Maybe she was a good counterbalance but she wanted to be more than just that. She loved Chance. He had become the most important person in her life and imagining herself without him was painful. One life-threatening danger had been removed and now it seemed her life was just as at risk as before her heart had healed.
Ana said goodnight to Balam and headed up to bed. Tired and ready for rest, she quickly fell into a deep slumber. A noise in the night roused her to an in-between state of sleep. She was in that familiar place again, at the lake. A beautiful voice hummed a sorrowful song that mixed with the echo of a bird’s cry. It was something she had heard before. She wasn’t alone or afraid, but with a friend.
I am here, when you’re ready.
Chapter 23
“Chance, it is time to wake. Come downstairs and we will leave.”
Chance woke with a start. Wildlife chattered and sang as daylight broke above the horizon. Balam left his room and with a groan, Chance flipped out of his bed onto the floor to do pushups. His muscles were sore but quick to react. The previous day was exhausting but had gone well. He now understood why his energy reserve had drained and he was no longer afraid of losing his powers. The figurative weight on his shoulders had finally lifted. He could breathe.
Last night was a blur. He could barely remember going to bed. Had he even seen Ana before going to sleep?
Chance rummaged through his belongings, turning them into a heap on the floor, and pulled out a pair of shorts. He padded downstairs and found Balam in the kitchen, heating water on the hearth.
“Ready for more?” Balam asked.
“Yes. I’m ready to go.” Chance walked to the dining table, snatched up a banana and peeled it in one swift movement. He swallowed it down in three bites and plopped himself onto the couch, watching Balam prepare the morning hot chocolate.
“I am glad to see how eager you are. We will leave after we have a drink.”
“What about Ana?”
“She is still sleeping. She was up late last night. That is okay. We will be back soon.”
“She could probably use the sleep. I’ll leave her a note.”
Balam poured the boiling water into a pot of cacao and other seasonings. Then he carefully stirred the mixture. He poured the molten liquid into a ceramic pitcher and two mugs. While he sipped his, he held the other cup out to Chance, who readily accepted it.
Chance blew at the hot chocolate and inhaled too large a mouthful, nearly choking on it as his nerves registered the boiling temperature. No big deal. He’d feel fine after shifting. He winced as he gulped down the rest and darted to the kitchen to drop off his mug. Then he ran up to his room, scribbled out a note and placed it at the door of Ana’s room. By the time he got back down to the main level of the home, Balam had drained his breakfast drink, placed his cup on the table and was walking out to the deck.
“You said you know owl form?” he called back to Chance as he walked.
Chance jogged up to him and said, “Yes. It shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll give it a try.”
Without Ana there he didn’t feel the need to cover up. Balam waited as Chance dropped his shorts on the wooden planks and closed his eyes. His energy was more alert than the day before and ready for instruction. Blue threads appeared in his thoughts, outlining the shape of the Horned Owl. A prickling sensation traveled down his arms and legs as feathers rippled in waves across his body while he shrank and contorted into a bird. He flapped his wings, collecting big scoops of air as he lifted off the ground and rested on a narrow rail hewn from a tree trunk.
Balam draped two long cloths on the rail beside Chance. He dropped his thin white cotton pants and leapt from the ledge, almost immediately becoming a blue-winged, black-hooded bird.
Chance scrambled, eager to keep Balam in his sights. Air currents lifted him upward and he tucked his wings to pick up speed. From above the treetops, the jungle seemed to be covered in thick green carpeting. Hidden beneath were ancient ruins, underground caverns and camouflaged wildlife.
Balam arched in a wide spiral above a clearing and began to descend. He perched on a crumbled pile of rocks and preened his feathers. Chance landed nearby and panted. He opened his beak wide to collect as much oxygen as he could.
His great-grandfather’s voice startled him and he realized Balam had already shifted back to human form. “You can stay as a bird if you would like but I have some things I need to say. Just listen.”
Chance readjusted himself, clutching at the crumbling rock with his talons.
“I admit I do not know the place of a shapeshifter in this modern world. I do not know how to advise you. I sense there are more dangers today than there were when I was in my youth. And I saw the conquistadors conquer my home. There are dangers for those you love. Niyol made his decision. He loved my Itzel more than he loved being a shifter.
“You have already had beginner training from your grandfather. It is time to be forthright so you know the struggle ahead. Ana already died once. You saved her. The price you paid was losing your teacher and mentor. I think it should be clear to you now just how dangerous this life can be. You have told me you believe your cousin is alive. If that is so, than you can never rest easy. He has the sickness—it is likely he will never stop.”
Chance momentarily forgot he was in owl form and started to speak but it came out in hoots and coos.
Balam’s face was tight and he nodded as if he understood what Chance was trying to say.
“A healing connection delivers your power and essence intact, but when a shifter is killed and you are near enough to take in that energy, that essence is fragmented and absorbed incomplete. Having a murdered soul soak into you is dangerous. It is as though you have many personalities. If you kill one who is more powerful than you, than it is likely that essence will become the dominant power and voice within you.
