The Silver Stag

by Yasmine Galenorn

  I knew how hard it was for Angel to say that—how hard it was for her to willingly give up her brother. I reached out and took her hand and squeezed hard, holding on tight.

  “Do you remember when we first met, after I told you who my parents were? I expected you to sneer and make fun of me. A couple of the other Fae children were taunting me and calling me names. You beat the crap out of them and told them that if they ever did that again there’d be more where that came from. I’ve never forgotten how brave you were.”

  She squeezed my hand back. “I couldn’t let them pick on my bestie. I had your back, and I’ve always known you had mine.”

  “I still have your back. We’ll join the Wild Hunt. We’ll make sure DJ’s okay, and that we’re okay. I guess this is what they call fate.”

  She sniffed back her tears and gave me a wide smile. “Destiny’s a bitch, isn’t she?”

  “She sure is, Angel. She sure is.”

  BY THE TIME Herne returned, we had wiped our eyes. One thing that Angel and I had in common: when we made up our minds, done was done. We weren’t wishy-washy people. I refilled our glasses and pushed Herne’s snifter over to him.

  “Shall we drink to our new alliance? You’d better pay well, and give good benefits.” I raised my glass and Angel raised hers.

  Herne stared at us for a moment, then his lips curved into a sensuous smile. I found myself noticing him far too much for my own good. His eyes were twinkling.

  “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that. To the Wild Hunt’s newest employees. And for your information, I doubt either one of you has ever made as much money as you’re about to. You’re not going to be rich, but you’ll be able to pay your rent and bills without worry. As far as benefits go, health and life insurance are included.” He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. “Angel, I suggest you move over to this side of the lake. My agency is down in the Old Town section of Seattle. The Pioneer Square area.”

  I grimaced. Old Town was a seedy place. At one point it had been the center of business, but business moved north, and the downtown sector of Seattle had become a seedy wasteland. Now, there were a lot of clubs and taverns down there, and a number of brothels. Once prostitution was legalized, it had become a major moneymaker for most city governments. Taxed high and regulated strictly, it had put the pimps out of business and kept the kids from walking the streets. Punishment for anyone breaking the rules was strict and swift.

  “Don’t turn up your nose. Rent is cheap, and down there nobody asks questions.” He pulled out his wallet and tossed us each a card. “There’s the address. As soon as I leave here, I’ll contact Névé and Saílle, and put your names on the roster of people they cannot touch. Or that they shouldn’t touch. As I said I can’t guarantee anything one hundred percent, but at least you’ll be on the registers.”

  “What about DJ?” Angel’s voice was quivering, but she was trying to keep it together.

  “I’ve already been in contact with the family where he’ll stay, just in case. They live down south a ways, in the Chehalis area. A lot of shifters live there, and the family he’ll stay with are very open-minded as to parentage. They’ll say he’s a cousin from back east, and if anybody questions them, we will forge papers to prove that his parentage was approved by the Alpha.”

  “What if somebody checks? I mean, a busybody could look into it and find out that he really wasn’t from back there.”

  I had the feeling Angel was grasping at straws, trying to figure out some way she could keep DJ with her even though she knew it was in his best interests to let him go.

  “We have an arrangement with the Alpha of the New Hampshire division of the Shifter Alliance. He owes Cernunnos a great debt, one that he’s not likely to work off in this lifetime. As a result, we utilize his services in this manner when need be. He also happens to be one of us—one of Cernunnos’s bounty hunters.”

  Angel let out a long sigh. “I guess that’s it, then. When does he have to leave?”

  “The father of the family is waiting for my call. He’s just down the street. We believe in being prepared. He’ll take DJ with him. I’m not going to tell you the family’s last name or anything about them. I’ll make arrangements for you to see him at least four times a year for a week or so. The holidays, if you like. But the less you know about his foster family, the safer he will be. He’ll have a new name and a new life.”

  “You’re asking a lot on trust,” I said.

  “At some point, you have to take a leap of faith. One thing I have learned over the years I have been alive is that nothing is ever guaranteed. Oh, the sun will rise and set, the world will turn, and birth and death come to us all. Other than that, there is absolutely no surety.” Herne leaned forward again, propping his chin on his hands. “You have to do what your heart tells you is right.”

  “I thought the gods were immortal.” Angel seemed to be almost holding her breath, her gaze so intent upon our visitor that I thought she might burn a hole through his head.

  “My father is. My mother became a goddess. She herself was born of a god and a mortal. She can die, if wounded gravely and not attended to. As can I, though it takes a lot to bring us to death’s doorstep.”

  “I trust you,” Angel said. “My heart tells me to go on faith. I will entrust you with my brother’s life. I’m going to hold you to it. I know you can’t control everything that happens to him, but if the people you give him to hurt him in any way, god or not I’m coming after you.”

  “And I will be at her side.” I reached over and took her hand again. “Angel and I have a bond that goes beyond friendship. We are oath sisters.”

