General Cleandro held open the door to the menagerie. “Remember, animals can sense your powers and your soul. Tread carefully. You have one hour to bond with an animal,” he said harshly. Theor elsehung unsaid in the frosty air.
Inside, the trees were barren of leaves.
A light covering of snow dusted everything. Birds cawed loudly and flew around, bright swathes of color on a barren landscape.
The larger animals moved silently, concealed behind the trees.
Everyone spread out as they looked up at the birds.
I rubbed at my temples. I had no idea what I was going to do.
Since it was probably best to try out a new area, I walked to the far right and sat down on a stump in the middle of a clearing.
Birds cawed aggressively from the air, warning me off.
Protracted minutes passed as I waited for a mythical animal to come out and love me.
None did.
One by one, the other initiates cheered and whooped with excitement as they bonded.
A falcon with an impressively long silver tail puffed up proudly on Cassius’s arm, and he beamed with pride.
Then, a few minutes later, a squat purple bird with two heads squawked on Alessander’s shoulder, and he pumped the air.
There was a splattering of applause.
I didn’t clap.
Drex held up the golden toucan he always sat with. “Look, Alexis!” he called.
I gave him a thumbs-up, and a fake smile hurt my cheeks.
Time kept passing.
Panic set in.
Standing up, I wandered toward the forest. Birds took flight, a deer with strange horns sprinted away, and a red possum scurried up a tree as it hissed in my direction.
Maybe I can lie and say Nyx is my protector?She was sleeping around my waist, but if I could just get her to show herself, it could work.
It was the only plan I had.
Fluck my life.
“Wow—I’m not surprised none of the animals wanted to bond with you.” Titus slunk around a tree. His chest was puffed up with pride. An eagle with neon-green markings and long gold talons was perched on his shoulder. “Now they’re gonna kill you for not bonding with a protector.”
He laughed and approached.
His eagle screeched but stayed put. For some reason, bondedanimals didn’t freak out around me as much as unbonded ones did, although they still weren’t happy with my presence.
Of course, Titus thought that was hilarious, and he laughed even harder.
I wish I was back in the stupid frozen lake.
Fisting my chilled hands, I breathed roughly through my nose to calm myself down.
Titus got closer, and his eagle turned its head away like it couldn’t stomach looking at me.Right back at you, robot.
