Untamed Destiny

By Thomas K. Carpenter

The world's most dangerous zoo provides attendees the experience of a lifetime: witnessing the fearsome manticore feeding, or the speedy mystdrakon race across its dome at blurring speeds, or the pack of brutal fyrehounds hunting across a sandy landscape—all within the safety of the highly secure domes.

But success breeds complacency...

Pax and her friends are attending the grand opening of the newest section of the park: Other Realms. Intent on bringing in a new horde of attendees, the zoo custodians are opening up new domes with supernatural creatures that inspire nightmares and challenge the very limits of security. When the presence of a single, unique creature upsets the carefully constructed and overlapping systems that protect the guests, a cascade of failures turns the exciting day into a fight for survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Carpenter
• Release date: Feb 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005418663

Thomas K. Carpenter

Thomas K. Carpenter resides in Colorado with his wife Rachel. When he’s not busy writing his next book, he's out hiking or skiing or getting beat by his wife at cards. Visit him online at www.thomaskcarpenter.com, or sign up for his newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/trialsofmagic.

Book preview

Chapter One

The solarbear enclosure was the least controlled space in the entire Portland Supernatural Zoo. While the other animals were behind enchanted glass or knockout bars, the single solarbear, a gray-and-black-striped four-legged mammal named Sunshine, could lift her tubby body and rest her paws on the fence that was her home. Preteens gathered around the secondary fence and took selfies with Sunshine, whose lazy expression always gave Pax the impression she was stoned out of her mind.

A brief surge of jealousy confused Pax until she realized it was coming from Kali, standing near the fountain that separated the solarbear enclosure from the food court. The constant connection between them required emotional sifting to determine who was generating the feelings. Pax counted herself lucky that her companion was not emotionally charged, though she was not above a little envy as the solarbear in the cage was one of the few animals that could outdraw her.

Pax pressed her thumb against the sensor pad near the outer door that led into the solarbear enclosure. The light flashed from red to green and the lock clicked, allowing her to push through the barrier. It felt pretty unnecessary for Sunshine since she could climb over the short wall, but the new security systems had been installed across the entire zoo last year while she was in Norway as part of the upgrades and expansion that Alfred Lovelace had funded.

Creosote bushes and rainbow cactus dotted the sandy soil, requiring Pax to navigate through them to reach Sunshine, who was teetering on her thick back legs as cell phones flashed. She waited by the side until every kid in the group had an opportunity to take their picture with the solarbear before holding up her hands.

Sorry everyone, Sunshine needs to get her weekly checkups. I'll have her back in a few hours, said Pax, to the groans of the kids who had just arrived near the fence.

She crouched by the solarbear, who was still rocking on her feet. Pax didn't need to access Kali's psychic ability to know that Sunshine was excited by the attention. For the most part, due to the tens of thousands of people streaming through the zoo every day, she used a mental barrier that kept out all but the strongest of emotions.

Come here, Sunshine. I promise you can be back here basking in the glow of your adoring fans soon enough, said Pax, holding out her arms. The creature reminded her of a cross between a koala and a panda but with the fur markings of a thylacine.

The furry mammal made a soft cooing noise in the back of her throat, which always melted Pax's heart, then ambled into her arms. Pax lifted the forty-pound creature easily.

Are you putting on weight, Sunshine? she asked the solarbear, craning her neck back to see the wide, furry face.

Sunshine responded by blinking very slowly, her lips stretching in what was either a smile or gas.

Where's the other solarbear, Miss Pax? asked a girl from outside the fence.

Pax turned to find a young girl with thick glasses and pigtails. She wore a pink World's Deadliest Zoo shirt and carried a notebook with animal stickers the zoo gave out during trivia contests on the cover.

Hey, Felicia. I thought you were in school.

Felicia's magnified eyes blinked. We don't go back until next week.

Ahh... The preteen attended multiple zoo camps every summer. Her parents liked to travel and she was an only child, so the zoo became her home for the hot months of the year and sometimes on the weekends. I'm afraid Daydream passed away last month, which is why Sunshine has to see the doctor regularly, since we don't know why he died.

The corner of the young girl's lips curled downward. Pax headed for the exit to the enclosure. Felicia met her outside the locked door.

