The lift shudders to a stop, and we fall silent.
“Are you ready, Elle?” Ulric asks.
I grip the pummel of the sword through my pocket so hard that my fingers ache. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
With that, he slides the grated gate to the side.
Fresh soil fills my lungs, and for the first time in months, I don’t feel like I’m swaying on my legs. Excitement grips me. I’ve thought about the moment my feet would touch solid ground for weeks. I step off the lift, followed by my friends. It takes every ounce of self-control not to sprint forward and discard my coat. I’m no longer a captive of the sky.
“Walk,” Ulric hisses, nudging me from behind. “Don’t slow down until we get on that ship.”
With purposeful steps, I make my way into the crowd. Ulric and Ashavee match my every move, flanking me on either side. The Allaji and Outlanders loiter in the streets, laughing and singing with large steins of beer in their hands. The hot press of bodies, both flesh and fur, next to mine has beads of sweat pebbling my brow and sliding down my spine. My hand shakes around my sword as my anxiety escalates. It’s not only the proximity of so many shifters in their animal forms that has meon edge, but the chance of being recognized that I fear. Someone is bound to know who we are.
We push on, not bothering to apologize as we shoulder our way through. The scent of grilled fruits and vegetables mingles with the salty scent of skin. My world is closing in on me. I can’t see further than the person in front of me, and every breath I take is thick with the tropical moisture. Trying to find even a hint of a breeze, I flap the ends of my coat like wings to fan myself. It’s too crowded, too hot.
Sweat drips from my forehead into my eyes, blurring my vision. I drag my hand down my face and pause when I pull away with the cat’s nose I glued to mine in my palm. Panic overtakes my common sense, and I fumble to press it to my face, but it’s too late.
“What the fuck?” barks a man next to me.
I glance at him, and my heart moves to my throat, pounding away and blocking the air. His bushy eyebrows dart up and recognition flashes in his eyes. I know the guard. He’s held the throne room doors open for me many times.
“Run,” I choke out, reaching back and grasping whatever body part I can on Ulric and Ashavee.
“What?” Ashavee asks, leaning over my shoulder. She stiffens as the guard takes her in. “Shit.”
“Run!” I say again, finding my voice.
The guard grabs the arm of my coat, and I claw at the material until I’m free. We weave through the throng of people, shoving them out of the way. They’re so caught up in the festivities that none of them think to stop us. From behind, the guard’s voice carries over all the others, calling for backup.
The tops of the trees that line the shore grow closer. I pick up my pace. Once we’re out of the village, the tropical forest will give us room to move and dark places to hide. We just need to stay together. I look behind me and find Ashavee on my heels.Ulric keeps up, but he is panting like an old dog on a hot summer day. And beyond him, two giant birds soar straight for us.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” I chant, pushing my body to move faster.
A massive crow swoops down. Ulric and I duck, but the quick motion has Ashavee stumbling to her hands and knees. She curses, dividing her attention between the distance we still have to go and the birds. The crowd closes in on her, and fear rips through me. I turn to go back, but Ulric snatches my hand and tugs me along with him.
“She’s a smart one, Elle. Don’t worry about her.”
I struggle to rip my hand free. “Don’t worry? Ulric, if they?—”
A spine shivering roar rips through the chaos around us. A large black cat with even darker ebony spots jumps ahead of us. It glances over its shoulder, and I stumble back. The animal holds me with fierce golden eyes. Eyes I’ve looked into before. I nod at Ashavee, and she bounds forward, parting those blocking our way. We run after her, toward the haven made of trees that grows closer.
I stretch my hand out, reaching for the leaves. Knowing once I touch them, we’ll be closer to safety. Ashavee breaks through the tree line and then the tips of my fingers brush the closest waxy leaf. At the same time, my world sets into slow motion. Ulric pushes me into the brush as his pain-filled cry blasts in my ear. I skid across the muddy ground and watch with wide eyes as Ashavee leaps over me, heading back the way we came. I follow her movement to find the bird has sunk its talons into Ulric’s arm. His toes sweep across the ground as he is lifted into the air. A single thought repeats in my mind:No, no, not again. I can’t lose another person I love this way.
The jaguar latches her sharp teeth to the bird’s leg, and it screams. Ulric falls to his knees and scrambles toward me. I grab his wrist and together we rush deep into the thick forest. The leafy canopy protects us from anything in the sky, but it also letsin hardly any light from the moon. We stumble over unearthed roots and vines roped across the ground. With every fumble, the rustling of leaves behind us moves closer. The multitude of steps is more than just one sleek cat who wants to defend us. No, the Allaji are on the hunt.
From high above, the path to the coastline was a straight line. We have to forge our way through trees and brush—a natural labyrinth which forces us to take unwanted turns and spins us around. I try to keep a close eye on the moon, using it as our guide, but it’s impossible. We’re all turned around and losing our lead.
Somewhere in the midst of the confusion, I let go of Ulric. Panic surges within me. My gaze darts through the trees, searching for the slightest glimpse of him. I find nothing. Fighting the urge to call his name, I pivot back the way I came... or at least I think I do. I’m lost, absolutely, totally lost.
I maneuver through the tree trunks, working to keep the moon at my back. Every so often I whisper Ulric’s name, but I’m met with silence. I’m contemplating heading for the shoreline again, hoping Ulric does the same, when a tug on the back of my skirt jerks me to a stop. I spin to find a leopard with the fabric in its mouth. With its golden eyes locked on me, the cat releases a menacing growl. I stagger back, yanking on the delicate fabric of my skirt. It rips a little, but the cat doesn’t let go.
“Ashavee! Ulric,” I scream, glancing behind me at the empty forest.
Other than the spotted cat before me, I’m alone. Panic knots in my gut, and I pull harder on my skirt. With its ass in the air and tail swaying side to side, the leopard focuses on me. It studies my every movement, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.
I slip my hand to my side and grip the swords pummel through my skirt. My next move needs to be just as swift and unpredictable, or I’m dead.
My opponent and I go still while staring each other in the eyes. The rattling of the leaves above is the only sound. No pounding feet. No flapping wings. No menacing growls. It’s just the leopard and me.
