I gasped. My friends nearby didn’t react, but somehow the man heard me, even though there were distance and people between us. He glanced over at me, and I was struck by how much he resembled the wolf: shaggy pale hair and skin, and a lean, muscular body. Our eyes locked, and remained so as my group drew level with the man and his elk companion. The man studied me then smiled, walking away with the elk following.
My mind reeled with everything I had just witnessed. My companions kept walking, completely oblivious.
We reached the city center. The market was even more crowded than the streets had been. Stalls stretched as far as I could see in all directions. We could easily spend a day here and still not see everything the market had to offer. After being on the road for so long, I was drawn to the hustle and bustle of civilization and wanted to immerse myself in it.
The others must have been feeling the same way because Beyan said, “It will take us a few hours to get our errands done. Why don’t we just take our time here and stay in Annlyn for the night? We can get a good night’s sleep, and it doesn’t make sense to seek out Joichan in the dark, anyway.”
Rhyss, Farrah, and I nodded in agreement. Farrah and Beyan decided to split up the list of needed supplies to cover more ground. I offered to help purchase supplies, but Beyan waved me away.
“Go enjoy the market,” he said. “Let’s all meet back here right before sunset; we can eat together and discuss our plans for tomorrow.”
That decided, we went our separate ways. Rhyss went off to find a cutler. Beyan and Farrah disappeared in opposite directions. That left me, standing in the market square, taking it all in. Finally, I picked a direction and started walking.
For a while, I was lost in the scents and the colors and the noise. I didn’t have the pack space for frivolous purchases, but I still marveled over the sparkling jewelry and carved trinkets. Perhaps I should buy a gift for Joichan for our first meeting? But I had no idea what a dragon could possibly want, especially from a human market.
After a while, I started to sense that I was being followed. It was just this odd prickly sensation I felt, like something wasn’t quite right around me. I turned, but didn’t see anyone. Maybe Farrah was right. Maybe I was just exhausted.
The row of stalls I was perusing ended up ahead, into a narrow alley that connected my part of the market with another. I turned the corner into the alley and stopped. The wolf man from earlier blocked my way.
Chapter Twenty-Two
THE WOLF-TURNED-MAN was tall, taller than I had thought from a distance. He pushed his shaggy hair out of his blue eyes. It was a light, light blond, so pale it was nearly white. But the white hair wasn’t due to age; he looked to be in his early thirties.
“Hello,” he said. He held both hands in front of him, palms up in a gesture of peace, and nodded his head toward me. I backed up, ready to run back the way I had come.
“Don’t be afraid,” the man said. His voice was gruff. He seemed reserved, yet alert, ready to spring into action if need be.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I saw you earlier, watching me,” he said. “You seemed very aware of what was going on in Annlyn. I found you... intriguing.”
“Intriguing? How?”
He studied my wary face. “Come,” he said, motioning down the alley.
I stayed put. “No, thank you.”
“You’ve nothing to fear from me,” he repeated. “We’ll stay in the marketplace, in public. I’d just like to talk to you.” When I didn’t respond, he added, “I’ll go ahead and meet you at the end of the alley, where the market stalls start again.” He pointed ahead, the way I had originally intended to go.
“Why should I?” I said.
“Because I don’t think you understand exactly what you were seeing,” the man told me. “I can help you with that.” He started to walk away, toward the continuing market.
I watched him leave, debating. My curiosity won out over my fear and I followed after him.
The long-haired man was waiting for me at a market stall not far from the alley exit. When he saw me, he smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t leave,” he said.
“I thought about it,” I admitted. He laughed, a kind of wheezy barking sound.
We slowly started making our way through the market, stopping at various booths to look at the items for sale.
“What’s your name?” he asked me. “I’m Pazho.”
“Allayne.”
“Allayne,” he repeated. “That’s not an Annlyn name, is it.”
He looked at me closely. “I daresay Allayne is not your real name, either.” He said it matter-of-factly, already knowing the answer.