“You have the loving imprint of your grandfather. It is very different when you have powers within you that are evil and angry. I tell you this because you need to know the weight of being a shapeshifter and the responsibility of bringing someone into this life. You think hard about this, Chance, because it is more than your own life you will affect. I lost more than half my wives to other shifters, and I know the pain of absorbing another’s power as well. I had many dark times I would rather not remember but with much effort and help from a healer, I overcame the voices and unwelcome memories.
“If you choose to stay with Ana, it is not fair to keep information from her. A team requires two people making choices together. She should know about any threats—and how to protect herself. This is why I will be training her as well. You think about all I have told you. Use your senses and find your way back home. That is all for this lesson.”
Balam shrank into a red, yellow and black striped snake, slithered down the moss-covered rocks and disappeared into the jungle.
A wave of nausea coursed through Chance and he nearly fell backward from his dizziness. He had gone from one teacher who barely told him anything to another who divulged everything, no holds barred. But he appreciated knowing the reality of his circumstances.
Chance had kept Ana uninformed, thinking he was protecting her. Now he realized he was only being a hypocrite. How could be expect others to be candid and truthful with him if he wasn’t doing the same?
He had to come clean with her. It was the only way. Markus was alive and he was probably searching for them now. Chance had to build his powers and prepare for the time his cousin revealed himself. Ana needed to understand the reality of the situation. He had no idea what chance she had against a shapeshifter and he hoped Balam had answers.
All he wanted just then was to be near Ana, to apologize and lay it all out for her. Would she forgive him?
The sun’s rays penetrated his feathered armor. He twitched his head and extended his feathers. Chance jumped into the air and let his wings do all the work, lifting him up above the treetops. Now, where was home?
Chapter 24
The flight
home took longer than Chance hoped. From above the forest canopy, everything looked the same. He wished he had noted some landmarks to help guide him back. Just as he wondered if he would ever return home, his grandfather’s soothing voice echoed in his mind. Chance, focus. Words he had heard so many times before.
Chance blinked and let his cluttered thoughts fall away. Remember, you’re not a human right now, you’re a bird. Slowly, the air augmented and warped. Or at least, it appeared to. He sensed ripples fanning out from the earth. In the past, he had always used landmarks to fly from his house to Ana’s. This was an entirely new experience. Unsure what he was looking at, he continued forward and followed his instincts.
A bubble-like field bulged above a section of the forest. Chance flew ahead, curious to see what was at its core. As he approached, he discerned a tall, vertical shape hidden under the trees.
Finally, he was home. He swept in and landed on the deck. His nails tapped on the wood as he inched himself forward to peer into the main level of the house. From his perch a foot off the ground, he couldn’t see anyone so he turned around and waddled over to a cloth hanging on the rail. After a little effort, he returned to his own skin and wrapped the fabric around his abdomen. It was too close to a skirt for his liking. The shorts he had worn before he shifted were gone. As he turned to race upstairs, he nearly collided into Ana.
“Oh, hey. I was about to go look for you,” Chance said. He seized the wrap as it slid down his waist and his cheeks flushed with warmth.
“Got your note. Thanks for keeping your promise. How’d training go?” She offered him a weak grin, but it seemed forced. Something was brewing below the surface and he suspected it was the reason he needed to talk to her.
“Can we talk in private?”
“Balam said he’d be back later—we’re all alone.”
Chance clutched her soft hand in his and led her into the living room. They settled onto the cushions and she waited with a strained expression.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and began. “I’m so sorry, Ana. I haven’t been honest with you. I didn’t tell you I was having issues with my powers. I should have just told you what was up. I trust you, it’s not that. I didn’t want to admit that there could be something wrong. I thought I was protecting you but I understand now how wrong I was. And there’s something else I haven’t told you…” Ana eyed him uneasily and he pushed on. “I have reason to believe Markus is still alive. It’s likely he’ll come back for me.”
He dropped his head, unable to look at her.
“It hurts finding out you’ve been keeping things from me.” Her words came out choked and a wave of guilt forced his eyes shut.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. After Balam’s talk with me, I realized that I wasn’t doing you any favors by keeping it from you. I won’t keep anything from you from now on, I promise. Just please forgive me?”
“Swear not to keep anything from me again?”
“I swear,” Chance answered.
“So, you really believe Markus is still alive?” Ana said.
Chance held his palm out to her and she hesitated before placing her delicate fingers in his grasp. He kissed each fingertip and gave her hand a squeeze.
“I do. In Grandfather’s memories, Markus just disappeared and I don’t think that’s how things work. Plus, he would have absorbed Markus’s power if he’d died and I know for a fact that didn’t happen.”
He could hear her raspy breath catch in her throat. The fear and pain on her face was the reason he hadn’t wanted to tell her to begin with. But as frightened as she was, she needed to know and be prepared.
She braced her fingers against her forehead and said in a strained voice, “After Markus, I knew there would be others out there that could hurt us. I knew it was dangerous. It just felt safer knowing he was dead. I can still see him when I close my eyes.” Her body shivered beside him and she closed her eyes.
“Listen, you know I’ll do anything I can to keep you safe. Balam thinks it’s a good idea you start training as well, and I do, too. If you choose to stay beside me in this crazy shifter world, you should know how to take care of yourself, too.”
