Rejected (Shadow Beast Shifters, #1)(71)

“Because of me,” I whispered, looking around for the mass.

Shadow nodded. “That’s my theory. This was where you released them and your energy is strong in these lands. They’re seeking you out, for some reason.”

No doubt the strength of my energy was due to the twenty-two years I’d lived, breathed, and bled in Torma. It was my family home. My pack grounds. The one place I almost wished to never return, except to let my friends know I was safe.

Maybe I’d get a chance to see them today.

My wolf poked her head up, glancing around her lands, and I felt her urge to see Torin. Or at least his wolf. We hadn’t been this close to him in almost a year—judging by the weather—and the pull to cross the lands toward him was strong.

I needed a distraction. “What creatures are we dealing with?”

Shadow didn’t call me out on my frantic tone. “There’s an abervoq, a falaster, and two grekins, from what I can tell.”

Finally, a solid distraction. New shadow creatures. “The first one I know, but you’re going to have to explain the other two.”

He gestured for me to step ahead, directing me across the field. “A falaster is a mix between a giant centipede and an anaconda,” he said, and I wrinkled my nose at the image that brought to mind.

“They have no mouths or eyes but can smell a drop of blood from a mile away. They like to crush their victims, wrapping tighter and tighter, until eventually, they consume them through skin absorption.”

“That sounds… delightful,” I said, employing as much sarcasm as I could muster. “And the grekin?”

He grimaced. “I think they’re my least favorite. Tricksters, their minute and diminutive stature lulls beings into a false sense of security. But if you turn your back, the two of them will tear you to pieces, laughing madly about it the entire time.”

“Two of them? Is that how they always roll?”

Shadow nodded. “Yeah, they like to move in pairs. It makes for an easier job to initiate their tricks.”

Simply fantastic news. “Is there anything normal in your world? Any creature that isn’t trying to kill everything around it?”

Shadow paused, and I crashed into his back, not expecting him to stop so suddenly. “Oomph, sorry!”

He didn’t comment on my clumsiness, and we both knew I hadn’t hurt him, so it was immediately forgotten. “My world is the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen,” he told me, his voice lifting as tendrils of memories stole into them. “I miss it every single day, and it grates at me that my legacy there is unfulfilled. But life hasn’t always worked out the way it should for me.” As he stepped closer, my hand twitched to reach out and touch him. The memory of the pain stopped me, and that was when I realized it hadn’t hurt when I ran into him.

Weird…

“I promise, Mera,” he said, distracting me, “that if you help me with what I need, I’ll ensure the rest of your life is filled with every gift, power, and possession you could hope for.”

“I knew you didn’t care about the creatures,” I murmured. “You just need the realm opened.”

Because he had an unfulfilled legacy there, apparently. Not that anyone would be surprised by that.

Shadow oozed power and importance, both of which would be wasted without a legacy.

“It’s been a priority of mine for a long time,” he said, still in a sharing mood. “Returning to the Shadow Realm.”

“Why did you come here in the first place?” I asked, expecting his response to be something blasé like… I wanted an adventure or It was a dare.

Then he shocked me.

“I was betrayed.” His voice hardened and once again, I was staring at scary Shadow. “By one I trusted above all others. But with your help, I might finally right many wrongs. Their time is coming, and when I return to my realm, I’ll scatter what remains of them across the many worlds.”

Yikes. “Remind me not to betray you,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Shadow was having none of that, though. “You won’t live long enough to worry about it if you do.”

“Fair enough.”

I jumped then as a massive crashing of trees and branches rang out above us. Shadow spun to crouch in front of me, and a second later my wolf rose to the surface, lending me her senses as we prepared for an attack.





40

Still in stealth mode, half-crouched with his arms out, Shadow started to creep through the trees. I followed because what else was I going to do? There were at least four shadow creatures out there, and as much faith as I had in Shadow, I did wonder if there was a number of creatures that would prove to be too much for him?

And what would that mean for me? Would the shadow creatures kill and consume me? Or would I once again make friends with monsters?

Guessed we were about to find out.

“Today, I’m really hoping you’re as badass as your reputation,” I murmured. “My stomach feels like a swarm of mosquitos are buzzing about in it, and I don’t like it.”

He stopped moving, turning back to see me. “Mosquitos? Pretty sure that’s not the expression.”

I gave a nervous laugh. “Honestly, it’s so far beyond butterflies at this point.”