THE END
Brighid
The cave walls were wet and dripping with condensation. Brighid's hands were raw from clinging to the jagged stone as she made her way down the steep hidden embankment into the caves. She had lived for years on the islands, nurturing them, bringing them to life, keeping them safe, and in all of that time, she had never known that the caves were there. They weren't cold like the caverns on the mainland, they were warm and sulfurous, sitting close to the thick bubbling rivers of lava that ran beneath the island. The smell was almost intolerable, and Brighid continuously wiped her eyes, feeling the sting of the sulfur on her skin.
She reached a small ledge and steadied her feet for a moment as she adjusted the straps around her waist. She tugged on the rope that led up and out of the embankment, which was tied to a stake she had placed in the ground. Glancing over her shoulder, she could finally start to see the bottom, a flat rocky area shimmering just like the walls with condensation.
"How do I get myself into these things?" She whispered to herself. "Oh yeah, I was born into the next High Alpha line. I guess it's better than some other alternatives."
She tugged one more time on the rope finding it to be secure and continued down. The further she went the hotter it got, but she knew whatever was attempting to speak to her, trying to warn her, was deep within those caves. Her foot slipped, sending small pebbles ricocheting off the ground below. Maneuvering around a tall jagged shard of stone, she reached for a crevice. As she grasped on, the pull of the rope around her waist released. Her eyes went wide, and she looked down at the clasp, but it was still intact. Following the line upward, she watched as the end of it came trickling over the edge of the embankment and spiraled down into her lap.
Her foot began to slip, and she gasped, trying to keep her hold on the wall. A shadow fell over the tunnel of light coming from above. Squinting her eyes, she looked up, finding the figure watching her from above. They were cloaked in shadows, and she couldn't see their face, but whoever it was, they were holding the peg she had put in the ground. Her shoulders shook, trying to hold up her body, and as she moved her other foot, the stone gave way in her hands. She fell back, rocketing down the corridor toward the bottom.
Brighid closed her eyes tightly and waited for the impact. She couldn't shift into her Dragon; the space was too small. She would cause the entire cave to collapse. But when the wind stopped flying past her, and no pain or impact was felt, she slowly opened one eye, glancing around. She was floating just a foot above the ground, the rope piled beneath her. She looked at her hands and her body, but she didn't see any sort of magic, not any kind that she was controlling.
Carefully her body floated to the ground, and she sat up looking back toward the sky for the figure that had been watching her. They were gone, and everything was silent. Her brow furled, knowing better than to think she was alone. Somehow, someone had stopped her from hitting the ground, but who that was, she had no idea. She brought herself to her feet and dusted her legs off, curling the rope around her hand and clipping it to her belt. She had no idea how she was going to get back out of the cave, but it didn't matter at this point. The answer Brighid looked for lay ahead of her, and she knew she couldn't return to the surface until she found it.
With a deep breath, she stepped forward, moving into the darkness. Her eyes shimmered, glowing, helping her to see. Her Dragon had become even more a part of her, and she had been able to summon some of its abilities while in her human form. She thought that the flashlight eyeballs were an exceptional talent, laughing about it most of the time, but down in the caves, it was so dark that even her flashlight wouldn't have done much good.
Brighid made her way to the end of a long corridor, feeling the heat intensify. As she reached the archway made by nature and fortified with stone, she paused, peeking around the corner. To her surprise, it was no longer a small wet room, but instead an expanse open high up into the air and spread out as far as she could see. There was a red glow that emanated from the space created by pools of lava that bubbled and gurgled sporadically through the makeshift pathway of smooth stone and hardened lava.
It was beautiful, but Brighid hadn't expected it at all. She walked carefully inside, paying attention to the ripple of energy pulsating in her chest. Looking down at the stone, she could see indentations of what looked like footprints. She was confused though, the prints not only were enormous, but they must have been created by something immune to the heat of drying lava. She walked forward, stepping over each of the footprints until they disappeared.
She stood in the center of the cave, turning in all directions, wondering just how far it went. There didn't seem to be any exits off of the central area, and the lava curved as if it had been placed there by someone or something. Suddenly the ground began to shake, and a deep booming voice reverberated all around her. She put her arms out and shifted her stance, trying to keep herself on her feet so she didn't tumble into one of the lava pits. Dragon or not, her human body would never sustain heats of that magnitude.
She overheard a voice growling loudly. "How dare you come here! I've warned you! Your presence in this place will only provoke war. The rivers beneath this island will no longer run red with lava, but instead will house the bodies of thousands that will die from your choices."
Brighid lifted an eyebrow, her eyes shifting back and forth. “Well, that doesn’t sound good…”
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Preview Of Her Earth Mates
Shifters Of The Elements
Chapter One
Omera's voice echoed out, seeming to reach even into the infinite space beyond Althea in all directions. “Each man was chosen by the Ancestors for their specific abilities to help you with the things you struggle with the most. Each one of these men will stabilize you and help you to grow in your powers.”
“Mother?” Althea called out, stepping forward through the light mist rolling knee-high across the cool ground beneath her bare feet.
