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Boom! Boom! Boom!
The falling stacks chased me—a race to freedom, or eternal imprisonment.
There was no contest. Gravity topped the race, bringing down the shelves faster than I could huff and puff.
“No, I won’t fail when I’m so close!” Reaching for the knob, I jumped. “Mom!”
Books rained down on me, nailing me to the floor. I flailed and kicked to get free. Flipping over, I readWar and Peaceon the book seconds before it fell on my stomach, and the two-ton bookshelf followed.
“Ahhh—!”
The shelf slammed down on me, ending my scream.
Chapter Eighteen
My nails dug in the floor. I lay flat on my back, chest heaving and pounding the dusty top of the shelf.
I wasn’t dead. Why wasn’t I dead?
Pushing up on my elbows, my eyes lit on something partially hidden by the books. I pushed them aside, and found the dagger.
It stuck fast in the floor, splintering the wood, but refusing to bend itself as the shelf bore down on the hilt.
“How?” I breathed. A tiny little weapon against a shelf a hundred men would strain to lift—that battle should’ve been won in a second, and yet...
“Just who exactly were you, great-grandmother Aella.” I raised my head, smiling at my companion unseen. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Aella.”
My heart jumped in my throat. “Dad?”
“Aella!”
Daciana, Nitsa, and Jason waved me down through the crack in the door. They were all covered in welts and bruises.
“What are you doing?” Nitsa’s eyes darted from me to the raging Talibah. “Hurry!”
No sooner had the cry left her lips than Talibah spun around. Blood-tinged eyes narrowed to slits.
“The riddle has no answer. Deceitful girl. Lying wretch!” She came after me—her broken paw slowing her down only slightly. “You tried to trick Talibah. Admit it!”
I shoved up, and collapsed down on my back. “My leg’s caught!”
Talibah picked up the pace—mouth frothing and eyes nearly all white, I knew that she was done spouting riddles. She was going to kill me.
“Guys, get out of here,” I cried. “Keep going and—and when you find my mom, tell her—”
“Stop babbling nonsense, you beautiful fool.” Jason grasped me under the shoulders. “Sexy, you lift and I’ll pull.”
I wasn’t sure who Sexy was, but in a flash, Daciana was by my side. She wedged her shoulder under the shelf, and changed.
Her mouth lengthened, teeth sharpened, and fur sprung up all over her body. The young pretty woman retreated, and the wolf was taking over.
“Gonna need to pick up the pace a bit, gorgeous.” Alarm crept into his voice. Talibah was ten feet away, and closing the distance fast. “There’s a flower-fueled romp coming your way if you do. Gorgeous?”
Daciana’s bones stretched, shortened, and popped. Human ears hung on a wolf’s head. Human legs supporting a wolf’s haunches.
“Hurry up!”
