Page 31
“What was that?” I ask in a panic. Josten doesn’t answer, even when I call his name.
My heart finds its way to my throat when I rotate around, and I take a slow step back. I’d expected to see an excessive amount of skin, but Josten is gone. Standing in his place on all fours is a massive black wolf. Its fur is sleek, shining with the light of the stars. Muscles ripple under its thick coat, flexing with its large step in my direction.
I’m frozen in place, terrified and transfixed. I’ve never seen anything so big, so breathtaking. Deep onyx eyes stare back at me, piercing and focused. The wolf cocks its head to the side, sniffing the air by my hand.
My mind tells me to run, but something inside me tells me it isn’t dangerous. I tentatively reach out to the beast, running my fingers through its thick fur. It leans into my touch, letting out a low whine.
The night around us is quiet. There is no one else. Just me and the wolf.
Wolf…
“Josten?” The creature yelps, its two large ears perking up, and a soft smile curves against my lips. “There’s no way this place is real.”
He nuzzles against my side, then pulls back, lowering the front half of his body. I watch him, not sure what he wants. When I don’t move, he lets out a rumble, tilting his head in a way that almost looks like he’s motioning to his back.
“You want me to climb on?”
The wolf barks in response, wagging his tail back and forth.
I pace forward, cautiously gliding my hand over top of him. “This is either the coolest thing I’ve ever done, or the craziest.”
Mounting the beast is easy, it’s when he stands to his full height that my balance doesn’t feel as steady. My fingers grip the silky mane over his neck, legs wrapping tightly around his waist.
“Maybe we start with walking,” I suggest, worried I might fall.
Midnight eyes look back at me, and I could almost swear there’s a smirky grin hidden within them. He lunges forward, taking off at a pace far faster than my legs could ever carry me.
“Josten!” I cling against him, hugging him tightly in my arms. His four paws pound against the earth, snapping sticks and crushing the forest floor. Branches from the trees blur past us, leaves rustling in our path. His movements are steady and smooth despite the extreme speed. I keep my grip tight, slowly working myself so I’m seated upright. The wind rushes through my hair, tugging at my clothes and whipping around my face. My body is alive, buzzing with a sense of freedom I’ve never known.
I can’t imagine how this is only running to him, because for me, it’s like I’m flying.
His heavy breathing aligns in rhythm with each thud of his paws. The trees tower above us, letting in glints of the moonlight to illuminate our path.
Josten slows, coming to a stop at the edge of a glistening lake. We remain still, both staring into the water which seems to sparkle against the fading light. It’s so calm here, serene. The lush forest stands tall, casting deep shadows across the pond.
I lower from Josten’s back, sitting at the fringe of the bank. He lays down beside me, letting his thick arms stretch out in front of us. There’s howling in the distance. The wolf turns his head, shifting his ears to better catch the sound.
Lying back, I place my hand over his coat, feeling its softness between my fingers, and I close my eyes.
I must have dozed off, because a loud splash pulls me from a dream. Sitting up, I rub the sleep from my eyes, vaguely remembering where I am. It’s darker now than it was earlier. Colder too.
“I think I should be getting back.” My hand lowers, chilled fingers desperate for the warmth of my friend. But instead of fur, my palm hits the ground, and I realize Josten isn’t beside me anymore.
Before I’m able to question his absence, or even call out his name, I hear it again. Another splash.
I rise to my feet, stepping toward the edge of the dark water. Ripples spread across the surface, and the silhouette of a figure appears, too far away to see clearly. There’s a thump in my chest as I watch it move, gliding effortlessly through the deep pool.
Strands of mossy green hair trail around the face drawing near. It’s a girl, but her mouth isn’t quite right. In place of ears sits jagged spines, fused together with a pearlescent blue-black film, webbed like the fins of a fish.
A third splash. She flicks her tail, long and thin with ribbons of dark fiber flowing from the creature’s near-black fluke.
Rhenn said there were mermaids, I just wasn’t sure I believed him. The closer she gets, the more I know she’s real.
She makes it to the shore, pushing herself up with her thin arms, getting a better look at me, and giving me the opportunity to do the same. Her skin is ghostly, an almost iridescent gray that forms tightly against her, emphasizing the sharp bone structure underneath.
She rises above me, lifting out of the water and onto her tail. I hadn’t realized how long it was.
Her eyes are enchanting, a mix of purple and blue that seem to dance around her slit pupils.
