Myths & Magic: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection

by Kerry Adrienne

  “You’re going up there.” Jasper pointed to the left rim of the canyon. “It’s a perfect spot. There’s a thicket filled with sweet summer berries that the deer love. But there’s a drop on one side, and a ridge on the other. If you make a racket at one end, the herd will be forced into a funnel that leads them directly to where we’ll be waiting, over there.” He pointed to the other end of the canyon. “And then to our dinner table.”

  That sounded like a good plan. Sylvia craned her neck to look up at the place where he had first pointed. “And how do I get up there?”

  “I’m glad you asked.” Jasper slowed. “Can you see our secret staircase?”

  She turned to face the direction he was looking in. A narrow ledge led up the canyon wall, roughly hewn handholds dotting the way.

  “You can’t be serious. In what world is that a staircase?”

  Gwen laughed. “That’s what I said.”

  “It’s not that bad.” Jasper waved them away. “No one’s ever fallen on it.”

  “Hardly anyone ever uses it,” West said. “And never humans.”

  “What, you don’t trust me?” Jasper frowned. “You can make it up there, can’t you, Sylvia?”

  “Sure.” Her throat felt very dry, but she didn’t want to let him down.

  “I’ll go up with you,” he said. “Every step of the way.”

  “He won’t let you fall,” Gwen said.

  “Probably,” West added.

  Jasper glared at him. “Don’t listen to him, Sylvia. He’s just jealous that he doesn’t get to be your escort.”

  He led her to the edge of the canyon wall. Looking up, she tried not to let dizziness overcome her. It seemed so high.

  “Try not to think about heights, or the ground,” Jasper said. “Look.” He stepped onto the ledge. “Do exactly what I do. Let the handholds guide you.”

  Pushing her fear aside, she put her foot on the ledge. She trusted him. And he wouldn’t let anything happen to her… right?

  “That’s good,” Jasper said. “Your right hand is secure. Now move your left.”

  “You won’t let me fall?” she asked.

  “We’re only two inches from the ground.”

  “I don’t mean here.”

  “You’re safe with me.” Changing handholds, he moved up the ledge.

  Letting out a breath, Sylvia copied him. They moved inch by agonizing inch. It took all the willpower she possessed not to look down. She just focused on moving from handhold to handhold exactly as Jasper did, her feet skating along the ledge.

  The wind pulled at her cloak and her hair, but she kept creeping upward. If Jasper thought she could do it, she wouldn’t disappoint him. He moved with a languid ease, his muscles standing out as he secured his position. He never took his eyes off her. Sylvia hoped she didn’t look too frightened.

  The canyon rim edged closer. She tried not to think about how the ground must be receding at the same pace. Somewhere below, Gwen and West were shouting encouragement, but Sylvia could barely hear them over her own simple thoughts. Handhold. Handhold. Shuffle feet. All she had to do was not lose her grip…

  And then Jasper was up and over, crouching on the canyon rim. He put a hand down, and easily pulled her up.

  It felt like she was on top of the world.

  Cheers erupted from below. Sylvia grinned weakly, surveying the world from this new height.

  “We made it,” Jasper whispered. “And I told you I wouldn’t let you fall. Now is the easy part.” He pointed to a tangle of plants that seemed to swallow the densely packed trees. “There’s bound to be something in that thicket. The summer berries are far too tempting.”

  “So I just need to run in there shouting?” Sylvia asked, her voice low.

  “Yes, but not until we’re in position. We’ll be fast—the sun should hardly move. When we’re ready, West will caw three times like a crow. That’s your signal to start making a racket up here.”

  “I think I can do that.” Her heart was jumping.

  “Good. Don’t be afraid to scare whatever’s in there. Just tell yourself you’re ten times as scary.” His light gold eyes were laughing. “This will all be over soon, and we can return to the den in triumph.” He squeezed her hand lightly, then leapt onto the ledge.

  Sylvia gasped. He didn’t seem to walk back down so much as fall. His feet only appeared to touch the ledge about three times before he was back on the ground. Jasper looked up at her, waved, then shifted into a huge gray wolf. Gwen and West, brown and white wolves, followed him as he raced down the canyon.

