Sere from the Green (The Shape Shifter Chronicles Book 1)

by Lauren Jankowski

  “No, Coop, don’t you dare,” Isis swore loudly when the call disconnected, tossing the phone to the side. “God dammit!”

  She ran her hands over her short hair, closing her eyes and exhaling through her nose. Isis was frustrated with the lack of answers about the simple symbol. It was a damn symbol, an explanation of it shouldn’t have been so difficult to find. Opening her eyes again, she noticed Electra was staring at her, concerned.

  “Who was that?” she asked, her tone cautious.

  “Some guy I’ve run into a couple times, who is very strange,” Isis answered. “He might have had an answer about that symbol I keep encountering, but he’s fucking weird and overdramatic and hung up before giving me any kind of concrete answer.”

  Isis noticed Electra’s eyes were practically bugging out of her head and dismissively waved her hand to assuage her concern. “Don’t worry. I have no plans to meet with him and I don’t think he’s all that dangerous.”

  “Are you sure? Isis, there are a lot of—”

  “Dangers out there,” Isis finished the lecture she had heard a million times over. “Yeah, Electra, I understand. If I run into him again, I’ll point him out to the others and you can deal with him however you see fit. Okay?”

  Electra nodded in agreement, deciding to change the topic. “You want to learn how to Appear now?”

  Isis hopped up to her feet. “Sure.”

  “All right, we’ll try a short distance first,” Electra started, glancing around. “How about the boxing ring?”

  “Fine by me,” Isis replied. She was eager to do something that had nothing to do with mysterious men. Anything to take her mind off the weirdness that was her new life.

  “Okay, you’ll feel a little weird the first time. Your temperature will go up and you’ll feel a tingle throughout your body, similar to an electric shock but not painful at all, and it will be very bright. First, close your eyes and block everything else out,” Electra instructed. “Then focus on the ring.”

  Electra closed her eyes and a bright silver light consumed her. The air shimmered about her when she disappeared and reappeared in the boxing ring in a split second. She opened her eyes and turned back to Isis.

  “Now you try it.”

  Isis stared at her for a moment, suddenly regretting agreeing to this. After a moment, she closed her eyes and concentrated, blocking out everything else around her. She heard a strange noise, almost like glass being broken but much less harsh. The noise was pleasant and had an almost musical quality to it. A strange tingling traveled throughout her body and it suddenly looked like she had walked into the sun as brightness consumed her. Isis became incredibly warm and felt her short hair whip about around her. When the light dimmed, she cautiously opened one eye.

  “Oh, are you absolutely fucking kidding me?” she muttered under her breath, opening her eyes. Isis looked around, and realized she was definitely not in the boxing ring.

  To her left there was a large green forest, welcoming and beautiful. To her right there were many hills with a bright light shining behind them. She could hear water behind her and golden grass surrounded her. Isis was never one to panic, but she had never thought it possible to stumble into another dimension. She turned around a couple times, taking in her surroundings.

  Where am I? Isis wondered.

  CHAPTER TEN

  There was nobody with Isis. She was completely alone . . . or at least she hoped she was completely alone. Running a slender hand through her short dark hair, Isis turned around again. Her surroundings were completely alien to her and Isis knew she wasn’t on Earth anymore. God, I hope there’s some kind of guardian version of GPS, because I am so lost, Isis thought as she swallowed. She instantly regretted tossing her phone before attempting to learn Appearing.

  Isis dropped her arm. “Perfect. Just spectacular.”

  So far, she hadn’t seen anything that looked threatening, which she assumed was a good sign. There were no gigantic fanged beasts or anything of the sort, nothing that looked remotely predatory. Isis looked at the ground beneath her feet, squinting as she carefully knelt on one knee. Running her fingers over the smooth silver, she found it was cool to the touch. It was a path of some kind, but it wasn’t made of stone or gravel or any other material that paths on Earth were usually made of. Staring at her reflection in the shiny surface, Isis rubbed her fingers together. The air was much purer than anything she had ever experienced. It was refreshing to her lungs and her body was reveling in it.

