by Tasha Black
The dress began to twitch and wiggle in my hands.
I was so elated that I almost dropped it. But it seemed the dress was too heavy or the button too small for this to work.
In desperation, I held the dress out in front of me instead of piled in my hands.
One of the arms lifted and began gesturing toward the tree, as if the dress had an invisible wearer that was trying to tell me where the lost button was.
“Yes, the tree,” I said. “I know that part. Where in the tree?”
But that was obviously too big a question for the poor thing to answer.
I gazed up into the huge canopy. I was going to have to start climbing. But if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to hold the dress out in front of me, I’d need my hands to hold on.
I bit my lip and tried to think, blinking a bit to test my vision. As far as I could tell, the colors were all staying in place. I had been mentally preparing the spell all day, and it seemed like the impromptu meditation was enough to cover the cost of the magic.
That was a good thing, at least.
Once I had a sort of plan, I got right to it.
“I’m going to sort of wear you,” I told the dress, hoping it wouldn’t be offended. After all, I had worn it only this morning.
It didn’t move, so I wrapped it around my shoulders, like a fraternity boy in a fifties movie.
Trying not to overthink it, I shoved one of its sleeves into the top of the replacement school gown I was wearing and wrapped it around my bra strap a couple of times, so it wouldn’t fall off.
I left the other sleeve free to point the way.
“See?” I told it. “I’m giving you a piggyback ride.”
It just kept pointing at the tree. I figured that was the best I was going to get.
The tree didn’t look too hard to climb. There were branches at intervals, and even little steps carved into the bark. From where I stood, I could see a clear path to get all the way up. But for a moment I stood there, frozen. Ever since my fall, heights and I hadn’t really been on good terms.
“Come on, Bella, this is for Jon,” I reminded myself sternly.
A moment later, my hands were wrapped around the trunk and I was gingerly beginning my ascent.
The dress kept pointing upward, so I followed its instruction.
After a few minutes of climbing, I made the mistake of looking down.
I wasn’t even terribly high up. Climbing a tree in a dress and slippers wasn’t exactly an Olympic event I would medal in.
But fear closed around my heart like an icy hand.
Suddenly, I was back in high school, Lisa Stephonowski was throwing a pebble at my window, I was climbing out, trying to lower myself to the ledge below, and instead I was slipping, and then falling, falling…
I closed my eyes, willing my heart to stop pounding.
Think of Jon. Think of what this means.
I managed to steady my heartbeat and keep climbing. Up and up I went, certain that Nina would be back before I reached my goal.
At last, the dress began gesticulating excitedly to the side, pointing at one of the branches. The branch was thick and stout where it met the tree, but two thirds of the way out, where it narrowed to the thickness of my wrist, there was a knot in the branch about the size of my fist.
The knot was sealed around the book Eve had been holding today. The book with my button in it.
The book with the healing magic that could save my brother.
“Okay, dress, I understand,” I told it. “Hang on tight.”
I pulled myself onto the branch. It bounced, but didn’t creak or groan, that was a good sign.
Slowly, slowly, I eased myself farther out.
The dress was wiggling frantically now as we drew closer to the book.
I sucked in a deep breath as we moved out a few more inches and the branch began to sag.
Someone put this book back today, I told myself. If Eve can crawl out on this branch without it ripping off the tree, so can I.
At last, my hand was on the book. I sobbed out a cry of relief.
But it was held fast inside the tree. I couldn’t tug it out of the iron-tight grip of that knot. It must have been locked to anyone without permission, and I didn’t exactly have a library card.
I knew what I had to do. I just wasn’t sure I could do it, especially after having successfully used a sympathetic magic spell. I didn’t really have a lot of magic in me to begin with, and I wasn’t sure how much I had left.
I was going to pay for this one. But I didn’t have a choice. I had come this far. I wasn’t going to quit now.
I closed my eyes and tried to speak with the tree.
Please, release the book, I begged. I will only use it for Good.
But the knot held fast.
I had released the vines the other night when I was with Luke. I knew I had, because in the morning they had hung limp and allowed us to pass. But I had no idea how I had done it.
My heart pounded and I wondered how many minutes I had left to figure this out. How many seconds…
What had I done that night with Luke?
I cast my memory back and thought about my time with him. Even that first night, he had made me feel relaxed, at peace and at home, when he curled up next to me in his furry wolf form.
I tried to think about that now, about everything that made me feel happy and relaxed:
Luke’s furry body against mine…
Cori laughing at Anya’s dumb jokes at lunch…
My brother baking cookies and letting me eat half the dough…
The friendly way Sally joked with her customers back at the diner and then winked at me…
Relax with me, I told the tree. See how lovely it is to let go.
I opened my eyes, and the book fell into my waiting hand.
I let my victory wash over me for a moment. I was learning to use my magic. I was learning to let it be a part of me.
