Page 11 of Brody
“This is the thruway that leads right into the Ridge,” he informed me after turning onto the road, his headlights brightening the way ahead.
He sped along the serpentine road that dipped and arched over the imposing waves of the crashing sea flanking both sides of the freeway.
“Interesting,” I replied, inwardly loving the feeling of being on a roller coaster.
“A one-word response.I guess that’s progress.”He chuckled.“Anyway, driving on this road is like teetering on the edge of the sea.The brutal waves often crash over the road during storms.Most people hate driving on this thruway, and that’s under the best conditions.But it’s the only way to get into the Ridge.”
My curiosity got the better of me.“So the only destination at the end of the road is the Ridge?”
“No,” he answered.“There are numerous villages along the way.And if you keep driving past the Ridge, the road will bring you out to the very farthest point, where the land ends and the ocean begins.Black Forest Ridge is on the same route, but only Others can see the entrance.For humans, the entrance to the Ridge is undetectable because of the magic in the veil.”His fingers drummed lightly on the steering wheel.“Others move here for the low-key lifestyle, the complete absence of hurry, and the fact that within a week, Bessie, the owner of Bessie’s Coffee Shop, knows your coffee order, and Seraphina, who owns a bookstore, sets aside new releases she thinks you’ll like.It’s not for everyone, but for those who belong here…” He trailed off, something wistful in his voice.
“How was the veil created?”I asked, steering the conversation back to safer territory.
“The witch coven.The leader is Freya.”
“I’ve read her OIA bio,” I replied.
Brody continued driving for a bit before turning left, driving through the huge hole that had been carved into a mountain.Only his headlights illuminated the darkness within the tunnel.
When we got to the end of the passageway, I saw a wall of shimmering crisscross lines.
“Is that the veil?”I asked.
“It’s the second part of the veil,” he informed me before driving right through the light show.“The first part was at the mountain entrance, but it’s not as showy as this one.”
Popping sounds echoed within the SUV, and energy licked my skin before disappearing.
The second we passed through the shimmering veil, my chest seized.Years of carefully constructed walls crumbled in an instant.My skin burned from the inside out, nerve endings I didn’t know existed suddenly alive and screaming.Lightning shot through my veins, my traitorous body arching against the leather seat as if pulled by invisible strings.Every cell in me reached toward him, recognizing what my mind had spent decades denying.I couldn’t breathe or think.Could only feel.I gasped, my back arching involuntarily against the seat as pleasure like lightning struck every inch of me.
“What the hell…?”I choked out, fingers clutching the leather seat to anchor myself.
“The veil,” Brody managed through clenched teeth, his voice strained almost beyond recognition.“It hides Black Forest Ridge from humans.”He continued driving along the road until the scenery changed to a dirt road bordered by a lush forest instead of mountains.
The forest had an Amazonian vibe.A landscape I recognized that was similar to my travels around the world.
“Impossible,” I said.“A rain forest?”
“Yup,” he replied, never taking his eyes off the road.
“If I hadn’t seen this for myself, I would have balked at the possibility of a rain forest in Alaska,” I said.
“Black Forest is a place you have to see to believe,” he said as he continued driving.“I’ve traveled a lot in my time in the military, but the terrain inside the rain forest is unlike anything I’ve seen.The land is so old and steeped in magic that it’s created its own ecosystem that defies logic.We have everything from mountain ranges to fast-flowing streams, waterfalls, and gorges.It’s home to many animals and plants you won’t find anywhere else on this planet.”
“That’s strange for Alaska,” I replied while connecting my cell to the Ridge’s private Wi-Fi network.
“It is.The topography and weather in Black Forest are unique.That’s why Quinn doesn’t allow rural residential development inside the rain forest.He doesn’t want any displacement of wildlife or disruption of the ecosystem.”
“I agree,” I said.“Protecting the ecosystem and animals is important.”
Staring out the window in amazement, I needed to know more.“How many residents live in Black Forest?”
“We lost count when Others started flocking to the Ridge after word got out about Freya’s mating spell.”
I snorted at the mention of the mating spell.“I believe in science, not magic.”In the OIA briefing, they had talked about the spell being cast to call the fated mates of the unmated male shifters to Black Forest Ridge.
Brody’s eyes met mine briefly in the rearview mirror.“Interesting perspective from someone whose DNA allows her to transform into a king cheetah.Conventional science can’t explain shifters any more than it can explain Freya’s magic.”
“There’s a difference,” I argued.“Our transformations follow consistent, predictable patterns.They can be studied, quantified.”
