Page 63 of Shifter King

A loud roar tore through the forest.

She almost laughed. "Naatos!" she shouted. "Naatos, if you can hear me, we're next to a tree with shredded red bark and rainbow wood."

"Amelia!" A blade of his presence reached her.

More whistles pierced the air, faster paced, then higher pitched.

She tried to twist around.

The beetle tightened its mandibles around her. She gasped, but when she released the breath, it tightened again. She tried to thrust her hands between her chest and the thick mandibles. But her strength was already slipping. Like a constrictor, it tightened its mandibles around her each time she let a breath out. Though she kicked and fought, it made no difference.

Then it leaped up into the air, wings whirring. Black dots danced in front of her vision. She didn't have long.

She kicked one shoe off. Then the next. Ripped off her sash and let it fall. Then a little farther out and one of the daggers. It wasn't as if the Bealorns were going to let her keep her weapons. They'd search her for certain.

Higher and higher they climbed into the sky. Darkness closed over her vision as she gave one last desperate thrust and tried to push off the bone bracelet.

BEFORE THE QUEEN

Amelia rubbed her temple with the base of her palm as she regained consciousness. Her palms throbbed from where the branches had cut her, and her chest and lungs ached.

So far as methods for travel, goliath tunneler was not one she recommended.

As for where she was now? Well, it certainly wasn't a goliath tunneler's lair. It was a full bedroom, airy and pleasant with veils and soft curtains hung at regular intervals both over the windows and in the center of the room and to form segments in the room. Most were in soft shades of green as well as peach and yellow and light blue. Sunlight streamed through the windows though the air was still.

Slowly she stood. A toenail had been torn off as well, but the blood had mostly dried. Likely just from their rapid departure. No one else was near here, but there were people out there. Their thoughts buzzed and clustered like distant insect hums.

She shuddered.

The Bealorns had found her. Somehow. Even with all the steps and protection. All it had really taken to lure her out was a baby. And…hard as it was to admit, she couldn't deny how effective that had been. The way that they had managed to find her was unnerving.

She pressed her hand to her chest and drew in deep full breaths. It was going to be all right. She'd figure a way out of this, and Naatos was certainly on the hunt for her as were his brothers. The Bealorns had put her in a fairly nice place though, so that meant they must want her to cooperate still.

For now, this was polite treatment. More or less. But how long would that last? And could she find a way to escape? A quick search of her person revealed they had taken her last remaining dagger as she had expected.

Carefully she made her way to the window and peeked out. This room was situated in a tree it seemed. Branches stretched out all around. Down below, smooth dirt paths cut in and out. Men and women in colorful but straight simple garb went about their tasks. From the looks of the sunlight, it was only mid-afternoon.

Closing her eyes, she steadied herself against the wall and reached into her mind. "Ki, we've got a problem here. They got me."

"Who got you? The Bealorns? You stupid girl! How did you let them catch you that fast? I wasn't even asleep that long!"

She folded her arms as she bowed her head. The one thing she didn't need was an ancient entity's overblown attitude."Enough of that. Just tell me if you can help me."

"Help you what? Have you somehow gotten stronger?"

"Maybe a little bit."

It stamped its feet in her mind, the crackling rustling intensifying as it twisted about. Even without trying, she saw its caribou antlers thrashing and the moon-eyes narrow with fury and terror."Not enough! Not enough! Not enough in any form! You're going to have to eat souls."

"Ki!"She pressed her hands to her temples as she envisioned walking up to it, her footsteps echoing on the dark floor of her mind. Her head pounded a little at the effort to maintain the focus."Ki, please, if you can teleport me—"

"I can't,"it snapped."I cannot do anything to help you if you do not do something to become stronger. So if we are going to get out of here, you will have to eat souls. It doesn't matter whose."

"I'm not eating someone's soul."

"How else do you plan to get strong enough to even come close to managing this?"

She held up her hands."I'll figure something out."