The Shadow Fox

by H. K. Varian

  “The last of a powerful bloodline.”

  Mack watched as the image morphed. He caught a brief glimpse of his older self as he Changed into a nine-tailed kitsune. His fur was white, like Jiichan’s, and the flames that licked at his paws were blazingly hot. He thought for a moment about the other seven tails he still had to earn. What would he accomplish in the future to win them?

  “The heir of a wayward hero,” the voices said next.

  Mack’s older kitsune form dissolved, and he saw Gabriella, now an adult, standing on a rooftop wearing what looked like the Emerald Wildcat’s outfit as she looked down over a nighttime city. Gabriella’s aunt Rosa was also a nahual, and she had once used her powers to fight crime in New Brighton as a superhero called the Emerald Wildcat. Is this Gabriella’s fate too? Mack wondered as the older Gabriella Changed into her black jaguar form and leaped into the streets below.

  “The storm-born son of an ancient power.”

  Mack next saw a shadow of Darren, who was now much taller and broader in the shoulders. Darren was stooping to pull up a group of people, one by one, from below. As he helped them up, each changed into a bird and took flight. Finally, there was a crack of thunder, and Darren Changed too. Mack could feel gale-force winds on his face as Darren took to the skies, thunder booming overhead.

  And lastly, the voices rang out once more. “The hidden daughter of a conflicted queen.”

  A grown-up Fiona stood on a rocky shore, wearing a crown of coral and pearls, her red hair bright against her gray selkie cloak. She was leading hooded figures out of the ocean and onto the beach. She embraced several of them before transforming and diving back into the ocean, her sleek selkie pelt glistening in the sunshine.

  A final vision formed. The older Mack, Gabriella, Darren, and Fiona stood strong together, looking ready to face anything. And then suddenly, Mack was back in his living room, and the light of the moonstone had faded beneath his hand.

  Chapter 2

  The Next Step

  The first thing Darren noticed was the incredulous looks on his friends’ faces. Darren didn’t know what to expect from today’s meeting, but he was pretty sure no one could’ve guessed it would be that. Fiona was looking up at the First Four with new appreciation. Mack and Gabriella smiled at Ms. Therian with the same slightly awed expression.

  “It’s our duty to guide you as we were once guided long ago,” Ms. Therian said.

  Yara, her face wreathed in wrinkles as she beamed at them, said, “You’ve met and exceeded all our expectations so far.”

  “We’re very proud,” Sefu added.

  Darren looked at Mr. Kimura and saw pride in his eyes as well.

  “There are many special abilities that come with being the First Four, abilities that you will learn when you’re ready,” he said.

  Beside Darren, Mack tried unsuccessfully to suppress a groan. Darren felt his pain—he too was tired of all the secrets.

  Mack’s grandfather reached out to put a hand on Mack’s shoulder. “You all must trust that we know what’s best for your training.”

  Before Mack had time to respond, Fiona raised her hand.

  “Yes, Fiona,” Mr. Kimura said gently.

  “I have a few questions. Who makes the prophecies? Who decided that we”—she gestured to the rest of the kids—“are leaders? And how do they know for sure?”

  “Circe makes the prophecies,” Ms. Therian said. “She’s now very, very old, of course, but her connection to this world’s magic is stronger than ever. Circe’s Order delivers the prophecies to us, the current First Four, and we in turn use them to guide the Changer nation.”

  “Circe’s Order?” Mack repeated. “What is that? Who’s in it?”

  “The order is very secretive, and its members are chosen by Circe,” Sefu answered. “It’s comprised of Changer- and magic-kind alike. Those who have chosen the path of Circe over Morwyn’s.”

  “You mean there are good magic-users out there?” Gabriella asked.

  Yara laughed, although Darren didn’t see why. So far, all the magic-users he had come up against were dangerous and evil.

  “Of course there are,” Yara said. “They live much quieter lives than the witches and warlocks you’ve encountered. But they’re there, in the shadows, secretly doing good.”

  “For that matter,” Sefu added ominously, “there are bad Changers out there, too.”