Ana lifted an eyebrow at him and he shrugged in response. “I don’t know. It was Balam’s idea.”
“You promise to never keep anything from me again?”
“I swear it, my love. You are everything to me. Everything.”
A tear dropped from her cheek and she giggled as she wiped it away. She pulled her hair back and twisted it up into a ponytail. “I’m going to have a second cup of hot chocolate and I hope Balam’s back soon because I have some questions for him.” Ana moved to the hearth and picked up the pitcher.
“And I need to get a pair of shorts on. This is too drafty.” Chance picked at the edge of the cloth wrapped around his waist and grimaced.
Ana’s laughter bounced off the walls and chased him off the couch. He wrapped her up in his arms and bit her neck gently. The need to change clothing was forgotten as he bathed himself in her scent, nestling his nose against her neck.
“Chance,” she said in a low tone.
“Mmmm?”
“Balam.”
A noise from the deck drew his attention. The regal silhouette of his great-grandfather moved past the open windows. Chance left a quick kiss on Ana’s neck, released her and bounded to greet Balam.
“You found your way home.”
“Wasn’t easy but yeah. I’m here. Saw something I never did before. Have you ever seen the air warp, in ripples? It looked like there was a big bubble above your house.”
“Birds are able to see magnetic fields. This helps to navigate if you neglect to remember landmarks. I chose this location for my home because of the magnetic field—it’s strong here. It helps reenergize. Have you felt it?”
“I think so.”
Now that he mentioned it, Chance was already beginning to feel recharged after his long morning.
“Excellent. Then you are ready for your next training session.”
Ana’s heart raced in excitement. They stood in the same clearing as yesterday but this time she wasn’t an observer.
“Ana, I will teach you some traps. Chance, pay attention as this is valuable to you as well.”
Balam sank a long flexible branch into the ground and tied a piece of twine at its end. Then he drove two short twigs into the earth about two yards away. Ana squatted down to see how he tied the end of the branch to one of the small twigs. He arranged the remaining rope into a lasso and sat back.
“Chance, take the form of one of your small animals. No bigger than so.” Balam held his arms out over the ground, indicating the size of a large house cat.
Chance pinched his lips, scratched his bicep and said, “I might know something that would work…”
He shifted his footing and glanced down at the maroon fabric that encased his thighs and abdomen. Ana refrained from smiling. It was obvious how uncomfortable he was in his new shifting gear. She, however, didn’t share his view of it. It provided plenty of what her Aunt Tera referred to as ‘eye candy’. Plus, his discomfort was appealing; it made him vulnerable.
After another minute, his muscular body shuddered and condensed into a burnished wooly mammal. Folded within the fabric, the wolverine appeared innocent, harmless. Chance swayed and nearly toppled but spread his legs out and braced himself.
“Is this a new form, Chance? I do not recognize this creature.”
“I think it’s a wolverine, but I haven’t seen him do it before,” Ana said.
“Take your time adjusting. Then I want you to go explore the area and Ana and I will prepare some surprises for you.”
A groan rumbled from Chance’s chest and he shook his head, appearing dazed. He dragged himself from his wrappings and took a few cautious steps. With a backward glance, he wandered toward the wilderness, his elliptic stripes disappearing into the foliage.
“Let us try to catch a shapeshi
fter,” Balam said and his stony face cracked a slight smile.
Over the next half hour he showed Ana how to dig holes and camouflage them to disguise the trap. Ana got the hang of it almost immediately. Thin vines and branches were strung across the pits and then leaves, rocks and dirt were strewn over top to conceal the hidden cavities.
“Very good, Ana. These traps are useful when you believe you are being followed and have time to prepare them. They are meant to subdue your attacker so you can keep your distance. Another day I will show you other, more dangerous traps.”
Balam sniffed the air, stepped to the center of the clearing and said, “Come. Stand with me. Let us see if we can fool Chance.”
Ana brushed off the dirt from her hands, scurried over to him and waited. She glanced over her shoulder and squinted at a patch of thick, tall blades from a succulent plant. Mottled green and gray, its stalks swayed ever so slightly. A pair of eyes blinked at her, and the dark wolverine emerged from the jungle and sneezed.
Chance blinked lazily at her and scurried forward. He stopped suddenly, his nose quivering. His snout lifted and then dropped to the ground before he started forward again. As he stepped onto a cluster of stones, the earth below him buckled and he plummeted out of sight. Angry screeches burst from the hole while dirt flew out in a spray.
“Calm down, Chance. I think your Ana has taken to trapping. Once you settle down, climb out and try to find the other traps.”
The noises settled until only a low grumble reverberated from the pit. Privately, Ana was proud of herself but she didn’t want to gloat. She kept her expression serious as Chance’s wet, black nose materialized from the trap.
His body flattened as he pulled himself over the lip of the hole. Woody debris littered his shaggy fur and there was a scowl on his face.
She knew she may have caught him this once but knowing Chance, he would be hard to trick again. When he focused on something, there was no shaking his determination.
The wolverine’s eyes narrowed into slits as it edged out cautiously and settled onto the clay soil.
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