Chapter 19

“Opal,” I blurted, stunned and wheezing. “Opal? Can you hear me,” I opened my claws, approached to kneel in front of my wounded ward. Opal merely opened their jaw, the book falling to the ground in a wet splat. The pages were ruined. “Ebony?” I called out, briefly glancing back while mint claws trembled.

Ebony stood on the final step, jaw-slacked and wide-eyed. His hood had fallen, and his ears were still from the shock. “Shepard, I…I don’t think we could,”

I tuned him out, I did not want to hear the rest.

Meanwhile, I didn’t call for Ivory, didn’t want to think of why Ivory stayed far up, as if he also already knew the outcome.

Turning back to Opal, I mustered up a smile even if it felt like thorns in my throat, an ocean wave pushing salt at the eyes. My nose burned but I did not gag. “Opal? You got us the book? Thank you, Opal, you genius, you.” They must’ve explored to get the spell themselves. Opal had learned from the days we ‘burrowed’ books from Asken’s other libraries. They took the initiative while I had been distracted.

Opal panted heavily, but from their harsh shuddering, I knew they wanted to tell me something.

I wish I knew what, but my claws raised to gently press against the side of their head. Opal stilled, leaning into the touch.

“Is it really the book?” Ivory, who finally made it downstairs, whispered, his voice hoarse. He was pale, gripping onto the stone wall with the intensity of a restrained beast.

Ebony released a harsh exhale and retreated to Ivory, gently nudging his shoulder. Ivory did not react.

“The front is similar to the runes Fakir showed me,” I choked out, eyes now on the arrow as the book was soaked to the touch. “Opal, you did wonderfully. You saved us time, didn’t you? I’m sorry for the detour,” I looked into their hazy eyes; I long knew it was far too late to do anything for them. Far, far too late, and the bells wouldn’t stop that incessant ringing. “You must’ve wanted to cast this spell yourself, huh? Listening in on my plans, and taking the plunge. It’s brave, really c-courageous,”

Opal’s panting grew weaker. They gave a soft whine and lowered their head into my hands.

I fell to my knees, blinking hard as tears sprung without my permission. Opal slumping onto my lap.

A cold stone fell into my palm, and that was when I realized their main opal jewel had collapsed into my hold, leaving a red hole in Opal’s fur. They still breathed, shallow, distant.

“I’ll cast it for the both of us,” I sputtered out, hiccuping, dragging them closer to my chest, ruining my cloak and careful of the arrow. “I will. I swear I will, so just, just,”

I hear it, under the ringing, Ebony’s quiet reassurances to Ivory, and my own thudding heart.

A foreign heartbeat.

My head snapped over to the sound, ear tufts high and Opal’s limp body tucked protectively under my chin. They were a large wolf, but my mourning spirit felt larger, furious.

A goldfish mask peered out from the darkness of the door-exiting the staircase. The lights were off in the library behind them.

“You,” Ivory snarled, because my throat was dry as my head racked itself to understand this situation.

“Me,” Blissfully sang the Hunter. “Oh, what a treat this is. So you can switch forms, White Wolf. I’ve been meaning to get back at the thief who stole my beloved Phoenix staff. And now we can talk! How pleasing it is to meet you, we’ll be seeing one another forever.” The masked Dulling did not move from their spot. “I just knew the wolf would lead back to the leader. You were right, Queen Wazir!”

Trap, Came the answer as my heart beat faster than the calmer predator(s?) up ahead. My claws gripped Opal’s fur tighter. Trap, trap, trap, they knew you were looking for information!

Guilt trickling up my brown skin. I can feel Opal’s breathing slowing down, and I quivered like a deer, stunned.

“Ivory, wait!” Ebony snapped out, but Ivory had lunged at the Hunter, shifting to his wolf form in outrage.

The world grew slow. There is a glint in the dark, new heartbeats of opportunists.

Ebony is moving to stop Ivory but he won’t make it.

Opal barely breathed but my claws accidentally latched onto one of their memories.

Like Ruby, Opal had been alone but not out of born circumstance. Their forest had been stripped clean, ambushed by Dullings closest to poachers. Opal had run the fastest they could, outrunning friends, loved ones. Many fell to gunshots to their hearts, poison to their paws from traps. Fleeing hardly mattered in the end, as Opal had been herded off as one of the few surviving Gem Wolves to Wazir’s golden cage.

Opal had vowed to become vigilant ever since. To be attentive. To be…Helpful.

To them, I had been a spark of hope in the dark. A true wonder. They risked themselves because Opal saw a cause worth following. Opal had brought the book. Opal had given me a piece of themselves. Opal had…!

My claws dug further into their ruined coat. Opal reached up, still out of it, and gently nosed me while under my chin, before collapsing still.

Move, Grief bit at my brown skin as eyes blurred. Move! Opal would be furious if I let anyone else get hurt.

I was forced to drop Opal’s body unceremoniously to the ground, shoulder tackling Ivory out the way of an incoming spew of arrows.

Ebony had been fast to catch up, dragging both of us up several stairs with a single jump.

Ivory’s relieved shudder of breath was proof enough he understood his recklessness.

“Flee!” I abruptly shrieked, quick with haste, and despite Ivory’s trembling rage, he complied with a snap of his jaws. I pulled Ivory out the way of thrown needles as we scrambled back up the staircase, forced to leave Opal’s body behind. Placing my claws together, I bashed the nearest wall.

It crumbled immediately, leaving a size-able hole to the outside. Ivory went first, Ebony forced me to go after. The drop back to the ground was tall but it did nothing to calm the rattling grief in my bones. I can hear shouting as the three of us make a break for it without hesitation.

“And where will you run?!” The Lead Hunter clamored, pitched with frustration. “You don’t know this nation’s terrain or buildings as we do, Beast!”

I thought of the phoenix, of how it might’ve felt when chased down, then Opal, and quietly wished both souls a safe departure to the next world.

The bell was still ringing when we crashed through the side-wall and flew to the ground. This song was more somber, like a toll for death.

I refused to listen further, this nation will not be our grave.