by Katie Cherry
Nathan is now very close to me- bringing ravenous werewolves with him. As I watch, Nathan suddenly spins on his heel and swings the sword. It severs the ropes around my arms, freeing them. He then continues to fight the werewolves, finishing the spin with fluid movements. Wolf hasn’t noticed that anything happened yet. Leaning down, I scoop up the sword, press the button, and slice through the ropes around my legs. I’m free! Jumping forward and using the element of surprise, I help Nathan kill the other six. Swinging around, though, I unexpectedly come face-to-face with Wolf. Gasping, I back up a step and stand back to back with Nathan as the rest of the pack closes in on us, completely encircling us.
His voice calm and cool, Nathan says, “There. I killed them all. Now let us go, or we’ll be forced to kill the rest of you as well.”
Wolf growls angrily, taking a menacing step towards us. I force myself not to move. “I don’t think so.” He smiles; a gruesome thing with yellow fangs. “You see, we never let our prisoners go, regardless of what we tell them. Not to mention that you cheated. But we see that the girl is too much trouble, plus you alone will hardly fill our bellies tonight. So we will kill and eat you first, letting her watch, as we always do. But then we will eat her alive.”
I almost pass out from the overwhelming fear rising in me, but I force it down and think. What Gifts might be able to help me here? Ugh, I don’t even remember all of them… my brain just isn’t functioning… Most of them probably wouldn’t do the trick, not with how many of them there are in the first place. I then remember that Charm is a Gift, and it seems to me to be the least likely to cause terrible backlash if it fails, so I give it a shot. Ironically, it’s easier than trying to Charm Vlad.
Lowering my sword, I step forward and smile winningly, trying my best to be like Jake. Nathan notices. “What are you doing?” he hisses.
I ignore him. Batting my eyelashes and lowering my head submissively, I whisper to Wolf charmingly, “Are you sure you want to eat me? Just think of what you would be doing. Don’t you want me to stay here, with you?” My soft, calming voice causes Wolf to visually relax, the tension going out of his muscles. He grins like an idiot and starts nodding. One of the other werewolves steps up to him.
“Yeah, I want that girl! Let’s just eat the boy!” But his angers Wolf- he wants me for himself. The thought almost makes me throw up, but I hold it back. That would certainly ruin the Charm I somehow have been able to create. The jealous pack leader pounces on the other werewolf and cuts his throat with one swipe of his mighty claws.
Looking around at the rest of the pack, his claws and hand/paw covered in blood, he growls, “Anyone else want her? She’s mine!” A fight then ensues, and Nathan and I are able to sneak away, avoiding attention. We grab our backpacks, scooping as much as we can back into them, and begin running. We run for about a mile before we stop to breathe. Once we stop panting, Nathan looks at me and starts laughing. I join in as well, the sweet relief of not getting killed and eaten by those things making me giddy.
“That was brilliant!” Nathan gasps, sitting on a rock. I sit next to him, still laughing lightly. “I had no idea what you were doing at first, but holy cow it worked! You almost had me fighting for you too! I didn’t even think of trying to use a Gift- I was too panicked! I didn’t know you had the Charming Gift! That’s amazing!”
“I don’t- well, it’s not my actual Gift,” I explain. “I just tried it and hoped it would work. I almost threw up, though, so I can’t believe they bought it!” We laugh for another moment before continuing into the forest. To cover our scent and move faster, we both shapeshift into panthers and run through the woods, our backpacks held in our jaws. We go until we’re too exhausted and have to change back, then collapse just as the sun starts to rise.
*****
I wake up around noon. Hungry, I decide to make breakfast even though it’s past that time. Just as it’s finishing, Nathan wakes up. Seeing the food, he starts to protest, but I stop him, and he apologizes and thanks me for making a meal for us. We eat, then continue to move toward the rock. We are quite a bit closer than when I fell asleep on Nathan’s back when he was a horse, plus we need to talk, so we walk for a while.
“What happened after I fell asleep yesterday?” I ask him. He grimaces.
