Shift (The Pandorma Adventures Book 1) (16 page)

Ryan now leads us down a tunnel that juts off to the right. After three more turns the tunnel opens into a large cavern. In the middle sits a large, knee-high slab of jagged, stout rectangular stone. Next to the stone sits a russet-orange tiger, its hard calculating gaze fixed on us.

“Ah, I see our roving guests have finally arrived.” The tiger’s steely, commanding voice doesn’t echo in the cave. She comes and stands in front of us, specifically me. Faint interest sparks in her hazel eyes as she carefully examines me; I think she might be sizing me up, but I’m not sure. This tiger is definitely not someone to mess with. Her large bronze head is just under my nose; thick muscles ripple smoothly with every move she makes.

“Cobalt.” She gestures with her tail to a wolf. “Cuven.”

The wolf had been hiding in the jumpy shadows until now, he steps out. Cuven’s coat color varies from light to dark gray. He dips his head at us then sits at Cobalt’s side, encased entirely by her shadow.

“Trevor,” Trevor grunts.

“Lissa.”

“Shiver,” Shiver sings, though not once has Cobalt looked her way or taken notice of her.

“Let us get down to business,” Cobalt instructs. She paces over to the rock slab, her steps long and fluid. I share a glance with Trevor before we all follow her, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Darklily sits on my left; Trevor possessively takes my right, while Ryan and Shiver settle beside Dark. Cuven lights the plants that rest on the corners of the table then retrieves something and places it before us, then takes his place next to Cobalt, who sits opposite me. I watch as the branches burn. Confused I lean closer. The branch doesn’t seem to be burning, but it's clearly on fire. I turn to Cuven.

“How is this not burning?” I ask him.

“It’s an Eternal Flame,” he responds.

“It's really neat,” Ryan picks up when Cuven doesn’t explain further. “The branch burns forever, never goes out once you light it. Even under water.”

“That’s kind of what
eternal
means,” Trevor says purposefully.

“Where does it come from?” I ask.

Ryan opens his mouth to respond, but Cobalt cuts him off by clearing her throat. Her back perfectly straight, tail wrapped around her precisely lined paws, she watches as Cuven unravels an object. I lean in closer to examine the inch thick sheet.

“It is a map of Pandorma,” Cobalt explains.

There are thick black X’s over two giant landmasses then smaller ones in various other places. My eyes rove around the map, soaking in the shape of the land, trying to commit it to memory even though there are barely any geographical features. Forests, deserts, rivers, lakes, and a handful of other places—some having names—are scribbled onto the map. The map looks as if it has been hastily drawn—the words messily written, the outline of the land jagged, lines crossed, re-crossed and triple crossed—making me doubt its precision.

“Is this paper?” Trevor rubs the map between his fingers.

“No. It’s a leaf,” Cuven answers.

Cobalt points a claw to a place far from us. A small mountain range, nothing behind it, nothing in front of it.
Strange
.

“This is where Xavier is—rumored mind you—supposed to have his headquarters. We’re expecting a big attack soon, but we do not know when or where. With your ability I am sure you can reach their command center and annihilate their army in some way. That done, the war will be over. It is imperative for you to begin training now. The sooner this is over the better.”

“Now
, now?”

Cobalt gives me a piercing, admonishing look and I find myself lowering my eyes, but immediately regret it.

“What kind of leaf?” Trevor asks curiously.

Cobalt doesn’t bother to cover her annoyance as she answers, “A Yu leaf.”

I look at the leaf closer. It is about an inch thick, beige-ish white and about two feet wide.

“Where does it come from?” Trevor asks.

“Enough. This is all irrelevant. Lissa,” Cobalt says my name with a biting edge and I feel pinpricks go up my spine. “Cuven will begin your training.
Now
.” Cobalt adds emphasis on the last word. No chance of misunderstanding there. Her short-tempered attitude is starting to irritate me. I can shift into any animal;
anything
and yet she acts like I’m an annoying fly—like I’m not here to help and I’m just getting in the way. I imagine myself going up against her—and getting slaughtered. Perhaps it’d be wiser to keep my head low and just follow orders.

One glance at Trevor tells me he isn’t done asking about the map made of leaf, but even he seems to know not to push the subject.

“So Lissa is supposed to go destroy the army or whatever alone?” Ryan asks.

“I’ll be fine alone—”

“What are you suggesting?” Cobalt interrupts.

After some hesitation Ryan says, “I want to go with her.”

“Me too,” Trevor says with finality.

“I
don’t
need a guard,” I say but they ignore me.

“It’ll be safer if there’s two of us instead of one,” Ryan declares.

“Three,” Trevor hisses.

“Guys, I
can
defend myself.”

“This isn’t some dream world. It’s deadly for any of us to be on our own; we know
nothing
about this place. Or what you’re going up against,” Ryan argues.

“That’s why she’s going to be trained first,” Dark says, but nobody listens to her either.

“Ryan, I—”

“If anyone goes with her it's me. I can shift into a wolf—I can protect her better,” Trevor threatens. Ryan stares at Trevor, assessing him.

Dark snorts. “She got here in one piece didn’t she?”

“Enough!” Cobalt commands then gives us each our own glare. “Are you all children? I am in charge until the threat of Xavier and Medusa has been eliminated and every minute that is wasted arguing is unacceptable. From any of you. There are two forces combating our enemies right now.
Darklily and Trevor, I think it would be best if you guys scouted Medusa’s retreat, which is located in the far southern country. It is very vague, I know, but she has taken extreme measures to hide it well. I am hoping you can pick up vital information on what she is planning. Go cautiously. As for Lissa, she will train here then head to where she is needed. I am positive you will find your way there with your . . .
talent,
” Cobalt says dismissively.

“What about me?” Ryan asks.

