Autumn Awakens

by M. J. Padgett

  The entire town square was riddled with them, and they were more ferocious than the ones we’d seen before. Wolves everywhere attacked, doing what they could to protect their villagers, but there were too many and more popping up at every turn. I had forgotten about Seline and Caroline Manchester, having not seen them for some time, but Seline emerged from the room on the corner just as we passed. There was a look of panic in her eyes.

  “Ma’am,” Chris said as we hurried past.

  “Uh... Hi?” Seline muttered, her eyes darting every which way as she took in the scene. “Oh, no.” She was stricken with fear, understandably so, but there was no time to focus on her. I urged her back into her room.

  “Lock the door, protect your mother, and don’t come out for any reason, not until one of us comes for you, okay?” I asked. She nodded frantically, then closed the heavy door behind me.

  Chris offered me a gun. I looked at it, then back up at him. “Maybe Ross could use it. I have fire, remember?” With that, I shifted and jumped from the balcony. I landed a bit harder than anticipated and distracted one of the hounds. The sickening creature had a villager in its grasp who wiggled and screamed bloody murder. The hound hardly noticed her struggle, but just as I was about to attack it, she hit it over the head with a cast iron skillet.

  The villagers fought valiantly, but the hounds were formidable opponents. Nikola and Alorna joined the fight, using their own flames to take down a few that had crept up on me. We needed Clara and Aline, but they were back in Goldene Stadt. The war was spread across the kingdoms, but no one had set foot in Weisserwald. It didn’t seem fair that Rose was able to hide out in her kingdom while the rest of us destroyed everything for her. I made it my mission to investigate when time allowed.

  Petra crossed my path with a hound chasing her. She screamed, unable to orient herself quickly enough to produce her magic. She was defenseless on the run. I lunged at the beast and chomped at its face. It screamed in my ear, aggravating me. I clamped on its neck and shook. Its neck snapped as my teeth severed its jugular vein. When I was sure it was dead, I surveyed the courtyard again. It was difficult to tell which way was up. There were hellhounds everywhere, and the villagers that were bitten changed. Interspersed were wolves and giant birds, Salien Royal guards, and other people on our side. I spied Jemma wielding a sword beside Thaddeus and I sort of wished someone had given him back his dart gun.

  “Parker!” I heard a man scream. I turned on my heel to find Ethan running full speed at me. I tensed, but he dropped to his knees before he got to me. He reached his arm out wide, his fingers trembling. “I can’t... I can’t stop it! It’s coming!”

  What’s coming? I wondered.

  “I’ll shift! I don’t want to kill anyone! Please, Parker, you have to help me!”

  Oh, crap! Evidently, the fairies had not masked their dragon abilities yet. What could I possibly do to help him? It didn’t matter in the end. Ethan fell back, screaming in pain as his body contorted. Bones broke and reformed, his skin ripped open and scales emerged. Long talons burst from his fingertips as his hands transformed. His neck extended, and a tail erupted from his lower back as the transformation overtook him. The last part of Ethan that remained were his eyes, the fearful desperation that begged me to save him.

  The wolves howled their attack orders. The dragon was now in their crosshairs along with the hounds.

  Ethan stood tall on his rear legs and raised his long neck, his head pointed toward the sky as if he were prepared to howl. Instead, a great burst of flame shot out of his mouth along with a terrifying call. If Isla somehow overcame her fever and joined him, we would all die. He repeated the call, his head stretched to the moon like—wait.

  Ethan! I tried to project my thoughts to him over the cries and screams of the battle around us. Ethan! Look at me! Listen to me!

  Ethan turned his long neck until his face was directly in front of me, his giant eyes hazy. I was losing him.

  Listen, Ethan. You can do this. Just hold on to that voice in your head, the one that tells you exactly who you are. You know you’re good. You know you don’t want to hurt anyone. You’re strong. You can help us. Just fight the darkness, Ethan. Be you.

  He shook his giant head, his eyes clearer once he stopped. He focused on me.