  Mack nodded. “Like the dolphin that tried to steal Circe’s Compass from Fiona.”

  Darren cringed. In their search for the compass, Darren and the others had led an encantado working for Auden Ironbound right to it. The kids, with the help of the First Four, had only just managed to keep it out of the hands of the warlock’s followers.

  “Did Circe make the compass?” Fiona asked. “Is that why it has her name?”

  “Circe created several powerful relics. The compass is just one of them,” Sefu confirmed.

  Darren knew Fiona was about to ask for a history of every relic ever created. Before he had to listen to another long story, he jumped in with a question of his own. “So what now?” he asked. “What’s next?”

  Ms. Therian smiled at the four of them. “To lead our people, you have to know them,” she said. “Now that you know your destiny, it’s time you learned more about the Changers’ world.”

  “How do we do that?” Darren asked. “It’s not like I can just walk up to someone on the street and say, ‘Hey, can you change into a magical creature? I’m a giant lightning bird.’ ”

  “We’ll begin with a field trip,” she answered, her eyes dancing with mischief. “To Wyndemere Academy, the only boarding school in America just for Changers.”

  Darren hadn’t expected that. He stood quietly and watched as Fiona, Gabriella, and Mack babbled questions about Wyndemere Academy. Fiona was so excited she didn’t even raise her hand.

  “A boarding school just for Changers?” she asked. “Where is it? What kinds of special classes do they offer?”

  At the same time, Gabriella was asking about the school’s sports teams. Darren could tell by the way she was flexing her muscles that she was ready to compete against other Changers on the athletic field. And Mack wanted to know all about the types of Changers they hadn’t seen yet.

  Werewolves and selkies aren’t enough? Darren wondered.

  “You’ll have to get permission from your parents,” Ms. Therian said, pulling two packets of papers out of her bag.

  “Now that my father knows I’m a selkie, I know he’ll say yes,” Fiona said. “He says yes to anything involving education.”

  Darren’s heart sank. Like Fiona’s dad, Darren’s mom was a professor at New Brighton University and valued education. But she didn’t know that Darren was a Changer, and there were other complicated reasons she might say no.

  Ms. Therian handed the packets of information to Gabriella and Darren. “These are for your parents,” she said.

  Darren looked at the cover. The title National Park Nature Trip was printed over a picture of Olympic National Park.

  “Your mother, Gabriella, and your parents, Darren, will think that’s where you’re going,” she said, pointing to the picture. “Our real destination is Wyndemere Academy.”

  “I’m sure my mom will say yes, but Tía Rosa can convince her even if she doesn’t,” Gabriella put in.

  “There’s a Changer school right out in the open?” Mack asked, looking over Gabriella’s shoulder.

  “It’s hidden away on ocean cliffs, not far from the national park,” Ms. Therian said, “and protected by enchantments.”

  “When do we leave?” Gabriella asked.

  “In three weeks,” Mr. Kimura said. “We want to stay under the radar as much as possible, so your trip will be over Willow Cove Middle School’s spring break, leaving on Thursday and returning on Sunday.”

  “You’ll need every minute between now and then to train for the Youngling Games,” Yara said with a mischievous smile.

  “Games?”
Gabriella piped up.

  Darren knew that sports and competition were totally Gabriella’s jam. He was a pretty good athlete himself and played on Willow Cove’s football team, but Gabriella dominated every sport she played, and that was before she developed her nahual powers. Now her nahual abilities made her unstoppable.

  “Games,” Ms. Therian said with a nod. “The Youngling Games are a series of sporting events that Changers aged eleven to thirteen from all over the country come to Wyndemere Academy to compete in.”

  Gabriella was bouncing on her toes. Darren thought she might change into her nahual form out of sheer excitement. “Can we sign up for multiple events?”

  “And can I not sign up for any of Gabriella’s races?” Mack asked. “I’m not sure I can take losing over and over again.”

  Ms. Therian laughed heartily. “Yes, you can—both of you,” she said to Mack and Gabriella. Then her eyes swept the four of them. “There are different events for all of you.”

