by Kelly A Nix
“First, they are on the other side of the medical wing. You made sure they were placed as far from us as possible, remember? Second, they’re going to find out eventually if they haven’t already.”
“No, they won’t,” Atae says.
“Okay, fine. Just show me already. No one is paying attention to us. Besides, it’s just your claws. No one will notice,” Jeqi says. She holds up her hand and unsheathes her thin claws for demonstration. When none of the medical specialists or warriors notice, she sheaths them again.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Atae removes her hand from the healing dome and stares at it. Clenching the muscles in her arm, she bites her lip and narrows her eyes in concentration. Blue gel slips down her wrist and arm, but otherwise, nothing happens. So Atae waves her hand around as if the force of her swing will pull the claws out. When that doesn’t work, she curses and swivels back to Jeqi.
“It’s not working. You said it was like flexing a muscle,” Atae says.
“For me, it is. It also doesn’t hurt when I do it. Obviously, it’s different for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, think about what triggered the shifts before. Maybe, it’s an emotion,” Jeqi says. Atae considers her friend’s words and tries to describe what she felt during their struggle against the water beast. Atae remembers the concern for her packmate and the fear of not being able to save her. She also remembers something silver.
Jeqi jolts Atae from her thoughts with a slap across the uninjured side of her face. The loud smack draws several eyes from around the room. Furious, Atae swats the air around the blonde with a vicious growl. Atae struggles against the healing domes that hold her in place while Jeqi smirks on the opposite side of her friend’s free hand and just out of reach for retaliation.
“What was that for?”
“I’m trying to make you angry.”
“Well, congratulations. I’m going to kill you!”
“I guess anger just isn’t enough to force your shift. Maybe Feku is right,” Jeqi says. Atae pauses in her struggle for revenge long enough to ask a question.
“Right about what?”
“Maybe emotion doesn’t drive your ability to shift. Maybe it’s need, like when purebred Kaji shift into battle beasts. You are Kaji.”
“Of course, I am.” Atae glowers at her packmate, but a stray, unwelcome thought burns through Atae’s mind. Perhaps it isn’t need that triggers her shift, but fear. Atae’s eyes fall away from her friend as shame stings her face.
“Well, don’t you look lovely,” Sloan says. He pokes his head between their chairs and motions to the blue gel slathered across Atae’s cheek. “Will it leave a scar?”
“What are you doing spying on us? And why does everything that comes out of your mouth have to be sarcasm?” Atae huffs.
“Why do you assume that was sarcasm?” He waggles his eyebrows, and, as expected, Atae rolls her eyes with a snort. He laughs and steps out from around the chairs to join Marqee and face the hybrids.
“And I wasn’t spying. Your life just isn’t exciting enough for me to eavesdrop. I was actually visiting a friend in one of the tanks.” Sloan points to the recovery tanks behind Atae and Jeqi. “Apparently, some blue-haired hybrid cut him in half with her hilt. Don’t worry. He’ll be completely healed by the end of the day. But I’m quite impressed.”
Atae smiles at the compliment but can’t help the retort. “Remember that next time you feel the urge to annoy me.”
“Enough,” Jeqi says. Her admonishing glare bounces from Atae to Sloan before she cringes at another odd sensation from her healing leg.
“Are you okay?” Marqee asks around his healing mask.
“I’m fine. The medical officer said we’ll be completely healed by mid-day. What about you two?” Jeqi’s eyebrows knit together as she assesses the substantial damage to Marqee’s face. Sloan slips a hand onto Marqee’s shoulder and shakes his head with a sigh.
“Unfortunately, they couldn’t help my ugly friend here. They say he’ll be permanently disfigured. Forever stuck with his hideous face.”
Atae’s eyes widen, gaping at the dimpled purebred, but the healing mask hides his expression. “It’s not going to heal?”
“Oh, no,” Sloan says. “It’s going to heal fine. He’s just stuck with his normal face forever.”
Atae plops back against her lounge chair in exasperation as Jeqi giggles, and Marqee punches Sloan in the arm. Atae isn’t sure whether she’s angrier at herself for falling for the stupid joke or him for making it.
Him, definitely him.
