooth and inviting, which made my whole body hot. What the hell! First, I was watching this guy like a pervert in battle, and now, I am drooling over him being shirtless. I have seen hot guys before, but something about this thick tree of a man made me want to explore his every feature.

    Without warning, I dropped from the tree limb onto Braxton¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What kind of game are you playing you big brute?¡±

    His large rough hands gripped my thighs to secure my position on his shoulders. Tipping his head back, he looked up at me. ¡°You tell me. You¡¯re the one who left the treetops.¡±

    ¡°I found a new tree to play with. Something about the tree was begging for attention.¡± My voice had become sultry in a way I wasn¡¯t used to.

    Braxton lifted off his shoulders to sit on his lap facing him. His skin was glistening and his cheeks were slightly pink. ¡°You got me. It was a trap to see what fluffy creature I could catch, and I think I caught the best one.¡±

    His smile was a little crooked, but it made my heart flutter all the same. ¡°Does this mean you like me, Brute?¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He pulled me a little closer. ¡°If you mean, do I think about our secret kisses every free moment of the day? The answer is yes.¡± He pressed his lips to mine for a moment before breaking away. ¡°If you mean, does your presence make me smile even in the heat of combat? The answer is yes.¡± Another brief kiss met my lips. ¡°If you mean, do I enjoy our debates over which bananas taste better in the market? The answer is yes.¡± His lips met mine again, except this one was longer and inviting. He kissed up my jaw toward my ear to whisper to me. ¡°So, do I like you and think you are the best fluffy thing ever? My answer would be hell yes.¡±

    My heart was pounding against the cage of my ribs. ¡°You are too good at this. I thought I was the wild and seductive one here.¡±

    He kissed my forehead and rested his head against mine. My hand grazed his stumbled jaw. ¡°You are wild and seductive with your soft fluffy fur.¡± His toothy grin beamed at me. He has two chipped teeth in his otherwise perfect smile.

    ¡°Well, I think we have passed the friend¡¯s zone, right brute?¡± There. I finally asked the question that had been weighing on me.

    He gave me a throaty laugh. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t kiss my friends like I kiss you, Emera.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re a little closer than friends? I asked.

    He must have sensed the weight of my question as he gave me a serious expression. ¡°Emera, I want to court you, if you¡¯ll let me.¡±

    ¡°Court me? Like, get into a serious relationship with me that might in marriage kind of courting?¡± A thousand things began racing through my mind.

    ¡°Yes, that kind of courting.¡± His expression was serious, but he was still smiling at me.

    ¡°I can think of a thousand reasons why that would be a bad idea.¡± I felt defeated by my thoughts.

    His fingers ran through my fur as he looked me in the eye. ¡°Emera, don¡¯t try to end something before it has even started. You¡¯re an adventurer. Life is too short in your profession not to give something as happy as this a try.¡±

    Crap. Why did this hunk of an orc have to be so persuasive? There were serious risks involved with what he was proposing. There was no guarantee that we would keep traveling together after reaching Desfyra. If the queen rejects granting Rory protection from the council, I may not be able to stay in Gleaca. And, to top it off, our romance is forbidden by the Gleaca Council. If we had kids, they would be hybrids like Rory. I don¡¯t want my kids to live life on the run, but no one says it would get that far. Is he right? Am I stopping something wonderful before it has started?

    The sound of twigs breaking forced the two of us apart. Silas and Rory emerged from the forest looking like someone rubbed them along the forest floor. All they did was go do some recon on an outpost. Silas sat next to Braxton with a grim expression. Rory just paced like she was out of solutions for our problem.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked Rory.

    ¡°They are torturing the kids from N¡¯ila for fun,¡± Silas answered.

    Rory gritted her teeth as she kicked the nearest tree. She impacted the trunk so hard that the trunk cracked. ¡°Yes, and the good prince over there wouldn¡¯t let me rescue them.¡± She was sweating heavily as she paced.

    Silas got up and stopped Rory dead in her tracks. She gave him a spiteful look, but he grabbed her hand to keep her from walking away. ¡°We will rescue them, Rosewyn, but we need a plan.¡±

    I stood up and leaned onto her shoulder. ¡°You need a plan and your badass team to raid the outpost.¡± Her eyes softened as she looked at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget a seasoned war general,¡± Braxton added. ¡°So, tell us what you saw on your recon mission.¡±

    Rory looked at Braxton with confusion. ¡°Only if you explain why you¡¯re shirtless.¡±

    Braxton¡¯s face became red. ¡°Um, I got hot¡­because of the fire.¡±

    ¡°You were born in a desert,¡± Silas commented. ¡°A little heat from the fire is nothing for you.¡±

    Rory¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Were you trying to get Em¡¯s attention by being shirtless?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Braxton rushed to say. ¡°You guys are hilarious. I am going to hit the head.¡± He ran off into the forest after being caught red-handed.

    ¡°That¡¯s our seasoned war general?¡± I joked.

    ¡°What can I say? Braxton loves fluffy things.¡± Silas laughed.

 Second Raid

    Braxton POV

    Silas and Rosewyn returning from their recon mission was like a cold shower over me. I held Emera in my arms, and I could feel myself pushing and being more with her. When we were alone, I felt like we existed outside of time. Silas reprimanded me later for catching me in a state of undress with Emera near me. He said he understood that I was in the heat of the moment, but it was reckless all the same. Silas thinks I shouldn¡¯t commit to Emera when her future is so uncertain. I am worried that Emera feels the same way. Will she end it before we even have a relationship to speak of?

    For three days, I have had to put my growing feelings aside, preparing for a raid on this slaver outpost. The building was as big as a small town made out of logs of the trees around us. There weren¡¯t many windows to see into the building, but they kept the bulk of the slaves in a barn. The people of N¡¯ila were sleeping on the muddy dirt floor of the barn. Over a hundred men were guarding the place. Most of them seemed uninvested in the job, which meant they were probably mercenaries. I hate to think why they stay in a place like this, but I have to remind myself that it will all come to an end soon.

    This time I was less sure of the intel. We were missing 175 people from N¡¯ila, but I am not convinced that all those people were at this outpost. We were a team of four against a hundred men protecting their ¡®merchandise¡¯ as I have heard their boss say. Commander Victor Kelly was the man in charge of the outpost, and he was a strategist from the way he set up patrols and placed his guards. He must have a military connection somewhere in the Kingdom of Solis. How was King Travis Ian of Solis allowing all of this? I know the biggest industry in the kingdom of Solis was the black market of slaves, but how could he let it go this far?

    We had infiltrated the outpost from underground thanks to Rosewyn. I decided to use Rosewyn¡¯s stealth skills to our advantage. It¡¯s her job to free the slaves, so we stood a fighting chance against the hundred men. She was sneaking into the outpost¡¯s barn right this moment under the cover of night. Emera was taking out their scouts on the top of the building while Silas was preparing to set the main building on fire. Rosewyn had dug escape tunnels that went underneath all parts of the outpost over the last two days. My job was to handle Commander Victor Kelly before he rallied and organized his men after the chaos Silas was creating.

    Stealth is not a skill orcs possess. Try as I might, my prey always hears me coming when hunting. Luckily, this raid didn¡¯t require stealth. It just required a weapon and confidence. Today, I chose my long sword to take on this foe. All I needed was to capture him because troops from Kanna and Desfyra would be here in the morning to arrest Kelly¡¯s men for kidnapping and forced slavery. I couldn''t wait to watch my foe see his destruction. I watched Commander Kelly sitting at his desk drinking from a flask. He was just like the man who murdered my mother in front of me.

    Shit-colored eyes that lacked empathy and a sick grin that enjoyed watching his men play with a slave woman. My rage was building at his kind of entertainment. ¡°His blood should paint the walls of this hell hole before it burns to the ground.¡±

    The scene unfolding in the Commander¡¯s office flings me into action. I burst through the wooden walls like a bull. Wood scraps fly everywhere as I thrust my sword into the stunned men holding the slave woman. The men fall from my sword to the floor painting the wood a solid red. I look at the naked, blonde woman in front of me and recognize her as the librarian from N¡¯ila. ¡°Ms. Yifa?¡± I whispered. The woman backed away and burst into tears.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Commander Kelly yelled from behind his desk.

    I pull off my cloak and throw it at the woman. Whirling back around, I face the human with shit brown eyes as he snaps his fire whip at me. Did this guy think he could intimidate an orc this way? ¡°You are stupid if you believe a flaming piece of leather is going to scare me?¡±

    The commander laughed. ¡°Not at all. You are an orc warrior from the wars from undeniable passion to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Who said I would kill you?¡± I grunted.

    ¡°Your rage will make that decision for you, but not to worry orc warrior, I have set enough traps to keep you busy after I heard how you took down the caravan last week.¡± Commander Kelly gave me a smug look.

    ¡°I guess the runaway got to you before I made it here,¡± My voice was laced with disgust.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he grinned. ¡°That was a mistake on your part, orc warrior. You won¡¯t rescue all the slaves from N¡¯ila since I sold a chunk of them shortly after the runaway arrived.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to react to what he said as snapped his whip at me. Orcs aren¡¯t nimble, which made it harder to dodge as he snapped the whip at me over and over in his office. I caught his whip on my blade and yanked, hoping to free the whip from his hands. The whip slid off my blade like a greased pig. What the hell was up with this thing? We played a game of cat and mouse until he managed to wrap his whip around my leg. The flames seared into my flesh, causing me to lose balance.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Oh, do I get to tame the little orc warrior?¡± He teased. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first orc to fall to my power. Do you know a Demi Black? The younger brother of the famous Marta Black who serves on the Gleaca Council. He was once an orc warrior under General Braxton Stonewell. Now, little Demi is a toy that I kick about-¡±

    I charged him. We wrestled about the room, knocking things over in our wake. Punches, bruises, scratches, and burns littered both of us. I was stronger, but the commander used my size against me in this room. He flicked me with the flaming whip over and over as he cackled. He kept spouting about how he was smarter than me.

    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± This guy was right. I am going to kill him because my rage is taking over.

    My knee was on his chest while his whip was holding back my blade as it coiled around my right arm. He had the nerve to laugh underneath my weight. Flames were searing my skin from the whip as I tried to free my arm from his whip. I should just break his face with my free hand. One good punch would end this.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to end this aren¡¯t you, Braxton?¡± Commander Kelly chuckled.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± I spat on him.

    ¡°Demi talked about you a lot at the beginning. Every scar you earned through battle. Every life you saved by killing humans. He thought you might hate humans after the wars, but I knew better, Braxton. You hate anything that causes pain because you have known only pain, and I wanted to see this harsh warrior in action if I was going to have to die anyway. This way I will have a glorious death by a savage general. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Commander Victor Kelly seemed a lot older than I had thought when I saw him from the window. He just kept running his mouth like many elders do when they think they know better. ¡°I do hope you enjoy my parting gifts to your party, General.¡±

    Suddenly, an explosion erupted from the direction of the barn. ¡°Shit!¡±

    Commander Kelly gave me a toothy grin that made my insides scream. ¡°Better hurry, General. The slaves of N¡¯ila are dying.¡±

    Faces of my friends from N¡¯ila and memories of Yuli making herself at home with the people there flashed through my mind. Emera, Rosewyn, and Silas were out there in the chaos. This had to end quickly. I glanced behind me to ensure Ms. Yifa was gone. She was nowhere to be found. I was in the clear to beat this man to a bloody pulp, but I felt dissatisfied at the thought of killing this man so easily. He didn¡¯t deserve an easy death.

    Freeing myself from his whip, I used my sword to damage his muscles. He dropped the whip to the floor, which I snatched up to tie him up. This man would not die today. I had bigger fish to fry than a washed-up commander, trying to have a ¡®glorious¡¯ death. I left the office through the entrance that I created in the wall. The whole outpost was up in flames. I saw wisps of Silas¡¯ magic through the smoke, and I could hear Emera¡¯s voice from above.

    What I didn¡¯t expect to see was another dirt tower where the barn used to be. It stood tall above the treeline. I imagine the Kanna troops were well on their way to investigate. The stupid commander kept cackling as I dragged him along behind me. We headed into the smoke toward the former barn. The buildings were glowing from the blaze consuming them. Would everyone make it out of this mess in one piece?

    Rosewyn is on the edge of her dirt tower. It was larger than the last one as it stood high in the sky. I rushed toward the tower with my baggage dragging behind me. Once I reached the foot of the tower, I heard the walls of the barn beginning to crack. Wood splintered as the walls collapsed, unleashing a flood of water. There was no escaping the tidal wave that crashed upon my captive and me. The water was trapped against the wall of another building as it followed through the outpost. Pressure on my chest was trying to force the air out of my lungs. It took all my strength to hold the commander in place, so he didn¡¯t wash away with the water.

    The water receded quickly, allowing me to breathe again. My ears were ringing, and my head pounded from the lack of air. I panted, trying to control my breath. My vision felt a bit spotty, but I could tell the water had killed the blazing fire. Smoky steam filled the space of the outpost. I think I could hear Rosewyn¡¯s voice shouting at me from her tower. I needed to find Emera and Silas since Rosewyn and whoever she rescued were safe. The commander was busy coughing up water next to me, meaning I would need to wait a few minutes before I could move. I forced myself to take a step forward only to fall in the mud at my feet.

    ¡°Braxton!¡± A sweet voice called out.

    My muscles felt weak from fighting back against the tidal wave. I managed to push myself with the help of familiar warm hands. ¡°Emera,¡± I muttered, still dazed by the smoke and water.

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, you know that?¡± Emera scolded me. ¡°Who runs into a raging fire? Idiots that¡¯s who!¡±

    She had a point. I did run toward the burning buildings, but I wanted to help everyone. ¡°But Rosewyn-¡±

    The ground shook beneath me as I heard rocks smash together somewhere near us. I couldn¡¯t make myself look up from the mud until Emera pulled my face to look at her. ¡°Come, brute. I know you can stand.¡±

    How would she know that? I just withstood a tidal wave and protected my prisoner. Wasn¡¯t that enough? ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you do, General.¡± A male voice cheered me on. It seemed so familiar to me. ¡°Only someone like you could lead a rescue through chaos, General Braxton.¡± His voice sounded so familiar that I made myself get up in the slick mud.

    A battered, green-skinned, thin orc helped Emera steady me. His hair was long and white, and I only knew one orc warrior with hair like that. ¡°Demi Black, is that you?¡±

    He gave me a small smile at my recognition of him. ¡°Yes, general. I am here.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± I asked as they leaned me back against the wall that I had previously been trapped against.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, General,¡± Demi Black answered.

    Looking at Demi Black, I could tell he was forcing himself to smile. His eyes kept darting toward the man that I had tied up in a whip. There was fear in his eyes. Commander Kelly had broken something inside Demi that may take a long time to heal. I hadn¡¯t even known my comrade had been captured by these disgusting scum of humans. This whole mess was bigger than just the people of N¡¯ila. Just how many people from Desfyra have been taken and sold into slavery? If the Kingdom of Solis was backing these slavers, Queen Amory wouldn¡¯t stand for it. This could force a war between humans and elves. King Travis Ian of Solis wouldn¡¯t be that stupid, right?

 Kannan

    Rory POV

    Last night was wild. I had to raise the entire floor of that stupid barn to keep over a hundred people from drowning. Their slave cuffs were chained to the ground when water started pouring into the room. Children were screaming and adults were crying when I forced the ground to meet the sky. It caused them to start cheering for the ¡®Red Lady¡¯ who kept them from drowning. So, the plan to make me a hero to the people of Desfyra was well underway.

    Walking down the wooden steps of the Gabby Jaw Pub & Inn, I saw my party sitting at a booth in the corner. The pub was made out of local stones from the beach, so the inside smelt like sea salt and felt cooler than outside. The bay windows let in good light from the streets, but each table had its oil lamp for lighting. Most of the patrons in the pub were friendly with each other. So many different races occupied this town from what I could see out the window.

    ¡°Morning adventurers,¡± I joked as I slid on the bench next to Ema. The whole table grumbled a hello back. Ema was poking a spoon at her grain porridge with a frustrated look on her face. Her entire body seemed tense, which was the opposite of my best friend¡¯s normal mood. ¡°What¡¯s up, Em?¡±

    She looked up at me with heavy thoughts hiding behind her eyes. ¡°We failed last night.¡±

    Now, I am baffled. An hour after the flood of the outpost the troops from Kanna arrived and secured our captives. Under the direction of Silas, the troops found every slave alive at the outpost. We walked away alive. The slaves were saved. We had captives to question for more intel on the slave trafficking ring. ¡°How did we fail?¡±

    Silas groaned as he held his head tightly in his hands, staring down at his bran muffin. Braxton offered me silence, leaving my only hope for an answer to come from Ema. She was stabbing her bowl of porridge like it had wronged her in some way. This was ridiculous.

    ¡°Em, tell me,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Fifty-six of the victims from N¡¯ila died in an underground chamber when we set the main building on fire.¡±

    ¡°Fifty-six people died last night? Wait, how did we miss them? I checked under all the buildings only an hour before we raided the place.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that to be true since I had personally cleared the underground area of the outpost.

    ¡°The commander moved them down with terran magic just before we arrived. The sick bastard was waiting for us.¡± Braxton filled in the missing information. ¡°He even sold some of them last week to a band of pirates.¡±

    The bastard moved them right before we raided the place. He was ready to kill all of his inventory to keep us from winning. Yet, he didn¡¯t think I could save those trapped in the barn. We may have taken a loss, but we also took a win by saving most of the slaves. ¡°So, how many of the citizens of N¡¯ila did we rescue last night?¡±

    Silas answered this time. ¡°Out of the 126 slaves you saved, 77 of them were from N¡¯ila. The other 49 slaves were from Desfyra¡¯s missing troops and adventurers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still something,¡± I offered. Part of me wanted to comfort Silas for the loss of his people, and the other part wanted to try and make Braxton and Ema smile again. The only thing wrong with that is the fact that I am not the funny kind of person.

    Jerry Dandy, the owner of the pub, brought me a few rolls and jam to eat for breakfast. The silence continued all through breakfast. All of them were broken up by those we couldn¡¯t save, but I was just grateful to have saved any of them. When breakfast ended, Silas went off to write another letter to the queen. Braxton went to see the Kannan troops from last night while Emera went to visit the victims we saved. I thought about going with her, but I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to be reminded of those who died right now.

    Jerry Dandy told me of some local tourist spots to visit while my party was busy. I took him on his suggestion and went into town. The town was built on a hillside, which meant I could see the sails of the ships in port. The sun was high in the sky, but the morning was cooler. We have entered the autumn season, and I was kind of excited to see the leaves change color. ¡°No more hot summer nights in a cave for me until next summer!¡± I exclaimed.

    Spending hours exploring the town, I visited the lighthouse, the beach, the famous bakery, and the market. I settled on a bench just above the port in Lookout Square where people just come to watch the ships depart from the port. I wondered if the city of Mare was like this. Even though Rosewyn Sillber, my alias, was born in Mare, a human port city. Did the human city look like this or was it less diverse because it exists in the Kingdom of Solis? I suppose humans weren¡¯t as welcoming to other races, but port towns were normally the most diverse because of all the travelers. It¡¯s probably something I should research, so my cover isn¡¯t blown.

    The ships docked at the port were huge. They carried cargo from all over the world. There are special spices from the Serpent Isles from the west, and exotic fruit only found in the southern continent of Mermia. It would be a wonder to visit another continent. There are so many things I haven¡¯t seen, and if I leave Gleaca, the council wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt me. Hell, I could buy passage on one of these amazing ships. Emera and I could explore the world. My power isn¡¯t under control though, could I risk it? If I were to go into frenzy mode in the Deadly Dunes, what could I do to avoid being arrested? I suppose Emera could figure out how to get me out of jail, but is that fair to her? I don¡¯t think so.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Waves crashed along the ships, and I felt stuck. I keep chasing possibilities of living a life free and in the clear, but I doubt I will ever truly be free. Not as long as the Gleaca Council knows about me. I am sure Aunt Leah would be facing scrutiny from the elders in her clan. They must know one of the clan bore a child outside of the Savage Valley. Will there be a day when I don¡¯t cause problems in Gleaca?

    Silas said his research might make a difference in my future. I believe him, but how long will that take? Still, he won¡¯t get anywhere without me being here to help do the research. It¡¯s not like I can just take off the ring or copy it. The damn ring is fused to my finger. My blood and mana are tied to the ring in ways that I can¡¯t comprehend. I can¡¯t abandon Silas. Not when he¡¯s holding my only hope of true freedom in his research.

    Then, there¡¯s Braxton and his magic lessons. It¡¯s thanks to him that I have control of lightning. He took the time to teach me light manipulation, so I could shape my lightning. Braxton is an honest orc who commits to things wholeheartedly. In some ways, I can see why Emera would fall for someone like him. If he chooses her, he will follow her to the ends of the world. I think the choice will be Emera¡¯s though given our situation. Emera and I are tied to these Desfyra men for the time being.

    ¡°Hmm, enough daydreaming,¡± I mumbled to myself. Getting up, I headed back to the inn. I am sure the others will meet me for dinner.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Later at dinner¡­

    I walked back into the pub where Jerry Dandy greeted me and pointed out where my friends were sitting. All three of them looked in better spirits than this morning. Emera¡¯s tail was bouncing about like she was full of energy as I slid onto the bench next to her. ¡°Evening all,¡± I greeted.

    ¡°Ro!¡± Emera hugged me. ¡°My day got so much better after playing with those kids from N¡¯ila! We played tag, tree climbing, and archery. I taught most of them to hit a target! It was so fun.¡±

    Braxton was gazing at Emera like she was enchanting him with her excitement. ¡°I have news,¡± he started. ¡°The Kannan Captain was able to discover where some of the N¡¯ila slaves were sold. There¡¯s a pirate ship captained by Jolly ¡°Boom¡± Megee, also known as Captain Boom.¡±

    ¡°What would a pirate want with slaves?¡± Emera asked.

    ¡°What all pirates want. Free labor to aid in attaining riches or merchandise. It depends on the pirate.¡± Silas explained, ¡°The Perin River that connects Desfyra to the Kannan Sea is littered with pirates. This Captain Boom is one of many who sail up the river to raid merchant ships. What town were they sold in?¡±

    ¡°Cyran,¡± Braxton answered.

    ¡°That close to Desfyra? How did the Desfyran Military miss them?¡± Silas became frustrated, slamming his fist on the table.

    ¡°Instead of asking, let¡¯s just go find out. If we board a ship here, we can sail upriver to Cyran. We might learn something on the way to find this Captain Boom.¡± I suggested.

    All three of them looked at me with surprise.

    ¡°Are we sure we want to go on a wild goose chase and risk exposing your magic more?¡± Braxton asked.

    ¡°With Silas¡¯ help, I think we can do it. We have started researching my magic and its unique attributes.¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Can it be done, Silas?¡± Emera looked at it optimistically.

    ¡°I am willing to try,¡± Silas agreed.

    It was official. We were catching the next boat to Cyran to rescue more people from N¡¯ila. I wasn¡¯t sure we could rescue all of them, but I am willing to try.

 Always, Red

    Rory POV

    Convincing everyone to get on a ship headed to Cyran was difficult. They all agreed it was the right way to go, but they were overly concerned about bringing me on a ship for six days given my chaotic magic episodes. I would agree normally, but these raids to rescue slaves have used more magic than I usually do. It¡¯s kept my tank of mana from overfilling. The ring has had to work as hard the last week and a half because of my magic output. Silas gets it, but Ema and Braxton have been overly concerned about it since we started staying in inns in town.

    The good news was we had been on the ship, Desfran Wind, for four days. Captain Nickie Desfran had informed us we would be docking in Tana Town, a quiet fishing village along the river. She has a delivery there on special order from the Kanna Merchant¡¯s Guild, so it can¡¯t wait. As much as I was enjoying traveling upriver on this wooden ship, I looked forward to visiting solid ground.

    Below deck, I head to our bunk room where I find Silas has tried to cover the whole room in paper. ¡°Silas,¡± I called out to him.

    He¡¯s sitting on the floor in the corner flipping from one sketch he made of my ring to another. ¡°Hmm?¡± He briefly looked up.

    Our bunk room wasn¡¯t big. There was a set of bunk beds on either side of the room with a storage locker in between. There were maybe four feet of floor from one bunk to the other. ¡°What¡¯s with all the paper?¡±

    ¡°Research!¡± He exclaimed. His happy expression met my concerned one. ¡°I figured out how the spell was made. Ramire Bishop was ahead of his time in every way.¡±

    I giggled, closing the door behind me. ¡°I think that much was clear.¡±

    ¡°He forged a new metal that he called spellcaster iron. When he combined it with his magic, the spell became bonded into the metal itself. The red jewel in the ring was where he bonded the bloodlines to the spell. Finally, he covers the outside in a common metal with a set of runes to protect the spell on the inside. The common metals can house magic when runes are carved into them.¡±  Silas¡¯ eyes were captivated by this new information. ¡°He was a wizard, a blacksmith, and a researcher. Ramire brought his dream to life.¡±

    When Silas said he was dedicated to his research, I didn¡¯t imagine him holding himself in a tiny room, smiling like he won a prize while sifting through books. Silas was in his element among all these papers. His golden eyes had this special glow about them like he could entice the words to come off the page as he read them. At this moment, it was hard to believe this magical dork was the heir to the whole elf kingdom.

