Heart Of Destiny_Book One Of The Heart Of The Citadel Read online

  Druzy landed beside her and immediately shifted into his human form, running over to unstrap the unconscious Elissa, dangling from Mysty’s belly. He carried her over to the shelter of an outcropping and laid her down, pushing her heavy damp hair back from her face. Angry streaks of purple crisscrossed her face and her eyelids quivered with the wild rolling of her eyes.

  “Elissa!” He dropped his ear to her chest, listening for the steady thrumming of her heart, but it was a weak and sporadic thumping that met his ear. He sat back and assessed Mysty. “How is your claw?”

  I am regaining sensation now but with that comes the pain. She extended her claw, and he saw that one toe was severed and cauterized. Had I dived into that shield, we would have been vapourized on impact. She licked her foot, cleaning off the burnt hair and tugging away the blackened quills of the soft grey feathers that decorated the carpus joint. I am fine, but Elissa struggles. She is badly hurt. We must get her to a healer.

  He frowned, looking over at the land that was within swimming distance from the rock. A lonely, squat hut with a dirty thatched roof sat at the narrowed entrance to the waters and a light stole around the edges of the curtain.

  “All right, I am going to see if I can get help at that cottage there. Can you see the edge of the energy shield?” With the brightening of the sky, the shimmer was fading. Only the cloud cover allowed them to see it at all.

  There. Mysty pointed with her claw. Just above the surface of the water, it ends. I can see its curve. You can swim under it.

  Druzy peered at the waters and frowned. “Why would they stop it short of the waters? It’s like they don’t think they need to guard against entry underwater.” He tilted his head and looked at the choppy surface, trying to discern what might lurk below the waves. Elissa jerked and moaned and his eyes were drawn back to his bonder.

  We are running out of time. She needs help now. Go, I will take care of her. Mysty placed a wing over the fallen girl warming her cold body. But you must hurry.

  “Fine.” Druzy studied the water again for a moment. Then with a sudden flash of inspiration, he shapeshifted into one of the serrated-nosed garfish that populated the shores of Jintessa. Long white teeth curved past his jaw, and he fell into the water head-first, cleanly cutting the surface as he dove in a silent dive. He plunged into the grey waters, peering about with interest as he gyrated his tail and swam toward the distant shore.

  Immediately below the force field, the energy cast a glow that highlighted the boundary but did not present a barrier. Confident of his path, he swam eagerly toward the opening between two rocks.

  Out of the corner of his rounded eyes he caught a flash of a long thin body, snake-like and scaled like a dragon. The water demon was ten times his size and moved faster than anything he had ever seen, a spiraling spear of death. Jaws agape, it stabbed at Druzy. In desperation, he twisted away, slapping a stiff water reed with his tail to slow the demon’s attack. Jaws snapped shut in a shower of bubbles as he sped through the gap and ran for shore. The water demon did not slow, chasing him with the dedication of a hungry predator. It lunged again, and this time its teeth tore into the thin membrane of his tail fin. Druzy’s form wavered for a second before he jerked away in desperation, the pain disrupting his hold on his shifted shape. With a final lunge, and a hard thrust of his bleeding tail, he shot up out of the water and beached himself on the sand, smacking face first onto the cold wet surface. He lost his control over his pattern and shifted back to his usual form. The water demon shot out of the water and then collapsed back with a loud splash, abandoning the chase. Druzy pushed himself up with his hands and a gasp of pain. The heel of his foot was missing a chunk of flesh and blood ran down the sides of his foot to drip onto the sand. With a grimace he lifted his head and froze as sandaled feet met his gaze.

  “Well, well, well. You are nothing like the usual fish that wash up on these shores! That was some pretty fancy flying there, boy.” Druzy shifted, sitting up and his eyes travelled up over sand-coloured pants turned up three times to expose hairy calves. They were tied at the waist by a length of cord into which a blue shirt was tucked, the neck open to expose more curling white hair. A craggy face topped the shirt with deep grooves formed by a face accustomed to smiling, as it was now. Druzy smiled back then winced as his foot throbbed.

  “Here, son. Let’s tend to that foot. He pulled Druzy to a standing position, and wrapped his arm around his waist, helping him to hobble towards the hut. Shouldering the door open, he led Druzy to a wooden stool set beside a polished table made of driftwood. He lowered him onto the chair then said “What were you doing in the water, boy?”

  “I am trying to rescue my friends. They are stranded on the rock beyond the barrier.”

  “What barrier? There is no barrier on the water. The ocean is barrier enough as you have just found out. Terrible monsters live in these waters. No one with a lick of the sense their mother gave them goes out onto the ocean.”

  “Sir, there is a barrier there. A magical one. I saw it.”

  “Nonsense. There hasn’t been magic in these parts since the Great Purge.”

  “I tell you, it’s there, and my friend needs help. She is dying because of it. She is stranded on the great rock beyond the barrier.”

  “Dying you say? Dying?” He pulled down a cloth from a high shelf with one hand and poured water into a bowl with the other, carrying both to the table beside Druzy. “Here, lad, wet this and wash your foot then put pressure on it till I come back. That gash is going to require stitches. I am going to go get your friend.” He walked back to the door and picked up a pair of oars leaning in the shadows cast by the light of the brightening day. “I will be right back.”

  “Wait! I need to tell you…”

  “Nonsense. There is nothing you can tell me about this shore that I don’t already know.” With that, he shoved a floppy-brimmed hat on his head and shuffled out the door.

  Druzy grimaced and propped his foot up on the table, cleaning the cut. “Have it your way…wait, what is your name?”

  The man’s laugh drifted back to him as he headed down to the beach.

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  Also By Susan Faw

  The Spirit Shield Saga:

  Soul Survivor

  Seer of Souls

  Soul Sanctuary

  Soul Sacrifice

  Download the series starter Soul Survivor for free! Copy and paste the link below into your browser.

  http://susanfaw.com/soul-survivor-prequel-free-download

  Also by Susan Faw (E.A. Darl - Pen name)

  Stealing Silence

  About the Author: Susan Faw

  Book nerd and fantasy aficionado, Susan is an award-winning author who also doubles as masked crusader for the fantastical world. Championing mythical rights, she quells uprisings and battles infidels who would slay the lifeblood of her pen. It’s all in a day’s work, for this whirlwind writer. Welcome to the quest.

  Visit Susan online:

  http://www.susanfaw.com

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