“Weren’t you injured, Sloan?” she asks.
“Yeah, I dislocated my shoulder. Nothing serious. Just a quick pop, and I’m good to go.”
“I thought I saw your tail burned, too.” Marqee furrows his brow in faux confusion “But you don’t have a tail in this form. What happened to your injuries?”
“Nothing, I’m a fast healer.” Sloan shrugs.
“Uh, huh.” Marqee chuckles. “So, your ass isn’t slathered with gel under that uniform?”
Never one to pass up a challenge, Sloan grins at his packmate and says, “I’m happy to pull down my pants and show you.”
“Don’t you dare,” Atae says. Sloan twists his mouth into a playful pout as all four younglings laugh. Then Jeqi pulls them back to reality.
“Do you guys know how we placed? I haven’t had a chance to find my visor. I’d like to know who won this round.”
“Uh, about that,” Marqee says. He swivels to Sloan with an expectant head tilt.
“Well, the good news is that we took down the most competitors,” Sloan says.
“That’s great. That means we won. How do they award the points? Do we all get an equal share, or are we awarded for the number we individually took down?” Atae says.
“As a group, we earn ten points for each person we takedown. So, if we took down fourteen competitors total, then we each earned 140 points,” Jeqi says.
“Whoa, that’s a lot of points.”
“Except, we didn’t get 140 points,” Sloan says. “Well, we did, but…”
“But we were penalized twenty-five points for each camera that this idiot destroyed,” Marqee says. He points a thumb at his packmate, and Jeqi gasps.
“What?”
“Jeqi, it’s okay. I’m sure you are still in the lead. Right, guys?” Atae says.
“Uh, yeah, but only by a few points. Debil and Seva’s pack took down ten, so they kind of shot up in the rankings.” Marqee frowns, glancing at Sloan, as Jeqi hyperventilates in her chair.
“Breathe, Jeqi. I need you to breathe,” Atae says. She whips around to glare at Sloan. “Why didn’t you take them down when you had the chance? Now we have to deal with them during the next round.”
“What’s the big deal? You’re still in the lead, Jeqi. Personally, I’m more bummed that we placed tenth in the tournament than I am that your class ranking almost dropped.” Sloan shrugs, and Atae sneers at him.
“It’s important that she graduates first in her class. She certainly doesn’t deserve to lose it because of something as stupid as destroying cameras.”
“Fine. Next time I won’t touch the cameras. Happy?” Sloan says.
“It’s fine, Sloan. It was for the best. The cameras would have caused issues anyway,” Jeqi says. In a semi-calm manner, she glances at Atae. It takes a moment for the blue-haired hybrid to catch on, but her anger deflates when she realizes the major favor Sloan did for her. The cameras would have recorded her shifts, and Solum would’ve pulled her from the roster. She’s going to have to figure out how to control this thing before round two.
“Well, once you’re healed, we should meet for another session with your hilt. You were terrible with it today. I think you’ve actually gotten worse,” Sloan says.
“What? How would you know? I barely had a chance to use it.”
“Exactly, it took you forever to use it on that water beast thing. Why were you scratching at
it? It’s not like you have claws, Atae.”
“Whatever.” Atae pouts at the jab and bites her tongue. He has a good point. Why hadn’t she used her hilt to free Jeqi? Thinking back, Atae only remembers the cold grip of panic that clouded her mind. She certainly won’t admit to Sloan that she made a mistake and let her fear overwhelm her. One day, she’s going to shut him up for good, but not today. Today, she needs to work on controlling her new ability.
“How about tomorrow morning?” she says.
“Tomorrow morning is Prince Truin’s pledging ceremony,” Marqee says.
“So?”
“So we have to go,” Jeqi says. “Didn’t Solum tell you?”
“No, why would we have to go? I’ve never gone to any palace function,” Atae says.
“We know,” Sloan says with a snicker. “But now your Queen Sula’s protégées. So you have to go to certain events like this one.”
“What do you mean, ‘you know’? And how do you know about that?”
“Atae, you are oblivious to everything. Can’t you pay attention to anything?” Jeqi says.
