Page 36 of Bonded Ever After

“You go for the ladder, I’m going to distract it,” I tell Elora.

“No, I–”

“Elora, just do it,” I order gruffly.

Then I move away from her as the creature lets out another growl.

I circle away from the ladder and Elora, and it follows me, crouching low to the ground as it advances on me. A paw shoots out, and I leap to the side, slamming hard into the sharp branches of a bush. But it doesn’t matter; the bush is a lot better than being hit by the creature.

Another paw tries to smash me, and I leap again to avoid it, noting that Elora is making her way down the ladder now. Suddenly, the creature lunges at me, and I jump back… only, there’s nothing but air behind me.I fucking reached the end of the branch!

I fall through the air, my heart hammering.Please let something stop me before I become a stain on the ground.

Arms encircle me as a body presses against me, and I cling onto… Xarex, the birdman.

It takes me a second to remember to breathe. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

A big smile fills his face, and he hugs me tighter.

He changes direction, and then a second later, he snatches Elora off of the ladder. A little scream tears from her lips as she stares at us, wide-eyed. And then we’re on the branch below us with the Phoenix Trail, before we land lightly on the ground.

“Elora, Callum, it’s good to see you!” he greets. His long dark hair is tangled around his face, and his gray eyes are filled with excitement.

“It’s good to see you–”

A massive form leaps onto the branch beside us, and I grab Elora and yank her behind me, as if my body alone could keep her safe from the beast. Remembering my sword, I pull it out, feeling like someone trying to fight a mountain with a toothpick.

Xarex looks between us and the beast, seeming confused, then says, “No, Garmr, no.”

To my shock, the creature gives a pathetic whine, then sits.

“Be little now, Garmr. Little.”

Before our eyes, the big black beast shrinks until it’s the size of a regular dog. Then he lets out the saddest whine and lays down, his head on his paws. His big dark eyes stare up at us, somehow making me feel like the bad guy.

“Elora, Callum,” Xarex says with a smile. “Meet Garmr. My pet.”

“Pet?” I repeat in shock.

“You took my advice!” Elora seems excited, then looks at me. “Xarex was so lonely, I suggested a pet to keep him company.”

“Oh, okay.”But that… that thing is his pet?

“How do you like having a pet?” Elora asks.

Xarex puffs out his chest. “It is not the same as another person, but it is very nice. It has helped with my loneliness. And Garmr loves when I read to him, which makes me very happy.”

“I’m so glad,” she says, and I can tell she means it.

He glances between us. “So, you are off on another adventure?”

She shrugs, looking uncertain. Probably because she hardly sees this as an ‘adventure.’ “Something like that.”

I eye the dog and try to explain. “We were actually in the middle of eating, because we’ve gotten so sick of our pack foods.”

Xarex’s eyes light up. “Stay right here.”

He takes off into the air, leaving behind his dangerous beast, who simply whimpers after him. We shrug and shift to make sure we’re on the path. You know, just in case “Fluffy” gets a taste for human flesh.

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