“Well, about an hour or so later, as far as I could tell, there was suddenly this sweet smell carried on the wind. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but it made me drowsy. It affected you worse, though. You didn’t wake up, even after you fell off of my back onto a rock. Then I knew something was wrong. I tried getting you to wake up, to get on my back, anything. You didn’t respond, and your breathing was shallow. I turned back into myself and tried to wake you up, but the only thing that happened is… your heart stopped.” He swallows, his voice cracking. “I… started it again without too much trouble, then looked around to try to find something or someone to help. All I found, though, was a rock flying at my head. I ducked under the first one, but another followed right behind it. Behind the flying rocks, I caught a glimpse of yellow, but that was all.”
I stare at him. He stops and looks at me. “What is it?” he asks, confused.
“It all makes sense now,” I murmur, continuing to walk. Nathan follows. “The yellow team- whoever they are- set us up. They knew the werewolves were nearby- thanks to Vlad, I’m sure- so they made sure that we couldn’t escape!” Anger fills my voice. “They tried to kill us!” Nathan tries to calm me down, but it takes a good twenty minutes for my blood to stop boiling. It’s only then that I can finally get my thoughts together.
“Wait… the other teams! They could be almost to the Zyloff! We have to hurry!” Since it’s my turn again, I try to use the weather, but nothing happens.
Nathan looks at me. “I guess you’re done experimenting with that one. Here, I’ll do it.”
“No! I’ll try something else.” Deciding on shapeshifting, I try to think of the fastest traveling animal. Well, flying is faster than running… but what animal is large and strong enough to carry Nathan too? The only thing that comes to mind is a dragon. I’ve only ever seen drawings of them, but I’m hoping it will be enough. Concentrating, I feel my skin hardening into scales and wings sprouting from my back. Next, a tail erupts from my tailbone, spikes grow from my spine, and claws from my fingers and toes. Next thing I know, I’m a proud, mighty dragon.
I leap into the sky, reveling in the power of my new body… and getting lost to it. I only remember who I really am and what I’m supposed to be doing when I look down and spot Nathan, far below. I catch his words. “Crystal! Come back! You aren’t actually a dragon- don’t lose yourself to it! We have to go!” It all comes back to me at once, and I am in complete control of myself. I suppress the draconic instincts and dive back to the clearing where I left him. I land beside him and crouch so he can climb on with the backpacks. I never realized how small people are compared to dragons, but I realize as Nathan clambers up my scales that I could hold him in my hand without a problem.
He doesn’t seem to weigh much, either. I barely notice him on me with my new strength. Soaring through the air, we get rapidly closer to the jagged cliffs. It only takes about twenty minutes to fly there, although had we been walking, it would have taken the rest of the day. I land about halfway up and turn back into myself since the dragon instincts were threatening to take back over. Looking around, I don’t see anyone, but when I switch my eyes into dragon eyes, I can vaguely see four teams gaining on us. Two are flying with their partner, as Nathan and I had. Another group is a blur as they race towards us. I catch a glimpse of red between the trees as well. Ham and Sierra. But one team is missing. I don’t stop to wonder what happened to them, concentrating on climbing after Nathan instead. When we get close to the top, I smell blood.
Finally cresting the ridge at the top, my head is almost taken off by a gigantic tail flying past. Nathan is already flat against the rock, so he avoided it as well. My eyes instinctively follow the tail up the feathery bod
y. Before I can stop myself, my eyes lock onto the Zyloff’s. I’m instantly paralyzed and I can barely even think. I vaguely remember Thaddeus saying to me, “When it’s full grown, it can paralyze and even kill you with a mere glance…”
I wonder if I’m dying… I can barely finish the thought. I suddenly feel myself starting to… float out of my body. I still can’t move. I cast out with my thoughts, groping to find something to hang onto. I latch myself onto the mind of the Zyloff, of all things. I then find myself not in my own body, but in the Zyloff’s. I fight it, but it’s like being pulled into a whirlpool. I can’t resist it.
