Page 46 of A Trial of War
Shaw Black
The shift came instantly, bones reforming, vision sharpening until the world was nothing but sound, scent, and motion. The forest came alive in colors humanity wasn’t meant to see. The chase was on, and the three of us were running for our lives.
My lungs burned with every breath, but we couldn’t stop. Not yet.
Neera darted ahead, her doe form a flicker of pale gold between the trees. Every few strides, she glanced back, pale green eyes bright with urgency, her mind brushing against mine.“This way. I know a place we can hide.”
Or at least a space to breathe.
Behind us, the growls grew louder. Low, guttural sounds that made the ground vibrate. Garmr were hunting us through the woods, with gods only knew what else.
I tensed, claws digging into the soil as I jerked my head to the side. The first garmr lunged through the brush, its body as large as my own with venom dripping from its gaping jaw and spikes along its back. I met it head-on, slamming it aside, teeth sinking deep into its throat. Black blood stainedthe trees as the melody of snapping bones followed a sharp cry from the beast that hung lifeless in my jaws.
Then, another came. Bigger, faster. But I was already in position, ready to rip the creature to shreds. Above me, wings shrieked through the treetops. Harpies.
Zola was there. Her shadow powers rippled through the canopy, allowing her to drift unseen until the final strike. I caught glimpses of her between flashes of silver daggers spinning end over end, each one finding its mark with deadly precision.
The sky rained feathers and violence.
Neera’s voice touched my mind again, urgent.“I’ve found the clearing! Around the bend, there’s a hidden thicket where we can find cover.”
I roared in response and pushed forward, muscles burning, the last of the hounds snapping at my tail. One leap, one fatal strike, and their bodies fell lifeless at my paws. I turned and ran, thanking the gods above for a silent forest at my back.
When I broke through the tree line, moonlight washed over me. I inhaled deeply, allowing the open air, the smell of earth and pine, to fill my lungs. I shifted back, landing hard on my knees, panting. I spotted Neera bounding beside a thicket before disappearing entirely. I followed, sliding over a small mound behind her, where I disappeared into cover.
In the next breath, Zola dropped beside me in the shadows, eyes scanning the clearing behind us. “I think that’s all of them.”
Neera was trembling with exhaustion, but thankfully, we were all alive. “The coast isn’t far,” she said softly. “If we keep—”
Suddenly, my world went black.
“Zola!” I reached out to find her, but my hands only felt air. “Neera!”
Panic surged through me. My vision was gone.
“Daxton should have killed me when he had the chance.”Seamus’s voice echoed in my mind, and my stomach dropped.
Drawing on my magic, I forced up a barrier around my thoughts once more, shutting out Seamus and trying to dissolve whatever illusions his cousin Anjani was weaving.
However, the moment her scream cut through the dark, my heart stopped.
“Zola!”
Power surged through me like wildfire, tearing at the edges of my control as I pushed through the veil of glamour. The air was thick with magic, sweet and poisonous, the kind that sank claws into your mind.
Suddenly, my vision returned, and I saw her. Anjani stood above an unconscious Zola, her arm hooked around her middle with a dagger glinting against her throat.
“Let her go!” I snarled.
Anjani smiled like a vicious serpent. “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”
Illusions reached for me once more, invisible threads lashing out, trying to sink into my mind. For a heartbeat, I felt the pull, the dizzying sweetness of her glamour whisperingsurrender. But then I feltZola.The bond between us flared to life in my chest, scorching through every barrier Anjani tried to weave.
So, I let that fire rage.
The world cracked open. The High Fae’s illusion shattered like glass under my power, scattering into shards of cold air and broken light. Anjani released Zola, eyes wide with disbelief.
“How?” The dagger clattered to the ground as Anjani stumbled back.
