by Erin Johnson
And… it got awkward. I lowered my eyes to his chest. There was so much that needed to be said, but I didn’t really want to say any of it. I just wanted things to go back to normal between us.
“Imogen.”
I jerked my head up.
Rain trickled down his pale face and big, red nose. He must be cold. Tears welled in his eyes. “I know that we need to—”
CRACK!
In a blinding flash of light, a bolt of lightning struck the boulder I’d been climbing toward and split it in two. Hank threw an arm over my shoulder and pulled me to the ground with him. We lay flat—and once again, I was covered in mud.
My chest heaved and I could feel the electricity in the air through the raised hairs on the back of my neck and arms. A split second later a booming clap of thunder sounded, like someone had pounded a timpani right next to my head. I cowered lower to the ground as it reverberated through my chest.
“Imogen.”
I turned my face to Hank. Mud spattered his cheeks and the tip of his nose. “We’ve got to find cover.”
I nodded. He took my free hand and helped me to my feet. My legs wobbled below me. I glanced toward the sizzling black ground by the boulder. If I hadn’t slipped, that’s probably where I would’ve been standing when the lightning struck. My stomach twisted, and I thought I might be sick.
Hank stepped down the slope, skidding and slipping as he went, but he managed to help steady me as I picked my way down behind him. Hopefully some of the others had managed to grab some kusuri herb.
I found Maple, Wiley, and Sam waiting back on the stone-lined path. Maple spotted my hand linked in Hank’s and her blonde brows jumped. She gave me a wide-eyed look and I pressed my lips together and shrugged. I had no idea what was going on, but getting out of this lightning storm was first priority. I’d figure out my relationship issues later.
“We’ve got to get off this mountain and into tree cover.” Hank and I leaned close to the others so they could hear him over the wind.
Wiley nodded and held up a handful of stalks with black flowers and pointed leaves. “We got some.”
Maple held up some more. “Me, too.”
More blossoms burst from Sam’s pockets.
“Good.” I shrugged. “I don’t know how much they need, but hopefully this will do it.” I frowned and looked around. “Where’s everyone else?”
Despite the raging storm and worry tugging at my gut, I couldn’t help but be very aware that Hank hadn’t let go of my hand and continued to hold it tight. I tamped down a smile as happy tingles floated through me. I knew nothing was fixed yet, but I had a little hope again.
Rhonda and Francis half-skipped down the slope next, with Francis easing Rhonda’s way by floating her off the ground with him whenever she might have stumbled. Then Annie and Yann joined us from around a hill. Annie sniffed at the steep slope as Rhonda and Francis careened to the bottom.
“Hmph. We went for the low-hanging fruit.” Annie nodded at Yann, who held up an enormous armful of the herb. “There’s some growing just beside the path up there.”
I grinned. “Nice job.”
Misaki, Jun, and the rest of the guards rejoined us next, some from around the hill, others down the mountainside. Kai trailed behind, his wand held at his side.
Misaki reached us first. “Everyone get some?” She looked around, out of breath.
“For the most part.” Annie pointed at Yann’s enormous bundle of it.
Misaki raised her brows. “Impressive.”
Iggy turned to Hank and me. “Slackers.”
Jun came up next, taller still than Hank or Wiley. He looked around at everyone’s collection of kusuri. “Good work. We’ve got plenty.”
Misaki turned back the way we’d come. “Let’s go.”
Hank and I, still hand in hand, turned to follow, our friends right behind us. We’d barely gone ten steps when the hairs on my neck rose, the air buzzed with electricity, and a blinding flash of hot bright light blinded me. The booming thunder sounded immediately and I cowered down. I blinked and tried to clear the afterimage of Misaki’s boots that floated around my field of vision, the last thing I’d seen before the lightning strike.
“Run!”
More thunder came, or at least it sounded like thunder. Hank dragged me forward and I stumbled, trying to keep up. I finally blinked my eyes clear and looked back over my shoulder. My breath caught.
