Page 102 of Shifters Unifying

A look over the edge of the rise exposed the sheer, two-story drop to the ground in front of what resembled an opening in the earthen wall below us. I stood up on my rear paws and roared. Another log, larger than the first, angled toward us, and I batted it away, exploding bits of decomposing wood and bark over the both of us.

A boulder sailed toward us, and my punch only adjusted its trajectory. It landed with a thud beside Marcus’s head. The shadow shifters inched closer, running back and forth, unrelenting fluid shapes, toying with us.

The crush of underbrush from the other side of the ridge warned that we were being surrounded, and I couldn’t defend more than one direction, not alone, even as the multimorph.Shit.I had to get down to the cave before our attackers could get inside it.

The stench of death filled my nostrils, and I pulled at a flood of wind and magic. If I could link with Marcus, I might be able to save us both, even surrounded. But he was unconscious. No shifter could hold onto their energy while they were dazed or inert.

A shadow raised out of the ground, eyes glowing and reaching toward us. Three more coalesced behind the first. They clapped their hands together and a concussive blast nearly pushed me off the ridge.

The distance down was too far to toss Marcus over the edge, not without killing him or knowing what bones the attack on him had broken. He might have cracked vertebrae in his neck. No way I was risking that without delving him first.

I had to be something big to be able to heft Marcus. Flying wasn’t an option, and jumping as a human would kills us both, if I would even be able to lift him.

We were out of time.

The magic in me had to be enough to keep my legs from being crushed by the fall. So, I knocked another flying rock aside, scooped Marcus into my furred arms…

…and stepped off the cliff.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

logan

Six-Mile Manor

Near Sunset

Icursed under my breath at the bickering shifters standing in front of me on the other side of my desk. The idiots glaring at each other were upset about the current sleeping arrangements, and they’d interrupted my death toll tally. Sharing a mattress wasn’t on their post-Acheron to do list, as though their wishes mattered in the slightest.

The taller of the two sneered and jerked her head toward the other one. “Like I said, I won’t share a bed with her. Find me something else.”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

Emma’s annoyance ticked through our fated mate bond, and it didn’t help my rapidly diminishing supply of patience. What had Emma called them?Toddlers.

I hadn’t yet spotted my mate in Six-Mile, and I hadn’t worked out why I couldn’t hear her thoughts. Had she figured out how to mute the link between us? She was probably healing anyoneand everyone she could, but I hadn’t had a moment to hunt her down.

The shifter tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Nobody said anything about the lack of amenities here in Six-Mile. No one will trade with me.”

“As you know, we’re stretched thin, unprepared for those who chose not to stay in Bear Trees. Most wanted to be near the multimorph,” I said.

She snorted. “Unacceptable.”

“Then find your own accommodations.”

“No one will trade with me,” she whined.

“That’s unfortunate.”Why don’t I find that surprising?

With the recent influx of wounded, we were stacked two and three to a bed in Six-Mile. A makeshift triage and hospital had been set up in the gym area, and Olivia had rounded up as many healers as she could find. She probably had the relics out, too, and Dr. Wise had shown up, taking notes in between helping with the wounded.

So far, all I wanted was to corner Emma in our shared bedroom and force her to tell me whatever secret she’d been keeping. Instead, I had two cranky raccoons standing in front of me, arms crossed and glaring at each other. Olivia had mentioned their names, but they weren’t dead, so I’d forgotten them almost immediately.

She took a step toward my desk. “Do you have space inyourbed?”

“Do you want to be ripped limb from limb?”

The other raccoon shifter choked on a laugh.