“Let’s go,” he growled.
He released her and surged to his feet, his eyes on the forest. He reached out a hand to help her up. She grabbed it and stood.
“I will take to the air and follow it,” she said.
He turned toward her when he heard the raspiness in her voice, and he noticed that the fine cracks on her throat were already healing. She would be safer in the air than on the ground until they were healed completely.
“I’ll track it on the ground,” he said.
“Be careful,” she warned.
In seconds, her long wings appeared, and she lifted off. He watched her clear the canopy, then he looked down at the dagger. The small, winged lion was sniffing the air.
“Can you track it?” he inquired.
“Do flies like dung?” the winged lion retorted.
Asahi chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he replied.
“That way,” the winged lion snorted, pointing a front paw to the north.
Chapter 7
An hour and a half later, Nali dipped under a branch and swerved to avoid a tree before gliding over a thick covering of ferns toward Asahi. She pulled up a few feet from him, retracted her wings, and landed on the soft soil with the ease of a swan landing on a calm lake.
“It’s as if the alien has just vanished,” she commented.
“My guess is that it went into hiding. It is injured,” he responded.
Mr. Gryphon snorted. “That thing isn’t the only one feeling injured! You would think that after dismembering and disintegrating part of the fiercest foe the Isle of the Monsters has ever seen, my nincompoop wielder would give me some well-deserved rest, but oh no, here I still am, being brandished through an endless forest like I’m some common pitchfork!” the Mr. Gryphon irritably complained with a shudder of distaste.
Nali raised an amused eyebrow.
“Perhaps you could try talking to him, Empress,” the disgruntled gryphon continued. “I’ve tried to explain to him that even magic needs time to recharge, but oh no, what would I know? I’m just an enchanted dagger made by a powerful witch who appreciated and understood magic!”
“Calm yourself, Mr. Gryphon. Asahi knew it was important to destroy the alien before it infected any of the forest creatures. He couldn’t have done that without you. Asahi, you should be able to sheath Mr. Gryphon now. We will stay alert, but the dagger does need to recharge. It will be dark soon, so we should find shelter for the night,” she suggested.
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Gryphon,” Asahi said ruefully before he sheathed the dagger. The small winged lion was already curled up on the hilt with his head buried under one wing, sound asleep.
Nali reached out and gently touched the golden figure. “The magic embedded in this dagger is impressive. LaDonna was a powerful witch,” she reflected.
“My grandfather spoke highly of her,” he said.
She smiled and looked up at the sky. “There is a Manticore village near here. I want to warn them of the alien. We will request lodging there for the night,” she said.
“Manticores? Will it be safe?” he asked with a hesitant expression.
Nali chuckled and peered at him with a grin. “The only one you may not be safe around is me, Asahi. Haven’t you learned yet that I am the most frightening of all the monsters?” she teased.
“If that is the case, then I have nothing to fear, for I know you would protect me,” he calmly responded.
Nali softly smiled and caressed his cheek with the tips of her fingers. He spoke with such calm conviction. Her powers intimidated most of the men she knew. The shape she had converted to earlier—half woman, half snake—would have horrified all but a few close friends and the rulers of the other Kingdoms who all had their own unique talents. Even the monsters she cared for and protected were leery of her.
Her life was blessed and cursed at the same time. The monsters on the Isle, from the smallest to the largest, filled her heart with joy at their unique beauty. However, Nali wasn’t just a monster—she was the very essence of all monsters. She could assume the form of any of them and even create new forms. She belonged to all monsters and still none. Yet, Asahi accepted her for who she was—without fear or any qualms at all. It was refreshing. Only with Ashure had she ever felt this measure of acceptance.
With a shake of her head, she turned away. “You have given me a gift, Asahi Tanaka. I will treasure it, always,” she said.
Asahi clenched his hand around the dagger’s hilt. The desire to kiss her when she touched his cheek had been powerful. He drew in long, deep breaths and released them slowly to regain his sense of balance as he silently followed her.
She was currently in her marble form, walking at a brisk pace. The fabric of her clothes and the strands of her hair moved as if they were merely an illusion. He lifted a hand and touched his cheek where she had caressed him. Her fingers had been warm against his skin and her caress had left a tantalizing sensation against his cheek that lingered long after she had turned away.
He lowered his hand and became lost in thought as they continued along the barely discernable path through the forest. The memory of a conversation with his grandfather Aiko suddenly came to mind. Incredibly, he could remember the day as if it were only yesterday. Each detail was as clear and crisp as if it had just happened.
They had been in his grandmother’s car on their way to
