“No, we’re going to go hang out with your dad for a little while. He said he has some intel on the humans in the various zones we should investigate as being involved with the conspiracy. He’s had his assassins keeping tabs on the wealthy and influential as well as some of the politicians. He has some files on the more likely suspects, ones who have been openly verbal of their disdain for supernaturals,” Micah explains.
“That sounds like a good use of time. Stall the goddess if she arrives before we get back. If Colbie can get a handle on her physical shifts, we can work on her ability to use the forms’ magical properties at another time,” Titus tells them.
I make my way to the front door, preparing to leave, but he calls me back. “Colbie, we aren’t going that way,” he tells me, holding out his hand and gesturing to the others to move closer. “Everyone needs to touch me.”
“No, no way.” Nox steps back, realizing what’s about to happen before I put two and two together. “We are not doing it your way. We have two perfectly good legs to get us from point A to point B.”
“I’m with Nox. I don’t need to puke up everything I just ate,” I protest.
Titus pays no attention to me, and both Hunter and Gem look excited at the chance to sift.
“We are moving halfway across the kingdom to a desert oasis that’s out of the way. The king has a getaway place, and there will be no one around to observe us, but it’s inaccessible by vehicle, and it would take too long to walk,” he explains impatiently.
“We can all fly. How about we do that? Colbie can ride on Hunter or me.” I perk up at Nox’s suggestion. I would love to ride his pegasus, but Hunter shakes his head, grinning with glee.
“Nope, that would take too long as well. Come on, let’s do this. Time is wasting.” He happily places a hand on Titus’s shoulder, and Gem does as well. I grimace and exchange a wary look with Nox.
“If you’re going to puke, do it on his feet,” I tell him, pointing at Titus. “He deserves it.” I reluctantly take his hand, and Nox takes the other one, and without waiting for either of us to breathe, let alone say another word, we move. That same rolling stomach feeling that is disorienting and nausea inducing hits me, and when we reappear, I slap a hand over my mouth and breathe deeply through my nose, trying to keep my breakfast down.
“Ugh,” Nox groans, clasping his head. I hear both Gem and Hunter groan as well.
“Shit, you could have warned us,” the phoenix complains, looking paler, the flames in his eyes dull.
“Why do you think we objected?” I retort, taking another deep breath, waiting for the vertigo to ease.
“I thought you were exaggerating. Let’s not do that again.” Hunter looks slightly green as I turn to see where Titus brought us.
“You’ll get used to it eventually,” he assures us as I look around.
We are standing next to a tropical oasis of palm trees with a brilliant, ripple free, mirror-like pool nestled between them. On one side of the pool is a small, elegant tent-like structure, which I’m assuming is my father’s accommodations when he comes here to stay. Beyond the sanctuary is nothing but golden sandy desert. Sand dunes break up the expanse, making it impossible to see beyond them, but there’s no sign of life.
“This is but only one of a few oases that allow navigation of this desert. You could wander for days and not stumble across one, which makes traveling it unwise. That and ward protection set up by the goddesses when they helped the first king create the kingdom is how we’ve managed to stay off the humans’ radars,” Titus explains, allowing us to get our bearings.
“Right, well, we have no time to waste. Let’s start working on shifting. You have three forms to get through today,” Gem tells me. “Let’s start with mine. Like the dragon and your hydra, I can adjust the size of my phoenix to suit my needs and environment. We will work in a smaller form today so you aren’t too tired to work on the other forms.”
“Size matters?” I ask him, and he smirks, and the other three chuckle like schoolboys. I roll my eyes at their behavior. “I mean, which size I choose will affect how exhausted I am?” Again, they snicker at my comment.
“To begin with, yes, but as you get used to shifting and make sure you are filling your reserves sufficiently, you will adjust and size won’t matter,” Nox explains. “Why do you think shifters eat so much?”
“Is that why there is always a buffet available at the palace? Because you all eat so much? I thought it was a royalty indulging in excess thing,” I ask, and Hunter nods.
“Yes, we all have voracious appetites.” He pauses, and his eyes heat. “For everything.” I hear the suggestion in his voice. Well, that explains why I’m constantly needy. I guess this is my new state of being now. Luckily I have eight mates to take care of those needs.
“Okay, so feel for the fire inside your soul,” Gem tells me. I close my eyes and search for my inner creatures. It’s freaking crowded inside my mind, but I am easily able to distinguish between each of my forms. They are all different to a certain degree. My mer form has the slightly salty taste of brine as well as feeling cold, whereas my hydra has the same cold sensation but feels like freshwater and has the bitter taste of acid. I find the one that radiates heat. There are two, but my dragon form has a slithery, reptilian feel and is a slow burning heat, whereas the phoenix is an out of control wildfire with the rush of wind from its wings.
“Got it,” I tell them.
“Pull it forward,” Gem instructs quietly.
I sink into the power, handing control over to that blazing inferno, and it explodes forward like it’s been waiting patiently for this exact moment. My own consciousness takes a back seat, though I share their eyesight as we shoot into the sky, a piercing scream leaving our beak. I lose track of time as I dive and glide on the eddies of wind. My vision is so sharp, I catch sight of small, scurrying creatures that move in a rocky outcrop jutting up out of the desert a small distance from the oasis.
Did you know the Chaos Kingdom is known for its precious gems? Those rocky outcrops are entrances to mines all over the kingdom, and it’s where the kingdom gets its wealth, Gem says in my head, his own phoenix keeping pace with mine, our wings occasionally brushing.
But where are the miners?I swoop down to take a closer look, Gem on my tail.
Off to the side, I spy Hunter’s purple dragon flying parallel to us, and on the opposite side is a magnificent pink pegasus. He’s breathtaking, with a huge wingspan and a lush, full mane and tail that flutters around him. I don’t see Titus, but I have no idea if his wings would be able to keep up with us. They look elegant but flimsy, and I have no idea how they would hold his body aloft, let alone move speedily.
Possibly underground working, or maybe this mine isn’t being harvested at the moment. Loki told us he has the workers sifted in and out every day by fae hybrids. You’ve done well, baby. Let’s return, and you can try one of the other forms now.