A black mark scorched the hillside above where we’d been standing. Another bolt zigzagged down from the sky and struck close to where the first had. It hit one of the giant stone monoliths and split it, sending the halves tumbling down the hillside. I caught sight of Kai, standing on the path, wand raised, just before the boulders slammed to a stop, cutting him off from the rest of us. More lightning and more rocks followed, burying the path in an avalanche and tumbling over the cliffside.
Misaki spun around and held her wand to her throat. “Kai!” Her voice was amplified loud enough to be heard over the deafening thunder and tumult from the falling rocks.
“I’m okay,” came the amplified response. “Go back to town. I’ll find another way down and follow back.”
Between the rocks blocking the path and the lightning striking the hillside, there was no way he could come this way and survive it.
Misaki set her jaw. “Good luck!” She lowered her wand and addressed us. Everyone else had managed to follow her unharmed. “We need to get down, and quick, but be careful. The path is slippery.” She winced as another bolt of lightning struck the hillside between Kai and the rest of us. She muttered to Jun. “This much lightning is unusual for a typhoon.”
He nodded. “It’s happened before, though.”
Misaki gave each of us a serious look. “Carefully, now. Let’s go.”
“Wait!”
I turned around. Maple’s blue eyes looked huge on her face and she clasped her hands together under her chin. “We can’t find Cat.”
Wiley had spun his backpack around to hang from his front. He dug through it, handing bunches of black flowers to Maple, then shook his head. “He must’ve jumped out when we were picking kusuri.”
We all turned to look at the hillside. The storms still raged all around, though the lightning seemed to have paused. A pile of rocks covered the slope and completely blocked the path below.
“He could be trapped.” Maple sobbed and Wiley hugged her tight to his side.
My stomach twisted, and Iggy and I exchanged worried looks. Neither of us was a big fan of the little creature, but still, I didn’t want him hurt. And even more than that, I didn’t want Maple to be so sad. I left Hank’s side and rubbed my friend’s shoulder.
“Hey. They said he’s the most powerful monster on the whole island. He’ll be okay, right?” I turned to Misaki and raised my brows, hoping she’d jump in and make Maple feel better.
Misaki sighed. “He has mind control powers. I doubt that’s going to help in an avalanche.”
My face fell and I leveled her with a flat look.
She frowned and then realized what she’d done with a little jerk. “Oh, uh. I mean, yeah. He’ll—he’ll be, you know, okay.”
I shook my head. So unconvincing.
Maple’s shoulders shook as she sobbed against Wiley’s side. “Poor little g-guy. H-he’s probably s-so scared and alone.”
Francis drifted over. “I might be able to assist. I’ll fly back and see if—”
Rhonda shook her head, which sent her braids flying. “Nope. You’ll break your wings in this wind, not to mention the lightning.” She slid her arms around his thin middle and cooed up at him. “I know Maple’s worried about her little creature, but I’m worried about mine, too.”
They were so weird. But Rhonda had a point. Though that gave me an idea, one I wasn’t all that excited about.
I held up my free hand. “Look, you all know I’m not the hugest Cat fan, and this”—I gestured at the lightning storm avalanche pile—“is frankly terrifying,
but if you want me to risk my life and see if this very independent wild animal is okay, I could change into a little animal.” I glanced at Rhonda and Francis. “Nonflying, of course, and see if I can squeeze through the cracks of the precarious rock pile to check on him.” Hopefully I’d laid it on thick enough that Maple would see the wisdom of trusting that Cat could take care of himself and choose not to risk her friend’s life.
Maple looked away from Wiley’s jacket and gasped, a huge smile on her face. “You would do that for Cat?” She threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “You’re the best.”
I gingerly patted her shoulder. “Well, if I do it, it’ll be for you, not Cat.”
She smiled against my shoulder. “Oh, Imogen, you softie. I know deep down you love that little guy.”
“Eh.” Iggy and I exchanged doubtful looks.
Maple pulled back and held my hands. “Please be careful.”
Part of me softened. “Of course I will.” I squeezed her hands.
“Because you’ll be in animal form and you might scare him.”
My face fell. “Gee. Thanks for the concern.”
