by Melle Amade
When we are away from the camp, I fly up to a tree branch and it’s there that I shift, sitting on the branch and staring down at him.
He raises a blade to throw it at me. “Tonight, you die, little black bird,” he whispers.
“And you will be the man for killing a small raven,” I say.
He cocks his head sideways at me.
“Perhaps you’d rather take on the bears who, at this very moment, are down at Spotswood ranch.” I taunt him with a smile.
“Berzerken?” The man’s voice is hushed as if he were talking about the holy grail.
“Yes.” I nod. “The Berzerken are there, in the valley.”
And with that I shift back into a raven and fly up in the air, my heart racing. I know what I’ve done is not good. Spotswood Ranch will never be a shifter house again. If it doesn’t get destroyed tonight, it will not be safe for the coyotes to live in. And I almost feel sorry for that, but between saving my friends and saving a building, I’m going to choose my friends every time. If it all plays well, the Hunters will also create a safer distraction than using the Pomos.
As I fly towards the Spotswood Ranch I see a truck coming towards it. It parks at a derelict old farm house about a quarter of a mile away. I know exactly who it is. Jacqueline, Guinevere, and Roman have come to help free our friends.
29
We wait quietly at the rundown farm, hoping the Hunters have taken the bait. How could they not? You’d think they’d been waiting for a chance like this their whole lives. Berzerken are not just easily accessible. It doesn’t take long. The Hunters have found the trails descending from Black Bart and they use them now to drop into Potter Valley with a vengeance. The revving of the ATVs rips through the quiet farming community as they race past us and towards Spotswood Ranch. Whatever the hunters were doing they sure were not concerned about doing it with stealth.
“Can you make the earth shake in your quail form?” I ask Jacqueline.
She nods. “It has nothing to do with my form. I am a conduit.”
“Roman, where do you think they’re holding them?”
“They will have separated them,” Roman said. “They have the manpower and that’s the only thing that makes sense. Berzerken are individual creatures; they don’t live in packs like many others, so they prefer to have the prisoners set aside individually. Less risk, too.”
“But is there any place in the house you can think of that they would put them in?”
Roman shakes his head. “We’ll have to split up.”
“Jacqueline, you have to stay out of sight,” I say.
“Agreed,” she nods. “I’ll be a quail, but I’ll stay in the underbrush by the front and shake the earth if more distractions are needed.”
“Try not to destroy the house,” Roman says.
“I understand. The house is also Evie’s heritage. It belongs to her father. But Shae, you must not use your fire anywhere they can see you.”
“If for no other reason,” Roman says, “than because El Oso will see you as a threat to him. Right now, he thinks he’s one of the only beings with magic powers.”
“He’ll hunt you for the rest of your life,” Jacqueline agrees.
“You’re all right with Evie going to find one of our friends?” I ask, not sure if I would be okay with Henry doing that.
“Yes,” Jacqueline says. “Evie is a young woman now, though only twelve, she has many skills. Evie, go in as a coyote. Never reveal you are a quail.”
Evie wags her index finger at Jacqueline and smiles.
“I will ride on your shoulder unless we need to split up,” Roman says to the young girl. “So, rest assured, she’s going to have the most bad-ass shifter in the world watching her back.” He smiles at Jacqueline.
I reach out and grab his dark fingers, squeezing them in mine. “It’s nice to have you back.”
“It’s nice to be back,” Roman says, and his brown eyes glow with anticipation as he stares into mine.
We go to the edge of the Spotswood property as the ATVs roar up the front drive. Berzerken come out of the house to determine what the uproar is about.
I frown. I’m pretty sure they aren’t keeping all our friends in the house.
“You two take the barn,” I say before I shift into a raven and head to the upper levels of the house. I land on the railing at the top as the Hunters and Berzerken grapple in the driveway.