  “All of us?” Fiona asked, her forehead wrinkled with concern. “Athletics aren’t really my thing. Can’t I write a history of the games instead of competing?”

  Everyone laughed. Fiona was the only kid they knew who enjoyed writing research papers. She took every advanced class Willow Cove Middle School had to offer and aced them all.

  “There are water events for selkies, encantados, and the other waterborne Changers,” Yara said. “You’ll have fun.” Then she turned to Darren. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Darren. Aren’t you excited about meeting other impundulus?”

  Everyone turned to look at him, and Darren cringed. “Sure I am,” he said, but his heart wasn’t in it.

  “Is something wrong?” Gabriella asked gently.

  Darren was about to brush off the question, but he knew she and Fiona would keep asking until he told them what was really going on. He wanted to go to Wyndemere Academy, but it wasn’t that easy, especially when his parents were in the middle of getting divorced.

  “I don’t think my mom will let me go,” he said finally. “My parents agreed to shared custody—I’ll be living mostly with my mom. I don’t have to go to court or anything, but I do have to go to a few counseling sessions with a therapist. The sessions are coming up soon, and the counselor decides if it’s okay for me to live with my mom or not. . . .” His voice trailed off. He hated to think about sitting in a room for hours while some stranger decided which parent he would live with. At least his big brother, Ray, who had already left home for New Brighton University, would be home in a few weeks to help him get through it. His Changer friends had been really nice about everything, too.

  Mr. Kimura smiled reassuringly at Darren. “I think your mother would like you to get away for a while,” he said. “She’s been worried about you since the divorce was announced.”

  Darren remembered the family meeting his parents had a few months ago with him and Ray. He’d nearly lost control of his lightning abilities trying to keep his feelings about the divorce in check. Darren had a feeling his mom wanted him to stay close, so she could keep an eye on him.

  “Both of your parents will see this trip as a nice change of pace for you—a chance to get out of the house and spend time in nature,” Mr. Kimura added.

  “Do you think so?” Darren asked, his mood lifting. “I really want to go.”

  “And we want you there with us,” Mack said. “I need some serious competition for my flame throwing, and I bet no other kid in the country is half as good as we are.”

  Darren laughed. “I’ll definitely ask my mom,” he said. “It would be cool to finally meet another impundulu.”

  “We have lots of work ahead of us,” Ms. Therian said with a smile, “but not today. The First Four have plans for the Youngling Games to review.”

  “Can I look at The Compendium before my father gets here?” Fiona asked. “I’d love to find out what it has to say about Wyndemere Academy.”

  “Of course,” Mr. Kimura answered. “Makoto can get it for you.”

  Darren, Fiona, and Gabriella plopped onto the floor in Mack’s bedroom while he ran off to get The Compendium. The bookshelves in Mack’s room were filled with comic books, and the walls were lined with comic-book art.

  “I can’t believe there’s a whole school just for Changers,” Fiona said. “I thought everyone was just trained by a family member or by someone from the Changer nation, in small groups, like we are.”

  “I can’t believe the vision of us all,” Gabriella interjected. “I mean, Mack had nine tails! And he didn’t look that old, either. And Fiona, you were—”

  “Doing something my mother said I would do one day,” Fiona whispered, the realization donning on her. “I was bringing the selkies back to the Changer nation. . . . At least, that’s what it looked like. Gabriella, you were a superhero, just like your aunt!”

  Gabriella laughed. “I wonder if I really will be the Jade Jaguar someday, just like in the comic I made with Mack.”

  Fiona’s eyes lit up. “And Darren—those people—it looked like you were making new Changers! Is that even possible?”

  Darren shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure out why I’m a Changer at all,” he said. “You three have family members who are Changers. I don’t know anyone in my family who has the ability.”

  “Maybe you don’t, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t related to another impundulu,” Gabriella said. “I was totally shocked when I learned Tía Rosa and my abuelita were Changers. Maybe you have family members who haven’t revealed themselves to you yet.”