I realize then that I can control the Zyloff’s body- my will is stronger than its is. Looking down through its eyes, I see myself, slumped and lifeless on the rock. Nathan is kneeling next to me, shouting. I can’t hear his words through the Zyloff’s ears- they’re too weak- but it’s clear he’s devastated. While I’m distracted, the Zyloff takes back over itself and turns and attacks a person dressed in blue. I recognize Roxane Hernandez, the goth girl. The Zyloff bites her, one of its large fangs piercing her stomach. She doubles over, blood gushing over her hands. Horrified, I find myself powerless to do anything. Luckily, an outraged Lloyd does do something. Rushing forward, he stabs the mother Zyloff in the heart as it’s still bent over the dying Roxane.
I gasp and find myself back in my own body. I look up and see Nathan leaning over me, tears in his eyes. His look of utter loss is replaced with wonder and joy as he witnesses my return to life.
“How…” he stammers, confused. I sit up, wobbling, and almost fall off the edge of the cliff. Luckily, Nathan catches me and gently pulls me away from the edge. The dying screams of the Zyloff screech in my ears, immediately giving me a headache.
Looking back up at Nathan, I see the question and disbelief in his eyes and simply say, “I’ll tell you later.” Looking even more confused, he finally nods, accepting this.
We both look up as Lloyd shouts, “Hey! Look out!” and see a great wall of feathers bearing down on us. Nathan shoves me out of the way, but isn’t quite quick enough to escape the body of the Zyloff himself.
“Nathan!” I scream, lurching forward. Because of my weakened body, I fall, but I pick myself back up and keep moving regardless. It’s slow going, so Lloyd gets there first. He glances at Nathan, then looks at me and shakes his head, implying that he’s dead.
“No… NO!!!” I shout, unable to believe it. Finally reaching the great feathery serpent, I crawl over its wings to the other side. I find Nathan’s limp hand sticking out from under the body. “No…” I whisper, feeling the world close in around me. I begin weakly trying to pry the beast off of him, but it doesn’t budge. I look to Lloyd, desperate for aid.
He sees my pain and decides to help, though it’s obvious he thinks it’s futile. He transforms into a rhinoceros and strains against the gigantic body. He is finally able to push it off the cliff. I reach forward, trembling, to grasp one of Nathan’s hands in mine. It’s already beginning to grow cold.
“No… Nathan…” I am then lost for words. My mind shuts down, and all I can do is look at his face is cry. My eyes turn into dragon eyes, as they sometimes do when I lose control of my emotions. My tears splash on his face. I close my eyes and change them back to my normal ones. I can’t do it. He’s gone.
A rasping voice then says my name. Opening my eyes, I fix them on Nathan’s face. His eyes flicker open and his hand grows warm again. I watch, amazed, as he groans my name again. He then sees me and smiles painfully. I smile back, tears still in my eyes. I hear a disbelieving gasp behind me. “That’s… that’s not possible,” Lloyd stammers. He comes up and kneels beside me. I don’t even turn my head, soaking in Nathan’s face- his alive, smiling face- instead. “He… I swear he was dead…”
“Really?” Nathan rasps. “Then it’s good to be back. …Roxane?” He inquires.
Looking at Lloyd, I see pain clearly in his eyes. “She’s… gone. For good.” His voice breaks and he looks away, hiding tears. It seems the two had grown close after all. I help Nathan to sit up. He looks at me.
“Now I know how you feel, coming back to life. It really takes it out of you, doesn’t it?” I nod, laughing a little. He chuckles weakly in return.
Something large, round, and white is then placed in front of me. Looking up, I see Lloyd. His smile is more of a grimace. “Let’s finish this thing before the other teams come. I hate it here. We got what we came for- let’s go. …I’ll help you two get down and away from the other contestants, seeing as you were both dead. But beyond that, I have to help myself.”
“I understand,” I say to him gratefully. “Thank you. I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you…” He shakes his head before transforming into a giant black bird.
“You’d better get him on me, and climb on yourself. Please grab my egg as well. The others are almost here. Let’s avoid as much bloodshed as possible, shall we?” I agree. After struggling to help Nathan get on his back, I climb on myself, an egg in each arm. Lloyd jumps off the cliff, soaring into the air just as the yellow team, Odette and Frazer, arrive at the top. They stare at Nathan and me in disbelief. I guess they thought the werewolves would kill us. I glare at them, although we’ve already moved out of their sight.
