The Conduit The Gryphon Series - By Stacey Rourke Page 0,37

into her voice.

“I guess you better learn to fly quick so you can get us the heck out of there, huh?”

CHAPTER 17

Come to find out the first step in channeling one’s inner eagle is meditation. I do not have an inner eagle. Therefore it made no sense for me to be cross legged on the ground focused on my breathing. Concentration on anything wasn’t coming easily. There was a Seeker in town doing God knows what—and my pants were soaked from sitting on the ground. I opened one eye and peeked at my sister. She was doing exactly as Alaina told her; eyes closed, head up, breathing deeply. If she was uncomfortable it didn’t show. Maybe the ground wasn’t wet where she was sitting. If that was the case, I was probably sitting where some wild animal had recently…Eeew.

“Celeste!”

I sheepishly opened both eyes and peered at Alaina. With her hands on her hips and her cross expression, she was the picture of disapproval.

“Sorry.”

“Will you please try to focus?” She pleaded.

“I’m trying, I am.” I lied.

Again she began her instructions. “Close your eyes.” I did. “Now, inhale a deep, cleansing breath. Feel your lungs expanding to their fullest capacity. Exhale and blow out all the tension in your body. Good. Again, inhale.”

I wonder what Alec is doing right now?

“All the stress is leaving your body, leaving you refreshed and rejuvenated. Inhale. Exhale. Your body is relaxed and your mind is free to roam.”

And roam it shall…

“Let your subconscious focus on all those you love. Let your mind center on them. Open yourself to the love in your heart. Feel the warmth of it radiating through you. It’s spreading through your chest, castings its glow through each part of your body that it touches. It reaches your arms and legs, right down to the tips of your fingers and toes.”

Blah, blah, blah. For a Spirit Guide she’s surprisingly long winded.

“Up into your head, even your hair is tingling. Every inch of your body is alive with the love that you possess. Let your entire being become encompassed in that beautiful feeling.”

I wonder if Kendall is faking. She totally could be. I opened myself up to her to check. Love emanated off her with such a force that it made warmth explode through me. I had never felt anything like this. It was an amazing, euphoric high.

I could also feel that she was teetering on the precipice of her change. She was so close, but seemed stuck, needing a nudge to push her over the threshold. I centered everything I was feeling, drew it into a tight circle in my chest, and with a touch of my hand gave it to her. The energy passed through me and into her. She jerked at my touch, and then absorbed the weight of what I’d given her like a person being electrocuted. She convulsed from head to toe. Her eyes rolled back in her head. A foamy, gurgled scream tore from her throat.

Panicked, I scrambled to get to my feet to aid my baby sister. Alaina intercepted me and physically blocked me from getting any closer.

“No.” She whispered in my ear. “It’s happening.”

The trembling stopped. Keni sat ramrod straight, still as the dead. Her eyes popped open and stared straight ahead. Fabric tore. Alaina took my hand and guided me around to Kendall’s side.

“You’re going to want to see this.”

I crinkled my nose. “I’m fairly certain I don’t.”

Two mounds of flesh rose up out of Kendall’s shoulder blades. Slow and steady they grew. Thick stalks of cartilage drew outward to pull and manipulate the fleshy lumps into a taunt wing form. The bare flesh stretched out wide behind her. Fuzzy white down sprouted up to cover it. A beat later the down fell away to reveal silky, ivory feathers beneath it. Her wings shook and flapped off the remaining fuzz, then snapped open to exhibit the finished product. A gigantic pair of magnificent ivory wings protruded from baby sister’s back.

“Well there’s something you don’t see every day.” I gaped.

“I do.” Alaina corrected.

Kendall’s eye blinked rapidly as she regained the ability to focus. “What happened?”

I pointed. “Uhhh…those happened.”

She glanced over shoulder. “OH! Whoa!!”

“This is great, Kendall.” Alaina assured her. “This is exactly what we wanted to happen.”

I’ll admit my next little barrage of questions probably didn’t help the situation. “What does it feel like? Do they hurt? Can you move them? Can I touch one?”

“No, you cannot touch one! Oh, this feels so weird! Like I