When Amerie was finally able to close her eyes with the help of a small sleeping pill from the nurse, she found herself in a large clearing surrounded by trees that seemed to pierce the sky. She whipped her head around at the snap of a twig and was met with the Master’s face. He stood just a couple feet from her with his head tilted to the side, staring at her with his deep blue eyes. He let out a low, evil laugh that sent chills down her spine. Fangs flashed as he smiled at her. “Sweet Amerie,” he hissed at her in a sing song tone. A hand with black nails reached up and stroked through his hair as he took a step closer to her. She tensed as he halted just a step away from her and closed his eyes then inhaled deeply. “Delicious.” He opened his eyes again and let his eyes trace over her face. “Why did you not come to me when I sent for you?”He was so close. She tried to take a step back but couldn’t move. It’s just a dream, she reminded herself. He couldn’t harm her. Just a dream. “W
When she opened her eyes, Amerie was deep in the forest. A moonless night sky was barely visible through the branches above her. The trees were blanketed in the type of darkness that drank up every color and sound. Not even the wind dared blow. “Show yourself, Celena,” Amerie called out. No response. Amerie let out a sigh and began walking. She had no idea where she was supposed to go, but she walked with her hands stuffed in her pockets. The forest was still eerily silent. A small silvery light appeared ahead. Amerie approached it with caution and realized it was a floating orb. When she got close enough to reach out a finger to it, it zipped a few feet away. The light flickered as if beckoning her forward. She hesitated for a moment before taking a step closer. It again floated further away, beckoning her further. Darkness swallowed her whole until the silver orb’s light barely penetrated the dark less than a foot in front of it. The hair on Amerie’s arms stood up as she felt ey
Two months passed with no sign of the Master or Embertaurs. Amerie was more confused and conflicted than before after Minera gave her the key. The sinister cube whispered to her, her internal flames curling towards it as embers cracked in her ears. The key made her want to scream, explode, and silence the world around her. Apollo had found her sitting outside the cave staring at the key in her palm. She’d still been naked and dripping wet and didn’t even blink until he snatched the key from her. He felt a pull from it as well, but nowhere near the intensity that Amerie did. It had led him to her and made him want to shift and bend the creatures of the forest to his will beyond reason, but he did not fall into a trance. The cursed object favored Amerie and her power. They knew they had to hide it before the Master discovered it had been found once more. Amerie and Apollo decided to hide the key in the cellar of the pack house behind wards and protections cast by Brynn and Blaze. The w
Amerie found herself standing in an endless pool of shallow, dark water. Steam rose from the water’s surface and a low, thick cloud cover prevented her from seeing anything around her. Distant screams and cries came from every direction. She tried to take a step, but her feet would not move. “Hello?” she called out. “Where am I?”Thirteen tall, looking figures appeared around her. They were all barely visible through the fog except for their burning red eyes. While they all appeared humanoid, none were entirely human. One had what looked like giant antlers protruding from its skull. Another seemed to have the body of a snake but a human torso and arms. Yet another had a figure similar to that of a centaur. Amerie strained to see more detail but the fog was too thick. The tallest figure, one with four eyes, tilted its head and reached a hand out in her direction. A ringing filled her ears as the air around her thinned. She put a hand on her throat and gasped. Her vision darkened, but j
Amerie felt like she was watching herself tumble in a downward spiral. Her hope for winning the war had been small to start, but it was dwindling even more with each passing day. She went through the motions of recounting her vision with Minera to the others as they sat around her in the small house deep in the forest. Her own words echoed and taunted her as she informed them of her exchange with the goddess and the leering figures that had eyed her from deep in the fog. Everett watched her movements with concern, but the others looked furious. Had they started to realize she was failing them?“We are nothing more than play things for the gods,” Apollo sneered. Brynn and Blaze appeared shocked. “Don’t say that! They will strike you down for such things,” Blaze hissed. “The gods cannot intervene more than permitted.”Mae bared her teeth and shouted back, “The Embertaurs are going to tear down this world of the gods don’t step in!” Everett walked over to stand behind Amerie. He gather
This pull didn’t come in waves like the one before. It was a constant tug, like a pair of strong hands were tightly gripped onto the other end of a taut rope propelling Amerie forward. Asteri’s paws barely hit the forest floor as she sprinted—no, flew through the forest. Kierian struggled to keep up with the pace she set and Apollo was beginning to tire. Still, the two pushed forward as Asteri let the pull take over her. A sharp turn around a large tree trunk had them diving into a different world. The forest was so silent that even the minute sounds of their paws on the grassy ground echoed before they were swallowed up. Asteri slowed, ears flicking in every direction in an attempt to hear the slightest sound. Not even a falling leaf or soft breeze reached her rounded velvet-tipped ears. ‘This isn’t right,’ Amerie warned the black wolf from deep in their shared mind. Asteri huffed quietly in response. Her powers thrummed and crouched like a predator ready to pounce in anticipation
A twig snapped under Amerie’s feet, the sound bouncing off the trees around her. The crow had not called again, but she had found a single black feather a little ways back. Asteri was on high alert in her mind and had lended Amerie her heightened hearing and vision as she continued to stalk deeper into the forest. Strange power charged the chilled air around her. Whispered warnings from things not fully there wove together until they were indistinguishable. Still, she saw nothing but trees in the dark. The tug of power snapped like a broken rope, the feeling accompanied by a caw that sounded more like a scream. Asteri howled in her mind then vanished. Amerie panicked, calling out for her wolf counterpart, but her screams echoed. “Asteri!” she called out loud. A hissing was the only response—definitely not Asteri. Despite the dread she felt, solid determination pushed her forward. As she brushed a clump of low hanging pine branches to the side, a small stream became visible. A long,
Panting, Amerie burst through the trees to find Apollo and Mae pacing where she had left them. Everett had also joined them and was perched on a large rock. Apollo and Everett noticed her in the same heartbeat and both rushed to her. Apollo stopped short and watched as Everett scooped her up in his arms. Mae gave her a curt nod of greeting and watched the forest behind Amerie to be sure she hadn’t been followed. Everett’s kiss was not one of hesitation. He kissed her with relief and need. Amerie’s cheeks reddened as she broke away after a moment, acutely aware of their small audience. Apollo had turned his back to them, but Mae stood there with a smirk on her face. As much as she wished to remain in his arms until the pieces of her fell back into place, Amerie broke free from Everett’s grasp. She looked toward Apollo and asked, “Is Tyler—““Doc called. He’s working on him.” Apollo interrupted. “He lost a lot of blood, but right now the doc is hopeful.”Hopeful. Not certain. “I need