by H. K. Varian
“Why don’t we already have them?” Mack asked out loud. He tried to keep the sarcastic edge out of his voice, but it colored his tone, anyway. “Since we’re targets?”
“Many of these objects are hidden away,” his grandfather answered. “Deeply hidden. Our mission is to find them.”
He turned to Gabriella. “I want you to have the Ring of Tezcatlipoca,” he said, handing it to her.
Mack remembered that Gabriella had used the ring to help fight Auden Ironbound’s followers during their final battle. It only worked for those from an Aztec bloodline, like Gabriella.
Gabriella slipped the ring onto her finger. There was a soft crackling sound, and the air around her seemed to shimmer for a moment, as though she was surrounded by some invisible force field. The ring was made of pure gold and obsidian with an elaborate carving of a man’s face on the front, and beautiful designs along the band. A horizontal streak of black ran across the center of the man’s face. More importantly, the ancient artifact gave its wearer the spiritual strength to resist mind control magic.
“Keep it on at all times, Gabriella,” Mr. Kimura added. “I’ve cast a cloaking spell on it, so no one should notice you’re wearing it. Whatever you do, do not lose the ring.”
Gabriella twisted the golden ring nervously. “I’ll be careful,” she said.
“And, Fiona,” Mr. Kimura said, “the knowledge of the Queen’s Song is also a protection. The two of you won’t fall prey to Sakura’s memory eating.”
Mack and Darren exchanged uneasy glances. I guess we’re out of luck, Mack thought.
It was as if his grandfather heard him. “Over the next weeks we’ll be searching for enchanted objects—some of them hidden away for centuries—that will protect Mack and Darren. It’s urgent that we find them before Sakura does.”
“Saturday night is our first mission. We’ll be traveling to Japan the same way we went to Wyndemere—with a tengu Changer,” Ms. Therian said as the bell rang. “Read over the mission brief tonight and bring your questions to class tomorrow.”
Japan! Mack felt hopeful for the first time since he got back from Wyndemere Academy. He had never been there, but it was his grandfather and his parents’ birthplace. For a long time, Mack had tried to push away his Japanese heritage and the traditions that his grandfather cherished.
But ever since Mack had learned that he was a kitsune, a Changer so rooted in Japanese folklore, he’d felt a longing to go there that he hadn’t yet put into words. Things between his grandfather and himself had been a bit off since he first saw Sakura after the battle with Auden, and the tension was only getting worse. There was a part of Mack that wanted to lean on his grandfather after what had happened, and another part that wanted to push everyone away and be alone. In the last few days, Mack had felt at war with himself.
Maybe I’ll find the protection I need in Japan, Mack thought. Willow Cove doesn’t feel safe anymore.
Chapter 2
The Secret Mission
Gabriella shoved the folder about their mission into her backpack and got up leave with the others. Then she received a telepathic message from Ms. Therian.
Hang on, Gabriella, Ms. Therian communicated. The First Four need to speak with you about something.
Gabriella smiled and waved as Fiona and Darren disappeared past the double doors. Once she was sure they were gone, she turned to Ms. Therian. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“We have a special mission we’d like to propose,” Ms. Therian said. “But it’s rather risky.”
“It’s entirely within your rights to refuse if you’re not ready,” Sefu added.
Not ready? Not ready for what? Gabriella thought.
Mack was still sitting in the middle of the First Four, staring at the floor. He didn’t look up to meet Gabriella’s eyes.
“What kind of mission?” she asked.
“Makoto might not be the same after his encounter with Sakura,” Yara admitted. “It’s possible that she altered some of his memories or even planted false ones in his mind. The tail he earned, while it’s true that he might have done something brave . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“She could have gifted him with a dark ability,” Sefu finished bluntly. “Sakura can steal other Changers’ powers, but she can also transfer those powers to her victims as well. It’s one of her unique abilities, like memory eating, that she gained through dark magic.”