How did this man know?
“No, I’m from Calia, in the north.” I sidestepped his second observation.
“I traveled there once, years ago.” Pazho studied me, if possible, even more intently than before. “It’s all right. You may keep your secrets, Allayne. From Calia. Fascinating.”
“What’s so fascinating about that?” I asked, a bit snappishly.
We stopped at a booth that displayed simple gold jewelry. The pendants sold here reminded me of the necklace I wore hidden under my dress, but none of them were moonstone.
Pazho picked up one and held it to the light. The warm, honey-colored gem sparkled as it twisted in his hand. Oddly, I could feel a magical hum emanating from the piece.
“Do you know much about Annlyn?” Pazho asked.
“No. I’ve never traveled too far from my home country.”
Pazho held the pendant to his eye level, the amber color of the gemstone catching some similar honey glimmer in his eyes. I felt an answering heat in my own eyes. He blinked, and the glow in his eyes was gone, replaced by the normal blue. He put the necklace down and we continued on our way. Involuntarily, I turned to look behind me at the amber pendant, now tucked among other pieces of jewelry on the merchant’s table.
“Every one of the realms in the Gifted Lands is known for a special ability,” he began. “We tell the world that ours is for crafting jewelry. But it’s only a partial truth. Annlyn is a kingdom of shapeshifters. From infancy, we are able to turn into one kind of animal. As we grow, so does the animal. We share many of the traits and temperament of our other self.”
So I hadn’t been crazy! I really had seen various creatures walking the city streets.
“Why was I able to see you and other people in your animal forms, and my friends couldn’t?” I asked.
“The kingdom has a layer of magic surrounding it that keeps our animal forms from being detected by outsiders,” Pazho said. “Otherwise, we would never be able to shift freely. This way, visitors can enter, and trade can continue. But those of Annlyn can see each other in their shifted forms.”
“But I’m not from Annlyn,” I reminded him.
“Yes, it’s very curious,” Pazho said. “Which makes me think that you are a shapeshifter yourself.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
STRUCK BY PAZHO’S WORDS, I stopped and considered it. Then I laughed. Me? A shapeshifter? I had never done that in my life; there was no reason, as an adult, I would suddenly have that ability.
I glanced over at Pazho. He looked sincere. And serious. My laughter ceased.
“What makes you so sure?” I asked him.
We resumed walking. “I’ve made the study of the Gifted Lands my life’s work,” he said. “I find the different facets of each kingdom, and the fact that we’re all able to live together mostly in harmony, quite interesting. Of course, Annlyn being my home country, I know the most about it. Being able to change forms is a magical ability, one you are born with, not taught. One shapeshifter can easily spot another. Like calls to like.”
“My friend Farrah is half Fae, half human. She has innate magic, like you. But she didn’t see anything.”
“While those of Faerie do possess magic naturally, very few of them can change their form. I would suspect your friend Farrah comes from a Faery who wasn�
��t able to shift, and her human blood would dilute the magic further.”
“I’ve never done it before,” I said.
“Just because you haven’t tried it doesn’t mean you can’t do it,” Pazho pointed out. “I’m sure, with the right teacher or training, you’d learn how. Sometimes, in times of stress or excitement, your abilities may trigger without your knowledge or control, especially if you are still learning how to tap into your power.”
I paused, thinking of the incidents on the road with the Calian soldiers and with Prince Anders at the inn. And the bandits. Pazho smiled at my sudden thoughtfulness.
“I could be wrong,” he said. “But I don’t think so. As I said, like calls to like.”
We had reached another part of the market. Up ahead, I saw Beyan walking around, laden with new supplies for our group. I started walking faster, hoping to catch up to him. As if he knew I was following, Beyan turned and saw me. Our eyes met across the crowded market, and he nodded at me and started making his way toward me. Waving back in acknowledgment, I was just about to call his name when a tall shadow fell between us.