  Isis turned her face to the pale blue sky. The colors were much more vivid than on Earth. The sun warmed her face and a cool breeze played with her hair. If she hadn’t been so hopelessly lost, Isis might have even enjoyed the beautiful place. She looked behind her and saw a large body of water in the distance. She squinted when she noticed movement. When she saw the movement was people, Isis started heading in that direction, hoping they’d be friendly. As she got closer, Isis noticed they were dancing on the surface of the water and froze, staring at the bizarre sight.

  “Nope,” she said, turning around and walking in the opposite direction. Glancing back toward the forest, Isis noticed a large round rock nearby, just inside the trees. She moved over to it, looking around for any other signs of life. When she saw none, Isis sighed and leaned her weight against the huge rock. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, intending to take a moment to get her bearings and then figure out what to do.

  A scraping noise above her brought Isis’ attention upwards. She was expecting to see some sort of woodland creature, smallish in size. The noise had been so quiet that she felt it could only be some kind of rodent. Isis was taken by surprise when she found herself face-to-face with the golden eyes of an adult mountain lion. She cursed her own inattentiveness and forced herself not to jerk away. Sudden movements around big cats were never a good idea. The place was so blissfully perfect that she had let her guard down and hadn’t even considered that there might be predators in the forests.

  The large cat licked its chops and flicked the tip of its tail. Its tan coat sparkled in the dappled sunlight. Its large pink nose twitched and its rounded ears were perked. It seemed like the big cat didn’t even blink as it continued to stare at her.

  “Hey, there’s no chance you’re a shape shifter, is there?” Isis asked as she began to carefully back away. The cat roared, exposing enormous jaws.

  “Yeah, didn’t think so,” Isis said as she continued to back away from the rock, making sure not to take her eyes off the animal. She was careful not to look directly into the mountain lion’s eyes. Apex predators didn’t take too kindly to being stared in the eyes.

  The mountain lion crept down the side of the rock with its enormous front paws, every movement graceful and controlled. It pushed off the rough surface with its hind legs and landed on the ground, never taking its eyes off of Isis as it continued to stalk toward her. Isis noticed it had gray markings around its enormous paws, which looked bigger than her face.

  Of all the possible ways to die, Isis thought. The mountain lion’s eyes drifted to her throat and it paused for a moment. It tilted its head, as though it heard something she could not. Isis stopped and stood perfectly still, praying to every deity she could think of.

  The mountain lion suddenly leapt forward with a loud growl, tackling Isis to the ground. She let out a yelp and used her arms to shield her face, trembling despite her best effort not to. Attempting to bring her legs up to her chest so that she could get in the fetal position, Isis tried to remember the best way to escape a large animal attack. To her shock, she felt a rough tongue run over her arms and the exposed parts of her face. She hesitantly lifted one arm, peering at the enormous animal lying on top of her. The mountain lion attempted to nose its head under her arms and she couldn’t believe her ears when it began to purr, rubbing its head all over her face.

  “Hey, off! You, off, now! Shoo!”

  Isis never thought she would be so happy to hear a voice. The heavy weight of the mo
untain lion disappeared and her sister’s shadow fell over her.

  “Isis, are you all right?” Electra asked as she brushed some hair out of her eyes. Isis removed her arms from her face, glancing to the side. The mountain lion was stretching out its lean body a few feet away from them.

  “Uh, yeah,” Isis said, feeling embarrassed as she pushed herself up on her elbows. “My internal organs all seem to be intact.”

  Electra offered her a hand, which Isis accepted. She raised her arm to brush the dirt off and paused when she noticed there was none on her. Furrowing her brow, Isis glanced back to the ground. Oh yeah, she thought when she saw the silver path.

  “That’s the Argentine Path,” Electra explained, following her sister’s gaze. “It was made by the first metal-smiths when the first guardians chose their lands. It runs throughout all the lands of the Meadows and it’s the safest way to travel between the different territories.”

  “Safest?” Isis asked, feeling uneasy again.

