Page 91 of The Inheritance

“What makes you say that?” Leo came up on his right.

“It has a collar.”

He saw it now, a metal collar wrapping around the cat’s neck. Something hung from it, some kind of metal device. Someone had locked this creature in the chamber. He didn’t see any food or water. It was probably thirsty and starving.

Elias sheathed his sword, pulled a canteen off his belt, opened it, and let a little water run out.

The cat rose jerkily, stumbled, and sat, holding its front paw off the ground. A deep cut split the flesh. Something with a very sharp blade had nearly sliced through the limb.

“Awww, it’s hurt,” Samantha said. “It’s very weak, Elias, and very, very thirsty. It’s been locked here for a while.”

The cat whined softly. It wanted water. Elias could practically feel the desperation rolling from it.

“A tiger’s paw swipe is estimated to generate over ten thousand pounds of force,” Leo said.

“So?” Samantha asked.

“This thing is three times larger. It’s dangerous.”

“One of us is a phantom ranger with a feral discernment skill that lets her evaluate breach monsters, and the other one is you. Elias, that cat is at the end of its rope.”

Elias crossed the cavern. Both Samantha and Leo followed, keeping a bit of distance. The ranger’s tactical crossbow was in her hands and Leo’s eyes had gone white.

The cat watched them come, its big green eyes sad.

Elias pulled off his helmet, poured the water into it, and offered it to the cat. The big beast crouched and lapped the water out of the helmet with a wide pink tongue. Its fangs were the size of Elias’ fingers.

“What a nice kitty,” Samantha said.

“This is a terrible idea,” Leo said.

“We should get Jackson to heal it,” Samantha said.

“No need,” Elias said. “I’ve been meaning to try this.”

He concentrated. A faint golden glow slid from him and clutched the cat’s injured limb. The bleeding stopped. The severed muscle began to knit itself closed. It wasn’t instant the way Jackson’s heals were. It was slow and Elias could feel his reserves draining from the strain of it, but it was healing.

“You can heal?” Leo’s jaw hung open. “Since when?”

“Since this morning."

For almost a year now he felt a vague stirring of something, some aspect of his talent that he couldn’t quite grasp. It was just like the time he learned to imbue his blade. He’d felt the ability building for months before he finally learned what it was and how to use it. This morning, as he watched Adaline hug her children, it came to him in a flash, like a door suddenly flung open deep inside his soul.

The cat leaned its massive head and butted him in the chest.

“Oh my God, how cute!” Samantha cooed.

Elias reached over and gently scratched the cat’s jaw.

“You’ve lost your minds,” Leo announced.

“Can we keep it?” Samantha asked. “Please, please, can we keep it, Elias?”

“We can’t take a beast out of a breach.” Leo shook his head. “It won’t be able to get through the gate.”

“It will,” Samantha said. “It isn’t part of the breach.”

“How do you know?”