  Darren was mentally running through his family tree, trying to figure out who might be a Changer. He almost laughed at the thought of his uncle Harvey, who already had a long beak-like nose, transforming into a bird.

  Mack showed up with The Compendium and handed it to Fiona. She and Darren had found the ancient book earlier this year in the rare books room of New Brighton University’s library. The Compendium had helped them learn about the Horn of Power and locate Circe’s Compass, but the book guarded its secrets. Whenever Darren picked up The Compendium, he’d rarely ever read the same passage twice—the book changed each time he opened it.

  Fiona carefully turned the pages, looking for information about Wyndemere Academy or the Youngling Games.

  “Ms. Therian said that Wyndemere was the only school for Changers in the country,” she said. “Do you think there are other schools in other parts of the world?”

  “Makes sense,” Mack said.

  Almost as soon as Fiona asked the question, the answer appeared on a page about Changer boarding schools.

  “ ‘Many countries have their own academies,’ ” she read. “Look at this one in Italy! How old do you think it is? Do you think they allow students to take a semester abroad like colleges do?”

  Gabriella laughed. “Why don’t we find out about the school in this country first?”

  Fiona turned the page, and the words, which had been jumbled and looked as if there were written in another language a second before, began to sort themselves out into English words.

  “ ‘The campus of Wyndemere Academy is situated in a remote forested area along the coast and housed in a castle that is more than two hundred and fifty years old,’ ” she read. “ ‘A cloaking spell is performed each spring by Mr. Akira Kimura, First Four, Class A, nine-tailed kitsune, to hide it from the non-magical world.’ ”

  Darren eyed Mack to see if he had had any clue about his grandfather’s cloaking spells, but he looked as surprised as the rest them. “What else?” Mack asked.

  “ ‘The application period runs from September to March, and students are notified of acceptance in late spring. The student body has around fifteen hundred students, aged fourteen to eighteen.’ ”

  Darren whistled. “I had no idea there were that many of us.”

  “And that’s just in the United States,” Mack added.

  “ ‘All Changer younglings are welcome to apply, and tuition is free to those whose
parents have sworn fealty to the Changer nation.’ ” Fiona paused for a moment, and Darren wondered if she was thinking about her mother—the selkie queen. The selkies had split off from the Changer nation when Fiona was just three. Fiona was told that her mother had died, but in truth, Leana Murphy had left Fiona and her father so that she could lead the selkies. Fiona had reconnected with her mother just before the final battle with Auden Ironbound, and now she was learning the selkie songs from her.

  Will Fiona’s selkie heritage prevent her from going to Wyndemere someday? Darren wondered. He was sure it couldn’t be true—Fiona was one of the next leaders of the Changers. . . . There was no chance they would turn her away, right?

  Gabriella nudged Fiona gently, and Fiona continued reading. “ ‘Classes are held from September to June; dormitories are on-site. The lagoon is open year-round to waterborne Changers. Special accommodations are made to ensure that the children of non-Changer parentage are able to attend.’ ”

  Darren peered over Fiona’s shoulder and watched as a sketch of the Wyndemere campus appeared. He and his family had toured some New England colleges when Ray was checking out schools, and Wyndemere’s castle looked like some of the Gothic mansions they’d seen along the coast. It was very big and very old.

  A much more modern sports stadium appeared on the next page, and younglings of various types were seen competing in magical events. “Wow! Look at that,” Gabriella said. “This is going to be so cool.”

  “Hey! Doesn’t that look like the same kind of bear Changer we saw in the vision of Circe’s apprentices?” Mack asked, pointing to a bear that was squaring off against a jaguar. “I’m going to get so much inspiration for my Kitsune Tails comic.”

  “Oh, look at the lagoon,” Fiona said.

  Even Darren found himself getting excited about the trip, in spite of everything that was going on at home. He was still amazed and confused sometimes about his incredible new powers. Keeping them a secret at home was hard, and to finally be able to talk to another impundulu—to meet someone who understood these powers, to hear about how they got through such an enormous change—it would be, well, freeing.