Time Shift
Page 10
Big mistake.
I really had nothing left to say, and if things continued as predicted, Belle would make her appearance in a few minutes, which meant I needed to get rid of these two. “But you want me to put my life in your hands.” Unbelievable. Irim was a weasel that only cared about himself.
“Doesn’t really matter what you want anymore. The dragon king wants you to marry his son. I’m here to make sure that happens.”
I scoffed, choking back the urge to laugh in his face.
There really wasn’t much else to say without giving up the dirt I had on Irim. I wasn’t ready to show my hand just yet. The two dragons left me to stew in my own thoughts, moving to the edge of the cave entrance.
Huddled by the fire, my mind buzzed, seeking a way to ensure Devyn didn’t get hurt. By not sending Belle to find Devyn, I hoped it would alter the future, but that still left me in a predicament.
I was forced to face the same questions as before. Nothing really had changed.
How would I get out of here without the Shaman’s help?
Should I still consider Reilly’s shitty proposal? No diamond ring or bended knee for me—seemed kind of lackluster for a prince.
And of course I had a host of all new questions.
How far could I shift time? Assuming that was what I’d done.
Did it work forward as well as backward? Could I shift myself back home, back before things went to shit?
“You could, but it won’t change who you are,” a high-pitched whisper answered the question in my head.
Belle.
The pixie fluttered to me.
She was right. I would always be a Kitsune. I couldn’t run from who I was, and I had sworn to embrace my abilities for Mom. For the Second Moon. For Devyn.
Easy to promise.
Difficult to do.
“So how many times have you seen this nightmare?” I asked, glancing out of the corner of my eyes to make sure the dragon shifters weren’t paying much attention to me. They weren’t.
“Enough to know that your ability to shift time can be taxing. Eventually, you won’t have the strength to give yourself a do-over. It wasn’t meant to keep repeating time until you get it right.”
“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine on this dark night.”
“You asked.”
I had. “So what do I do? Should I consider marrying Reilly? Will it save Katsura?”
“That isn’t how the future works. The moment I give you an answer, it will change the chain of events. So even if it does save the Second Moon, it has to be your choice without outside influences.”
I sunk against the bumpy wall. “Has anyone ever told you your visions are crap?”
“All the time.”
I sat in silence, staring into the fire searching for answers that weren’t there. I didn’t send Belle after Devyn, but I should have known that wouldn’t stop him from finding me. Radiating tingles skating over my neck had me lifting my gaze.
“He’s here,” Belle whispered in my ear as she perched on my shoulder.
Chapter Thirteen
Stay calm.
You can save him. You can change his destiny.
A black hood was draped over Devyn’s head, shadowing his eyes, but I didn’t need to see his face. I sighed. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to see him. I was worried about what would happen next.
The Shaman always made a grand entrance. A brisk breeze blew through the mountaintops, throwing the black hood off his face. Devyn’s bright eyes met mine. “Hey, Kitten. I see you got yourself kidnapped. Again.”
I rolled my eyes, pushing to my feet, while Belle wispy wings climbed her into the air. “I was getting a bit bored, so I decided to spice things up.”
“Always ready to lend a helping hand,” Reilly mumbled to himself, positioning his body between Devyn and me.
“I bet. So what’s your angle here, Reilly? I see you’ve got your henchman. Did your father send you?”
“You know how he is. When he sends an order, everyone obeys.”
Devyn’s gaze narrowed. “Including you? Funny, I remember you rebelling at your father’s every action. Isn’t that why you spend so much time here on Earth?”
Reilly watched Devyn like a hawk, knowing the Shaman was here for only one thing… me. “Circumstances have changed. You know that.”
“And so have you, my old friend.” Devyn had both blades whipped out before he finished the sentence.
Things unfolded much as they had before, and I felt powerless to stop it. The three Silvermyst dropped in. Irim shifted. The smirk on his face had been replaced by cold hatred. Reilly began to shift, and then Devyn would tell him to get me to safety, but this time, I wasn’t leaving.
Backing away from Reilly, I shed my human skin, turned into the fox, and immediately shot a fireball at one of the uninvited guests. My aim was surprisingly accurate, and the Silvermyst went up in flames. Devyn finished him off with a blade through the chest. “Reilly, get her out of here!” he roared.
It was like watching my nightmare come true. Again. And again. Shifting time no longer seemed like a blessing, but a curse.