  Her heart thumped as she watched them go. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to people turning into wolves.

  She kept still as wind whistled through the thicket. It made it hard to hear whether there were signs of life inside. She’d feel pretty stupid running screaming into an empty thicket, but she had already agreed to do it. And she would like a nice meal tonight.

  Her stomach rumbled. She put a hand over it, hoping to quiet it. She hoped she hadn’t made Jet too mad, going on the hunt with Jasper. He hadn’t looked at all pleased when they left. But she hadn’t wanted to stay cooped up inside all day, and she felt much more useful up here. Still, she should probably apologize to Jet when they got back. He’d spent all morning being used as a practice dummy for her benefit, and she’d immediately turned around and disregarded his wishes.

  Sylvia sighed. The pack seemed complicated. Living alone would be so much simpler. Though alone, she’d never be able to catch and bring down deer herself…

  Ahead, in the thicket, something whuffled. Sylvia crouched down, hoping it hadn’t noticed her. She didn’t want to scare it too soon.

  Stock still, she waited to see if it would make the sound again. She hadn’t just imagined it, had she? Based on what Jasper had said, it must be a deer. Sylvia licked her lips. She was hungry for some venison.

  The creature whuffled again, moving through the thicket. She couldn’t see it, but she was certain she could scare it. Sylvia looked at the sun impatiently. Were the others ready yet?

  Down the canyon, a crow cawed once, then twice more. She was startled by how real it sounded. If she were a deer, she would definitely think that a bird had made that sound, not West.

  It was time. Rising to her feet, she charged into the thicket.

  “Get out!” she yelled. “This way, please! I’m going to need you for dinner.”

  She crashed deeper into the thicket, crushing berries under her slippers. There was indeed a creature inside. It scrambled back, fearful. But it was no deer.

  It was a black bear cub.

  “Oh no.” Sylvia lowered her voice, backing away immediately. “I scared you, didn’t I? I’m sorry. I don’t want you for dinner. Just don’t—”

  Sitting back, the bear cub let out a cry.

  “No, no,” she whispered. “Please don’t. I’m leaving, see?”

  The little cub cried again, louder this time.

  From behind her came an answering call. It was deeper, and angrier.

  Sylvia turned, hardly daring to breathe.

  A mother bear thundered into the thicket. It took one glance at her and roared. Sylvia was distinctly aware that she was between a bear and her cub. She had suspected that she might die soon, but she never would have guessed a bear would get her before her captor could catch up. She could only laugh.

  “I’m sorry, Mama.” She stepped aside, stumbling over tangled vines. “I didn’t mean to scare your baby.”

  The cub raced to its mother, ducking behind her legs. It peered back out at Sylvia, as if curious to see her fate.

  “Your baby’s safe, Mama. Can I go?”

  The bear lowered its head, its eyes locked on hers. Heart in her throat, Sylvia backed away. Her slipper caught on a thorny vine, tripping her.

  She fell on her ass with a gasp. The mother bear didn’t seem to like that at all. Grunting, she lumbered forward. Sylvia tried to rise, but her slipper was caught. Abandoning it, she rol
led aside just as the bear swiped a paw at her.

  “Hey!” She struggled to her feet, ignoring the brambles underfoot. “You have your baby. Leave me alone!”

  The bear’s black eyes were still fixed on her. Sylvia swallowed. She wasn’t intimidating enough… She needed to look bigger.

  Sylvia stared the bear down. “I refuse to get eaten by a bear. You hear me?” Opening her cloak, she let it billow in the wind. The bear sat back, alarmed.

  “That’s right. Get out of here! I’m very dangerous.”

  Behind them, the cub cried again. That seemed to settle the mother’s mind. Turning tail, she trundled out of the thicket, pushing her cub ahead of her with her nose.

  Her knees trembling, Sylvia sank to the ground just as a gray wolf exploded into the thicket. She jumped up, fists ready. It took her a second to realize that the huge wolf was Jasper.