The Berzerken all shift, their roars ringing out as they launch themselves against the Hunters who are wielding swords and blades made out of iron meteorite. I’m shocked at how strong the Hunters are. It does not take long before they have two of the Berzerken down. I can’t imagine we could do that, even if we had tried.
Berzerken are practically invincible.
But the Hunters may be stronger. With two bears down, I know I need to get busy finding if my friends are in the house. I do a quick circle around the windows at the top level but I don’t see anybody in any of the rooms.
I’m worried about Roman and Evie but it’s nothing I can help. I need to trust Roman will be able to rescue Evie out of the any situation she finds herself in. I fly up to the edge of the tower and settle on the decorative iron railing that surrounds the roof. Gazing through the skylight I see him.
Callum.
My heart surges in relief. He is chained, but he is here.
And Patch is his guard.
My guts wrench. Patch is no ordinary Berzerken. Along with Polaris, he is the meanest, blackest, darkest Berzerken ever. He is the bastard who beheaded Zaragoza right in front of me.
But there’s no time to lose. I rap on the window with my beak. My only advantage with Patch is that he’s missing one eye, so he has a blind side. But the side that works is formidable. I tap again and Patch whirls around. Without a moment’s hesitation, he punches his hand through the glass and grapples my throat.
I wasn’t ready for that at all.
He has me by the throat and yanks me in the tower, throwing me against the wall. My wings are splayed and the life is being squeezed out of me. Callum stares up at me, unable to shift because of the collar they are using on him. All he can do is watch.
Why don’t I think before I act? Even with all my training the Berzerken got the better of me because I underestimated his ability to fight with one eye. My wings are splayed my feet hang limp.
I can’t breathe.
“Die Ravensgaard.” His revolting fish breath blows in my face. “There’ll be no rescuing of the Ridder on this night.”
He squeezes tighter, watching me gasp desperately for air.
With a snap of his fingers he could easily break my neck, but this guy wants to watch something die. And right now, it is me.
But he doesn’t know me.
He has no idea who I am.
Trapped in a corner with no way out, I still have an option. I raise my wings out wide and I raise all the fire I can find in the Earth. My body heats up and my wings burst into flame.
Patch screams and yanks back his singed hand, shifting back into bear form to heal. But it’s a dumb move, because he’s covered in fur. I’m flying around his head, dropping balls of fire onto his fur. He’s roaring and swatting at me as he tries to escape the raging phoenix that has him trapped in the tower. I swoop down and jab a talon inside the lock of Callum’s chains. I know exactly how to loosen these. They’re the same ones Murtagh held us in when we were trapped in the bear cage in Topanga. Callum is freed and is a raven in seconds.
But Patch won’t let us go easily. Burning fur and howling he lurches for us. We narrowly miss being swiped by his flaming paws. Landing on the window ledge, we both push off and leap out. Patch lunges for us, but we are already in the air. His body hurtles through the window, crashing down the roof of Spotswood house, spreading fire where he roles and eventually tumbling onto the front lawn. Callum and I ascend into the sky, one jet black bird and one with burning wings.
Hunters and Berzerken alike stop fighting and gaze up
us as we fly. We circle over the ranch as Hunters take advantage of the diversion to double down their attacks on the Berzerken. A Hunter races at Patch, still stunned on the ground and plunges an iron meteorite blade through his heart. His body transforms back into his human form, limp and lifeless.
Polaris is roaring in pain as he stumbles out of the barn. He’s walking as a bear, but upright, the white hair of his chest burnt away in bleeding streaks.
Poison.
Roman has done his work.
Behind Polaris three coyotes slip through the barn door and twist around the side of the building. My friends are free.
The Berzerken break for the Escalade, revving the engine. The ground shakes and the earth moves as the vehicle tries to leave the driveway. But as much as Jaqueline’s earthquake tears at the ground, the remaining Berzerken in the SUV are desperate. They rev the engine and the Escalades jumps a ditch, crashes into a pole. They hit reverse to adjust and tires squeal as the SUV reaches the road.
Polaris will not be stopped.
