Sora was shocked, but tried not to show it. She clasped her hands instead, turning away from the assassin, staring determinedly at the trees. The bells chinked softly against her ears. Besides that, the woods were uncomfortably quiet.
She knew that Dorian had to be a Wolfy; his fangs and silver hair proved it. But she had always thought the races were only a myth, no more than fantastic stories from a long-forgotten age. And even if they had existed once, they had died out hundreds of years ago; great civilizations turned to ash. There were hardly any relics of that time left, only the barest ruins of ancient cities, of old temples and shrines, whose origins were highly disputed. It was a different world now.
But Dorian was a Wolfy. A true Wolfy. With magic, at that!
Suddenly a howl split the air, causing the tiny blond hairs on Sora’s arms to rise. She looked at the trees in alarm until her view was blocked by the assassin. He stepped in front of her, shielding her from whatever was coming. He was half-crouched, a thin sword in hand, prepared to lunge at a second's notice.
There was a thrashing noise in the trees and Dorian appeared, his hand clamped to a wound on his side. She could see blood oozing between his fingers. Concerned, she took a step forward but was pushed back by Crash.
Her eyes returned to the trees. She could feel that there was something else coming, thundering in her ears, a sickening clench in her gut—sleighbells. The campsite suddenly filled with a repugnant smell, like rotted flesh.
Crash leapt forward just as a creature burst from the shadows. It was tall and bulky, twice the height of the assassin, with dangling arms, wide hands, thin bony fingers, vicious claws and rust-red fur matted with blood. Long yellow fangs protruded past its jaw. The being walked on its hind legs with a lurching gait, bent into an unnatural posture. Its face, which slightly resembled a fox, appeared slightly concave, as though it had been clubbed over the head.
Sora stared in horror. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before—a monster? She lost her balance, collapsing in panic.
Everything became a blur. Dorian was flung aside by the beast's massive, distorted claw. It threw back its extended crooked neck and roared, shaking tree branches overhead; leaves rained down on them. Then it dove after the Wolfy with jaws the size of a bear trap.
Crash tried to deter the beast, swinging his narrow blade, but he, too, was easily swept aside by the giant claws. He narrowly dodged a blow, jumping and rolling, hitting the ground and then immediately recovering his stance. Sora thought Crash looked rather puny against the monster, which lumbered around their camp like a shaggy, red-fur mountain.
Suddenly, the assassin was by her side. She expected him to help her to her feet, to run—but instead, he grabbed her forcefully and hauled her up from the ground, pushing her in front of him like a shield. She gasped, her scream caught in her lungs, so panicked that she couldn't even order her limbs to obey.
The assassin shoved her, stumbling, straight into the path of the monster. Sora froze, off-balance, seeing only big, vicious teeth and hooked claws. The beast barreled toward her, a nightmare of red fur and blazing yellow eyes, its wide-open mouth dripping with thick, acrid saliva....
The sound of bells exploded, overpowering, an ocean of noise that swept up into her body, pounding in her ears.
Something rose inside her, warm and steady and fluid, starting at the soles of her feet and going straight up to her neck. It swept her thoughts away, taking control. Her legs and hands stopped shaking. Her mouth closed.
She faced the beast, her fear snuffed out like a candle, and raised her arms to bar the creature from passing—or perhaps, to grasp it in a powerful embrace. She was defenseless, fully exposed, no shield but the air in her lungs.
Then, there was a flash of light. Green. Brilliant. Dazzling.
It split the sky like lightning, illuminating the gaps between the trees, easily penetrating the forest for perhaps a hundred yards. A dome of energy fell over the three travelers like a broad tent. Bolts of yellow electricity crashed down around them, striking the ground, scorching patches of grass.
The creature hit the shield and let out a screech of pain. There was a startling snap! A sizzling pop! Then a final, shocking flash of green light. Stars danced. Sora was momentarily blinded.
She collapsed on the ground. The dome dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. Her cheek hit the dirt. She felt as though she had run five miles straight without stopping. It was hard to breathe, to pull in enough air. She tried to put her hand on her chest, to understand what had happened, but her limbs were shaky and useless, as heavy as sand.