  “Sylvia!” He shifted. “Are you all right? Was that a bear?”

  She fell into his arms, which had never felt better. “Just a bear and her cub.”

  “We heard you,” Jasper said, “near the end. I didn’t think we’d get here in time.” He looked stricken.

  Gwen and West appeared behind him, their faces pale.

  “She’s alive!” West said.

  Gwen gaped. “And without a scratch.”

  “Did you really tell the bear that you refused to let it eat you?” Jasper asked. “I thought I might have been dreaming.”

  Sylvia blushed. “That was stupid of me…”

  “Not at all. It worked, didn’t it? You scared a bear away.” He sounded awed.

  “I was just lucky.”

  “Lucky that you have a warrior’s spirit,” Gwen said. “You’re a bear maiden.”

  Sylvia couldn’t help but laugh. It had been such a surreal day.

  After retrieving her slipper from the brambles, Jasper declared their hunt to be over. He wouldn’t hear any of her protestations as he carried her back toward the den.

  “I could try flushing something else,” Sylvia said as they entered the canyon. “Maybe even a deer this time.”

  “We’re not taking any chances. Gwen and West can have fun chasing rabbits, but I’m taking you back. I know you’re eager for a second round, but that’s the only bear you’ll be facing today.”

  By the time they reached the towering oak, the whole pack seemed to know the story. Details buzzed all around them, and shifters were eager for more details.

  “How big was the bear?” Rowan asked. “Four hundred pounds? Five?”

  “Were you scared at all?” Everett butted in. “You don’t even seem shaken.”

  “That’s because she’s a bear maiden now,” Gwen said. “Nothing could rattle her.”

  Rowan grinned. “Would you like me to wash your cloak, bear maiden? The hem is covered in berry juice.”

  It felt easy to hand the cloak over. She had been using it like a shield, but there was nothing to shield herself from anymore. It was a warm and sunny afternoon, with no need for thick cloaks. None of the shifters batted an eye at her naked body, for they were all nude themselves. And after conquering a ledge and facing a bear, what did she have to fear from being naked?

  “I’ll get this back to you tonight,” Rowan said. “Do you need me to find you something to wear until then? I’m sure I could dig up an outfit somewhere.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Sylvia smiled. “I’m already mostly covered in bandages, anyway.”

  “Bandages? Are you hurt?” Jet strode up, and the shifters dispersed. Jasper remained by her side, looking uncomfortable.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Just got a little too familiar with a bear.”

  “A mother bear, I heard.” Jet frowned, turning to Jasper. “And where were you?”

  “On the other end of the canyon.” Jasper met his brother’s eyes, almost defiantly.

  “And you thought it’d be funny to let Sylvia waltz into a bear family’s picnic?”

  “I never thought there’d be anything bigger than a buck in there. We haven’t had bears around the canyon in months.”

  “And did you think to use your nose, ears, or eyes before sending someone totally green into that thicket?”

  “The wind was wrong, Alpha. And I didn’t see—”

  “You didn’t check!”

  “That would flush the game and defeat the entire purpose.” Jasper sounded strained. “You know that, Jet. It was an accident that could have happened to anyone—”

  “Nothing would have happened if you’d been more careful. Or if you’d obeyed my wishes as Alpha.” Jet glared at both of them. “You’re both lucky she’s not dead.”

  “But I’m fine,” Sylvia said, almost surprised at herself for speaking up. The tension in the air was palpable, and with Jet this forcefully furious, she could see how he could command a pack as Alpha. “It wasn’t Jasper’s fault—the bear was just protecting her cub.”

  He gave her the strangest look, surprise mixed with anger, then swept out of the room.

  Sylvia looked at Jasper, bewildered. “Did I say something wrong?”

  He gave a soft laugh. “I’m not sure our Alpha quite knows what to do with you—despite his protests, he’s not used to anyone cutting him off mid-tirade.”

  She looked at the doorway Jet had disappeared into. “Should I apologize?”

