A Fork of Paths Read online

  Is he really going to take me home?

  Home. It was strange that I called The Shade my home when I had hardly spent any time there. And yet it felt more like home than New York ever had.

  The griffin’s wings beat, and he launched into the air. With the heat of his body flowing into me, as well as the ski clothes I was wearing, I felt shielded from the cold. The garments seemed to be of high quality, and once I pulled the hood over my head to protect my ears and the sides of my face, even the wind didn’t bother me much.

  I gripped the back of his neck tighter as we flew faster. The hunters’ facility was in view. Though I was curious to see more of that place from a bird’s-eye perspective, I still felt so traumatized by the experience that I’d had there—what they’d done to me, what I feared they might have taken from me—that I preferred to keep my eyes straight ahead and ignore their sprawling lair of horrors.

  Then I caught sight of the ocean in the distance. I didn’t know how long it would take us to reach The Shade, or how many thousands of miles we were away from it, but as we arrived at the shoreline and launched over the glistening waves, I didn’t feel far away from it any more. I had faith in this griffin—my unexpected savior and protector—and I trusted that it was only a matter of time before I was reunited with my family… And maybe, just maybe, Ben might have returned home in my absence.

  Patting the side of the griffin’s head fondly, I couldn’t help but whisper, “Thank you.”

  River

  The journey didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped. As we soared over the waves with supernatural speed, I got a hunch that the griffin didn’t know exactly where he was going after all. He seemed to fly God knew how many miles in one direction, only to turn back on himself and zig-zag in the other. I could only hope that the ocean beneath us was indeed the Pacific Ocean, for I didn’t even know for sure where the hunters’ lair had been located.

  As the hours turned into days, I became increasingly grateful that the creature had thought to procure some food and water for me for the journey, and my only hope that we were headed at least roughly in the right direction came from the increasingly mild temperature. With the heat of the griffin’s body seeping into me, combined with my heavy-duty clothing and the sun overhead, I found myself sweating like a pig and I had to discard the ski clothes in favor of my pajamas alone.

  “How much longer?” I wondered out loud several times during our flight, even though I knew my companion couldn’t answer. He only grunted.

  By the third day, I’d finished all the energy bars, but thankfully not all the drinking water. As a half-blood, it was lucky that I didn’t need to consume as much and I seemed to be able to bear hunger better than a human.

  My impatience and worry satiated a little when I finally spied an island in the distance. A small one. But amidst the endless water, it was a welcome sight.

  Then, half a day later, a larger landmass loomed on the horizon. A much larger landmass. Could this be… Hawaii? I hardly dared even hope for it, yet it looked like it could be. Moving closer to the shore, I could better make out the island—a landscape of rugged cliffs and golden beaches. As we continued to fly around its border, I began to notice more developed areas, marked by winding roads and towering skyscrapers.

  My escort seemed to sense my rising excitement. He let out a shriek, and nodded enthusiastically toward the island. I guessed that was a good sign.

  We continued past the landmass, and even as we were once again engulfed in a world of infinite, rippling blue, my anticipation increased.

  By the time night fell, even though the griffin still appeared to get disorientated at times, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were close. Very close.

  And then, in what I guessed must have been the early hours of the morning, with a lurch of my heart, I spotted a familiar cluster of rocks. I was sure that they were the same rocks I’d headed to with the dragons to save Sofia, Derek and Aiden.

  Oh, my God.

  We’ve arrived.

  We’ve arrived!

  “You did it, Hero!” I positively squealed, surprising myself.

  Hero. I wasn’t sure where that came from. He ought to have a name, and Hero just seemed like an appropriate one.

  I squeezed my legs more tightly on either side of his back, excitement and relief flooding my brain. I could hardly believe it. I threw a glance over my shoulder toward where the hunters had been positioned in their huge naval ships. All the ships were gone now. Perhaps they’d all left soon after I’d been taken away in the submarine. Maybe after the incident with the dragons, they’d thought it best to abandon their posts for a while.

  I threw my gaze back toward the direction of the invisible island.

  “Yes! Over there!” I breathed, pointing toward where I remembered the boundary being in relation to the small rock formation. Of course, it wasn’t like I needed to point. Even if Hero had gotten a bit lost during the journey, he’d managed to find his way here in the end across the vast Pacific Ocean.

  He hurtled full speed toward the boundary, and just as I was sure that we’d reach it any second, he halted midair with such force, it was like he’d just hit a brick wall. My grip on him loosened and I almost went tumbling down into the waves.

  My heart sank a little in my chest. He wasn’t able to enter the barrier.

  But why not? I was accompanying him. Don’t I still have permission to enter the island?

  I drew in a deep breath. It wasn’t the end of the world. We just had to fly around the boundary and make enough noise until somebody noticed and came to collect us.

  This idea seemed to occur to my trusty guardian before I even suggested it. Quickly recovering from the sudden stop, he launched us high into the sky—high enough to begin soaring over the island itself. He dipped down occasionally, as if testing the magical boundary that covered the island like a canopy.

  “Hello!” I began to bellow as loudly as I could. “It’s River! Let me in!”

