The Key Read online

  His head leaned back and again he roared with hoarse laughter. “Hardly, my dear. I have waited for you for a hundred years.”

  Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. “What do you want from me?”

  “Not yet, my dear. As they say in books, in time, all will be revealed.”

  “I’m not doing anything for you,” she spit out.

  “Oh, but you will. And you’ll do so willingly. It’s quite a shame your parents died in the fire. They would have been the perfect leverage.”

  How dare he speak of my parents that way! Fury overwhelmed her fear. Maddie ran at him again, her foot placed for a well-aimed kick. She hoped his anatomy was enough like a man’s for it to count.

  He twisted and her toe bounced off his thigh. His arm snaked out, grabbed her by the hair, and yanked her off the ground once more.

  She screamed, this time in agony. Every hair in her head felt like it was ripping out at the roots. Maddie screamed for her grandma, she screamed for her mom and dad, she even screamed for Dougal, then as suddenly as the pain began, it stopped. The forest whirled past her, then she slammed into the ground.

  A thundering noise echoed through the clearing, louder even than her pulse in her ears. She rolled over and sat up, crawling away backward. Not one creature, but two. Fists flew as the gray gryphon turned the black gryphon into a punching bag. Claws flashed in the moonlight. They spun together, then fell apart.

  The black gryphon held his chest and backed away. “Who are you?”

  A snarl filled the pause. “I’m Alasdair, protector of mankind. Who are you?”

  “I am Doran, your worst nightmare.”

  They circled each other like fighting predators. “What do you want with her?” Alasdair, the gray gryphon, bared both fangs and claws.

  “That is none of your concern.”

  “I fear that it is.”

  Darkness fell harder, as if clouds hid the moon or a dragon ate it, and Maddie saw only shadowy movements. Fists connected and it sounded as if thunder rocked the sky. They slammed each other on the ground and the earth shook. She wobbled and struggled to maintain her balance. A panicky voice in her head told her to run, but her feet were rooted to the spot.

  The pounding ended. More terrified than ever, Maddie strained her eyes, but saw nothing. A distinct whooshing sound, like bird wings fluttering, echoed around her. Moonlight suddenly flooded the clearing. A dark figure flew straight toward her and loomed ever closer. She shrieked and wrapped her arms around her head, then shrieked again when strong arms grasped her around the waist and hauled her into the night sky. Massive wings beat the air like a heavy drum. She struggled against her captor, then in the moonlight she saw his gray fur. Alasdair, the one who had rescued her from the car crash. She wrapped her arms around him and held on.

  His arms tightened in return. His deep voice sounded strained. “Hold on.”

  Maddie had no intention of doing otherwise. Her head wanted to droop, and with one hand he cradled her neck in place.

  Deep within the woods surrounding Grandma’s property, Alasdair landed. For only a moment he stood and panted, deep breaths heaving his chest. Then he grabbed her hand and dragged her between the trees at a trot. An eerie fog hovered over the lake’s surface. Crickets and cicadas rasped loudly as Alasdair found and drew her along a well-formed trail.

  Roots and rocks poked from the ground and Maddie stumbled over them. The terror wouldn’t leave. It seemed to have poured itself into her bones like rivers of ice, and she couldn’t stop shivering. Her breathing grew sporadic and labored. Not an asthma attack. Not now. Gasping for air, she tugged on Alasdair’s furry hand, but he just kept moving. How was she to get his attention? “Alasdair?” she squeaked.

  He glanced back. “Madelyn, we must keep moving. He’s coming.”

  In between ragged breaths, she managed to say, “I can’t breathe.”

  If a creature with the face of an animal could express worry, then Alasdair did, his brows drawing together. “What must I do?”

  “I need my inhaler or a bag. I think I’m having an asthma attack.” Each word needed its own breath, and the need for air screamed through her, as if she fought under water.

  Alasdair glanced around at the trees, as if unsure what to do. “Where is this inhaler?”

  “Back… at… my… house.” She didn’t know its location — she didn’t know where they were — but from his furrowed brow she assumed home was too far away.

