Page 69 of A Trial of Two Worlds
I reached out and grasped Neera’s hand. “I’ll bring him back.”
“I know.” Neera sighed, holding back her tears. “I just… We can’t lose him, too, Sky.”
“We won’t,” I answered with a firm tone. I clutched her hand once more before letting it go. “Guard Neera,” I told Rhea and Talon, who nodded in understanding.“If it comes to it, take her to safety, and leave me behind.”
Rhea released a small whine, followed by Talon’s bark of understanding.
I approached the falls, the sound of the pounding waters drowning out the noise of my boots against the loosened rocks along the riverbed. The trees bent over the bank provided essential cover, allowing me time to scan the tranquil pool and large boulders near the base of the falls.
The cascading waters raced over the top of the ledge, almost fifty feet above, before crashing down with enough force to pound massive rocks into rubble.Ifought to forget loving memories of this place, focusing solely on the task at hand… Rescuing my uncle.
“Where are you, Magnus?” I muttered to myself.I know you’re here somewhere.
My heart skipped a beat when I felt a familiar brush of power toward the top of the falls.
The familiar knock of Shaw’s presence brushed against my mind, but I pushed him away. I didn’t need his help with this. If I acknowledged his presence, he would take it as a sign to jump in and interfere.
The large head of a ferocious grizzly bear looked down at me. The rich, solid, deep russet color of his coat was paired with the Cathal green eyes that I memorized as a small child. His sheer size alone confirmed that this was Magnus.
I held out my palms, trying to make myself seem smaller, projecting that I meant no harm. I had never encountered a shifter lost to their animal form. It was rare, an urban myth parents used as threats to ensure we fell in line and behaved, or else, when we grew up, our animals would take over and never let us go.
“Magnus,” I bellowed over the roar of the crashing waters cascading over the falls.
The bear turned and looked at me momentarily before returning to foraging, oblivious to my call. A pain of grief shot through me as I questioned if we had lost him completely.
“Magnus!” I yelled, with a push of my magic, gaining his attention. “It’s me, Skylar.”
The bear’s long claws clicked over the edge as he peered down the cliff face. I searched his eyes for any hint of my uncle still dwelling beneath. In one powerful movement, he launched from the rocks, bounding down the falls to land across from me.
Still, to this day, it amazed me how quick and agile Magnus was in his bear form. Standing on all fours, his shoulder was taller than my stature, and when he raised up onto his hind legs, he towered over everything in his path.
His magic pulsed, and I desperately reached to cling to it. The bear shook his head from side to side, clearly agitated as he clawed at the loose rubble,pushing against the link I was attempting to create through our minds.
“Don’t fight it,” I said across the waters separating us. “Magnus, come back to us. We need you.”
The bear grunted and roared, his agitation rising as my proximity to him narrowed. Inside, my animal was cautious, urging me to be patient. I stalked to my uncle’s side, biding my time. My animal was ready to send me a boost of magic to help forge a connection to the human residing within.
“Father,” Neera’s plea echoed from behind, but unfortunately, it only seemed to make matters worse.
The bear reared up on his hind legs and released a massive roar, baring his teeth and turning his gaze on the wolves and panther waiting behind me. He saw them now and knew I hadn’t come alone.
Shit, this was not the plan.
“Take her away,”I commanded Rhea and Talon.“He’s seeing this as a threat to his territory. Move Neera back now!”
“Skylar—” Neera began.
“No, Neera,” I said, taking my eyes off Magnus. “Go with Rhea and Talon.”
“No, Skylar— Watch out!” Neera screamed as Magnus charged through the river, heading straight for me.
I pivoted and dove to my left, leaping over a boulder to avoid the swipe of his massive claws that would have easily shredded my flesh to pieces. In a flash, a large figure challenging Magnus’s size and strength leaped from the cover of the trees and slammed into his frame, forcing him backward into the shallows along the river.
Shaw was leaner than Magnus, but my friend had his own set of lethal teeth and claws to combat his larger foe.
“Shaw!” Neera screamed as he stood between me and Magnus, baring his teeth and matching my uncle’s roar with his own.
I reached out to Shaw’s mind.“Don’t hurt him.”
