by H. K. Varian
Prologue
Gabriella Rivera rushed out of math class the second the bell rang. She needed to talk to her friends Fiona Murphy and Darren Smith before their next and final class of the day. It was a class that the rest of Willow Cove Middle School thought was an ordinary gym class, but Gabriella and her friends knew that it was so much more.
Gabriella zigzagged around clusters of other kids, making her way back to her locker. Sometimes, in the midst of her fellow students, it was easy to forget just how different she was from them—just how different everything was. Gabriella had learned on the first day of seventh grade that she was a Changer, someone with the power to transform into a creature the normal world believed was mythological.
In Gabriella’s case, she had discovered she was a nahual, or jaguar, from Aztec mythology. Her aunt and grandmother had always been proud of their Mexican heritage, and they always insisted that the blood of Aztec warriors ran through their veins, but until recently, Gabriella had no idea how true that family story actually was. With her transformation came an array of incredible powers worthy of any warrior—superspeed, sharp claws, and quick reflexes, among other things.
Gabriella caught up with Fiona and Darren near Fiona’s locker. Fiona was the secret daughter of the selkie queen, a seal Changer who ruled the oceans. Using her selkie cloak, Fiona could transform into a seal as well; in her human form she channeled magic into selkie songs. Darren’s other form was a fearsome bird, an impundulu, who could shoot lightning bolts from his razor-sharp talons and create incredible storms. The final member of their group was Makoto “Mack” Kimura.
“Have you seen Mack yet?” Gabriella asked.
Darren shook his head.
“He wasn’t in homeroom,” Fiona murmured, glancing around to make sure she wouldn’t be overheard. “When I called his house last night, his grandfather said Mack would be here for Changers class. The First Four will be here too, so Mack could transform for the first time since . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“Since Sakura bit him,” Gabriella said bluntly.
Mack, a huge fan of comic books and superheroes, could transform into a kitsune, a magical fox whose paws blazed with fire. Mack could be goofy and more than a bit nerdy at times, but Gabriella liked that he always saw the best in people. When each of his friends, including Gabriella, had trouble controlling their powers, Mack never lost faith in them. He was always the first to say that things were going to work out okay.
Mack’s grandfather, Akira Kimura, was also a kitsune and one of the First Four—a council of elders who led Changers all over the world. But even Mack’s powerful grandfather couldn’t protect him from the Changers’ newest enemy, an evil kitsune named Sakura, known to many as the Shadow Fox.
Kitsune earn tails (up to nine) for accomplishing heroic deeds or learning new skills. One of Sakura’s unique abilities was memory eating, which meant that she could consume other Changers’ memories and, in doing so, could also absorb their powers. A former student of Mr. Kimura’s, she had delved into dark magic and when that went very, very wrong, Sakura turned on Mr. Kimura. She even started a rebellion against the First Four, and stole powers from many Changers. Her exploits had made her a boogeyman to most younglings. Sakura had since been hiding from the Changers, watching and waiting for her chance to strike. But recently, she had returned and pledged to stop at nothing to have her revenge on Mr. Kimura and the rest of the First Four. That included going after Mr. Kimura’s grandson, Mack.
Gabriella and the other young Changers—or younglings, as the Changer world called them—had been back in Willow Cove for only a few days. Over their school’s spring break, they had visited Wyndemere Academy, a boarding school for high school–aged Changers. Mack and his friends were supposed to get to know the school and participate in a competition known as the Youngling Games. But Sakura had put a stop to all that, bringing fear and chaos to the Changer world once again.
Sakura had been following Mack for some time, but Mack’s grandfather refused to talk to him about her. Frustrated with his grandfather, and determined to get his own answers, Mack followed Sakura and confronted her. Unfortunately, he did so without knowing just how dangerous she could be.
Fiona had saved Mack’s life with a selkie song—arguably one of the most powerful forms of magic known to Changers—but not before Sakura managed to sink her teeth into their friend. Mack had been unable to tell them what happened and what memories or powers Sakura had stolen from him, but he did know one thing: War was coming. War between Sakura’s followers and those who supported the First Four. The First Four were dedicated to protecting humans and Changers alike. Sakura wanted to take the world for Changer-kind alone.
Gabriella shivered thinking about the dark times ahead. Her mother and sister were normal, nonmagical people; so were her soccer teammates and most of her friends. She would do whatever she could to protect them. She hoped to learn more about how to do that and how to defeat Sakura in today’s class. And, of course, she also hoped to see Mack.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Darren asked. “I mean, what if Sakura took his power—like, stole it?”
“Mack’s our friend, powers or not,” Gabriella said. “It’s important that we’re there for him.”
“I wish Mr. Kimura would have let us visit Mack over the weekend,” Fiona said. “He was so upset when we saw him last. . . . I’m afraid Mack will think we abandoned him.”
“Mack knows we’ve got his back,” Darren said. “The four of us need one another. We’re not complete without him. Now let’s go so we can tell him that in person.”
“There’s Mack,” Gabriella said as they entered the school’s ancillary gym.
