Page 131 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

“What?” Kora frowned. “No . . . they’re horses from Aldara. I don’t know how they’re here . . .”

A third trot kicked through the sand, and Kora slowly turned as a fiery red mare joined between Cadence and Rayne. Her white mane was stark against the dark, and her eyes burned a simmering red with a subtle glow, causing Kora to step back.

“Fajra,” Kora whispered. If she was here . . .

Raiden whirled as hot steam blew from a dark shadow, ruffling his hair. Raiden rushed to Kora, their backs meeting as the two mares and two stallions surrounded them.

“Erebus,” Kora spoke calmly as the midnight stallion emerged.

“How do you know their names?” Fear laced Raiden’s voice.

“I rode with them in the desert,” Kora answered as Cadence neared. “This was my mare.” She smiled gently as Cadence’s snout pressed down into Kora’s palm, still as warm and as soft as she remembered. Raiden inhaled sharply, his hand hovering to snatch Kora’s away, but Erebus’ jaws snapped in warning.

“These aren’t horses,” Raiden said, his voice lowering.

Kora gasped as Cadence’s image shuddered before shifting, taking on the form of a hound, with droopy red eyes and dual black tails. She jumped, stumbling into Raiden, realising the remaining three horses had copied her.

“They’re all Conan. They’re . . .” Kora swayed, her vision dizzying as the same bloodhound stared back at her in four places.

Cadence transformed again, becoming a ferret of rippling water. Kora collapsed to her knees, reaching out as Cadence excitedly raced around in circles. A glance to her left, and Fajra was a fox of pure flame, her eyes like burning coals. Rayne had taken the form of a silvered eagle, his wings and eyes translucent, and claws nearly as large as Kora’s head.

Finally, Erebus was a stag, his horns entwined with decaying flowers, his green eyes dulled and muted. Moss covered his hooves, falling off in dark clumps with every step he made.

“This can’t be,” Raiden breathed, sagging to his knees beside Kora. “You can’t still exist.”

Raiden instantly bowed before Rayne, whispering under his breath. Cadence launched at Kora, curling onto her lap, her dress remaining dry as the ferret purred.

“What are they?” Kora asked, tentatively scratching Cadence’s jellied stomach.

“True phantoms.” Raiden keenly inspected Rayne, the eagle twitching and expanding his wings, showing off to Raiden. “These were pets of the gods. Created to be their companions forever. We assumed they’d faded along with the gods.”

“This is . . . Calypso’s pet?” Cadence jumped off Kora’s lap at the mention of Calypso. The phantoms all made a joint noise, a pained cry at the mention of their original owners.

“They’ve wandered this world alone for over a thousand years.” Raiden scratched Rayne’s neck. Fajra sat back on her hind paws, blandly observing the conversation as Erebus remained still and stoic.

“And they were drawn to you.” Raiden turned, meeting Kora’s stare. “These are the original essences of power, before they gifted it to mortals and created mages. Where our power is drawn, it represents these creatures.”

Her water beast. She’d always imagined it as something ferocious like a caged, haired, wild animal. But was it a hyperactive ferret all this time? The gods loved a joke.

“They’re not drawn to me . . .” Kora drifted off as all four phantoms turned to face her at the sound of her voice.

“I beg to differ. They’ve remained in hiding all this time, to emerge as horses to be used in a desert trek. They’ve been following you, watching over you. There’s something about you drawing them closer.” Raiden stood, pulling Kora with him as he studied her. She shuddered as his warm, calloused touch turned her palms over before meeting her gaze.

“They’re shapeshifters, and can take the form of anything they desire. They copied Conan as an example. This form they’re in now is the gods’ preferred pet form. But trust me, they can become dangerous.” Raiden tilted Kora’s chin, his stare narrowing on her scar.

Erebus huffed from behind, his antlers poking into her back. At the touch of it, Kora jolted, her chest sparking with familiar white, burning hot light. Her vision warped, her hearing fading as her stomach plummeted to the ground.

One second, Raiden was holding her chin, the next, she was fifty feet away, her back slamming into the sand.

What. The. Fuck.

Raiden smacked into the ground beside her from a propelled jump, heavily panting as moonlight dazzled in his eyes like stars. His smile was so wild, his hair dishevelled as he leaned over Kora.

“Now I know why they’re following you.”

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Raiden