  He became agitated, stalking around her and growling. His claws pawed the hard earth; his hands waved wildly. Maddie picked up her shirttail and attempted to form a sack to breathe into but it didn’t work.

  They were going to die; it was as simple as that. They were supposed to be hiding from the dark one, but with all the noise Alasdair was making, not to mention her own attempts to breathe, they wouldn’t remain hidden for long. Then breathing would be the least of her worries.

  A howl rose then faded in the distance. Maddie cringed at the fierce sound. It was him — Doran. He was coming for her. She would die one way or the other, either because she couldn’t breathe or because the dark one would rip her apart. Because she’d never help him, never.

  ****

  Chase pawed the ground while Maddie wheezed. How had everything gone so wrong?

  He had been in his room with his dad, discussing their family’s absurd history, when the change began. Instinctively, he’d sensed Maddie’s danger. Dad had attempted to dissuade him from leaving, assuring him the feeling would pass, but he was wrong. The intensity of the blood pounding in his head, the fear that coursed through his new form, was not his own. Chase had opened the window and flown out into the night sky, leaving Dad stammering behind him.

  When he’d come across the black figure chasing Maddie, instinct had taken over and Chase had attacked. The dark one hadn’t given up and Chase had known he was losing. Maddie’s feelings of fear had interfered with his ability to protect her.

  To keep her safe, Chase had abandoned the battle and carried her deep into the woods. And now when they were almost free, she was having an asthma attack!

  Think, Chase! Think! This new form must know something you don’t.

  Somewhere in the forest, an angry, wounded beast howled. It caught him off guard. His body jerked as Maddie’s heart rate accelerated, inside her chest and echoing in his. Her panic pounded through him like a runaway locomotive. He had to gain control soon or Doran would find them. It would help if he could calm Maddie. But how?

  Kneeling before her, he pulled her face toward him with a gentle claw. She leaned back and tried to turn away. “Madelyn, look at me.”

  She did, her lip trembling.

  “You must concentrate. You’re not having an asthma attack; you’re having a panic attack.” At least he hoped she was, because a panic attack would be easier to resolve. “I will not allow you to be harmed, but you must trust me.”

  Her eyes focused. The first raw edge of their shared terror eased. Maddie coughed and her labored breathing began to steady.

  Branches snapped. Chase whipped his head around. Off in the distance but approaching fast, limbs sailed through the air like a giant slapped them.

  “Madelyn, we have to hide. I’m going to carry you. Do you understand?”

  Her color started to return to normal — strange, how he could see her face so well in the night — and his worry calmed. She made no verbal reply but he sensed her acceptance, although she was still scared.

  Chase scooped her into his arms and took flight with a single powerful pump of his wings. It was harder to maneuver in the dense forest, but it provided the cover they needed. He flew around trees and through hanging branches, his arms folded around her like a shield. His eyes narrowed like the eyes of a cat. There, against the hillside and above the tree line, a jagged dark triangle between two rock walls. He circled through the air, swooped low, landed, and carried her inside the cave. Past the entrance it opened enough to stretch out his wings. Gently
he laid her on a rock shelf, walked back to the entrance, and strained his ears. No noise, no movement in the treetops. Nothing. Turning, he bumped into Maddie.

  She tiptoed and peered over his shoulder. “Did we lose him?”

  “Madelyn, you must not take such risks.”

  “What risk? You’re standing in front of me.”

  “You have too much faith in me.” He settled a hand in the small of her back and ushered her deeper into the cave.

  Faint footfalls echoed as she followed his guidance. She whispered, “You didn’t answer me. Do you think we lost him?”

  Chase ignored her question and explored the depths of the cave. The full moon shone brilliantly through a chimney above them, where the two slabs of stone separated. It provided light and air, but not an exit; flying, he’d never fit through there, especially not carrying Maddie.

  Using his increased visual abilities, as well as his increased hearing, he searched their sanctuary. He combed the back wall, searching for another exit, and sighed heavily. No other way out. If Doran found them, they’d be sitting ducks.

