The Reluctant Sacrifice

2

 Majestic wings slapped the air. With beaks pointed toward the ground, the hawks plunged into the market. Shrieking, the shoppers covered their heads and ducked. But the hawks did not attack. With a burst of feathers, they transformed into naked, muscular men and women. Wings and tails billowed out like smoke, and then formed hooded, feathered cloaks around their bodies.

The crowd heaved a collective gasp. I did not. I could do nothing but stare at Joshua Kaito. He stood twenty feet in front of me. Hair as black as soot spilled down to his chin, and sunlight bounced off the crystal in the gold medallion at his throat. Shape-shifting had hardened his features, sharpening them in a way that made him beautiful, but also terrifying to look at. A whirlwind of emotions whipped through me.

Did his lips recall mine? "Please remember," I whispered.

Joshua's head swung to the left. I followed his gaze. My heart plunged when I saw Mom. She was hard to miss since she was the only one moving. Making no effort at stealth, she shouldered her way toward the gate.

Joshua's narrowed eyes clouded with doubt, but then blazed with purpose when Mom flipped him off. "Over there," he hollered, pointing to Mom."

Mom bolted. Joshua dashed after her like a comet. His fellow hunters followed, jabbing elbows and knees into those who blocked their paths. Panic rolled through the crowd. Fear screamed at me to go with the tide of bodies to safety, but instincts—or stupidity—screamed at me to stay.

I planted my feet, but I was no match for the crowd. I crashed to the ground, skinning my palms on the pavement. Using my backpack as leverage, I pushed my body upright. No sooner had I stood than a leg the size of a tree trunk struck me in the stomach. Pain ripped through my chest, threatening to split my heart in two. The ground tilted up to kiss my cheek. Shades of gold danced beneath my eyelids. Then the world turned to black.



My eyelids refused to part. It was as though someone had knitted them together. The ground was hard beneath my back and cold. Drawing a shallow breath, I lifted a hand. My fingers brushed smooth flesh over hard muscles. Shock pried my lids apart. Blinking rapidly, I looked around. Thick gray fog sat on the market like a soggy, unwashed blanket.

"You should run before this fog clears," said an urgent voice.

I spun, so quickly that my neck crunched. A tall hunter knelt beside me, his thickly muscled shoulders straining against his cloak. His feathered hood fell to the tip of his nose. Unsightly scars formed a cruel beard across his cheeks. Despite their ugliness, I reached for his hood.

The tall hunter jerked to his feet like a spring had shot up beneath him. "What part of run don't you understand?"

I scooted back. Hunters did not show mercy. A few could be bribed to turn a blind eye, but most believed too strongly in their duty to bargain. That duty was to see to it that the exiles remained loyal to Celo, the ruler of Aramith. Celo had stripped our ancestors of their immortal birthright and condemned their souls to human flesh for joining his brother, Charr, in a failed rebellion.

"Did my Mom send you?" I said.

"Forget your mom. Rose isn't leaving here alive. Lefu wants her dead, today."

Rage washed over me, snuffing out fear. I scrambled to my feet. "Tell my dad if he wants Mom dead to come do it himself."

His full lips twitched. "Joshua said you were stubborn. He did not say you were stupid."

My bones turned to jelly. "Joshua sent you?"

"Yes, to bind your hands and feet."

Hope curdled inside me like sour milk. I took a step back, opening my eyes wide to ward off tears. "Then why are you telling me to run?"