    ¡°So, you made progress,¡± I grinned. ¡°Where did you get these other books? You only had two books with you plus the one I had, but I see as many as 11 new books.¡±

    ¡°The Kanna Archive had references to Ramire Bishop¡¯s work in each of the new books that I borrowed. He made history in a lot of waves before his retirement.¡± Silas¡¯ positive attitude had me feeling at ease.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± I asked him as I slid to the floor across from him.

    ¡°I understand how Ramire Bishop created the ring, but I need to figure out the spell. I am hoping to learn more from the Secret Archive in Desfyra,¡± Silas said, thoughtfully. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go through these books and see if we can find anything new about his work with polymorphic magic. I have a few tests that I want to run as well.¡±

    Silas scooted closer to me so we could start analyzing the new books. His long black hair was tied back, so I could see his pointed ears. If he learns to use the polymorphic magic as I do, will his ears bleed as he shifts form? The idea of blood dripping down his fair skin made me a bit sad. Ema doesn¡¯t bleed when she shifts because she changes form once a day. I have been shifting once a week involuntarily because Ema demanded that I should. My wolf form would chase her monkey form through the woods while Braxton and Silas watched over us. I haven¡¯t tried being in my natural form with the glamor charm on, and I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to. My natural form is when I look the most like my parents, and it was important to me to keep it separate from my life as Rosewyn Sillber.

    Silas¡¯ arm grazed mine, pulling me back to the present. ¡°Drifting off on me, Red?¡± He asked, slyly.

    ¡°How could my attention possibly stray from you, Prince Halestone?¡± My sarcastic voice was matched with a playful grin. We were close enough that I could feel the heat coming off his body. His warmth was so inviting against my skin. I wanted to lean in and fall asleep for a while.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Knock¡­Knock¡­

    Braxton opened the door to find both of us very close to each other, and I felt the need to blush. He didn¡¯t comment on our proximity, instead, he called us to follow him. We had docked in Tana Town already, and Braxton was anxious to check the newspapers in town. Braxton and Emera have been acting as my publicity team by spreading the stories of me rescuing the victims of N¡¯ila from slavery. Silas and I organized our paper mess quickly, so we could meet up with Braxton and Ema waiting on the deck for us.

    The sky was beautifully blue with a slight chill in the air. The hot summer had faded from Gleaca this month. Tana Town was as quiet as Captain Nikki promised it would be. There was only one main street in town, and we followed it from the dock to the local cafe, Tana¡¯s Brew. Braxton yipped like a puppy when he saw the newspaper pile on the counter. He grabbed the paper and froze in his stride and became rigid. The three of us called to him as his face began to look pale.

    ¡°Braxton.¡± Ema¡¯s voice almost sounded demanding. ¡°What is it?¡± Braxton remained silent as his face stiffened, reading the paper. Ema poked him impatiently. He grunted but remained focused. She climbed up on his shoulders like the man was a tree to see for herself what held his attention.

    ¡°Em-¡± I started to question Ema, but Silas gave my hand a squeeze, asking me to let it go. I relented as we watched Braxton and Ema be very comfortable with each other.

    Ema¡¯s eyes looked like they might pop out of her head. ¡°It¡¯s about Athyra¡¯s trial. This is an interview with the guild coordinator, Buster Knalls. He talks about how Athyra¡¯s going to be stuck in Gleaca for twenty years doing community service through the guild. Her brother was there to make sure she had a fair trial and everything.¡± Ema looked like she might explode. ¡°Shit. They locked her shifting ability for five years!¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°They locked away a dragon¡¯s shifting ability!¡± I was flabbergasted at the council¡¯s audacity. How did her brother agree to such a thing? It would be maddening to stay in one form forever when your body naturally has more than one.

    Ema looked up at me with a panicked expression. ¡°Silas, get her out of here.¡±

    Ema could see the fury building up inside me. Silas didn¡¯t waste a moment as he scooped me up, leaving the door to the cafe open behind him. He ran toward the woods away from town, blasting puffs of air magic behind to make us go faster. I am sure we left people confused as we passed them in a hurry. Silas got through the treeline in minutes, heading far enough into the forest that no one could hear us in the town anymore.

    Anger was boiling inside of me. My claws were forming and digging into Silas as my grip around him tightened. Silas didn¡¯t make a sound, but his face was pained from my grip. I focused on him as his pace slowed. This man who brought me comfort when I felt vulnerable. Why did I reach for him in moments of weakness? I didn''t know him well when he first saved me from freezing to death. Silas rescued me when he didn¡¯t have to. He picked me up without a promise of reward and strived to help me keep my dignity. Now, he¡¯s promised to help me understand my magic and make my life easier. Silas was a good person, and he deserved my best.

    A flame of anger was burning in me, but I felt Silas¡¯ magic envelop me. He was trying to heal my anger away with his calm, healing magic. His magic was cool against my skin. Silas had stopped running at some point because the tree canopy above me had stilled. It was different from other trees that I grew up under. Instead of falling leaves in the trees, I was greeted by purple pine needles. Purple pine trees? How odd. I felt the anger begin to simmer into something softer from the influence of Silas¡¯ magic. The claws began to retract. I willed myself to relax further in Silas¡¯ arms. Part of me hoped he didn¡¯t mind how close we were. My eyes fluttered shut as my head rested against his chest.

    Silas had lowered us to the ground as he panted softly, holding me close. We managed to stop a magic episode from occurring. Usually, I can only will myself into a wolf form when an episode starts from anger although I risk getting myself stuck in wolf form for three days again. Silas had cooled the hot anger in me with his magic. I didn¡¯t know healing magic could work that way. I could hear his heart beating in my ear as I rested against his chest. It calmed me more. Being under these purple pine trees made it feel like Silas and I were somewhere else altogether. I wanted to stay in this moment, but I knew we needed to get back. We needed to make sure the boat didn''t leave us behind.

    ¡°Silas, thank you,¡± I whispered.

    He didn¡¯t move an inch as he spoke. ¡°Always, Red.¡±

    I lift my head to find his eyes closed and his arms wrapped around me. ¡°We have to go back. Captain Nikki has a schedule to keep.¡±

    ¡°Just a little longer, Red,¡± he mumbled.

    I shook my head and started to stand up when he pulled me back down. My body knocked him over, so he landed on me. The surprising part was his lips crashed into mine. There was pain from our teeth knocking together, but when he moved his lips as if to pull away, he paused for a moment. Then, he kissed me. His lips were smooth against my dry ones, drawing me into a moment of passion. It wasn¡¯t like when I kissed Jerico so long ago. It was surprising and irritating. I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about it, but I knew it was probably the stupidest thing we could have done under those purple pine trees.

    I let it go for a moment before ending it. We couldn¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t have this. Silas and I have work to do and a friendship that has just started. I am damaged goods and unable to have a romantic future. We stood up in silence. Silas looked at me puzzled by my actions. I needed to tell him that it was a mistake. He¡¯s a prince after all. Silas couldn¡¯t have a romantic relationship with an illegal hybrid under any circumstances.

    ¡°Silas,¡± I started. ¡°Sorry, I made us¡­fall.¡±

    He raised his eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you want to apologize for?¡±

    ¡°No¡­er¡­No, we should have been so close, and I am sorry about the-¡±

    He clamped his hand over my mouth, preventing me from speaking. ¡°We aren¡¯t doing this now. You have too many emotions following through you right now. Emera and Braxton are waiting for us.¡± He let me go.

    Silas scooped me up again and ran us back to town. Why was this man so handsy with me today? Did he think he could just do whatever he wanted because we kissed? I feel like we might have just ruined everything. Silas was unreadable to me, and I hated that. I needed to tell him that I didn¡¯t want anything from him romantically. Yet, I felt like I couldn''t say a word about it right now.

    We made it back to the boat in total silence. I wasn¡¯t angry anymore, but I wasn¡¯t calm, happy, or anything remotely positive. Seeing Braxton and Ema on the ship, they didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood either. Their long faces were foreboding something bad. Ema held the paper from earlier crunched up in her hand. There was something worse in that newspaper than the story about Athyra¡¯s trial. Silas and I greeted the captain before Braxton pulled us below deck to our room.

    In our bunk room, all of us sat quietly on the beds. Braxton looked up at me as Ema grabbed my hand to help me stay grounded. I was right, they had bad news.

    ¡°The dark elf that hired Athyra is dead,¡± Braxton said plainly. ¡°You know him as Talan.¡±

    Hearing his name, my hand clenched Ema¡¯s. The guy who started the bounty hunt on my life was dead. Wasn¡¯t that good news? ¡°Ok,¡± I replied.

    ¡°But, now that Athyra has been taken care of, the Gleaca Council will be focusing on the rumored hybrid.¡± Braxton finished.

    ¡°So, shit got worse?¡± I asked in a pitiful voice.

    ¡°Yeah, Ro. Shit got worse.¡± Ema answered.

 Courtship

    Braxton POV

    We made it to Cyran yesterday. Captain Nikki kept us on schedule through a thunderstorm the day before yesterday. It took us three days to reach Cyran from Tana Town, and it¡¯s been hell. The calm and cool Rosewyn has turned into a silent time bomb. I know what we read in the newspapers was bad, but I didn¡¯t think it would cause such a mood shift. Emera and I haven¡¯t had a moment alone since that day. Silas has been giving them both a wide berth, which was weird. Rosewyn and Silas had been close until now, but he has spent his whole time with his nose in a book. Something happened between Rosewyn and Silas, but they actively avoid each other.

    I thought making it to port and showing the girls around would lift everyone¡¯s spirits. Cyran was a unique city that surrounded both sides of the Perin River. It was a city built in a gorge carved by the river. There was a natural land bridge above the city that connected the two sides. Every building was made from the natural sandstone of the gorge with terracotta roofs. Each building had its own carved pattern to represent the family or the place of business on the outside. Smaller wooden boats were the preferred travel method here, so I rented one to ferry us around. Emera smiled a little. Rosewyn was emotionless the whole way. Silas glanced up from his book every once in a while. It was a mess.

    Instead of an inn, Silas rented us a small villa on the edge of town. Word of his appearance in the city had spread like wildfire by dinner time. Our little villa had its boat to use to get around, but I got the feeling no one wanted to go anywhere right now. The furniture in the villa was classic and homey. I preferred a place like this to the huge castle waiting for us in Desfyra. Queen Amory has been writing to Silas daily. An investigation into N¡¯ila was already underway. We had rescued enough victims to fast-track the investigation. Unfortunately, Mylor Aniya has been back at court since the tragedy of N¡¯ila and has requested Queen Amory summon us home. He has questions about our involvement with the dragon rampage two or three months ago now. Time flies by when you are traveling.

    Emera emerged from her room on the second floor and slid down the railing of the stairs with a small giggle. I returned her smile with my own as I greeted her from my seat at the table in the kitchen. Her choice of clothes today was something new. She wore a green dress that reached her feet, a gold band on her arm, and a matching gold pin in her hair. I was used to her brown tunic and black skirt styled in her silver light armor. My cheeks reddened at her beauty. She seemed better after a night¡¯s rest, which made me relax a bit. The tension around our group has been on the rise lately. Emera still hasn¡¯t answered me whether she will let me court her or not, which has been frustrating. I have been in suspense for a long time now, and it¡¯s starting to hurt that she hasn¡¯t answered me.

    ¡°Why are you brooding, brute?¡± Emera teased as she sat next to me with her yachi bread.

    I guess my emotions were showing. ¡°It¡¯s¡­shit. Emera, I-¡±

    A door from the second floor swung open, destroying my hope in a flash. Rosewyn leaped from the second floor, landing in the kitchen with a bang. She had her hair tucked into a bun that looked almost as big as her head. Instead of her usual black, leather armor and combat-ready clothes, she wore a white, loose button-up shirt with a dark blue skirt. In the two months that we have spent together, this is the first time that I have seen them dress casually.

    ¡°I think you made the brute speechless, Ro,¡± Emera commented. Her tone sounded more sarcastic than playful though, which didn¡¯t bode well for me.

    ¡°I am not speechless,¡± I retorted. ¡°You both just look different.¡±

    The two girls looked at each other from across the kitchen and laughed. ¡°A change of clothes has this much effect on you, Braxton?¡± Rosewyn teased. ¡°Ema, you better be prepared, the brute might try to hug you because you look so cute today.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on the orc, Ro. We broke his brain from our beauty.¡± Emera giggled.

    Just then, a grumpy-looking Silas appeared in the kitchen, mumbling under his breath. Silas was dressed down from his usual attire. He was in a simple black button-down shirt and casual blue pants, which were tucked into his brown boots. His hair was in a low ponytail, and his sleeves were rolled up. It was like the three of them thought we were on vacation or something.

    ¡°Rosewyn, we need to head to the library this morning,¡± Silas said, stiffly. He grabbed the last piece of yachi bread and gulped it down. ¡°There might be more on Ramire Bishop¡¯s teacher. He was originally from this area.¡±

    ¡°As fun as that sounds, Prince Halestone,¡± Rosewyn replied with pure sarcasm. ¡°I am off to the local market. We info on this ¡®Captain Boom¡¯ guy hence my none threatening attire.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Silas chided her quietly. ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that can I¡­¡± He grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

    ¡°You should go with him, Rosewyn,¡± I suggested. ¡°He¡¯s the prince of this nation, and he requires a bodyguard. Emera and I will gather intel.¡±

    Rosewyn glared at me like I was the worst person in the world. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go, Mr. Bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°He will attract more attention if I am with him. I look like a bodyguard. You don¡¯t.¡± I answered her challenge with logic besides I wanted some time with Emera today.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go today, but tomorrow one of you will attend the prince instead.¡± Her anger concerned me. What happened between those two?

    ¡°Sure,¡± I agreed.

    Emera stayed quiet the whole time allowing me to settle details with Rosewyn. She huffed as finished clearing away her breakfast to chase after the ¡®bratty¡¯ prince as she called him. Weren¡¯t they thick as thieves a few days ago? It feels like we are all keeping secrets from each other, which ends in ruin for most friendships. I didn¡¯t want that for the four of us. We would need to have a chat soon to clear the air.

    Emera cleaned up the table without saying a word, which worried me. ¡°Is everything okay, Emera?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, brute. You just forced those two together and delayed our mission here in Cyran. You tell me. Is everything okay?¡± Her tone was cold. I guess I deserve that.

    ¡°No, I ain¡¯t ok, Emera,¡± I grunted. ¡°Why would I be?¡± I kept the volume of my voice down, but the ache of hanging in suspense over her was spilling out. ¡°It feels like you¡¯re crushing me with your silence.¡±

    She froze in her spot in the kitchen. I stood up from the table to meet her in the kitchen. Her face was sad, which meant I was probably going to get my heart broken. Her back was to me as towered over her small frame. I am not sure when my infatuation with her became something so strong. Her tail coiled around my wrist to keep me close. Was it the love I was feeling? I wasn¡¯t sure. My life was on the battlefield until a few years ago when Silas took me on as his bodyguard. I never had a chance to stop and feel anything like this until now.

    Standing right behind her, I ran my knuckles down her back. Her green dress was thin, allowing me to feel her skin end and her soft fur began. She leaned into my touch, inviting me closer. My left slid down her side to her hip, so I could get a good grip on her. She smelt like the sweet yachi bread from breakfast. Looking down at her, we had about a two-foot height difference that I wanted to close, but I needed an answer first before I gave in and kissed her.

    I leaned down to whisper in her fluffy ear. ¡°Emera put me out of my misery, please,¡± I begged. ¡°Let me court you.¡±

    Her ears tucked themselves behind her and her tail uncoiled from my wrist as she turned around to look at me. Those beautiful green eyes were holding me captive in my spot. ¡°Braxton,¡± her voice sounded broken. ¡°Could we do this? We have dedicated our lives to Silas and Rosewyn in different ways, and for now, both paths intertwine.¡±

    I lifted her to the counter, so we were eye level with each other. She didn¡¯t seem to mind as she gazed at me for what seemed like long. Damn it. My heart was beginning to hope even though her words sounded like they were about to crush me like a boulder dropping on a stone. My heart raced as she tried to find the answers to our problem. But, it wasn¡¯t a problem, was it?

    ¡°We can. I can go anywhere, Emera. Silas told me as much back in Kanna. I think he knows something is happening between us.¡±

    ¡°He said that?¡± Her longing turned into a panicked expression.

    ¡°He did,¡± I confirmed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to stand in our way, Emera. I can follow you and Rosewyn anywhere if you choose it.¡±

    ¡°So, you just want to ignore the laws set forth by the Gleaca Council?¡± Emera questioned.

    The Gleaca Council didn¡¯t matter now that we were with Rosewyn. ¡°Aren¡¯t we doing that already? Your best friend is a hybrid. What¡¯s one more courtship law broken when we are aiding the product of a broken courtship law?¡±

    Emera suddenly burst into tears, and I was more confused than ever. So, I did what any confused man should do and hugged her. I wanted this, but it had to be her choice. She needed to pick me like I was picking her, or there was no point in going any further. We could fall apart three days from now, and I would be okay with that if she just picked me now. I held her as closely as I could at that moment. For this one second, I could pretend she wanted me like I wanted her.

    My arms went slack to give her room to breathe. Her face had been buried in my chest. She sucked in a breath and looked up at me with a smile. ¡°I think they both know about us, Braxton. Ro reminded me that I am free to go anywhere I want while we were shopping yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± I asked, running my fingers through her fur on her head.

    ¡°Yes,¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes, you can ¡®court¡¯ me or whatever orcs do. I only know what adventurers do since I was raised by them.¡±

    That was curious. Emera was raised by adventurers. Were her parents adventurers too? ¡°How do adventurers start a relationship?¡±

    ¡°Well, people die easily in that line of work, so they go all in right away, or they enjoy every experience offered to them for as long as they can.¡± Her cheeks were beat red from her words.

    ¡°They mate so casually!¡± I exclaimed. My cheeks were surely burning. ¡°I thought that shit only happened on the damn battlefield.¡±

    Emera began to laugh hysterically at me. ¡°They go to battle every day, brute. Their life could end any minute.¡±

    ¡°What about beast folk? How do they court each other?¡± I was hopeful her own culture was more committed than the adventurers who raised her.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like what adventurers do, then I doubt you like what beast folk do. They don¡¯t get married or anything. They mark one another by biting each other when they pick someone to mate with. It¡¯s permanent if you are meant to be. If the mark disappears though, then you aren¡¯t meant for each other. Someone I knew ended up unmated after a few years together.¡± Emera explained.

    They bite each other. Damn, beast folk magic was complex. Would Emera bite me one day? ¡°Beast folk are complicated. What happens with mixed races? Do they still bite each other?¡±

    Emera¡¯s tail bounced with each giggle. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe Rosewyn knows? Her parents were mixed.¡±

    ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re courting. We will have to tell them about it.¡± I leaned back against the counter next to Emera as her feet dangled off the kitchen counter.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s tell them tonight over drinks. I think I might need something to get me through Ro¡¯s lecture.¡± She laid her head on my shoulder.

    ¡°Are you old enough to drink?¡± I wondered.

    Emera¡¯s grin soured a bit. ¡°What¡¯s the drinking age in Desfyra?¡±

    ¡°Nineteen.¡±

    ¡°Then, yes, brute. I can drink.¡± She smiled slyly.

 Druken Monkey Surprise

    Rory POV

    It took longer than I thought to find Silas. There was more than one library in Cyran, which made me wonder about the city for hours. The only upside of my lost hours was stumbling into a news stand selling the latest <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Cyran Chronicle. Athyra¡¯s news cycle in Desfyra is the story of the mighty prince with the aid of the ¡®Red Lady¡¯ who was rescuing the citizens of N¡¯ila. There were pictures of Silas and me with the kids from the first raid near Le¡¯Anisa. I looked like a wreck in the photo, but the kids looked happy. A few shopkeepers made the connection between the news story and me as they waved saying ¡®Good morning, Red Lady.¡¯

    Finally, I found Silas in the old records of the third library in Cyran. He was sitting at the lone table in the darkest part of the library, but that didn¡¯t bother Silas. He had four balls of light orbiting above his head like a halo to see the ancient texts he was reading. Silas didn¡¯t look very princely with dust smudges on his clothes and his nose. I wanted to approach him like I always did when I found him studying, but my mind flashed back to his disappointed face after our kiss. My heart sank. I had been too emotional when he kissed me to process what the kiss meant to him. The only thing on my mind was how impossible all of it would be and why it would ruin everything. Maybe he doesn¡¯t feel that way.

    ¡°Are you just going to stare at me, Rosewyn?¡± Silas asked without looking up from the text he was consumed by.

    I closed the gap between us and sat down on the opposite side of the lonesome black table. ¡°Better?¡± My voice was harsher than it should have been.

    ¡°You can¡¯t scare me with your sarcasm, Rosewyn,¡± he said, casually.

    Rosewyn again? He wasn¡¯t calling me Red. Why wasn¡¯t he using the stupid nickname he gave me over a month ago? This might be his reaction to the kiss. A horrible feeling was building inside me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was guilt for how I reacted or regret for what I couldn¡¯t have. All I knew was I spent my day trying to find this damn elf, and I wish I hadn¡¯t wasted my time.

    ¡°Did you learn anything about Loulee, Ramire¡¯s mentor?¡± I hoped he had some success for both our sakes.

    ¡°I learned quite a few things although none of those things are relevant right now.¡± His words were cold.

    ¡°Shall we head back to the villa then?¡± This library was beginning to feel uncomfortable. A heaviness was weighing me down just sitting here while he had his nose deep in the book.

    ¡°Leave if you want to,¡± Silas answered.

    This man didn¡¯t even glance up from his book for a second, which was odd for him. My stomach tightened as if to warn me of something, but I didn¡¯t understand what danger I was near in this library. Something about this place was off. Silas liked his books, but this behavior was weird even for him. I studied him again, and that¡¯s when I realized the whole image of Silas was off. I reached out to touch him, but his image faded into smoke as if he was never there.

    ¡°Silas!¡± I yelled, but no one was around. The librarian and the books faded away, revealing a dark room covered in¡­soot? ¡°Where the hell am I?¡±

    A vine wrapped around me, trapping me to the chair. ¡°Ooow,¡± A delighted voice said. ¡°What fun creature has walked into my garden now?¡±

    Garden? All I saw was a dark room covered in soot or¡­ No, it wasn¡¯t soot. It was the Ebony Fungi. A fungus that absorbed magic to become sentient. Its magic relies on illusions it creates when you breathe in its spores. How did I walk into this thing¡¯s trap? Was it when I asked that woman where the last library was on Elm Street? Maybe the woman wasn¡¯t real at all. Damn it. I was a fool thinking Cyran was safe from the magic of wild creatures. Always be on guard, Rory.

    The Ebony Fungi shaped itself in the small, elf woman that I met before. ¡°Here I thought those elves had gotten smart and just avoided my domain in their city, but here a¡­woman has walked in. I am not sure of your species, but I believe you will be very tasty.¡±

    Did it just say it was going to eat me? ¡°Why haven''t the elves destroyed you?¡±

    The creature laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Ebony Fungi are immune to magic.¡±

    Did I know that? If it was important, I am sure Myrra taught it to me at some point. My memory of magical fungi was fuzzy at best, but I think Myrra mentioned that fungi all have weak spots. It was a red spot that they tried to hide in the dark. The vine around me tightened at the Ebony Fungi focused on me. I wish I had worn my armor today, but luckily I still have my dagger hidden beneath my skirt. My fingers slipped into the fake pocket of my skirt to tug the blade free from my thigh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t struggle,¡± the Ebony Fungi suggested. ¡°I can make this quick.¡±

    The black metal of my blade cut my finger as I wrangled it into my palm. Magic was useless, but I could still cut myself free of the vine. My grip tightened on the hilt of my dagger. With one deep breath, I freed myself from the chair. I flipped away from the monster-looking woman figure. It appeared frustrated by my athletics as it continuously attempted to secure me to the ground with its vines. The room was dark. My night vision allowed me to see in the room, but anyone else might have been devoured by now.

    ¡°So much for making this quick,¡± I sneered at the creature.

    We were locked in a game of cat and mouse. My long skirt had been torn into a short skirt and my sleeves had cuts in them from the thorns of the vines. I was the mouse in this scenario as I kept hoping to discover a way out of this dumb place. Where was Silas¡¯ smart brain when I needed it? He would have some magic solution to escape while Braxton would come up with some neat strategy. Ema would probably just tire the fungi out, but what should I do? There was no rescue coming, and my speed was the only thing keeping me alive as I chipped away at the fungi with each slash of my blade.

    ¡°Die already,¡± the Ebony Fungi commanded as it flung itself at me.