Cobalt narrows her eyes. “Forgive me if I put this harshly, but you are not fit for this planet. I suggest you find the nearest portal and go home.”

“I’m not going home. I’m going with Lissa,” Ryan adds after a pause. My eyes flick to Trevor. His gaze is like stone, his jaw set.

“Like I said before—” Cobalt begins.

“I know what you said, but I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m going with her.”

I admire Ryan’s guts, but seriously it’s not safe to go around telling a hundred pound tiger whether you’re going to do something or not.

Cobalt scans Ryan, boring her flinty gaze into him. To his credit he doesn’t even flinch.

“Very well. But you will only hold her back. You could be killed within a few hours and now is not the time for certain
emotions
to be guiding your actions
.
”

I can feel my cheeks starting to flush so I hang my head, pretending to study the map, hoping my hair will effectively cover my face.

“What if I had a sword or maybe a bow and arrows?” Ryan says suddenly.

“A sword?” Cobalt’s bewilderment is obvious.

“Yeah. Do you have a pencil or something? To draw with,” Ryan adds when neither understand what he means.

Cuven is swallowed into the shadows and then comes back with an object in his mouth, which he places in Ryan’s hand. It is a sharp stick freshly dipped in what I guess to be a kind of ink. Cuven places a smaller Yu leaf on the rock next to a small, crudely made clay bowl. Ryan begins drawing his sword, bow and arrow.

Cobalt studies it closely then speaks to Cuven. “Fetch Synth. Ryan, go with Cuven and direct the forming of these weapons
.
Darklily take Lissa above and wait with her until Cuven arrives, then come to the third tunnel on the right and we will discuss your leaving.”

“What about me?” Shiver asks.

Cobalt continues walking as if she didn’t hear Shiver, but I know she did.

“You can come with Ryan and me,” I offer.

She gives an excited bounce. “Really? I’d love to! We’ll have so much fun!”

Dark leads us above ground and through the twisting maze of boulders to a spot where they are spaced much farther apart. Waves languidly crash upon a shore I cannot see but sounds close enough to run to. The silence that encloses around us is far less peaceful; Dark’s tail twitches and my thoughts and worries mix together, creating a powerful emotion I can’t name.

“There’s Cuven!” Shiver’s loud announcement makes us both jump. Dark casts me eyes turned dark green from a jumble of emotions, before darting back to the cave. Cuven throws Shiver a purposeful, withering look but she doesn’t get the hint so he turns to me.

“Have you shape shifted at all?” Cuven asks. Although he gives an air of indifference I can sense subdued eagerness underneath. I nod.

“How many times?”

“Several,” I answer vaguely since I don’t actually know how many times.

Cuven nods his gray head meaningfully. “Good. Makes my job easier. Now, the first thing we’ll work on is shifting from one animal to another within seconds. Then once you’ve done it to perfection I’ll give you some battle training.”

“Are you sure that’s necessary? I mean, it is just animals.”

Cuven’s fur stands rigid on his back, lips pulled back in the beginning of a snarl. “We’re not just
animals.
If you keep thinking that way you’ll be killed sooner rather than later.”

“Sorry. I didn’t think—well when it comes to animals . . . you know I’ve lived on Earth my whole life, I haven’t a clue how things work here!” Although I’m starting to get an idea.

“Well it’s time you learn,” he grumbles. “One of the first things you should know is that the current circumstances are not in your favor.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that no matter how hard I train you, I can’t prepare you for what you’ll be walking into!” he snaps.

Taken off guard by the anger seething inside him, I don’t push the subject. Cuven’s dark eyes settle into a stony, infuriated gaze.

I shift uneasily.

Cuven’s eyes snap back to me and he starts listing off commands, “Leopard, giraffe, black bear.” When I give him a puzzled look he snaps, “Go! Shift!”

I jump into the first form without difficulty then revert back to my human shape to shift into the giraffe.

“No!”

At Cuven’s snarl my body painfully jerks back into human shape.

“What?” The twinges of pain cause irritation to wind through me.

“All at once. From one to the other. Go again, just faster.”

Again I shift into a leopard, when I try shifting into a giraffe it feels like walking in waist deep peanut butter. Oh so slowly I begin to shift until with a painful wrench my neck and legs elongate, with the rest of me falling into shape. I shift back into human form, breathing heavily.

“Again.”

Cuven’s tart command makes anger and determination burn inside me and my focus sharpens.
Leopard.
Spine tingling as it lengthens into a tail, limbs burning as they bend to cat form, fur engulfs me, nails sprout into claws, and my face jolts into a leopard’s.
Giraffe.
Again it feels like I am walking through peanut butter. My limbs shudder, stretching with a thick slowness; pain sparks up and down my spine. I grit my teeth at the effort of forcing myself through the shift.

I glare down at my slightly trembling legs, struggling to remember the other animal.
Black bear.
The minute I remember the last animal my body convulses. This time the pain flaring within is stronger, burning every part of me it touches. My legs and neck bunch until they become the sturdy neck and legs of a bear. Claws sprout and my face takes on that of a bear’s. Now my legs visibly tremble with exhaustion, but I ignore them, casting Cuven a glance, hoping for his approval.

“I said
black
bear.”

My fur is a light brown tinted with rusted red. Huffing with indignation I stomp up to him.

“Sure. Next time I’m shape shifting I’ll make sure the
color
of the animal is correct 'cause the pain is just sunny.”

A snarl twists Cuven’s face. “Don’t get smart with me. Go again, we’re not stopping until I say so it’ll be easier for both of us if you just obey happily. Remember, the bear is black.”

I want to snap at him that I have no control over the color of my fur but I don’t. Biting my tongue to keep from snarling, I move back a little ways and begin all over again, funneling my anger at him into shifting.