I shot Odette a smug glance. She said she was part of the alicorn Faction. Pretty winged horses fit her personality perfectly. I wondered who her special guy would be. Someone who had no problem dealing with sparkles and sunshine, I hoped.
Then I noticed them. The wolvens. There were so many. They stalked throughout the city with rolling shoulders and heads held high. Their coats were various shades of red, gray, black, silver, and white. Most of them were only as big as horses, though a few rivaled the size of the dragons above. Their coats were thick, lush and beautiful. I wanted to reach out and stroke my hands through their fur, though I was sure I wasn’t allowed.
On the backs of some of the wolvens were large, feathery wings that matched the colors of their pelts. A couple of wolvens gave a running start before they leapt into the skies, spreading their wings to take flight among the griffins, dragons, and alicorns.
I’d never seen wolves with wings before. I supposed that’s why they went by a different name. I realized that I was going to bond with one of them. I wasn’t a chicken shit by any means, but these wolves were huge… one bite could easily end my life.
Whatever. I’d already killed one of them, and thought nothing of it. If I had any problems with guys, I’d just blast a hole in them. Problem solved.
Some of the Companions had women on their backs. I could only presume they were mates. The Marked that rode the shifters flew through the air and walked through the city bravely, with determined faces or bright smiles.
They seemed so proud and carefree. I wanted to be like them, but doubted I could be.
Suddenly, the world Lady Magdalina told me about didn’t seem like a fairytale anymore. It was real. This wasn’t a dream.
We finally left the area outside the crowded station and entered the streets of Dolinska. Odette went on and on about ballet as I took in the sights around me. The beauty of Dolinska rivaled the streets of Paris, or Krakow. I hadn’t been to either, but I’d seen pictures, and this place was just as incredible. It was like walking into a movie. I wasn’t sure what was more amazing— the city, the shifters, or all the sorceresses casting incredible spells around me. The Marked made pretty butterflies appear, or doubled themselves so they had identical clones, or changed their hair and eye color with a wave of their hand. There was an explosion, and I looked over my shoulder to see that one Marked was making fireworks come out of her hand to the delight of the children around her feet.
I realized that someday, I was going to be able to do that, and my heart lifted. This was way bigger than anything I’d ever imagined. I was so glad that I’d made the choice to come here.
The city was packed with vendors and carts. Marked boasted about love potions, claiming they’d be able to find your mate within a week of consuming. Dragons sold scales for jewelry, while alicorns waved their horns and made new dresses appear on the Marked in front of them. Wolvens fought in a makeshift arena in the middle of the square, then shifted back to human form and started boxing as people made bets and cheered them on.
Nearby, someone had placed a stereo on the ground, and polka music blasted out of it, Marked danced with their Companions, who were both in human and animal form. Incredible smells met my nose, and my eyes widened as we passed a bakery that had the most delicious looking cakes and pastries I’d ever seen. We passed churches with jaw-dropping stained glass windows that had the designs of shifters held within. We walked by tiny street cafes that were packed with people, human and animal, looking to get a sip of espresso, or, as I noticed, colorful, sparkling drinks I’d never seen before.
“Spells,” Odette said, catching my look. She went to a cafe to purchase one. She brought back a purple drink in a tiny paper cup and sipped it. Odette giggled, and her feet elevated off the ground for five seconds or so. She floated toward me, coming back down with a hiccup.
“Bottoms up!” she said. She handed it to me.
I took a sip. My stomach went light for a moment before I fluttered a few inches off the ground and came back down. My stomach flipped. It was the weirdest experience of my life. My mood felt significantly elevated, and I felt more energized. The Arcanea had the best energy drinks ever created.
There was so much in this new world to explore. I wanted to soak in every moment of it.
“You must’ve not been in Dolinska for some time. You sure are walking slow,” Odette said pleasantly. “I don’t mind. It’s such a nice day, and you’re such a nice person. Isn’t it great to enjoy a walk with friends?”
I was still trying to figure out why she’d taken such a liking to me. I didn’t do much of anything except exist, breathe, and look interested when Odette talked to me.
There were a few cars on the street, but they were all designer sports cars. It looked like most of the people around here drove carriages pulled by Companions, or sometimes just regular horses. Odette stood at the edge of the street and looked for one.
“We could walk, but I’d prefer to take a carriage,” she said. “My bag’s getting rather heavy, and—”
There were loud screams. My head jerked to the side, and I screamed as a carriage came roaring into view. The horses pulling it seemed to have gone mad. They barreled through vendors and destroyed carts on their way through. Marked and Companions both scattered to get out of the way. The carriage was headed right this way!
I grabbed Odette and pulled her to safety as the covered carriage skidded to a stop on the curb where we’d been standing just moments before. The horses danced on the spot as someone yanked on the reins. I scrambled to get off the ground, helping Odette to her feet.
I looked up to see who’d nearly ran us over. It was another girl. She had pale skin, and straight black hair that was down to her waist, with a bright red streak going down the right side. Her outfit was the most unusual thing about her. She wore a black lace corset and long skirt, high-heeled, lace-up boots, long sleeves, fishnet stockings, and rings that looked like spider webs. She wore black nail polish, black lipstick, black eyeshadow. A black lace choker was tied around her neck.
She was a goth. I don’t think I had seen a goth since I was fourteen years old. I was still recovering from my mild heart attack when the girl spoke to me.
“Hey.” She tossed her long hair out of her eyes. “You need a ride?” she asked. She was breathless.
“Yes!” Odette said before I could say anything. She threw her duffel inside and climbed abroad. “Come on, Emma!”
I hesitated. This could end badly. I was pretty sure this girl wasn’t a real taxi driver. “I—”
“Bitch, get on!” the goth girl screamed, and she grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled me into the carriage as she laughed. She snapped the reins, and the horses took off running. I fell against the seat, onto another suitcase that wasn’t mine or Odette’s. Another student, like us. My own suitcase fell on top of me as the carriage jostled around. I heard more screams behind us, and the sound of hoofbeats and wings.
“Oh, no,” Odette said, frowning as she looked behind us. “It’s the Arcanea Alliance. Bother.”
I didn’t need an explanation to know they had to be the local law enforcement. “Can you explain to me why we’re running from the cops?” I shouted.