Finally, finally her eyes cleared. She was able to drag herself upward, as though moving through cold water. She struggled into a sitting position, as slow and clumsy as a tortoise. Her head buzzed, her ears were sore and ringing. Dazedly, she looked around for the monster.
Several yards away, a steaming pile of flesh smoldered on the ground. The mangled, burning corpse was much smaller than the actual creature had been, and she glanced around again, wondering where the monster had disappeared to. The remains looked far more like those of a fox or a badger, half-skinned, its neck broken, matted with blood. She stared at the sizzling body, trying to make sense of it, then slowly swooned and leaned to one side. Caught herself with her hands. Gagged.
She stayed like that for several minutes, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground until she could only dry-heave. No one moved. No one spoke. Finally, she looked up, wondering what had happened to her captors.
Both Crash and Dorian were staring at her, eyes wide and unreadable, obviously just as alarmed as she was. Crash was slightly crouched, his arm raised halfway, as though he had been shielding his eyes. Dorian was sprawled on his back, half-propped on an elbow, blood staining his shirt. Her gaze fell to the bloody wound at his hip, unable to hide her confusion. She had no explanation. Were we struck by lightning? was her first thought, and yet, there had been no rain. She glanced at the sky just to make certain. No, there were only tiny stars, winking secretively.
From the expressions on her companions' faces, she felt somehow responsible. But she had done nothing fantastical; there was no secret weapon, there were no tricks up her sleeve. She waited for them to speak, wondering what they might say, if they could tell her what had happened.
Suddenly she reached up to touch her mother’s necklace. It was warm and intact. A sense of relief filled her, and she let out a long, slow sigh. Good, it hadn't fallen off in the fight.
Then Crash crossed the campsite. His movements were swift and jerky. He reached down and grabbed her, his hand going to her neck with no warning. She abruptly remembered how he had thrown her into the fight, as good as monster chow, as a sacrifice in Dorian's place. That bastard! Was he going to strangle her now?
She opened her mouth to scream, but he caught the silver chain and pulled the necklace into the open.
“Then it's true,” he murmured, his eyes dark.
Sora began to tremble, recoiling from his touch. She didn’t like his hand on her necklace, although she wasn’t sure why. She would have knocked him away if she hadn't been so terrified. The assassin stared at her, his expression unreadable, then turned to Dorian. “She wears a Cat’s Eye,” he said. “Just as I thought.”
Dorian was still staring at her in shock. “A...a Cat's Eye?” he muttered, incredulous. “A real, authentic Cat's- Eye necklace? So then Volcrian sent that creature....”
“Yes. He’s found our trail.”
The two shared a meaningful look that Sora didn’t understand. At that moment, she felt more alone than ever, completely excluded from their conversation. What the hell is going on? There were too many secrets.
“All right,” she began, irritated. She got to her feet, crossing her arms. “I think I deserve an explanation. What are you two talking about? And what is that?” She pointed at the smoldering corpse with disgust.
“It's a dead animal,” Crash said bluntly.
“I can see t
hat,” she snapped.
Dorian tried another answer. “It was transformed by blood-magic into a monster,” he offered. “When you killed it, it reverted to its natural form.”
“Oh,” and she raised an eyebrow. That made about as much sense as anything else. “Fair enough,” she said sarcastically. “And what about my necklace? What in hell just happened?”
The two looked at each other again. Neither seemed to want to speak. Finally, Dorian said, “It's a Cat's Eye.”
“A what?”
He sighed irritably. “Come now, sweetness, did you knock your head? You've read stories about the War of the Races. You've never heard of the Cat's-Eye necklaces?”
She stared blankly, her ears starting to ring again.
He sighed. “I guess not. Well, haven't you ever wondered about the War? How the humans killed off the races?”
In truth, she had not. Sora had enjoyed the stories of Kaelyn the Wanderer, but she had never truly lingered there. They were just stories, after all, not true history. And what did any of that have to do with her mother's necklace? A Cat's Eye? She put one hand on her head to stop the world from spinning. “What are you talking about?” she repeated.
