Spark (Legends of the Shifters)

by J. B. North

  Time quickened again, and suddenly I was swooping downward, letting Roland drop to his feet before I hurried to get to Kurt. I didn't even get halfway to him when I spotted the robed figure that had climbed through the window closing in on us. I flew past Kurt and confronted the sorcerer, letting flames enfold my enemy. The sorcerer fell to the ground rolling, trying to control the blaze that was destroying his robe. His hood came off, and I immediately recognized who he was.

  Niko.

  His white blond hair was getting singed, but his eyes stayed calm as he dealt with his situation. I would've been frozen in shock at the sight of him, but time just wouldn't allow it.

  I dove for Kurt, but Roland screamed something at me before I could grab the dark net.

  “Don’t touch the net!” he was saying. “It will only capture you, too!”

  I swerved away at the last second, and landed next to Roland, transforming into my half-form. “How do I know that you're telling the truth?” I asked. “You betrayed me.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “Ivy, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I would never betray you.”

  I cocked my head. Was he denying all he had done for the past couple of weeks? Was he saying that he didn't remember them? “I'm sorry, but I can't afford to believe you,” I said with narrowed eyebrows.

  Roland grabbed my arm, forcing me not to go any closer while he searched the ground for something. When he found good-sized rock, he picked it up and tossed it at the net where Kurt lay, unconscious. I stopped struggling against him as I watched as the rock tumble to a stop just before it reached Kurt. The net began to move with an eery purple glow. It unraveled itself and reached out for the rock, encircling it in its twine fingers before going still again.

  I felt helpless. “What should we do?” I asked.

  “There is nothing we can do,” he said. “And if we stay here, they’ll only capture us as well.”

  I didn’t understand what Roland meant. He was on their side, wasn't he?

  The two other robed figures were bearing down on us and Niko’s fire was almost out.

  I looked at Kurt one last time. I could see that his chest was moving up and down, and I hoped that I wasn’t imagining it.

  Roland took me by the hand and started to pull me away. I shook my head once, but I knew that it was no use. I hated to admit it, but I agreed with Roland. Kurt’s only chance would be for us help him escape, and for us to do that, I’ll need to be out of the clutches of King Ciaran.

  Although it made my heart ache to do it, I turned the direction that Roland was pulling me and transformed. I hefted myself into the air, and gripped Roland's shoulders in my claws. At this point, I didn't care if my talons dug in too deep. I still wasn't sure if I should trust him, and I didn't have time to be sympathetic.

  After thirty minutes of flying, I couldn't go any further. I had to land. I found a clearing as quickly as possible and dropped Roland roughly. I couldn’t stand to carry him anymore, both physically and mentally.

  He bent his knees to absorb the shock, but he still fell on his back. I landed heavily a few feet away from him, breathing hard. Once I had the energy to change into first form, I did so quickly.

  Roland rubbed his shoulders where I had been carrying him. The cloth was ripped and the flesh beneath was torn slightly as well. I couldn't hold back my guilt even though he deserved it a thousand times over. “Thanks for the lift,” he said with a pained smile.

  “I don't want your thanks,” I snapped, fuming. “I want you to explain yourself, although I'm certain that this we'll part ways for good after this.”

  Roland frowned. “Explain what?” he asked.

  I gestured wildly back the way we had come. “The entire escapade to King's Crest! The ritual and the blood!”

  “Ivy, the last thing I remember is building a fire several miles outside of Nalla.”

  I snorted. “Do you really think that I'm going to believe that after everything that's just happened? Kurt is captured—maybe even dead—all because of you!”

  Roland winced. “Listen, Ivy,” he said, his voice desperate. “I don't know what happened back there, but whatever it was, I didn't have anything to do with it. I will explain if you will just allow me the time.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “I still don’t trust you. It’s awfully convenient for you to lose your memory right now.”

  “I am telling the truth!”

  “You stay on that side of the clearing,” I ordered, walking to the other side. If I could just rest a little bit, I would be able to fly far, far away from this traitor.

  Unfortunately, it was getting dark and the rain was about to start again. Thunder rumbled and the first sprinklings of a storm started to fall.

  “I know where there’s a cave,” Roland called to me from his side of the clearing. The rain started to fall a little harder.

  “We’ll be fine here,” I replied haughtily. “It probably won’t even rain that hard.” There was a flash of lightning, and the rain started to pour.

  Roland raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know about you,” he yelled over the rain. “But I’m going to the cave.”

  He headed into the woods. I knew he was right. I was already drenched and cold. Staying out in this would only make me sick, a disadvantage I couldn't afford. I followed, but at a distance. Roland found the cave within the hour, and by that time, my exhaustion had only grown.

  It was pitch-black inside, reminding me of tent number 81. I was tempted to change into half-form, but I quickly swept the thought away when I remembered what Roland had said just before he betrayed us. He had called me beautiful...but he had probably only used the compliment as a tactic to throw me off guard so that it would be easier to capture me.

  Gradually, eyes adjusted to the darkness, but only to the point where I could make out the shape of a long, flat rock. It was the best option, so I crawled onto it and rested my head on my arms.