  Maddie grabbed his arm. A shock flashed up into his chest as if a live wire held him. Tiny hairs stood on end and he shivered. The electrical feeling was more pronounced as a gryphon than as a human.

  She jerked her hand back, staring at him with wide eyes. Hesitantly, she reached forward again and ran her fingertips across his bicep, stroking his soft fur. The electrical charge reverberated through them both. The more it happened, the more normal it felt.

  “What causes that?” she asked, looking at him with genuine interest.

  “I don’t know.” Her touch was driving him to distraction. He slid away from her hand and returned to the entrance, straining to hear through all the night sounds, a hooting owl, rasping crickets, and praying she wouldn’t remember having a similar feeling with a boy named Chase. He’d called himself Alasdair; for some reason the name had just popped into his head. But with that shock, she had all the evidence she needed to figure out his real identity.

  Besides, they weren’t yet safe. How obvious was the cave entrance? Would Doran look on the ground level or would he stick to the sky? Could he sniff them out through the chimney’s vent? Did the black gryphon have the same sensory abilities?

  Doran seemed older, more experienced, and comfortable in his skin. If that was the case, he probably knew his abilities and limitations better than Chase.

  He lifted his hand to run it through his long hair before he realized it wasn’t there. He hoped his hair-combing habit didn’t give him away further. He wasn’t prepared to tell Maddie who he really was and accept his freak status. Not yet.

  In the pool of moonlight on the cave floor, Maddie swayed and tittered. Chase rushed to her side as her legs crumpled. He caught her in midair and swung her into his arms. Her slight frame seemed to weigh nothing. Against the cave’s back wall, he sank to the damp rock floor. He found a comfortable position, wrapped his arms around her, and laid her head against his chest.

  Her hair smelled like honeysuckle and he stroked the soft locks, careful not to poke her with his claws. Soft snores reached his hearing. Maddie’s slow steady heartbeat echoed in his head and ribcage.

  If her touch had been distracting before, with such nearness it was overwhelming and exhilarating. It was like their first kiss. He wanted to envelope her whole body and never release her. Whoa, boy. Slow deep breaths helped, and he tried to calm his raging pulse.

  Was this the same way Cian Conn had felt for Arin? Dad claimed Cian had risked his life to help Arin find her sister. And although it had never been specifically said, Chase knew Cian had done it all for love. Otherwise, why would he? Cian had to have fallen for the helpless, beautiful girl at first glance.

  As he stared at Maddie, stroking strands of hair from her face, he could understand Cian’s feelings. There was nothing he would not do for Maddie, and he’d known her for, what, a week?

  She stirred in her sleep. He patted her head and smoothed her hair. “Shh… little one, you are protected,” he said, holding her tighter as he drifted off to sleep himself.

  ****

  “Leave them be,” Serena hissed.

  Dougal yearned to pound his fists against the cave, or better yet, against that meddling boy. He’d run back to Serena in her bolt hole, more than a mile from where he’d lost Maddie and Alasdair, and now he wondered why he had. “No! She is mine!” The words twisted in his heart. She should be.

  “It would appear as if history repeats itself,” she crooned.

  “Serena, I’ll warn you only once. Shut up.”

  She slithered toward him, rubbing her body against his. “We are the lassst. Why will you not give in to me? Together we could…”

  Disgusted, he flung her aside. “Together we can do nothing! You do not want me. You only want what I can give you. Do you think I am foolish? I know why you have waited with me these last hundred years.”

  Scowling, Serena pushed herself up. She might resemble the mother of all monsters, but she was hardly the mothering type, and the murderous ice in her eyes made him pause. “Why do you not enlighten me as to my designs, then, since you know them so well.”

  “You wish to gain revenge on Cian.”

  She hissed and flashed her claws. “You know nothing!”

  “Oh, but I do. You fell in love with Cian, but he cast you aside because of your black heart, choosing Arin instead. So to make him regret his decision, you pledged yourself, your loyalty, your body, your very soul to Cahal. The only way for your beauty to return is for the tower to be reopened and Cahal to be freed, and for him to love you in return.” Dougal smiled. “I would like to meet the druid who cursed you.”