“The War of the Races,” Dorian said, his voice uncharacteristically impatient. He was beginning to sound like Crash. “The beginning of the end. What, do you think the races just dispersed and died off? The humans exterminated them, one by one.”
Sora was more than horrified. She could only believe him, considering he was one of the last of the Wolfies. “B-but how is that possible? Humans don't have magic.”
“Exactly. So your kind used something else. A cheat.” Dorian spoke bitterly. He went to reach for her necklace, but she yanked it away, guarding the jewel protectively. She didn't like the look on his face. She was suddenly afraid that they would try to take it away from her—the necklace, her only link to her mother.
“I still don't get it. What's a Cat's-Eye necklace?” Sora repeated. “And why does it matter?”
“It's a stone...” Crash answered brusquely. She turned to look at him. He pinned her with his stare, his eyes like gleaming daggers. “A stone that eats magic. It protects whoever wears it, a talisman of sorts. It was the undoing of the races, the only reason why humans won the War. While they were wearing these stones, humans became immune to magic and its effects...just like you've demonstrated tonight. The rest is history.”
“Why haven't I heard about this before?” she asked.
“Ignorance?” Dorian offered.
She shot him a glare. The Wolfy glared right back. Sora could understand why he was being so defensive, why he greeted her necklace with so much hostility. If his words were true, then it was a devious weapon indeed. But she had never even heard of a Cat's Eye! It wasn't her fault that the humans had killed off the other races.
Then Sora's eyes widened. Had she just saved their lives? That's what I did, right? Wasn't it?
“Well, if this necklace is so important to you, just take it,” she said, and went to remove the gemstone from her neck.
“No!” Dorian exclaimed, and lurched towards her, holding out his hands. “Stop! Put it back!”
She paused in alarm, the necklace halfway over her head. “Why?” She blinked in surprise.
“J-just do as I say,” Dorian said, the hostility vanished. “Please.”
She dropped the necklace back in place on her neck, then waited for an explanation. The Wolfy let out a very long sigh, then looked to Crash, obviously asking for help. But the assassin moved away and inspected the charred body of the fox, turning it over with his sword.
“You can't take off the necklace,” Dorian murmured. “It will kill you.”
Sora's mouth dropped open. “W-what!?”
They stared at each other, another awkward pause. Dorian licked his lips slowly, glancing up to his left, as though searching for the words.
Sora tried again. “I thought you said that the necklace will protect me from magic? What do you mean, it will also kill me?” She now had a full-blown headache.
When Dorian finally spoke, it was a little less confidently. “The Cat's Eye is more of a curse than a blessing,” he said haltingly. “It...it's a parasite, a semi-living thing that feeds on magic. It uses the bearer, you see? As much as it protects you, it also uses you. It creates a psychic bond, and if you lose contact with the stone, then the bond is broken.”
Sora nodded to show that she was following. The scene replayed over and over in her head, the monster in the darkness, the sound of sleighbells, her forced act of heroism. After Crash's firm shove, she had lost control of her own body, hadn't she? Yes, she remembered that. Something else had taken control, moving her feet, her limbs. But what? The necklace? How is that possible?
“What do you mean by that? I still don't understand,” Sora repeated, waiting for Dorian to continue.
“The bond grows with time,” Dorian explained. “Eventually, the bearer and the necklace become like one mind, inseparable. And, if the necklace is removed, the bond is broken. The bearer falls into a coma and dies.”
Sora opened her mouth, then shut it. Her thoughts raced, whirling like a weathervane, round and round and round. She still hadn't let go of the necklace. It burned in her hand, buzzing with energy, hotter than ever before. And she had a strange feeling of fullness, as though she had just eaten bread after a month of nothing but carrots.
“This is why the Cat's Eyes are so rare these days,” Crash spoke unexpectedly, breaking the hollow silence. She started, surprised by his voice. “Most were destroyed after the War, too dangerous to be kept as mere trinkets. A single touch can create a bond...and destroy a mind.”