  Since it was early morning, I guessed that many would be asleep, but the island was filled with supernatural creatures with supernatural hearing and I doubted that it would take long for somebody to notice me and come to my aid. Besides, many of them didn’t sleep regular hours anyway, since it was always night in The Shade.

  “River!”

  I froze as a voice called out from beneath us.

  It was a male voice, with a thick, Scottish accent.

  “I see you through the boundary, River!” the voice called up to us again. “This is Cameron!”

  “Oh! Thank you!” I yelled back down. I barely knew Cameron. I had met him and his family only briefly.

  “Stay where you are,” he ordered. “I’m going to send a witch up for you.”

  “Thank you!” I replied, and then all was quiet again.

  Hero didn’t seem to require me to instruct him to stay put. He had heard Cameron, and he paused mid-air, his wings keeping us hovering in one spot.

  We were waiting perhaps twenty minutes before Corrine manifested before us out of thin air. She beamed at me, her expression filled with relief, and then her eyes fell on Hero.

  “Thank you so much for sending him!” I said. “I dread to think what might have happened to me if he’d arrived even a bit later…”

  The witch frowned, her face twisting in bewilderment. “Wait… What? Who’s he?”

  I faltered, staring at Corrine.

  “This… creature,” I said slowly, patting the back of Hero’s smooth head.

  Corrine raised a brow. “Honey, I’m relieved as heck to have you back, but I’ve no idea what you’re talking about…” She moved closer to us, her eyes bulging with a mixture of confusion and fascination. “What are you doing with a griffin?”

  I felt lost for words. “Are you sure that nobody in The Shade sent him to come and save me?”

  “I’m positive,” Corrine said, her tone slightly high-pitched as she examined the creature. “I came searching for you myself soon a
fter you were kidnapped, but I failed to find you on any of the hunters’ ships. None of us have had a clue where to look for you.”

  My gaze tilted to Hero, who, except for his wings, was quite still, his eyes bright and receptive. “Then where did he come from?” I breathed.

  “You’re asking me?” Corrine exclaimed. She tore her eyes away from Hero and fixed them back on me. “Are you all right? What happened to you?”

  “I’m okay… I think. The hunters took me back to some kind of headquarters surrounded by mountains and snow. I’ll tell you everything, but I just need to see my family first.”

  “Of course,” she said. She approached me and held out her hand for me to take. I assumed that if I grabbed hold of it, I would hover with her too, but…

  “Hero,” I said. When Corrine’s eyes widened, I clarified, “That’s my name for him. I, uh, I’d like to bring him down too. I owe him my life, and I feel guilty just leaving him up here. Even if he doesn’t stay on the island, we’ve been traveling for days and I’d like to see if he’ll accept some food and water.”

  Corrine dared reach out a hand and placed it against Hero’s sleek neck, as if testing to see if he would snap at her. Strangely, Hero flinched a little at her touch, but then he became still again.

  “He’s been nothing but gentle with me,” I assured her. “I’m sure he’s of no threat to anyone.”

  “Hm,” Corrine muttered. “A lot of things have changed in The Shade since you left. We’ve instituted higher levels of security than we’ve ever had before. The island has become like a fortress—not even the residents have permission to enter as they please any more. Once out of The Shade, you’re stuck out. As inconvenient as it is, there are only three people with the ability to let you in—currently the three most powerful witches of The Shade: myself, Ibrahim or Shayla.”

  She moved her hand against mine, and to my surprise, I felt a strange prickle run along my arm. Like a mild electric shock. Then Corrine moved backward, and nodded. “What I just did was verify that you’re really River and not some imposter disguised by a spell. I must do this with any resident who leaves the island and returns, though admittedly, we’ve had a lot fewer people wandering off outside of late what with all this hunter craziness…”

  “But will you allow me to bring Hero down?”

  She nodded, to my relief. “I tested him just now. He’s under no disguise. He is… actually a griffin. I guess our island is already a zoo. An extra supernatural shouldn’t make a lot of difference to anyone. Let’s go down.”

  I wasn’t expecting Corrine to climb onto Hero’s back, but she did, settling behind me. Again, Hero’s intuition was uncannily sharp and he didn’t wait for either of us to urge him down. He took a dive, and Corrine’s arms slid around my waist and tightened, while I gripped his neck. With Corrine making contact with the both of us, we were able to pass through the boundary and then… Oh, sweet relief. I gazed down at the most welcome sight. The magical island couldn’t have looked more beautiful to me than it did in that moment, as we soared over its sea of redwood trees, its picturesque mountains looming in the distance.

  Being back here, in Ben’s home, filled me with an unbearable surge of longing for him. Although I was almost certain Corrine’s answer would disappoint me, I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Has he returned?”

  I’d been so absorbed in thinking about Ben… my love, my best friend… that I didn’t even refer to him by his name. But Corrine understood.

  “He hasn’t,” she responded quietly. “I’m sorry.”

  I swallowed hard, hollowness welling in the pit of my stomach.

  There was a span of silence before Corrine spoke again. “So you, uh, want to see your family first, yes?”

  “Yes,” I replied, my voice lower than usual.

