Reclaimed (Shadow Beast Shifters, #2)(43)

“No one likes a know-it-all,” I snarked.

His smile didn’t disappear, but thankfully, before I had to attempt to beat a god to death, we arrived at our destination. A… cliff?

Shadow made his way right to the edge, looking down into a large pool of water, capped by a waterfall off in the distance. I wondered for a moment if his friend’s house was down in the canyon, or perhaps hidden in the side of the mountain.

“Kristoff!” Shadow shouted, cupping his hands and sending power out into the world.

He shouted again, not in English. Instead, a lyrical language spilled from his lips. It was beautiful enough to give me goosebumps, even though I had no idea what he’d said.

He paused, giving his friend a moment to appear, but even as we all stood there, nothing happened.

Shadow turned back, looking worried. “Maybe my sister got to him.”

A deep, booming laugh filled the cavernous space, and I heard more of that lyrical language, so loud, it made my ears ache. At first, I wondered if this was an attack, but when Shadow smiled, raising his arms and returning his focus toward the waterfall, I finally understood it was his friend.

Pushing closer, I peered over the edge, wondering if I’d missed something below. A house maybe, hidden on the edge of the water? Before I could find anything, a figure appeared with a near silent pop, standing on… air? Directly opposite Shadow.

It was a male, a big booming, larger-than-life male, with red hair that brushed against his shoulders. His red was a strawberry blond, a color close to the ends of mine.

He walked toward Shadow. Or more like floated across the divide, while still taking steps. When the pair of them were near eye to eye, I was surprised that he was the same height as Shadow. A lyrical conversation started up, and Angel sidled closer to translate for me. “He’s having trouble believing it’s truly Shadow,” she whispered. “But apparently, our friend here has some secrets on this guy that no one else knows.”

Okay, that was good. It meant that he could prove his identity faster, and then maybe we could find ourselves somewhere to sleep for the night. A place to clean up wouldn’t go astray, either.

“The hostility is gone now,” Angel continued, “but it was touch and go there for a moment.”

It was? I hadn’t noticed anything, but since their language was like a lullaby, that wasn’t a surprise. “Okay, we’re good to approach,” Angel said, nudging me toward Shadow.

Kristoff watched us closely as we walked over, his gaze probing.

“Hello,” he said in perfect English, without the slightest accent or inflection. “Welcome to my home. Any friends of Darkor’s is a friend of mine.”

“I go by ‘Shadow’ now,” Shadow told him.

Kristoff nodded his head. “Son, you will always be your appointed position to me; that name is yours by birthright. You can go by whatever you want; it changes none of the truths.”

Shadow didn’t argue, and I wondered if this was the one of the rare beings in the worlds he truly respected. “Please,” Kristoff said, stepping to the side and waving his arm in an arc. “I’m being rude holding you here when I’m sure you are exhausted and require rest and sustenance.”

He seemed to be waiting for us to move, but since some of us couldn’t walk on air, what was the game plan here?

Shadow strolled straight off the cliff, and I managed to keep my cool and not gasp, but it still shocked me. “It’s an illusion,” the beast called back. “You are safe to follow.”

“Uh…” I looked down. “Illusion or not, my brain is telling me I’ll fall to my death, and it’s insisting we stay right here on solid ground.”

Angel chuckled, the musical sound ringing out and echoing through the gully below, and now I knew how Kristoff threw his voice and made it sound so powerful.

“You got this, Mera,” she said, nudging me forward.

“Easy for you to say, chick with wings,” I hissed back, dragging my heels as I was continually pushed toward the edge.

She laughed again. “I’ll catch you if you fall.”

That did make me feel marginally better and confident enough to relax my stiff stance and take a step forward. Forcing myself not to look down, I followed the same path Shadow had, keeping my eyes locked on his enigmatic face. Most of the time I couldn’t read the beast, his thoughts shrouded and hidden from view.

Today was no different, but at least his stoic look was comforting in its familiarity, as he became my anchor point to walk toward.

“Not many have taken that first step,” Kristoff said, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips. “Especially a mortal.”

“She’s no normal mortal,” Shadow added drily.

Kristoff peered closer. “So I can see.”

Angel strolled along behind me, Inky and Midnight nearby. The mists also received a very close inspection from Shadow’s friend. “How is it that you have competing mists here?” he asked. “Whom are they bonded to?”

I raised my hand, and Midnight dashed closer, large enough that the purple tones in it shimmered in the light. Inky wrapped around Shadow, both of them answering Kristoff’s question.

“A mist bonded to a mortal,” he mused. “You, my dear, are a mystery I’d like to unravel.”

Flames appeared in Shadow’s eyes, and I wasn’t sure of the reason, but he did shift to block Kristoff’s view of me. “We do need to find out her secrets,” he said, “but she’s mine. You cannot claim her.”