  She bared her fangs and hissed. But Dougal ignored her tantrum. He had bigger questions. “Were you able to insert memories into Maddie’s mind? Does she believe she is to help us?”

  “You made me stop the process too soon.” She didn’t sound disappointed.

  He rammed his fist into the cave’s rock wall. A shard flew between them and rattled off into silence. “And now you want me to let them grow closer.”

  Serena rose upon her tail and slithered to his side. She ran a claw along the side of his face. “I do, because asss I said before, once she cares about him, she will do anything to sssave him.”

  Chapter 18

  A painful crick ached in Maddie’s neck. She tried to readjust her position, but something held her in place. Soft fur tickled her nose. Briefly she snuggled closer, but the pain in her neck and shoulders intensified. She wiggled free, stood, stretched her arms above her head, and worked her sore muscles.

  Darkness still blanketed most of the cave. The last rays of moonlight filtered through the vent overhead. Eyes adjusted, she could just make out Alasdair. Even as big and powerful as he was, he looked harmless and peaceful sitting upright against the wall, his arms still positioned in a circle as if they held her.

  A strange energy surrounded him, calling to her. She squatted. Heat flushed her face. They had spent the night together and she hadn’t been terrified. She’d slept in his arms unafraid.

  Light in their hiding place brightened as dawn approached. Grandma would be frantic with worry. Maddie groaned aloud as she remembered her plans with Chase. She needed to get home. What would she say if she was late? Sorry, but I spent the night in a cave with a furry gray gryphon?

  Maddie bent over, grabbed Alasdair by the shoulders, and shook. “Wake up!”

  His eyes popped open. Before she could blink, he jumped, whirled through the air, and threw her to the hard earth. She sucked in a swift breath as the wind was knocked from her.

  “Why did you do that?” she gasped.

  His lion-shaped face grimaced. “It was a thoughtless action.” His deep voice sounded gruff, as if he was angry with himself. He crouched beside her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m not sure. You may have broken a rib.” She felt her ribs, but nothing hurt worse than bruises. She start
ed to rise.

  But he pushed her down with a gentle touch. “You mustn’t move.”

  She ducked beneath his arm and stood anyway. “Alasdair, I have to go home.”

  “What? B-but you may be injured. We mustn’t move too quickly. Perhaps we should—”

  She interrupted. “Look, I have… well, I have a date and I don’t want to miss it.”

  “A date?” He sounded displeased.

  So she tried to explain. “Yes. A boy from school is taking me to church and he’ll be coming by to pick me up any minute now. Plus my grandma is sure to be worried sick.”

  “Who is taking you to church?”

  Did she detect jealousy in his tone? Could a flying beast be jealous? She hedged. “I don’t think you know him.”

  “Tell me,” he said, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.

  Maddie stared into his eyes. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. Yup, he was jealous. “His name is Chase.”

  “Chase,” he repeated, drawing out the name.

  “Yeah, Chase. We go to school together. He’s expecting me to be home this morning, not buried in a cave with a— well, whatever you are. He’s going to think I’m crazy when I tell him what happened to me last night.”

  Alasdair clenched her shoulders. “You mustn’t tell him.”

  “B-but—”

  “You must not tell him. Promise me.”

  “But why?”

  “Promise me!” he said through clenched teeth.

  She shook his hands off. “All right, all right, I promise. He wouldn’t believe me anyway. Now will you take me home?”

  He nodded and swooped her into his arms.

  “You don’t have to carry me yet.”

  “Maybe I want to,” came his gruff reply.

  Alasdair stepped from the cave, his wings flared and flapped down, and they took flight. Maddie held tight, burying her face against the fur at the nape of his neck. The air rushed past her like a small storm. Strange, how safe she felt in his arms.

  They arrived at the edge of the woods and he backstroked down. He’d done the same the time he saved her from the swerving car. He seemed to always be protecting her.