    Dodging it, I realized magic doesn¡¯t affect the fungi, but it will affect the room we were in. Terran magic came to the rescue again as I forced my magic into the ground making the floor of the room crumble as I threw giant rocks about the room. One giant boom and light flooded into the dark room. I created my escape while the Ebony Fungi withered from the sunlight. I ran out of the darkroom onto an empty street.

    ¡°Red?¡± A familiar voice called from a nearby street corner.

    My hands were on my thighs as I stayed bent over, trying to catch my breath. Those fungus spores cause people to be short of breath if they survive the encounter. Familiar brown boots came into view, and I made myself stand up straight. His gold eyes looked like little rays of sunshine after spending time in the dark room with Ebony Fungi. ¡°Hi¡­Silas,¡± I struggled to say.

    ¡°What are you doing out here, Red? This is the forbidden zone.¡± He looked at me with concern. I was so relieved to feel his concern toward me instead of the coldness I got from the fake him.

    ¡°I know that¡­now,¡± I huffed. Looking around, I saw all the warning signs that I had missed when I walked this way before.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I guess you faced the Ebony Fungi,¡± he said, looking at the property destruction I caused.

    ¡°Yep,¡± I nodded. I could breathe normally, but my chest felt sore with each breath.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s where you were all afternoon. I went looking for you after lunch when I ran into Emera and Braxton. They said something about celebrating tonight with a feast and beer, but they would say what we were celebrating. Emera asked me to find you.¡± Silas walked toward me, examining me for injuries. ¡°How¡¯s your breathing?¡±

    ¡°Painful,¡± I answered.

    He cautiously went to touch my back and stopped. ¡°May I?¡±

    I nodded. His healing magic filled me with a joyful warmth. It felt relaxing enough to make my knees buckle, but his steady hands kept me up. His face was close to mine. I could see his pleased smile out of the corner of my eye. He hadn¡¯t shaved today, so his jaw was prickly against my cheek. The closeness was enough to make my heart race after that kiss. The kiss I thought ruined everything between us.

    He whispered. ¡°I know what happened in Tana Town has affected us and our relationship. It¡¯s made you unhappy, which is not what I intended. I had a moment of weakness being so close to you. We don¡¯t have to discuss it unless you need to. We will just call it my fault for now and leave it for now. We are friends, Red. I won¡¯t ruin that.¡±

    An invisible weight rolled off my shoulders as his words healed my grief over the whole thing. Silas had become important to me. A friend that was nearly as dear to me as Ema. I needed him to be that right now. Complicating my relationship ruined any possible future where his research would free me from being hunted. I wanted a free future more than anything else.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I answered.

    Silas guided me back toward the villa. The sun had nearly set as we made our way back. I told him about the news article and we bought another paper on the way back to the villa to show Ema and Braxton. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what those two wanted to celebrate with us,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Or, they are going to announce their relationship finally.¡± Silas grinned. ¡°I told Braxton that he¡¯s free to leave or go anywhere he wants as long as he comes to visit.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°I told Ema the same thing.¡± All I wanted for Ema was her happiness.

    Silas told me about some of the interesting things he learned about Loulee in the library this morning. Loulee had studied polymorphic spells as well although he never got as far as his student Ramire Bishop. Silas asked me if I could help him try some of the polymorphic spells he copied from Loulee¡¯s work with him. He thinks I will have an easy time with this magic since I naturally shift forms.

    ¡°Yeah, I can try, but shouldn¡¯t we find Captain Boom first?¡± I questioned. My arm was around his shoulders, supporting myself as we walked home. His arm was against my lower back, securing me against his hip. Silas wasn¡¯t shy since we kissed, and I had noticed the change.

    We made it to the villa just as he agreed to hold off magic experiments. Opening the door, I smelt my favorite roasted hog! We stepped in the door to find Ema giggling so hard in Braxton¡¯s lap. Well, that¡¯s one way to tell us they are together. She was suckling down a beer, and I suddenly became concerned with how much she had consumed. Ema has never been drunk before. Looking closer at Braxton, he held an ice pack to his shoulder and the man was shirtless¡­again.

    ¡°Ema,¡± I called to her gently. She had a gold liquid dripping from her mouth, but from the smell of iron in the air I knew it wasn¡¯t alcohol.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Emalynn¡¯s POV

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Twenty minutes ago¡­

    Silas and Ro were late. Braxton and I cooked them a freaking feast. Roasted hog, boiled shallots dipped in garlic sauce, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, and yachi pudding were all made by Braxy and I. Braxy offered me the yummiest elf-brewed grape juicy. It made my brain feel fuzzy and my body hot. I have been chasing Braxy around the house so I can kiss him, but he just keeps laughing about how adorbs he finds me. He smells like burning honey from his elfy drinks! It¡¯s better than that damn vomit from when we first met.

    Currently, I perched myself on the staircase waiting for him to come out of his hiding place. My tail twitches with excitement as I hear footsteps below. The big guy tries to be sneaky, but he¡¯s tripping over his own boots as he rounds the staircase. I descended upon him with excitement. My prey falls right into my trap. I landed on his shoulders surprising him. His hands grab my ankles to pull me down, but I refuse to go down without a fight as my instincts kick in.

    My brain¡¯s so fuzzy that my body acts on instinct, ripping Braxton¡¯s shirt to shreds. He looks better without a shirt in my opinion. His body feels hot as I let my hands roam his chest. There was a desire in his eyes that was stronger than before. His rough hands held my thighs in place as my legs wrapped around him. Touching him felt addicting. I gently kissed him, letting my finger run through his hair. He groaned between kisses, and it felt hot. I was enjoying this with him more than anyone else I had kissed before. We kissed deeper. I felt like I was losing my mind when his fingers ran down my spine. This was so addicting that I didn¡¯t want this feeling to ever end. The bliss he gave me felt unreal, and I was certain no man could give me this feeling.

    An idea flooded my mind. I knew how I could keep this forever. I just needed to ask. ¡°Brute?¡±

    His gaze set my body on fire as he stopped kissing me to look at me. ¡°Emera,¡± he groaned.

    ¡°Do you want this?¡± I kissed him softly. ¡°Like forever?¡±

    His mouth smashed onto mine with passion before breaking away, causing me to moan. ¡°I want¡­this¡­as long as¡­you¡¯ll have me¡­little archer.¡±

    He just accepted me. Braxy wanted me forevers! ¡°Okay, Braxy. Wish granted.¡± I kissed his cheek, down his neck, and across his right shoulder until I found a worthy spot. My canines elongated with magic dripping out of them as I bit into his green flesh. A gold liquid spilled into my mouth as my magic plunged into his flesh. His arms wrapped around me tightly as he groaned from the pain. I released his shoulder and licked the wound with my magic to seal it. My body felt hot like I might melt from the magic running through me.

    Braxy held me as he groaned still from the pain. For a war general, he didn¡¯t seem to handle the pain well. Tears rolled down his face, which confused me further. I helped the speechless man to the sofa and fished some ice from the freezer. When I returned with the ice, he had finished the grape juicy bottle with a confused look on his face. I ignored it and gave him his ice.

    Grabbing a cold elfish beer, I climbed into my comfort place on Braxy¡¯s lap and sipped the beer. He might have said words, but all I could do was laugh. I gave him a few gentle kisses, making him groan again. I think the door might have opened as I was sipping the last half of the beer, causing me to laugh. Those meanies were finally home. I had such great news to share with them!

    Ro called out to me, and I just giggled with excitement. ¡°Surprise! Roro,¡± I smiled. ¡°I marked Braxy foreves.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Ro said in surprise.

 Pirates

    Rory POV

    Silas and I are in utter shock as Ema explains how she marked Braxton, so they could be together forever. Damn, Ema can''t hold her liquor for shit. Elias was going to ease her into it since the drinking age in White Rapids is 21, but Desfyra is a different kingdom altogether. Silas is looking at me completely lost on why I look so pissed at our drunken friends.

    Braxton looked up at us with tears in his eyes. ¡°Why¡­did the fluffy¡­¡± he sobbed. ¡°Monkey¡­bite me?¡±

    ¡°Rosewyn, I need some context here. What does she mean she marked Braxton?¡± Silas walked over to his friend who was moaning in pain.

    I could see Ema was not in control of her actions although she managed to get the poor guy an ice pack. Knowing Ema, I should have rushed back here when Silas mentioned alcohol would be involved. The girl only got a brief mate talk with Aunt Leah before we were rushed away to Pine Row. Ema has no idea about the new set of problems that she has caused for us. I am not sure how to explain this to people who know nothing about beast folk customs.

    ¡°The shortest answer is that those two got drunk and bonded themselves by magic,¡± I said as Ema came and tried to climb me like a tree. Silas didn''t get the gravity of the situation by explanation. ¡°They kind of got married through magic.¡±

    ¡°Got married!¡± Silas sounded exasperated as he tried his healing magic on Braxton. Ema had bitten him pretty deep in the shoulder. Her magic was coursing through him, which hurts like hell according to my aunt.

    An alarm sounded throughout the city breaking up our emergency. I looked at Silas for information. ¡°Pirates in the port,¡± he called out, leaving Braxton a mess on the couch. ¡°We need to go.¡±

    Great, that¡¯s just what I needed. We were off to another battle while our drunk friends had to stay home. I pulled Ema off and used a blanket to tie her to a dining chair. She whined at me, trying to paw her way free. I grabbed a hunk of roast and scared it down as I followed Silas into the night.

    My chest was heavy from all the activity today, but I knew my body was expelling the spores already. A few hours and I would be spore-free, but I didn''t have that kind of time. Getting into our little boat, Silas uses water magic to propel us toward the pirates. They were upriver toward the North side of the port. I could see the Cyran soldiers were engaging the pirates as they tried to make their getaway. Silas¡¯ sense of responsibility must have kicked in because he blasted across the port in mere seconds.

    ¡°Ready, Rosewyn?¡± Silas asked as we neared the pirate vessel.

    My drive for battle kicked on in an instant as I jumped from our skiff onto the boat. I was thankful that Ebony Fungi ruined my long skirt or that climbing up the side of this vessel would be much harder. My dagger rested in its holster on my thigh as I scaled the ship. Silas used a burst of air magic to launch himself on deck. I hurried after him.

    On the deck, Silas was knocking away foes with his air magic. Most of the crew coming toward us were wearing obsidian cuffs, which made this battle harder. Our foes were slaves¡­ Was this the ship we were looking for or did all pirates use slaves in their crew?

    ¡°Cap¡¯n Boom, we got us some rats on the deck,¡± an old man called to the man wearing a red hat.

    ¡°Aye, Dobber, we do.¡± The red-hatted man replied. ¡°A pair of rats hoping to get the drop on Cap¡¯n Boom, I¡¯d reckon.¡±

    Was heaven laughing at us right now? We ended up on the exact ship we were hoping to find. It seemed too easy to just climb aboard this damn ship as it tried to rob a merchant¡¯s ship. The Cyran Naval Fleet was on the ship¡¯s tail. I freed my dagger from my hip. This was a freaking tall order that Silas was asking of me under his breath.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, but we can¡¯t let this ship leave port.¡± He was asking for the impossible. There were only two of us against a ship full of people.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I growled.

    Silas started us off with a burst of wind, forcing everyone away from us. I jumped up the bow to the mast. I climbed to the top, leaving Silas to fend off the others below. Immediately, I was met with company. A few pirates without obsidian cuffs descended on me once I reached the first intersection of the mast. Anchoring myself on the beam, the first pirate engaged me with a sword. My dagger was a decent match for the pirate as I dueled him. The metal of our blades clashed as the next pirate reached us on the beam.

    Two on one on a ship rocking in the river water balancing on the cross beams of the mast. The sword scratched my face, and I felt my magic raging beneath the surface. The only problem was my magic could kill everyone on this boat. Silas was trusting me to solve this without a magic episode, so the only way forward was with a blade. I forced the sword up as I kicked the ankle of the first pirate, causing him to lose balance and fall to the crowd below.

    I gripped my dagger tightly as the next pirate held claws capable of tearing through steel. It was the old man who had been next to the captain a few minutes ago. His name was Dobber, maybe?

    We faced off on the narrow beam, the ship swayed beneath us, the river churning ominously below. Dobber lunged forward, his claws slashing through the air with deadly precision. I twisted out of the way, his claws slicing through the pirate''s coat and drawing a thin line of blood. Dobber roared in fury, his eyes blazing with a savage determination.

    I danced along the beam, my movements were fluid and graceful. Punching to the left, I faked Dobber out and lunged to the right, my dagger driving towards the pirate¡¯s thigh. However, the pirate was quick, his claws deflecting the blow and sending me stumbling backward. Damn, this old man was fast. The two of us charged each other, our breath coming in ragged gasps. The light of an explosion cast long shadows across the deck of the ship. More explosions went off around us as we entangled our weapons in battle. Captain Boom was certainly making a bunch of booms around us.

    With a snarl, Dobber launched himself at me, his claws flashing in the fading light. I dodged and weaved, my dagger finding its mark with deadly accuracy. Dobber stumbled, a look of shock crossing his face as he fell off the beams of the mast, his claws dropping from his grasp. Two down, one to go. I cut the ropes along the mast beams, causing the sail to collapse on itself. ¡°Good luck fleeing without your sails, Captain Boom.¡±

    The red-hatted captain peered up at me with disdain. ¡°Nobody trumps Cap¡¯n Jolly Boom Megee, lass,¡± he spat. His peg leg thudded against the wood of the ship. With one hand, he raised a wave to carry the ship upriver.

    ¡°Not on your life, Boom,¡± Silas shouted as he cast several fireballs at the captain, releasing the water from the wave.

    The boat rocked and nearly tipped from the force of the water. The last pirate headed toward me fell into the water from the commotion. I crawled sling the mast until I was right on top of the captain. I pulled a move from Ema¡¯s attack style and dropped on top of the guy, knocking him to the ground.

    Captain Boom wiggles underneath me to force me off. ¡°Lass, you¡¯re heftier than the whales of the Northern Sea!¡±

    I lost any control I had in that moment and pounded the bastard¡¯s face in. Silas told me not to kill, but he didn¡¯t say not to disable the bastard. Silas appeared next to me after a few minutes to stop my fists from killing the pirate. I turned to see the ship was boarded by the Cyran Naval soldiers. I don¡¯t know how we managed to do this, but we just stopped Captain Boom and rescued 23 N¡¯ila citizens. The other slaves were released as well. The captain only had ten crewmen in his vessel. The rest were slaves from all over Gleaca.

    The freed slaves thanked us for our effort and the Cyran Navy took over care of the victims. My body was tired from all the swordplay with the pirates. Silas and I had to hitch a ride from another boat back to the villa because our skiff was destroyed during the battle. I wondered how the Cyran Navy dealt with pirates if it took a prince and a hybrid to sneak on the pirate to win. Silas may need to look into navy effectiveness against pirates.

    We were sitting on the deck of a small navy ship bringing us back to the villa. ¡°Silas?¡± I huffed. ¡°Did we finish our mission?¡±

    ¡°I think we are as close as we are going to get to finishing.¡± Silas leaned his head against the boat. ¡°Is your breathing better?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I am exhausted.¡± All I wanted to do was go to bed.

    He smiled. ¡°Normally, I would suggest going to bed, but a feast and drunk people are waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    The boat docked at the villa, letting us off at our doorstep. Silas got up and walked over to me. With his hand held out, he grinned saying, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s face it together.¡± I took his hand and led the way inside.

 Bitten

    Emalynn POV

    In a dream¡­

    I was running from all of them. From the mountain lion, the centipede, the saber tooth bears, the bandits, the mercenaries, the ugly dark elf, and the giant frost dragon.  I tumbled through every battle all over again. Every time I nearly lost Rory. No matter what form she faced them in, she nearly died. It is always a hair from death. I felt myself consumed by fear and doubt. It was the same weight that crushed me when Myrra didn¡¯t see me. She didn¡¯t know me.

    Now, I am running down the Road to Elves alone. No one was around in any direction. A thunderstorm was brewing behind me. The temperature dropped, and the chill was eating at my bones. My voice called out in vain. I was helpless to the snow, wind, and thunder beating me. I fell to the ground, unable to move. Shivering as I felt my last breath leave my body, a ray of heat broke through the storm. It was sunlight, cutting through the darkness.

    Waking up¡­

    ¡°Ugh!¡± My voice sounded rough. ¡°Someone turn off the damn sun.¡±

    Sunlight slapped me in the face, and I needed to find a new place to shine. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by red strands of yarn. Never mind, it¡¯s just Rory¡¯s insane hair. Why was she in my bed though? Blinking made my head feel like it might split in half from pain. Try as I might I couldn¡¯t recall what I could have done to provoke such sinister pains this early in the morning. There was even a metallic aftertaste in my mouth that made me want to puke. Am I sick? Did all that food the brute and I cooked last night do this to me?

    ¡°Would you stop fidgeting, Ema? Either get up or go back to bed,¡± Ro demanded. She was grumpy this morning.

    I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head roared fiercely against that plan. My stomach demanded that I visit the bathroom. ¡°Ro, can you help me to the bathroom? I feel sick.¡±

    ¡°Well, no shit,¡± Ro huffed as she made her way out of bed. I realized we were in her room not mine. ¡°Alcohol does that to you. Welcome to hangover town, Ema. The next twelvish hours are going to suck for you.¡± She got me on my feet and guided me to the toilet where I proceeded to vomit everything.

    When I finally finished, she handed me a wet rag. ¡°So, this is what a hangover feels like. Is it because of the alcohol that I can¡¯t remember anything after making dinner last night?¡±

    Ro gave me a hearty chuckle. ¡°Yep. It will come back to you though, and when it does, it¡¯s your fault for drinking without me.¡± She left me in the bathroom and got herself ready for the day.

    I wonder what she meant when she said it was my fault. Standing up from the bathroom floor was difficult. I made my way to my room, so I could at least change my clothes. This green dress needed a good wash after last night. There were drips of dried blood on my dress. Shit. Checking the mirror, I didn¡¯t see any cuts or wounds anywhere. Just a few love bites from making out with my brute. A warm feeling flowed through me, and I had a sudden need to see him.

    One quick shower and grooming session later, I was dressed in my black shorts, tan tunic, and black light armor. After all the traveling Ro and I have done, I only had one casual outfit that I wore yesterday. Besides, I wanted to be prepared for whatever today might bring. My desire to find Braxton was growing with each passing moment until I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. I raced out of my room to find my brute. Huh¡­ When did I decide he was officially mine? Our courtship just started, Ema. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.

    Leaving my room, I instantly knew he was close, so I jumped off the banister of the second story and glided into his lap. His hands were around me, pulling me close to his chest. Braxton was happy to see me though I seem to have surprised him. My headache was there in the back of my mind, but I was too focused on my giant orc. Shit, he is a giant next to me. That means all of him must be a giant. I don¡¯t know if I will be able to handle it if we mate each other! I am such a small person.

    ¡°Woah! Slow down, Emera. You are like twenty steps ahead of me with size panicking.¡± Braxton reassured me.

    I went to let my head rest on his chest when I realized I didn¡¯t say anything out loud about my freak out over his gigantic¡­body. ¡°How did you know?¡± I pulled away from him to study his face. He looked exhausted. Braxton had dark circles under his eyes and his complexion was lighter green than usual. That¡¯s when I felt his heavy exhaustion slam into me like he had been fighting a losing battle all night.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, little archer,¡± Braxton sighed.

    I was about to question him further when Silas brought breakfast to us on the couch. Silas looked ragged himself, and I got the distinct feeling I was missing something. Something big happened last night, and it was locked away in my memory by a splitting hangover headache. Rory appeared from the back door with some kindling for the fire someone had started early this morning. She looked tired like her body was sluggish. No one wanted to tell me what I was missing until Silas and Rory took their places on the other sofa.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re all here. Someone want to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± I tried to say it nicely, but I was annoyed by their reluctance to say anything to me.

    Braxton cleared his throat, causing me to focus on him. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for three days.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± My confusion displayed on my face. ¡°No, Rory said I had a hangover from alcohol which means we were drinking last. Remember? A little liquid courage to celebrate our news.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, you shared your news that night in a big display of affection. Then, you had a bad reaction to being drunk and vomited all over the villa while you were shifting from one form to the other. You used so much mana that you were out cold for three days.¡± Silas explained.

    That¡¯s why they were being so serious. I caused a chaotic mess and worried them all half to death right afterward. Three days, huh? Rory must have had me locked in her room the whole time although none of this explains how Braxton knew what I was thinking about.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting to that,¡± he answered like it was normal.

    I pinched his cheeks in retaliation, but he just shoved a piece of toast in my mouth. My stomach rumbled with hunger as I swallowed the toast in a hurry. He fed me more and told me just to listen for a bit. I let my hunger win over any ideas of protest as I continued to munch on my breakfast.

    ¡°So,¡± Rory began. ¡°Your grand declaration of courtship happened while you were both plastered and making out according to Braxton.¡± Braxton nodded along and I had no reason to doubt him.

    ¡°Did you walk in on us doing something?¡± I asked, impulsively.

    Silas shook his head. ¡°No, we arrived after you both drunkenly made your declaration.¡±

    I was confused again. Did I mate with Braxton and forget about it? I felt my cheeks begin to burn at that thought.

    ¡°No, you bit me, Emera.¡± Braxton was embarrassed at his words.

    ¡°We are having a serious discussion over a love bite? Did I bite too hard or something?¡± My voice was failing me. I was embarrassed, confused, and way too uncomfortable for this conversation. At least, the blood on my dress makes sense now.

    ¡°Ema, you marked Braxton as your mate that night, which is why he can hear your thoughts. Your magic has bonded you two together just like my parents were.¡± Rory was blunt. ¡°The mark seems to be permanent, meaning you two were fated for each other. In a way, you married Braxton through magic while you were drunk.¡±

    Well, that hit me like a ton of bricks. ¡°I¡­I marked you?¡± I looked up at Braxton¡¯s compassionate eyes. He wasn¡¯t upset. In fact, I could only feel exhaustion and joy coming from him.

    ¡°You did,¡± he smiled. He moved the collar of his tunic where my bite had taken root. Inside the bite was a bow and arrow tattooed image.

    ¡°The image¡­ Was it created from my magic?¡± I asked no one in particular, but someone answered yes. The mark entranced me as I ran my finger over it causing Braxton to shudder in¡­delight?

    ¡°Easy, little archer. It¡¯s very sensitive, especially to your touch.¡± Braxton nearly moaned as I pulled my hand away.

    His exhaustion seemed to increase the longer we talked. ¡°Okay. You can hear my thoughts, and I can sense your feelings. Will I ever get to hear your thoughts too?¡± I pouted at not getting to hear his thoughts.

    Rory chuckled, ¡°Yeah, but you will have to mate first.¡±

    My body froze as my brain processed her words. Cheeks were red. My ears dropped behind my head, and I buried my nose in Braxton¡¯s chest. Luckily, he moved the breakfast to the side table, so I didn¡¯t knock anything over. His scent washed over me and calmed my mind. Without thinking, I let my hands slip under his shirt for more direct contact. If I could bury myself in his embrace, I would never come up for air. He held me tightly and yawned.

    ¡°Why are you so tired?¡± I finally asked because his exhaustion was starting to overwhelm me.

    Braxton winced at my question. ¡°We discovered that I could read your mind while you were out. For three days, you have been moving from one nightmare to another. I was experiencing it with you. All of it.¡±

    He felt it all. Heard every word that I cried. My nightmare had taken over his mind and spilled all of my secrets in a matter of days. Braxton would know my real name. Where I came from. All the training I endured to get where I am now. What was there left to tell him?

    ¡°Emera, I don¡¯t know all of that,¡± he whispered to me. ¡°Although I suspected you might be using an alias.¡± He cupped my cheek. ¡°You can tell me things when you''re ready. It seems we have forever anyway.¡±

    Rory coughed to get my attention. ¡°As cute as that was, we need to make plans to leave soon. We only have two weeks until you guys will need to be locked away somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked over my shoulder.

    ¡°Your animal instincts will take over to complete the bond¡­¡± she trailed off.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Braxton and I said together.

    ¡°What about the pirate thing?¡± Braxton wondered, but he kept his eyes on me.

    ¡°Rosewyn and I took care of that while Emera was ruining the villa. Captain Boom was arrested, and the slaves freed.¡± Silas made it sound like it was a business matter he handled easily.

    Suddenly, a white owl flew in from the kitchen window. It was the same owl Rory and I saw Silas using to communicate with the queen. It had a message tied with a red ribbon around its leg. Silas opened the message, and his face became grim. It must be bad news.

    ¡°The ¡®Red Lady¡¯ is wanted for crimes against merchants from the Kingdom of Solis. They demand Queen Amory and Prince Silas hand over the rogue assassin immediately. In response, the queen has summoned all of us to the Court of Desfyra at our earliest convenience. She warns us that bounty hunters have entered Desfyra in search of the famous ¡®Red Lady¡¯.¡± Silas read the rest of the message quietly.