Sora's finger rubbed the surface of the small stone. It had the texture of smooth skin, as though she truly wore an eyeball on her neck. She frowned and started to unclasp the necklace, but Dorian's hand stopped her.
“Weren't you listening?” he snapped. “You can't take it off. Not now.”
“Why? Because of some stupid legend?” Sora shook her head firmly, frightened but still stubborn. What if this was all superstition? “I don't believe a word of it. This necklace isn't going to kill me.”
“Don't be a fool! If the races exist, then so do the Cat's Eyes,” Dorian growled. His voice became surprisingly wolf-like, low and deep in his throat. “I'm not talking about silly stories, girl. The necklace is real. It has been bonding with you since you first put it on. How long have you worn it?”
Sora thought back, remembering her birthday, counting the hours. “A full day at least,” she murmured.
“Then it's too late. Leave it.”
“But....” her voice faded to silence. She had nothing left to say. She didn't know if Dorian's words were true, but she had seen the effects of the necklace only a few minutes ago. She had felt its burst of power, fiercer than a thunderstorm.
And worse than that, she had sensed in her mind a psychic bond with the necklace. She turned to Crash suddenly, all of the pieces falling into place, realization dawning. “That's why you kidnapped me,” she said, stunned. “That's why you won't let me go. You knew I had this necklace.”
The assassin shrugged, meeting her eyes coldly. “I thought that's what it might be, but I wasn't sure,” he murmured. “I had to see for myself.”
Sora sat back, her thoughts still buzzing. She was sore and worn out, but she had to know the truth, the full story. She had heard a name pass between them twice now, a name that had stayed in her mind, hanging sharply like an icicle. “Who is Volcrian? Does he want the necklace?”
The assassin remained silent. Slowly, his brow furrowed.
Sora whirled around to look at Dorian. She was certain that she was onto something. She leaned forward, her words rushed. “Is he the one who hired you? Who wanted Lord Fallcrest dead?”
But Dorian was already shaking his head, his ears slightly drooping. He had ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and was pressing it tightly against his wound, grimacing in
pain. “No, no, not at all,” he muttered through bared fangs. “He is a Wolfy mage, very skilled at magic, very practiced. He has been hunting Crash for years, killing anyone who comes near him. Now he's hunting both of us. And you, too, I expect.”
“A Wolfy mage?” Sora murmured. Her eyes turned to the small corpse of the fox, which had once been a raging, ferocious demon-beast. “He...he made that?”
“Yes,” Dorian said.
“With magic?”
“Yes.”
“And he's...hunting you?”
“Again, yes.”
“And my necklace...my necklace....” Sora's eyes opened wide. It all made sense. Crash and Dorian had a sorcerer on their trail, and her necklace could protect them. No wonder they wouldn't let her go. No wonder Crash had thrown her in front of the monster. He had wanted to test the necklace—to see if his suspicions were right. And perhaps he had known she would be protected.
Hatred burst in her chest. Crash hadn't cared about her safety in the least. There had to be other ways to test a Cat's Eye. Ways that didn't risk her life.
Sora shook her head, her headache growing worse. She had a lot to digest. A day ago, all of this magic business would have seemed impossible. But there was no other explanation for what she had just experienced. She suddenly wondered if she was awake and conscious, or if she had entered some strange delusion brought on by the valerian root.
No, no, the necklace was real, she knew it had to be true. She had felt odd pulls and nudges at her thoughts, intuitions that she couldn't quite explain, and now the sound of sleighbells. Communication? Warning bells? From a rock? A rock!? Not just a rock...she corrected herself, remembering Dorian's words. A semi-living thing.
Dear Goddess, what if the stone was conscious? What if it could hear her very thoughts? Share them? Influence them? She shuddered. I will not scare myself! No, it was just a dumb story. She had never heard of such a thing as a psychic bond, or a necklace that fed on magic, that lived off the bearer like a leech. And yet, now she didn't want to remove the necklace and find out the truth. Crash and Dorian's reactions had scared her, convinced her of the danger.