Page 130 of The Wolf and the Chimera
Elle
On the outskirts of a bustling town, I woke to blindingly bright sunshine.
People bustled down well-worn dirt paths and under limestone arches. Ivy crawled across the pale buildings’ walls, and flowers flourished from balconies. I rose on shaky feet andwalked to the edge of the path, which was atop a craggy hill. Far below, crystal blue waters drifted toward the pale, sandy beaches and receded.
Figures dotted the beach, soaking in the sunshine. Some of them appeared human, but others wore fur and claws and feathers. Chimeras sprawled in their backs with their paws and hooves dangling above them. Bears splashed in the water, and hawks soared above the waves, basking in the sea spray. A group of wolf pups chased a gaggle of young tigers down the beach. Mingled with the gentle churning of waves, magic buzzed in the air.
Shifters,I realized.All different kinds of shifters.
I blinked, and the scene guttered. Light blurred at the edges of my vision, and the lovely landscape blurred in and out of focus.
Focus,the sorceress grumbled.We are in danger. Give me control so we can be free.
Power simmered in my veins, and my surroundings became solid again. Insistent and snarling, my chimera stirred.
Memories circled back to me—of Bo’s betrayal, and Lyall’s wretched plan.
He had knocked me unconscious again to drain me of my power, so why was I here, in some distant city? If the sorceress hadn’t sent me this vision, then who did?
In the corner of my mind, my chimera chuffed.
I remembered the flashes of green scales and tusks I had seen in Circe’s labyrinth, and Circe’s words echoed in my ears.
Seek your history and discover how to right it, young chimera.
My chimera possessed access to an ancient well of knowledge that I did not. I studied the ancient city again.
She wanted me to see this.
Though I was desperate to claw my way back to consciousness, I trusted my chimera to do whatever she could to get me out of the mess we were in.
You’re trusting a beast over me?the sorceress spat.
Pretty much,I quipped.
I strode toward the city.
As I walked, people of all different backgrounds populated the streets. Wearing tunics and draping fabrics, vendors sold cheeses, breads, and fish, and shared friendly banter with their customers. Lovers walked hand-in-hand, and mothers tugged their children into shops.
All of them buzzed with familiar magic—magic that hummed against my skin in greeting.
All these people—these joyous, wonderful people—were shifters.
I stopped in the street and basked. “This is what we once were?”
No one answered or glanced my way, and I remembered that I wasn’t really here. My chimera’s magic allowed me to glimpse this place, but the city was long gone.
How?
How had the sorceress whittled us from this—from people with families and lives and a thriving city—into vessels hunted nearly to extinction?
What had brought the other shifters down?
A middle-aged man with a fearsome expression and a sword strapped to his side caught my attention. Unlike the other shifters, he moved swiftly through the street and weaved through the crowds with purpose. I locked my gaze on his form and followed him.
Because of his long stride, I was forced to jog uphill to keep up with him. As the paths winded higher and higher, my breath grew ragged, and sweat slicked my brow, but I didn’t slow. We crested another hill, grassy hills replaced the towering buildings. A blessedly cool breeze cooled my skin, and my gaze caught on the immense temple before us.
Constructed of glittering black obsidian and gold, the temple sprawled across the hill. Dozens of pillars held up its triangular roof, symbols blazed across its eave, and magic radiated from its depths. Two chimeras in their beastly formsguarded the dark mouth of the temple’s entrance.