    ¡°Then, we need to get on a boat today to get us to Desfyra the day after tomorrow,¡± Braxton suggested.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go anywhere in your condition, Braxton,¡± I argued.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice. Staying here puts the whole city in danger. Besides, I can sleep on the boat if you¡¯re with me, Emera.¡± He was too good at persuading me to agree to shit.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I huffed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving,¡± Rory encouraged as she zoomed up the stairs.

    It will work. I know Rory and Silas will defend Braxton to their last breath, but I had a sinking feeling we were headed for more challenges in Desfyra than when we were on the run through Gleaca. Politics were getting involved in our lives. Elias, Myrra, and Leah always warned us against getting involved with politics if we wanted a free life. I wonder how worried I should be about answering the queen¡¯s summons. Getting off the sofa, I noticed Braxton was sound asleep. His dreams were giving me warm feelings. Grinning, I gave him a small kiss and went upstairs to pack. ¡°Once bitten and twice smitten, brute.¡±

 Hunted

    Silas POV

    ¡°Two nights¡­ I am only two nights away from being home, Amory,¡± I whispered into the night sky. The wind carried the sails upriver under the starry sky. There was something poetic about being under such a peaceful sky in total darkness.

    The toll of the day was weighing on me, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to head below deck just yet. Braxton had slept through the whole day of us packing and trying to find passage to the capital city. It took all three of us to lug the orc out of the villa and onto a wagon I borrowed. I wonder if he will sleep for three days like Emera had after her drunken escapades.

    Rosewyn made Braxton and I swear not to tell Emera the extent of her three-day sickness. It was hard on everyone. Braxton was living her nightmares while Rosewyn was battling her symptoms. Rosewyn had to cool Emera¡¯s fevers and warm her up through the chills. The worst moments were when her breathing became shallow and her heart slowed. My healing magic has never been used as much as it has since I met Emera and Rosewyn. Braxton stayed awake the whole time Emera was out, and now he¡¯s out cold from exhaustion. Will he go through the same nightmares, fevers, and near-death moments Emera did? Heavens, I pray not.

    Rosewyn, Emera, and Braxton were in our bunk sleeping below deck. We were in luck this afternoon when we encountered Mr. Ian Queens, the merchant Captain Boom had robbed. He offered us safe passage to Desfyra. I could tell Mr. Queens was originally from somewhere in Solis, but we had already checked with most of the ships at port for passage to Desfyra. Mr. Queens went out of his way to invite us on board. I am hoping my trust wasn¡¯t misplaced in Mr. Queens.

    Too often, I am met with dishonesty because of my station in Desfyra. I have been tricked and robbed more than once as a kid. Elves live for hundreds of years, so it¡¯s common to only have one child if they can have a child. My parents had my sister when they were 300 or so, and they believed they were finished having children. My sister had already begun her reign as queen when my parents were surprised to have me at 800. My childhood was spent in the countryside since my sister was queen and the other kids tried to use me for my power as a prince. My sanctuary was the library. Books didn¡¯t lie, cheat, or steal from me. Braxton was my first true friend.

    Most elves still try to gain power through me today. Those at court want me to marry their daughters, so they can raise their station. My parents would have put them off if they were still alive. My sister does her best, but she¡¯s the reason the court wants me married. Although none of it was her choice, the court has been demanding I marry since I turned 100. Twenty-two years later, they have tried to match me with different maidens and failed. I didn¡¯t want to walk back into that castle any time soon, but I made a vow to protect Rosewyn and Emera.

    ¡°Getting lost in the stars, Silas?¡± A warm voice greeted me.

    ¡°Something like that.¡± I hadn¡¯t realized how cold the air was since I had gotten lost in thought. Staring at the stars helped me process my thoughts better. My body was shivering when Rosewyn put my jacket on my shoulders. Her warmth made my skin tingle from the slightest brush of her fingers.

    She leaned on the railing next to me, looking out over the wide river. The tides crashed against the boat and all the background noise from the crew faded. It was still like a magic spell frozen in time. I felt content. My anxiety had vanished from the appearance of Rosewyn at my side. Was it because I had a friend at my side, or was it because we found a sense of peace in each other?

    ¡°What¡¯s going on in that brain of yours? You look like you''re trying to solve an ancient puzzle, but the instructions are written in another language.¡± Rosewyn was demonstrating her wit even at this late hour.

    I could answer about my wondering about our connection, but we just started feeling normal after that firecracker kiss. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin our friendship. ¡°Have you noticed how quiet it is?¡±

    Her eyes got big in an instant. She grabbed me by the arm and dragged me away from the ship¡¯s railing. A cannonball blasted straight through the side of the ship. What the hell? On instinct, I cast light magic to illuminate the darkness of the river. Another boat came into view, firing another cannonball toward us. I forced it away with my water magic. Our ship stayed quiet even though we were under attack.

    ¡°Silas, the crew has abandoned ship,¡± She shouted in a hurry before disappearing below deck.

    Running up to the steering wheel, I find it rigged to keep us sailing straight upriver. I cut the binding loose and tried to steer us away from the other vessel. Rosewyn returns on deck with Emera armed with her bow. No Braxton in sight. Is that orc going to miss another battle? He was pouting when Red and I told him of our battle with Captain Boom.

    The other vessel stayed close to us, firing cannonballs, fireballs, and ice chunks. How many wizards were on that ship? I steered our ship to the best of my ability. I received military training when I was in my sixties, but that was sixty years ago. Ships have changed a bit since then like all technology does.

    ¡°Emera, take out the crew!¡± I shouted just as the other ship latched ropes onto ours. Emers scurried up the mast to begin her assault.

    Pirates or mercenaries began swinging their way onto the ship. Red had her daggers ready while Emera began picking them off one by one. I threw a few gusts of wind at the men trying to board our vessel, but a handful made it onto our ship. Red looked excited to engage them. Within minutes she liberated a man of his sword and threw it toward me. It landed inches away from the heel of my boot.

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    ¡°Defend yourself, Captain!¡± She grinned like she didn¡¯t almost impale my foot.

    Restringing the ropes that I had cut with my knife to keep the steering wheel locked in place. My opponents approached me in a hurry. I had my back to the steering wheel while avoiding their jabs. I managed to pierce the thigh of a purple orc who was trying to box me in further. The orc stumbles backward as I free the sword from his thigh. A half-giant stands before me with a massive hammer and swings at me. It misses me by a hair and smashes the steering wheel to pieces.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I murmured as the orc composed himself enough to stab my foot in return for his injury. The steel blade goes straight through my boot, and I can feel a rush of pain as well as blood flooding out from the wound. ¡°Asswhole.¡±

    I force the orc back with a blast of wind while dodging the hammer flying toward my head. Seconds pulse by as I pull the sword from my foot and throw it at the orc¡¯s shoulder with a wind gust to increase the force of the blow. The sword impacts the orc''s shoulder all the way through. I don¡¯t get a chance to breathe as I must swerve out of the way of the hammer, which smashes into the deck of the ship. Wood chips fly in every direction as adrenaline pumps through my body to allow me to move.

    The ship has been rocking uncontrollably since the steering wheel was mangled by the hammer. The other ship is still locked onto ours as the current has begun to push us toward the shoreline. We were going to crash into the shore in a few minutes, and these attackers didn¡¯t seem to care. I slice into the half-giant¡¯s arms with the sword.

    ¡°Emera!¡± I yell toward the mast where she¡¯s perched. ¡°Get Braxton, the ship is going to crash!¡±

    Emera must have heard me as she managed to get an arrow into the half-giant¡¯s eyes as she descended the mast. The half-giant falls back for a moment in pain. Red was laughing as she plunged her dagger into the sides of her foes. The thrill of battle seems to excite her more than a library ever could. She was raised as an adventurer, but I wonder if it goes deeper than that for her. I have seen Emera get just as excited during battle.

    ¡°Focus, princey,¡± the orc grunted. How was this guy moving again already? Healing magic works quickly, but not that fast.

    Our blades clashed. The orc spat blood at me as he dueled me. Slight left, swing right, block under. Move after move, the metal clangs as we clash over and over. The orc trips backward, giving me the upper hand. My blade rests at his throat while I kick his blade away.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡± I question him.

    The orc laughs dangerously. ¡°Kill me, princey.¡± He answered. ¡°No matter what you do, the red lady will fall.¡±

    These were hunters sent by the Kingdom of Solis. ¡°Is this worth your life?¡± I try to appeal to his desire to live, but he laughs harder.

    ¡°I am only a tool, princey. Bought and sold to the highest bidder.¡± His words were sad. ¡°You pissed off the Solis King and his backer, and the Red Lady will pay the price for it.¡±

    Anger. Frustration. Guilt. All the emotions filled me as I fought the urge to tear the asswhole into shreds. Amory warned me of the bounty hunters on my tail, and I should have been more careful. I opt to use the hilt of my sword to knock the orc out. Stumbling about, I join Red on the deck. The ship was approaching the shore fast. We needed to get off this boat.

    Braxton and Emera emerge from below deck with all of our packs. My best friend looked like hell, but he was standing. ¡°I fall asleep in the villa and wake up on a ship crashing into the shore. What the hell, Si!¡± He exclaims.

    ¡°We¡¯re being hunted,¡± I said, cooly. ¡°We can continue this later. We have to jump.¡±

    Both ships have collided. Fires have started. The mercenaries are abandoning ships everywhere. Red grabs her pack and leaps off the bow like she¡¯s going for a leisurely swim. Emera cannonballs into the water after. Braxton and I plunge into the freezing waters right after. The water pulled me down from the weight of my pack and the current was pushing us upriver. A piece of debris knocked the back of my head. My vision blurred. Air was threatening to escape my chest as I let my mana slip into the water. I used my magic to pull the four of us together underwater and propel us to the surface.

    The four of us swim to the surface for air as my lungs burn from holding my breath for too long. Braxton illuminates the air around us. All of us cough up water. My head was pounding. Behind us, the ships crack and explode into a bright blaze. The river carries us away from the crash in a blink of an eye. Chilled from the water, we lock ourselves together to try to push through the strong currents of the river. I am using every bit of my mana to fight the river and keep us together. Braxton manages to catch onto a rock formation to pull us from the river.

    The four of us make it onto the riverbank in complete darkness. Our bodies barely move after fighting the river for so long. We are wet and cold, but Braxton is up securing the area. Red starts gathering limbs and piling them together. Emera¡¯s pulling rope from her pack to create a clothesline. They might be talking, but I can¡¯t hear them over the ringing in my ears.

    I can¡¯t help. My foot was pounding from the pain, so I used the last of my magic to begin healing the wound. I have never used my magic to fight a river before, and I can only imagine how we would have fared without my magic. It takes all my attention to heal myself enough to take the edge off the pain.

    Time passed quickly as I shivered from the cold air. When Red came to help me, a roaring fire had come to life in the middle of a dome shelter made from Red¡¯s magic. Red stripes me to the bare minimum and sits me down in the dome while she hangs my clothes. Emera bandages my foot. I feel like a child unable to do anything for themselves, but I am barely functioning.

    ¡°Good job, Captain,¡± Red whispers in my ear. I wasn¡¯t sure where she came from, but I was surprised to hear her voice at all.

    I blink and my senses start to return to me. The doom is warm. I can feel the heat caressing my skin from the fire. Braxton and Emera were curled up on the other side of the dome. Everyone had shed their wet clothes in favor of the heat of the dome. Red pulled me next to her, so we were both lying near the fire. I felt the heat from her body. Every soft curve of her skin against me begged me to look at her, but I was too rattled to function like a man right now.

    Red hugged me tight. ¡°Just for tonight, Silas. You need to sleep. I will watch over you.¡±

    As if her words were a spell, my eyes drifted closed. I felt safe there. Warmth embraced me although there was still a chill in the air. There were lots of things I could worry about. Many problems that I needed to face, but they felt like they were miles away. I wonder if this was how Red felt in my arms all those times that I healed her. It was sweet bliss.

 Capital City

    Braxton POV

    My eyes blink open to find Emera¡¯s amber fur cuddled up to my face. Her warmth soothes me, but the air around us has a chill. I try to recognize our surroundings when I realize we have slept well past sunrise in Rosewyn¡¯s terran dome. The fire had turned to embers, and my stomach growled with ferocity. I looked around and realized all of us were nearly naked because everything we had got soaked in last night''s river adventure. I could see Silas on the other side of the dome curled up in Rosewyn¡¯s lap. Rosewyn looked exhausted. She had herself propped up against the wall with a dagger in her hand. Her eyes fluttered open and closed, trying to stay awake.

    The woman had been awake this whole time. She kept watch over all of us and kept the fire alive to keep us warm. I have only seen this kind of dedication during my time at war. Rosewyn makes a good soldier. Is this what all adventurers are like? I know Emera told me it¡¯s a fight to stay alive when completing jobs as an adventurer, but I didn¡¯t think their dedication was this strong. Rosewyn was going to need some sleep if we were going to make it to Desfyra in one piece.

    I gently laid Emera down on the ground, determined to relieve Rosewyn of her watch. Looking down at Emera, a smile grew on my face. This was the first time that I had held her all night. It felt amazing to have her that close for so long. If she lets me, I plan to make it a nightly thing for us. Just the thought of spending that time with her gave me the energy boost I needed to get up and make breakfast.

    First thing, I need to tell Rosewyn to relax. ¡°Rosewyn,¡± I whisper, trying not to wake Silas.

    Her eyes are glazed over as she blinks at me. It takes a second, but she processes who I am. ¡°Is everything okay? Did I wake you¡­or are the bounty hunters back?¡± Her grip tightened on her dagger.

    ¡°Easy, Rosewyn,¡± I tried to calm her. ¡°Everything is fine. I came to relieve you of your post. Get some sleep.¡±

    She nodded and let her body fall to the side, cuddling Silas. If only I had a way to take a picture of this moment, maybe his sister would worry less about her lonesome brother. I left the dome to find my pants mostly dry under the heat of the sun. Once dressed, I walked down to the water to catch our next meal. Rosewyn and Emera weren¡¯t the only ones who could get us some yummy food.

    After sunset¡­

    At dusk, Rosewyn finally exits the dome where she had been asleep the whole day. We all eat around the fire as we discuss our plans moving forward. ¡°If we follow the river, we should reach the capital city in five days,¡± I said. ¡°I have an idea of where we are, but following the river will be our best bet to make it to Desfyra.¡±

    Emera leans on me as she picks at her roasted fish. I can tell it¡¯s not her favorite thing to eat with the way she slowly pulls it off the bone. ¡°Is there a faster way? I mean, the queen summoned us to the castle, right?¡±

    ¡°She has, yes,¡± Silas replied. ¡°However, I believe Braxton is correct. The surest way to reach the capital is following the river.¡±

    ¡°Should we ride the river to the capital?¡± Emera asked.

    I had considered that option. ¡°Building a raft wouldn¡¯t be hard, but traversing the rapids of the river on a raft would be difficult. Then, there¡¯s the possibility of enemies spotting us along the river. We would be sitting ducks on the water.¡±

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    Silas nodded in agreement. ¡°We should stick to the shoreline.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we should start moving then. Bounty hunters are probably looking for us.¡± Rosewyn suggested.

    Hold my hand? Emera asked through our mind link. She had managed to control the link with some practice, which was a relief. Her nightmares and intimate thoughts had dominated my mind until now. I happily took her hand in mine.

    We all agreed and began moving through the darkness along the riverbank.

    Day One¡­

    We made it through the darkness until dawn. At Rosewyn¡¯s suggestion, we camped further inland in another dome of Rosewyn¡¯s creation. I was starting to understand her survival skills were unmatched by anyone that I had met. Emera was no different. She would evaluate the camp''s needs and find a way to survive since we lost a chunk of supplies during our river adventure. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know that with Emera and Rosewyn around.

    Work the fire, brute. My stomach demands sustenance. Besides, I like you shirtless. Emera¡¯s lust penetrated me like a wrecking ball. This bond is eating away at my common sense. I know this wasn¡¯t the time for her ¡®private¡¯ thoughts.

    I started frying up a rabbit that Silas had managed to hunt in the middle of the night with Rosewyn. Those two made a good team. Silas had been moving slowly after taking an injury in the battle. His magic was still recovering, but when he could he would spend time trying to heal his foot injury. Silas was a prince, but he had the potential to survive a war if it came down to it. Would it come down to it? I felt something brewing since Queen Amory summoned us.

    Four days later¡­

    We have walked so far, keeping out of sight. Several boats have swept the shoreline and fired randomly into the forest. Some have tried to trail after us, but they fell into the pits we set as traps. I have spent every day learning just how valuable Emera is to me. The weight Rosewyn can carry when things get tough, and the strength and leadership Silas is capable of. Something changed between the four of us since we left Kanna. I wonder what Queen Amory will think when she sees us. The capital was coming into view just beyond the riverbend.

    ¡°Oh! I see it!¡± Emera exclaimed from my shoulders. ¡°We made it!¡±

    Now, I can focus on you, brute. My heart is pounding with excitement. Emera''s thoughts made me blush. Our bond is growing at an accelerated rate according to Rosewyn. It would be long before the bond demanded completion. My cheeks burned hotter as I felt Emera¡¯s thighs against my cheeks.

    A growl erupted from the darkness. ¡°Did you, little brats?¡±

    ¡°Oh, joy,¡± I murmured. My fun thoughts vanished at the intrusion. ¡°We have company.¡±

    Silas groaned at the half-giant staring us down. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go down with the ship?¡±

    ¡°Princey sounds bitter, Olaf,¡± a purple orc chuckled as he emerged from the forest.

    ¡°Dumb dumb needs to be smashed,¡± the half-giant growled.

    A few more foes came into view and in a blink of an eye we were facing off. I stepped between Silas and the orc while Emera headed into the branches above us. Rosewyn had three circling around her that were beast folk like her. They matched each other''s speed perfectly, and while I wanted to watch their duel, the orc came at me hard.

    ¡°You must be the general,¡± the purple orc commented as we were face to face and sword to sword.

    ¡°I must be,¡± I answered as we retreated for a moment. ¡°And you?¡±

    Strike right, dodge left. We were in the midst of a hand-to-hand throwdown. They waited for us at our destination to trap us like mice in a cage. Emera hit his leg with an arrow forcing him to stumble. One of the beast folk, a leopard shifter, shifted and chased Emera in the branches above. My heart felt like it might explode at the thought of her being in danger. A side effect of the mark Emera gave me.

    I am fine, brute. Beat that orc to a pulp. Emera¡¯s thoughts leaked into my mind. Even now, she was reassuring me of her strength.

    ¡°Dexter Rainos, mercenary for hire,¡± he smirked as he punched me in the face.  ¡°Out of practice general?¡±

    I huffed and spat some blood. ¡°This is going to be fun.¡±

    All of us got into it with our foes. This Dexter guy was stronger than I had thought. My face was covered in bruises at this point. A few cuts from his sword dripped down my arms. None of us had managed to incapacitate our opponent. It was well past noon before Silas had the half-giant on his knees. Emera had gotten into with one of the other beast folk while Rosewyn had begun throwing magic at her foes. Dexter and I were equally battered by each other¡¯s blows.

    Rosewyn¡¯s magic had caused a ruckus, causing the royal guard to show up. General Uma Ceres led the guard right toward us. In less than a minute, General Ceres had all the mercenaries retreating into the forest. All four of us walked away without injury. General Ceres questioned Rosewyn and Emera¡¯s presence. Silas bid her to just bring all of us to the castle. Five days of walking had been longer than Queen Amory had wanted to wait for us to return.

    ¡°Fine,¡± General Ceres grunted. ¡°Call a carriage to escort Prince Halestone and his party to the castle.¡± General Ceres wasn¡¯t very happy as she greeted us. ¡°Welcome to the capital city.¡±

 Queen Amory

    Rory POV

    From battle to a carriage escorted by the General Ceres of Desfyran Royal Guard, this was the difference of traveling with a prince. The carriage was black with gold trim, exuding extravagance. Braxton and Emera were trying to discretely while holding hands on the bench across from Silas and me. There should be a sense of relief since we were entering the capital city, but there was a heavy feeling between the four of us. We had been through so much together in the last two¡­no three months now.

    ¡°Silas,¡± I started to ask when Emera gasped as we came around enormous hills.

    There were trees covered in beautiful hues of yellow, orange, and red. Cyran was a grand city built on a river, but Desfyra was built in the river. There were more canals in this city than there were roads. All the autumn flowers were in bloom in the planters along the sides of the canal. The buildings were built from stone with wooden arches. Accents of blue, green, and brown around the gray stone of the village buildings made the blue water of the canals pop. Windows were big and welcoming, showing off the diverse population of the city.

    The castle stood tall in the middle of the canal city. Its white towers could be seen from the forest from which we emerged. The spires were different shades of blue against the white fluffy clouds of the sky. Cobblestone bridges connected the city streets to the castle gates. Long, row boats shuttled people around the city instead of carts along the city streets. No wonder Silas and Braxton knew how to handle ships so well.

    ¡°This is where you live?¡± Emera looked around dumbfounded.

    Braxton gave her a peck on the cheek. ¡°It could be where we live.¡± His voice was all smooth like butter.

    ¡°Making plans, Braxy?¡± Emera teased, leaning into him.

    Suddenly, this carriage felt very small and steamy. Silas gave me an awkward glance before staring back out the window, which didn¡¯t help the situation. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be hyping us up to meet your sister?¡± I elbowed him, playfully.

    ¡°Heh, not much to tell. She¡¯s the queen of the elven kingdom. Many people come to Desfyra because her policies and laws are friendlier than others. Her people love her. The court tolerates her. My parents let her take the reins when she was about 300.¡± Silas rattled off facts about his sister. ¡°She¡¯s the ideal queen.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before we walked into the throne room to meet the famous queen. General Ceres led us through the grand doors. Courtiers were lined on either side of the path to the throne. Everyone here was an elf, which surprised me. After seeing the city, I imagined nobles and those who hold public office would be from different races. I suppose my hopes for Desfyra are ahead of my time. I should just be happy Queen Amory wishes to see us.

    The blue and white trends continued inside the castle as well. We walked down the rug toward the silver throne that echoed the arches in the city. On the throne, sat a woman with longer pointed ears than Silas. Her eyes were silver like the throne beneath her. She had long black hair decorated in small braids around her simple, silver tiara. Her face matched Silas¡¯, but her features were softer than his.

    ¡°Queen Amory Halestone, may I present you brother, Prince Silas Halestone, on his return to court.¡± General Ceres sounded so official.

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    Silas stepped forward to bow to his sister, and Braxton signaled us to bow too. Queen Amory left her silver throne and descended a small staircase toward Silas. She had a sword on her hip, and her gown was loose, allowing for a full range of motion. The queen drew her sword, which made my heart stop until Silas responded to her attack in kind. An epic battle between siblings brought the throne into chaos.

    Silas threw ice at Queen Amory who would turn and strike him with her flaming sword. Ice versus fire raged, ripping the curtains to shreds. Black blast marks marred the silver throne. The courtiers retreated from the throne room aside from a select few. General Ceres commanded us to move when the elf siblings got too close with their dual. It lasted another twenty minutes before General Ceres called it a draw.

    Queen Amory came away gleefully laughing at her little brother. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better, Si.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the point of studying at the wizard¡¯s guild?¡± He smiled at his sister, and they hugged briefly before approaching us.

    ¡°Braxton,¡± Queen Amory greeted. ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t bored to death at the Wizard¡¯s Guild for the last few years.¡±

    ¡°They had decent beer, so it wasn¡¯t a total loss.¡± Braxton grabbed her arm like orc warriors do to greet each other. I felt less worried watching this queen interact with Silas and Braxton.

    Queen Amory stood in front of Emera and me with a wide grin. ¡°Am I to understand that you are the ¡®Red Lady¡¯, hero of the N¡¯ila slaves and slayer of pirates?¡±

    Well, how am I supposed to respond to that? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say hero, your highness. Silas and Braxton offered to travel with me when I needed help, so it was natural for me to agree to help them in their time of need.¡±

    ¡°Modest one, isn¡¯t she, Mylor?¡± Queen Amory stood with her hands on her hips, looking from me to the male elf standing off to the side. ¡°Silas has petitioned me for your request, Emera and Rosewyn.¡± She whispered to both of us so no one else could hear.

    ¡°Seems so, Your Highness,¡± he answered. ¡°I wonder if she is all that our dear prince said she is.¡± This tall, thin middle-aged elf studied me.

    Queen Amory looked at me closely, invading my personal space. ¡°I sense two magic items on her, which matches what I have heard.¡± She grabbed my hand in hers, and I felt her mana invade mine for a moment. ¡°Her mana level is quite high as well.¡± She released my hand and took a step back.

    ¡°Amory,¡± Silas warned. ¡°You are making my companion uncomfortable.¡±

    Queen Amory¡¯s eyes lit up like the sun at Silas¡¯ words. ¡°Companion?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my-¡± Silas stopped himself. ¡°Wait, Amory!¡±

    Queen Amory called over a hefty-looking, bald elf who carried a special stone in his hand. ¡°Milow, quick. Test them.¡± She commanded as she bounced up and down.