  “It’s not what you think,” Electra said, tying her hair back quickly. “Say a fire guardian or messenger from those lands needs to see or speak with someone from the water lands? They can’t exactly swim, can they?”

  “Are they actually made of fire?” Isis was stunned at the thought.

  Electra shook her head with a smile. “No, but fire is a part of who they are. You’re very in touch with nature. What’s it like when you have to go into a city or the suburbs?”

  “Oh,” Isis said. She understood Electra’s point, having always had a disdain for cities and suburbs. Growing up, Isis had always preferred the peace and quiet of a woodland setting.

  “So this is the Meadows?” Isis asked, glancing around once again.

  “Yes, this is home. Well, the place I’ve always called home anyway,” Electra replied, nodding over Isis’ shoulder. “The Pearl Castle is this way.”

  “Pearl Castle?” Isis asked as Electra strode past her.

  “Home of the royal line,” Electra stated. “That’s where Mom and some of our other relatives live. That’s where we’re most likely to find them.”

  Isis paused, feeling a sudden hesitance. Electra turned back when she realized her sister wasn’t following, noticing Isis standing a few feet behind her. Isis massaged the side of her neck, glancing back toward the forest. She knew she wasn’t the most trusting person Electra had ever met and was aware that her twin was often confused by her naturally aloof disposition.

  “Isis, you have nothing to worry about,” Electra reassured as she put her hands on her hips and watched her twin. “The guardians aren’t like what you’re used to. We’re not human.”

  “Yeah, Electra, that’s really part of the problem. You talk about the human world like it’s alien and that’s the only world I’ve known,” Isis replied as she folded her arms over her chest. Electra’s brow furrowed at the response and she turned her attention off to the side. The wind gently lifted her hair up and she bit her lower lip, a thoughtful look crossing her face. Isis recognized the look as a sign that her sister was pondering something, trying to sympathize with a situation she didn’t entirely understand. Electra turned her dark green eyes back to Isis.

  “You’re right,” she admitted with a small shrug. “I can’t even begin to understand what this is like for you. I can only tell you what I know. If you want to go back to the mansion, we’ll go back. Passion’s not going anywhere . . . although with her, you never quite know what she’s going to do.”

  Electra let out a quiet laugh and shook her head. She noticed Isis’ expression and realized she was uncomfortable.

  “So, do you want to go back?”

  After a moment, Isis shook her head. “No, I’m already here. I Appeared here for some reason, might as well find out why.”

  Electra smiled and nodded over her shoulder. “This way.”

  “Uh, are there any more mountain lions?” Isis asked, wondering if it was going to be night soon. “Or other large carnivores I should be aware of?”

  “Have you ever killed someone in cold blood?” Electra asked. Isis stared at her, trying to figure out whether or not she was serious. She shook her head in response.

  “Then you’ve got nothing to be worried about,” Electra replied as she began walking backward on the silver path. “There are numerous big cats and large predators in the Meadows, but they are just one of the many types of security. Animals are often described as having an extra sense, which is not really accurate. They are just very good at sensing things, including things most people try to keep hidden.”

  “Does it have to do with their being able to sense abnormal brain chemistry?” Isis asked, recalling a course in zoology that she had taken in college. Her professor had a theory about dogs being able to sense sociopaths. He believed that much like they could smell tumors and other kinds of cancer, they could smell or sense strange brain functions.

  Electra nodded. “From what shape shifters have told us about the animal form, it’s very likely.”

  They continued down the silver path, walking side by side. Isis noticed Electra occasionally glancing over at her. She had noticed her twin had the same habit as she did when it came to walking: neither of them liked following others. As they continued walking down the path, Electra turned her attention forward and watched the distance.

  “How far is it?” Isis asked, drawing Electra’s attention to her.

  “You Appeared about an hour away from the castle,” Electra answered. “I know you don’t mind long walks.”

  Isis was quiet for a long time, watching as the trees faded from view. She couldn’t believe she had Appeared so far away. The sun was high in the sky, indicating it was late afternoon. Isis bit her lower lip, not keen on being in a different world when it was dark. She was uncomfortable enough in the daylight. Note to self: don’t eat anything. Just in case, she thought, recalling the many myths and folklores she had read throughout her life.

