Page 91 of Dark Bonds

Suddenly, there’s chaos in the hallway. Screams echo off the walls, followed by this bone-chilling growl that can only be a shadow beast. As the sound hits me, I’m thrown back into that storm we saw in the shadow realm. Is this connected? Are the threats following us into our world now? My heart’s pounding, but there’s also this weird sense of... readiness, like I’ve been waiting for this shoe to drop.

Everyone freezes for a moment, then panic sets in. Students rush for the exits, pushing and shoving. The scent of fear is palpable, sharp, and acrid in the air.

I’m torn between the instinct to run and the pull to help. Professor Everett’s voice cuts through the chaos, steady and commanding.

“Everyone, stay calm! Head for the nearest safe room. Those with combat training, prepare to defend if necessary.”

A smaller shadow beast, about the size of a large dog, bursts into the classroom. Its eyes glow an eerie red, and darkness seems to roll off its form like smoke. The temperature plummets, and I see my breath misting in the air.

Without thinking, I step forward, placing myself between the beast and the fleeing students. I can feel the shadows responding to my call, coiling around my arms like living tendrils.

Suddenly, Leo bursts into the room, his eyes wild with concern. “Frankie!” he shouts, rushing toward me, but as he tries to summon his shadows to help, they flicker and dissipate, refusing to obey his command. Frustration and fear flash across his face as he realizes he can’t control his abilities.

Shadow shifters aren’t supposed to be able to use their gifts here in the human realm, but I can.

“Leo, stay back!” I yell, my focus split between him and the snarling beast before me.

The beast lunges toward me. I throw up a barrier of shadows, not solid but disorienting enough to make it stumble. The air crackles with energy, and I taste metal on my tongue.

“Frankie, be careful!” Professor Everett shouts, moving to flank the creature. His eyes are wide with a mix of fear and fascination.

Something feels... off. The beast’s aggression doesn’t feel natural. Its eyes are wild, almost panicked. On a hunch, I reach out with my senses, trying to connect with it the way I did with my shadow wolves.

I’m hit with a wave of confusion and fear. This creature isn’t attacking out of malice. It’s terrified, lashing out blindly. I canfeel its terror at being ripped from its home in the shadow realm as if it were my own.

“Wait!” I call out to Professor Everett, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “I think I can calm it down!”

Keeping my shadow barrier up, I focus on projecting feelings of safety and peace. It’s like trying to soothe a frightened animal, but on a much deeper level. As I reach out to it, I feel a pull, as if the shadows want to draw me in completely. It’s terrifying, exhilarating, and addicting. The darkness around me deepens, and for a moment, I lose sight of the classroom entirely.

Slowly, the beast’s growls subside. Its glowing eyes fix on me, and I feel a tentative connection forming. The air around us seems to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

“That’s it,” I murmur, my voice a mix of comfort and command. “You’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you.”

The beast’s form shimmers, the smoke-like darkness dissipating. With a final whine, it shrinks down to the size of a small cat, then it slinks over to huddle against my legs. Its fur is soft but cold, like touching a shadow given form.

The classroom is silent. I look up to see Professor Everett, Leo, and the few remaining students staring at me in awe. The tension in the air is palpable.

“Well done, Frankie,” Professor Everett says softly, his eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and something darker. “Very well done indeed.”

Dorian approaches, his intense gaze fixed on me. In a low voice that sends shivers down my spine, he says, “You’ve touched something primal, Frankie. Be careful. Power like that always comes with a price.”

Leo stands nearby, his expression a mix of relief and frustration. “I... I couldn’t help,” he says, his voice tight with anger and disappointment. “My shadows wouldn’t respond.”

As the adrenaline fades, I realize my hands are shaking. I crouch down to scratch the now docile shadow beast behind its ears, my mind reeling. Its purr vibrates through me, a sound that seems to come from the depths of the shadow realm itself.

What just happened? How did I know I could do that? Why do I have the sinking feeling that this is just the beginning of something much bigger?

I meet Professor Everett’s gaze, seeing pride and worry in his eyes. Whatever’s coming, I have a feeling I’m going to need all the help, and all the hidden knowledge, I can get. The shadows around us seem to deepen, as if responding to the weight of the moment, and I can’t shake the feeling that I just took my first step down a very dark path.

As the last of the panicked students clear out, leaving just Professor Everett, Dorian, Leo, and me with the calmed shadow beast, I can’t help but wonder if this attack was random, or if someone or something is testing us. The thought sends a chill down my spine, and I instinctively pull the shadows closer around me like a protective cloak.

Leo moves closer, his eyes fixed on the shadow beast. “How did you do that, Frankie?” he asks. “I couldn’t even get my shadows to respond, but you... you controlled it.”

I shake my head, still unsure myself. “I don’t know, Leo. It just... felt right somehow.”

Professor Everett clears his throat, drawing our attention. “What you just witnessed, Frankie, is an ability thought to be long lost to our kind. The power to communicate with and calm shadow beasts is mentioned in the oldest texts, but I’ve never seen it firsthand.”

His eyes gleam with barely contained excitement as he continues. “This changes everything. If you can control shadow beasts, who knows what other ancient abilities you might possess?”

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