I’m not leaving! I yelled inside my head, dodging Reilly’s attempt to grab me.
“Should I knock her out?” Reilly suggested.
You can try.
I had lost track of Belle in the chaos, but I didn’t want to lose track of Irim. I scanned the cave, and I realized I already had. Damn. How could I misplace a dragon? It wasn’t like he could go invisible, right? Dragons didn’t do that, did they? What did I know? A few months ago, I would have laughed at the idea.
Now I fought for my life in a cave with two Silvermyst, a Shaman, and two dragons … correction, one dragon.
Reilly snuck up from behind and wrapped his arms around me. Déjà vu. The strong arms holding onto me began to paper with scales, wings sprouting from his back, and Reilly’s amber eyes thinned and brightened.
“We can’t leave. Devyn will die,” I frantically projected, not thinking about who could hear me, only that I got through to Reilly.
He gave me a “What are you talking about?” glare.
The Shaman didn’t take me seriously either, but that all changed the second Irim appeared outside the cave, his bat-like wings beating the air as he hovered. Irim opened his massive triangular mouth, and we all knew what happened when a dragon breathed.
Fire!
Reilly rolled us to the left, shielding me with his body as the flames passed by, heading straight for Devyn and the Silvermyst. “What the hell, Irim,” Reilly growled, but I didn’t think that would stop Irim from killing my Shaman.
Devyn abandoned the Silvermyst, lunging at Irim.
No! This couldn’t happen. Not again.
I scrambled to all four paws, breaking free from underneath Reilly, and before Devyn could jump on the dragon’s back, I beat him to it, pouncing.
Tremors racked my body and beads of sweat collected on my brow.
Gathering every ounce of strength I possessed, I attacked. With all four powers.
Shift.
Storm.
Flame.
Time.
They all came to me at once, and I went for Irim’s throat, teeth bared. Devyn and Reilly both screamed my name in unison, but I had slowed time, so their voices were long and drawn out as I moved. The cave lit up in spears of purple magnetic lightning, and my white fur was outlined in flames of pinkish-orange.
As I sailed through the air, I didn’t think about what I was doing or the possibility that Irim could hurt me. My only thoughts were of saving Devyn.
Me? Save Devyn?
Talk about role reversal.
I felt my canines sink into Irim’s tough skin, and blood filled my mouth, but I kept my jaw locked down, even though the taste of the thick, metallic substance churned my stomach. Time came rushing back, returning to normal speed, and Irim threw his head back and let out an ominous roar—part pain and part rage. He jerked my body li
ke a rag doll and in the process ripped his flesh. Blood splattered over my face, staining my pure white fur crimson.
Hope that comes out.
It was a stupid, random thought, and I couldn’t let myself dwell on the blood.
Irim gave another whip of his head, and I released my teeth. Just as I’d hoped, the momentum of his jerk sent him tumbling down the mountain, but at the last second, the cunning dragon hit me with his powerful tail and knocked me over the edge. Then I fell backward, my paws in the air.
Not part of the plan. Devyn stood at the ledge, looking down at me with pure horror and helplessness on his face.
This alternative sucked. I didn’t want to die. Without me, there was no saving Katsura.
The ground raced toward me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. My energy was depleted, but I knew my only hope at surviving the fall was to slow time. I didn’t know if I had it in me to do it a third time in one night. Already I could feel myself losing the battle to stay conscious. If I passed out now … it would all be over for this Kitsune.
With a scream from somewhere deep in my soul, I pushed the last bit of power into my new ability. Time did slow, but not enough. The ground still came. This was going to hurt like hell.
There was a loud thwack, and then it all went black.
I blinked, staring up into Devyn’s face. He was scowling, so I knew something was wrong. “What happened?”
“You tell me,” he prodded, crossing his arms.
Behind Devyn, Belle floated back and forth in the air, leaving behind little trails of sparkles. She looked stressed. “Has anyone told you that you’re crazy?”
“Not until I met Devyn. How am I not dead?”
“Reilly saved you. He was able to shift and catch you before you went splat.”
Nice visual. I lumbered to my feet. “Where is he?”
“Gone. Are you going to tell me what that was up there?”
A few feet from where I’d lain on the ground was Irim, his body broken and battered. His form must have shifted when he hit, turning him back into a man. “I had no choice. Irim was going to kill you.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because she’s already seen it,” Belle said.
“What is she talking about?”
“I shifted time.”