“Sakura would never willingly give up her prey the way she did with Mack,” Ms. Therian said. “We suspect she did that for a reason. She could be planning to use him as a pawn in the coming war. It’s even possible that Mack is unknowingly feeding her information about us.”
Mack still didn’t raise his head. Gabriella’s heart ached for him, for how frightened he must be. Poor Mack . . . After everything that happened at Wyndemere, you’d think he’s been through enough. And now this?
“I thought it was Fiona’s song that drove the Shadow Fox away,” Gabriella said. “That if Sakura stayed, her powers would have been destroyed, like Auden Ironbound’s.”
“We hope that is the case,” Ms. Therian said gently. “But she may have left Mack behind on purpose. We don’t know enough yet about Sakura’s plans. It’s more likely that she has a bigger role in mind for Mack, one that might already be set in motion. There’s no sure way for us to tell—”
Yara interrupted. “There is something that might provide the answers we need: spirit-walking. If you’re willing.”
Spirit-walking? But that’s superdangerous. The last time I did it, it was only because no other nahuals were around.
Spirit-walking was a skill that only very powerful nahuals could master. They could enter the dreams and thoughts of others, but it was highly dangerous. Untrained nahuals could also lose themselves in the process, if their spirits couldn’t find their way back to their bodies.
Gabriella could feel a whisper of panic start in her heart and then spread through her. She wasn’t ready for such a mission. She remembered spirit-walking into Darren’s mind when he was being held captive by Auden Ironbound’s forces. She had only just managed to make it back.
“I only spirit-walked once, and that was a huge emergency,” she said.
“It is your right to refuse,” Mr. Kimura reminded her.
“It’s not that,” Gabriella began, looking to Mack sympathetically. “I want to do it more than anything, but I just . . . don’t think I’m ready. You should ask my Tía Rosa or my grandmother or another nahual,” Gabriella added. “I could fail, and this is too important.”
There was a long pause.
“We’re very proud of you, Gabriella,” Mrs. Therian said earnestly.
“ ‘Proud’?” Gabriella echoed.
Her teacher nodded. “A few months ago you would have rushed headlong into this mission without knowing all the dangers. But you’ve grown. You’ve learned that there’s more at risk here than your own safety. That having been said, we have the utmost confidence in you—not just that you can do this, but that you’re the only one who can.”
“Do you remember what Mr. Kimura said when we told you about the prophecy? About the bond that the First Four share?” Yara asked.
Gabriella nodded.
“Do you remember how you and Fiona and Mack could sense Darren’s pain and fear when he was kidnapped by Auden Ironbound’s forces? And also when Darren unleashed his powers?”
“I remember,” Gabriella said. She and the others had been so scared for Darren, and equally determined to save him.
“The four of you—the next First Four—share a powerful bond. That bond could alert you to anything in Mack’s mind that is out of place, that doesn’t belong. Another nahual wouldn’t be as attuned,” Ms. Therian said. “If we’re to discover what Sakura did to Mack, you’re our best hope—and Mack’s too.”
Gabriella thought about that for a minute, her eyes on Mack. Does he want me to do this? she wondered. How does he feel about the idea of me wandering through
his thoughts?
As if he knew what she was thinking, Mack finally raised his head.
“If someone’s going to be walking around in my brain, I’d rather it was you than some total stranger,” he said. Then he gave her a kind of twisted smile. “But you have to promise not to steal any of my comic book ideas, because I’m planning on making it big with the new superhero I’ve come up with.”
Gabriella smiled back. It was good to hear Mack sound like Mack again, if only for a minute. Her panic subsided a little bit. She started to think that maybe she could try.
“You’re going to need a lot of training—and fast—if you’re willing to take on this mission,” Mr. Kimura said. “Most nahuals spend years learning to master this ability, but you only have weeks.”
“Weeks?” Gabriella sputtered. “Why? What do you think will happen?”
“It’s vital that we discover Sakura’s plan and ensure Mack’s safety as soon as possible. It will take a fierce dedication, but I know you have it in you to succeed.”