  The rock made for a very uncomfortable night’s sleep, but it was better than being out in the rain.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  I woke up with the morning sun shining in my face. My shoulders and back were sore from sleeping on such a hard surface. I looked down at the ground where Roland was snoring. The area where he was sleeping was uneven and bumpy, and I felt a little bad for him until I remembered why we were in these circumstances in the first place. He hadn’t had to sleep in a carriage for days like I was forced to.

  I sat on the edge of the rock and rubbed my aching shoulders. It didn’t register in my mind that there were voices until I heard a booming laugh coming from outside. I went completely still.

  “Roland!” I whispered. He kept snoring.

  I slid across the rough surface of the rock and kicked him.

  “Mmm, what?” he grunted, cracking his eyes open.

  “Voices!” I said in a hushed tone.

  He sat up, alert, and listened. They were coming closer. “Come on,” he said. He stood as much as the cave would allow him and crept to the back. I hurried after him. We continued until we could barely see anything and then we hid behind a large stalagmite.

  “Here it is, finally,” said a man’s voice, probably the same one that had laughed.

  “There’s no one here,” scoffed a different voice, this one the smooth falsetto of a woman.

  “No, but it was worth a try,” replied the man.

  “Perhaps they went in a little deeper,” she said.

  I stopped breathing.

  “Come on, we’re wasting time,” the man said. “They probably didn’t even know about this place, and if they did, they’ve already moved on.”

  The woman was quiet for a moment, but then she sighed. “You’re probably right,” she answered. “Let’s go.”

  I hadn’t realized it, but I was gripping Roland’s arm tightly. He pried my fingers off and whispered, “I think it’s safe to go.”

  “A few more minutes,” I replied quietly. “Just in case.”

 
He consented to wait a little longer. There was no sound.

  “Now?” he asked.

  “Alright,” I answered.

  We stepped out from behind the rock and headed for the mouth of the cave. It was disconcertingly silent.

  “That’s strange,” Roland said.

  I glanced over at him. “What is?”

  He bent down to look at some footprints that were clearly defined in the mud. From where I was standing, I could see four sets of footprints. We had only heard two voices. Then, I realized that some of those footprints must have been our own.

  Roland looked back at me, worry lining his face. “Run,” he said.

  “What?” I said stupidly.

  Then, a crashing noise came out of the brush beside us. The man tackled Roland while the woman headed straight for me. My instincts kicked in, and I dodged her. She stumbled slightly, a moment that I was able to take advantage of. I pushed her to the ground and turned, sprinting off into the woods.

  Behind me, I heard loud footsteps. Twigs snapped and leaves crunched loudly. When I turned to look, I fully expected the man to be chasing me, but I was relieved when I saw that it was only Roland. He picked up his pace until we were shoulder to shoulder.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of movement. Something was running alongside us. I glanced over momentarily and saw a large cat, its muscles bunching under tight skin as it ran. Its stride was relaxed and nimble, and I could tell that we would be easy prey. The only way we could escape was if I used the same tiring method as yesterday, when Roland and I had escaped from the clutches of King Ciaran.

  I changed into the phoenix just before the cat jumped at me, claws outstretched. It missed, but took a few of my feathers with it as it fell to the ground. I grabbed Roland and started off into the sky. He groaned in pain, probably still sore from the day before.

  It seemed like he was lighter this time, perhaps because I had had more rest. I carried him longer than I had the last time until I figured we were well out of the reach of any grounded search parties. I knew that there could be some in the air, but I could only hope that they hadn’t seen us.

  When I couldn’t go on any longer, I dropped Roland at the edge of a large field. Both he and I landed heavily. I changed form almost as soon as I touched land and focused on breathing.

  “That was a close one,” Roland said, brushing the mud and grass seed off his knees.

  I nodded in agreement.

  After we rested for a few minutes, we set a clipped pace toward the east and didn't stop until we came across a small town. We paused our journey there, and Roland then took the lead into the baker's shop. He purchased a small loaf of bread for us to split, and although I wanted to toss the bread on the floor, leave him in that bakery, and continue alone, he still had all the money in his possession. I had no weapons, supplies, or food. To survive, I needed that money.

  Plus, I hadn't eaten anything in days...

  Before we left the baker’s shop, Roland asked the man where we could buy horses. He directed us to the inn, located at the edge of the village. The horses that we bought weren’t pretty—they were both dull brown with scars from old saddle sores up and down their backs. Neglected as they were, they were still better than going the journey on foot. My legs and feet were aching from walking for so long without breaks.

  We started the horses off at a trot and traveled until the road was no longer visible because of the darkness. Their hooves clomped in the mud, spraying it up on my dress and the horses' flanks. The day lasted way too long for my exhausted body. The saddle I was riding on was not of good quality, and the insides of my legs were sore and bruised from riding so hard. The farther we went, the foggier everything became.

  The fog was so thick that we didn't see the lights of the village until we were upon it. While we walked our horses through the town, there was not one person in sight. After passing only a few buildings, it seemed like the town had ended, but there was one more little light farther out from the others. Roland led the way toward it.