  “It’s not going to get dark, is it?” Isis finally asked her sister.

  “Not for a while yet,” Electra replied. “Pity. Our evenings are quite lovely.”

  Isis went quiet again as they continued toward a small stretch of hills. There was another large boulder just before the hills. Electra squinted and grinned when she spotted someone sitting with her back against the large rock.

  “Oh good! I can introduce you to a dear friend of mine,” she said, gesturing toward the boulder. She picked up her pace slightly and Isis did the same. They soon reached the boulder, where a young woman in a flame-colored dress was sitting with her hands folded behind her copper-colored hair. The woman lazily opened one eye when they approached, smiling.

  “Well, if it isn’t my old friend,” the woman remarked as she opened her eyes, grinning even more when she saw Isis. “And her doppelganger. She as much of a hellcat as you and Passion?”

  “Nice, Phoenix,” Electra remarked as she leaned against the boulder. “Isis, this is Phoenix. She’s one of the daughters of the head fire guardian, Blaze. Although you wouldn’t know it from the amount of time she spends here.”

  “Hey, you try spending any measurable amount of time with Calida,” Phoenix argued in a good-natured tone. “Next in line and my sister acts like our Mother is going to retire tomorrow.”

  “Phoenix is the youngest, most reckless daughter,” Electra explained with a smile. Phoenix chuckled as she leaned forward a little to get a better look at Isis.

  “Hmm, I like her already,” Phoenix stated, turning her eyes to Isis. “You’ve got that Passion-type aura.”

  “Speaking of which, is she around?” Electra asked with a laugh, waving off Isis’ questioning look.

  “Yeah, I think she’s somewhere in the Pearl Castle. By the way, remind me to fill you in on Donovan’s new apprentice. You are going to laugh so hard,” Phoenix said with a wink. Electra looked floored at the sentence whereas Isis was just confused. She was beginning to get used to the feeling and it didn’t bother her as much as it once had
.

  “No way! He finally found an apprentice?”

  “Ah, no, he didn’t find an apprentice. The High Council assigned him one,” Phoenix replied, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

  “The things I miss,” Electra commented with a shake of her head. “I’ll see you later, Phoenix.”

  “Yep,” Phoenix said as she leaned back against the rocks, giving a wave of her hand by way of parting. Isis and Electra walked for a few more minutes before Electra spoke again.

  “The aura she was referring to . . . that’s a way of saying that you’re going to irritate most of the older guardian men,” she explained as she hooked her thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans.

  “Why? What did I do?” Isis asked, a little exasperated. Electra chuckled as they continued on their way.

  “Don’t get too upset. They’re mad at Mom for breaking just about every rule laid down by our ancestors,” Electra explained, her smile growing. “She’s a sexually liberated single mother who prefers the Earth and the protectors to the Meadows and the guardians. Most of the older men on the High Council are old-fashioned traditionalists, not the best combination. Don’t worry, they’re not all alike. Phoenix mentioned Donovan. He’s very progressive, albeit a little bitter at times. He and Mom have been close for ages, long before us. Alister is another more progressive guardian so to speak and even Death is fairly open-minded.”

  Isis stopped in her tracks. “Death?”

  “Yeah, he’s kind of the grim reaper of the guardian world. He keeps death in check,” Electra said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

  “There’s an afterlife?” Isis asked, thoroughly confused. Electra shrugged her shoulders as she turned around again.

  “That’s not for the living to know,” she replied, waiting for her sister. “Life is an adventure to be lived in stages. You can’t flip to the back of the book to find out the ending. Why would you want to?”

  “Okay,” Isis said with a shake of her head, approaching her sister again. They continued on their way to the Pearl Castle. Walking through the Meadows was like walking through some ancient myth or story. Golden grass stretched as far as Isis could see and the occasional animal could be spotted in the distance, bounding through the fields. When they reached the top of a small hill, Electra stopped and pointed to the north.