Down the Rabbit Hole - Book Four

18. My Monsters Are Real

I keep looking around anxiously. We're trottin' along here through the woodlands of the Red Country. We done went back to the Palace, hopped through the Western Vault and are now huntin' out here in the woods. Apparently Analia is tracking the Shamen by using something called "Tarsa."

Whatever, I don't even care enough to ask questions. I'm too busy plotting. The second I see my opportunity; I'm escaping this crew of do-gooding freaks. Or at leastwise, I should be busily plotting my escape...but as it is, I can't tear my eyes off Kaleo.

I kinda can't believe he's real.

"So," Whisper startles me out of my thought-spiral. "Do you want me to ask or not ask how it's possible you're the stud to that stallion over there?" She's sitting on the horn of the saddle; her head is turned back on her neck like an owl as she stares up at me with big green eyes.

"Huh? Oh...uh, don't ask," I mumble.

"Mm-hm," she smirks and shakes her head. "You dog."

I quickly do a headcount of persons, Adara and Analia are at the head of the group, Deckum and this Taseem character are bringing up the rear while everyone else is out-flanking me. Hmm. Need a distraction to make my grand exist...

I start absently humming, this earns me a few "he's such a psycho" glares from persons. Whatever. I don't care enough to be bothered by them.

I absently brush my fingers through the amber and crimson leaves of the low hanging branches affectionately. Damn, I do love to be outside again... I glance at the branches in surprise as they seemingly come to life under my touch, the thin branches wind around my hand like little fingers.

What the...? That's never happened before.

I smile faintly as I run my hand through more leaves.

Suddenly, as if the trees can all of a sudden read my mind, two branches abruptly reach down swat Deckum and Taseem off the backs of their horses. Everyone else is in shock -arguably I'm a little stunned too by the trees' intuition- but without hardly wasting a heartbeat, I give a sharp tug on the reins and my horse takes off.

"Whoa!" Whisper sinks her claws into the horse's mane. "Couldn't have given me a warning?!"

"Where's the fun in that?" I laugh. Oh, I'm gone, suckers! Ahh yes! Victory! This gallop turns into a flat out run and I'm laughing my ass off as I look over my shoulder at the helpless clowns I'm leavin' behind in the dust.

"That's right, losers! Y'all can suck my -" my horse abruptly stops running so suddenly, I'm flung off its back and go sailing through the air with a startled curse.

I crash to the ground violently enough to dislocate my shoulder and slide a few more feet before I finally roll to a stop. I groggily sit up with a groan, clutching my aching arm.

I glare up at the horse calmly eating a few feet away, its formerly brown eyes are now glowing green. Damn it. Deckum's Talent. He can control the animals. And to think I almost forgot he could do that.

Think of the devil, Deckum and his horse canter over to me. I glare up at the White Knight as he jumps off his steed. "I believe we warned you not to try anything stupid." He offers me his hand.

I smack it away. "Whatever." I huff bitterly and summon my Talent to Heal my dislocated shoulder. It loudly pops back into place. Oww.

"That was stupid by the way," he chuckles and shakes his head as he glances over at my horse. "And honestly, shame on you, spurring that poor creature like that."