Hunters are close behind on their ATVs and my guess is they have vehicles parked somewhere in the valley to continue the chase. They’re not going to let the Berzerken, leaders of the Order, get away without a chase.
Uncle Steve’s truck pulls up as the flames fade from my wings and Callum and I shift, landing in front of the burning house.
Henry jumps out of the truck, running towards me as fast as his legs can carry him. He throws himself into my arms. I lift him up as he wraps his legs around me and I hold him close and tight. I don’t stop the tears from streaming down my face.
“It’s okay, Shae, it’s okay,” he says, smiling. “Don’t worry. They didn’t even know about us.”
His words are true, but the thought of him being in danger is so terrifying to me I can’t stand it. I don’t know how to protect him. “I am going to put you so far away, where no one is ever going to find you,” I mumble in his hair.
My mother rushes forward and hold us both tightly “I don’t think I’m ever going to let a single one of you out of my sight ever again,” she says.
The flames of Spotswood Ranch rise in the dark night sky. The siren from the firehouse down on main street fill the air, signaling volunteer fire fighters from all the ranches in the community are gathering together to fight the flames. But it’s already too late. It’s going to take them too long. I’m sure of it.
I’ve destroyed their home. I’ve destroyed their safe house. I look around. Uncle Steve has his arm around Aunt Emma and Cooper’s hugging Zan as we all watch the house consumed in flames. We all survived, we all made it.
But now the only question is, “Where we going to go?”
Jacqueline and Evie step forward. “You’re welcome at the village,” she says. “Not only are you,” her gaze rests on me and Roman, Callum, Cooper. “But you,” and she looks directly at Aunt Emma and Aunt Natalie. “You are family. And there is no better place for someone to be in times like these, than with family.
Tears stream down Aunt Natalie’s face as she looks at Evie, a tremulous smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. “There were so many things about your father that were so incredible,” she says. “And I hope maybe I’ll be a big enough person to start telling you about him.”
Aunt Emma looks like you could almost push her over with a feather from what Aunt Natalie says. But Evie’s outlook doesn’t change at all. “I would really, really like that,” Evie says.
“We were always trying to protect you, Natalie,” Aunt Emma says. “To be on your side. When my brother did wrong by you.”
Aunt Natalie takes a deep breath, her shoulders sagging and her head shaking. “Frank has been dead a long time. And for whatever reasons, he left this beautiful young lady here. And Emma, I appreciate your support. Heaven knows I’ve asked for it and I’ve encouraged it, but the truth is, this girl is your niece. She is your full-blooded niece, and she deserves to have an aunt. Even a cranky old one like you.”
Aunt Emma looks taken aback and Cooper chuckles.
“Don’t you laugh at me, Cooper Damascus Spotswood,” Aunt Emma says.
“Your middle name is Damascus?” Zan laughs, looking up.
Cooper’s face turns bright red. He drops his arm from her shoulder and waves at his mother, like “how could you do that?”
“How did you keep that a secret our whole lives?” Zan continues.
“Because I threatened my brother and my sisters with a fate worse than death if they ever told anybody.”
“Damascus is such a dignified name,” Aunt Emma says. She turns and looks at Evie. “And you have a lovely name also, Guinevere. May I call you that?”
“If I can call you Aunt Emma,” Evie smiles.
“Yes,” Aunt Emma smiles back at the young girl. “I think that will work out just fine.”
“So, you’ll come up to the village?” Jacqueline asks, her arm around Evie.
“We’ll come and stay for a little while,” Uncle Steve says. But we’re also going to need to round up our kids and find a permanent place. Are you sure the village is safe?”
“Yes,” Jacqueline says. “The guardians will protect it. Nobody can make it through without our permission.”
“What are we going to do about Polaris?” Roman asks Callum.
