What if every magical creature you'd ever heard of was real, driven into hiding by an army of violent zealots? This is reality for Sarah Heisen and Porter Collins. Sarah is a sphinx living a life of luxury in her family's mansion. Hidden from all da...
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Chapter Forty Six
(Sarah)
"Porter?"
"Up here."
Sarah paused and looked up into trees. Porter was sitting up in the topmost branches of an old oak, his legs dangling over the side of sturdy branch. The sight was enough to make the sphinx dizzy.
"What are you doing up there?" she asked.
"Just thinking," he answered. "Want me to come down?"
Sarah thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "No, I'll join you. Hold on."
Tensing her muscles, Sarah jumped and grabbed the lowest hanging branch, scrabbling with her back paws to pull herself up. She did this again and again, with Porter watching with concern from above, until she finally reached him. Panting from exertion, she spread her wings to help her balance and then laid down, resting her head on Porter's lap.
"I thought cats were supposed to be good at climbing trees," he said, reaching down to scratch her back right between her wings.
"I've merely been investing my talents in other areas," she replied, turning her nose up playfully. She purred and arched her back into his hand.
"Why didn't you just fly up?"
Sarah glanced back at her wings. "Didn't I tell you? A sphinx's wings don't fully develop until they're eighteen years old."
"Hm," Porter grunted. "I don't think you've mentioned that."
"Really?" Sarah gave a big catlike yawn. "Could have sworn I did."
"Are you going to be able to get down again?"
Sarah gave him a haughty look. "Excuse me? Being a gentleman, I expect you to carry me down!"
Porter raised his eyebrow at her, and then burst out laughing.
"Whatever her majesty wishes," he said.
"That's more like it." Leaning up a little, Sarah kissed him. It was another cold day outside, but whenever their lips met Sarah could have sworn it turned to summer.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking out over the forest. Behind them, a thin column of smoke rose from the chimney of Droma's invisible cabin. The party had decided to retreat there after escaping from Mortoph, figuring that its cloaking spell would make it as safe a place as any to hide.
That had been a week ago.
"So, what did you come up here to think about?" Sarah asked, breaking the silence.
Porter sighed. "Do you really need to ask?"
A pit formed in Sarah's stomach, and she shook her head. "No, I guess not."