Mack and his grandfather were standing in a corner, having a discussion in Japanese. Mr. Kimura had a hand on his grandson’s shoulder, as if he was trying to reassure him. Gabriella saw Mack’s eyes flick in their direction for a second before he turned his attention back to his grandfather.
He looks different, Gabriella thought. Guarded.
Dorina Therian, their primary coach and another member of the First Four, greeted Gabriella and the others. She was the one who had given Gabriella the news that she was a nahual the first day of class and then demonstrated her own Changer transformation—into a werewolf.
The other two members of the First Four, Sefu Badawi (a bultungin, or hyena Changer) and Yara Moreno (an encantado, or dolphin Changer) also waited. They smiled reassuringly at Gabriella and her friends.
Mack and his grandfather finished their conversation and joined the group.
“Ready to get this over with?” Mack asked with a queasy smile. “Let’s make sure I haven’t sprouted a new head or grown an extra row of teeth or . . . lost my powers.”
“It’s going to be fine,” Fiona said. “You’re going to be fine.”
“Of course you are,” Gabriella added, giving him a quick hug.
“Yeah, we’re here for you no matter what,” Darren said.
Mack’s queasy smile returned, but he said nothing.
They waited for the First Four to clue them in on what was about to happen.
“I don’t want any of you to be frightened,” Mr. Kimura said. “Chances are that this is all for nothing, and Makoto will be able to transform without issue. It’s important we’re together though.”
While he was speaking, the other members of the First Four formed a kind of square around Mack. Ms. Therian motioned for Gabriella, Darren, and Fiona to stand a bit farther back, filling in the gaps between their elders.
“Darren, if you would, a force field around all of us for protection might be helpful,” Mr. Kimura said.
Darren nodded. Soon, the tips of his fingers were crackling with electricity, forming
sparks. While Gabriella watched, those sparks joined together, creating a glowing web. Moments later, the force field encircled all eight of them.
Why would we need a force field if this is just about Mack transforming? Gabriella wondered. Is Mr. Kimura keeping others out of the circle or making sure Mack can’t escape?
“I’m going to count down, Makoto,” Mr. Kimura said. “When I reach one, you can transform.”
Mack nodded, his expression grim.
Gabriella’s shoulders tightened as Mr. Kimura began to count from ten to one. Even without thinking she was on the balls of her feet, ready to spring into action if needed.
But I won’t need to, she thought. This is only about Mack’s transformation.
Still, she felt her own tension increase with each second. She couldn’t imagine what Mack was thinking and feeling. She stared into his face, but his eyes were clouded. With worry? Fear? Anger? She couldn’t tell.
“Three, two, one,” Mr. Kimura said. He nodded at his grandson.
Gabriella held her breath. Mack transformed, just like she had seen him do so many times before, and he was . . .
Mack! The same as always.
Gabriella exhaled when she saw that her friend had transformed into a fox with sandy-red fur—just like he always had. Orange and yellow flames licked at his paws. Gabriella smiled at him, and Mack seemed to smile back. But then she saw confusion on the faces of Ms. Therian, Fiona, and Sefu, who were standing behind him.
Mack looked over his shoulder, and when he did, Gabriella saw the cause of their confusion.
Mack had gained a third tail.
Chapter 1
The Third Tail
Mack spun around to look at his new tail. I—I don’t remember earning it, Mack thought. He looked to his grandfather for an explanation. Jiichan?
The memory of when Mack had earned his second tail came flooding back to him: It was right after his battle with the evil warlock, Auden Ironbound. He’d saved his grandfather and his friends. He was sure he’d never forget that burst of self-confidence and pride. But Mack didn’t feel proud now. All he felt was panic.
His grandfather and the rest of the First Four exchanged glances. “Transform back, Makoto, and we’ll talk,” his grandfather said.
When he did, the First Four visibly relaxed from their previous ready-for-battle positions. Ms. Therian motioned for Darren to release the force field.
A sudden angry thought burst into Mack’s mind. Was that force field because they were afraid they’d have to fight me? He stayed in the middle of the circle, waiting for someone to say something, his temper flaring again. Why isn’t anyone talking?
Fiona stepped forward and finally broke the silence. “Isn’t this a good thing?” she asked. “Mack must have done something heroic to earn another tail, right? And maybe Sakura ate that memory, which explains why he doesn’t remember.”
Mack felt a little better hearing Fiona’s words, but his grandfather’s eyes still held that worried expression.
“It must have been something really powerful,” Fiona said more forcefully. “Powerful enough that Sakura had to destroy the memory so Mack wouldn’t remember how to do it again.”
Mack wanted more than anything to believe her, but then he saw Jiichan catch Ms. Therian’s eye.
Mack’s panic turned to irritation. They’re having a telepathic conversation about me, he thought. Jiichan promised to stop keeping so many secrets, and now here’s another one. No wonder Sakura—
Mack shook his head to stop the thought. Jiichan kept telling him not to think too much about her. She might have planted ugly, false beliefs in his mind.
Before anyone else noticed what was going on between his grandfather and his teacher, Yara told everyone to take a seat. They all headed over to the bench.
“Before we left for Wyndemere Academy, we told you of the prophecy that the four of you are destined to become the next leaders of the Changer nation. When we, the current First Four, step down, you’ll step up to take on our mantle,” Yara said.