Sloan and Marqee laugh at Jeqi’s outburst and Atae’s confusion before bidding them goodbye. Atae promises to meet Sloan in one of the palace training rooms before he leaves. Then, she sulks in her chair while Jeqi fumes. Although she’s not sure why the blonde hybrid is angry, Atae knows it’s best to wait for Jeqi to calm down before broaching the topic of her shifting ability again. It isn’t long before Jeqi agrees to help her packmate, but she has no idea where to start.
Chapter 22
Atae runs through the dark forest to escape the voice that haunts her. The vines and branches reach out to tug at her arms and scrape her flesh, but she breaks free in a near panic. Atae can feel the glowing emerald eyes stalking her and growing ever closer. She stumbles on a root, and a blade whistles by her ear, startling the terrified youngling.
Atae continues deeper into the abyss and glances skyward for a hint of direction, but to no avail. The sky is as dark as the cold emptiness of space and lighted only by the two red moons that glare into Atae’s soul. She blinks as Kandorq’s blood-red eyes stare back at her. He smiles a sick and twisted grin that’s filled with perverse desires. Atae backpedals away from the evil creature, but, quick as lightning, he snatches her throat and squeezes the breath from her. She claws at his hand, but Kandorq’s grasp is rock solid.
“Too weak to stop me.” Kandorq’s deep voice snakes around Atae’s body and slithers through the crevices of her mind. She digs her nails into Kandorq’s flesh, trying to pry his hand off her windpipe, but he chuckles, unfazed. Atae rips chunks of skin and muscle from his hand. She is not weak. She will not let him touch her. She will not let him hurt her.
“No!” Atae awakens in her bed as her scream drowns out Kandorq’s twisted laughter. Her eyes dart around, startled to find her palace bedroom rather than the pitch-black forest. Her night vision swings from the lavish furniture to the puffy bedding all around her as she shifts her focus. She sighs, realizing it was only another dream, another horrible nightmare that she must struggle to forget. An odd sensation pulls her from her thoughts, and she glances down to find thick, warm blood dripping down her heaving chest and soaking into her nightclothes.
What have I done? Atae touches the ruined flesh of her neck then applies pressure to stop the bleeding. She jumps at the sound of knocking at her bedroom door, followed by Solum’s concerned voice.
“Atae, I heard you call out. Are you okay?”
Solum doesn’t wait for an answer and rushes to open the door. Atae darts to her bathroom and locks the door.
“I am fine, Father. Please go back to bed.” Atae stands in the center of the dark bathroom, staring at the door and pressing a hand against her neck. She hopes that Solum takes her at her word and leaves.
“There is blood in your bed. You are injured,” Solum says. Atae groans, realizing that her father isn’t leaving, and checks her wound in the mirror. Atae inspects the superficial injury, noting how quickly it’s clotting, and sighs.
“It’s nothing. Please, go.”
“Atae, I will break down this door if you do not come out, right now.”
Atae peers down at her claws, still extended, then to her elongated pupils in the mirror.
He can’t see me like this. Atae closes her eyes, ignoring the swirling silver haze draped over her mind. She exhales to calm her racing heart, but Solum’s voice interrupts.
“Atae!” Solum slams his fist into the door, and she jumps.
Shift. Come on, shift back. Atae flails her hands in the air and clenches her eyes shut, but nothing changes. Why is it a problem now? Her body seemed to shift back on its own before.
“That’s it. I’m coming in,” Solum says. Atae shuffles away from the door, cringing at the chaos about to ensue, but Deh’s surprisingly stern voice thrums from inside the youngling’s bedroom.
“No, you will not.”
Atae wonders when Deh joined Solum in her bedroom. Both the adults’ rooms were on either side of Atae’s bedroom, which gave them the prime opportunity to check in on her. Atae wonders if this was intentional and wouldn’t put it past her overbearing father and a concerned Deh. Atae learned a long time ago that Solum and Deh have different parenting techniques, but Solum doesn’t mind calling on Deh when he needs a female’s parenting touch. Of which, Atae is grateful because there are certain situations in which only Deh could assist her.
This is one of those times. Atae sighs when Deh agrees.