  Herne gave us a solemn nod. “I would expect nothing less, given what I’ve heard about you. Both of you.” He turned to Angel. “Your brother will be loved and cared for. And I will make sure that you see him several times a year, without interference, and you can judge for yourself then. Shall I call for his new foster father to come by?”

  Angel bit her lip, pressing one hand against her stomach. She nodded, very slowly. “Yeah. Call him. I’m going to go spend a little time with DJ till he gets here. I don’t know how I’m going to tell him about this.”

  “Tell him that he’s going to a safe haven. A sanctuary house. That’s the truth of the matter and he will hear the truth in your voice. Tell him that what he witnessed this afternoon may not be over, and that he will put you out of danger by going into sanctuary. That will speak to such a brave young man.”

  Angel vanished into my bedroom, softly closing the door behind her.

  I held my breath for a moment, then let it out slowly. “What’s a sanctuary house?”

  Herne held up his hand as he pulled out his cell phone and punched in a number. “It’s set,” he said to whomever answered. “The Miriam G building—fifteenth floor. I’ll meet you by the elevator in ten minutes. Bring the sanctuary flag.”

  As he hung up, I felt like the world was shifting beneath my feet. Angel had to be feeling the same way.

  “A sanctuary house—or building—is a place where no one—be they from the Shifter Alliance, the Vampire Nation, the Fae courts, or the Human League—can interfere. Anyone who claims sanctuary in one of those places will be safe until a decision is made by the Grand Council. And I suggest you not ask questions about the Council at this moment. There are some things better off left in the dark, if you know what I mean.”

  I felt like I was getting a schooling on a world I had grown up in, but never truly knew. Everything seemed different, and all of my normals were flying out the window.

  “Do most people know about all of this?”

  Herne shook his head. “Not really. There’s a vast network running below the surface of the governments in this world, whether they be human, shifter, Fae, or vampire. And that doesn’t even account for the rest of the Cryptos, most of whom have some sort of representative on the Grand Council.”

  I hugged myself, suddenl
y cold. “So most of the world goes through the motions without any understanding of what’s taking place?”

  “Most of the world goes through the motions of life in general, blissfully unaware of anything beyond their lives. And if you gave them a choice, ten to one they’d pick ignorance over knowledge. Knowledge carries great responsibility. Ignorance offers most people an out.”

  I nodded, thinking he was right. “I know a lot of people who don’t want to take responsibility for their lives. It’s easier to blame somebody else when something goes wrong than accept their part in whatever happened.”

  Herne stood up. “I should wait by the elevator.” He paused, glancing back at me. “It really is for the best, sending DJ away. Angel’s brother would be in grave danger. I can’t have him working for the agency at his age, and while families of my employees are supposed to be immune to retribution, it doesn’t always play out.”

  I wanted to ask him if he could send Angel with DJ, but I knew his answer would be no. I wasn’t sure why, but I instinctively knew there was some reason that she couldn’t go with him. And maybe Herne was right. DJ would grow up with other wolf shifters. He would learn what it meant to be part of that society.

  As Herne waited outside my front door, near the elevator, Angel escorted DJ out into the living room. Both of them looked like they had been crying. She sat down and pulled him toward her, brushing the myriad of tiny braids back from his face.

  “Remember, you promised to be strong for me.”

  There was so much pain in her voice that I wanted to dive in, say No—both of you run away as far as you can get. But that wouldn’t solve the problem.

  DJ nodded, straightening. A frightened light filled his eyes, but he was doing his best to be brave.

  “I promise. You promise that I’ll see you before school starts again?”

  “I promise with all my heart. You spend the summer with these nice people, and I’ll see you before you go back to school in the fall. Herne promised. And you know I can tell when somebody’s lying. He was telling me the truth.”

  DJ let out a hiccup and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “I don’t have my toys or my schoolbooks.”

  “We’ll make sure you get them. Now give me a hug—as long and hard of a hug as you’ve ever given me. It will have to last until I see you again, so it better be a good one.” Angel held out her arms and DJ flung himself into them.

  I looked away, wanting to give them privacy. I was crying, wondering how everything had become so convoluted in the space of one day. If only I could go back to the morning, knowing what I knew now, and call Angel to go pick up DJ before he left Sarah’s house. But there was no going back. What was done was done, and we had to move forward.

  The next moment, Herne entered the apartment again, a burly man standing behind him. I glanced up into the man’s eyes and saw that, as rough as he looked on the outside, his eyes held nothing but gentleness. He walked over to Angel and DJ, and knelt beside them.

  “Hey DJ, you can call me Cooper. I know this is hard for you and your sister. I’ll make the transition as easy as possible for you. I have two girls and a boy. We could sure use another young man around the place. My wife bakes the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and she loves children. We’re all wolf shifters, and we’re going to teach you how to handle your inner wolf. You’ll go to school with my kids, and we’ll get you all squared away.” His voice was modulated, soft and soothing.

  DJ looked frightened still, but his voice was a little less shaky as he asked, “Can Angel come visit me before school starts in the fall?”

