“She means that empty black pit we get sucked into when we travel,” I explain and let out a long, exhausted sigh. “And Dellilian is a Morphing Onyx Short-Haired Windila…which means she’s saying her kind have run into Vrath before when time traveling.”
Dellilian chuffs again in confirmation. A quick stomp of her speckled paw in the dirt.
“Does that mean your kind is dangerous? They must have made an impression on Vrath.”
The Short-Haired Windila nods once.
“Should we be afraid of you?”
Dellilian paws at the dirt again. A jolting shake of her head.
“Why not?”
“Dellilian scared a lot.”
“And your kind normally isn’t afraid?”
She shakes her head again.
“Huh. Well, what did the others do to him to make him so scared? Did they hurt him?”
“Windilas hunt in packs. Windilas chased Bad Man into scary timelines. Windilas corner Bad Man and make him sicker.”
I laugh. “So, they bully him.”
Niklaus looks pleased.
“Reminds me of something Krimson once told me about the ocean. That dolphins bully sharks.” I laugh again, patting Dellilian on the head. “How come you don’t bully us?”
Before Dellilian can respond, I think back to the first conversation I had with her.
“You said you were sent to help me. Protect me…” I tilt my head and narrow my eyes at her. “Who sent you, Dellilian?”
“Can’t say.”
“Goddamn,” Niklaus grunts.
“You said they would one day ask for my help,” I add.
Dellilian nods, wagging her tail.
I pause. “You also said Vrath is scary.”
Niklaus growls. “This is a waste of ti—”
“Shut the fuck up. If you can’t be nice to her, then walk off a cliff,” I snap. An uncontrollable anger wraps around my limbs like vines that have a mind of their own. I’ve grown up loving and respecting animals. DaiSzek has always been an extension of our family, so hearing the disdain pour off Niklaus toward our unique, gentle animal companion is blinding me with the need to slap him.
“Scary, scary!”
“But if your species is so dangerous, why are you afraid of Vrath?” I ask.
Dellilian’s ears go floppy, one pointing to the sky, and the other sticking straight out. She levels her body as something beyond the midnight tree line catches her attention. The only warning we get is her sharp gasp rattle through our thoughts before a rift in the Nightlung opens, breathes, and she disappears. Like a dead star imploding on itself.
“What happened?” Niklaus asks.
But I hold my breath. Her sudden fearful gasp and vanishment can only mean one thing.
“Niklaus!” I whisper, jumping to my feet. “We have to run!”