    Before I understood what was happening, Milow grabbed my hand and Silas onto the stone. He started mumbling some words in Elvish. I was beginning to be creeped out by these nobles just touching me so casually. Would it hurt them to ask? Silas was over here yelling at his sister to stop trying to force things when the strange stone we were helping began to shine. A number appeared above the stone, reading eighty-three out of one hundred. The room went silent.

    ¡°Heaven has blessed us!¡± Queen Amory declared, and I yanked my hand away from this Milow guy.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I felt like the butt of a joke as the Queen was busy celebrating with her remaining courtiers. I looked at Silas, but he was looking at his damn hand, stunned to speak. Emera had moved next to me, running her hand along my arm to keep me grounded. ¡°Someone wants to explain what just happened.¡±

    Everyone stopped to look at me as I raised my voice in front of the queen. Queen Amory approached me happily. ¡°You have answered our prayers, child.¡±

    ¡°That tells me nothing.¡± I looked at her unmoved by her words.

    She looked at her brother for a moment who was completely checked out of this situation. ¡°I see. Silas hasn¡¯t told you much about himself has he?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. ¡°Very well. Walk with me, Red Lady. I will explain.¡±

    Braxton encouraged me to go with Queen Amory. Emera told me to trust my gut. Silas was still speechless but nodded for me to go with her. Mylor and General Ceres weren¡¯t as happy as the other courtiers in the room and tried to object. Silas silenced them as the queen pulled toward an exit. He trusted his sister to explain this to me, but I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to know what she meant.

 Alone with Queen Amory

    Rory POV

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Alone with the queen¡­

    Twilight shined out over the river beneath the balcony. Queen Amory walked next to me until we reached the railing out of earshot of her guards. ¡°You are such a gift to my people, Rosewyn Sillber.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I was so confused. Wasn¡¯t I a problem for her? The unwanted hybrid was hunted by the Gleaca Council and the Kingdom of Solis. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve lost me, Queen Amory.¡±

    ¡°I see. You are a hero to my people, Rosewyn. You helped my brother save the citizens of N¡¯ila. You helped arrest the horrid Captain Boom. You escorted my dear brother home after I sent him away. Lastly, you have just given hope to a defeated court over my little brother.¡± She seemed to admire me, but I was still lost.

    Turning away from the scenic view, I leaned against the railing. ¡°Sure, I played some of those things, Your Highness, but I don¡¯t understand that last one.¡±

    ¡°Silas called you his companion, Rosewyn. Surely, you know the implications of him calling such an endearing term.¡± Queen Amory asked, but I just shook my head. ¡°He implied you were more than a friend, Rosewyn.¡±

    A burning sensation filled me. I was partly astonished and enraged at Silas, and partly flattered and embarrassed. ¡°More than a friend? I mean, we kissed once, but it¡¯s not-¡±

    Queen Amory smiled brightly as she hugged me. ¡°I feared Silas would be forced into a loveless union by my court, but here you are rescuing him from such a fate.¡±

    ¡°Union? Like marriage? You think we are going to get married?¡± My whole being went into a panic. I felt my claws and fangs emerge as my emotions ran wild.

    ¡°Woah! Rosewyn, relax. I am sorry I upset you. I am just excited for the possibility.¡± Queen Amory tried to calm me, silently signaling her guards not to approach us in the middle of my magic episode.  ¡°Come,¡± she gestured to a bench near us. ¡°Let me tell you a story, and maybe it will clear up your confusion.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± I growled as I started my focused breaths. Following her toward the bench, I willed my claws and fangs away. We sat looking out over the calm river once more.

    ¡°Elves can live for generations, you know?¡± Queen Amory chuckled darkly. ¡°One lifetime can be eight to nine hundred years for us. At one time, we thought this made us better than the other races. Desfyra was born out of the arrogance of self-righteous elves and the blood of their slaves. From war to war, they dominated the land, claiming it in glory. The more slaves and land you have, the better your station in society.¡± She crossed her arms gracefully. ¡°King Fyra Hale was the most arrogant of all the elves, and possibly, the most ruthless. That was until the king fell in love with his slave. She was a fairy of the forest before war turned her into the king¡¯s slave by his overwhelming victory on the battlefield. He became enamored with her from the moment she entered his castle, and she hated him. King Fyra Hale believed he needed to have the strongest heir possible to continue his growing empire, so he found the strongest magical person in the land, which happened to be the fairy he fell in love with.¡±

    This was the origin of her kingdom and her family. The history books didn¡¯t sound as dark as her retelling of the founding of her kingdom. Why was she telling me all of this?

    ¡°When the king forced himself on her to bear him a child, she fell victim to his desires. In revenge, she cursed all of the Elves of Desfyra with fertility issues because of his crimes against her. It became nearly impossible for any couple to conceive after that. The king had his heir at the cost of the future of his people.¡± She shed a tear. ¡°I am barren, myself, so I understand the struggle of my people. It took years for someone to develop a compatibility spell to help with fertility issues, which foretold the possibility of a couple siring offspring. We soon discovered that mating with other races gave us more options to procreate.¡±

    So, that¡¯s why every elven city has been so diverse. The elves would have died out if they weren¡¯t able to have kids. Other races must block the curse the fairy inflicted on them. Their kingdom seems to have flourished in spite of the fairy¡¯s hope for revenge. Queen Amory says she¡¯s unable to have any kids, which means the job of providing an heir would fall to Silas¡­

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    ¡°Wait, a damn minute!¡± I growled, no longer confused. ¡°Are you telling me that stone just said Silas and I had a strong chance of having a child?¡±

    Queen Amory had the most confusing expression. She was somewhere between happy and guilty. ¡°That is exactly what the stone meant.¡± She took my hand and sent small ripples of warm magic into me. ¡°Silas has been the target of the court. For twenty years, they have tried over and over to force a union on him. Every score was so low or nothing at all. It was eating at him, so he threw himself into his studies as an escape. When Braxton came to court to seek asylum for his warriors, I saw an opportunity. I sent Silas and Braxton to the Wizard¡¯s Guild as a temporary escape from the eyes of the court.¡±

    ¡°Silas mentioned he was exiled from Desfyra for a while.¡± It was the only response I could give her. My thoughts were all over the place about what she had told me. One thing was clear. The court and Queen Amory believed me to be a solution to Silas¡¯ problem. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t think-¡±

    She put her hand up to stop me. ¡°I know it isn¡¯t fair to ask you to marry my brother and have a child like this.¡± She sighed looking at me. My expression must have been serious. ¡°I only ask that you consider it. Consider what it could do for you, Rosewyn. A royal status could shield from the Gleaca Council¡¯s hybrid hunt. It would give Silas time to develop his research, which could change how Gleaca views hybrids, Rosewyn. Besides, it would force the Kingdom of Solis to give up their warrant on you. Many things could be possible, Rosewyn.¡± She gave me an encouraging smile. ¡°The cherry on top is that I can see you care for my brother. I couldn¡¯t ask for more than that for him.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you are offering me the world,¡± I started sobbing. None of this makes sense. A future like this shouldn¡¯t exist for me. I accepted this already. Love wasn¡¯t for me.

    ¡°In a sense, I am. We would be solving each other¡¯s biggest problems. All I ask is that you and Silas think about it. Also, it would be best if Mylor believes it is happening.¡± She explained how Mylor was part of the Gleaca Council, and he had already been suspicious of me since Athyra¡¯s trial.

    ¡°Well, life was boring without the extra danger lurking around the corner.¡± I joked.

    ¡°I wonder if the fairy knew the impact her curse would have on the continent of Gleaca.¡± Queen Amory pondered. ¡°The fairy¡¯s true intention was to tame the arrogance and self-righteous ways of my people. We couldn''t survive without other races, so we could no longer subjugate them as slaves. At least, not as prolifically. Debtors still become slaves, but there are heavy protection laws in Desfyra to keep them from being mistreated.¡±

    One wrong fairy led this kingdom to become the most welcoming and diverse place in Gleaca. I don¡¯t think she could plan for such a future when she was wronged by an arrogant elf. Desfyra will be the birthplace of change because of her curse of revenge.  I might be in the right place to build a future for myself the way my parents hoped I could. The way Myrra, Elias, Aunt Leah, and Uncle Axel dreamed I might. It was a lot to process, and the choice wasn¡¯t mine alone to make. ¡°Revolutionaries never know when they will cause a cascading change. They just do what they believe is best.¡±

    ¡°Then, do what you believe is best, Rosewyn.¡± Queen Amory had hope in her eyes as she watched the stars appear in the purple sky.

 Experiments

Silas POV

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

 Gotcha, Red

    Rory POV

    Sometimes I think Silas lost his mind. It¡¯s been a few weeks since he told me he would give me his whole world, and he hasn¡¯t mentioned it since. Every day we do the same things. Hunt for food for dinner, practice his polymorphic spell, practice my healing magic, and tend to the lodge like it¡¯s our house. We went to town a few times to resupply things, but we haven¡¯t talked to anyone else otherwise. And, damn it, the man is getting to me. He affects me more than Jerico did, and it¡¯s exciting and frightening.

    ¡°Better run, Red,¡± Silas hollered from the lodge door.

    We had just finished cleaning up dinner when Silas turned to me and suggested we play tag. The loser has to tell the winner a deep secret. This isn¡¯t the first game we played like this. I usually win these games because he insists on chasing me through the forest. Darting under the low branches, I run further into the woods. My heart pounds right out of my chest as I hear him catching up, and I find myself wondering what might happen if he wins for a change.

    So far, Silas has told me about being a ballroom dance champion when he was fourteen. He served in the military from age fifty to sixty-five. All elves serve in the military for a time. His secret was he caused the most havoc for his commanding officers. Silas was supposed to serve for twenty years, but they found him so annoying they let him off five years early. He fell in love once, but the girl left Gleaca with her family when he was seventy-five. Silas hopes he never has to take the throne, but his sister is almost 600 years old already. He loves his sister more than anything, and he¡¯s been by her side since their parents died forty years ago.

    Silas was close. I had a choice to run or let him catch me. If I do let him catch me, it can¡¯t be that easy. I snuck around the tree trunk and took off running. He appeared next to me with a dazzling smile that caught my attention. A tree root got the better of me as I began to tumble to the ground. I reached out and grabbed Silas¡¯ wrist, pulling him down with me. We twisted together and rolled through the brush until we collided with a tree. My back took the brunt of the collision, and I felt things pop in my spine.

    ¡°Gotcha, Red,¡± Silas said softly as he sat himself up.

    ¡°Oww,¡± was all I could manage.

    Silas pulled me into his lap despite my cries of pain. He poured his healing magic into me, and I felt myself become warm. There was popping in my spine again causing the pain to flair until it snapped into place. I felt relief surge across my body. Silas healed me again. This man was coming to my rescue again. Maybe, I should have just stayed in one place instead of trying to let him chase me.

    ¡°Thanks, Si,¡± I let my hand graze his jaw.

    He put his hand over mine to keep it there. The tension between us was palpable. We had been playing this dangerous game of getting close to each other. Allowing ourselves to have stolen glances and welcomed touches. Chasing me was another way to fan the flames between us. Alcohol suppressed every reason in my mind why we shouldn¡¯t be together. Honestly, the list had grown shorter every day since he said he wanted a future with me.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Our eyes were locked on each other. The inches between us were disappearing. His breath was hot on my cheeks. If I had something to say, I could remember it. His lips nearly touched mine. He stopped moving, waiting to see if I would kiss him. Logic was gone. The world evaporated. I leaned in and let his warm feeling envelop me. My lips followed his movements, and I swear my magic responded to his kiss.

    Lightning crackled around us. Silas didn¡¯t stop or flinch from my magic surfacing. The kiss deepened. His arms cradled me against him. I was sitting on his lap. My hands had moved from his jaw to soft black hair. For a moment, I missed my own black curls, but the thought faded when Silas ran his fingers down my back. Everything about this moment felt right just like Aunt Leah had told me it would be. We kissed until my breath gave out and we parted.

    Silas looked at me cautiously, smiling. ¡°Gotcha, Red.¡±

    I giggle. ¡°Yeah, you won.¡±

    A thought crossed his mind as he became concerned. ¡°Was that kiss my prize?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I assured him, hugging him tightly. I want to give him something more than a simple kiss. He wants to give me his world, so maybe I should let him into mine. ¡°You know, I wear a glamor charm, right?¡±

    His eyebrows scrunched together. ¡°I knew it was a possibility. You mentioned another name once when you were bitten by that goat.¡±

    ¡°Well, shit. I am terrible at keeping secrets,¡± I sigh. ¡°What did I say?¡±

    ¡°You called yourself Rory Bishop,¡± he smiled.

    Yep. I screwed myself. Stupid goat venom. Aunt Leah would have me running laps for my lack of discretion. I have a feeling Silas might end up knowing most of my secrets. ¡°Yep. Rory is my name.¡±

    He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Rory,¡± he whispered to me. Tingles ran up my arms from his smooth voice.

    I crawled out of his arms and stood up. ¡°Are you sure you want to start this with me, Silas?¡± My voice cracked from the anxiety building in my belly. ¡°Silas, I had convinced myself that I could never have a serious relationship with anyone. Being a hybrid made me feel unlovable because it was dangerous to be involved with me. My parents died protecting me. Jerico might have loved me, but he died protecting me too. I am so protective of Ema and those who raised me for that reason.¡±

    Silas rose to stand in front of me and kissed my forehead. His hands remained on my cheeks. ¡°Did I not make that clear enough? Yes, Red. I want to protect you and build a future with you.¡± Another kiss on my forehead. ¡°I have been drawn to you since I learned about a book thief at the Wizard¡¯s Guild. It was that same feeling that led me to you after the showdown with Athyra. The peace that we find in each other¡¯s embrace is unlike anything I have experienced. If there really are matches made in the heavens then I firmly believe you are mine.¡±

    Those words had my heart pounding out of my chest. This is what falling in love feels like. Excitement from finding some you want to share everything with, and anxiety over the possibility that the person will crush you with just a few words. Was I in love with Silas? Not yet. I knew for certain that I would be if time allowed it. All the secrets of my life will be his if I marry him. This was our moment. The chance to decide what the future might hold for us.

    My cheeks were burning again. ¡°So, you want to marry me?¡±

    His left hand moved to my waist and pulled me close. ¡°Yes, but we don¡¯t have to.¡± I could tell he didn¡¯t want to pressure me. ¡°We could walk away from Gleaca and travel the world.¡±

    My hands covered his for a moment. ¡°Then, change my life, Silas. Make a choice for us, here and now.¡±

 Vanilla Milk

    Emalynn POV

    Rory left with Silas three weeks ago, and I have been spending every moment with Braxton. We have a new daily routine, starting in the morning with a run. My brute runs below the trees, and I swing through the branches. These maple and aspen trees have such vibrant colors this autumn. Braxton collected the brightest colored leaf on our journey each morning and pressed it into a blank journal that Silas gave him. For a man with a higher kill count than mine, he has become sentimental about many things.

    ¡°Em, I brought you a hot vanilla milk,¡± Braxton grinned as we sat on the porch of his¡­I mean our cottage, watching the leaves dance in the breeze.

    ¡°Thanks, Brute.¡± My tail was bouncing with excitement over the delicious drink in my hand. He topped it with whipped cream and cinnamon. I swear the brute is trying to kill me.

    He sat on the bench next to me and adjusted the blanket on my lap. The temperature has been dropping over the last week or so, making every day a ¡®oh shit, I need a jacket kind of day.¡¯ Queen Amory has been busy with court business lately. King Travis Ian of Solis has been amping up his demands for the criminal ¡®Red Lady¡¯ to be delivered to Solis by month¡¯s end. A representative of Solis should be arriving by week¡¯s end to negotiate the capture of the ¡®Red Lady¡¯.

    King Travis Ian wasn¡¯t the only one pestering Queen Amory. Mylor Anifya, the Desfyran representative on the Gleaca Council, has been voicing his disapproval of Rory. Mylor was pissed when he found out Silas and Rory were off on a research mission somewhere. He said it was inappropriate behavior for a prince to run off with a young woman when the court was trying to arrange his marriage. I can only imagine the size of the stick up that guy¡¯s ass.

    Braxton and I have managed to subvert the demands of my marking him, but I am fighting a losing battle here. Every time I see him, my body gets hot and I imagine his shirtless body under mine. The only thing that scared me was Braxton¡¯s size. He could crush me in an instant. As an orc, Braxton was tall with broad shoulders, which made him wider than me too. He could probably crush me between his thick thighs¡­although that wouldn¡¯t be the worst way to go.

    ¡°Emera, you''re doing it again,¡± Braxton chided.

    ¡°Hmm? What am I doing?¡± I leaned my head against him. A need is growing in me to have him against me.

    ¡°Stop it, woman,¡± Braxton growled. ¡°Your lusty thoughts are saturating my mind with ideas.¡±

    His hand grazed my thigh, and all logic in my mind vanished. ¡°Sounds like an opportunity, not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Woman, I¡¯m about to throw you over my shoulder and end your wondering about my size.¡± Braxton¡¯s expression was serious.

    I was about two seconds away from giving in to him when a court messenger arrived at the porch steps. It feels like someone dumped ice over my head when Braxton gets up to speak with the messenger. Braxton walks oddly, trying to hide the evidence of our flirting a few moments ago. He talks with the messenger who looks awkward next to Braxton who sounds like he¡¯s pissed at the messenger for showing up. The interaction doesn¡¯t last long, but the messenger runs away when Braxton turns toward me. What the hell happened?

    Braxton doesn¡¯t say anything. He just scoops me up like a doll and carries me into the cottage. I got hit with a wave of emotions from Braxton as he forced his way through the door. He slams it shut with his foot before storming toward his bedroom. My body was growing hot again under his touch. My mind wanders toward lust once more and the orc groans as he carries me into the bedroom. This was it. Braxton couldn¡¯t wait another minute¡­ At least, I thought that until he chunked me on the bed and paced the room.

    ¡°I am getting mixed signals here, brute. Give me some context.¡±

    ¡°The Kingdom of Solis is preparing for war against Desfyra, and Queen Amory has called me to serve as a general for her. I have to return to the castle the day after tomorrow for our first war meeting. Silas and Rosewyn will be back by week¡¯s end. Solis¡¯ representative will be here the same day as Silas and Rosewyn. Shit¡¯s hitting the wall all at once, Ema.¡± Braxton was near me as I sat there on the bed, processing his words.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Desfyra is going to war?¡± I wanted to confirm what he said.

    ¡°Yes. I will have to go to war.¡±

    My heart sank. Braxton never wanted to go to war again, but he was just called into service by the queen he chose to serve. He can¡¯t walk away, and I can¡¯t walk away from him. ¡°No. We are going to war together. Our fates are tied together, Braxton. If you go, I go.¡± Braxton looked like he wanted to argue with me, but I hushed him in my thoughts. ¡°I know we can¡¯t get married, brute, but will you complete the bond with me?¡±

    ¡°You know, I will, Ema.¡± He sat next to me and kissed me. ¡°We won¡¯t leave anything undone. Even if the law¡¯s against us, Ema, I will find a way for us to have our happiness. I love you, Ema.¡± Braxton kissed me hard.

    He loved me. I had asked him to call me Ema the night Rory left with Silas because it was a shortened version of my given name. He didn¡¯t seem surprised and called me Ema or Em most of the time now. It might have been a drunken moment, but I am glad I marked my giant orc. ¡°I love you, Braxton,¡± I whispered between kisses.

    ¡°Good. Your mine, Ema,¡± He said, slyly. His hands found their way beneath my clothes.

    ¡°And, you''re mine, brute,¡± I growled back at him. The bond strummed happily between us. My mana was running wildly beneath my skin. We fulfilled the bond¡¯s demand.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The next morning¡­

    ¡°Crap,¡± I muttered as I tried to leave the bed. ¡°Everything hurts.¡± I grabbed a pillow and hit Braxton with it. ¡°This is all your fault you gigantic brute! Why did you have to be so freaking big?¡±

    Braxton started to laugh while getting hit with the pillow. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be so sore if it wasn¡¯t for endless bounds of energy. I think I only slept an hour because of you.¡± He turned around and pulled me into his arms. ¡°Stay in bed for now.¡±

    ¡°But I am hungry,¡± I pouted as I snuggled into him. ¡°Feed me, brute.¡±

    ¡°Okay, in an hour. You need some more rest, Ema.¡± He wasn¡¯t budging from his spot or letting me loose from his hold on me.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Mean, brute. I mind-linked him.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Sleep, woman. He responded.

    Well, that¡¯s new. He can mind link me since we completed the mating bond. I wonder if there are other side effects that I should worry about¡­

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Ema, he warned.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Fine. I will go back to sleep.

 Bloody Autumn

    Silas POV

    ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s change our lives, Silas.¡±

    I was about to respond to her when the ground rumbled beneath us. Red and I stumbled trying to keep our footing. It felt like the world was quaking, but I could sense the magic below the dirt. Only two types of people could harness this type of terran magic, beast folk and dwarves. A thousand questions run through my mind when the ground beneath Red and I cracks open. Red yanks me out of the way as an ax-wielding dwarf pops out of the ground like a daisy.

    ¡°The smell of wet dog is strong here.¡± A female voice purred as she emerged out of the crack where the dwarf had been.

    ¡°I am Prince Silas Haelstone of Desfyra. You are trespassing on private property. I will ask you to leave quietly.¡± I declared, hoping these were just some lost adventurers.

    Two more people climbed out of the hole. One looked like the fairy from the Gleaca Council, and the other was a dark elf that looked familiar to me. The four intruders to our private moment surrounded us. Red stood back to back with me. I felt Red shift getting her hands on her daggers, trying to gauge how dangerous these four were.

    ¡°That elf is the prince of this kingdom.¡± The dark elf man informed the others. He looked at me with disdain. What the hell did I do to him? ¡°He¡¯s to be left alive and as unharmed as possible.¡±

    ¡°So, the girl is the hybrid in question?¡± The fairy asked for confirmation.

    The cheetah beast folk woman who had purred a moment ago answered. ¡°There is no doubt the mutt smell is coming from her.¡±  She moved right in front of Red. ¡°Little mutt, you use magic to hide your magic and disguise your face, but I smell you from a mile away.¡±

    Could she really do that? I could see a wolf or a dragon being able to pick up her scent, but I knew this woman was neither of those, which made her dangerous. Red flexed her muscles, aching for a fight. These people were here for her, and they didn¡¯t want me in the way. The dark elf guy has his black, beady eyes trained on me. I have seen this guy before somewhere. Was it at court or in my travels through Desfyra?

    ¡°Well, what are you lot waitin¡¯ for?¡± The ax-wielding dwarf asked. ¡°Let¡¯s just claim our prize and be on with it. Farah gets antsy when I am away too long.¡±

    ¡°Samuel Galin, you are much too impatient,¡± The fairy lady chastised him. ¡°We have to do this right.¡± She hushed her companions. She walked over to Red and pushed the blonde woman out of the way.  ¡°Rosewyn Sillber, otherwise known as the ¡®Red Lady¡±, I am Grand Fairy Flora of Mauve¡¯s Forest and Gleaca Council Member. I am here to bring you into custody due to your unstable and dangerous nature. Please turn yourself over willingly.¡±

    Red didn¡¯t move. If she went with them, her life was over. What I choose to do here will affect Desfyra politically, but I know my sister wouldn¡¯t stand for this. ¡°Who gave you permission to act in Desfyra? I know the queen would not have tolerated this method of extraction without evidence of your claim.¡±

    ¡°Mylor Anifya granted the council the authority when he sent word that the hybrid had shown up in Desfyra. Prince Halestone, I suggest you stay out of this, or the deal Mylor Anifya made to protect you will be null and void.¡± The dark elf said smoothly. His hand rested on his sword ready for a fight with me.

    ¡°Honestly, Quest Hallows, you may be Mylor¡¯s aide, but you have no authority here.¡± Grand Fairy Flora stated. ¡°It seems Titan Mordue¡¯s daughter, Zuri Mordue, has more tact than you and Samuel.¡±

    Red had already drawn her daggers. She wasn¡¯t going to give up without a fight. ¡°Some have said I am jinxed for all the trouble I find myself in. No, I didn¡¯t get to know my parents like most children should. However, I am not unstable or dangerous as you claim Madam Flora.¡± Her tone was confident. ¡°I only want to live a free life.¡±

    ¡°Because of who you are dear, that¡¯s not an option.¡± Grand Fairy Flora responded.

    ¡°Then prepare to lose this fight, Grand Fairy Flora. Mylor Anifya has no authority on my property.¡± Red didn¡¯t deserve this, and I won¡¯t let them take her.