Hi, Miss Kali, said Felicia, giving her companion an ear scratch. Kali made grunts of pleasure at the attention. The young girl walked by her side as Pax carried Sunshine towards the dome exit.

Periculum solaris ursa, said Felicia suddenly.

Very good, Felicia.

The young girl looked up at Pax, and even without Kali's psychic radar, she could see the absolute adoration in her eyes. Felicia emailed her at least three times every week with questions about the animals in the zoo or other random cryptozoology questions. I want to join Animalians like you.

That's great, said Pax, forcing herself to smile, even though she didn't mean it. Technically, she should have been back at the Hall for her fifth and final year, but she'd extended her leave of absence with Patron Adele, who had accepted it without further comment. Her friends, and especially Janelle, had been devastated, but at least it was easier for them to visit her in Portland than in Alta, Norway. The three of them—Janelle, Liam, and Jae-Yong—had promised to visit for the grand opening of the zoo's expansion in March.

Why is it dangerous?

Huh? asked Pax, surfacing from her thoughts.

The solarbear. Periculum means danger, said Felicia.

Oh, yeah. Pax bit her lower lip. No one really knows. The speculation is that the name was a mistake, but it was given so long ago that no one knows for sure. Either way, of the few solarbears left in existence, Sunshine included, there's been no witnessed examples of supernatural behavior.

Then why is she here?

Pax adjusted her grip on the furry mammal. Sunshine was asleep in her arms. Because of the designation, no normal zoo can house her, so we keep her here. But that's not a bad thing, as she's a big hit. Everyone loves her.

What happened to Daydream?

They left the dome, heading down two flights of stairs and entering the tunnels that went below main park level, crisscrossing between the semi-spherical structures. As they walked through the wide tunnel, people stopped to take pictures. Pax wasn't sure if they were snapping photos of her, Kali, or the solarbear, but she gave them her best smile as she kept moving.

We don't really know. He died suddenly. We know so little about solarbears because they stayed pretty hidden in the high desert of Chihuahua until recently, mostly forced out due to the expansion of ranching.

Felicia nodded, then launched into a list of things she'd learned about the other animals at the zoo. Pax made noises of listening, but otherwise tuned the girl out until they reached the stairs that would lead to the interior section of the park.

Okay, Felicia, you can't go any further.

The young girl gave an eager grin. It's okay. I was going to head to the manticore dome for feeding time. I'll email you later. Bye, Miss Pax. Bye, Miss Kali! She waved and cheerily headed back the other way with her notebook under her arm.

Was that me when I was her age? Pax asked herself before pressing her thumb against the security pad.

The domes surrounded the interior section like a donut. There were courtesy fences between the main park and the administration and research areas so guests didn't get confused and try to head towards them. There were open areas for employees to sit and eat outside the tall structures. To the west, the final touches of the expansion were being installed, including the largest dome at the zoo, which was a good fifty percent taller than the surrounding spaces.

Pax carried Sunshine into the six-story building with glass windows that reflected the domes and went to the third floor. The veterinarian, Arty, greeted her warmly in his white coat, looking up from his microscope. He had skin the color of midnight, dreads that went down to the middle of his back, and a smile that could disarm even the crabbiest of coworkers.

Well, if isn't it my favorite patient. How is our sweet girl?

Arty took the solarbear from Pax. You too, Kali, he added with a wink. He was over six foot and had a solid frame, but his knees bent when he had Sunshine's full weight.

Whoa, she's getting a little heavy. You make it look so easy. He winked. The benefits of being a mage.

Pax smiled. No one at the zoo knew about the changes from her bond with Kali, and whenever they saw her doing something unusual, they chalked it up to being a Hall mage.

Learn anything about Daydream's death? she asked, glancing towards the microscope.

Arty carried Sunshine to a stainless steel table, set her on crinkly paper, and rubbed her belly. The solarbear cooed softly.

Not. A. Thing. Can't make heads or tails of it. Whatever it was, I suspect that it's related to the solarbear's dwindling numbers. Must be something that we're missing about its lifecycle. He held his hands over Sunshine's furry ears. I fear that if we don't figure it out, they'll be extinct soon.