  I don’t know how I hear you, but I’ll try. Stay away from me. Tell the others to round up the hounds and—

  Another terrifying shriek cut through the dark of night—Isla. Her blueish serpentine body rose from behind the castle. We were done for; I was sure of it. And if I hadn’t already been sure, then the third dragon that crash-landed in the middle of the courtyard, squashing a half-dozen hellhounds cemented the knowledge in my mind.

  Ophelia and Jordan were by my side, both shaking in their furry bodies.

  Ethan? I tentatively questioned.

  He looked back down. I’m still me. I think they will listen to me.

  Ethan lifted his head and called again, his roar loud and chilling, but the two female dragons stood down. They looked around the battlefield as Ethan seemed to continue speaking to them. Little clicks and calls, a dragon communication system that would be wonderful to learn since it seemed dragons had become a regular occurrence.

  The third dragon looked like what I’d seen in pictures—giant with green scales, a blocky head, and horns protruding from multiple places on its face. She clicked several times, her hindquarters as large as a house and stronger than anything I’d ever seen. The three kept looking around, then Isla raised her head and screamed, flame bursting through her cries.

  I think they understand. This is so strange. Ethan thought, looking over his monstrous shoulder. I’m a freaking dragon speaking dragon to my sisters. What the heck is happening right now?

  Focus, Ethan, I thought. The wolves will try to round up the hounds. Be careful not to kill anyone.

  I looked at Ophelia, who raised her head and howled. The other wolves followed suit, then a few yips and barks sealed the plan. They would herd, and the dragons would scorch. I had no idea what I should do but decided it was probably best to stay close to Ethan so we could communicate. No one needed three dragons losing control. The wolves herded the hounds toward the center courtyard while the Royal Guard situated themselves between the villagers and the hounds, a protective line of swords drawn high.

  Chris was on the rifle at the highest tower of the castle, waiting for the dragons to mess up. He somehow knew not to fire just yet. He always read me well, even in the middle of a firefight. I would have chuckled at my own pun if I’d been human, but instead, I focused on what I could do—keep Ethan and his sisters in line.

  When the hounds were in the courtyard, unwittingly herded there by the wolves, Ethan screamed out, then lowered his head and burned them to ash. The other dragons did the same. The heat of their paired flame was immense and charred my fur a bit. I moved back, working hard to stay close enough to Ethan to help but far enough away that he wouldn’t accidentally kill me.

  Only seconds passed, but it felt like eons. Finally, the fire stopped, and the dragons stepped back. Isla fell into a heap on the cobblestone path and shifted into a naked human again. The new dragon shifted and fell close to Isla, then scrambled to get to her. I could hear her calling her sister’s name. All around people shifted back into their human forms. Ethan remained a giant lizard watching his sisters in agony.

  Petra’s scream broke through the sudden silence. A hound had escaped the burn pit, or perhaps never been rounded into it, and it had a tight hold on her shirtsleeve with its teeth. She tried to rid herself of the garment, but it was wrapped too tightly around her arm. Jordan lurched forward, shifted, and ran toward her, but Ethan was faster. He simply bent his neck, picked it up, shook Petra free, and sucked it down like a snake in one whole bite, air-horn screaming and all.

  Once Petra was safe, Ethan shifted. He took two steps toward his sisters, but Petra caught him in a hug.

  “You saved my life! Thank you, thank you!”
She had such a tight hold on him, I wasn’t sure she noticed he was disrobed and probably more than embarrassed. She released him, noted his nudity, then said, “Oops. Here, let me just...” She waved her hands around, and all three dragon-shifters were magically clothed, but Isla was still unconscious.

  Jordan shifted behind Petra, gave the happy scene between her and Ethan one long, angry look, then disappeared into the crowd. I knew one of us would need to check on him at some point, but the angsty teenage drama was not at the top of my priority list. Dragons and hellhounds, now those were.

  “Thanks again. It almost got me for sure,” Petra said. “I can’t believe you just... You ate it.” Her repeating his actions made me think about it and gag, but not nearly as much as it made poor Ethan gag.

