Page 49 of Kingdom of Chaos
I spin back around, bracing myself for whatever monstrous creature is crashing through the undergrowth. A prehistoric alligator? A multi-headed snake spewing acid? A jaguar with scales instead of fur and claws like machetes?
The last row of trees snaps like twigs.
And what steps out is not what I expected.
It’s huge, roughly the size of an elephant, with elongated ears, powerful hind legs, and enormous brown eyes. Its body is covered in downy brown fur that stirs gently in the breeze. It blinks slowly, watching us.
My brain stalls.
Because while it looks oddly familiar, like an enchanted creature out of a children’s storybook, there’s something deeply unsettling about seeing it here, towering over us in the middle ofthe swamp, so wildly out of place. But then my thoughts scatter because?—
It. Is. So. Cute.
Standing less than a bus length in front of me is the largest, most adorable, absurdly fluffy bunny I’ve ever seen. I have to lock my knees to stop myself from running over and giving it a cuddle.
I fall in love instantly. I want to name it, take it home, make it my pet.
“Whatisthat?” Imogen asks, her face a mix of horror and awe as she stares up at the oversized bunny.
“I think it’s a marsh rabbit,” Titus says slowly, as if trying to convince himself as much as the rest of us.
“You guys, this is it!” Ensley calls. “I really found the gate!”
I ignore her. All I can think about is whether that fur is as soft as it looks. I take a step toward the giant floof, one hand outstretched.
Monster?Please. This creature couldn’t be more adorable. With its twitching nose and wide, innocent eyes, it’s clearly not here to eat us.
It just wants love. It just wants cuddles.
And lucky for it, I happen to be an expert in floofy-animal snuggles.
All my fear and trepidation melt away. There’s no rush now. We can take our time finding the gate. I’ll just distract the “monster” with belly rubs and baby talk.
“I’m going to call you Fluffy,” I say, taking another step forward, fully intending to ask if it wants to be my pet-slash-best friend.
The giant rabbit might be a little big for our apartment, but maybe I can convince Ensley and Becks’ parents to let me keep it in the stables behind their house. It pays to have rich friends. Then I could visit every day and take care of it. I didn’t know Ihad a bunny-shaped hole in my heart until this exact moment, and only this adorable nugget can fill it.
Before I can take another step, Talon grabs my arm and yanks me back against his chest. “No, Locklyn!” he snaps.
I glance over my shoulder at him, chuckling as I shrug out of his grip. “What are you so afraid of? It’s just a?—”
A roar splits the air, so loud I have to slap my hands over my ears. The deafening cry fades, leaving only a high-pitched ringing, but when I turn back to my new best friend, the horror hits.
Its mouth is open wide, wider than should be possible. Parts of its muzzle curl back, revealing long, dagger-like fangs—two on top, two on the bottom—flanked by rows of serrated shark-like teeth. A second later, jagged spikes erupt through its downy fur, forming a grotesque mohawk of barbs down its spine.
It lifts one massive front paw, each of its five toes tipped with blood-red talons, and slams it into the marshy ground. The earth quakes beneath us. “Fluffy, no,” I whisper, heart dropping as the monster’s gaze locks on me. In an instant, my adorable new best friend becomes a nightmare beast.
Its once-soft brown eyes glow a demonic red, and fear slices through me, sharpening everything. I stumble backward as it lumbers forward, the ground trembling with each step.
Oh crap.
Its jaw stretches impossibly wide, like a snake preparing to devour its prey whole. At the back of its throat, a spark flares.
That’s the only warning I get before a column of fire blasts straight toward me.
Talon shouts my name, and a second later a body slams into me, knocking us into the shallow swamp water. The fire tears overhead, lighting up the murk around us with flickering orange light.
I fight toward the surface, desperate for air, but arms wrap around me and hold me down. I thrash, panic exploding through my chest. I can’t move. I can’t breathe.