Maybe I do have it in me, she thought. If I work really hard to learn what I need to, I can help Mack.
Suddenly, the gym doors burst open. Tía Rosa and Gabriella’s grandmother, whom she called Abuelita, entered the room. Although Gabriella’s mother and sister knew nothing about her secret Changer world, Gabriella had inherited her Changer ability from her grandmother, and her aunt had too.
It had been a huge relief to turn to them for help in the early, confusing days when she could barely control her powers and was constantly afraid she’d transform at the wrong place and time. For a while, she had been just one unintentional transformation away from exposing her secret self to the world, until Tía Rosa stepped in. For a few months now, Rosa had been training Gabriella to control her transformations and master her fighting skills.
“Sorry we’re late,” Tía Rosa said with a wave. “This one”—she nudged Abuelita—“insisted on lunching at the Willow Cove Café, even though the line was out the door.”
Abuelita rolled her eyes and shrugged. “They have good burgers. Do you know how often I get to eat a good burger at my age?”
“Tía Rosa! Abuelita!” Gabriella said as her aunt embraced her. “What are you doing here?”
Abuelita tottered over and placed her hands on Gabriella’s cheeks. “If you decide to take on this mission, we’ve agreed to handle your training.”
Gabriella looked from her grandmother to her aunt and back again.
I don’t want to disappoint them—especially Mack, she thought to them. But do you think I can really do this?
Tía Rosa put an arm around her niece. Mija, I’m surprised at you! Our Gabriella, hesitant to take on a challenge? It’s true, you’ll be facing the same risks you faced when you entered Darren’s mind, and entering Mack’s mind will have added dangers. We don’t know exactly what Sakura did to him.
But . . . you think I can do it? Gabriella asked again.
Tía Rosa nodded. I have no doubt. You’re strong—much stronger than either of us were at your age. I’ve seen you overcome so many obstacles in such a short amount of time. You’re going to be just fine.
We’ll do everything in our power to make sure you succeed, her grandmother added. And come back to us safely.
Gabriella felt her determination growing. Tía Rosa was right. Gabriella had never before been afraid to take on a challenge or to do what was right, no matter the odds. She’d trained with her aunt in combat and had gotten so good that she fended off an army of Changers with nothing but her claws—twice. It was time to shake off her fears and do whatever she could to save her friend.
She turned to the group, who was waiting patiently for her answer. “I’ll do my best,” she said with a wave of renewed confidence. “I’ll start training right now.”
Mr. Kimura bowed to her. “We owe you our gratitude.”
Gabriella caught Mack’s eye and nodded. He nodded back.
“Mack would do it for me,” she said.
“I must ask you to keep this mission a secret from Fiona and Darren for now. The fewer people who know what we’re about to try, the better,” Mr. Kimura said.
“I won’t tell anyone,” Gabriella promised. Then she turned to her family. “So . . . when do we start?”
Later that night, Gabriella, Abuelita, and Tía Rosa sat around the dinner table with Gabriella’s younger sister, Maritza, and their mother.
Abuelita and Tía Rosa, who stayed after school to watch Gabriella’s track practice, made jokes about getting tickets for the upcoming Olympics. They wanted to be sure they had good seats when Gabriella won her gold medals.
It seemed like a regular family dinner, but all the while, Gabriella couldn’t feel entirely at ease. Thinking about the special training she would have to undergo was making her impatient to get started. She was thinking about that when Abuelita changed the topic of conversation.
“You know what?” Abuelita said, looking around the table. “I don’t spend enough time like this with the four of you. I know I was only going to visit for a few days, but I think I’ll stay longer.”
She put one hand on Gabriella’s shoulder and the other on Maritza’s. “I need a vacation from my retirement, and I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than with my favorite daughters and granddaughters.”
“We’re your only daughters, Ma,” Gabriella’s mother said with a smile.
“And your only granddaughters,” Maritza added.
“Yes, I know that, and you’re all my favorites,” Abuelita said with a laugh. She turned to Gabriella and added, “What do you think, mija? Can you put up with me for a month?”