    Grand Fairy Flora sighed. ¡°Very well, we will just take her by force.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± Red said, putting her hand up. ¡°You can¡¯t get involved. If you fight here, you could bring Desfyra into trouble with the Gleaca Council.¡±

    Now, she wants to discuss my involvement in all this! ¡°Yes, well, I would agree, except you¡¯re my fiance, which makes this my business, Rosewyn.¡± Thank goodness I didn¡¯t say Rory just now. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want anyone to make such sacrifices for you, but this is a concern for Desfyra since you will be my princess. You have responsibilities to the kingdom.¡±

    Red looked at me dumbfounded. She wanted to smile and scold me at the same time. ¡°I-¡±

    Zuri Mordue didn¡¯t give Red a chance to respond. She spun in between us, pushing me back, so she could collide with Red. ¡°You can finish your lover¡¯s spat later, mutt. Your attention should be on me.¡±

    The cheetah beastfolk were faster than any other beast folk on record. Red won¡¯t be getting through this fight with just her speed alone. Zuri unfolded her metal staff and swung at Red. Red blocked it with her daggers and used the momentum to flip over Zuri. With a spinning back kick, Red knocked Zuri over momentarily. Zuri came at her again and the two locked their weapons together as they striked anywhere they could reach. One good punch sent Red flying backward into a maple tree trunk, which snapped upon impact. Orange and yellow leaves flew up behind her from the tree as it fell. Red didn¡¯t look at the broken tree as it thudded to the ground behind her.

    ¡°Well, this will be quite the spectacle, won¡¯t it Samuel?¡± Grand Fairy Flora manipulated the tree into a bench to sit on as she watched Zuri and Red clash.

    Samuel agreed and sat with her. A few steps he had raised from the dirt assisted him onto the bench. ¡°Think Hallows can take the prince?¡±

    Just then, I sensed Quest Hallows appear behind me. He managed to run the edge of his sword on my side as I twirled away from him. That stung. Blood began seeping out, and I began to heal myself a bit.  He didn¡¯t skip a beat as he stabbed at me again. I had no weapon to fend him off, so I would have to rely on my magic and acrobatic skills to get me through this.  Hallows slashed toward me, and I used a wind boost to cart the wheel away.  I lit a few fireballs and tossed them at him to force space between us. Hallows didn¡¯t flinch as he stormed through the fireballs to strike me. I took a slight hit from his sword as I blasted him away with a gust of wind.

    ¡°Too early to tell,¡± Grand Fairy Flora answered Samuel. ¡°The prince has some spunk to him, but Hallows has determination on his side.¡±

    Hallows cut through my wind and flames like butter. He was good, landing blow after blow without hesitation. I guess he broke his word to leave me unharmed. The guy had the nerve to mutter insults under his breath in Elvish. He believes me to be a spoiled prince, undeserving of my title or future as a ruler of Desfyra. None of his words bothered me until Red¡¯s battle called our attention momentarily. Red and Zuri had these crazy grins on their faces like this was the thrill of their life. When Hallow¡¯s attention came back to me, he started muttering slurs about Red. He called her wealth-seeking lady of the night but in a rude slur instead of my soft rephrasing.

    His words made my blood boil. I threw fireballs at him relentlessly.  I used the wind to help me dodge his slashes. This guy needed a lesson on cleaning his mouth out from all the profanity dripping out of his mouth. I let him get close only to lull him into a false sense of security. It took a moment to reach out and force this guy into the dirt. His wrist went behind his back while I kicked the fool in his knee. Hallows fell within seconds. I relieved him of his sword and pulled his cuffs off his belt. Clapping the cuffs on his wrists, Hallows spat and swore at me. I tore a piece of cloth from his sweaty tunic and shoved it into his mouth.

    ¡°You need to wash your mouth out, scum. I don¡¯t need a title to know that I am the better gentleman in this duel. You are nothing but a suck-up.¡± I scolded him.

    ¡°The prince came out victorious, Flora,¡± Samuel sounded amused.

    Flora looked over and laughed. ¡°That¡¯s delightful. These women have turned the clash into a wrestling match. I think the redhead is about to defeat the cheetah.¡±

    Red and Zuri were rolling around in the dirt. Zuri looked pleased to be covered in a layer of mud. This match could go on for a long time if Red didn''t find a way to subdue Zuri. Red had bite marks and scratches along her exposed skin. Her tunic was torn and barely covered her chest anymore. Was it the claws that ripped up Zuri and Red¡¯s tunics? Their weapons had been tossed away in favor of hand-to-hand combat.

    ¡°I could kill you, mutt. A snap to your neck and you¡¯re dead.¡± Zuri boasted from her spot of power, pinning Red down. "You''re weak, mutt, so it will be a bloody autumn."

    Red knocked Zuri off and huffed. ¡°A snap you can¡¯t make, cat.¡± I am surprised Red hadn¡¯t broken out any magic at this point. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, but my strength to win.¡±

    Red launched herself at Zuri. She forced Zuri into an elbow headlock. Zuri tries to claw her way out. Her claws ripped out chunks of skin from Red¡¯s arm, causing Red to bleed. My instincts wanted to jump in and pull Zuri away from Red, but I knew this wasn¡¯t my fight. Red could have finished this a long time ago, but she was trying to hide her hybrid status. Zuri eventually passed out from the headlock, making Red the winner. Red sank to the ground trying to catch her breath.

    ¡°That was quite entertaining, Ms. Rosewyn.¡± Grand Fairy Flora clapped for her. ¡°In honor of your victory against Zuri, I will seek an audience with Queen Amory before taking custody of you. You have earned my respect for the moment.¡± Samuel just nodded along as he collected Zuri and Hallows. ¡°Be ready for a fight, Ms. Rosewyn. I am stronger than the dragon you once faced, so don¡¯t hold back.¡± Samuel hopped into his hole with his comrades, and Grand Fairy Flora followed him.

    I didn¡¯t wait for Red to move as I pulled her into my arms. No words were spoken until we reached the lodge. My magic was at work healing both of us. Red just rested her head against my chest. I carried her to my room. We need to be close for my magic to heal us both before we attempt to return to the castle.

    I looked down at my fiance and a goofy grin spread over my face. ¡°What season then?¡±

    ¡°Season? What do you mean?¡± She asked. Her expression was pure confusion since I had given her no context to my question.

    We were lying on my bed and I looked down at her. Her red hair was messy from the fight and she had smudges of mud across her face, but damn, she looked good to me. Part of me wished this wasn''t a fake engagement. ¡°I need to know what season I should plan our fake wedding. So what season is your favorite?¡±

    She looked at me dumbfounded. It took her a minute to process what I had said. She blinked three times before mumbling incoherently about the different seasons. ¡°Does it snow here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Does that mean she likes winter best?

    She giggled. ¡°Well, we better get it done before the snow falls.¡±

    Before the snow falls? ¡°You want to get married now?¡±

    ¡°Autumn is my favorite season.¡± She grinned. ¡°The sooner, the better. It¡¯ll be a  fake marriage that will be the talk of all of Desfyra.¡± She got up and started heading toward the bathroom to freshen up.  ¡°Come on, Si. We need to rest. It won¡¯t be long until we have to face the world again.¡±

 Reality

    Rory POV

    We arrived back at the castle later than planned. Silas was far more excited to tell the world of our fake news than I was. Since we walked through those damn giant doors, I have been having second thoughts. At the lodge, we were alone like kids playing house. It was like I was a wife who let her man come up with the solutions to her problems, but I am not sure if that is what I want to pretend to be. It felt right to yes at that moment. My scatterbrain had my thoughts going a thousand ways when Silas knocked on my door.

    ¡°Red,¡± Silas greeted me with a smile. His stupid elf charms made my mind glitch. ¡°You look beautiful.¡± His eyes stopped at the high slit of my floor-length, deep green dress. The dress flowed just right to hide my daggers. One thing I know about Silas is he will never notice a hidden weapon. He only seems to notice the pretty dress. If only I were a book then I might feel he knows me. It¡¯s just a show¡­

    ¡°Silas!¡± Braxton ran into the door Silas left open and picked him up. The giant lug swung him around like a doll. This guy is built like a brick wall, but his love can be overwhelming at times.

    ¡°Easy, brute,¡± Emera commanded as she broke away from her hug with Red. ¡°These guys have a hard evening ahead of them already.¡±

    I frowned at Emera¡¯s warning. Did that fairy meet with the queen already? ¡°Why? What happened?¡± Braxton put Silas down from his bear hug, and that¡¯s when I noticed he was in his official military uniform like the other Desfyra Military Officers I have met. Damn it. Shit¡¯s going down before I had a chance to sink back into reality.

    Braxton rubbed the back of his neck, nervously. ¡°The representative from Solis arrived a day early. And, you should know, Queen Amory called a war meeting yesterday. Mylor Anfiya will be joining us as well for dinner with some special guests of his own.¡±

    ¡°Well, things got worse than Amory had let on in her letters.¡± Silas sighed.

    I knew the politics part was coming. For most of the people in this castle, I am nothing, but a pawn they want to use in their games. Solis proved that with their ridiculous warrant for my arrest. Queen Amory wants me to make her brother happy and provide an heir to her throne. Then, there¡¯s the council. They want to lock me in a cage and throw away the key. My marriage to Silas will force two of these groups to back down, but Queen Amory will get what she wants. I don¡¯t have an answer for that yet, but I know how to survive this dinner with my head intact.

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    ¡°It will be the perfect chance to invite them to our wedding, Si. Don¡¯t sweat it. We got this.¡± Holding his hand, I kissed the back of his hand, causing him to smile. Keep the story alive, Rory. Don¡¯t let Silas down.

    ¡°Wedding!¡± Braxton and Emera shouted, shocked. Yeah, I should have expected.

    Before we could answer, Queen Amory walked through my door. The room suddenly felt very small for all of us in here. ¡°What¡¯s this about a wedding?¡±

    ¡°Come now, sister. It was your idea after all.¡± Silas said sarcastically.

    Well, that wasn¡¯t a confidence booster. Is Silas marrying me because of his sister¡¯s wishes? Or, maybe I am really a placeholder to keep the queen¡¯s court from shoving more women down his throat. This whole thing feels like it¡¯s happening too fast. Ema keeps looking at me as if she¡¯s trying to read my mind. I am not sure I know what I want right now.

    Queen Amory wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes as she hip-bumped Silas out of the way and took my hand in hers excitedly. ¡°Now, what wedding?¡±

    Put on a smile, self. ¡°The autumn wedding you have secretly been planning for a month since I arrived.¡± I answered. Amory had been planning a wedding in case Silas or I agreed to this marriage bit. ¡°Silas asked me while we were away doing research.¡±

    ¡°Yeeeeeee! Yes, yes, yes!¡± Queen Amory started doing a victory dance.

    Emera ran and knocked me over into a giant hug. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Em, I haven¡¯t had a chance. Silas and I have been working to recreate Bishop¡¯s research to plead my case against the council. He kissed me once before the trip, but we had fun outside of running experiments.¡± I gave her a serious look. ¡°It all happened while we were away, and I promise to hash it out with you after dinner.¡±

    She gave me a nod and forced a happy expression. ¡°So, an autumn wedding?¡± Emera said in her bubbly voice.

    ¡°Yes! Everything''s coming together perfectly! Here put this on,¡± Queen Amory handed Silas a silver banded ring with Elvish scrolled along it. There was a crescent-shaped diamond in the middle that reminded me of the moon. ¡°It was our mom¡¯s. She¡¯d want you to have it.¡±

    He got up and placed the ring on my finger as a sign of our engagement. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, Amory.¡±

    ¡°You bet it is. Your wedding will be the catalyst for everything. It¡¯s about to save the ¡®Red Lady¡¯s¡¯ life at dinner. We can celebrate later.¡± Queen Amory was full of energy today. She¡¯s always ten steps ahead of everyone even when they do something unexpected. She knows marrying Silas will give me freedom from being hunted. Silas and I need to have a conversation about all of this. Reality is a freaking pain in the ass.

 Worse than a Saber Bear

    Rory POV

    The evening did not get better. They warned me I was in for a fight, but this wasn¡¯t my kind of fight. We entered the banquet hall where there was a ridiculously long table with fancy gold place settings, and fifty butlers in fancy suits surrounded the table to seat each guest. Gold embellishments decorated the whole room. This was my first time having dinner with Queen Amory. I usually ate dinner at a tavern in the city or took a tray in my room. A butler with a beard on his belly tried to seat Silas and me in different areas of the table. Queen Amory watched the confusion on my face and took my arm to lead me to the seat next to her. Silas sat on my other side, boxing me in. I felt trapped.

    The other guests filed into the room once we were seated. There was a male and female human pair from Solis named Piggy and Bella Zarranos. Mylor Anifya entered with his guests, Samuel Galin and Grand Fairy Flora. General Ceres, Milow, and Grand Duke Hylon Kurts rounded out the end of the table. All their eyes would glance toward me and sneer. Ema and Braxton were right across from me, which made me feel a little better. I think I would rather be trapped in ice with Athyra than at this dinner. I bumbled my way through the ceremonious bits of starting dinner. We were halfway through the fourth course of food when the drama started.

    ¡°Queen Amory, who is your delightful friend next to you?¡± Grand Duke Hylon Kurts asked politely.

    ¡°Ah, you have noticed her among such a diverse dining party, did you?¡± Queen Amory flashed her signature royal smile. The game was on. All attention was put on me. My cheeks might be as red as my hair right now. ¡°This dear woman is Rosewyn Sillber. You might have heard her as the ¡®Red Lady¡¯, the Rescuer of N¡¯ila. She is to be my sister-in-law.¡±

    And, there it was. My engagement to Silas was out there like a giant in a mouse¡¯s house. The looks and shock were enough to make me feel suffocated, but I swallowed that feeling. I smiled with fake confidence as Silas took my hand in solidarity. This was a political move for my benefit. I just had to focus on the gains of this choice instead. My engagement will open doors for the future.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Bella Zarranos shouted over the rest. ¡°You spent all day beguiling me with talks of peace, knowing the key to avoiding war is marrying your brother.¡±

    War? Solis was truly willing to go to war over not capturing me. It was worse than the queen¡¯s letter had said. If Silas hadn¡¯t asked me to marry him, I am positive the queen would have made us pretend to be engaged anyway unless she had considered turning me over until Silas now. I walked away from White Rapids to protect my family. Ema and I have crossed mountains to escape danger, but nothing compares to the danger I face at this moment.

    ¡°I assure you, Ambassador Zarranos, I was honest in our discussions today. I want peace between our kingdoms, however, my brother has asked this woman to be his wife. My race¡¯s struggle with fertility is well known throughout Gleaca. I am barren as well as many other elves across Desfyra. Ms. Rosewyn is the only candidate so far to be capable of producing an heir to the throne with my brother.¡± Queen Amory took a breath. ¡°Surely, Solis will not rip the future of Desfyra away over the deaths of illegal slavers when she rescued the innocent people of N¡¯ila. Right, Ambassador Zarranos?¡±

    The ambassador shrieked and threw her plate of mashed berry custard straight at me. ¡°You little tramp, climbing your way into the innocent prince¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Bella!¡± Mylor Anifya spoke out. ¡°You had no claim to the Red Lady anyway. She¡¯s to be taken into the Gleaca Council¡¯s custody.¡± He spat. ¡°She¡¯s the rumored hybrid. I am certain of it.¡±

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    Everyone gasped at Mylor¡¯s accusations. Act shocked, Rory. I tried to be aghast, but a laugh spilled out of my mouth. If anyone wasn¡¯t looking at me before, they were now. I suppose it would sound crazy to most, but it is my truth. This stupid game of who gets to hold my leash was no longer tolerable. Silas, Braxton, and Ema waited for me to speak. They knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand this. I would venture to say they were giving me encouraging looks.

    I stopped laughing and stood up. ¡°What a sign of disrespect. All of you are fighting over my life like I belong to you. When, in truth, I have committed no crime to warrant your desire to cage me. I exist because my parents fell in love, Mr. Anifya, and that doesn¡¯t make me dangerous. Ambassador, I rescued the wrongly enslaved people of N¡¯ila at Silas¡¯ request. Any who died or were hurt chosen to get involved in an illegal capture of innocent people. And, Queen Amory, though I appreciate your attempt to protect me. I am not a person you can control. I am a free person. A life that deserves a chance to flourish without threat of capture or death.¡± I pushed in my chair while everyone began to argue. ¡°I will be taking my leave, Queen Amory.¡±

    ¡°The hell you will!¡± Ambassador Zarranos charged toward me, but Braxton forced her back.

    Ema and Silas stood next to me like guards. Braxton bucked up to the ambassador. ¡°We are all taking our leave.¡± He growled.

    Guards flooded the doors blocking the four of us from exiting. ¡°I hoped you were smarter than this, Rosewyn. All you had to do was stay quiet,¡± The queen stood from her seat, making everyone else in the room stand automatically. ¡°Now, you all have forced my hand.¡± She walked over to the wall where there were swords displayed. She grabbed an elegant-looking short sword and turned back to us. ¡°We will settle this. Here and now. My dear guests, if you wish to have some control over this girl then you too must participate in this battle royal. Whoever wins against the other opponents will decide Rosewyn¡¯s fate. If she wins, she decides her fate. Fair?¡± The rest of them grumbled about how to settle things, but the queen¡¯s solution won out.

    My life was seriously hanging in the balance as we all moved to an outside arena. We were still in our fancy clothes when Queen Amory bid everyone to select a weapon from the wall around us. The battle royal would feature the ambassador and her husband hoping to take me back to Solis. Samuel Galin and Mylor Anifya are trying to arrest me for being a hybrid, so I face the council. Queen Amory and General Ceres for forcing me into service to the crown and providing an heir with Silas. Lastly, Ema and I were fighting for my right to decide my fate. I made Braxton and Silas sit this one out. Ema and I started the journey together, and I intend to continue it together. I wonder if I will still be engaged to Silas after tonight. Do I even want to be? Nothing is certain at this moment.

    Ema stood next to me with a bow and quiver of arrows. I pulled my daggers out from under my dress. There were a few comments on how unladylike I was for concealing weapons like that. If I wasn¡¯t in the fight of my life right now I might have laughed at the comments. I am an adventurer fighting for my life just like my parents before me. Given the level of these competitors, I won¡¯t be able to relax a bit. They all think I am a hybrid right now anyway, so why don¡¯t I show them what a hybrid is really like?

    ¡°Ro, don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Ema chastised me.

    ¡°This coming from the girl who thrived on chaos,¡± I snickered.

    She rolled her eyes, but I saw the faint smile on her lips. ¡°They can¡¯t be any worse than the saber bear, right?¡±

    ¡°Saber bears? No, I think they might be worse. Think more Athyra level.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Dragons? Ugh, fine. I can take them.¡± She shook out her nervous energy while doing a handstand.

    ¡°No dying though, okay?¡± I gave her a serious glare.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it. Just win, Ro. Tap into your crazy mana and beat their asses.¡± Ema sounded sassy as she bounced out of her handstand. ¡°Just no frenzy mode. They¡¯ll be dead if you do.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Nothing more than my base form, I promise.¡± I gave her my best smile.

    ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Ema linked arms with me as we stood toe to toe with our opponents.

    Grand Duke Hylon Kurts became the referee since he had no stake in my future. He thought this whole battle royale thing was ridiculous. ¡°You are competing in teams of two for custody of one, Rosewyn Sillber. When both members of your team are no longer able to compete, you will admit defeat and return to your rooms. No killing will be permitted in this competition. Knockouts are permitted. Are the combatants ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± we all voiced.

    ¡°Then, begin!¡± He called.

    The fight for my freedom has begun.

 Battle Royale

    Rory POV

    Either Mylor Anifya had a death wish or he wanted me dead. It didn¡¯t matter that the Duke said killing was not allowed. Mylor was coming at me hard. He had a mace of all things that swung at me endlessly. The guy had started one of those wicked laughs as he swung his spikey death ball at me. Emera used her bow as a blunt weapon against Samuel. The dwarf guy was strong and shook the ground when his ax slammed into the dirt. Somewhere, the queen and the general were squaring off with the ambassador people. After today, I can see why Myrra and Elias never wanted us to become S-rank adventurers. I would have become a pawn for these people forever.

    Mylor was good. Almost better than Uncle Axel, but I am faster. Only a bit faster, but fast enough to get out of the way of his mace. He kept trying to box me in against the wall, but I tumbled out of the way before he could get a clean hit. Mylor glowed a gold color for a moment, activating his magic. He must have enhanced his speed because he started matching mine. The last swing of his spikey ball ripped a chunk of my hair away. Shit. I need to switch tactics.

    ¡°Your speed won¡¯t save you,¡± Mylor taunted. ¡°I will have you locked away before midnight.¡±

    This guy is a boasting nut case. He thinks I will give in that easily? Hell, no. I did a quick spin and ducked down sliding right past his legs. Taking the opportunity, I cut into his fancy pants to stab his leg momentarily. Blood spurted out from his calf. He muttered a slur before activating his healing magic. I seized the moment and doubled back to get another swipe at him. Going high, I tricked him into blocking and had my other dagger slam into his gut. He blurted out another slur and started shooting ice magic to lock me in place.

    My foot was caught in the ice, holding me in place. Mana stirred beneath my skin sensing the danger around me. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to lose control here. In fact, I am done letting my magic control me at all. Stomping my free foot toward the ground, I summoned my magic into the dirt. With a wave of my hand, I knocked Mylor to the ground with a sudden spike of dirt, rising from the ground. Mylor used the momentum to toss his mace at me, and it collided with my arm. It tore my skin off and blood dripped down my upper arm.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± I sighed as a purple glow went to heal the injury. The pain was intense, but I have experienced worse.

    Mylor was back up and running toward his mace, which landed in the wall behind me. Using my magic in the ground, I broke the ice. My foot was numb and cold, slowing me down. I have to remember that I can¡¯t kill this guy. He¡¯s smart and tries to throw ice at the ground to force me to fall as I try to put space between us. Athyra¡¯s ice was scarier than his lame ice magic.

    One good hit is all I need to make this guy knock out. Mylor can match my speed. He can be strategic with his magic, but I am sneakier than this guy knows. My advantage was the dusty ground of this arena. Terran magic was about to save my ass from this guy and his death wish for me. It took a few minutes to let my magic build in the ground as I barely missed his attacks. He scored another chunk of my hair and a cut on my shoulder that sliced through the right strap of my dress. When my magic built up enough I forced a hunk of the ground into the air and dropped it right next to Mylor. He panicked. I took the opportunity to tackle him and hold my blade to his throat until the duke finally noticed us. The duke declared Mylor a loser and guards dragged him out of the arena as he argued against the duke.

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    ¡°Mylor Anifya has been eliminated,¡± Duke Hylon Kurts announced. ¡°General Ceres and Ambassador Zarranos have also been eliminated.¡±

    Three down and three to go. Samuel Galin was chuckling in his face off with Ema. He had arrows sticking out of his armor from Ema. Poor Ema was huffing hard, trying to fend off against the man¡¯s ax. The ground shook as Ema forced the dwarf¡¯s weapon away from her. Queen Amory and the ambassador¡¯s husband had been watching Ema and Samuel as well. The moment they realized I was free; they sprung into action. Queen Amory dashed at me with her sword while Mr. Zarranos charged toward me with chains¡­ Crap.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rest for the wicked, Red Lady,¡± Mr. Zarranos smiles creepily. Queen Amory forces me to duck from her slash while Mr. Zarranos¡¯ chain is wrapped around my ankle. ¡°This dinner has become fun, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°No, I would not agree,¡± I growled. Utilizing my dagger, I freed my ankle from the chain whip the weird guy used.

    Queen Amory asserted her way between us. Her sword clinged against my dagger and she forced me backward with her strength. ¡°I thought you were enjoying yourself more, Piggy. If I had known you liked combat this much, I would have set up a mock battle during your last visit.¡±

    How often has she hosted these guys from Solis? Often enough that the two of them were bantering with each other. I took a moment to rest. My foot finally felt normal after the ice trap. Smaller cuts had healed already from my magic. My arm stung, but the blood had clotted from the healing skill that Silas had taught me. The strap of my dress was falling further down, nearly showing off my undergarments. The bottom of my dress was torn away when I was dueling Mylor. My poor hair was ruined by the mace and Mylor. I looked like a wreck.

    ¡°Queen Amory, quit playing around and finish this!¡± Milow called from the stands. He was the only spectator besides Grand Fairy Flora, Silas, and Braxton.

    Queen Amory groaned as if Milow had sucked the fun out of this brawl. The expression on her face turned serious as she challenged Mr. Zarranos. His chain manipulation was on another level. In less than ten moves, Mr. Zarranos had Queen Amory wrapped in a chain unable to break free. Her strength failed her against Mr. Zarranos'' skills with the chain whips. I might be in more trouble than before as the Duke declares the queen eliminated.

    Mr. Zarranos approached me again with his creepy grin. ¡°Just you and me, tramp.¡±

    What sick things were going through this guy''s mind right now? I felt myself become flush as he squared off with me. This guy was off in a way, unlike any other person I had ever met. He was wicked in the worst ways, or at least it feels that way. The thing that bothered me most was this guy had no scent to him. I should have smelled his sweat at least since the brawl started. The guy looked sweaty, but I couldn¡¯t scent anything. Whatever was off with this guy was throwing me off.

    ¡°Get ready to spend your life in chains,¡± Mr. Zarranos teased.

    Yep. I just might be screwed.

