The Devouring Wolf by Natalie C. Parker

Author:Natalie C. Parker [Parker, Natalie C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2022-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

16

THE PACK THAT DREAMS TOGETHER SCREAMS TOGETHER

“Here we are!” Bethany said brightly. “Welcome to the Stone Pool.”

They’d come into a valley where a pool of bright blue water glittered in the sunlight. It was shaped like a teardrop and surrounded by slabs of gray stone just like the ones that made up the paths in the main village. Wildflowers scattered around the fringes, adding splashes of pale purple and dark yellow to the scene.

“I have a bad feeling we aren’t here to go swimming.” Aracely stared longingly at the pool.

Riley couldn’t blame her. After their long, sweaty walk through the grass, the idea of jumping into that crystal-clear pool was almost too tempting.

A few feet from the edge of the water, Bethany stooped and plucked a cloudy moonstone from within a patch of dark green grass. Then, closing her eyes, she rubbed her thumb over its surface in a slow, deliberate circle.

There was a soft hissing sound and a ring of cloudy light appeared before their eyes. It spun around the pool like mist, then dissipated into thin air.

“Why does the pool have its own ward?” Riley asked. “Isn’t there already a ward around Clawroot?”

“Not to mention all of Wax & Wayne?” Kenver added.

“Must be something important,” Lydia said thoughtfully.

Bethany dropped the moonstone back into the grass and gestured for them to follow. “Good questions, and you’re right, Lydia. The Stone Pool is one of our magic sites, so even though Wax & Wayne and Clawroot are protected, there are some places we need to keep extra safe.”

“From who?” Riley asked.

“Or what?” Dhonielle added.

“Exactly,” Bethany answered. “We do our best to make sure all the wolves know what they need to, but sometimes people forget, or they might stumble into something they shouldn’t. Accidents happen. Wards help us make sure they happen less frequently.”

“What’s so special about this place?” Aracely asked.

“This is where we cleanse and charge our stones to use in lithomancy. Take a look.”

Riley stepped up to the edge and peered into the clear blue water. Sunlight speared the surface at an angle, creating shafts of light that dove down, down, down. Little fish darted back and forth, making flashes of silver and brown. Riley wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be looking at until something glimmered all the way at the bottom of the pool.

Lined up in neat rows that stretched from one side to the other were stones. Most were the recognizable tan of the sandstone that was everywhere in Kansas, but some were slabs of gray slate, chunks of shiny black basalt, even a few eggs of moonstone and something pink.

“Every stone we use for lithomancy has to be prepared properly,” Bethany explained, sounding very much like one of their Tenderfoot Camp teachers. “They charge here, in the sun and the moon and the wild energy of our woods, and when they’re ready, we take them back to the village to be enspelled.”

Riley eyed the water skeptically. She had a sudden sinking feeling that she knew exactly what their punishment was going to be.

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