Page 60
Story: Shadow and Smite
“You should sleep,” Ninti replied.
“Here, you take the bed,” I said. “I’ll sleep on the deck.” We couldn’t share a bed, not after that. Our magnetism was dangerous, and sharing a sleeping space would practically invite a second attack.
“No, I couldn’t,” Ayla replied. “It’s your ship. I’ll sleep on the deck.”
“No, I will,” I insisted.
Ayla’s face firmed, growing stubborn.
Ninti looked from her to me. “How’s this—I can sleep on the deck, becoming large enough to be Ayla’s bed. I’ll keep her warm, keep her safe… and I’ll be ready. Just in case there is another attack.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t mind—”
“That’s perfect,” Ayla interrupted. “Thanks, Ninti. I really appreciate it.”
Before I could object another time, she left the cabin, Ninti padding after her.
Ayla
I could have hurt him.
A part of mewantedto hurt him.
This part.I brushed the Brand. The same blemish that was supposed to guide us made me attack Zayne. It wanted to kill him, steal his ship, and drive us toward…somewhere.
It was for the best that I slept outside.
Ninti grew in size. Filling the bow of the boat, she curled up on her side.
“Careful!” Vanessa complained from the crow’s nest. “You’ll make the boat heavy.”
Gingerly, I found a place against her stomach, nestled between her paws. I shifted, fidgeting until I felt supported. I didn’t need a blanket; she warmed me.
“Oh, hi, Ayla,” Vanessa continued. “I guess this will work.”
“Just for the night,” I told her.I hope.
25 | Discerning Her Direction
Ayla
Nightmares interrupted my uneasy sleep. In countless creative ways, I relived my experience.
Gnomes surrounded me. They bounded on each other’s shoulders until I was trapped under a mound of them. They chanted, “Break the barrier.”
I looked up from a grave, swallowed by the earth. I was trapped in a clay jar, my body taken from me. Death was a leaden blanket holding me down.
Finally, I was in a strange barn. An ice-blue coffin at its center. Shades shoved me into it, pressing me down. They wanted me to freeze.
I woke with a shiver.
My tunic was damp with sweat, and I peeked down the neckline, checking my skin. The Brand remained a pinprick—I used to believe that was safe.
None of us had seen it coming. The Brand was sneaky, ready to pounce if it had the chance.
No wonder I had nightmares.
Ninti sighed, her gigantic stomach pressing and lifting beneath me. The sound of her breath, rhythmic and reliable, reminded me I wasn’t alone.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60 (Reading here)
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102