“That’s a long way off, though, right?” Fiona asked. “Changers live for a thousand years or more.”
Yara smiled, her face a wreath of wrinkles. “Yes, a way off, but there will come a time when our leadership will end. You need to be ready when that time comes.”
“We hoped to wait until you were fully trained, until after you had a chance to go to Wyndemere Academy for high school to begin this process. Given recent events, however, we want you to be more fully aware,” Ms. Therian said. “That’s why we promised to keep you informed and involved in Changer affairs. No more secrets.”
Mack snorted to himself. You and Jiichan were just telling secrets—about me!
Ms. Therian continued. “With Sakura back, we’re going to have to make some preparations—”
“You mean prepare for war,” Mack cut in.
There was an awkward pause.
“Prepare for war,” Sefu repeated with a nod. “Sakura’s forces have made themselves known. There were skirmishes over the weekend. We have enchantments to keep them at bay, for now, but they’re already nipping at our heels. The special attention we’ve given the four of you might have tipped them off to the prophecy. That makes you high-value targets.”
“And we already know that Sakura wants to use Mack to hurt his grandfather,” Ms. Therian added. “The four of you must be on guard, ready to fight at all times.”
“Are her forces under some sort of mind control like Auden Ironbound’s were? Did she eat their memories to turn them against us?” Fiona asked.
There was silence for a moment while the First Four pondered how to answer Fiona’s question.
Mack remembered battling—and defeating—Auden Ironbound on the beach in Willow Cove. At least Sakura hadn’t stolen that memory. The evil warlock had used the Horn of Power to force Changers to follow him. Adult Changers were unable to resist his call and were poised to help him take over the world. But the horn didn’t affect younglings. With the help of his Changer friends, Mack had won their first battle against Auden and saved the First Four.
Did Jiichan and Ms. Therian remember that when they were having their secret conversation? he wondered. That I saved them from Auden?
“That’s a very good question, Fiona,” Sefu said. “But that’s not the case. Sakura has to exert a tremendous amount of power for memory eating. It can leave her feeling weak and vulnerable afterward. That may be why you were able to drive her away from Mack with the Queen’s Song, just like you were able to defeat Auden.”
Wow, Fiona gets the credit? Mack thought. Fiona was the one who ultimately defeated Auden and destroyed the horn, but Mack thought his battle with the warlock had been much more difficult than Fiona’s. And Sefu didn’t even bother to mention it.
Mack shook his head again. What’s wrong with me? This isn’t a competition. Fiona is my friend.
“What about absorbing other Changers’ powers?” Darren asked. “I mean, couldn’t she just take all her followers’ powers and become really strong?”
“True, but the best strength is in numbers,” Sefu continued. “She would need an army to take out all of our forces and overturn the world order. She needs people around her who have their powers intact.”
“So the people who have joined her have done so because they want to?” Darren asked.
Sefu nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
“But why would anyone turn against the Changer nation?” Gabriella asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Mack felt the wisp of a memory tickling the back of his mind. At the sound of Mack taking a deep breath, everyone turned to him.
“I feel like—like I remember something Sakura said. It was about being free,” he added. “Like how the selkies split—”
Mr. Kimura cut Mack off before he could finish. “It’s best that you don’t try to remember your encounter with Sakura. Your memories might be corrupted, replaced with what Sakura wants you to remember.”
Mack pressed his lips together to keep angry words from escaping. I was only trying to help, he thought.
Sefu smiled at Mack reassuringly before continuing. “The Changer nation provides Changers with support in navigating their daily lives, keeping our powers secret, and building families and communities. But we also have a more central goal of protecting nonmagical people. That’s something the Changers have been doing since the dawn of time.”
“Sakura doesn’t share that sense of purpose,” Ms. Therian added. “She’d rather see nonmagical beings turned into slaves or eliminated completely.”
“So her followers want the same thing?” Gabriella asked.
“Some do,” Ms. Therian answered. “Others have different reasons. There are Changers who dislike having to go on periodic missions as part of their service to the nation. Still more don’t like the way we track the whereabouts of all magical beings, or they believe the First Four are too powerful. We try hard not to overstep our boundaries, but sometimes we have to put these precautions in place to ensure the future of all people, magical or not.”
“Without the power the First Four hold, ordinary humans would be at much greater risk from magical threats,” Yara added. “Without regular service from Changers, magical relics could fall into evil hands, and without the ability to track Changers and other magical beings, it would be easier to commit magical crimes.”
“That all makes sense,” Darren said, “if you only use your power to do good.”
“I agree,” Yara said. “I think this power is necessary, but others don’t feel the same. When the four of you become the next First Four, you will have to tackle these same issues.”
Mack’s grandfather had been quiet, but now he passed out folders with information to each of them.
“To battle Sakura and her army, we need to retrieve certain enchanted objects that protect against mind control. Without them, you’ll be vulnerable to Sakura’s powers; it’s very important that you take the necessary steps to defend yourselves.”
Are you kidding? Mack thought. There was an enchanted object that might have protected me from Sakura, and you’re only telling me this now?