Read Discovery: Altera Realm Trilogy for Free Online Page B

enthusiastically. "There's so much culture and color. It's vibrant and so full of life. You're going to love it, Syney."
    Syney could feel Cass's excitement pour off her in waves. It was infectious to the point where even Syney got giddy. "So are the teachers very hard?"
    Cass laughed. "As anything. But very fair. Except maybe Mr. Hiltson. He's always riding on us to get our practice work done. One mistake, and you can easily turn a cow into a frog."
    Syney laughed yet felt some of her excitement wane. Maybe this girl was a little crazy.
    "Maybe we should stop and get some food," Hunter's deep voice said softly.
    The comment was directed to Raine, but Cass quickly got quiet and nodded. "Sounds good."
    "I think there's a store coming up. Not too long, though," Raine said, veering into the right-hand lane of the highway.
    Five minutes later he pulled the SUV into the parking lot of a small dingy convenience store. The store was very backwoods-y, surrounded by trees. Syney wondered whether any of the food was still good. She made a mental note to check her purchases before buying them. The store's interior reflected its exterior exactly. The various plastic shelves were thinly stacked with off-brand products.
    Syney eyed the cashier, a big burly man with a long white beard, as she moved toward the back of the store. Suddenly she felt scared. This wasn't the type of place she felt comfortable in. She bit her lip and turned to examine a section of crackers. She had this uneasy feeling, as strong as this one, once before when she was a kid. She had been playing in the park after school like she did every day, but for some reason she felt something was wrong. She went home right away and told her mom, who listened and nodded. Later that night, Syney overheard her parents saying that Arlene, one of her friends from school, had been abducted. Syney didn't believe in coincidences, but Arlene had been at the park with her earlier that day, and from then on, no kids were allowed to play at the park without an adult present. Arlene never came back. That had happened so long ago that Syney almost had forgotten about it. But the feeling was unforgettable.
    She took an uneasy breath and looked up, catching Hunter's gaze across from her, where he stood in the next aisle. The uneasiness receded a little, but not entirely as it had before. She offered him a weak smile.
    Hunter gave her an odd look before walking around the corner to stand next to her. "Are you all right?"
    Syney glanced around just as a younger guy walked in, flanked by another guy and a girl. The main one was thin with messy black hair and the cockiest look Syney had ever seen. His two wingmen looked down-and-out mean, with a side of evil. The guy was big and solid; the girl was short and petite. Syney had a feeling the girl could still kick her ass.
    Syney looked back at Hunter. "Something bad is about to happen."
    Hunter looked over at the newcomers, his eyes darkening. "Get behind the counter, and stay there." He looked deep into her eyes. "Trust no one but me."
    Syney glanced back and caught the lead guy's gaze. He smiled, so sure of himself. His eyes flashed gold, and he started to change. Syney couldn't believe her eyes. One second he was a cocky man, and the next his white skin became sleek black fur. He dropped down and growled through his large white teeth. He had changed into a sleek black panther. Syney stared at him in shock. It wasn't possible, yet it had happened.
    "What the—" she started, but was cut off by Hunter's large hands pushing her behind the large white counter.
    She fell onto her knees and scrambled forward to sit with her back against the counter. Fear shook through every fiber of her being. The noises from behind her were terrifying. There were hisses and growls mixed with other wild-animal noises. It was as if she randomly had been transported to the middle of a jungle during a turf war. She looked over and saw the cashier cowering at the other end