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She assesses me for a brief second before nodding, reconfirming her trust in me.
“Lead the way.”
My academy-issued shoes squelch beneath me, the sodden ground shaded by huge trees, as a soft glow filters through the leaves, lighting the surrounding area. Relief floods my brain as I take a deep breath, letting the reality of where I am settle in.
“Uh, slight issue,” Figgins murmurs, lifting the hem of her long, black cloak off the ground as she frowns. “This gateway has put us inside the compound, which is exactly what we didn’t want to happen. Especially if there’s no way of getting out.”
“I know.”
Her eyes ping to mine with surprise. “Don’t you think that’s the kind of heads-up I deserve?”
I shrug. “Maybe. But if I’m honest, I hadn’t even considered it would be an issue. You said you wanted to help. I wasn’t aware that it came with stipulations. No one is forcing you to be here or help. You can leave of your own free will once I’ve done what needs to be done.”
There’s no time for me to consider if it’s shitty of me to not mention that fact ahead of time, but surely she should have realized where it would put us before we stepped through the gateway. If she’s expecting an apology, she should prepare to be disappointed. Right now, I have one thing on my mind.
Trudging through the grounds, I take a deep breath and call out to my familiar in my mind. It’s not a surprise that I’m greeted with nothing, but it still causes a deeper stir in my gut. Instead of letting the worry weigh me down, I try again. Only this time, I speak out loud.
“Ari.” Nothing but the sound of our shoes beating against the hardening soil can be heard around us. “Ari,” I repeat, making sure to be louder this time, but still, there’s nothing back from him.
Leaves rustle to my right, making me pause as I glance over to where the shrubbery is thick. I’m almost certain it’s in my head when I don’t see or hear anything else, but just as I’m about to carry on moving, I see them.
“Gia? Gia, is that you?” I call out, immediately moving in her direction. She remains mostly hidden in the shadows, head lowered as she peers at me.
“Stay back.” It’s a whisper, dancing in the wind, and I frown but keep on moving.
“Gia. What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“Stay back.” The warning comes again, high-pitched and barely audible above the breeze.
It doesn’t make sense. If I can just get to her, then?—
“Heed the warning before I force you back myself.” My head snaps to the left of Gia, where a tall griffin steps from the shadows, a mountain of golds and creams emerging from the depths of darkness to reveal my familiar.
“Oh my goodness,” I say with a gasp, my heart racing in my chest as I quicken my pace, only now he’s my target.
“Stop,” he bites, his front claws sinking into the ground as he stands protectively in front of Gia. His defensive snarl aimed my way.
I freeze, finally letting the warning sink in, but none of it makes sense. I can hear the footsteps of Brax and Figgins behind me, but I don’t turn to check on them as I focus on Ari.
“I don’t know what’s going on, Ari. I’m here to help. I’ve been worried about you.” He circles me, not offering a single word as a deathly silence clings to the air. I can feel his gaze tearing at me, ripping me apart and piecing me together again, but why? For what? “Ari?”
He comes to stand in front of me, head now high with a snarl still lifting his lip. “Of all the men you could have brought, you chose the one I trust the least. How foolish of you to think you could play tricks with me twice.”
“Trust the least? What’s that supposed to mean?” Brax grumbles from behind me, and I startle.
“You can hear him?” I ask, glancing back to see him, and he nods.
What the fuck? It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him about it, but he continues on with his tongue-lashing before I can beat him to it.
“I won’t fall for your foolishness again, skinwalker, I?—”
“Woah… skinwalker? Ari, it’s me, Raven. I’m not a skinwalker.”
My chest tightens with worry as I take a tentative step forward, only to yield again a moment later when he shakes his head vigorously, anger vibrating from him.
“I said?—”
“How can I prove it? Please, Ari, tell me how,” I interject, lifting my hands in his direction while somehow keeping my feet glued to the ground. All I want to do is feel his feathers, fall into his embrace, and drown in the connection I have with him and only him. My familiar.