  “We’ll make sure that she does, and we’ll be sure that you get to spend Thanksgiving and the holidays with her. It may have to be down near where we live, but we’ll figure out a way. I promise you that. I give you my word.”

  “You’d better hurry. You may have the sanctuary flag flying from the antenna, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t be followed. I have a cloaking spell that you can use, but you have to use it before midnight. It’s time-sensitive.”

  Cooper stood up, and held out his hand to DJ. “Don’t worry about clothes or anything. We have everything you need.” He turned to Angel. “I give you my word, he’ll be safe and happy. I know you’re going on a lot of trust right now, but we’ll uphold our end of the bargain.”

  DJ tucked his hand into Cooper’s, and then glanced back at Angel. “I love you.”

  “Be brave and make me proud. I don’t want to hear that you’ve given them any trouble when I get there to visit you.” Angel stood up, squaring her shoulders. “You hear me? Mama J. will be watching over you. You know she’s always there.”

  As Cooper led DJ out of the apartment, Herne glanced back at us.

  “I’ll make sure they get off safely. I want to get the cloaking spell into their car.” He shut the apartment door behind him.

  As I turned back to Angel she collapsed on the sofa, crying so hard I was afraid she might break a rib. I hurried over and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her head onto my shoulder. I had a horrible feeling that this was just the first in a long line of drastic changes we were both facing. But at least we’d be facing them together.

  Chapter 5

  ANGEL AND I had moved over to the sofa by the time Herne returned. I was doing my best to help Angel keep from losing it. He gave us a weary smile, then dropped into the chair next to the window, staring out at the night.

  “How much more is there that we don’t know?” I asked. I wasn’t sure exactly what I meant, but the world seemed overwhelmingly complex all of a sudden, and I felt out of place in my own skin.

  “Where should I start? For now, you should rest for the night. I’ve notified Névé and Saílle that you’re on our roster. Both were suspicious as to why I called them so late, but I figure better now than waiting till tomorrow. You should be safe tonight.” He paused, then added, “DJ got off safe. He’ll be fine, and I will make arrangements for you to see him sometime during the summer. Tonight, get some sleep and then meet me down at the office tomorrow around noon. We’ll get you situated away into whatever respective jobs I feel you’re best suited for.”

  “I don’t like my job, but I should give notice—” Angel started to say, but Herne cut her off.

  “No. Call in tomorrow morning and say unavoidable circumstances have forced you to resign. Don’t worry about picking up your things, I’ll have someone go do it for you. It’s not like you need references to work for me and, as of now, this is your job for the foreseeable future.” He pushed himself to his feet, stretching and yawning. “Sleep. Rest. Cry if you need to. Tomorrow’s a new day, and a whole new world.”

  With that, he headed for the door.

  “What about my house? My car is still there.”

  “Give me your keys. I’ll have your car down at the office tomorrow. I’ll send someone home with you to gather your things. But you really should move over to Seattle. Even though you’re on the clock with me, I just feel safer if you were here, in the city.”

  Angel tossed him her car key, and he pocketed it. Then, giving us a wave, he headed out the door, shutting it firmly behind him.

  I ran over and locked the door behind him. Turning, I wasn’t sure what to say. I expected to see Angel in tears again but she was staring out the window over Puget Sound. She was breathing softly, and when I walked over to stand beside her, she smiled.

  “He’s going to be okay. The worry about him that I’ve had all day? About him being dead or close to it? It’s vanished. I didn’t tell you after you found him and brought him home, but I was still afraid and I didn’t exactly know why. But now, I feel like he dodged a bullet. My brother’s going to be safe. And right now, that’s all that matters.”

  “Then you have a good feeling about this Cooper?” I had come to trust Angel’s instincts.

  “That’s not his name. He didn’t give us his real name. But it was so that my brother would be safe. I think DJ will finally
have the father figure that he needs. Mama J. tried but she couldn’t be both mother and father to him, especially since she wasn’t a wolf shifter. And I could barely be even a substitute mother. But he’s going to have a family now, and they’ll take care of him.”

  I knew Angel well enough to know that she wouldn’t say it if she didn’t feel it to her very core. Exhausted, and suddenly feeling like if I didn’t get into bed I’d drop in my tracks, I turned to her.

  “We should get some sleep. Are you all right on the sofa? You can sleep in the bed with me if you want—it’s big enough for two.”

  “I think I’d like to sleep on the sofa tonight. I like looking out at the city from this angle. I like seeing the water. Is it all right if I crash here until I find a place?”

  I nodded. “Of course. But you know, I’ve been thinking of looking for a house. Maybe we should find one together. We make good roommates, you have to admit that. We’ve done it before.”

  “That’s a good idea. We can talk about it in the morning.”

  I rustled her up some blankets and a sheet and a pillow, and then I took a long hot shower before dropping into bed. I was afraid that I’d toss and turn half the night, replaying what had happened throughout the day. But everything seemed to glide off of me, falling away as I crept into bed. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arm around Mr. Rumblebutt, his purr began to lull me to sleep, and the next thing I knew, the sun was peeking through the window and it was morning.