Wings of Tavea Read Online Free PDF Page B

tracked the Illusionist’s scent through the forest. Nearly an hour later Drustan stopped in front of a large, gnarly pine tree, his nose moving up and down its bark. Stepping back, he morphed into the human form with the pointed ears. Why did he always revert to that form? Kiora kept forgetting to ask him.
    “Why are we stopping?” Kiora asked.
    “Because we have found them,” he announced, looking rather pleased with himself. “Rather clever potion.” Motioning in front of them, Drustan said, “This tree is not a tree.” Turning back to Kiora, Drustan grew serious. “Before you drop this bubble, I need to know you’re ready.”
    She nodded. “I’m ready.”
    “Don’t forget,” he stressed. “No matter what you see, it is not real. An Illusionist quite literally feeds off your belief. You are the only one with the power to make what it shows you real.”
    “I understand.”
    “All right then, drop the bubble.”
    Kiora dropped the bubble, expecting something dramatic to occur. Nothing happened. The tree was still a tree.
    Kiora looked from the tree to Drustan and back again. “Are you sure this is it?” she asked.
    “I’m sure,” Drustan said. “You have to tell it that you know what it is. Then we will have to take Emane. It will not release him freely.”
    Kiora felt ridiculous as she stepped towards the tree. “I know what you are, and I know you have Emane. Let him go.”
    The tree shuddered and began to change. For a second she thought she saw Emane’s face in there. Then he was gone. The tree didn’t shift as Drustan did. She would have been prepared for that. Instead the branches popped into a black swirling cloud, whipping and whirling around her. Kiora took a startled step backwards. The cloud collapsed in on itself, smaller and smaller. Suddenly it exploded into an Aktoowa, three times the size of the one they had already met. Kiora screamed, stumbling back. The bird screeched, drowning out whatever it was that Drustan shouted. Taking advantage of Kiora’s fear, the bird quickly nipped her arm, its sharp beak drawing blood.
    She looked down at her arm in shock. Maybe Drustan was wrong. Maybe this really was a Shapeshifter. The Aktoowa moved towards her again and Kiora reacted, throwing a bolt of magic. She sent the bird flying into a tree.
    “Kiora! It has Emane,” Drustan shouted. “Stop. It’s not real, Kiora, it’s not real.” Drustan tried to run to her, but the Aktoowa had already gained its footing and was coming at her again.
    Kiora couldn’t hit it with magic or she would hit Emane. She had to convince herself to stop believing what she was seeing. The bird lunged at her again. Despite her best effort not to, she jumped back in fear, and again the bird drew blood. Kiora gasped in pain, her hand flying to her new injury.
    Drustan cursed loudly before morphing into an Aktoowa of matching size. He jumped between Kiora and the Illusionist, biting at it.
    “I can not defeat this by myself,” Drustan yelled between attacks. “As long as you believe what you are seeing it will get stronger.”
    Easier said than done. She dropped her face into her hands. Nothing about this animal seemed like an illusion. When Drustan clipped the Aktoowa with the back of his wing she heard the collision. And her arm was still bleeding in two places. She held her head, trying to force her brain to ignore the throbbing in her arm. “It’s not real, it’s not real.” Kiora repeated the mantra over and over to herself. But she could still hear the battle raging, undoing any progress she thought she had made.
    “Kiora, you had better figure this out,” Drustan yelled at her. “Or I am gong to accidentally kill Emane.”
    “It’s not real. It’s not real,” Kiora repeated even louder, wrapping her arms around her head.
    “Oh, that is enough ,” Drustan bellowed.
    Kiora peeked out to watch Drustan morphing into a very large, very thick man. The Giant grabbed the Aktoowa and pulled it down