She shrugged out of her jacket then, gracing me with the first glimpse of her tattoos—a purple butterfly on her shoulder.
“Does it mean something?” I asked.
“Maybe,” she said before taking a sip of her drink.
“You’re very mysterious, you know that?” I said teasingly.
“I won’t deny there’s a lot you don’t know about me yet,” she replied, a challenge in her eyes that made my heart race.
It’s the “yet” that gets me—the promise that we have time to get to know each other. The hope that she might actually want me to learn her secrets.
That’s when she leaned in and gave me the kiss I haven’t been able to get out of my brain. The head-spinning, life-changing kiss that had me melting into a puddle, her lips soft yet demanding against mine. Her hand cupped my face gently, but her fingers were strong, her body arching into me like she was promising how the evening would go when I went back to her place later.
Kissing her was so different, like discovering a new color on the spectrum, one I’d always known about but had never been able to see. She unlocked something inside me and opened a door to feelings I never knew existed. I guess I’ve been repressing part of myself, forcing myself to fit into a mold… But some things can’t be explained with logic or algorithms. Sometimes you just know, deep in your soul, when something feels right.
Chapter 13
Scarier than a Monster
Themetaldoortothe bio magic containment room creaks open, its swirling designs gleaming in the dim lamplight. Vines and purple flowers encroach on the arched frame, just as I remember it. The serpentine handle has been repaired since I smashed it—and now here I am, returning a piece of the magic I risked everything to set free.
Troy has joined us in a wheelchair, his pride and excitement giving him a burst of energy as he guides Natalie and Sky through the next steps. As they secure the chimera in one of the cold metal cages, its deer form flickers like a dying candle, revealing glimpses of other shapes—feathers, scales, fur.
I avert my gaze, a fresh wave of guilt rolling through me. The room is suffocating, the threat of being caged behind iron bars like these all too real.
Shivering, I step back as they remove the golden net, and Troy murmurs words I don’t understand. As the sleeping chimera takes its pure form—the shapeshifting creature that human eyes can’t comprehend—I turn my back, wanting to escape this room as fast as possible.Its magic prickles my skin, making the mud caked on my arms and face even more uncomfortable.
We leave it in the cage to sleep. Trapped forever.
“Well done, girls,” Troy says, smiling at his daughters. His eyes crinkle at the corners. “And you, Katie. Capturing a chimera without a drop of magic in you? Unheard of! I’ve got my eye on you.”
I try to smile but can’t even manage a fake one. Catching this chimera was supposed to bring me a step closer to freedom and show these witches what I’m capable of. But instead of feeling happy and proud, I’m just…hollow. And afraid that after I’ve poured my energy into trapping every chimera, karma will come for me and trap me too.
I can’t believe I have to do that again and again. How am I supposed to keep catching something that’s begging me not to? Will I have a heart left after this is all done?
Natalie, on the other hand, hasn’t stopped beaming. She wraps her arm around my shoulders and guides me out the door, warm and sturdy at my side. “I’m sure you’ll feel more like celebrating after we’ve gotten cleaned up. Come on. Hot shower time.”
A shower sounds luxurious. I pick at the itchy mud on my arms, watching it flake off and add to the trail our boots are leaving in the hallway.
We wave goodbye to her family and head back to her room, the net dangling from my fist.
“We did it,” she says to me, sounding happier than she has in days. “You were more confident this time. I could see it. The way you kept track of the chimera… I hope you know how amazing your ability is, Katie.”
“I think you’re overstating what I did. I just threw the net. Badly.” And listened to it pleading with me. And felt its terror. And ignored both.
“You can sense where these things are, and that makes all the difference. I don’t think you realize how good you are at tracking it.”
Interesting. Could this be true?
“You’re doing the right thing,” Natalie says, squeezing my hand. “Try to think of how good it will feel to prove to Fiona that she was wrong about you. That you’re as good as any Tracker.”
Picturing Fiona’s shocked face as I stand before her and prove her wrong does make me feel a bit better. I crack a smile.
“But I still need practice with the net. Look at us. This is less than ideal.” I gesture to our muddy skin and clothes.
Natalie nudges me. “You did fine!”
“I got lucky.” I chew my lip. “Maybe if I come up with a contraption or something… I mean, I know Trackers have spent generations perfecting their tools, but they’re witches who can send nets flying through the air with total precision. I’m just a non-magical girl with no coordination or athleticism. Maybe I can figure out a way to use the net better.”