Her face lit up. “Oh, I have an idea.” She unwound the black woolen scarf she wore from around her neck and wrapped it around mine. “This way he’ll smell my scent on you and trust you.”
Misaki cleared her throat. “We need to hurry if this is happening.”
“You know I love you.” Maple hugged me again. “But he’s just our little baby.”
She slid an arm around Wiley’s waist and they both pouted at me, genuinely distraught for their little Frankenstein’s monster of a pet.
“Okay.” I shrugged, resigned. “I guess I’m doing this.”
“I’m coming, too.” Sam stepped forward. “Let’sss go assss sssnakesss. We can ssslither through the cracksss.”
I lifted my brows and grinned. “Thanks, Sam. That’s a good idea.”
“Wait.” The chatter stopped as Hank walked up to me. “This is dangerous. You shouldn’t be risking your life, but if you are, I’m coming, too.”
My stomach fluttered and I bit my lip as I looked up into his rain-streaked face. “Thanks. I could use a sidekick.” I hoped that wasn’t too much teasing, too soon. We were just getting our groove back.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You can think I’m the sidekick if it makes you feel better about being my sidekick.”
I grinned back. “Right.” I put my hand out. “Team snakes on three. One—” I looked at Sam and Hank. “Come on, guys, hands in.”
Rhonda put her hands on Sam’s slim shoulders. “Don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to.”
I dropped my arm to my side. “Oh, come on. Really?”
Rhonda snickered.
I handed Iggy over to Maple. As she took him she leaned close to be heard over the raging wind, her eyes serious. “If he won’t come to you, try calling him ‘kitty Cat, piggle wiggle.’ He always runs right over when Wiley or I call him that. But you have to sing it. Like—”
She opened her mouth, but I just shook my head. “Nope. I can’t with that.”
Iggy opened his eyes wide in mock innocence. “Oh, come on, Imogen. Let’s sing.” He bounced his head side to side with his little tune. “Kitty Cat, piggle wiggle.” He stopped and scrunched up his face. “Ew. Even as a joke it just tastes bad in the mouth.”
I grinned and moved next to Sam and Hank. “All right, team snakes. Let’s do this.”
I closed my eyes and exhaled, preparing to suck in magical energy with my inhale.
“Thing is—”
I peeled an eye open.
Hank slid a hand under his hood and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t actually know the spell.”
I lifted my brows. That’s right, I’d forgotten. I licked my lips, trying to remember how Horace had taught me. “Well… hm… it’s just like any other spell, really, you just have to visualize what you want to be. You know, like what it feels like to have no arms or legs, to scent with your tongue. And—then you’re a snake.” I shrugged.
“O-kay.” Hank nodded, a crease between his brows. “I can try that.”
I closed my eyes again, took a deep breath and sensed the immense power of the hurricane building around us. In a flurry of magical wind, I opened my eyes and found myself looking up at all my friends, who towered above me. I lifted my head and wiggled my tongue around in the air. I could smell-taste Sam to my right. I looked over and found a green snake my size looking back at me. The ground vibrated below me, medium shakes when my friends took a step closer, a giant shake when a bolt of lightning struck the ground.
I coiled up in fear. After the thunder that followed, I lifted my head and looked around, tasting the air with the long, forked tongue that slid out from my mouth. Where was snake Hank?
I scented him and uncoiled further, lifting my head higher to see. My eyes widened when I spotted him, still standing tall above me. He looked at his hands, the whites showing around his pupils and his mouth open, aghast. I nodded, bobbing my little snake head. Yeah, I’d had some issues when Horace first taught me, too. Still, Hank’s was a pretty spectacular fail. Instead of fingers, ten wriggling snakes sprouted from his palms.
Maple shrieked and jumped back.
The ground rumbled with her footstep. “Hey!” Little snakes down here. But my protest only came out as a hiss.
Maple’s face turned down toward Sam and me. “Oh. Sorry, you two.” She looked up. “Everyone watch your step.”
She sounded so loud, even with all the noise from the wind and rain and thunder.
My friends and the guards gathered closer and looked down at us, though everyone gave Hank and his snake fingers a wide berth.