“Of course I can,” Gabriella said, giving her a hug.
Tía Rosa chimed in. “I have some vacation time coming, too,” she said. Rosa lived close by in New Brighton, the nearest city to Willow Cove. “Do you mind having a full house for a couple of weeks, Isabel?”
Gabriella’s mom laughed. “Only if you promise not to leave the house a pigsty like you usually do!”
The whole family burst into laughter. Gabriella knew that her abuelita and tía would really be sticking around for her training, but Ma and Maritza were just happy to have them around. For a few hours, Gabriella tried her best to push aside her worries about Mack and spirit-walking and Sakura and enjoy being a normal kid with her family. The next steps would come soon enough.
Abuelita tucked Maritza into bed a couple of hours later and then made her way to Gabriella’s bedroom.
“I’m too old to be tucked in,” Gabriella said with a sleepy smile.
“Never!” her grandmother scoffed. She sat on the side of the bed and tucked Gabriella’s blanket around her. “Sleep tight. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day—your first day of training. And don’t expect us to go easy on you.”
“I won’t,” Gabriella said. “I have to be ready to help Mack.”
“You will be,” Abuelita promised, turning out the light.
She had smiled when she’d said it, but that didn’t mask the worry Gabriella had seen in her grandmother’s eyes. She felt a mix of emotions as Abuelita left the room and closed the door behind her. It was going to be really cool to spend more time with her nahual family members and to learn more about spirit-walking. But there was a lot of pressure too. What if she failed?
Because after all, didn’t the First Four say that if I can’t save Mack from the Shadow Fox, no one can?
Chapter 3
The Tide Song
Fiona yawned and stretched before getting out of bed the next morning. Her dreams were filled with worries about Mack, and she was anxious to get to school to see him. She quickly ran through her morning routine, checked her homework, and was getting dressed when she smelled something wonderful wafting up from the kitchen—pancakes!
“Dad, I thought you were leaving early for the poetry conference!” she said, padding down the stairs. “Did your presentation get cancelled?” She rounded the corner into the kitchen to find n
ot her father but her mother in front of the stove, wielding the pancake ladle.
For most kids, the scene before her would feel completely normal. But until recently, Fiona had thought that her mother passed away when she was still a toddler. About ten years ago, there was a rift between the selkies and the Changer nation. Her mother, as queen of selkies, had left Fiona and her nonmagical father to lead the selkies and prevent all-out war between the two factions. Ever since, there had been an uneasy peace between the selkies and the rest of the Changers. Fiona’s father told her that her mother had died, and Fiona only learned the truth after she discovered she was a Changer herself and would be the next selkie queen.
Ever since they reconnected, Fiona had cherished the moments she spent with her mother. Their meetings had always taken place in the ocean waters or on the selkie-controlled Isles of Saorsie, where Mom would teach her daughter the selkie ways and their magical songs. Fiona hadn’t seen her mother in the cottage she shared with her father since she was three.
And now she was right here in the kitchen making pancakes!
“Mom! You’re here,” Fiona said.
Mom pulled Fiona into a hug. “I wanted to see you, so I thought I’d come by for breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes used to be your favorite. Are they still?”
“They are,” Fiona said. “You remembered!”
“I remember everything about you,” Mom said with a smile.
“And I remember the smell of coffee brewing in the morning while you made the pancakes,” Fiona added, eyeing the empty coffeemaker. “Have you given it up?”
Mom laughed. “I can’t figure it out!” she said. “Technology has certainly changed in the past ten years. It looks more like a spaceship than a coffeepot. Can you help?”
“When I’m the first one up, I make Dad’s coffee. I’ll make yours too.”
Soon, the two of them were settled down to a breakfast of fresh fruit, pancakes, and two cups of coffee for Mom. Fiona wished that all her mornings could be this wonderful. It just needed one more thing to make it perfect: Dad. Someday she hoped the fragile peace between the selkies and the rest of the Changers would grow into a real alliance and they could all live together again.
