Hyacinth - By Abigail Owen Page 0,60

to their attackers, only to realize that they were in a full-on sprint straight at them. The sight of fifty screaming warriors with murder in their eyes bearing down on her family reminded Selene of all the horrible battles she’d been part of over the years.

“Desmond,” Selene instructed Ellie.

“On it,” Ellie replied.

Instantly, all twenty of the Svatura and Vyusher turned invisible. There was no sound, no warning. Not even the shimmering that happens when a metamorph shifts. Just immediate nothingness.

“This feels so weird,” Ellie muttered beside her. “I can feel that I’m here, but I can’t see anything.”

“It is a little creepy,” Selene agreed. The sensation was almost claustrophobic in an odd way. She almost wanted to rip her body out of whatever was hiding it from her. No wonder Dez didn’t do this very often.

The Louisianans pulled up in surprise, but at an unseen order from their commander, continued their charge.

“Dang. Thought that would work,” Ellie muttered.

She tapped into Charlotte’s power and suddenly they stood on the other side of the attacking hoard, still invisible. Ellie had Dez lift the cloak he held over them all. A small sigh of liberation whispered through their group as visibility returned and they could see their own bodies once more. Apparently, Selene and Ellie weren’t the only ones uncomfortable with that sensation.

Their attackers kept running until they reached the spot where the Vyusher had just been standing. Finding nothing, some started to turn around, still searching. However, instead of everyone turning, another silent command had them running directly at the castle’s wall.

A terrible groan rose from the earth as Darius, another of Selene’s Vyusher, responded to Ellie’s command and wielded his gift. The very ground the Louisianans stood on began to shake and tremble, knocking some off their feet. A seam ripped through the land between them and the castle. Dirt and grass and rocks flew in all directions, covering their attackers in a fine layer of filth and opening a gaping chasm, halting their assault. The edge of the crevice closest to the Louisianans curled upward, guaranteeing no one fell into the void.

“Good thinking, Darius,” Selene thought, knowing Ellie would pass it on.

The southern tribe wheeled around and focused their charge back on the twenty. The metamorphs heading the pack shifted into their animal forms, and Selene could see two tigers, a bear, and an alligator.

All of the Vyusher instantly shifted to wolf form, a growl rumbling through their ranks, but the Cajun shifters continued their advance unimpeded.

“Stay in your forms. I’ll back you up. This one has me written all over it,” Ellie mentally relayed.

Ellie tapped into Amy, a young Vyusher with the ability to project thoughts as a voice for all to hear.

“I wouldn’t recommend that, boys,” she called.

Ellie moved out in front of her allies and shifted in rapid succession, showing the metamorphs exactly what she could do. Her form blurred with mirage-like waves and where Ellie had once stood, first there was a falcon, then a wolf, and then a jaguar, and then Ellie in human form again, hands on her hips and head tilted to the side. While the fighters descending on them slowed slightly at this display, they still didn’t stop. With a shake of her head, Ellie flashed a grin and then revealed her most terrifying form.

Her body appeared to shimmer in mirage-like waves, wavering as if the air around her was distorting. In a motion so rapid it was almost unrecognizable, flesh became shining obsidian scales. Her massive form shot up through the air to tower over the puny humans below. Flashes of whip-like tail, razor-sharp claws, and powerful jaws would intimidate the bravest of any Svatura or Vyusher. Her awesome wings folded neatly behind her, and violet-blue fire burned in her eyes.

The dragon lowered her head to ground level, turning it to the side to watch the Louisiana tribe with an unblinking eye. Tapping into Amy’s power again, Ellie projected her thoughts, which came out sounding a little like Ellie’s voice but with deep, smoky edges.

“Do you seriously want to take me on?” she asked.

The Louisianans stopped in their tracks. Only great fools with a death wish would be willing to take on a dragon.

With a satisfied snort, smoke trailing out of her nostrils and curling into the air, Ellie shifted back to human and rejoined her friends.

“I really hate it when people make me do that. None of this would be necessary if they’d just give us a chance to explain