The bad news had Pax turning away, staring out the window as Arty continued his examination of Sunshine, taking blood samples, temperature—a full panel of tests. She stared at the cranes over the big dome, reminded of the ones used to load the Jörmungandr onto the transport ship on Svalbard, wondering how the gargantuan creature was faring, or if the damage it'd sustained from its imprisonment left it too weak to survive on its own and it was a rotting carcass at the bottom of the Barents Sea. She'd been keeping an eye on the news feeds for sightings, and Okho had promised to do the same, but it'd been six months and not one hint of information.

What do you think is going in there? asked Arty as he fit a cuff around Sunshine's forearm. The solarbear pawed gently at the vet, but allowed him to work.

Not a clue. Alfred won't say what it is, only that it'll be a huge draw to the zoo.

Come on, Pax. You know, right? Esmerelda is tight with Mr. Lovelace, and if she knows, you know.

Even Esy doesn't know. Trust me. Pax laughed. She's tried to get it out of him, but he wants it to be a surprise. Everyone who's working on that dome has been given a privacy enchantment. They couldn’t spill the beans even if they wanted to. The only thing I know is that there have been big blocks of stone delivered every week since I've been back. They come on long trailers, and they're covered with tarps, but the wind blew an edge up once, so I got to see it.

It'd be cool if it were a dragon or something, said Arty, and when she made a face, he said, I know, I know. It won't be a dragon, being they're intelligent creatures and all, but like I said, it'd be really cool.

It'll be the biggest dome in the park, so I bet it's something that either flies or lives in tall trees.

Arty narrowed his gaze. What about the blocks?

Maybe they're building a big pit. They've taken a lot of gravel and rock out of there too.

Either way, I agree with Mr. Lovelace. It needs to be a huge hit.

Needs to be? What are you saying?

Even though they were the only two people in the room, Arty glanced around before lowering his voice. You didn't hear it from me, but the zoo is in financial trouble. Was before the changes and then the expansion cost more than originally planned. Mr. Lovelace's largess hasn't quite covered it. If the grand opening doesn't go well, the zoo will go bankrupt and they'll have to sell off the animals to private collectors.

The news was a gut punch. While there were some private collectors who respected the creatures they cared for, too many of them exploited their supernatural abilities or killed them for the valuable parts when the cost of caring grew too high. The glands from a mystdrakon fetched millions on the alchemical black market. Pax splayed her hand on the glass. The zoo was her whole life. She hoped that Arty was wrong about what he'd heard, but there was a lot of truth to it. Even since she'd been back, she'd heard about cost overages and other unexpected financial strains. The zoo going bankrupt wasn't out of the question, and if it did, it would mean she would be losing her home.

Chapter Two

The mid-October weather brought light mist and bright orange leaves to the oak- and maple-lined streets. Pax thought about taking the day to visit the local Japanese garden or the Hoyt Arboretum, but Alfred Lovelace had asked her and Kali to help with the arrival of a new supernatural resident of the zoo.

Pax approached the tall painted privacy fence that separated the rest of the zoo from the expansion. A guard in a light blue uniform and a Bluewater badge stepped out to greet her.

I'm here on request of Mr. Lovelace, she said, nodding towards the construction area.

The guard checked his data pad. Pax Nygard and Kali?

That's us.

Let me grab your safety gear. The guard went into the hut, returning with two hard hats and two safety vests. After handing over her gear, the guard's jaw slipped open. Uhm.

I think she'll be fine. Kali will stay by my side.

The guard swallowed then keyed in a code on the door to let them through. The entire fence had a mural of kids with balloons watching a manticore crouched in a cage, tail curved above with spikes ready to fling. Pax noted the cage wouldn't stop the flying bone spikes, an error on the artist's part, since the real manticore lived behind an enchanted see-through wall.

Dirt and stones covered the wide area behind the fence, which had once housed Portland's outdated water treatment plant. The zoo had bought up the land and torn down the treatment plant to make room for the expansion. The steel structure of a dome crouched in the center like a jungle gym, while beyond, more fencing demarcated the construction from the more finished domes. Alfred Lovelace was talking to a woman and a man, all of them in bright yellow hard hats, pointing to the construction. Mr. Lovelace was a handsome man. His brown hair was edged with gray and his eyes were ringed with dark circles.