 Ax me later, Galin

    Emalynn POV

    I question how I get myself into these situations. Braxton had warned me that dinner was going to turn into a damn showdown. I just didn¡¯t think he meant it literally. Things have been busy since Silas sent us a secret letter a few days ago. Silas had a suspicious feeling that our time here in Desfyra was coming to an end. The queen had been acting weird this week with her war meetings and constant special guests coming and going. I wanted to tell Rory about it, but the guys didn¡¯t want to spook her.

    Braxton and I have been running about buying and preparing a ship in case we need to leave in a hurry. Thank goodness, Silas was a damn prince because we were using his funds to buy a seaworthy vessel. Braxton had hired a few sailors to man the ship, but the biggest surprise was the two crew members I picked up. In my spare time, I visit the N¡¯ila refugees who aren¡¯t able to return home for one reason or another. Lyle and Estra, two orphaned teenagers from N''ila, volunteered to serve the Red Lady who saved them.

    ¡°You seem distracted, little monkey. Would you like to admit defeat before we begin?¡± The white-bearded dwarf asked me. His axe rested on his shoulder just like Myrra when she was waiting to spar.

    ¡°Yeah, right, old man,¡± I gave him my best fake smile. ¡°I am going to surprise you with my skills.¡±

    Next thing I know, the dwarf guy comes at me swinging at a speed I can barely process. I am having to use the damn bow as a shield to keep him from injuring me. I try to use my tiny size to my advantage as I flip and summersalt about the arena. The dwarf guy wasn¡¯t impressed with my acrobatics and yanked on my tail. I fell to the ground and slashed down at me. In a split second, I toss an arrow like a spear into his knee, causing him to lose balance a bit. The ax lands inches from my face, but I don¡¯t wait. Any hesitation means defeat or death in this world. I spring onto the guy¡¯s shoulders and get my bow under his chin. I have him stuck in a sort of headlock until he throws himself back into the wall.

    My head collides with the cement arena wall, and it feels like my skull has cracked. With blurred vision, I am barely hanging on to my bow while on the dwarf¡¯s shoulders. I know the guy¡¯s saying something to me, but I can¡¯t hear him over the pounding in my head. A wild idea floats into my mind, and I tug on the bow hard nearly breaking the guy¡¯s neck. He grabs me with his strong, old hands and frees me from his shoulders. He tosses me across the arena. I can taste bitter blood filling my mouth, but I am not done yet. My vision is still out of focus as I manage to fire off a few arrows toward the dwarf.

    I hear him groan, signaling that I got a clean hit on him. ¡°Annoying little ape. You are spunky, but I am battle-hardened.¡± He slams the ax into the ground and a wave rolls through the ground to knock me off my feet. Another wave hits, knocking me into the wall again.

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    ¡°Damn dwarf magic,¡± I spat as blood dripped from my teeth. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rory has conquered the elf brat, Mylor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look away, monkey,¡± The dwarf guy taunts as he whacks me with his ax, sending me flying.

    Another collision with the damn cement wall. I know my body won''t stand much more of this. Three times I have been slammed into this arena¡¯s walls. A fourth time may knock me out entirely. My whole body aches, and I know a few of my bones are broken. Tomorrow, I will be a slew of different colors from all the bruises this dwarf guy is giving me. Still, I can¡¯t stop. Rory¡¯s freedom is on the line here. I stumble to my feet once more.

    Are you sure you can keep going? Braxton¡¯s thoughts invade my mind.

    Why? Are you doubting me, brute? I fired back at him as I met the dwarf charging at me with my bow.

    Never, but you''re facing the legendary hero, Samuel Galin, from the dwarven kingdom. Braxton answers, but his words aren¡¯t helping me.

    And, I am the Little Archer who faced the frost dragon. What¡¯s your point? I challenged him as I studied the dwarf, looking for an opening.

    Don¡¯t die, Emera. His voice is almost pleading for me to stop. I feel the weight of the bond calling me to answer his pleas.

    If I can take you in battle Braxton, I can win against this guy. Have faith in me, brute. I block out his words and focus on my opponent once more.

    This guy, Galin, is past his prime, but he doesn¡¯t show it in the way he moves. I have some broken bones from colliding with that damn arena wall, but this guy has to be hurting too. Galin swings his ax into the ground again to throw another seismic dirt wave my way.  I wait until the very last moment and use the energy of the wave to spring me into the air. Holding heavy weapons will make ax-wielders have back issues in their old age. While airborne, I decided to launch arrows straight toward grandpa dwarf¡¯s back. None of my arrows make a solid hit, but Galin is strained like he pulled a muscle while dodging. ¡°Gotcha,¡± I smile.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing, kid,¡± Galin retorts. ¡°I thought you were going to show me a good time?¡± He charges me with his ax again, and I force my bow between us once more.

    To my left, I hear Rory groan in pain. One quick glance, and I see her being barraged in whip attacks from flaming chain whips. Shit. I am running out of time to help her. I dive to the right, causing Galin to fall forward. Using Galin¡¯s discarded ax like a post, I swing around it and launch my feet directly into his back. The dwarf beneath me croaks in pain. I exploited his age and weakness all in one move. The Duke guy walks over and calls Galin¡¯s elimination. I hear the fairy lady wanting to argue with the duke in the background, but I don¡¯t pay attention.

    Helping up the old dwarf, I hear Rory struggling again. Galin mentions we should spar again sometime. I give a slight grin. ¡°Ax me later, Galin. I got a friend who needs her ass rescued.¡±

    Galin nods back. ¡°Watch that one little monkey. He isn¡¯t what appears to be.¡± Guards come and escort him back to his room.

    I turn back toward Rory and enter the fray again with a barrage of arrows to throw the other guy off. I can sense what Galin meant about this guy when he looked at me. There¡¯s something seriously off about him. This guy might be a monster in disguise.

 Wicked

    Rory POV

    Zarranos doesn¡¯t wait. He slinks his chains around my ankles and pulls me along the rough ground of the arena. The queen had just been removed from the damn arena when he charged in. I feel ashamed for letting this guy get the better of me, but his presence makes it hard to concentrate. I use my daggers to loosen the chain¡¯s hold on me long enough to wiggle out. Zarranos doesn¡¯t stop. He whips the chains around with skills and snaps at me. He is in control of the pace of this fight, and he wants me to know it.

    The ends of his chains come around and slap my backside before I finish dodging the last attack. My formal green dress is drenched in sweat and turning into scraps of cloth along the arena floor. If I wasn¡¯t in the heat of the battle for my life, I might care about how much of my skin is exposed right now. There¡¯s no time to worry about my chest springing free from the confines of the dress or the shoes I lost some time ago. The formal event ended the moment these whackjobs thought they could control my life without a fight.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted, little tramp,¡± Zarranos sang to me with a goofy grin.

    ¡°And, you are impatient,¡± I growl.

    He was amused by my little growl. Zarranos catches my wrist with his chain. ¡°I sense one magic item here and another around your neck.¡± He yanked me forward, so I fell at his feet. ¡°I might just take those from you.¡±

    Pushing myself up, I hit the hilt of my blade right under his chin. Zarranos stumbled a few steps before spitting out a bit of blood. For a second, he seemed pleased with the blood on the arena floor. He baits me again with more ugly words. His insults will not affect me. Not here.  Hell, I barely process the fact he commented on my magic items. He¡¯s capable of magic if he can sense my magic items. As if he reads my mind, this guy unleashes flames on his damn chain whips. Should this shit be illegal in this battle royale?

    I try to dodge his flames, but this guy forces me into defensive mode. Taking hit after hit against my black steel blades, the chains leave burn marks up and down my arms. The pain builds up and small cries and groans escape my lips¡ªstupid flames. I feel a charge building inside me from the boiling rage. Speed won¡¯t win here. I decided to fight fire with fire, allowing the chains to wrap around my arms. Letting the charge inside burst out, lightning sparks out along the chains and shocks Zarranos. His chains fall loose off my arms while he endures the electricity.

    His smile deepens. The surprise lightning didn¡¯t phase him. I could see small burns from the lightning, but this guy didn¡¯t show any weakness. Was he happy to see what else I could do? Maybe, he¡¯s sizing me up like a horse before it''s purchased. Zarranos did say he wanted to see me in chains. This must be like an exhibition to him where he gets to test out the merchandise. No wonder he came from Solis. The more people I meet from there, the more I wish my fake identity didn¡¯t list me from there.

    ¡°Thinking about your future in chains, tramp?¡± Zarranos called. ¡°Imagine all the duties you will perform as a slave. I wonder what you look like under that little glamor charm.¡±

    A shiver ran down my spine. This guy meant every word dripping out of his mouth like drool. He wanted to put me in my place. How did a guy like this end up as the ambassador¡¯s husband? Shouldn¡¯t a diplomat have some respect and decorum? This guy needs a new job or his wife does.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Clink, clank. My dagger met his chains. Fire burns my skin. My mana runs wild beneath my skin. I feel my ring almost calling on me to tap into my other powers. It wants me to shift and release the rage. A rage that I have carried with me since my parents died. The rage created by how unfair my life was. I lost my parents because they had me against the law. I left the guild because someone saw my unstable abilities. I can¡¯t have a normal life because some council decided I am not normal. A roaring rage rolls through me while I try to get close to Zarranos and land another hit on him.

    An arrow comes flying past me at Zarranos¡¯ eye. He smacks it away with the chain like a little fly. He searches for the archer, but I know exactly who hit him. Ema¡¯s running about trying to send arrows faster than Zarranos can respond to them. Weapons are flying through the air as I realize I am standing between them. The chains begin kicking up dust from the arena, making it harder to see when I feel a fat arrow take out part of my right ear. Now, I know Ema¡¯s running low on energy. Her aid won¡¯t last long in this fight, so I take my chance and give into the ring¡¯s call.

    Fuzzy ears, fluffy tails, and sharpened teeth settle into place as I allow myself to be in my natural state. I feel the blood dripping into my red hair from Ema¡¯s wayward arrow. I need to finish this. Springing into action, my faster speed creates opportunities for me to cut into this guy with my blades. A chunk off his arm cuts down his back, and a stab in the upper left thigh makes my rage temper a bit. The dust settles, and two realizations hit me hard. One, all those present can see that I am a hybrid shifter. Two, Zarranos has managed to make Ema all to the ground, out of breath after burning away all her clothes. I am at her side instantly. I thank her for everything, and the Duke announces her elimination. Braxton collects her from the arena instead of the guards and wraps her in his cloak.

    Wicked. This jerk of a man can barely be called a man. I swear he has no humanity in him. The way he¡¯s grinning every time I groan in pain is sickening. Does this guy get off on causing pain? No. Nope. I am not going down that rabbit hole, trying to understand this guy. He¡¯s unafraid of consequence or damage although the Duke guy has called him out a few times. He wants to burn through every obstacle to get what he wants. I won¡¯t let him.

    More cuts, more burns. More clinking, more clanking. There¡¯s no end. My increased speed allows me to hit him, but he hasn¡¯t slowed or stopped from pain or injury. My sweat drips off me like a damn shower while he doesn¡¯t seem to mind his increased perspiration. Zarranos still has no smell. I can¡¯t understand how this guy could be a freaking human! I feel it in my bones that this man isn¡¯t normal at all.

    ¡°You look puzzled, mutt.¡± He taunts. ¡°You¡¯re making my job easier by the minute.¡±

    Suddenly, the chase around the arena ends with the flaming chain wrapped around my body and scorching my skin. It feels worse than those damn fireballs. I keep myself upright and pour my mana into the ground as Zarranos approaches me. With each step closer, my power builds. When he¡¯s only an arm¡¯s length away, my dirt tower ascends to the sky, launching him into the air. Zarranos drops the chains, and they fall loose off my body. I don¡¯t have time to assess my wounds as I run up the dirt mound and catch Zarranos¡¯ arms in my hands.

    My feet are firmly on his back as I pull his arms back, allowing him to go head-first into my dirt tower. We slide down the tower like a hill, and he flails about in pain. At the bottom, we end up right in front of the Duke Kurts. Duke Kurts checks to ensure that I haven¡¯t killed the opponent underneath me. It takes a second, but Duke Kurts starts to announce Zarranos¡¯ elimination when the guy throws me backward and stands up.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Zarranos chuckles. ¡°I won¡¯t fall that easy.¡±

    ¡°Except, you did, Piggy Zarranos. For a moment, you weren¡¯t able to continue, and Ms. Rosewyn won the battle royale. Right, Duke Kurts?¡± Grand Fairy Flora intervenes by flying right in front of Zarranos.

    ¡°Yes. Mr. Zarranos, you have been eliminated.¡± Duke Kurts confirms.

    ¡°No! I got up. We aren¡¯t done here.¡± Zarranos argues back as he charges towards me.

    Grand Fairy Flora douses him with a stream of water, knocking him to the floor. ¡°I say we are. Rosewyn has earned her fate free of our involvement. I will hear nothing further from Solis about her capture. Is that clear, Piggy?¡±

    ¡°This won¡¯t be the last of anything, old bug,¡± Zarranos spits as claws his way toward me. All those near us try to hold him back as he manages to grab my crescent pendant off my neck. The moon pendant falls to the ground. He breaks free of those who were holding him and towers over me. ¡°You can''t hide now, mutt.¡±

 Flames

    Rory POV

    My transformation comes undone. Two inches recede as my spine shrinks back down to size. My red hair fades to black. The freckles clear and the scars evaporate into nothing. The blue in my eyes darkens just like my tanning skin. Pain was all I felt with my eyes squeezed shut until a new pain formed from Zarranos¡¯ hit into my gut. All the control that I had over my powers broke. If this guy wanted a fight, he got his wish.

    Sparks snap around my body and small tremors shake the ground at my feet. All the torches lighting up the arena go dark like the sky above. The ring on my finger glows red with the mana running through my veins. I was already in my base form, so no transformation was needed. Zarranos¡¯ whole body lit up with flames. I was powered up like a firecracker. My whole mind was present for this fight.

    ¡°Get out of here,¡± I warn everyone around us, and they scatter out of the arena. Grand Fairy Flora stayed, but she watched from the safety of the skies.

    Zarranos and I clash. Our hands connected as we tried to force the other person back. Lightning blasts out from my palms as small fireballs rain down on me. The pain is there, growing with each blow, but I let the feeling fade into numbness. This guy thinks he can own me, and I will die before he has control over me.

    Spikes of dirt shoot up from the ground, separating the two of us. My mana was pulsing through the arena as I continued to send spikes after Zarranos. Lightning strikes from my body caging him in. Zarranos bursts in flames like rays of light, destroying my cage. My spikes fly across the arena into the stands where the audience would sit. The relentless guy responds with a flaming tornado my way, which I break up with a dirt tower. Flames rain down over the arena, catching the place on fire. A bright blaze for the whole city to see in the depths of the night.

    We clash again. Punching, kicking, dodging, slapping. Over and over again. My fangs sharpen from the thrill of the fight. When Zarranos comes in close to punch, I duck and bite into his side. I pull apart his flesh until nearly rips my ears off with blazing hands. He¡¯s bleeding immensely. That doesn¡¯t stop him. He comes at me again and again. My theory is this guy can¡¯t feel pain and welcomes death. The arena is crumbling around from his flames and my giant spikes. This whole fight brings nothing but destruction. My only chance is a headshot to kill or knock him out.

    I try to smack him with a spike, a rock, and debris from the arena. This guy just keeps going at me. Most of my ribs are bruised or fractured from his constant efforts to hit me. My cheekbones are bleeding and blistered from his blazing knuckles. Only my light-armored undergarments remain. The dress is nothing but ash. Burns litter my body from his magic. My body won¡¯t take much more. I slam the guy into the ground. His head hits a rock, but he jabs me in the side. I have to force myself not to react to the pain. My terrain magic launches us into the air, and the fight for dominance begins. Whoever hit the ground won¡¯t be able to continue from the impact.

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    We twirl, flip, and roll through the air as we fall back to the ground. He has me underneath him. Panic sets in as I try to flip us over once more. Zarranos stays strong holding me down in the air.  A wild idea comes to me as I embrace the man seconds before hitting the ground. I slam him into the ground at the last second with one last flip. I hear him gasp as his body absorbs the impact. My hands release him, but I have no control over them. That last move shattered my hands due to the force of impact. I roll away from Zarranos¡¯ wheezing body. I use the last of my mana reserves to kick-start the healing in my body.

    Grand Fairy Flora flutters down from the sky as she rains water over the wild flames. Steam rises from the ground and somehow it makes me feel worse. My night vision allows me to watch the fairy flutter about until she reaches the ground. Maybe the numbness has worn off entirely. I hear voices approach me as I lay there among the ruins of the arena. I hope that damn jerk is done this time. My hands are too broken to face anyone else. Grand Fairy Flora lands next to me just as I feel a familiar warmth of Silas¡¯ healing magic. Orbs of light dance around his head as he heals me. His safe, welcoming magic soothes my pains. No words are said until Silas feels I can stand up again.

    Silas held me steady as we faced the old fairy. She¡¯s fixated on the ground for a moment and walks away for a minute. The fairy picks up the moon pendant, repairs it, and returns to us. Her expression is unreadable as she explains what happens next. ¡°It seems to me that you have earned the choice in your fate today, young lady. Although, you have proven the claims true by your appearance.¡± She places the pendant in my hand. ¡°I will do what I can to keep the council from hunting you any further. Your marriage to Prince Halestone should be enough to convince the council that we can keep an eye-¡±

    ¡°Let me stop you right there,¡± I interjected. ¡°Silas and I are close, but marriage is too much for me right now. I am in no shape to entangle someone else¡¯s life with mine right now. No offense, Si.¡±

    He gives me a sad smile as he holds me up. I must look pretty awful to him in this state because he doesn¡¯t show any hurt in his eyes. ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t last. Friends?¡±

    ¡°Better than that, we are partners. Our adventuring party needs all four of us.¡± I answer. He was more than a friend to me, that part hasn¡¯t changed. Romance was just too much for me.

    ¡°I can handle that,¡± he grins.

    ¡°You just can¡¯t make things easy, can you, young lady?¡± Grand Fairy Flora sighs. ¡°Fine. I will see what I can do.¡±

    The night was finally over. Darkness across the sky reveals the brilliance of the stars, and for a brief moment, no one will hunt me. With our marriage off the table, I have a feeling we won¡¯t be welcomed in Desfyra any longer. Queen Amory may not be bitter that I won, but she won¡¯t be happy about anything else.

    ¡°Stop thinking so hard,¡± Silas commands like I would listen to him.

    ¡°You have a terrible bedside manner,¡± I whisper. My chest aches from the wounds and fractures.

    ¡°Heh. This coming from the girl who always ends up as my patient,¡± He grumbles.

    I roll my eyes at him. ¡°Well, then you save the day for a change, oh powerful healer.¡±

    ¡°I never have the time. You require constant supervision or you end up in a fight like Braxton.¡± Silas smirked as he carried me gently out of the castle gates.

    I was very confused by his actions. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Away from Desfyra,¡± He answered as we disappeared into the night.

 After

    Emalynn POV

    A familiar scent of wet, crunchy fall leaves invades my nose as my body slowly returns to life from a deep sleep. My memories are foggy at best, but when I open my eyes, all I see are stars. The sound of splashing water and footsteps echo in my ears. My head pounds from the pain of trying to focus on anything. Each breath of air feels heavy in my chest like there¡¯s a rope around my chest. Where am I? I try to get up and roll across a bed into a wall. There¡¯s a slight rocking and movement beneath me that clues me in. I am on a boat.

    ¡°Do we know when she will wake up again?¡± A deep, raspy voice asks.

    ¡°Brax you know as well as I that her injuries were severe. You did a good job healing Emera. Her body is just trying to adjust to the trauma it endured from  the battle royale.¡± Another smooth voice responds.

    ¡°I keep calling to her, Si,¡± the raspy voice sounds sad. The silence in my mind and absence of the bond are pressing on my sanity.¡±

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Braxton, my small inner voice calls to him. <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Brute.

    ¡°Holy-¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The smoother voice asks.

    ¡°I heard her just now. She must hear us talking!¡± The raspy voice sounded excited.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Em, he calls in my mind. <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Can you hear me?

    My eyes blink open to find his big, stubley face looking down at me. ¡°Yes,¡± I mutter to him. He slowly envelopes me into a tight hug.

    For the next few hours, Braxton refuses to leave my side in our cozy little bunkroom. He catches me on all of the drama I missed during my little coma over the last five days. We are on the <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Red Wolf vessel that Braxton and I had prepared before the battle happened. When Braxton got me from the arena, I was unconscious and naked. My injuries were extensive, but Braxton was able to save my life for the second time since I met him. The ambassador¡¯s husband ended up losing to Rory in the end. My girl was free now. She¡¯s no longer being hunted. Silas brought her directly to the ship after the battle ended. We have almost made it back to Kanna from Desfyra. I get a full lecture from my mate on my reckless actions during the battle.

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t be as reckless when trying to help my best friends escape eternal servitude,¡± I relent.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit much,¡± Ro said sarcastically. She¡¯s leaning against the wall, waiting for Braxton to answer.

    ¡°She almost died.¡± He says in his defense. His arms are crossed like his legs from sitting on the floor.

    ¡°We almost die all the time, Brax. An adventurer¡¯s life is a journey of danger while completing simple or impossible tasks. Death is always waiting in the wings for those who put their life at risk. Although, Ema is much fluffier than other adventurers,  so maybe it will be different for her.¡± Her expression is twisted between smiling and being stern like a parent explaining things to a child.

    ¡°Yes. She is fluffier than everyone else in the world!¡± His voice became animated. ¡°It¡¯s different now. I am her mate. We are a family.¡± He sighs looking at Rory¡¯s pouting face. ¡°You are included in this family as well as Silas, and anyone else who wants it.¡± His fingers run through his hair. ¡°Almost dying all the time isn¡¯t a way of life. I won¡¯t let us live like that.¡± Braxton argues. His voice is hard and demanding of our attention. Damn, this guy would be a good dad.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Okay, big guy. Let¡¯s focus on getting stronger, so no one comes close to dying again.¡± I offer a happy solution to ease Braxton¡¯s concerns. My ears drop at the thought of them overworking themselves in training. Is this my life? Playing the part of substitute mother, mate, and best friend all at once. I feel this will cut down on my tree-swinging time.

    ¡°Ema, don¡¯t worry about your tree time,¡± they say in unison.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Between the ears and the tail drooping, it was hard to miss.¡± Braxton smiles and kisses my head. ¡°I¡¯ll go make sure we are still on course although it¡¯ll still be a few weeks until we get there.¡± My big brute tussles my furr before heading out the door, leaving us alone.

    For the first time, I studied Rory closely. She¡¯s back to her normal appearance, but her black furry ears and fluffy tail are on display. Her left ear has a hole in the side that I don¡¯t recognize at first. Then, I remember my rogue arrow blowing through her ear in the arena and my face feels flush. ¡°Shit. I gotcha good, Ro.¡±

    She pretends to be smooth as she unfolds her hands to let her finger graze the hole. ¡°Yeah. Lookin¡¯ pretty badass with it, right?¡± I shook my head with a smile. ¡°It is my trophy for winning the battle royale.¡±

    ¡°All you need is a piercing, and someone might confuse you for a pirate.¡± I giggle.

    Ro settles on the bed next to me. ¡°I missed you, Em. You seriously scared us.¡±

    ¡°I had to jump in and save your ass from that creep. Stop needing me to save you, and I will stop almost dying. I hope.¡± My voice breaks as I talk. ¡°You get into so much trouble and make rash decisions too easily.¡±

    ¡°I assume this is about my short engagement to Silas, huh?¡± I nod. Her face darkens a bit. ¡°I never thought I could get swept up in the moment like I did with him.¡± Rory lies back on the bed and sighs. ¡°We are partners. Committed to facing the world together without worrying about romance. I realized that I was not ready for romance because there was too much I wanted to do and see. Not because of my status as a hybrid. Love may be in my future eventually, just¡­not today.¡±

    Ro has changed. She isn¡¯t scared to feel life happening anymore. This small difference will guide us toward a happier future. She tells me about how the first thing we were doing with her freedom was going home. Myrra, Elias, and even Leah if she can get away will be there, and I feel my heart swell. Our journey has paid off, and I hope this peace lasts. We sit and talk for what feels like hours.

    <em style="color: rgba(14, 16, 26, 1); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Rory POV

    Ema giggles across from me, and I couldn¡¯t be more thankful. She¡¯s awake, but she still feels weak and dizzy. I pray that I am making the right call to visit home again. Silas walks with me up to the deck as we look out over Lyona River, which will carry us through Mauve¡¯s Forest. Silas assures me it will be the fastest and safest route. I just want to see everyone I care about alive and happy.

    ¡°Ready to talk this time?¡± Ema questions me. She might still be upset over me not talking to her about being engaged to Silas.

    ¡°I guess.¡± My heart quickens over what details to share with her. ¡°Silas kissed me back in Tana Town. He slowly confessed his feelings for me. The research trip was blissful because we were living in our own peaceful bubble, and it was hard not to fall into the romance of it. Reality hit me a little too hard when I returned to the castle.  Love didn¡¯t feel impossible anymore, but all of it was forced by his sister. Marriage isn¡¯t on my radar right now, and Silas understood my choices.¡±

    Ema took a minute to process my words. ¡°Totally not where I thought this conversation was going,¡± she gave me a half smile. I wanted to know how this freer version of you was going.¡±

    ¡°Quit overthinking,¡± I gave her a frown.

