Shieldwolf Dawning by Selena Nemorin Read Free Book Online Page A

her brother how scared she was.
    Cassian went to his place in the circle. Merganser nodded approvingly when he fell into position on the c marking his space-time coordinates. After Merganser had sealed the portal of phasing with a spell, she marched over to Samarra and laid her hands on Samarra's forearm. Merganser closed her eyes and whispered something inaudible. A searing pain rose from under Samarra's skin. She tried to pull away but the woman's grip was firm.
    "Stop," Samarra flinched. "You're hurting me."
    "Be still."
    "What are you doing?"
    Light filled Merganser's hands. "I am imprinting you with an anchor."
    "An anchor?" Samarra tried to block out the pain as a symbol burned into her skin. She relaxed when Merganser let her go. A tribal image of a black wolf had been branded into her arm. It was smoking.
    "The wolf is our spirit animal and marks you as one of us. The symbol will guide you on your journey. Focus on it if you get scared during the phasing — it will ground you onto your target landing."
    Samarra traced her fingers over her tattoo, which was now cool to the touch.
    "Do you have any questions?" Merganser asked.
    "No." Samarra caught her brother's eye and smiled encouragingly as Merganser rolled up his sleeve. Cassian was silent as he was branded a Shieldwolf.
    Merganser threw a handful of pungent herbs into the cauldron. Smoke fanned out and over the area and purified the passengers for their phase through the space-between-space. Samarra was transfixed. Merganser lifted her staff into the air and was about to start her spell when screaming and shouting erupted from the edges of the grove. Samarra spun around. The Sairfangs raced toward her followed by a group of guards.
    Merganser growled.
    The Sairfangs reached for their guns.
    Samarra felt sick at the thought of going back to the estate. She knew she would be punished, and she knew it would be a thousand times worse than before. "Cass!" She ran to her brother.
    "How did they find us?" he asked.
    The Sairfangs approached the circle with lightning speed. Samarra could barely breathe. When he was in range, Mr. Sairfang took aim at Merganser. "Stop or I'll shoot!" His wife ran straight for Cassian.
    "Yield!" Merganser shouted, and the guards were all rooted to the spot.
    Mr. Sairfang fired, but the bullet was deflected by the magical shield that Merganser had erected around the circle.
    Samarra whimpered. She couldn't go back to the estate. She just couldn't.
    "Control yourself." Merganser glared at Samarra. "I will not allow these rogues to enter our sacred space. Their bullets cannot penetrate the magic that protects us. Samarra, return to your co-ordinates immediately." But Samarra could only stare. "Now!"
    Merganser traced a sign in the air and knocked her staff on the ground. A mesh of prickly vines burst from the earth and wrapped themselves around the Sairfangs. Mrs. Sairfang tripped and fell, dropping her gun. She kicked and screamed while she was hauled to a nearby oak by the vines that had trapped her. Mr. Sairfang whipped out a dagger and tried to slash his way through the vines, but others sprang up in their place. He cursed Merganser at the top of his lungs as he was overcome by the vines. In a matter of seconds the Sairfangs were bound tightly to a thick trunk. Samarra watched the commotion in stunned disbelief.
    "I should have buried you myself when I had the chance, Merganser," Mr. Sairfang raged on. He hurled out his anger, but the more he ranted the more the vines covered his mouth. His eyes shot hate at Merganser, who was now standing beside Cassian. Her hand rested gently on his shoulder. Her expression was fierce.
    "We ordered you to protect them—" Merganser pointed the tip of her staff at Mr. Sairfang in accusation, "—but you hid them from us. Like fugitives, you and your woman went into hiding, desperate to unlock the secrets of this boy's mind. You should have checked the long-term status of the planet before phasing