Behind My Shadow - Book Three

38. Each Time You Reach Out

I try to test the perimeter by throwing a rock into the clearing. Nothing happens though, no towering wall of fire shoots up from the ground to torch it.

Huh. It must only work if a person tries to cross into the clearing.

So how am I supposed to do this? C'mon, brain, think!

I start pacing along the fringes of the clearing, trying to concoct something that'll help me get around this trap. My attention is suddenly brought back to the clearing as a few random birds flutter down from the trees to nettle the ground. I guess animals don't trigger the perimeter security, I muse as I absently stroke my Amulet.

I suddenly gasp as an idea hits me. OMG! Wait a second! The Amulet? One of the Talents it contains is the ability to transform into animals. I believe this was Yvett's Talent.

Okay, I'm not really sure how to do this -I've never even imagined transforming into an animal before- but I close my eyes to better envision what it is I'm trying to shape into.

I search through my connection with the Alice Amulet to find Yvett's talent. As I reach out for it, it's like a whole menagerie comes to life in my ears. The distant howls, growls and roars of an entire world's worth of animals ring throughout my head. But I only try to focus on finding one.

I reach through our bond and summon her Talent. Make me...a cat.

A flourish of icy blue light briefly washes over me, I can feel the magical embers land on my skin and now feel them rapidly crawling over me. I feel my body shudder in one heartbeat and now for a split second I'm blinded by the lights.

Now as I anxiously blink my eyes open, I realize that I'm standing much closer to the forest floor than I was a mere moment ago. And now I have four legs.

It worked! I mew with thrill, excitedly looking my little furry paws over. I'm a little white and gray Scottish Fold. I'm still wearing my Amulet, it hangs around my neck like a collar and, much to my surprise, I'm still wearing the Vorpal cuirass. It's now been shrunk down to kitty harness size. I'm so pleased with myself, I actually start purring.

But I quickly try to remind myself that I should be staying focused, I'm on a Labor after all. It wouldn't be in anyone's best interest if I started randomly chasing butterflies or climbing trees, so I hone my attention again and now cautiously pad over to the perimeter.

I tentatively put my paw down, my tail is bushy with anxiety, but much to my relief I'm not caught on fire again or hurled through the air. I slink into the clearing with my belly low, anxiously keeping my head on a swivel.

I'm so tiny and adorable, I might look like the perfect snack to any lurking predators.

All the birds scatter into the sky as I prowl through the clearing, now I soundlessly spring onto the monument, landing on the shelf that connects the "A" in the middle. Now what? I mew and paw at the air as I search for clues. My compass led me here for a reason, and I highly doubt a giant marble "A" would just be sitting here in the middle of nowhere unless it had a purpose.

Where's my armor? I sit up on my back legs like a meercat as I look the monument over yet again. There's gotta be some kind of trap door or something for me to -

There! My eyes zero in on an engraving etched into the top of the monument. It looks like the outline of the sun. Weird. I shake my head. Is it another type of keyhole? I don't have anything that looks like the sun though... All I have is my compass, but I know that won't fit, and I have that pearl bracelet, but it doesn't have anything that would match these rays...

No, wait a second. Maybe the bracelet is the answer. I found it when I found the cuirass. Just like when I found my helmet, I found the compass that led me to all the other pieces. The Alices told me that everything I need will already be with me. Maybe the bracelet is the key!

I remember now how it springs open with spikes; the spikes could be a perfect fit for this sun shaped lock.

I swiftly summon element air and use the wind to carry my bracelet I left with my helmet over to me. After I fumble with it for a few moments -struggling to open it without any thumbs- the bracelet suddenly springs open. I leap back with an alarmed hiss.

Whew, okay, don't freak out, Adara, I roll eyes to myself and now clumsily lift the spikey bracelet to insert into the lock. As soon as the bracelet is even near the keyhole, a force like gravity whisks it out of my paws and the bracelet fastens with a musical click. I widen my eyes with awe as the lock starts glowing golden while it slowly rotates.

The shelf I sit on abruptly starts to shake.

I leap down with a soft mew and now stand up on my toes to watch as the shelf lifts open. I can imagine my eyes reflecting the aureate glow that basks from the opening compartment. I see them! Here, nestled among a spread of crush velvet, are the Vorpal pauldrons!

Before I can study their beauty too much though, my attention is swiftly brought up by the crackle sound of fire. I look around frantically, my jaw drops in surprise as I see the white flames protecting the clearing spring up into the air with a deafening crackle. Their blaze only lasts a second though and now they rapidly fizzle out, leaving me surrounded by nothing more than a circle of wispy smoke.

The protection charm has been lifted!

I excitedly shapeshift back into my human girl self and now all of Raetri suddenly starts to tremble, marking the end of yet another Labor.

Yes! Labor nine is down! I laugh victoriously. I carefully pick up the pauldrons now, looking them over with affection and amazement. They too are platinum-looking, like the rest of my armor, and they also are decked out in golden etchings. They are studded in golden fangs fused to the armor and a huge, curved spike protrudes from each pauldron fiercely.

Now all that's left to do is find my shield and then I return to the Palace. I excitedly sweep up my helmet and compass and now resume my trek through the forest, eager to begin my next Labor.