Cage the Beast
Page 18
Later that night I was sitting on my bed toying with my cellphone. It wasn’t set up for anything but phone calls and texts, yet the last text I had received was the one that warned me of my parents’ kidnapping. I couldn’t help checking it every few minutes to ensure that they were still safe. It was an unsettling feeling.
I eventually forced myself to put it down and glanced at Alden’s bed for the hundredth time. I hadn’t seen the Grim since we returned to the Academy. The thought that he and Sparrow might be wandering around somewhere brought me to my feet. I missed the sylph dragon. I wouldn’t feel completely at home back at Haunted High without the little black and purple creature either around my wrist near her name or up riding on my shoulder as had become her new favorite place.
I found myself searching for his scent as I climbed the stairs. The thought made me chuckle to myself. Even in human form, I would forever be a werewolf. That thought didn’t have the sting it used to; instead, I embraced the other side of me, the side I was still getting to know.
Alden’s scent reached my nose. It was fresh. He must have just gone up the stairs. I took them three at a time, anxious to see both of my friends and hope they didn’t hold a grudge toward me for leaving them behind.
“Alden, there you are! I’ve been worried about you,” I said when I reached the thirteenth floor and saw the Grim sitting beneath the window at the end.
I crossed the hallway toward him, but slowed when he lifted his head. Tears showed on his cheeks and the anguish on his face was unmistakable.
“I’m so sorry, Finn.”
I dropped to my knees in front of him. “Alden, what’s wrong?”
He lifted his wrist. It was conspicuously empty.
“Where’s Sparrow?” I asked, unable to hide the fear in my voice.
Alden gestured above him. “I brought her up here every day like you asked me to. She hunted for bugs and loved to fly around. She even caught a grasshopper once. I don’t know how it got up here, especially at this time of year, and it was disgusting to watch her eat it, but she was so happy and you should have seen how good she slept after that. She even caught—”
“Alden, tell me where she is!” I said, panic making my voice tight.
Alden lowered his light blue eyes from mine. “She’s gone, Finn. The other day she flew out the window and hasn’t come back.”
I stared at the window above him. The glass was open a crack, just wide enough for a baby sylph dragon to slip through.
“No,” I said, rising to my feet. I shoved the window up. “No!”
“I don’t know how it happened,” Alden said. “The window was never open before. I thought maybe somebody went to the clubhouse and she followed them up there, but when I checked it, the clubhouse was empty and Sparrow was nowhere to be found.” He buried his face in his hands. “You trusted me and I let you down. I’m so sorry!”
I didn’t know what to say or do. On impulse, I climbed out of the window and called for the dragon as I balanced my way to the clubhouse entrance. A quick check inside showed exactly what Alden had said, nothing. I climbed back down and returned to the window. Inside, I could see my friend hunched over with guilt. I glanced around again. Only the city buildings and the washed-out night sky overhead was visible. No dragon was there to answer my call.
I clambered back inside and did my best to calm my expression. I set a hand on Alden’s shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” I said, willing my voice to remain steady. “It’s not your fault. I’m sure she’ll come back.”
But I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure at all. The dragon had been entrusted to me. She had even sacrificed her life to me and then sworn herself to me instead of going with the Grim to whatever lay beyond for sylph dragons. I had left her in the hopes of keeping her out of danger, but maybe she had felt betrayed. Maybe she had gone off searching for me.
Guilt squeezed my heart so hard it hurt in a way that reminded me of being on Sir Harbrand’s table. I took several steadying breaths and the pain slowly faded. Without any other option, I held out my hand to Alden. “I don’t blame you. I’m the one who left her. This is on my shoulders, not yours.”
The little Grim surprised me by throwing his arms around me and hugging me tight.
“I thought you’d hate me for sure,” he said with a sob. “You’re my best friend here and pretty much my only friend unless I have food that Brack wants or if I let someone else study from my notes.” He stepped back. “I don’t know what I’d do if you were mad at me.”
“I’m not mad,” I said, trying to reassure us both. “We’ll figure out how to get her back. I doubt she’s gone far.”
It took all of my willpower not to run straight to Professor Seedly, shake him out of bed, and demand to know how to find the sylph dragon. Only the fact that she had been gone several days kept me walking to the room I shared with the Grim. It would have to wait until morning.
I settled on my bed and shut my eyes. I could hear Alden sniff occasionally in his bed and felt horrible for the worry I had inadvertently caused him when I entrusted him to watch over Sparrow.
Sparrow was so innocent and young. She was too fragile to be out in the world by herself, especially in a world that didn’t believe dragons existed in the first place. But she knew where home was, and I had returned to her before. I hoped that after she had her adventure, she would come back to the place where I always returned. I told myself that everything would work out. It just had to.
On the cliff’s edge between sleep and awake, a sound caught my attention. My eyes flew open just as hands grabbed my arms and legs. A black bag was thrown over my head. I struggled to break free.
“Move and die,” someone whispered into my ear.
I threw him over my shoulder. Something slammed into my head and everything went dark.
Preorder The Haunted High Series Book 5- Ashes of Night here: Ashes of Night Preorder
About the Author
Cheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author who has published over 40 books. She is the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts and giving much appreciated critiques. Cheree works as a fulltime author and mother, which is more play than work! She enjoys reading, traveling to tropical beaches, riding motorcycles, spending time with her wonderful children, and going on family adventures while planning her next book.
Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great quests, and never stop dreaming.
If you liked this book, please review The Haunted High Series Book 4- Cage the Beast here: Cage the Beast Amazon Page
ALSO BY CHEREE ALSOP
The Haunted High Series-
The Wolf Within Me
The Ghost Files
City of Demons
Cage the Beast
Ashes of Night
The Silver Series-
Silver
Black
Crimson
Violet
Azure
Hunter
Silver Moon
The Werewolf Academy Series-
Book One: Strays
Book Two: Hunted
Book Three: Instinct
Book Four: Taken
Book Five: Lost
Book Six: Vengeance
Book Seven: Chosen
Heart of the Wolf Part One
Heart of the Wolf Part Two
The Galdoni Series-
Galdoni
Galdoni 2: Into the Storm
Galdoni 3: Out of Darkness
The Small Town Superheroes Series-
Small Town Superhero
Small Town Superhero II
Small Town Superhero III
Keeper of the Wolves
Stolen
The Million Dollar Gift
Thief Prince
> When Death Loved an Angel
The Shadows Series
Shadows- Book One in the World of Shadows
Mist- Book Two in the World of Shadows
The Monster Asylum Series
Book One- The Fangs of Bloodhaven
Book Two- The Scales of Drakenfall
Girl from the Stars
Book 1- Daybreak
Book 2- Daylight
Book 3- Day’s End
Book 4- Day’s Journey
Book 5- Day’s Hunt
The Pirate from the Stars
The Dr. Wolf Series
Book 1- Shockwave
Book 2- Demon Spiral
Book 3- The Four Horsemen
Book 4- Dragon’s Bayne
The Prince of Ash and Blood
Find books by Cheree Alsop here: Cheree Alsop’s Amazon Page