Her mother continued as if she hadn’t heard Althea at all. “They will serve as protection for you in dark times, and each of them will symbolize either a protection for the mind, the body, or the soul. These three men are to be treated with honor and dignity within your presence and they will do the same for you.”
Althea’s heart began to race as she turned in a circle, finding herself alone, but feeling the strong presence of the Matriarch all around her. The air nipped at her skin, a cool breeze reminiscent of a fall evening, raising the hairs on her arms, bringing her attention to the fullness of her breath. Glancing down, she could see the long, almost sheer, white gown roll with the wind across her stomach and down to the tops of her feet.
“While your powers do not rely on these men, you will find that when your circles are complete, you will be stronger than ever before,” her mother said, bringing Althea’s attention back to the familiar sound of the woman that she had held such a strong bond with before she stepped into the Fields of Moribund, accepting the afterlife. “Be wise in your choices, never jump into them without thoroughly thinking them through. Be careful who you trust. In our world, the good are more difficult to find than the bad. You know how to call on me, and you may do so at any time.”
“Mother,” Althea replied, her voice now wrought with fear as the dew condensed into a thicker fog, the wind wildly picking up. “Mother!”
As Althea began to run, unsure of where her feet were carrying her, the Matriarch’s voice began to fade away as if she were getting further and further from her. “However, I cannot stress enough how important it is that, while you’re searching for your individual powers and circles, you look to each other for safety and guidance.”
Breathing heavily in panic, Althea stoppe
d, finding the fog rising and twisting around her until she felt trapped, even suffocated. Her breath shuddered as she turned right and left, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. A loud trumpeting sound exploded around her, repeating the same tone over and over. Althea dropped to her knees and pressed her hands to her ears, closing her eyes tightly, nowhere else to run.
With a deep gasp, Althea sat straight up, gripping her chest with one hand while swinging wide with the other. Her skin tightened from the warmth of the room, and she opened her eyes, glancing around, frightened, still half awake. She blinked hard, finally settling her vision on the fireplace across the room. Everything began to settle, and her vision became clear once again.
“It was a dream,” she whispered, glancing over at the small table next to her enormous King sized, four poster bed.
She slapped her hand down on the alarm clock, turning off the blaring sound. Pulling her knees to her chest she pressed her forehead to her warm flesh, calming herself. Just as her heart began to slow and her thoughts started to untwist from the dampness the dream had left her mind, a loud pounding reverberated through her room, banging against her large wooden doors.
“Right, coming,” she yelled out, realizing it was probably one of the service staff.
Althea pushed herself to the edge of the bed and lowered her bare feet to the ornate rug covering the ancient stone floors of the castle. Hurrying over, she cracked the door and peeked out. It was the young man working under her advisor, coming to wake her for the day. He glanced down at her tight white t-shirt and short blue pajama pants, his cheeks going red as he looked away.
“My apologies,” he said, clearing his throat. “I was told to wake you and remind you of the day’s events.”
Althea’s eyes shifted to the right, staring down at the floor. “Oh. Yes. The day’s events. The meeting. Thank you…”
“Christian,” he replied, still not looking at her. “The Alphas have begun to arrive. They are being fed and cared for as they await your arrival.”
Althea nodded. “I’ll be down there soon.”
Closing the door, Althea took in a long, deep breath, staring over at the different choices of attire for the day. It was a big day, her first real show of leadership amongst the Alphas of her Sigil, Earth. She knew that she could have taken them on one at a time, but it was far easier, and safer, to have them come to her. It was the first meeting of the Alphas the castle would see since the death of the Matriarch.
Althea headed straight for her closet, taking down the black, wide legged dress pants, and white button up shirt. She pulled out her waist cropped black pin-striped suit jacket as well, finding it both presentable and feminine but showing a seriousness to her she was desperate to portray. She didn’t want to walk into the meeting in pink and lace. She wanted to remind the Alphas that she was now the High Alpha, and her being a woman had nothing to do with how she would command her new place among the leaders of the Shifters. She didn’t want them to think her mind was preoccupied with clothing choices and makeup. It was all too cliché.
As she buttoned her white top, standing at the mirror, she glanced over at the small white scroll, loosely rolled, laying on the dresser. It was no longer crisp and bright as it had been the day the Council had given it to her. She had read it at least a hundred times since that day, going over every word, trying to decipher its true meaning. While her and her sisters’ ancient ceremony marked the beginning of the new High Alpha regime in the Shifter world, it was not to be taken lightly. What was presented to her on the scroll was written by the Ancestor Council, delivered between worlds, passing from the Fields of Moribund to the land of the living.
“Valor and bravery are not the only traits you will need.” She whispered the clue to herself as she tucked in her shirt and fixed the creases in the mirror. “You must walk the thin line of fear and hope to find your noble steed.”
Slipping her arms into her coat, she picked up the scroll and neatly tucked it into one of the pockets. Althea ran her hands through her long curly brown hair and crunched the ends with her palms, taming the wildness of it. Her hair had been the only wild thing about her, even as far back as she could remember. She knew from an early age she was destined to protect the Shifters, even if that meant fighting for them. A lot had changed over the years. She had grown wiser, broadening her scope of understanding when it came to how the Alphas ran their Clans and exactly where she would end up one day. The one thing that hadn’t changed, was her dedication to the Shifters.