    ¡°Okay, well, what¡¯s next? What do we do after we visit home?¡± Ema crossed her arms.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we are going to figure it out together. Maybe, we can find a place to take in and train future adventurers like we talked about." I smiled.

    Ema''s tail twitched with excitement. "Well, we have Lyle and Estra to start with. They should be on this boat somewhere."

    I am glad my best friend is happy. She''s been my rock this year. I hope I can help her bring her dream to life. "They are." I reply. "They''ve been causing trouble like a certain monkey I know."

    She giggles as I tickle her stomach until she pushes me away. "If this is what comes after then I don''t mind going on long adventures together."

    "Me either."

 Reunion

    Leah POV

    Aunt Leah,

    You¡¯ll never guess how things have worked out since I left Pine Row. Ema and I have traveled from the Tanaisa Sea to the Northern Sea. The good news is I have managed to gain control over my magic. Bad news, I am on a lot of peoples¡¯ shit lists. The council conceded to leave me alone though. I won¡¯t go into detail here, but I made friends with an elf prince and his orc guard. We have been traveling together as an adventuring party since the summer. I should be close to White Rapids in about a week. Meet me there? I know it¡¯s hard for you to get away from Savage Valley, but I hope to see you soon.

    Love, Rory

    Snow falls slowly onto the white plains of the farmlands around White Rapids. My nerves were frayed as I clanked my claws along the window frame, waiting to see her black curls come up the road. Her letter lay next to me. I have read it so many times that I could recite it from memory. It was barely spring when I last saw her when her first real adventure started. Her crazy powers spilled out when a greedy dark elf tried to kill us. Just another day in the life of an adventurer.

    ¡°Leah, you are driving me crazy with that damn tapping,¡± Elias whined as he sat quietly on the couch reading his book.

    ¡°Eli, come on. Don¡¯t bother the pregnant woman,¡± Myrra nagged Elias as she entered the room. She carried a tray of tea into the room and sat it on the coffee table between Elias and me. Myrra made me a cup to distract me from the window.

    After the trial, Myrra bought herself a ranch on the edge of town, so we could meet her without all the eyes at the guild. Elias has been staying at the ranch tending to the land in between his missions from the guild and me. Things have been quiet since Rory and Emalynn disappeared from Desfyra. I got a letter from her last week that she would visit me in White Rapids today. Officially, the Gleaca Council claims to have eliminated the hybrid threat to Gleaca when Grand Fairy Flora visited Desfyra last month.

    Rory had been right about it being hard for me to leave the valley. Axel was furious when I told him I was leaving. I am a very pregnant she wolf, and my mate has been paranoid for the last two months. The only reason I am here is because I agreed to bring him with me. He¡¯s asleep upstairs since all we have been doing is waiting for our girls to show up. I look down at the diary that I have kept hidden for years away from everyone because I need to wait for Rory to be old enough to handle it. It¡¯s her father¡¯s diary, and today¡¯s the day I return it to her.

    ¡°How¡¯s Athyra and Eriz doing with their community service?¡± Elias asked.

    Myrra sat next to him, leaning into him. Elias has been working with her to move past her trauma around men. So far, it seems to be working cause I feel like Myrra and the old man are always touching. It almost makes me vomit. I appreciate what he¡¯s doing for her, but this constant need for contact has become gross. Is that how Axel and I are? Poor people around us suffer from our romance crap. Pregnancy hasn¡¯t made me the most optimistic person.

    ¡°Annoyed. I have them patrolling Merchant¡¯s Road for any trash or travelers in distress. Athyra said she would rather watch paint dry,¡± Myrra giggled.

    ¡°You could have her paint something and watch it dry like she desires. I think Pete¡¯s barn could use a new coat of paint.¡± Elias jests, but I know he would be the first one to pull up a chair to watch the dragon girl suffer through her community service.

    I sip on my tea when I feel the little turd rolling around in my stomach kick my ribs. ¡°Damn it, natus. Be nice to your mother!¡± I yell at the brat in my gut.

    Just then, the door opens revealing Rory in her natural form with a snow-white Emalynn behind her. I thought Elias told me they were both redheads now. Instead, I am greeted by a confident Rory who appears comfortable in her own skin. She rushes to me, but she stops when she sees my swollen belly. Tears stream down her eyes as she slowly approaches me.

    ¡°Aunt Leah!¡± She cried, hugging me tightly. ¡°You''re a mom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I blame you!¡± I whine as I crush in a much-needed hug. ¡°This happened at the safe house.¡±

    Rory just laughs through her tears. She sounds a little different. Not as shy or reserved as she was before she left us. Her hair has gotten so long that my fingers get tangled in her curls. There¡¯s no hint of depression or gloominess about her anymore. I can only imagine the shit she had to go through to face her inner demons like that. She did it on her own like Elias said she would. I am glad, but why did the stupid old man have to be right?

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Emalynn is squeezed between Myrra and Elias while Rory is cuddling me and my oversized belly. The girls captivate us with their tales of their adventures. I had known they faced Athyra in battle, but I didn¡¯t know Rory was the famous ¡®Red Lady¡¯ who freed the slaves of N¡¯ila. Centipedes, a mountain lion, a fairy librarian, a pirate, and the battle royale were all battles Rory rattled off each fight as another milestone of her journey.

    ¡°What happened after the battle royale?¡± Elias questioned the girls. He was fully enthralled in their tale.

    ¡°Silas, the elf prince, had the orc, Braxton, and I prepared a ship to leave in the middle of the night before the battle royale happened. Silas brought a very beaten-up Rory back to the ship, and we set sail. We followed the rivers through Desfyra toward Kanna. Then, we sailed through Mauve¡¯s Forest and up to the Port of Creekmont, and here, we sit.¡± Emalynn explained. ¡°Rory recovered. We have added two young adventurers to our party that we rescued from the slavers. Otherwise, Silas has a ship and crew at his command.¡±

    Everyone nodded along. To think the girls would end up traveling around Gleaca with a prince¡­ I am impressed. Everyone¡¯s laughing and giggling, but we all know the girls are hiding the hardest parts from us. Emalynn¡¯s matured so much that I wonder what forced her to change. What moment melted away her need to bounce about the room with excitement?

    ¡°The biggest surprise we have for you isn¡¯t mine to share,¡± Rory gives Ema a telling glance and the girl¡¯s cheeks blush a bright red.

    ¡°What? Did get a tattoo?¡± Myrra jokes when an elf and orc walk through the door.

    A regal-looking young elf man with hair as long as Rory¡¯s knocks on the door as they enter. A giant, green wall of an orc fills the room. ¡°The prince and his bodyguard, I presume.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that would be us, ma¡¯am.¡± The princeling elf answers. ¡°My name is Silas, and this is my best friend, Braxton.¡±

    ¡°Was this the surprise?¡± Myrra asks as Elias invites the men to sit on the opposite couch. They remove their jackets when I notice something strange on the orc¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°No,¡± Rory smirks at Emalynn.

    Red cheeks of embarrassment, the orc has his eyes glued to Ema in such a sweet sickening way, weird mark on the shoulder¡­ ¡°Shit! Eamlynn¡¯s mated to the orc!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Myrra and Elias shout. Emalynn sinks between them into a red puddle beneath their stares. Both of them start tearing into her and her orc mate about making such a huge life decision at a young age.

    ¡°I am impressed you figured it out, Aunt Leah,¡± Rory giggled.

    I take the opportunity to give her the diary her father left behind. Rory stares at me speechless. It took time for me to explain that her parents had asked me to keep it hidden until she was an adult. There wasn¡¯t time before she left the safe house to give her the diary. Tears begin streaming down her face again as she hugs the brown, leather book in her arms. We start talking about her father.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much he told you, but he wasn¡¯t from Gleaca originally.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Rory looks at me stunned.

    ¡°Yeah, he was from Mermia if I remember right. I imagine it could be confirmed in the diary. Since you have access to a ship, you could go see where he grew up.¡± I don¡¯t suggest her traveling lightly. If I could keep her with me in the Savage Valley, I would, but Gkeaca still isn¡¯t safe for her. Not really. A trip to learn about her father would be a good way to keep her away from the Kingdom of Solis.

    Silas cuts in. ¡°Maybe, there might be copies of Ramire¡¯s work with your dad¡¯s family.¡±

    Rory gives a slow nod. It seems to be a lot for her to take in, so I pull her in for a cuddle hug. ¡°No one will make you do something you don¡¯t want to do.¡±

    ¡°Rory was engaged to Silas for almost a week!¡± Ema yells out, trying to get the attention of her and Braxton.

    It feels like my mind is about to explode from that information. ¡°Umm. Context somebody?¡±

    ¡°My sister tried to bargain with Rory to marry me because she needs an heir to her throne.¡± Silas offers his explanation, but I feel even more confused.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Is it the fertility curse in Desfyra that caused your engagement?¡± Elias said. He reminds me of the old tale of the king who cursed his whole kingdom for an heir. I think all Desfyran elves are cursed with fertility issues.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Silas confirms. ¡°Rory is the only woman who appears to be able to have a child with me according to the compatibility test.¡±

    Yeah, that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better. ¡°So, the queen wanted to use you, causing you two to be engaged?¡±

    ¡°More or less. Yeah.¡± Rory answers.

    ¡°Well, that was bullshit,¡± I growl. ¡°No one messes with my girl like that.¡±

    Emalynn begins letting other tales of people trying to control Rory, and I feel myself wanting to burst. Why? Even when Rory wears her human skin, people are after her. It was nauseating hearing Emalynn¡¯s accounts of those who wanted to control her. ¡°You should leave Gleaca. This place isn¡¯t ready to accept you without someone holding your leash. Go to Mermia. They don¡¯t have this stupid hybrid law there.¡±

    Rory looked at me with love and sadness in her expression. ¡°I-¡±

    Suddenly, a girl named Athyra came rushing into the door. Her scales told me she was the dragon that brawled with Rory. ¡°Myrra!¡± She looked around the room to see a bunch of beast folk lounging about Myrra¡¯s home. ¡°Damn, you guys are lucky that it was me who came here.¡± She turned back toward Myrra to finish her message. ¡°You have to return to the guild. Now.¡±

    ¡°Calm yourself, Athyra. What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Myrra tried to settle the frantic dragon.

    ¡°Someone attacked the Gleaca Council! The fairy lady and that weird elf guy are dead!¡±

    ¡°Well, that sounds like your cue to leave, Rory.¡± I can¡¯t hide my tears here. ¡°You need to leave for your own safety. All of you.¡±

    ¡°Leah¡¯s right,¡± I hear my mate declare from the staircase. ¡°It was Grand Fairy Flora who protected you. With her dead, you need to leave Gleaca.¡±

    ¡°But, I-¡±

    ¡°Rory,¡± I hold her face in my palm. ¡°We will be fine. You will meet your cousin and return home one day. Right now, you need to live.¡±

    Rory hugs me hard. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°We all love you,¡± I responded.

    Within minutes, the girls are gone just as quickly as they returned. Axel and I make plans to leave as Elias and Myrra head to the guild. I know we will all be together again someday. Love binds us all.

 Epilogue

    Rory POV

    Years later¡­

    I followed my dad¡¯s diary, saw the sandy beaches of Mermia, explored the Queen¡¯s Fortress, danced with the pirates of Parlay Passage, and met the Ogres of De¡¯Val. Yet, I still came back here. I returned to Gleaca at the request of Myrra. Gleaca erupted into war when the council fell. Solis began conquering the continent not long after we left. First, Kanna fell. The Wizard¡¯s Guild and Desfyra held out for a year or more. The orcs of the Blackfoot Hills abandoned Gleaca for the shores of De¡¯Val. Silas returned to Gleaca some time ago to free his sister from the clutches of the King of Solis. Mauve¡¯s Forest was burned to the ground, and the dwarves are holding out for now.

    Currently, I stand at the foot of the Imber Mountains where I once hid from a sorry excuse for a dark elf. Smoke filled the air. Every way you turned, ash was falling like raindrops from Mauve¡¯s Forest. My memory of this place was when it was covered in the first snowfall of winter. The once golden acres on the edge of the forest were nothing but cinders. I don¡¯t understand how, but the puppet king of Solis has divided the continent of Gleaca. All out has been waged. I stand here now on the battlefield defending the dwarves or Galin from the scum of Solis. My disguise is no more. I am the Red Lady of Lightning who raises the ground and strikes her enemies down.

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    My black attire is sleek to increase my speed. My lone earring that marks where Ema once shot my ear with her arrow. I carry both of my daggers at my waist at the bottom of my back. My tail floats in the wind as shreds of my form-fitting cloak float around me. A red band of light like long ribbons shines as I build up my mana for my next electric burst. My magic is smooth, purposeful, and deadly accurate as I unleash the next ball of electricity toward the necromancer facing me. This poor fool will die here at my hand for his war crimes against the fairies of the forest.

    The whole landscape is colorless without fairy magic here. The only bits of color scattered across the battle are remnants of fairy wings clinging to the ground. Too much heat burns fairy wings to a crisp until they fall to pieces like colorful shards of glass. Most of the fairies died here today, but I managed to save a few. They are safe in the Kingdom of Galin for now. After all the horrible things that I have witnessed, arriving at this battlefield was one of the worst. Today, I pledge to free Gleaca one step at a time from the wickedness of King Piggy Zarranos of Solis, or as most call him, the Master Zaros of Gleaca.

 Search (Companion Chapter to Guiding GuildMaster)

    Myrra POV

    It¡¯s been two days since the Gleaca Council sent out the call to all guilds about the dangerous dragon and the large bounty on its head. I was lucky to have been out evaluating a party for a rank up when I received the notice from my messenger hawk. We were a day¡¯s journey away from the last sighting of the dragon near the Evergreen Forest. A feeling of dread sat in my stomach since I read the notice. I knew the dragon was probably Athyra. There weren¡¯t many dragons in Gleaca at the moment, and only one dragon was a frost dragon. Dragons may move freely around the world, but the dragons are heavily tracked by every nation. A dragon has the power to wipe out an entire kingdom in minutes, so every nation has agreed to keep tabs on the creatures. Most guilds would have turned Athyra away when she asked to join the guild, but White Rapids is a home to anyone who asks for it. I stand by that policy, so I accepted the girl and her runaway slave friend. Who was I to judge?

    All of this may have been an error on my part. Kaya sent word yesterday that her son, Katar, was the frost dragon¡¯s victim. Katar had lost an arm in the struggle with the dragon, but the dragon¡¯s ice kept Katar from bleeding out after ripping his arm from his body. Katar will live, but such an act from a dragon is a crime. The Gleaca Council has called for capture of the dragon to exile it for its crime. Naturally, that means sending guild members to capture the dragon for the council, but I didn¡¯t want others involved if I could help it. I came out here with a soon to be S rank party, but I hope to avoid conflict if possible.

    Kaya had told me that Athyra was looking for information in Pine Row about a simian beast adventurer. It was then that I realized Athyra joined the guild to find Emalynn. Emalynn is on the run with Rory after an incident with a dark elf. Since the incident, a few people have reported a hybrid or strange wolf-like creature to the council. A few days ago, I even got a report from the council about a hybrid girl who broke into the wizard guild. It feels like something is pulling these girls together, which has connected the girls somehow. What is more concerning is who is pulling these girls together¡­

    ¡°Myrra,¡± Lloyd, the party¡¯s bard, called to me. ¡°I see a clearing that appears frozen over, but the ground feels wet like a slush instead of snow.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely gotten cold around here,¡± Uma, the burly swords woman, said, sarcastically, as she shivered.

    We entered the snowy climate almost an hour ago, and I can see the toll that the lower temperatures were taking on the party. None of us were dressed for chilly conditions. We only had our light weight cloaks to keep us warm. There were seven party members including me, but none of my guild members have encountered a dragon like this. Athyra was the first dragon most of the guild had ever seen, and now, this party might need to fight her. Bees buzzed in my stomach over what we might find in the clearing ahead.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s cold, but if this is Athyra that we are dealing with, then our guild stands the best chance at settling this without a fight.¡± I confessed. No one seemed surprised at me mentioning Athyra¡¯s name.

    ¡°Myrra, we all know the dragon is likely to be Athyra. That¡¯s why having Waller here is important. He¡¯s the best at fire magic in the guild.¡± June, the small healer and animal tamer of the group, patted Waller¡¯s back. Waller was a fire mage that managed to master lava spells, which is rare in Gleaca. A well cast lava spell could make a frost dragon overheat and force it into

    hibernation.

    We made it to the treeline of the clearing. Newton, the archer of the party, scouted ahead into the clearing. From where we settled, we could see a giant cloud of fog enveloping a small area of the clearing. It wasn¡¯t long before Newton returned with news of spotting the frost dragon above the thick fog and finding a battered man near death in the middle of the clearing. We could hear the angry growls and a woman screaming coming from the fog. It only took one look for us all to agree that we needed to get involved with whatever was going on.

    As we walked across the clearing, it became clear that we were walking through a blast zone. The further in we walked, the more torn up the ground became with giant chunks of ice scattered about. We approached the nearly dead man, but all I could smell was burnt hair and skin. The man laid keeled over on a small mound, which had kept out of the water surrounding him. There were ice shards covered in blood on the ground indicating some type of battle went on here.

    ¡°Was the man burned to a crisp?¡± Uma asked, studying the scene.

    June ran through the water to the man. She bent down and checked him over. ¡°He¡¯s barely breathing.¡± She began pumping his chest with healing magic, but his body didn¡¯t seem to respond. We waited a few minutes as June tried to bring the man back from the brink of death. Finally, her head hangs low over the crispy body as his body ceases breathing all together. ¡°The man is dead.¡± She says a quiet prayer of the charred body before walking away from the body.

    ¡°We should bury him,¡± Moseley, the older dwarf in the party, suggests. Moseley has been the silent heart of this party who specializes in defense to protect those he loves.

    ¡°All right,¡± I nod as I slam my ax on the ground allowing my magic to pour into it. The ground opens, consuming the charred body. Small rocks mark the fresh, muddy mound as I lift my ax from the ground. Lloyd honors the man by playing a song on his lyre. Newton carved into a marker stone the name he found on the man, which read:

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    Master Renaldy

    A wizard who fell in battle against a mighty beast.

    Lloyd¡¯s song ends, and I know we need to keep moving, so I try to refocus our party. ¡°Do we know what did this to him?¡± I am concerned that either Rory, Emalynn, or Athyra may have caused this man¡¯s death.

    ¡°There are large paws in the slush ahead. It would appear to be a beast not the dragon that did this man in.¡± Newton answers.

    A final, loud scream of anguish fills the air, catching all of our attention. ¡°Look, the fog is clearing.¡± Uma comments. ¡°And there¡¯s our frost dragon.¡±

    ¡°Why is she just circling overhead?¡± June questions.

    ¡°She¡¯s either watching or waiting for something.¡± Newton said as he watched the winged dragon stay in the same loop above us.

    ¡°Do we know for sure this dragon is Athyra?¡± Waller asked me.

    I look at the forty foot long lizard flying above me. Her white and icy blue scales feel familiar just like her cold, mysterious presence. Yet, I can sense something more from the dragon. A heated wave of anger and calm wash over me as I watch the dragon fly overhead. ¡°It¡¯s her. She feels familiar to me, but she is full of anger at the moment. Although she also seems calm at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the guild master. What do you want to do?¡± June looks at me with curiosity.

    ¡°I think we need to deal with the beast on the ground before we move onto the icy lizard in the sky.¡± The rest of the party agrees to follow my lead. ¡°As long as Athyra is focused on something else, we should have to worry about her paying attention to us.¡±

    We all began to slowly approach where the fog had been. I see a change in the ground as we approach the mysterious area. There are holes all across the icy ground. Waller doesn¡¯t wait as he chucks fireballs into the first few holes around us. We watch as the glow of the fireballs lights a different hole as it travels forward until it finally smashes into a wall underground. I signal everyone to wait before we move in case a beast pops out of the tunnel network below. All the holes reminded me of the ground worm¡¯s holes in the Northern Mountains, but as I looked closer, I realized these tunnels were dug by paws and terrain magic. A few species come to mind, but only one would make sense here. Rory is here in her wolf form or someone like her, but I have no idea what they look like. Would the wolf beast be friend or foe?

    ¡°Do we stay above ground or go below ground, Myrra?¡± Lloyd elbows me to get my attention.

    ¡°Above ground, but stay ready everyone,¡± I commanded.

    We move forward slowly to avoid falling into the tunnels below. Newton points towards a collapse in the tunnel network, which makes my gut flutter with ugly butterflies. The sun was getting low as we passed the collapsed tunnels, but I saw a giant, fuzzy mess of animal laying on the ice ahead. Everyone else seems to tensed up around me, but I sense no malice from the fuzzy creature ahead. There¡¯s another familiar feeling that washes over me as I get closer to the reddish mess of a creature. Everyone else stays put and watches me as I approach the animal.

    The red stationary animal was indeed a wolf beast. If it was standing up, I was sure it would be at least as tall as me. Except, I am a dwarf, so I am not that tall to begin with. The wolf was bloody and breathing heavily. As I came around to face it, the wolf raised its head and looked at me with sad desperate eyes. Is this my Rory? The wolf was indeed a female and young. She didn¡¯t seem afraid of me as I reached out to touch her. Her whole body was covered in blood. Some of it was dried, but there were many open wounds on the wolf. She leaned her head into my hand. Her fur feels dirty in my fingers, but I can feel a connection with this wolf like I did when I met Rory¡¯s wolf form. This has to be her.

    ¡°You guys can come here. She won¡¯t hurt us.¡± I call out to my party.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.¡± A new, annoying male voice called out. ¡°I watched that beast kill two wizards today. One was my master and the other a fellow apprentice from the Wizard¡¯s Guild.¡±

    I turn around to find an awkward, gangly human male speaking to me. This guy is from the Wizard¡¯s Guild? ¡°Really? This heavily beaten animal killed two wizards?¡± I let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°How could she have possibly done that? Sure, she might have some terrain magic, but I doubt she could best a master wizard.¡±

    ¡°I am not sure how, but this beast has lightning magic.¡± The man answers.

    ¡°Wolves can¡¯t do that kind of magic. Are you sure you are a wizard?¡± Waller asks the intruding man coldly.

    ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t listen to me, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Some simian girl claims that the beast is her familiar, so that beast could be capable of anything. Hell, we found it locked in battle with the dragon above us in a giant ice cube.¡± The man became agitated. ¡°Nothing about today has made sense from what I have been taught about magic.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you might need some more magic lessons, kid.¡± Waller laughs. ¡°Go back to your guild and learn something.¡±

    The man throws his hands up in the air in frustration. ¡°Fine, Mr. Half Elf. Risk your life. I am done with all of this shit. Silas is on his own, and I am not waiting around for that dumb orc.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Uma comes forward in all orc glory. ¡°Do you have a problem with orcs?¡± The man shakes his head no and runs off in the other direction. Uma was about to give chase, but Moseley pulled her back. The man wasn¡¯t worth the effort.

    I turn back to see an exhausted, weak red wolf silently watch everything unfold. ¡°June can you come work your magic on this supposed familiar?¡±

    ¡°Myrra, are you sure?¡± June seems uneasy trying to approach the red wolf.

    ¡°This ball of fluffy is in no state to hurt a fly. I am confident we are safe. Besides, if she really did fight Athyra before then she might help us to convince our guild mate to come home.¡± I see the red wolf tilt her head at my words.

    June approaches and I take her hand to pet the red wolf¡¯s head. The wolf seems to enjoy her attention as the wolf leans into June¡¯s hand. I watch as June begins to relax, so I pull my hand away. June doesn¡¯t seem bothered as I scoot back to give her room while she begins to heal the red wolf. The party asks if I am confident this wolf was safe after what we saw and heard today. I reassure them as I suggest we start a fire. The cold temperatures haven¡¯t subsided since we walked into this clearing. Waller and Moseley melt away the ice in a small area while Uma and Lloyd gather kindling. I can¡¯t stray far from June because I don¡¯t want her to feel uneasy. Newton has gone out scouting again, so I just watched Athyra sail through the sky.

    <h2>The sun has gone down when June tells me she has done all she can for the wolf. She is positive that the wolf will recover from her injuries, but she isn¡¯t sure how long it might take. Although I know that shifters heal fast, I don¡¯t want to alert the party to anything. Scooting back toward an exhausted looking wolf, I curl up next to her while the rest of the party warms up by the fire. I lean toward the wolf¡¯s head and whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rory. I got you.¡± The wolf¡¯s eyes seem to show gratitude as her tail thumps against the ground. I have no doubt this red wolf is Rory, which brings me a moment of relief although it doesn¡¯t last. Instead, I am filled with questions. Where is Emalynn? Why were Rory and Athyra fighting? What am I missing?</h2>