But then a low rumble began to emit from the tree, cutting my celebration short. At first, it seemed like it could have been coming from far away, but I could feel the trembling of the branch I clung to.
The sound grew louder, and a moment later, a bee the size of my fist appeared in the air before me.
Before I could react, there were a dozen more, and then a whole cloud of them. Of course the tree had defenses. How could I have been so stupid?
I was going to be killed for stealing this book. I was going to fall again, or be stung to death.
The tree had defenses, but so did I, sort of. I thought back to the morning’s Magical Combat class, trying to remember the words to the spell, to remember Eve’s instruction. My magic was nearly used up, but she said it was a light touch, not like an attack.
I lifted my hand and whispered the words to create a smoke screen.
A second later, a small puff of smoke issued from my hand.
Encouraged, I continued. I could feel the magic pulling out of me, stretching like taffy. I let the last of my energy flow into it keeping my mind focused on that light touch.
Suddenly, I was surrounded by a cloud of smoke. I couldn’t see the bees, or even the book in my other hand. The buzzing slowed from aggressive to lazy.
I slid backwards on the branch, wrapping my limbs around the trunk and scrambling down without waiting to find footholds.
At one point I almost slipped, the rough bark scraping my left palm and ripping my dress. But I kept going, remembering to clutch the magic volume in my right hand, no matter what. Even if I fell, I would not let it go.
At last, my feet hit the ground and I began to run.
The library seemed to be twice its usual size, but I reached the double doors, burst into the hallway, and slammed them behind me, hoping that none of the bees had made it into the main part of the school with me.
As soon as I realized the coast was clear, I ran for the door to the courtyard with all the energy I had.
The colors of the rugs and paintings were alr
eady fading, but at least I could still see.
All I had to do was make it to Luke.
We would seal the mate bond. I would be his. And I would have the rest of my life to study this book and nothing else.
Eve had said with a lifetime of study, maybe someone could do the kind of magic that would help my brother.
And I was about to have nothing but time.
29
Bella
The sky slipped from fiery pink to dull gray over the labyrinth. Exhaustion threatened to overcome me, but I pushed myself harder, walking as fast as I could on legs that felt weak and rubbery.
The lack of color was interfering with my depth perception, and I made one or two wrong turns before finally coming out on the edge of the trees.
I had half-expected Luke to be waiting for me there. But of course he wasn’t. He didn’t come until the moon was chasing the sun away.
Luke, please. I need you…
But the bond was not sealed around us yet. He would not hear my plea.
I headed into the trees, my feet kicking up the scent of the pine needles that looked almost like sand now that they had been bled of their color.
Everything seemed strange and different. I had thought I’d be able to find Luke’s cottage by memory, but the fading colors meant nothing looked familiar.
I stumbled into trees and shrubs as I ran, my depth perception almost useless in the gray twilight. Or maybe the trees were reaching for me, trying to pull me down and stop my progress.
I stopped for a moment to catch my breath and get my bearings, leaning a hand against the rough bark of a tree for support. I drew in a deep breath, the cool mountain air almost burning my aching lungs. Over the scent of the pine and loamy soil, an unpleasant smell began to rise.
Like spoiled meat and something… darker.
“No,” I moaned, knowing what it meant.
I’d smelled that carrion scent twice before. And both times it had come from an otherworldly creature chasing me down.
I pushed on, harder and faster. I could see a clearing just ahead. That had to be the tiny meadow where Luke’s cottage was. If I could just make it to Luke, he would save me, I was sure of it. I was so close.
Branches tangled in my gown and I ripped myself free of them and stumbled into the open.
But I was wrong. Luke’s cottage was nowhere to be seen. This was the wrong meadow. And it wasn’t empty.
A man in dark leather stood in the center of the clearing. He had to be one of the warlocks from the brotherhood Luke told me about - the ones who would love to get their hands on the magic we were supposed to be protecting, or worse, on me.
Beside the man was a huge, slavering canine. It looked like it had been sewn together from strips of meat, some hairy, some pale, some bruised and half-bleeding. The scent pouring off it was so loathsome that I nearly choked on it.
“Give me the book,” the man said.
I gazed at him in horror. He was tall and thin with long tangled hair hanging down over his dark leathers. He looked like he needed a bath.
“Never,” I said, standing my ground. I might die in this meadow, but I would do it like a hero, not a coward. I had already come so far. I wasn’t going to stop now.
His eyes fixed on the book in my hand and he glanced back up to my face.
I saw a flash of something like fear in his eyes. But that didn’t make any sense. I was a first-year witch, tapped out and tired. And he had a hellhound. Why would anyone be afraid of me?
But he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at the book.
Of course. The book was filled with powerful magic. I could feel the energy surging in my hands from the moment I picked it up.
And he didn’t know I didn’t know how to use it.
That was probably the only reason he hadn’t already attacked. Maybe I could use his hesitation.
Praying that I had a little more magic in me, I gritted my teeth and tried to create another smoke screen. If I could distract him and run to Luke, all wouldn’t be lost.
