The Falcon Prince

I can feel it, Shintara’s thoughts came to her. Ohmygod, this is what it feels like to be me. I think I might cry.

Did hawks cry? Ria didn’t care as she was engulfed in the transformation. Her breathing became ragged. She heard the cry of a hawk. Fog swirled around her.

The burning eased.

Ria blinked, and looked through the eyes of a hawk, then quickly closed them tight.

I’m alive! Shintara spread her wings.

I’m frightened.

Don’t be scared, Ria. Open your eyes and see through mine. Now we are truly connected.

Ria tentatively opened her eyes as the fog began to lift. For the first time Ria felt the strength of Shintara’s emotions as they flooded her entire being. She finally realized the pain Shintara had felt being unable to shift into her true form.

“Ria?” Carly asked.

“Hello, Shintara.” Ria’s mother knelt in front of them.

The hawk screeched a hello.

“Shintara?” Neil asked.

“Her animal guide. They coexist,” her father explained.

“The voice she talks to,” Heath said. “All these years it was real.” He nudged his cowboy hat higher on his forehead. “I’ll be damned. And the naked man in the woods that day was Kristor. Everything she said was the truth. Aliens do exist.”

Carly moved closer. “You’re part alien.”

We need to leave, Ria.

Ria’s stomach churned. Then let’s do it.

Shintara flapped over to the screen door. Her father opened it. Once out on the porch, Ria had second thoughts.

No turning back. Shintara stretched her wings. The span was impressive, to say the least, and she took off. It was more like a dodge-and-wobble takeoff, though.

I thought you said you could fly!

All hawks can fly, but you have to remember this is my first flight. It will take a little getting used to.

Getting used to! Shintara hadn’t said anything about having to get used to flying. Oh, God, Ria was going to be sick. She looked up as a large object appeared in front of them.

Tree!

I see it. Calm down.

Branches!

I see those, too

Could hawks vomit? Why the hell hadn’t she read up on them? Anyone with half a brain would have googled hawks if that was their animal guide. But noooo, she’d never thought she would have to shift into one.

She could feel the wind on her face. That wasn’t bad. Kind of like when she went running. She glanced down as they flew over the town. Oh, God, she was going to die!

Drama queen. You’re not going to die. And if looking down bothers you, then don’t freaking look down.

You’ve really copped an attitude lately, you know.

And you’ve let something that happened when you were a child consume you with fear. All your life, it’s held you prisoner. Now we’re both free.

She was right.

Of course, I’m right.

You heard my thoughts?

You didn’t block them.

I can do that?

Sometimes, Shintara reluctantly admitted.

Ria would file that away for future reference. She didn’t want Shintara knowing everything she was thinking.

There’s the van, Shintara said. She swooped down closer, flying near the window on the driver’s side.

Truck! Ria’s mind screamed.

Shintara swooped up and out of the way with barely a feather being ruffled. I saw it. Remember, my eyesight is superb.

I’d just as soon not play chicken with oncoming traffic if you don’t mind.

I’m a hawk, not a chicken.

Whatever. But she was glad Shintara had found Kristor. Now she would be able to free the man she loved. Well, as soon as she figured out how she would go about doing it.

Kristor thought about Rianna, wondering if he would ever see her again. She was special. His family would like her—that is, if she decided to make the journey to New Symtaria. A deep throbbing pain ripped through him. He couldn’t imagine life without her.

Adam turned slightly in his seat, glancing back at Kristor. Kristor returned his gaze with stoic indifference. Adam’s eyes narrowed before he faced front again.

The man was taunting him. It was a maneuver meant to intimidate the opponent. Kristor had used it. By the time they arrived at their destination, he was supposed to be ready to tell them whatever they wanted to know. Adam’s ploy wouldn’t work. Not this time.

According to the clock on the dash, they’d been in the van two-and-a-half hours. Kristor shifted on the bench, but no position helped ease his discomfort. Jack looked even less comfortable and had already loosened the tie around his neck and removed his jacket.

They passed a sign that said Dallas was twenty-five miles away. He’d been there when he searched for Rianna. It was big. Much bigger than any town on New Symtaria. Would Rianna or her father be able to find him among so populated a place?

But they turned off the main road a few minutes later. Jack sat straighter.

“This isn’t the way to the office.”

A tingle of worry crept up Kristor’s spine.

Jack tapped on the glass. Adam turned, sliding the partition open.

“Did you make a wrong turn?”

“We’re not going to the office. Like I said, I’ve been in this business a long time, and I’ve seen a lot more than you have.”

“So where are we going?” Jack asked.

“You’ll see.”

Kristor knew he would have a better chance of escaping from a place with fewer people. They’d just made it easier for him. But ten minutes later, he wasn’t quite as sure as they drove up to a small building with glass windows surrounded by a twelve-foot fence.

A guard stepped from the building as they approached. The driver of the van slowed, then stopped, his window sliding silently down.

Adam leaned forward. “Agent Adam Richards,” he said, then handed his identification to the guard.

His words were muffled on the other side of the glass partition, but Kristor could understand what was being said.

“One moment, sir,” the guard told him.

He went inside the building. Kristor watched as the man raised a phone to his ear and spoke. He put down the phone and returned to the van, handing Adam his identification.

“Once inside, turn to the right. The buildings are lettered. You’ll be going to C Building. Someone will meet you there.” He went back inside. The metal arm rose in front of them to let them through.