Page 5 of Knightfall
I pried a second bottle from her shocked form and raced to the window as the door to her bedroom burst open.
I dove through the glass and twisted open a bottle as I fell. I put the vial to my lips as I met the spy master’s eyes.
Cat, I thought.
And then … I landed on four paws.
Chapter Two
Icursed myself as I ran. Cat? That was the best I could come up with? What shite! Why not mountain lion? Wolf? Wolf would have been a better choice. Yes, as a cat I was small, but I wasn’t well equipped to deal with the forest’s wild animals. And stupid magic. I hadn’t been specific when I was falling and shouted out an animal.
I glanced down at my four paws and saw they were all brown. But my legs were sarding grey. Light grey. Like a Siamese cat. Might as well have tied a flaming torch to my back. I was pretty sure moonlight was reflecting off my gorgeous bright grey fur as I dodged through the bushes. I would be ridiculously easy to spot. And I was stuck in this form until the spell wore off or someone reversed it. I wouldn’t be able to get to my sword, my money, or my clothes until then. They were all … I wasn’t really sure where they went. I’m sure the mage master had told me what happened to objects during a spell like this, but I hadn’t thought I’d needed to listen. Stupid younger me.
At least I matched Quinn’s eyes. Those piercing, arresting, storm-cloud eyes. I wondered how long he’d been pursuing me. This was the first time in four years he’d gotten close. At least, it was the first time I knew of. I wondered if he would chase me through the forest. I stopped to eye a nearby tree. Maybe I should climb and watch. Better than running all night. I could conserve my energy and watch where he went, then skulk off in the opposite direction.
I stopped at a promising massive oak. Twitching leaves set my nerves on high alert and sent me skittering up the trunk.
Plonk.
I fell backwards.
Apparently, climbing was an acquired cat skill, not an instinct.
I tried again. This time my claws latched on tight. I hugged the tree with all my strength and gradually worked out how to sink one set of claws at a time in. It was slow going up the trunk. I’d just reached the first branch when I heard a twig crack behind me. I shivered and lowered myself to clutch the branch in front of me.
From the bushes, a bobcat emerged. Its ears were pitched forward, listening. The cat’s lanky limbs stalked through the trees.
I couldn’t help a low hiss.
The bobcat immediately paused.
For a second, I wished that Quinn would come this way. The spy master’s tromping would scare off this beast. And I wouldn’t have to huddle here, shivering, cursing my stupid territorial cat aggression.
I crouched lower on the branch and tucked my tail around me.
That sliver of movement gave me away. One minute, the bobcat was on the ground, the next minute my wide eyes were facing its open jaw.
“Sard!” I tried to say. All that came out was a howling mewl.
I backed away but lost my grip and started to tumble sideways.
My stomach jerked upward from the fall.
Strong jaws latched onto the loose skin on the back of my neck.
My body swung back and forth like a pendulum.
I’m a sarding saddlegoose, I thought. I’m going to die eaten by a wild animal. ‘Here lie the bones of Princess Bloss, heir to Evaness. Princess Peacemaker. Cursed beyond reason. And stupid enough to be eaten by a cat. A bear? Nope, you heard it right. A sarding cat.’
I cringed and rolled myself into a ball the best I could as the bobcat shuffled back down the tree with me.
My heart beat a million miles a minute.
To my shock, the cat didn’t rip into me once he reached the forest floor. Nope, he set off at a trot.
Shite, I thought. Is he a she? Is she a mother? With a den of cubs? Am I going to be torn apart by dozens of inexperienced tiny sharp teeth? Hell no.
I swung my legs and tail and wildly and flung myself around.