But the smoke merely sputtered from my fingers and went out.
Shit.
I looked around desperately. There was a blanket of English ivy on the ground. I closed my eyes and called on it. Maybe my own special magic would still work for me.
I opened my eyes again to see the vines crawling over his feet.
But he laughed and made a striking motion in the air.
Instantly the vines retreated from his feet and began to crawl up mine, twisting around my ankles.
“You don’t even know how to use that book, do you, sweetheart?” he asked with an ugly smirk. “Might as well give a machine gun to a bunny rabbit.”
The vines had reached my arms, pushing them upward so that they were holding the book out to him.
He strode closer, the foul dog by his side, the air thick with their combined stink.
I wanted to scream as he plucked the book effortlessly from my grasp and began to page through it right there, just inches from my helpless hands.
My whole world was in shades of gray, I felt like a two-dimensional photograph in a newspaper.
The warlock found what he was looking for and began to murmur out the words of a spell at me.
Something crashed through the trees behind me, I couldn’t turn to see what it was, but I assumed it was something awful.
The dark man glanced up from the book, distracted from whatever he had hoped to do to me.
The stump beside him exploded and the hellhound yelped.
Nina appeared out of thin air on his other side.
“Nina?” I gasped.
Quick as a thought, he took one hand off the book and used it to punch her in the side of the head, hard.
I screamed as my friend fell to the ground like a bag of rocks.
Something was pulling at the vines around my feet and I strained for a better view, eyes landing on Cori, tugging fruitlessly at the thick foliage.
My friends had come to save me. I couldn’t let anything happen to them. Even if it killed me.
I drew on my magic until the world went pale and I felt my soul almost tug out of my body.
The vines let go of me with a strange popping sound, and I lunged and grabbed the book from the man’s hands as my vision blurred.
There was a tearing sound as he held onto a single page, but the book itself was safe in my hands again. I could almost feel its protest at losing that small part of itself.
“That’s enough,” the warlock screamed to the hellhound. “Kill them.”
I tumbled to the ground, too exhausted to even stand, curling my body protectively around the book as the shadows closed in from all sides.
The hellhound growled, a sickly, rasping sound that made the blood freeze in my veins.
It was all over.
The last thing I saw before the whole world went dark was the shape of something huge and furry leaping at us through the trees.
30
Luke
Luke, please. I need you…
Bella’s call set my blood on fire and I raced out the door, not bothering to close it behind me.
I slammed through the trees, crashing in the underbrush, but even my fastest wasn’t fast enough.
I paused, closed my eyes and invited my other self to the foreground.
I step forward forcefully and am running before my man side fades. The first few leaps are on tender flesh before my paw pads fully form.
But I do not mind an instant of stinging pain. My mate is in danger. I would walk on fire to save her.
The awful scent of the hellhound permeates my senses even though I can tell that I have a long run before I will reach them.
I envision my teeth tearing into lifeless flesh, flinging the hateful parts of the animated corpse-dog to the four winds and then turning on whatever commands it.
The man side of me whispers my mate’s name in the back of my mind, focusing me on what is most important.
I run
so hard and fast my muscles burn. The creatures of the forest, large and small, scatter before me. They know I am death, but I do not come for them today. At last, I can sense a group just up ahead.
Where before it was a man, a hellhound and my mate, I can scent that now there are two other human girls in the clearing. They will be frightened of me, but I don’t care how they feel.
I burst into the clearing, snarling. I launch myself into an attack against the beast, taking in the scene as it blurs past my flying form.
My mate is on the ground. Something is wrong with her. She is twisted around herself. One of the other girls is lying near her, unconscious. The other is crawling over to protect her.
A disgusting, smelly man looms over her, clutching a piece of paper. Beside the man, the horrible hellhound growls and coils up as if it is about to attack my mate. It will not get that chance.
The unfortunates look up at me. I know I am like an angry god to them - too large, too powerful. I land on the beast, my claws and teeth tearing its rotten flesh asunder. It melts into a stinking pile of meat beneath me.
I throw my head back and howl and the meat sizzles into a foul mist that floats away on the breeze.
Next it is the man’s turn.
But he is nowhere to be seen. He must have run away. I scent the air and can see his putrid trail leading through the trees. He will be easy to follow.
I will hunt him. I will find him. I will kill him.
But before I can do any of those needful things, I hear the soft voice of my mate whisper my name.
My man side begs me to go to her and help her.
Every instinct tells me to chase down the man who attacked her.
But my mate is hurt. Something is not right with her. My man side is trying to force the shift to stop me from leaving her. He has never done that before.
Reluctantly, I allow him control. I remind him that I am allowing this. He has not taken it.
As he pushes to the foreground, he lets me feel his sorrow for trying to force the change. He respects me. It is only that our mate needs our human side now.
“Bella,” I cried, falling to the ground beside her.