"IMAGINE YOURSELF TURNING INTO an animal. Imagine your skin growing feathers, your nails growing to form talons -" Oberon was in the middle of describing how I should Shift. Apparently, even though the lanterns went out every time I meditated, I was ready to try the real thing. I wasn't sure how I should feel.
"Can we not describe it so...detailed?" I asked, shuddering at the thought of growing feathers. Would it hurt? I imagined the pain that would probably come with feathers - or fur - spiking out of my pores and...
"Don't think about the what ifs, focus on the present." Oberon advised. He was sat on a chair this time, just outside the rowan grove because I would need 'all the power I could get.' I wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.
I huffed. "We've been here an hour already!" I leaned my head on my hands. I'd been training with the sword with Ffi until Oberon pulled me out here to try and get me to Shift. Ffi hadn't been gentle - even with the wooden blades she made us practice with were hard and I was sure I would be black and blue by the morning.
"Shifting takes time and effort." Oberon reminded me. "You must concentrate - each day the attack grows nearer, and we must be prepared, lest we lose even more faithful warriors." He bowed his head for a moment and I frowned.
"But it's boiling. It's the freaking middle of August - it's bloody thirty degrees out here!" I almost shouted, trying not to tear out my hair in frustration. "Do you people even rest?"
"We must not rest - time spent resting is time wasted. Try again." he said, obviously closing that topic. I groaned again, but closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down - which was easier said than done as my arms and legs ached like I'd been beaten within an inch of my life and I was sure I would drown in sweat if I didn't get into a room with full-blast AC immediately.
Concentrate, I told myself. Calm down, think cold thoughts. Oh, I miss winter and autumn storms and all the snow - and Christmas!
I massaged my temples. "I can't do it."
Oberon just looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Can't?" he asked. "Or won't?"
I glared at him. Pretentious, pedantic - I didn't manage to finish the thought because Oberon's head jerked upright and he stood in one fluid movement, his eyes wide. "Get up." he said, turning his head to the direction of the camp.
What's wrong with him? I wondered, all annoyance fading as I strained my ears. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, nothing seemed wrong - but for some reason Oberon was worried. And when he was worried, I'd learned, something big was wrong.
"What's happened?" I asked, scrambling up and automatically grabbing the belt that held my daggers from where they lay by Oberon's feet. His eyes were distant but he seemed very, very afraid.
YOU ARE READING
Eyes of Emerald
Fantasy"The thing on top of Keira got up, slowly, and stood smaller than I thought. It stood on four legs, like a dog, and growled like a wolf. I swore under my breath as it leaped at me, claws extended, and I knew I was about to die." Behind the clouds on...