Heading out of her room, Althea made her way down to the Main Hall of the castle. As she entered through the large ornate doors, she nodded at one of the guards, letting them know they could close the Hall doors behind her. Throughout the room, Alphas from all of the different Earth Sigil Clans milled about, having short but polite conversations with each other. Althea couldn’t hear specifics, just a gentle roar of conversation bouncing off the polished marble floors.
In the center of the room was a long wooden table, surrounded by perfectly placed chairs, and vases of blooming orchids. It was the same decorative touch that normally graced the room, but this time, it felt cold. Althea couldn’t help but notice the stark difference between the Alphas in the room and herself. While Althea was a young and beautiful woman, the other Alphas were older, most with whitening hair, all over the age of 60. They were proud Earth Shifters, wearing tailored suits, short cropped haircuts, and severely over inflated senses of pride and dominance.
With the loud bang of the doors closing behind her, the Alphas turned, each of them bowing to Althea in honor. They may have been teetering on the chauvinistic side when it came to her position, but they all treated her with extreme respect. It hadn’t yet been long enough for them to forget that Althea’s mother, the Matriarch, had been a wise and dutiful leader. She had connected the Sigils together, and her legacy would live on for much longer than Althea had to rule the Shifters with her sisters by her side.
Althea cleared her throat and waved the Alphas over to the table. “If we could all have a seat, we can go ahead and get started. I know you’ve been waiting for this to begin.”
All of the Alphas slowly made their way over to their respective places. Althea, being the Head Alpha, took her seat at the head of the table. The first order of business was to hear the Alphas out and log the issues they were having within their respective Clans. Althea listened closely, noting everything, regardless of the fact that most of the issues centered on unrest inside of the Clan due to obvious leadership issues and not the Shifter world as a whole. Most of it had something to do with money, which didn’t surprise Althea at all. Having worked across the globe with security efforts while training with the Matriarch, Althea had seen just how deep greed could run inside some of the Clans.
Going around the table, last, but most important to Althea, the Alpha of the Grizzlies took his turn. “Welcome to the fold. The Grizzlies first mourned the passing of your mother, the Matriarch, and then celebrated for four days and three nights at the beginning of the reign of our first Grizzly Head Alpha in many, many centuries. Prayers to the Ancestors were sent into the night sky, asking for both your protection and strength in guidance.”
Althea bowed in thanks. “It is an honor to be the center of your celebrations and ceremonies, Alpha Dustu Long Claw. Now, tell me what’s going on with your Clan. You’re pushed back away from the eyes of the humans. Unfortunately, I have yet to be able to visit the Misabe Mukwa in your home deep in the Herobrand Forest.”
Alpha Long Claw’s list of issues was quite a bit longer than the others, and lacked any simple remedy such as money. All the others found the mighty dollar as a simple quick fix to their problems, but Althea knew better. The Grizzly Alpha spoke of diminishing food supplies, the need for more technologically advanced healthcare, and the protection of their homelands through human allies.
When he was finished, Althea wrote the last of her notes and sat back, hearing her stomach rumble. She had forgot
ten to eat, something she rarely did considering her Bear’s appetite and metabolism were extremely high. “Alright, let’s take a short break, stretch our legs, get some food, and then we can move on to the other business at hand. All of your issues and questions are logged and I will be handling solutions on an individual basis as quickly as I can.”
Some of the Alphas grumbled while others politely shook their heads. They waited for Althea to rise first before scattering off into different directions. Althea walked over to the breakfast table, looking over the fruit and pastries set out for the Alphas. As she stood there, Alpha Long Claw walked up beside her. “You’re doing very well. You’re much like your mother. I can see her strength and pride in you.”
Althea turned to Long Claw with a smile. “Thank you. I know my mother was very fond of the Grizzlies.”
Althea poured them both a cup of coffee and took his lead, strolling slowly around the room beside him, listening. He leaned in toward her, his stature much larger than hers, though the years had slightly bent his back and his movements were slower and choppier than Althea’s. He glanced around in every direction, his shadow casting over Althea. He wasn’t intruding, he was protective, just as Grizzlies tended to be for their leaders.
“Seeing as you’re our leader and your mother was a great friend of mine, I feel I should warn you,” the Alpha Grizzly whispered in a deep tone. “There are those among us that are not happy at all to have you as our High Alpha. They believe you will watch them too closely, and they aren’t keen on the idea of a female leader. I believe they feel threatened by you and your Grizzly.”
Althea nodded, her eyes shifting around the room to the different groups that had formed. They were all whispering, all throwing glances back and forth, so it was hard to figure out who was friendly and who was a foe. In the end, it didn’t matter; she was there to collectively protect the Shifters. She put her hand on Alpha Long Claw’s arm and turned toward him. “While I appreciate the warning, I was prepared for it. I have no doubt in my mind that I will fully be able to handle these old men. The ones plotting have so much on their mind for their own self-preservation, they’ll be easy to spot, and easy to take care of.”
Her Sky Mates Page 12