...finishing the dome by the scheduled date will require weekend overtime. Are you authorizing that? asked the woman.

When you quoted the job, you said you could meet the schedule without overtime, said an agitated Alfred Lovelace, gesturing towards the unfinished dome with the hard hat half slipping off his head.

The woman bunched up her lips. The original scope of work didn't include the additional layers of security, the privacy enchantments, or the delays in approvals for our team, but, if you'd like to bring it to arbitration, we'd be happy to let a third party decide.

Alfred flared his nostrils, then nodded. Fine. Approve the overtime.

The woman marched off with the man in tow, leaving Pax to make the final approach, feeling bad for having heard the details of the construction.

Hi, Mr. Lovelace. He made a face. Sorry, Alfred.

He stretched out his hand, giving her two solid pumps before releasing. Thank you for coming, Pax. I wouldn't normally drag you away from your regular duties, but as you heard, we're behind schedule and over budget. The crew I hired to support the wraithhawk installation came back with additional cost demands and said they couldn’t support it for another two weeks, but the delivery is today.

Absolutely. It's why I'm here—you don't have to feel bad about asking.

He sighed heavily, relief smoothing the knots on his brow. Thank you, Pax. And you too, Kali. Not a day goes by without me regretting this expansion, but it'll all be worth it when it's over and the zoo is overflowing with guests.

She grinned ferally. Also, wraithhawks? Aren't those from the Eternal City? I didn't think they could survive outside of their realm.

He matched her grin, but it didn't reach his eyes. I wanted to bring in unique creatures that couldn’t be experienced anywhere else. You'll see how we managed to get around the survival issues.

Alfred started walking towards the far gate.

Is the zoo in financial trouble? she asked.

The waves of alarm that radiated from Alfred were unmistakable, even if his exterior stayed stoic. He frowned. There have been struggles, especially with the rising insurance costs. He offered a weak smile. But I believe the expansion will be the solution.

She didn't press him further because he was clearly worried. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate. The zoo is my home. He nodded and she let her gaze drift to the tallest dome. For example, if there's anything about that dome...?

The tension in his shoulders broke, and his head snapped back with genuine laughter. I would love to tell you, Pax. I truly would, but I'll admit, I did too good of a job with the security. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to, but I promise you that it'll be the talk of the world. The future resident of that dome will save us from our creditors.

Alfred punched in his code. A regular tunnel lay beyond. As they walked, he talked about the upgrade features of the newest section.

Down that way is the underground train that takes you to the east side of the park. With the old north–south underground train and the one that circles the park, that should eliminate one of the complaints of attendees, that there's too much walking. He gestured the other way. The immersive theater is that direction. I hired the best we could afford from the Guild of Magical Dramatics. They're producing documentaries on each and every resident of the zoo. You know, if you were interested, we could include one on Kali.

Pax sucked a breath through her teeth. I'd prefer the creatures in the enclosures be the stars of the show.

They arrived at the wraithhawk dome. The aerial housing provided a cylindrical space for the creatures to live, while guests could observe them through enchanted glass on platform levels that went all the way up to the top. Unlike the other aerial spaces, the interior of the dome looked like a bombed-out city street with skeletal buildings devoid of glass or walls haunting the space. Staring into the enclosure made her skin crawl, even though the wraithhawks weren't inside yet.

Are these buildings from the Eternal City?

He nodded with an exhale. Proved more difficult than I first thought. We had to remove them piece by piece then reconstruct the buildings inside here.

The maetrie were okay with that?

He snorted softly. I hired a maetrie that lives in Invictus. He didn't appear to care, and the buildings you see are from an older area that hasn't been populated for centuries, which is why they're the roosting spots for wraithhawks.

The Eternal City was the home of the maetrie, commonly called city elves, though no one dared say that to their faces. Pax knew almost nothing about them, and only a few tidbits about the creatures that existed in that realm. The nomenclature was sparse about other realms, since there were technically infinite universes, though the vast and overwhelming majority were too distant to reach by portal.

Alfred gestured towards a painting of a swirling portal surrounded by different pictures, each one depicting a place that was clearly not Earth. Above the painting was the stylized title, The Other Realms.

That's what this section of the park will be called. The Other Realms.