“Nothing tonight,” Callum says. “They have enough problems with the Hunters on their tail. We’ll find out soon enough if the hunters return and if they got away. But I’ll tell you one thing, the fact that they were attacked tonight by Hunters, whatever quest El Oso is on, if anything is going to bring him back, it’s going to be Hunters attacking Berzerken. So, we better rest up, regroup, and be prepared for El Oso’s return.”
30
The day dawns bright and fresh as I launch myself into the crystal blue sky. It’s my favorite time of day, waking up with the sun and breathing in the fresh air of the morning. The last couple of weeks have been strange.
Strangely quiet. Lord Van Arend, stronger than I had ever seen him, and Aiden have left to return to Topanga to reinvigorate Muiderkring West with Lord Van Arend at the helm. Callum will follow shortly. If Lord Van Arend is going to reassert himself as the leader of Muiderkring West, he will need his chosen Ridder by his side and all the support of the Ravensgaard.
Roman, Zan and I have chosen to stay here with the Pomos. My mother has stayed as well. She wants to keep Henry safe and we know that there’s no place in Topanga truly safe for them. Roman and I are still banished and Zan is still digging for information on the magic spell El Oso is putting together. If she finds more out, we’ll be able to go after my father.
The smell of breakfast lures me from the sky and down to the table. Zan and Roman sit with Cooper. Zan is explaining some computer hack she’s done with the equipment Cory set up to try to figure out where the Order is keeping all of their prisoners. Both of the boys are very interested in what she’s saying. But they’re also watching her lips because she’s so pretty. I can only imagine they’re both thinking about what it must be like to kiss her. Still, I know they will be good on my team.
“Have you heard from your parents?” I ask Cooper.
He nods and smiles. “They were able to settle in with some of our family in the Midwest. Maddie, Lacey and Logan are all safe and with them.”
“Are they very devastated by the loss of the house?” I sigh, it was such a beautiful house.
“The house?” Cooper asks. “Are you kidding me? My parents don’t give a shit about a house.”
“But they put so much love and care in it,” I say.
“It was a fun project.” Cooper says. “The house is a pile of brick and stone. And it can be rebuilt or you can relocate. Well, most of us can.” He nods over at Jacqueline and Hercules who are sitting close together by the stove. “No, my parents are just glad we’re alive. They’ll spearhead a resistance against the Order in the Midwest.
Henry is hanging out with Evie and looking up at her like she’s the best thing s
ince the slingshot was invented. She’s looking down at him like he’s an eight-year-old boy.
“Can you really turn into two animals?” He asks.
She smiles and nods. “Yeah. I can.”
I listen in but I don’t interrupt their conversation. I feel so bad for Henry sometimes. I mean he’s here and safe, but he doesn’t get to have any friends. Any plans we had to keep him in school have been demolished. Now we’re left hiding out in the village and the only kid even remotely close to his age is a twelve-year-old who, as a coyote, makes one heck of a predator.
“What does it feel like?” He asks.
“I don’t know,” she says, after thinking about it a moment. “I guess it feels like changing your clothes.”
“Really?” He looks a little disappointed by her response.
“Yeah, yeah, it really it does. You know, well I don’t know if you know, but it’s like when I put on a dress and I feel so pretty and like I want to twirl in circles…well that’s what it feels like when I turn into a quail.”
Henry frowns at her like he doesn’t get it at all. But then again most eight-year-old boys don’t know the feeling of putting on a dress to be pretty.
Evie’s staring up in the trees at the pine needles gently swaying in the breeze and she’s watching the light dance with the shadows. She’s not paying attention to whether or not Henry understands her dress analogy, she continues anyway. “But you know then there’s that day when you want to go out and get dirty and go and run and play and you put on your favorite old shorts your mom never wants you to wear. But you hide them because you’re never going to give them up and when you put them on you just know you run faster and leap higher and you can never be stopped?”
Evie’s words filled me with delight because I know exactly what she’s talking about. That’s how I feel when I’m a raven. I’m grinning and nodding and Henry is too. He definitely understands the feeling she’s talking about now.
