Shieldwolf Dawning by Selena Nemorin Read Free Book Online

This is it, Cass. Are you ready?"
    Cassian nodded and followed his sister into the grove.

Chapter Four
    Phasing Home

    The grove was quiet except for the trickling of a long neglected river. Every now and again bubbles of chemical foam would collect in bends and overgrown roots. Some bubbles would catch on the lazing wind before they crashed and popped on leaves of red, yellow, and brown; others drifted south to disappear under rusting barrels of toxic waste. The stench of hot tar clung to the air. Samarra held her breath for as long as she could handle.
    "I wonder if anyone lives here?" she asked her brother.
    Cassian surveyed the area bleakly. "I hope not."
    Something moving in the distance caught Samarra's attention. Barrels that lay scattered across a slick patchwork of sand and rocks gave shelter to a flock of songbirds — sad, frail bodies coated in sticky black. Although their hearts grew dim, and their lungs grew weak and weaker still, they lifted their heads up as high as they could to herald the dawning horizon. Samarra rubbed the tears from her eyes. Without a word, she took Cassian's hand and led him deeper into the grove.
    The aroma of burning sage soon filled the air. Samarra followed the scent until she could make out a trail of smoke snaking around a thick silver cauldron. The smoke weaved in and out and up and down before it wrapped its tail around Merganser Ravenhair, the one-eyed crone. Her charcoal grey robe billowed around her as she measured the perimeter of a large circle of stones. She reached into her pockets to retrieve a silver goblet and two crystal bowls and arranged them in the centre of the circle.
    "Oh." Cassian was wide-eyed. "You weren't making this up, were you?"
    "I told you I wasn't." Samarra squeezed his hand. "Why would I lie about something like this?"
    Merganser's staff floated in the space to her right. Its polished length was engraved with symbols. At its peak was a wolf cut from obsidian. Merganser paused to admire her staff. With a loving smile, she traced her crooked fingers along the symbols. One by one they began to glow. Samarra watched the scene in wonder — never in her life had she dreamt of seeing anything like the spectacle unfolding in front of her. Brother and sister approached the circle with caution. Merganser turned around to face them.
    "Samarra and Cassian Dawning." The crone bowed slightly.
    "Sairfang," Cassian interrupted. "Cassian Sairfang."
    Merganser eyed him in confusion. Cassian blushed at the attention.
    "The Sairfangs gave him their kin name." Samarra stepped forward quickly. "I forgot to tell you. Kin names aren't important anyway. Cass is my blood brother regardless."
    "Kin names are important," Merganser noted. "They reveal one's roots."
    Samarra braced herself for punishment. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I should have told you before." She felt like she had done something terribly wrong.
    "Worry not. I am relieved you have arrived safely."
    Samarra was surprised at the woman's lack of anger.
    "Please forgive me for not escorting you here." Merganser stretched to her full height, towering over Samarra by at least two feet.
    Seeing Merganser up close came as a shock to Samarra. The woman's blind eye was scary and distracting. A cataract had spread over the pupil. Samarra couldn't help but stare.
    "The air tests positive for magic. Please enter the portal of phasing," Merganser said. "But you must leave your belongings behind. One cannot cross the Reflection carrying needless things."
    Samarra dropped her backpack without bothering to rummage through it for what she might like to keep. She crammed one hand into the back pocket of her jeans. Her other hand was all fingers, twisting and twirling around the gum in her mouth. Samarra entered the circle and walked past the cauldron, all the while kicking at the dry grass and pebbles with her beat-up sneakers. She was doing her best to put on a brave face in front of Merganser. She didn't want to show