A horse nickered a few feet in front of me. Astride it was one of the Calian plain-clothes soldiers.
I abruptly checked my pace and instantly shrank back into the shadows. My new friend Pazho, who had been trying to keep up with me, nearly plowed into my back. He instantly caught my apprehension, but didn’t say anything. Instead, his eyes narrowed as he observed me, then the lone rider.
Fortunately, the man was looking the opposite way and didn’t notice me. But he did catch sight of Beyan, whose clothing and general look marked him as a foreigner to Annlyn. And when the soldier had cut off Beyan’s path, Beyan had almost been trampled and had to rapidly juggle his purchases before he dropped something.
Beyan scowled. The rider didn’t apologize. “You there.” He addressed Beyan imperiously in a voice that carried across the marketplace. “You’re not from here, are you?”
“What’s it to you?” Beyan responded warily.
“I am looking for someone,” the rider said, ignoring Beyan’s tone. “A woman, nineteen years old, dark hair and eyes. Perhaps you’ve seen her on your travels? She’s from Calia, like me, so if you talk to her we should sound similar.”
“Why are you looking for this woman? What has she done?” Beyan asked. Their voices weren’t particularly loud, yet somehow I was attuned to every word they exchanged.
“She is wanted in Calia, as she has stolen something from King Hendon. A gold necklace, with a milky white stone hanging from the chain. I have orders to bring her, and the item she has taken, back to the king as soon as she can be found.”
The rider looked at Beyan, assessing. Temptingly, he added, “There is a very handsome reward for the person who knows her whereabouts.”
Across the distance, Beyan’s eyes locked on mine. I held my breath, afraid that he would give me away.
But then Beyan’s gaze softened and his eyes continued to sweep the marketplace. He was so fast, most people would not have caught his momentary pause. I relaxed, only a little, hoping that Beyan’s actions had drawn the rider’s attention from where I was standing just a few feet away.
“I’ve met no one by that description, sir,” Beyan told the rider. His tone was perfect: just the right touch of firmness and humility. The soldier inclined his head toward Beyan and turned his horse’s head toward another part of the market.
“I must continue my search,” the soldier said. “But if you see or hear of anything... remember the reward.” He kicked his horse into motion, and they trotted away.
Once the soldier was out of sight, I stepped out of the shadows as Beyan walked over to me.
“What was that about?” he asked. “Why are there Calian soldiers looking for you?”
“It’s hard to explain. But I didn’t steal anything. The necklace was given to me by one who had the right to give it. If anything, King Hendon is the thief. I was told he stole it from its rightful owner, and it is my duty to bring it back.”
“Who is the true owner?”
What could I say that wasn’t an outright lie? I hated keeping secrets from the ones I counted as friends.
“A man, who lives somewhere in this area,” I finally said. It wasn’t the complete truth, but it was close enough.
Beyan opened his mouth to question me further, but I cut him off.
“Thank you,” I said. “For not giving me away. For... a lot of things. Thank you.”
Beyan shut his mouth, obviously changing his mind about what he was going to say. “We don’t betray our own,” he grinned at me. I smiled back.
Pazho stepped forward. Glancing from me to Beyan, he greeted Beyan with the same hands-out-palms-up gesture he had given me. “Hello, traveler. I am Pazho. You are a friend to this young woman?”
Beyan repeated Pazho’s gesture. “My name is Beyan. Yes.”
“I met Pazho in the marketplace after we all split up,” I explained. “He’s been explaining the history of the kingdom of Annlyn to me.”
“That sounds fascinating,” Beyan said sincerely. “I’ve only been in Annlyn once, when I was a child. I don’t know much about the kingdom, and never had a chance to learn.”
“We are such a remote kingdom that we tend to remain a mystery to the rest of the Gifted Lands,” Pazho said. “Which, honestly, is the way we like it. But you and your friend Allayne seem to have an interesting story of your own, one which I would enjoy learning.”
Beyan hesitated. “I don’t think — ”
“Are there more of you? Where are you staying?”
