“Slow and steady,” he whispered. “No sudden movements. Earl, out in front. You’ll help camouflage. Everyone, follow my lead.” He leaned in to me, his face inches from mine. His breath, honey and cinnamon, dusted my eyelashes. “If I get to my belly, that means climb on. I will help you up. I will not hurt you. When it is time to dismount, I’ll take care of it. As soon as your feet hit the ground, you run. Got it?”
Niamh made a light neighing sound, and I couldn’t tell if it was support or impatience.
We picked up the pace now, following Mr. Tom on all fours. The labyrinth blocked visibility from the left, arrow straight. The right was wide open. Anyone who bothered to look would see four lurking characters and some shimmery horse hooves and golden hair. That was bound to attract attention.
As we moved closer, a warning beat in my blood. Pounding, deep down.
War. Battle. Fight. Find the magic, and fight!
We were jogging now, and while adrenaline was coursing through me and fear was egging me on, I was not in prime shape. My breath started to come fast, my chest burning. My legs aching. Still I pushed on, little blasts of warning lighting up my insides. Strangers were in the house. Looking around, touching things.
Invading my home.
Rage surged up out of nowhere. My blood boiled with it. I gritted my teeth, carrying on. Moving closer to the five or so loiterers trampling Edgar’s beautiful garden.
“Niamh, Edgar, take them out,” Austin commanded, making a throwing gesture with his hand.
The two shot forward, Edgar lurching and loping strangely, his clawed hands extended. Niamh was as graceful as he was grotesque. She pranced at first, then moved into a gallop as she got closer, deep shadows streaking in her wake.
The enemy startled as they drew near. Too late.
Niamh lowered her head and slammed her horn into someone’s center, knocking two more to the side with her shoulders and sending them rolling for Edgar to pounce on. She threw the impaled man up over her back, sending him flying end-over-end, then rose up and clawed the air with her golden hooves. Two people approached her from behind. She touched down on all fours before she kicked out behind, catching one in the chest. Catching another in the face. Down for the count, fast and brutal.
Bile rose in my throat as Edgar launched into the air, his feet and hands spread, his long jump distance better than that of any gold medalist. He landed on an enemy’s back and crunched into his or her neck. I grimaced. I really should’ve been too far away to hear the sound effects, and yet my brain was now playing it on a loop.
“Harden up,” Austin said in my ear, running beside me. If he was winded, it didn’t show. “You’re in the magical world, now. Things here aren’t daisies.”
One of the enemy spotted us, lifting a hand to point. He started yelling, his words rolling and flowing, not English.
“Here we go.” Light flared all around Austin, so bright I jerked away and covered my eyes. A wave of heat was next, nearly scorching my skin.
With bright splotches laid over the night, I backpedaled as his size grew. And grew and grew. A massive polar bear stood on all fours in front of me. Its paws were the size of my head with enormous claws, and its jaw could crush bones. Intelligent eyes regarded me, and even in the faint moonlight I could tell they were Austin’s cobalt blue.
“Holy crap,” I breathed, a tingle starting from the top of my head and slithering down my body. Even though I knew it was Austin—just as a kid knows it’s a parent behind the mask of Santa—my brain rebelled. My body tried to follow suit. To run away.
He huffed, turned, and flattened onto his belly. A zip of bright blue light flew into the air and exploded like fireworks. It rained down over us, our positions now completely compromised and a pack of people running our way.
“Oh God, oh God,” I said, shutting off my brain and hurrying toward the colossal bear, much bigger than its natural counterpart. So big that I just didn’t understand the physics behind a human man changing into it.
The fur was coarse against my arms until I pushed past the outer layer. Beneath that it was downy soft. I swung a leg over and felt his paw bump me up. A moment later, the mountain was moving, muscle bunching and coiling under my legs.
He stopped for a moment and bellowed, the sound building as it blasted over the grounds. And then he launched himself forward in a burst of speed so great I nearly tumbled backward off his back. I clutched fur and gripped with my legs, holding on for all I was worth. Wind whipped by my face and tossed my hair, the cold air making my eyes water. Through them, the people organizing in front of us almost looked like they were swimming.