Is that why the mystdrakons were moved to the edge of the new section?

He snapped his fingers. Exactly. A black-clad man with a bushy mustache and a handgun strapped to his hip stepped out of a door and approached them. Pax's gut twisted when she saw the man's badge: an outline of a rising phoenix inside a circle. The Phoenix Corporation.

Ahh, this is Hunter Eusebio Hernandez. He's head of security for the expansion.

Pax Nygard, said Eusebio, shaking her hand. His skin was a deep tan from working outside, and there were creases around his eyes. I've heard a lot about you.

Sib and I were at the Halls at the same time, said Alfred.

Eusebio untucked his black shirt, revealing a puckered scar on the left side of his gut the side of a grapefruit. I got gored by a black horn in Tibet my fourth year. Never went back. Spent some time in the FBSC, but the bureaucracy got to me, so I joined the Phoenix Corp about a decade ago, been with them ever since.

The roof of her mouth had suctioned closed. Eusebio was smiling. He expected a moment of bonding over scars. She had plenty to show, but she couldn’t stop staring at the Phoenix Corp badge, thinking about Agent Lymon, who'd tried to kill her in Danir, and how they'd attempted to exploit the local ecology for profit.

Everything okay? asked Alfred.

Eusebio glanced down at the badge on his uniform. I guess she don't like phoenixes?

Kali's hackles were up. Or maybe that was her own. She couldn’t tell who was angrier.

Someone from your company tried to kill me in Danir, said Pax, staring back at Eusebio. Agent Lymon.

He raised his hands, eyes widening with recognition. "I didn't know. Mierda."

Heat rose in her chest. You didn't know about Danir? How can you expect me to believe that? The distance between them had closed but she didn't remember stepping forward. Eusebio glanced from her to Kali and back.

No. Phoenix Corporation is a big, multinational company. I do security for zoos, public or private, and other stuff like that. No hunts. I don't like the variableness. His hand went back to the scar. A reflex. Like a lot of hunters, he'd gotten out before he'd gotten killed. I knew Lymon, worked with him years ago, but we ain't amigos or nothin'. If you had a beef with him, that’s fine.

He's dead.

Hunter Eusebio glanced to Alfred. The question in his eyes made her realize she wasn't in the jungles of Danir, staring down at Lymon's rifle.

It wasn't me. He got trampled by a boomer. He made a face, so she added, "An alfadyr."

Immediately she knew the confusion wasn't about the scientific name of the creature but something else entirely, but he didn't seem like he was going to explain.

Hunter Eusebio took a deep breath. If you don't want to help, I can do this alone. Prefer not to, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

I'm sorry. I've gone off like a mystdrakon after a maulapine, she said, chuckling to herself at the Cassius-ism. What do you need me to do?

Seeing that they'd finally come to an understanding, Alfred pointed to his watch, shook both their hands, and headed out of the dome.

We need to unload the wraithhawks, said Eusebio once he was gone. There are five of them. Their cages are in the back of the special delivery truck. Our job is to go into the enclosure, unload the cages, set the timed release, and then get the hell out. We'll worry about retrieving the cages later.

Am I there for backup? It doesn't sound like you really need me, said Pax.

If all goes well, then no, I really didn't need you, but procedure on Class Four supernaturals requires a full team. The security team Alfred hired to assist isn't going to make it for another few days, and the wraithhawks can't survive in their cages much longer.

Class Four was a government designation. She guessed that FBSC probably mean Federal Bureau of Supernatural Creatures. Animalians didn't use their ranking system since a Class Two could kill you just as easily as a Class Four. Underestimating abilities was the death of a Hunter.

Let's go then. Can you catch me up on the nomenclature for the wraithhawk?

Absolutely. He led her around to the entrance of the enclosure, which had an airlock protected by the same security measures that had been added to the rest of the zoo. "The wraithhawk is the anima furantur fae-urbs, which translates to soul stealer from the Eternal City. They're capable of nearly becoming gaseous. Speculation is that they're related to the smoke-eater, but they're not found in the populated parts of the city. Wraithhawks are scavengers, opportunists, picking off prey that are too weak to defend themselves. They kill by swooping down and draining energy before the victim can flee."

Pax nodded towards the weapon on his hip.