Jun crouched lower and looked between Sam and me. His face loomed huge above us. “Remarkable.”
My tongue snaked out, and Sam and I looked at each other. We needed to get going if we had any chance of finding Cat. The storm was picking up and the light fading. I looked up at Hank. He closed his eyes, a magical wind whipped around him, and this time a second snake head sprouted on his shoulder, as large as his real head.
I would’ve screamed if I could have, but Maple did it for me. Wiley grunted and stumbled back.
Yann blinked. “Oh my.”
The snake head hissed and bared its fangs, sending out a spray of venom. Everyone scattered.
Hank rolled his eyes and squared his jaw. He reached up a hand and clamped the snake’s mouth shut. “I just haven’t practiced it. I just need another try, I’ll get it.” His voice came out tight. He tried again, and again, but ended up with scales all over his body, a snake tail, and finally managed to shrink himself down to snake size but in human form.
“This could work.” He gave me a half-hearted shrug. “I could squeeze through the rocks.”
I frowned.
He started toward the avalanche, but his tiny legs sank in the mud and he fell face-first into a puddle the size of his entire body. Francis reached down and plucked him up by his pack, then righted him. Hank’s face darkened behind all the mud. “It’ll work. I’ll get it.”
I slithered over and gave him a nuzzle with my scaly head. I wanted to tell him that we were just going to check on Cat, make sure he was all right, and we’d be back in minutes. That it was all right if he hadn’t mastered the spell yet, I’d be okay with Sam. But I couldn’t speak, so I tried for an encouraging smile.
He lifted a thick brow, so I wasn’t sure that expression translated on my snake face, but it was time to go, either way. I nodded at Sam and we slithered off toward the avalanche.
Maple knelt down beside tiny Hank. “They’ll be okay.”
Sam and I slithered across the muddy path, quick and fluid, straight toward the enormous rocks that blocked our path. My stomach tightened as we neared. Despite all my misgivings, I hoped we’d find Cat… and that he’d be okay.
22
Slitherin’
It took Sam and me some time to mak
e our way through the tangle of rocks. Rain dripped down through the labyrinth of cracks, but the boulders mostly shielded us from the wind and lightning. Still, as I slid over and under and turned around when I hit dead ends, I hoped that no more lightning would strike and send boulders falling down on us. Call me crazy, but I didn’t feel like being crushed to death in snake form.
By the time we made our way through, the storm and the deepening dusk left us only dim light to see by.
We spun back into human form and searched all around. The rain continued to pound down, obscuring any tracks. I cupped my hands to my mouth. “Cat!” I turned. “Cat!” I listened for a response of any kind, but heard nothing over the howling wind and rush of rain. I sighed and rolled my eyes, then cupped my hands again. “Kitty Cat Piggle Wiggle?” Nothing.
“Imogen.” Sam ran up and tapped my shoulder. I followed him down the path and around a hill. “Look.” He pointed down the mountainside.
I squinted in the blue, dim light. I thought I could spot a figure making its way down. I blinked. “That must be Kai.”
Sam nodded. “Yesss. But look in hisss pack.”
I shook my head. “I can’t see that far.”
“Ussse a magnifying ssspell.”
Oh. Duh. I had my magic back. I kept forgetting. I frowned. I’d never tried this spell before, but I imagined looking through binoculars with spotlights on them and pulled magic to me. I opened my eyes and jumped. A bush loomed before me, close and sort of blurry. “Uh. What am I looking at?”
Sam gently took my head in his slender, cold hands and turned my head slightly to the left. “Do you sssee him?”
I squinted and the world came into focus. “Yeah.” Wow, it’d worked. Kai bounded down the path, glancing back every few steps as though he were being pursued. Weird. Sam had mentioned his pack, so I looked closer. It seemed fuller than it had before and something stuck out of the top. It looked like a stick or a piece of dark rope or— I gasped. Cat’s arm protruded from the pack, limp and bouncing with each step. I’d know that weird little monkey paw anywhere.
“He’s got Cat.” I watched as Kai neared a fork in the path.