We fly through the night and get about halfway to our platform before Lloyd finally stops. He falls asleep almost immediately after he changes back, and Nathan does as well. It’s not so easy for me, since my mind was still racing from what happened in the last couple of days. First werewolves, then I ‘die,’ witness Roxane dying, Nathan dies… it’s a lot all at one time. All I know for sure is that I now hate these ‘Games’ more than ever, and can’t wait to go home.
Leaning back against a tree, I try to calm myself down. Reaching down to my boot, I pull the blue-green feather out and hold it in my hand. It’s miraculous that after all that commotion, it stayed intact, lodged in my boot. As I study it, I wonder what kind of bird it might have come from. It’s a very large feather, so I can only assume it came from a giant bird. Almost without noticing, I slip into sleep. My dreams are filled with large blue-green birds and human-like shadows riding them.
I wake up before the other two do, so I make breakfast. After eating, we split up. Lloyd flies off toward his light, and we go to ours. Nathan transforms into a giant bird himself, and off we go. We reach the place that we started from just as the sun is setting once more. Cradling the egg, I step onto the platform with Nathan right behind me. The instant we’re both on it, a gun goes off; probably the same one that got us started. A few minutes later, it goes off again, and I can only assume that means that Lloyd got back to his platform safely as well.
Half an hour later, it goes off one more time. I hope it was for Sierra and Ham, not the jerks on the Yellow team, Odette and Frazer. I briefly wonder how long they’ll keep us here now that they have their winners.
A sharp sting answers my question.
Chapter Nine
Eric and Nora
“Crystal? Nathan?” I hear a voice piercing through the darkness, bringing me back to alertness. The voice sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t seem to place it. Opening my eyes, they slowly focus on a boy’s face looming over me. It takes me a second to put the name with the face.
“Lloyd,” I murmur. He looks relieved.
“Oh, good, you’re awake. There’s someone here who wants to talk to you.” He steps back, and I sit up to locate my visitor. Thaddeus stands at the door of the hospital room. He comes up to me with a big smile on his face and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Well done! You behaved magnificently. Although, looking into the Zyloff’s eyes was a huge mistake that by all rights should have gotten you killed.”
“I know,” I say ashamedly. “I didn’t know what I was doing until it happened… and I honestly don’t really know what happened after, either.” So I describe to him, Lloyd, and Nathan what happened after I looked into the creature’s eyes. All three stare at me, disbelief written clearly on
Lloyd and Nathan’s faces, although Thaddeus’s thoughts are difficult for me to gauge without the help of my dragon eyes. “It’s true,” I mutter, looking down at the sheets clenched under my hands.
“I believe you,” Thaddeus says, looking into the distance with a strange look- one hiding something. “It’s just… I have only heard of one other instance in which that happened- to the Queen, actually. And she only told two people- the King and I. I suggest that you don’t share this with anyone else, as it will only make you a greater target. Especially don’t tell Vladimir.” He turns to Lloyd. “Please do not tell anyone either, young man.” He nods solemnly, promising to keep my secret.
“Wait, why not tell Vlad? I mean, I’m not complaining, but wouldn’t I normally have to tell him about such things since he’s my advisor?” I ask. Thaddeus shakes his head gravely, sighing heavily.
“No, I don’t think that you should in this case. Normally he would need to know, but…”
“But what?” Nathan asks, sounding concerned.
“…It’s nothing that you should be concerned about; it’s just… I have noticed that he hasn’t been himself lately. Ever since… well, the first day you were here. Do you remember how he didn’t show up as he promised?”
“Yes, of course,” Nathan responds. “But what does that have to do with anything?” Lloyd watches us, both confusion and curiosity on his face, but he doesn’t interrupt, opting to listen silently instead.
“Well, I saw him just a few minutes after I sent you off to the square, and he seemed… confused and disoriented. He asked me what he was supposed to be doing. It was… strange. I’ve been watching him closely ever since, and he’s been acting differently. I have a feeling something happened to him early that morning or the night before, but he refuses to tell me anything.” There’s silence for a few moments as we all ponder this.