The Traitor

offering his open palm. “Come to me, Kai, I know it is you. Are you trapped, lost in your new creation? Risky to attempt alone. Where is your teacher?”
Those words rang true; Kai felt lost. Memories danced around the borders of his mind, hidden in shadow. Faces, just out of focus, tugged at his heart. Conflicted by the desire to run wild and drawn to remain. He stepped closer and lowered his head to Ryker, allowing the man to touch his fur. Kai felt a strong desire to collapse.
“I am here with you, Kai,” Ryker said in a soothing voice. “Feel the sun on your face. Let its power fill your soul. Remember, Mariana, your mother, and how you saved her. She needs you now, more than ever. Think of Rayna, the love of your life. Search your heart for the devotion you feel for her.”
Each name resonated within him, restoring his humanity, especially the repeated use of his own. Faces, voices, and moments raced from the recesses of his mind. He watched Ryker’s movements. His cupped hand floated out to his side, folded over, ending in a push against Kai’s furry chest. Soon both hands joined in the exercise. Ryker began to move his feet, stepping with the movement. Kai knew these moves from a time he could not quite remember.
“Find the balance between your two worlds.” Ryker continued to move, and Kai felt his chest start to warm. “Separate your spirit from the golden thread you created. Embrace the light of your crystal—your touchstone.”
Beastmaster magic coursed through Kai’s veins. The memories of his life stepped to the forefront of his mind and freed his heart. Light blossomed in the shadows of his mind, and he released the golden thread and clung to the white light—the touchstone which infused his magic. Thankful there was no pain as his body sloughed off the beast. He felt the edges of his crystal warm his hand when he returned to his proper form.
Depleted by the shift, Kai slumped to one side.
The strong arm of Ryker held him upright. They sat in silence while Kai collected his bearings. Slowly the surroundings became more and more familiar. Smoke sat in the grass next to Shiva, Ryker’s wolf. Her piercing blue eyes were half-closed. Everything was as it should be.
Kai finally spoke, sitting up straight on his own. “Thank you, Ryker.” He then told his old friend everything, sharing the morning's events on the mountain and his encounter with the wild pack. Even in the retelling, he felt the magic raise the hair on his arms. This new magic was now somehow a part of him. Kai leaned back on his elbows and crossed his legs at the ankles. His strength continued to return, and he asked Ryker, “Who did I look like, Smoke or Anjo?”
“Anjo the snow wolf, yes, this explains your coloring,” Ryker responded. “She was your other inspiration. I should have known. Your fur was mostly pure white, like Anjo’s, with a fine edging of black around the eyes and muzzle. Part of your mane, up around your shoulders, had black streaks, as did your tail. The ears were pitch black and came to a point, but what stood out were your eyes.”
“Were they blue like Smoke or golden yellow like Anjo?”
“One of each,” Ryker responded. “Impressive. Again, I must ask, where was Basil during your little adventure this morning? I am guessing since you came to me, your teacher was not with you. If you plan to take risks, your teacher, Basil, should guide you. What is wrong with you? This is not the first time you went off alone. If you need someone to talk with, find your uncle Haygan. It feels like you are pushing people away.”
The shame of his choices forced Kai to look away. He knew the truth—they both did. Ryker sighed, and Kai felt his friend’s frustration. “These skills should not be practiced alone.” Ryker paused, and Kai turned back to see the seriousness in the man’s dark eyes. “We each have teachers for a reason. They do more than teach you the ancient movements of moving magic or show you how to manipulate it. They teach you how to build trust.”
Kai knew that he was tempting fate if he did not stop this reckless behavior. “I promise to be more careful.” He wanted to believe the lie, that he’d actually be more careful—but he had already become a shuk, a black panther, and a horse, all on his own. There was no reason to think he needed Basil to teach him anything. His teacher only held him back.
“Well,” Ryker said, patting Kai’s shoulder, “either way, it was good you ran to someone you knew to help bring you back. Instead of creating new creatures, your time would be better spent practicing the shift into your dragon form, like the Guardians recommended. The mastery of one beast will serve you far better than a collection of beasts. Can you yet shift multiple times mid-flight, or bring out only your wings and fly as a man?”
The truth was, he had not practiced these skills because none of them would help him understand his mother. An odd silence floated between them. Kai did his best to hide his intentions, but he found it difficult to look Ryker in the eye. After their travels to save his mother, Ryker was like a second father to him, and the man’s Beastmaster nature gave him insights into Kai’s spirit he could not truly hide. Guilt hung on Kai like a wet shirt, and he sat staring a nothing; his mouth would not form the lie neither of them would believe.
“Fine. If you will not heed my warning, you should at least know that your next transition into your new snow wolf should take less energy. I can only imagine that the moment with your pack