Alternamorphs 02 - The Next Passage by Applegate K.A

Author:Applegate, K.A. [Applegate, K.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The stench of poison is growing stronger by the second.

You’re already morphing to hawk. Feathers sprouting out of your skin. Flesh oozing and

shifting like mud sliding down a hill. Your face crumpling, then extruding as a hard beak

forms. Toes becoming talons.

The others are morphing birds, too. You could stock an aviary. A blad eagle, a pair of

ospreys, a northern harrier, two red-tailed hawks, and a peregrine falcon.

<Erek!> Jake demands. <Can you project a hologram through another window? A hologram

of us?>

“Absolutely. There would be no harm to the Howlers, and it might save you. That would be

well within my parameters.”

<On three,> Jake says. <One, two, NOW!>

The far window slides open. Instantly seven birds fly toward it. Dracon beams burn.

Flechette guns rattle. The Howlers are attacking the hologram. Jake’s plan is working!

The near window opens. You spread your wings and flap with all your strength.

You blow out of the window, flapping like crazy, desperate for every foot of distance. The

others instanly pull ahead.

But you’ve never been a bird before. You’re overwhelmed by your freedom to move in three

dimensions. By the eyesight that makes each puffy orange Iskoort tree a composition of a

thousand details.

TSSEEEEW!

<Aggghhh!> you yell.

A pain! Like a red-hot poker driven into your wing. You’ve been hit!

<Down, down, down!> Jake yells.

You’re still flying! Okay. The Dracon blast wasn’t bad. It’s not over yet.

The others are diving. Down into the maze of trees and bushes and flowers. You follow,

blazing along the lane, inches above the heads of Iskoort out walking in the early light of

dawn.

B-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-t-t!

A line of flechettes tears a tree apart inches ahead of you.

31The Howlers are after you!

You turn a sharp left, banking around a line of trees. A Howler bursts from the vegetation

ahead.

<Pull up!> Tobias yells.

Tseeeew! Tseeeeew!

Marco’s left wing is gone, falling like burning embers among the strolling Iskoort. Marco

tumbles, out of control, falling like a stone. He hits the ground, disappears from view.

Jake dives after him.

A Howler jumps from an overhanging tree. He aims his beam weapon even as he falls.

Tseeeew! Tseeeew!

<Aggghhh!> Jake hollers.

<We have to help Jake and Marco!> you yell. You bank hard right.

Tree!

You swerve around, straining your wing muscles to the popping point. Straighten up. And

then—

Bonk!

You slam headfirst into a tree you never saw coming. You fall to the ground, knocked silly.

An Iskoort isstanding over you, staring down. <Call a member of the Embalmers Guild!> he

calls.

<I’m not dead yet,> you reply.

Jake is hollering in your head. <The Ellimist and Crayak have an agreement. They can’t kill

the Iskoort! Use the Iskoort for cover!>

<Ax! Behind you!>

<Here comes another one!>

The others are running for their lives.

Your head is starting to clear. You sit up.

Flap. Flap. Flap. Cassie lands next to you. <Are you okay?>

<Yeah…I think so,> you say.

<Then let’s haul!> Cassie takes off, straining for altitude.

32

You flap once, twice. You’re high enough to see a Howler. He’s bounding toward you, his

dead blue eyes focused on you. <Cassie—watch out!> you scream.

TSEEEW! The Howler fires!

You flap up, turn toward the Howler.

He brings his Dracon beam up, aims.

TSEEEEW! TSEEEEEW!

<Agggghhhh!>

Cassie tumbles out of the air.

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