Page 23 of Ignited Spirits
We can’t just walk after Lua. She’ll catch us before we even get close enough to figure out what she’s up to. I need some way to hide myself so I can sneak after her without her knowing. But the question is, how?
Being her usually unhelpful self, Aggie retorts, “Well, don’t you think you should figure it out sometime this century, kid?”
I roll my eyes at her. “Nah, I was just planning on standing here until she ends the world. Way less work that way.”
Archer snorts at my response.
“So, anyone have any idea how we can sneak after Lua?” I ask, not having much hope that there’s a way.
I’m the one fated to take her down, so it feels like I should have all the answers. Unfortunately, I don’t.
Levi scrubs a hand over his face, looking exhausted, even though we just got up. With how calm he normally is, I used to want to see a situation that could ruffle him. Now that his mom is weighing on him so much, I’d give anything to fix it for him.
“I don’t have anything helpful to offer, little raven. Lua is more powerful and more experienced than I am. I’m afraid she’ll be able to sense whatever magic we try to use to disguise ourselves. We may just have to wait until she’s gone and hope we can figure out what she was doing.” Levi hangs his head, and his shoulders slump.
I hate how defeated he looks.
Walking over to him, I hesitantly wrap my arms around him. Levi is quick to hug me back. He squeezes a little too hard, like he desperately needs something to ground him.
“We’ll figure it out, screech owl. It’s not the end of the world if we can’t follow her this time. We can always think of a better way for next time,” I whisper to him, hoping I can reassure him at least a little.
“We can go after her,sagana,”Cer rasps in my mind.
I jump at his voice, not having noticed myfamiliarisarrive. They’re in their rottweiler form and are staring up at me expectantly.
“Yeah, and you can even see through our eyes while we do! It’ll be cool!”Russ enthusiastically chimes in.
My eyebrows raise in surprise. I didn’t know seeing through their eyes was a feature that came with myfamiliaris. Then again, I didn’t know thatfamiliareswere really a thing.
“I appreciate the offer, guys,” I tell them gently, not wanting to make them feel bad. “But I think Lua’s going to notice a three-headed dog following her.”
Russ flashes me a doggie grin before Cerberus disappears in a flash of magic. When the black and red cloud dissipates, a slightly larger than average rat is standing in their place. I’m not even sure it’s them, because it’s a one-headed, normal-seeming rat.
“Can Cerberus turn into a rat?” I ask Levi to avoid talking to a random rodent like a weirdo.
“We can. In fact, we can turn into most forms, but our three-headed ones closest to our natural form are the most comfortable,”Bear informs me.
“How does the whole three-head thing work when you only have one?” I’m aware it’s not the most pressing issue, but I have to know.
Russ chuffs in my mind.“We still have three heads! You just can’t see them in this form.”
Now I feel dumb for asking. That totally makes sense.
“So, how do I see the world through your eyes?” I ask, wanting to get this show on the road. We’ve spent too much time talking as it is.
Who knows if Lua’s already finished what she needs to do, and the trail has run cold.
Instead of answering, Cerberus scampers over to me and bites an exposed section of my leg.
I hiss in surprise and pain. Before I can ask them what in the hell, it feels like the world drops out from underneath me. I’m falling for an eternity before I slam into the ground.
CHAPTER 9
IZZY
Iblink in confusion, wondering what just happened.
When I look around, it seems like I’m almost on the floor, which is strange. I was definitely standing a minute ago. Turning in a circle, I see myself cradled in Bishop’s arms, eyes closed and unconscious.