  As we got closer, I realized that the light was bobbing up and down, as if someone were walking with it. I stopped my horse. “Roland,” I whispered fiercely, willing him to stop also. He heard me, and stopped his mount.

  The light stopped moving. “Who goes there?” yelled a man's voice.

  The voice was threatening. I stayed silent out of fear.

  “We are travelers!” Roland said loudly through the darkness.

  The light bobbed as it came closer. “Travelers to where? All that's beyond here is the Isle of Ginsey.”

  “Yes, we know,” answered Roland.

  The man came closer until we could see his face. The lantern lit it up in an sinister sort of way. “I don't suggest that you go there,” he warned.

  “We don't have a choice,” Roland countered.

  The man squinted his eyes. “It's your death, boy.” He paused for a moment, lifting his lantern to study Roland and then me. “But if you really feel like you need to continue, I won't be the one to stop you. Follow me.”

  Roland looked at me for a moment before hesitantly dismounting. I followed suit, and would have slipped in the mud had I not kept a firm grip on my horse's mane.

  We followed the man at a distance, leading the horses back toward one of the lit up buildings. His was a little farther away from all the others, at the very edge of the cluster of houses.

  Inside, a warm fire crackled, lighting the room up nicely. I studied the man for the first time. He had balding white hair that was grown out to shoulder length and a short, scraggly beard. His gray, ghostly eyes appeared sunken into his head.

  “Tell me more about your journey,” he ordered, gesturing for us to sit down at his table.

  “Um, well...” I started.

  “We are from Leviatha,” said Roland, taking over the conversation. “The Crescent Isles to be exact. We were sent on a mission to get to the Isle of Ginsey and learn more about the natives.”

  He was lying. Headmaster Drake would be proud.

  The man narrowed his eyes warily. “To learn more about the natives, eh? And why is that?”

  “Our headmaster is somewhat of a...well, a scientist, I suppose,” said Roland. “He was very curious about the natives, and wanted us to come here to see if we could live with them for a few weeks. Just to see what it's like to be one of them.”

  The man scoffed. “Are you serious? Who is this professor of yours? If he thinks that this is possible, he is not in his right mind.”

  Roland shrugged. “I suppose we will find that out on our own.”

  The man laughed, the harsh sound cutting through the air like a rusty blade.

  I studied him suspiciously. “And how do you know so much about the natives?” I asked.

  He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. “Because...there have been other people that go on the sort of quests that you are going on, and they never...come...back. There was only one that escaped, and he was driven mad from whatever they had done to him. He wouldn't even talk to us, and he was always jumping at the sounds of the forest.”

  Roland shrugged. “That might not have been the native's fault.”

  “Maybe not, but the disappearances probably were.”

  I knew that this man had to be telling the truth. Jane, Matilda's daughter, had been one of the missing individuals.

  But we were different. Both Roland and I are both very rare. We were trained at the Crescent Isle Conservatory and have powerful second forms. I had to complete this mission, even without Roland's help. I would not turn back now, after everything that I've gone through.

  I jumped from my thoughts when the man spoke up again. “You both are thinking that nothing like that could happen to you. You're wrong.”

  I scowled at him. “Perhaps I know things that you don't know.”

  He laughed. “You're stubborn, aren't you? Fine. If you can't get it into your heads that you shouldn't go, then it might be best that you do.”


  Roland nodded. “Yes. I agree,” he said, his tone impatient.

  The man sat back in his chair and tapped his foot on the floor. “Would you like to know why the village is so quiet outside?” he asked us.

  It had been a little weird to me. I knew it was late, but I didn't think that it was late enough for complete silence.

  “Why?” Roland said hesitantly.

  “Because a legend runs deep among the townspeople. Go out after dark, and you're fresh meat to the natives. I've never seen one, but the fact remains, we're the closest village to the island. If they wanted revenge on the kingdoms for some reason, we're the first ones that they'd take out. That's why they hired me to protect them,” he said proudly, his sunken eyes squinting as he smiled.

  I fought the urge to laugh. “If there were a group of the legendary natives on the island, how would you protect them? They would kill you, and then they'd kill everyone else.”

  He shrugged. “That won't happen. I wouldn't be the night-watcher if I thought it would...But I don't believe that natives are the real danger anyway.”

  “Then what is?”

  “One night—I'd say that it was a couple years ago—I was outside, patrolling the perimeter of the village. I wouldn't have seen anything if I hadn't been looking up at the stars. All the same, there was a shadow that flew over our village—a shadow so huge, it blocked out all the light from the stars and the moon before continuing on....I truly think that that is the reason why no one ever comes back from the island. That huge creature, whatever it is, probably eats them whole. To tell the truth, I don't even know that there is such a thing as “natives” anymore. That thing may have taken over the island.”

  I wrapped my hands around my arms, trying not to shiver.

  Roland scoffed. “You don't really expect us to believe that, do you?”

  The man stared at him. “Not everyone does when they hear that story, but I know what I saw.” He sighed, and bent to pick up the lantern again. “Well, I'd better keep patrolling if I want to get paid tomorrow. Feel free to sleep here if you want to. It won't be my fault if you don't make it back alive. I did everything within my power to warn you.”