Games [The Electro Cosmos Book 2]

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

As the bodies slept in the small house, the morning sun began to soak through the windows. As the coal from the fire glowed, a black smog drifted through the surrounding woods, seeping through the cracks in the window. It drifted through the house, slithering like a snake through the given spaces. The smoke shifted, moving over the faces of slumbering humans, studying them.

One sat up in bed, watching the familiar smoke as if she conjured it. She hadn't. Instead of moving to rid of the shadows, she continued to watch, her eyes blank but knowing. She invited it to study her, holding up her hand as it swam around her. This smoke was harmless, simply observing them. Who or what was controlling it would determine the threat. In order to understand it, Rae had to let it in. When she did, she felt the warmth of the smoke drift into her hand, identifying the culprit. Although it was not an enemy, it was not friendly either. Rae shifted her hand slightly and the smog shuddered to a stop. Then she pushed her hand out, sending it away in time to disappear before anyone noticed.

Mila woke to a loud bang as Louis Jr. set the cooled pot of soup on the table, shaking the entire room. Everyone was already awake, packing and assisting with cleaning the house. The only one still waking was Heidi beside her, curled into her. As she opened her eyes, they both looked at each other for a moment before sitting up.

"Nice to see you two awake," Griss stated, amusement in her voice. She looked between the two of them, eyes bright and happy. "We are just about to leave. Rae, Roxy, Calynn and the boys are preparing the horses."

Mila stood, looking around as everyone cleaned up, helping Louis with his chores. Louis Sr. was nowhere to be found, not even outside. In moments, the house was clean and the group was shuffling out the door. Mila followed Heidi out last. Louis watched as everyone mounted their horses. Mila helped Alicia onto Mykai, who opened her wings up, elegantly raising them above her head.

"Thank you for the hospitality," Mila said to Louis as Alicia laughed. Leroy jumped into her arms. Mila could see the tense fear of flying in his fur, but it did not deter him form comforting the small child. "Tell your father we send our regards and hope to see you again."

She mounted Mykai behind Alicia. Lilianna lead the group this time, Griss by her side. They ran towards the road, gaining speed as the ground flattened out. Mykai spread her wings as the forest opened and flapped her wings hard, taking to the air.

The forest below was blooming with colored leaves, the floor of the forest blanketed with them. Alicia began to laugh, the thrill of being in the air so overpowering she could not help but raise her hands into the air. Mila looked below, watching the others run below. She could hear Griss shout as a smoke slithered around them and through the woods.

Mo screamed.

The smoke began to rise, swallowing them. Rae slowed, trying to gain control of the shadow as it passed through the group below. She tried to harness it, pull it into her body but she only managed to absorb the shadow around her and leave her exposed. Everyone else had to protect themselves from the smog.

Mila jumped from Mykai, feeling the shift before she began her decent. Her wolf extended, swallowing her human form as she tumbled into a tree, hitting branches until she hit the ground with a thud. She stood dazed, but shook it away quickly to help her friends. She spotted Mo with her brother, her horse sprinting to get away from the smog uselessly. Mila ran for them, barking commands to her companions in a language humans could not understand. She grasped Mo by the back of her cloak, brother still in hand and ran for her life.