AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A shiver worked down my spine as I recalled Aunt Thea’s words. She knew things, and we rarely questioned her instincts.
The roar of the flames grew louder, a deafening, primal sound that vibrated in my chest. The hot wind whipped around the truck, carrying embers and ash that infiltrated the cab and coated my tongue with a bitter taste.
My heart ached at the sight of smoldering tree stumps surrounding the area, their once-vibrant trunks now reduced to glowing embers. This sacred place had already suffered too much. I silently vowed to do everything in my power to protect what remained.
If dark magic was truly at play here, the consequences could be catastrophic, not only for Silverpaw Hollow but for other realms as well. I prayed we weren't too late.
I pulled up to the staging area, where a contingent of firefighters was gathered. I took a moment to survey the chaotic scene. The clearing had been transformed into a battlefield, firefighters and trucks swarming, shouting orders and rushing to contain the blaze. For a moment, the sheer scale of the destruction and the enormity of the task before us overwhelmed me.
Leaping from the truck, I drew in a sharp breath as the acrid smoke burned my throat. It carried more than the smell of charred wood—there was a sickly-sweet undertone, like some toxic accelerant.
Amber barked orders to her crew, who set to work unpacking gear with disciplined speed. I scanned the area, taking quick stock of the resources on the scene. Two heli-tankers circled overhead, dumping futile loads of retardant onto the ravenous flames. More ground crews arrived, their determined faces streaked with soot.
I spotted Leif conferring with our team of rangers, pointing out landmarks on a topo map. As I made my way over, the unearthly roar and crackle of the flames drowned out all other sounds.
“This is no normal fire,” I said grimly, pulling Leif aside. “It’s being fueled by something… darker.”
Leif's eyes were grave. “Pyromancers?”
I nodded. “Must be.”
“Shit. This isn’t good. What are they doing so close to the portal? The protective magic should be enough of a deterrent.”
Leif jabbed a finger at the map circled in red marker. “This whole area has been highlighted for the past month. Vehicles have been spotted, strange figures glimpsed at night. I think someone's watching the portal.”
I drew a sharp breath. The portals were ancient openings in the earth, positioned at specific intersecting ley lines across the globe. The portal in Silverpaw Hollow served as a bridge between realms, only accessible to those with magical blood, like Guardians. They'd been undisturbed for centuries. Until now.
“Who the hell is watching them? And why?” I asked worriedly.
Leif shook his head, his face etched with rare anger.
A foreign scent hung in the air, one only our enhanced bear shifter senses could distinguish. “It's them, isn't it?” I asked through clenched teeth, my hands balling into fists at my sides. Rage simmered in my veins.
We’d learned of the ancient enemy from our lore, a species from another galaxy that was somehow linked to the portal and what it protected. The information had been passed down through generations, and Aunt Thea was now the Keeper of the Lore, the oracle for our history.
I’d always taken some of the stories with a pinch of salt, including this one, but now, I wasn’t so sure.
“If the Ancient Ones want access to our world, this could just be the beginning,” Leif said grimly, voicing my unspoken fears.
I hoped our fears were unfounded. We had no proof of who was responsible for the fires, only suspicions and the instinct that magic–dark magic–was involved. If the portals were their targets, it could mean calamity for the entire region. What did they want?
As I considered the implications, my gaze was drawn to Amber. She stood tall and determined, directing her team with precision and skill. But I sensed her fear, her uncertainty beneath the professional exterior. The urge to protect her, to shield her from whatever threatened our world, surged through me, as powerful and primal as the bear that lived within my soul.
Amber was no damsel in distress. She was a warrior in her own right, fierce and capable. It was one of the many things I admired about her, one of the reasons my heart raced whenever she was near. I couldn't let my growing feelings cloud my judgment when so much was at stake.
My eyes narrowed as she shook out her hands before placing one on her stomach, her expression troubled. Was she sick? Before I could speculate further, she returned as if sensing my stare, eyeing our hushed conversation and heading toward us.
“You okay?” I asked, concerned at her pale face.
Amber waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, it’s nothing. Felt a bit weird there for a minute. It happened earlier. Probably just tired.”
“Fighting two fires on the same day will do that to the best of us. Tell me if it gets any worse,” I said, observing her carefully. My bear growled and pawed to be free, sensing all was not well with our mate.
“What are you guys talking about?” she asked, her eyes sharp as they flickered between Leif and me with undisguised suspicion.
I met Leif's eyes, and a silent conversation passed between us. There were parts of this world–parts of myself–I couldn't reveal until I knew her better. “Figuring out the best way to contain this,” I said, holding her penetrating gaze.
Amber looked uncertain, but the moment passed as we turned our focus to the fire.
