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I grabbed my coat, and handed Grace the grimoire. Austin peered over her shoulder. “I have the Dragon Grimoire on Cloud, no need to bring it. Good choice though. I’m waiting to hear back from Luke. I’ve asked him and told him where we are going. Luke grew up with werewolves, Conor’s pack in fact. So I suspect he will help. He’s probably, well, that’s none of our business. Anyway, I’ve packed some jeans for him if he does turn up. Ready?”
I glanced around. Picking up my bag which contained my spell, some personal items and my athame, I felt like I’d lost something.
Hakon rattled his keys, grinning.
Frowning, Austin put his hand up. “We didn’t drive over, blood sucker. Do keep up. I’m transporting us there through a rift. Geez, we are mages man!”
Hakon muttered, shoving his keys back in his pocket.
I winced, too. “Really? That always makes me feel sick.”
Grace elbowed her tutor. “I told you. Here you two, take one of these.”
Hakon stared at her hand, and his voice squeaked as he admonished, “What the hell is that? I’m a vampire, not a child.”
“They're not sweets, they’re for calming your stomach. I made them. They do have sugar in them though.”
I nodded. “Do I want to know what else is in there?”
Grace shrugged. “They’re vegetarian, there’s no insects or body fluids in them. Just herbs...”
Well they tasted bitter despite the sugar but as we swayed and wavered in the abyss, my head swam but my stomach was settled.
DRAGON FLAME
Outside Savernake woods, moonlight cast a silver gleam over the rain, which glistened like a thousand diamonds on the grass and bracken around us.
My breath looked like smoke, hitting the chilly air. Even wrapped up, I shivered in the bitter night. The moon was almost full. Shadows cast strange figures that seemed to ebb and bob amongst the forest before us.
Marrock was meant to meet us but instead we were met with only a deathly silence. Even Austin was quiet, which probably worried me more. Hakon strode towards me, his arm gently blocking my path.
Almost growling, his voice low, he said “Stay behind me, little witch. I don’t like this, I don’t like it at all.”
Grace echoed his thoughts, “Danger is in the air. We’re too late. Can you smell it?”
We all could. The metallic scent was as thick as fog. Blood had been shed. My stomach curdled. Clenching my fists, I edged forwards with the vampire and mages by my side as we strode carefully into the depths of the Savernake forest, trying not to make a sound. My heart hammered, thumping in my ears and every breath seemed deafening.
A crow cawed, its sounded shrill above us. Flapping its wings, Austin cursed and shot his hand up, palm facing the bird. An almighty thump as it soared down and landed, caught in a web of silver-blue light cast by the mage.
Ruffling its feathers, I scorned Austin, his cat-like grin confused me. But I needn't have. Before us the bird exploded into a brilliant illuminating light casting thousands of silver shards and in its place a young man with large deep eyes filled with fear. A mop of yellow blond hair, he crouched, naked and afraid before us.
“Well, a raven shifter? You must be from the Shadow forest? I only know of one of your kin and he... you live there?” Austin asked.
His voice was shaky and quiet as he answered, “I am. I was sent to check on the Savernake pack. Some of the pack have, well, we know they’re missing. Are you going to kill me?”
Austin was before the man before I could blink, a swift glance at Grace who nodded. She weaved a spell, metallic scarlet runes shimmered in the sweet damp air, and then in her hands a thick red blanket of wool which she wrapped around the shifter in the blink of an eye.
The hairs on my arms stood on end, my skin tingling as their magic, like static all around us, prickled on my skin.
A warm smile stretched across Austin’s face. “No, Brennus. It is Brennus isn’t it? I don’t know of many raven shifters, but I’ve heard of you. Will you help us, you’ve seen a lot I imagine. Are they dead, Lycaon, Marrock?”
Austin helped the shifter up as Brennus stumbled. The mage steadied him.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t risk you flying away. I know you’re afraid, I felt that and still do. We’re all afraid.”
Licking his lips, Brennus pulled the blanket tighter around him, trying to stave off the chilly air as he glanced slowly at each of us, taking in his predicament.
“Bren, you can call me Bren. Everyone calls me that.” Looking around as if we were being watched, he continued, “They’re not all dead. But some are. There’s another, Zale.” His tone dropped to almost a whisper, strained as if saying the name would arouse the devil himself.