“You’re serious?” Devyn said, slipping a hand under my elbow.
I shrugged. “It just happened. When I saw Irim stab you, I lost it, and the next thing I knew, I was going back in time.”
“You went back in time to save me.”
I kept my expression as neutral as I could, regardless that inside I felt like a freaking mess. “It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done for me.”
“I told you she had the killer instinct,” Belle chimed in.
Other than seeing Devyn alive, I wanted nothing more than to shower. Blood covered my hair, was smeared on my face, and it wasn’t mine, which made it all the worse.
I wiped my hands over my face, scrubbing my skin over and over, but it didn’t help what I felt. It didn’t wash away the blemish of killing someone, killing a dragon.
It was still hard to believe I had done it … me.
Stepping under the hot spray, the water ran red with Irim’s blood.
Three knocks sounded at the door. “Are you all right?” Devyn asked from the other side.
Was I?
I had come so close to losing him—the one person keeping me alive, the man I loved. And if it weren’t for my Kitsune abilities, he wouldn’t be standing outside the door, concerned about me. “I’m okay,” I reassured him, keeping my voice steady.
The door creaked open and softly closed. Through the curtain, I could make out Devyn’s dark silhouette. I had left all the lights off but one because I hadn’t wanted to put a spotlight on the blood. He leaned his back against the wall, turning his face toward me. “You did what you had to do.”
“I watched you die.” My voice trembled, and I tipped my chin up. You’re not going to cry. You’re not going to fall apart.
His shadow moved closer. If I had wanted to, I could have reached out and touched him. But I didn’t. “You saved me,” he said in a soft voice. He placed a hand against the shower curtain, and I lifted mine, pressing our palms together with nothing but the thin sheet between us.
Even through the fabric, a warm zing occurred as our hands touched. The small contact wasn’t enough, not after nearly losing him.
I turned the shower off, no longer wanting to be alone. Devyn tossed me the towel on the sink, and I wrapped it around me, pushing the curtain back before stepping out. My eyes immediately found his. With just a look, he had a way of making me feel like everything would be okay when it was far from it. After tonight, I needed to be close to him.
He knew it too.
Opening his arms, I stepped into his embrace, burying my face into the space between his neck and shoulder. Being held by him dulled the dark abyss and the stain on my soul. He brought me back to the light. I was drawn to the Shaman in ways I didn’t understand, and I don’t think he fully did either.
“Does it get easier?” I asked.
“Killing?” He shrugged. “I was raised to kill, but for you, it shouldn’t be easy. You were born to rule, Karina, not kill. Remember that.”
I nodded.
His eyes were trained on mine with a fierce intensity. I was suddenly motivated to express my love and sprang up on the tips of my toes. Slipping my fingers into the dark silk of his hair, I pulled him down to my lips and kissed him. “Don’t ever die on me again.”
“Well, now that you can manipulate time, I don’t think we have to worry about that.” His playful eyes grew serious. “You’re getting stronger. Four tails, and with each one your power flourishes. They will come for you with a ruthless vengeance. You’re in more danger than ever before.”
It was true, and pretending otherwise would be perilous for both of us. I stepped into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. The hearth was aflame, and splashed the room with its warm light. I craved its heat, an ever-present chill had settled in my veins, and nothing I did rid me of it. “Where to now?” I asked as Devyn sat beside me.
A lock of black hair fell over his forehead as he laced our fingers together. “Anywhere, as long as we’re together.”
“Don’t forget me.” Belle popped her head in from underneath the door, wiggling her way into the room. The floor was sprinkled in purple glitter dust where her body had touched.
Devyn groaned, and yet a smile tugged at my lips. The pixie was growing on him, whether he would admit it or not.
I grinned as she buzzed onto my shoulder between Devyn and me. “How could anyone forget you, Belle?”
“You’ll need me,” she added, in case we had any doubts, which I didn’t.
Devyn snorted. “How do you figure?”
She stuck her hands on her hips. “Because the Kitsune needs something to balance the three d’s.”
I raised a brow. “What does that mean?”
“Death. Destruction. And Danger,” Belle explained.
“I eat those for breakfast,” Devyn piped in.
That was Belle’s point, and for the first time since becoming a Kitsune, I thought we might have a real chance at saving the Second Moon. Whatever the faes threw at us, we’d face it together.
Get for the next part of Karina & Devyn’s story?
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xoxo
Jennifer
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