Beleth blocked another attack and countered with a strike that nicked my shoulder.
"Your attacks are getting better," said Beleth. "Now, let's see how well you can defend."
I thought I was already defending. Silly me.
When he brought on a full attack, he pushed me back to earth as I struggled to defend while staying in flight.
I had no spare thoughts free to even consider an attack. All I could do was block. Block. Block. Clang. Clang. Clang.
Changing tactics, because clearly that wasn't working, I flew away instead, repositioning, hoping for a better angle, but Beleth caught up before I could do anything, slamming into me with his boulder-like shoulder.
I tumbled and almost fell out of the sky, but I focused on my wings and regained my position mid-flight, sword held high.
New plan. I evaded his attacks, flying up higher, and higher still. When he came in for the shoulder attack I rolled to the side. When I saw an opening, I struck, thrusting my blade at Beleth's back…
A scream in my head jostled me out of the sky.
I dropped my sword and fell as I saw something in my vision. Sam. Screaming. Images of a cave.
The world spun as I tried to keep the connection, tried to reach Sam with our mind-link through the screaming that consumed me, but I couldn't feel her, couldn't find her.
Panic set in as strong hands grabbed me.
The screaming stopped as abruptly as it started.
Beleth had set me down, not thrown me.
I blinked, heart hammering in my ears. "Sam's in trouble. I need to help her."
"You are not ready," Beleth said.
We both knew what had Sam captive.
"I don't care. I have to leave. With or without you, I'm going after the Beast to save my wife."
FIFTEEN
When Fate Takes
DEREK
what cannot be saved when fate takes, patience her injury a mockery makes
— William Shakespeare, Othello
I FLICKED MY head toward the woods, my heart hammering as if my fight or flight triggers had been tripped. Then I heard it.
The blood-curdling scream.
From a voice I recognized.
I didn't think, just shifted and ran, sniffing the air, knowing Rose was close.
I found her, nearly unconscious, lying on the ground, a chasm in the earth next to her left by a recently uprooted tree, and her body…
Oh God.
"Rose!" Her arm and leg, they hadn't shifted back. She was stuck as a bear.
Her eyes flickered open as I pulled her into my arms. "Sam!" she yelled. "Sam was taken." She clutched my arms, tears streaming down her face, from the pain or fear I couldn't say. "The Beast has Sam."
Luke, Lucy and Ocean ran up behind us and heard what she said. The twins ran into the woods without hesitation. "We'll find her. Take care of Rose."
She was in too much pain to walk, which would have been nearly impossible anyways with one bear leg, so I lifted her into my arms. With each movement she groaned in pain and I winced. Ocean didn't leave her best friend's side, smoothing her hand over Rose's forehead and making calming sounds.
When I looked up, standing with Rose in my arms, Ocean shared my unspoken fear with her own look. Rose wasn't getting better at shifting, she was getting worse.
"We need to find Talon. Only he can help her. You should go help Luke and Lucy. If they find the Beast, they can't take him on their own."
"I don't want to leave her."
I began walking in the opposite direction, to where Talon had his tent camped out. "There's nothing you can do for her. Nothing I can, either. She needs Talon. And Sam needs you."
Ocean struggled with her decision, but in the end left to back up Luke, Lucy and the IPI team.
We found Talon meditating under a tree, his breathing so quiet it almost looked like he wasn't breathing at all.
"Rose needs your help."
I lay her down on the softest spot I could find as Talon moved to sit by her, speaking calmly about her training and what she must do to turn completely.
I held her hand and tried to still my own fears, to little avail. "I need you to be okay, sweetheart. I need you. Please shift."
She closed her eyes and her breathing became still. I panicked for a moment, thinking the worst, but Talon shook his head and I didn't say anything, fighting my natural impulse to do something to save the woman I loved. But I knew I couldn't do anything to help her; in this, she had to save herself.
I almost didn't notice it at first, but slowly I began to see changes in her body as the fur receded and her skin appeared, bone and muscle reshaping into that of a human.
When she completed her transformation, she opened her eyes, more tears spilling down her cheek.
I pulled her into my arms, hugging her hard, my own eyes feeling suspiciously watery. "I thought I'd lost you. I can't bear this, Rose."
Before she could respond, I kissed her. Our tears mingled with our kiss and made it a bittersweet show of love.
I knew we were both also thinking of Sam.
I hoped she was okay. I couldn't imagine what Drake would do if she wasn't.
SIXTEEN
Every Tempest
SAM