  “Oh, geez. I... I ate that thing. Gah... gross,” he said, then turned around and puked on the stone path. It was putrid, worse than the smell of the actual hounds. His violent retching was interrupted by Heidi having a meltdown of volcanic proportions.

  “How?” she screamed. “How is she breaking through my spell? It is impenetrable by even the senior witches. Ravenna, Aline, Clara, and Fiona all together could not break through.”

  “Heidi...” Ravenna began, but Heidi ignored her.

  “That leaves only one option. There is no breach. Someone is helping Rose from inside the kingdoms. Who among us is a traitor?” Heidi screamed loudly. “Who here shall face my wrath for treason?”

  “Heidi!” Marcus ordered. “Take a moment to compose yourself. I will meet with you in my chambers in half an hour.” Heidi’s eyes flashed with anger, but she obeyed the king’s orders. “Everyone else clean this up,” Marcus demanded, his kind demeanor failing him in the heat of the moment.

  “Marcus,” Queen Ava said, calmly placing a hand on his arm. He relaxed, then walked away. No one dared to follow him except his wife. Everyone else fell silent again, looking around at each other with suspicious glances. Heidi had planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s mind, but I already had my own suspicions.

  I looked at Ophelia. “I’ll be back. I need to talk to someone for a minute.”

  “Who?” she asked.

  I looked up to find Fiona slipping through the crowd, disappearing into the shadows of the castle while no one was watching—or so she thought.

  “I have a hunch I want to follow up on, that’s all.” I leaned forward and kissed her, then followed Fiona into the shadows.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Fiona slipped into a room at the end of a long hallway. I wouldn’t have known the hall existed if I hadn’t followed her because it was tucked behind a long, deep red tapestry that stretched from ceiling to floor. A black wolf head howled in the center, a reminder of the curse that nearly destroyed the Salien family.

  I let the tapestry fall behind me. As I entered the hidden room, I felt the energy change. It was charged and excitable, like Fiona herself was spread through the entire space. She carried a small lamp that projected long shadows across the far wall, ominous monsters that didn’t seem quite so scary after fighting real ones. She placed the lamp on a long table, then pulled her phone from her pocket.

  I took a moment to look around the room from my hiding place in the shadows. It wasn’t unlike the library, but it was much smaller and had fewer books. They were old, tattered volumes with indecipherable languages printed on the spines. I nearly sneezed when a dust plume invaded my nostrils, but I managed to choke it down, so I didn’t give away my location.

  “Yes, it’s time. They’re growing suspicious. We should bump up the timeline,” Fiona said, her tinkly voice not so sweet any longer. After a considerable pause, she said, “I’m aware this is not the way you wanted to reveal the truth, but things have become dangerous. We must come forward. Your power is necessary to complete the task before us.”

  I felt anger grow in the pit of my stomach. It churned until I was ready to shift and rip her pretty little head off, but something told me to wait. I needed proof, then I would turn her over to the proper authorities just like I would have in my old job.

  Fiona sighed heavily, then said, “Yes, I think that would be best. I’m sorry. I tried to do this without you, but I am not strong enough.” She hung up the phone and sat in a creaky old chair. Her head rested in her hands, and she mumbled to herself. I decided to take the opportunity to reveal myself, then I would put her on the spot. I emerged from the shadows.

  “Funny how big bad creatures keep getting through the protection spell, isn’t it?” I asked, startling her. “Heidi thinks it’s someone on the inside. I don’t know about you, but I have a hunch who that someone might be.”

  Fiona’s entire body tensed, and she stood. The fear in her eyes was unmistakable. She’d been caught. I realized then how incredibly stupid it was to accuse a witch of treason alone, without the aid of another witch for protection.

  “What did you hear?” she asked cautiously.

  “Enough. Why would you turn on your family, Fiona?” I asked, pausing at the end of the table she stood behind.

  “You think you know something, Parker, but I assure you, you know nothing. There are always many layers to any situation. Things are not always what they seem, even when we are sure our vision is clear.”

