The Raven and the Wraith Book 2 (Completed!)

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 40

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 40

The branch I had chosen approached at a terrifying rate. It was, perhaps, the first time I had ever been so apprehensive of a piece of wood. The fear that my newfound Werecat strength wouldn't be enough to catch me made my mouth feel like I had just eaten a shovelful of hot, dry sand. I decided it wasn't the most delicious taste.

I reached out and caught the branch, swinging my legs forward as I did. I had intended to convert my direct downward motion into a horizontal swing. Instead, because the combination of my new, unfamiliar strength, and my incredible downward speed, I ended up completing a shoulder-socket stretching 3/4 rotation before my stunned senses suggested I should let go.

The branch was young and strong. It bent under my weight, then added force as it yanked me back up. I now found myself soaring rather gracefully both upwards and outwards. I wondered if it were possible to scream like a little girl in this form.

The garden flashed by below me, and even as part of my mind howled in horror at the idea of landing flat on my back, my body twisted of its own accord, and I came down into the central yard of the garden in a precise, balanced roll.

I stood, looking around with shock mingled with glee, hardly believing that I had no broken bones, or was even hurt in any way. I rolled my shoulders, feeling the raw strength, the sheer life, coursing through me, and grinned like an idiot. Not dying when you thought you were certain to would make anyone grin like an idiot, so I gave myself a break.

Approaching voices warned me I was about to have company.

"Over here! I saw it land somewhere right in the middle of the garden!"

"Saw what? And where did you say it came from?"

A young Cha'el boy and an older Cha'el male, moving quickly along a nearby garden path. I glanced around, looking for an escape route. I could not be found like this, it would undoubtedly raise alarms and an armed response. I had no idea what type of war magic the Cha'el had, and was not about to try to find out now.

My view of the garden suddenly shifted. It faded slightly, all colors losing most of their intensity, except for a few different lines leading off along different paths. Those lines were glowing with a kaleidoscope of soft colors, a beckoning blend, full of hidden meaning in the depths of their swirling colors.

There were five of these glowing paths. I had no idea what they were, but I had no time to ponder them. I dove at the brightest one, nearly letting out a very unlikely squeak of surprise at my own unexpected, blurring speed, and then I was following the glowing line at a dead sprint.

The garden flashed by, towering trees, vibrant coiling plants, and great, hanging baskets of brilliant flowers. I saw the occasional park bench, or small, decorative water fountain, but the glowing trail I followed did not always follow the intended footpaths through the garden. Sometimes I raced along the brick walkways, and other times I sped through the thickest clumps of plants, always moving at mind-numbing speed.

And always perfectly silently.

I reached the garden wall and easily vaulted it, even though it was at least twenty feet high. I landed in an alleyway, in the city, laughing quietly at the giddy sensation of soaring so effortlessly over the wall. Grinning as I realized exactly how silently I had been running. My path had taken me mere feet away from multiple Cha'el in the garden, and they had not heard or sensed me, despite their extremely acute senses. It was beautiful!

I looked at the entry to the alleyway, hearing footsteps. This alleyway was a dead end, and the walls around me rose up at least eighty feet, except for the garden wall. I stepped back, pressing myself firmly against the wall. Pressing myself into the thicker shadows there.

Just before the Cha'el rounded the corner into the alleyway I felt a shiver run along the black fur covering me from head to toe. It tickled slightly, like a thousand fingers had just traced over me, but then it was gone.

The Cha'el walked into the alley, his purple eyes glowing in the shadows as they adjusted to the darkness. And he walked right past me, never looking over, never acknowledging me in any way.

I knew the Cha'el had excellent night vision, so this was baffling. But now I was unusually intensely curious why he had decided to stroll into a dead-end alley. I watched as he walked up to the end wall, seeing him tilt his head and close his eyes. He was scanning for anyone nearby. Which told me something interesting was about to happen.

Once he was satisfied he was alone, he faced the brick wall and carefully placed both hands on specific spots out to either side of him. The bricks shimmered, losing their defined edges. Then they swirled, a blurry mixture that immediately made me feel nauseous just watching. I averted my eyes for a second.

There was a rustle of sound, of movement, and when I looked back the Cha'el was gone, and the wall was back to normal. I felt my new, pointed ears prick up in surprise. I didn't know what I had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that!

I studied the wall, seeing unique patterns to the glow of its place in the world. It was a revelation when I realized I was seeing the world about me in deeper ways than mere sight alone. Like I could see the structure of individuality that everything carried. 

I turned my head slowly, the frigid snake of dread coiling around my insides as I looked at the thin, flowing rivers of raw, red power that traced around and through everything here. That savage red power of unfettered Life, that limitless river that had threatened to sweep me away when I had touched it when I first came to this realm.

I knew my new Werecat eyes would give me insights into the nature of the relationship between this power and me. I would finally understand why this power was nourishing to every living thing here, but threatened me on the most fundamental level.

And I wasn't at all ready to face what I was going to learn.