“Solum, leave her to me. I will speak with her,” Deh says. Then, she whispers something that Atae can’t make out through the door. Solum huffs at the quiet suggestion but relents.
“Fine.”
Atae notices the edge in her father’s voice and smiles at the obvious ploy to hide his concern. With the realization that Deh has come to her rescue, Atae calms, and the churning silver particles in her mind recede into the darkness. Her body reverts to her standard form. Hissing from the intense headache and the pain of her fingers splitting open, the youngling almost misses Deh’s soothing voice.
“Atae, may I come in?”
“Is Jeqi with you?” Atae asks between breaths. She presses a clawless hand on her wounds and uses her other to activate the bathroom light.
“No, dear,” Deh says. Atae can hear the smile in her voice. “I am afraid that she has inherited her father’s ability to sleep through the sounds of war. They are both sleeping soundly.”
Atae isn’t sure if she’s happy or disappointed that Jeqi isn’t waiting on the other side of the door. With only a slight hesitation, Atae unlocks the door and steps back, allowing Deh to slip into the bathroom with a warning glace to Solum. The threatening glare that dares the concerned father to cross her sends chills down Atae’s spine. Perhaps it is Deh’s iron will that Jeqi’s father, a known warrior in the king’s army, finds attractive. Everything else about Deh screams non-Kaji, from her bright blue eyes and tan skin to her soft blonde hair and short stature. This female is warm and comforting and exactly what Atae craves at the moment.
“Oh, Atae.” Deh’s concerned eyes find the youngling’s blood-soaked hands and chest. “Let me see.”
Atae sits on the counter next to the deep bath and drops her hand from the wound. Deh steps close to inspect the wound, while her unkempt blonde hair whispers behind her. Atae smells Deh’s sweet, familiar aroma and smiles until she feels a soft push against her shins hanging off the counter. Atae glances down to find Deh’s blonde tail whipping back and forth, and she gulps at the telltale signs of an agitated Setunn.
“How did this happen, dear.” Deh’s soothing voice and concerned eyes contradict her pressed lips and lashing tail.
“I…um…” Atae stutters, unsure what to say. Deh’s eyes shift from a swirl of concern to an icy fierceness that startles Atae. She’s so distracted by the sudden change, Atae doesn’t notice Deh’s hand on her shoulder.
“Who did this to you, Atae?”
&
nbsp; Deh’s hand tightens on Atae’s shoulder, and the hybrid’s mouth falls open in shock. She’d heard that Setunn were protective of their offspring, but she never imagined Deh could look so terrifying.
“It was a dream.”
“What?” Deh’s blonde tail hesitates in its furious swishing. Atae’s cheeks flame with embarrassment, and she closes her eyes, wishing she were back in that dark forest.
“I…I had a bad dream,” she whispers.
“What?” Solum asks from outside the bathroom door. Deh leans away from Atae to close her eyes and purse her lips.
“She had a nightmare. Now go away.”
“A nightmare?” Solum says. “What sort of nightmare?”
Atae groans at her father’s probing and rubs her hands over her face. She just wants them both to go away.
“Tell us what your dream was about while I clean your wound, then we will leave you be,” Deh says loud enough for Solum to hear. Accepting her father’s silence as agreement, the youngling nods and stares at the mural on the bathroom wall as Deh cleans her wound with the water from the sink and a bathroom cloth. Atae admires the beautiful craftsmanship of the intricate carving. The bright and glittering forest around them looks nothing like the terrifying darkness of her dream.
“She was stalking me again. Like she does every night. I can’t do anything but run from her. I know that at any moment she can strike me down, but still, I run. And then he shows up and grabs me like he does every night. I can’t move or fight. I can’t even breathe. I just panic like I do every night,” Atae says. Tears gleam in her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. “In my dream, I clawed at his hand on my throat, trying to escape. I guess I scratched my throat in real life.”
“These scratches are deep,” Deh says. “A little a deeper, and we would not be having this conversation.”
Atae avoids Deh’s probing gaze so as not to reveal anything regarding her new shifting ability. She hears Solum rustling on the other side of the door and wonders about his thoughts on Deh’s words. Does he wonder how she could cut herself so deeply, or is he only concerned for his offspring?