  “Give it a while. Let him cool down.” He motioned for her to follow him. “Come on.”

  “Are we going out to find more bears?”

  He tried to hide a smile. “Not exactly.”

  Jasper led her out of the den, stooping to grab a small bundle. But they didn’t go far once they’d passed through the curtain of roots—Jasper sat in a patch of shade, unfurling his bundle. A handful of thin knives with wooden handles rolled out.

  “What are those for?” she asked.

  “I’ll show you.” He pulled out three cubes of wood. “Which do you like best?”

  She wondered if it was some kind of test. Was she supposed to be able to tell a difference between them? She pointed to the one in the middle.

  “Good choice. It’s got a nice grain.” Jasper stowed the other two. Picking up a knife, he began to shave pieces from the wood.

  “You’re a wood carver?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m not hopeless, but I’m nowhere near mastery, either.” He nodded toward the knives. “These were my grandfather’s. He’s the one who carved out our den.”

  She watched, fascinated, as pieces of wood fell to the ground. For all his modesty, his strokes were quick and sure. “What are you making?”

  “I cut where the wood tells me. You can’t force anything out. But whatever’s inside, I’ll find it.”

  “So you don’t know what you’re carving?”

  “Not yet. But I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually.”

  They sat for a moment, silent except for the sound of Jasper’s knives eating away the wood. A soft breeze kept them cool, swirling over the stone walls. She sat back, lazily letting time pass by, for once not worried about much at all. A beetle trundled over the wood shavings, then over Jasper’s foot. He didn’t seem to notice, lost in his carving.

  Sylvia smiled. She felt just as lost in Jasper’s determined expression, the muscles rippling in his arms. His golden eyes were focused on his work, but she still felt like he was fully present with her, as no one had been before.

  She wondered if she would ever see his brother so calm.

  “Is Jet mad at me?” she asked.

  Jasper didn’t look up from his work. “I think he’s mad at me—he usually is. And I never should have let a mother bear get that close to you.”

  “What happened wasn’t your fault.”

  “It was.” He sighed, putting down his knife. “I should have listened to Jet. He’s right most of the time, or he wouldn’t be Alpha. It’s just that, when he’s wrong…” Jasper trailed off.

  “Don’t blame yourself. That bear was just protecting her cub.”
>
  “But I should have been protecting you.”

  Sylvia bit her lip. She shouldn’t have said anything.

  “Of course,” Jasper said, “I’m not sure I could have scared off a bear with quite so much style.” He set the knife back against the wood, carving out another chunk. “I guess both of us need to come to terms with the fact that you can save yourself.” He pulled the knife over the wood, removing long, curling shavings. “Just give Jet some time. He’ll come around eventually, don’t worry.”

  She felt like she barely had time to blink before he made three more sweeping cuts, and was done.

  “Here you go.” He handed her the carving. A mother bear stood over her cub, one wooden paw raised protectively.

  She turned it over, marveling. “How did you do that?”

  Jasper shrugged. “That’s what was inside.”

  Sylvia didn’t want to take her eyes off the incredible carving. Reluctantly, she held it out to its creator.

  “Keep it,” he said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Who else could it be for?”

  She clutched the bears to her chest, astonished. “I wish I had something to thank you with.”

  “I don’t need anything.” Jasper put his tools away. “I just want you to be—”

  But she never found out what he wanted her to be, because she leaned over and kissed him. His eyes were wide with shock, but his lips were soft, inviting. She grinned. His lips felt so right against hers. Having overcome his initial surprise, he leaned into the kiss, and put an arm around her.

  This was bliss. This was where she was supposed to be.

  There was a crash behind them. They both whirled. Jet stood there, a tray on the ground and broken plates at his feet. He stared at them for a long moment, then turned, retreating into the den.

  Sylvia stared after him, her stomach sinking. If he hadn’t been mad before, he definitely was now.

  Chapter 6

  Jet flew up the stairs, then out a hidden door and into the sunshine. The puffy clouds seemed to be mocking him. Shifting, he raced through the forest, away from the canyon.