  “That’s a good idea,” Corrine said, in a painfully obvious attempt to keep the subject on other matters. “Your mom has been worried sick.” She pointed toward a clearing in the trees beneath us. “The Vale is down there, if you want to descend with… what did you call him?”

  I smirked. “Hero.”

  “Hero. Well, if you’re certain he’s safe, he can fly down there with you to the town and you can go see your family. In the meantime, I’d like to inform everyone else that you’ve returned.” She slid off the griffin’s back and soared in the air alongside us. She gave me a warm smile and squeezed my hand. “Your mom and siblings aren’t the only ones on this island who’ve been worried about you.”

  I returned her smile. “Thank you,” I said.

  With that, Corrine vanished, leaving me and my trusty escort alone again. He had already begun descending toward the clearing. We leveled with the tops of the trees, and the Vale’s town square appeared directly beneath us. As he landed gracefully near one of the fountains, I slipped off his back. My knees felt unsteady after being seated for so long, and it took a moment for me to find my balance. Then I faced the griffin, looking him directly in the eye. Slowly, I leaned forward and planted a kiss on the side of his face.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, meaning it from the very core of me.

  He nudged my shoulder, as if urging me to go see my family.

  “Wait here,” I said, still having no idea whether this creature would want to stay in The Shade after I’d fed him, or where else he might go if he left. “I’ll come back for you very soon.”

  Turning, I cast one last glance over my shoulder before I bolted toward the street where our townhouse was situated. I was oddly short of breath as I reached the door and knocked. It took three minutes for somebody to wake up. I caught the sound of a door groaning open upstairs, and then footsteps padding down the staircase. It was Jamil who answered the door. His jaw dropped open as he laid eyes on me.

  “River!”

  I leapt into his arms and hugged him tight.

  “Mom!” he bellowed over his shoulder. “River’s back!”

  Doors burst open upstairs, and my mom and two sisters came stampeding down the staircase. They squealed and threw themselves at me, holding me so close I found it a struggle to breathe.

  I returned their affection, kissing and hugging each of them.

  “Are you okay? What in heaven’s name happened to you, girl?” my mom cried, clutching my face in her hands. “What did those people do to you?”

  “I’m okay, Mom,” I said. I was still feeling traumatized by the experience, and I didn’t want to start reliving all the details just yet. I wasn’t sure if I would ever tell my mom that they had cut me open on an operating table without my even knowing what exactly they’d done. “I will tell you what happened,” I continued. “But first I need you to meet someone.”

  I was sure that Hero would frighten them at first—especially my younger sisters—but I could not fight the urge to introduce them to my rescuer. Showing him to them would also help me to explain how I escaped from the hunters.

  “Huh? Who?” my mother asked.

  “Just put on some shoes and come with me,” I said, tugging on her hand and leading her to the door.

  My family followed me out of the house, and as we neared the square, my footsteps quickened. I felt oddly excited to introduce him to them, as though he were a dear friend. But when I turned the last corner and faced the square, I stopped dead in my tracks.

  “What is it?” my family murmured behind me as they arrived by my side.

  “Hero,” I breathed, my heart sinking as I gazed around the empty square. “He’s gone.”

  Ben

  I wouldn’t forget the promise that I’d made to myself after interrupting River’s last dream.

  I wouldn’t haunt her after she no longer needed me.

  After River turned the corner and headed back to her townhouse to see her family, I spread the griffin’s wings and launched back into the air. Residents and visitors were still able to leave The Shade without permission, so I had no difficulty in rising outside of the boundary.

  I could have left the beas
t on the island and traveled away in my spirit form, but without my control over him, this animal was dangerous. I had to lock him out of The Shade.

  After breaching the invisible barrier and soaring away from the island over the waves, it was time for me to let this griffin go. For good. I had pushed his body hard over the last few days. So hard, in fact, I’d been afraid that he might collapse mid-journey. I hadn’t stopped once to feed him, or given him anything to drink. But his body seemed built to weather discomfort and hardship.

  I raised my spirit out of him and watched as he staggered in the air. His wings stopped beating completely for a moment and he hurtled downward. Coming to his senses at the last second, just before he fell into the ocean, he flapped his wings and rose again in the sky. He paused, taking in his surroundings uncertainly, before launching into the direction opposite from The Shade.

  “So long, Hero,” I muttered, even as my chest twinged at the reminder of River.

  I wasn’t sure where he would go. But I had freed him from the hunters’ grasp, and I supposed that wherever he ended up would at least be better than that.

  I couldn’t imagine what the creature must have been feeling. How odd it must have been for him, to be possessed like that for days… Then again, I’d experienced my own fair share of possession when the Elder had still had me under his influence. Though, thanks to Arron’s vial of blue liquid, Basilius had never had the chance to control me completely.

  My thoughts slowly turned back to the present. The waiting, inescapable present.

  What do I do now?

  As afraid as I’d been when River had been captured by the hunters, having my mind overtaken by her plight had actually been a kind of blessing in disguise for me. I’d been so consumed in figuring out how to rescue her that I hadn’t had a lot of time to think about myself. Now that I did, I felt vacant.