“We haven’t secured rooms yet for the night,” I said. “I don’t think so, anyway?” Beyan shook his head, confirming my guess. “There’s four of us total.”
“Oh, then you must stay at the Red Antler Inn,” Pazho said. “It is run by my mate, Denaan, and has the best food in all of Annlyn. You shall stay for free, in exchange for satisfying my curiosity.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“That’s extremely generous of you,” Beyan said. “But may I have a moment with my friend?”
“Of course,” Pazho said. He pinned Beyan with a suddenly serious look. “I know you are wary, as is wise. But you have nothing to fear from me. I know what you seek, and I know how to help you.” He walked away from us and into the marketplace, looking over some of the wares on display.
After he left, Beyan turned on me. “Did you tell him about why we’re here?”
“No. He never asked me about our purpose, and I didn’t bring it up. He’s been explaining the magic of Annlyn to me. It’s fascinating; I’ve learned a lot in just the short time we’ve been talking.”
“Do you trust him?”
I studied Pazho, who was happily chatting with a merchant about some fruit. “Yes,” I said simply. “Do you?”
Beyan looked at me, then over at Pazho, then back to me. He nodded slowly. “There’s something odd about him,” he mused. I bit my lip, trying not to blurt out Pazho’s secret. I would leave that up to Pazho to disclose, if he wanted to. “But in spite of that — yes. He seems all right.”
“And it’s very nice of him to offer us a place to stay for the night,” I said.
“It is,” Beyan agreed. “Although after last night, we can definitely afford it.”
“Save the money for the return trip home,” I said. “Do something crazy, like hiring all of us griffins for the return trip. We’d be home in no time.”
Beyan smiled. “I’ll stick to the horses, thank you. I don’t think flying would be for me.”
“How would you know unless you’ve tried it?”
“A fair point. We’ll see. But speaking of mounts — we’ll have to stable our horses here for a day or two longer while we search for Joichan. Horses don’t like dragons much. Although we might need to buy another horse or mule to bring home any treasure we might find.”
I refrained from saying I would be worried about purchasing a horse in thi
s market. I couldn’t be sure the horse was actually a horse and not a human who could shift.
We walked over to Pazho, who smiled at us in greeting. “Well, then?”
“We appreciate your kind offer,” Beyan said. “And we’d be happy to stay at your inn.”
“My mate’s,” Pazho corrected. “And we’re happy to have you. Come, let me take you to the Red Antler.”
“We should probably go meet the others first,” I said. “The light’s already fading; I hope we’re not too late meeting them.”
“Where are you supposed to find them?” Pazho asked me.
“Just outside the city center, where the marketplace begins.”
“Perfect. That’s right where the Red Antler is. We’ll gather your friends and all head to the inn for a meal.”
As we headed out of the market, Beyan asked Pazho, “Red Antler? Where did that name come from?”
Pazho chuckled. “Denaan fancies himself a fierce warrior. Antlers dipped in blood, dominating over enemies, that sort of thing.”
Beyan looked confused, but with a flash of understanding I caught Pazho’s meaning. I had seen the wolf Pazho walking with an imposing elk earlier. That elk must be the form Pazho’s mate Denaan was able to shift into.
As if he knew my thoughts, Pazho winked at me, giving me confirmation that my guess was correct.
Farrah and Rhyss were at the edge of the market, sitting on a bench. Farrah was reading a book, while Rhyss was lovingly polishing his newly repaired knife. As we approached, we could hear Farrah saying, “If you don’t stop playing with that thing, you’ll cut yourself, and I’ll have to patch you up. And I’m not in the mood.”
“But they did such a great job with the repair,” Rhyss replied. “It’s so nice to have it back, beautiful and whole.”
“Rhyss, if you don’t put that thing away, I’m going to take it from you.”
“Farrah, I won’t cut myself, I promise.”
“Hey, you two.” Beyan cut off their growing argument. “How was the market?”
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