  “What’s clear to me is you are the only one hiding in a secret lair filled with creepy stuff, making mysterious phone calls to evil princesses. If you can explain another layer to that, I’d love to hear it,” I said, moving into interrogation mode.

  Fiona gripped the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She was annoyed, perhaps frustrated she’d been caught. I waited to see what she would come up with. “I am not the traitor, Parker. It is one among the Guard. I followed him recently and saw him meet with a representative from Weisserwald, one of Rose’s advisors. I have been cautious since I am unsure who to trust among the Guard. I have tried to figure out how Rose is infecting our land with her creatures, but I have failed. For that, I am sorry, but I am no traitor.”

  “Huh, that’s what I’d say, too. Why haven’t you spoken with the king about this and had the man arrested?”

  “It was suggested by my advisor that I wait and gather as much information as possible before confronting the king with accusations against this man. I need proof, Parker. This man, we have trusted him for a long time.” She was afraid still, but there was a gnawing feeling in my gut that told me she wasn’t lying. Still, I didn’t trust her, not entirely.

  “Who is the traitor?” I asked.

  She hesitated. “I cannot say. I’m sorry, Parker, but I cannot risk showing my hand to the traitorous... Well, a lady should watch her tongue, but mark my words, when I get my hands on him, it will be painful. He will pay for this.”

  “Fine, but who were you speaking to on the phone? Who is coming?” I asked.

  Fiona appeared worried, not for herself but for me. “As I said, things are not always what they appear to be, but often for a good reason. Please understand, sometimes we must do things we wish we did not have to do for the greater good to prevail.”

  I instinctively scrunched my forehead in concentration. Her words made very little sense to me, but then, not much had in a long time. She motioned for me to sit. I did, but only because I was curious and felt she would not continue her explanation if I didn’t. She took my hand, causing me to worry.

  “Parker, it was Rebecca.”

  I leaped from the chair, startling her. “Look, I don’t know what kind of trick you’re trying to play on me, but I watched them lower Rebecca into the ground. I put the first shovelful of dirt on her casket, Fiona! She is dead as dead can be, and there is nothing you can say to make me believe otherwise.”

  She stood. “I know it’s difficult to understand. I sympathize with your hesitation.”

  “It’s not hesitation! It’s disbelief you would stoop so low to make me believe you are innocent, and a Royal Guard is to blame for hellhounds and dragons! Do you think I’m stupid just because I don’t remem
ber my past?”

  “Of course, I do not!” she said, raising her voice. “But I do believe it is more difficult to understand these things when you don’t remember a land where anything is possible. You still work under the assumption that there are certain rules in life, that there is a definitive answer to everything, and no gray area exists. That’s simply not true, my dear. There is much gray area. It’s in that area where we live right now. You see magic and monsters all around, you shift into a chimera, and you have seen others change into wolves and dragons, yet your mind still believes there is a rational explanation.”

  I snickered. “There usually is, and more often than not, it’s pretty simple.”

  She chuckled. “Your friends have already accepted what’s right before their eyes. Why do you refuse?”

  “Because this,” I said, motioning around the room then pointing to her, “is not right before their eyes. You’re hiding in the shadows, and where I come from that means you’re up to something.”

  She sighed again. “What can I do to prove I am not lying to you?”

  “You can begin by telling me why you’re hiding everything. And I don’t want some lame excuse that you couldn’t tell anyone because you needed proof. I’m sure Marcus would believe you if you went to him, or any of the other kings for that matter. You are a trusted ally.”

  “So is he, Parker. For some time now,” she admitted. “I asked Rebecca to come because I can’t do this on my own. I had hoped with your return that Jeanine would recover more of her memory and with that more of her power, but she seems stuck, unable to move beyond a certain time in her life.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re trying to pull, but I will figure it out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with King Marcellus.” I started to leave the room, hoping my fake out would fool her. It did.

  “It’s Thaddeus, Parker. He is the one feeding information to Rose.”

  I spun quickly. “Th-Thaddeus? No, that doesn’t make sense. He’s in love with Jemma, and he saved my hide countless times.”