by Jen Wylie
"I do… I will," she insisted.
Stopping suddenly, he stared at her for a long moment. His eyes changed to orange and then yellow. His claws receded.
Letting out a deep breath, she felt certain she'd finally gotten through to him.
"You don't," he said quietly. His fist thumped against his chest. "I can feel it, and I don't…" He shook his head, weariness crossing his face. "I can't do this to you."
She spun around as he raced past her and out the bedroom door. Before she could react, the sound of him pounding down the stairs reached her ears.
"Wait! Kei!" What had just happened? As fast as she could, she ran out of the room and down the stairs.
Garen! Don't let Kei leave!
He met her in the hall, his head cocked to one side. He already did. What's wrong?
"Rot!" She stopped for a moment and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I don't know! He was going on about words, and how I didn't believe him. Then he ran off. I don't know," she ended quietly. It was her turn to ask why. Cursing again, she sprinted for the door. I'm going after him.
What do you want me to do?
I… I don't know, she admitted.
A quick glance outside showed an open gate, so she didn't pause to search for him around the house. That he'd left their property caused a worried lump to form in her stomach.
Kei? Where are you going?
He didn't answer. She continued to run down the short side street, pausing when she reached the corner, wondering which way he'd gone.
Come back. We need to talk! Please, come back.
She searched the crowd in each direction, trying to find sight of him.
I need to run. I need to go. I'm sorry, Aro.
She turned right and pushed her way along the road, heading for the east gate, the closest gate out of the city.
Don't go. Don't leave me. You promised you wouldn't!
He didn't answer.
You promised! Panic stole her breath away. She couldn't see him ahead of her.
"Kei!" Her scream caused many to stop and stare. Finally, she stopped walking, her breath coming in quick pants, tears welling in her eyes. "Kei!"
People brushed by her as she stood, trembling and at a loss as to what to do. He'd left. The worst part was she didn't completely understand why. No. The worst was she hadn't been able to make him stay.
"Miss?"
When she didn't respond, a solid arm wrapped around her, pulling her against a lean body. "Come. You shouldn't be standing here."
Her mind in chaos, she let the stranger guide her, turning her around and heading back the way she'd come.
"He left," she whispered, still not believing it.
"Sometimes they do," the man answered quietly.
She didn't understand his comment but didn't bother replying. Her mind in a state of shock, it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other. Keeping her gaze lowered, she didn't bother to see who had taken it upon themselves to guide her home. She didn't want them to see her struggle to keep the tears away.
"Aro!"
Bo's voice did gain her attention. Blinking furiously, when she did look up she found him almost to her side. His look was thunderous, so she wasn't surprised when the stranger dropped his arm from around her. Gently, he pressed his hand against her lower back, pushing her into Bo's waiting arms.
“Your sister courts dangerous men. You would do well to pay more attention to her.”
His words made her glance up, and under lowered lashes, she tried to place the slightly familiar face. His clothing reminded her, the spotted leather apron. He was one of the blacksmiths up the street from them. They'd walked past the shop almost every day on the way to the market, and even stopped and looked at wares for sale a few times.
"Thank you," Bo grated out, his arm tightening around her, "for seeing to my sister." He led her away, and she didn't look back.
"He's gone. He left." She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't.
"He'll be back," Bo said firmly.
She hoped so. What would she do without Kei?
Garen met them just beyond their gate. His ears lowered when he saw Kei wasn't with them. Suddenly he snorted. Why do you smell like Were?
∞ ∞ ∞
Aro tossed and turned in bed, wondering if she'd ever get to sleep. She missed Kei. Over and over, she replayed their fight, if that was what to call it.
Garen had worried the rest of the day over the fact the blacksmith apparently was a Were. The man hadn't seemed to know who she was exactly though, which led them to believe he wasn't from Rhee-En's pack. Yet he did know of her enough to know Bo was her "brother." The knowledge could have been from common gossip…or not. What it all meant or how to react left too many questions.
At least Bo's meeting with Elaina had gone well, or so he said. He mentioned she'd asked him to walk with her to the market sometime. Aro assured Bo this was a good thing.
Bo worried over Elaina, Garen worried the Were would tell the king where they were, and they all worried when or if Kei would come back. He hadn't answered anyone. It had not been a pleasant evening.
As the night wore on, she tossed and turned, her thoughts running in chaotic circles. Her panic and sadness faded, overwhelmed by worry.
Bo's snores rumbled from across the hall but didn't quite drown out the creak of steps on the floorboards as Garen entered her room.
You need to get some sleep.
"I can't stop thinking." Rising up on an elbow, she looked through the darkness in Garen's direction. Her Fey sight allowed her to mostly see him in the soft light of the stars and moon coming in her window.
He'll come back.
"You and Bo keep saying that," she whispered angrily. "But what if he doesn't? I just don't understand."
Garen let out a wolfish sigh.
She patted the bed and shifted over to the far edge. "Come up."
I'll get everything covered in fur.
She snorted. "I don't care."
He carefully set his front paws on the bed and then pulled himself up. The wood frame and ropes under the feather mattress creaked but held. Once he settled along the bed, she shifted closer, finding comfort in his familiar furry smell.
"Will you come in?"
Of course.
Closing her eyes, she entered her mind. Unsurprisingly, she found her inner world more chaotic than normal. Dark clouds rolled above her and she grimaced at them.
"You needn't worry so much. He will return. I don't think he can stay away from you anymore than you can from him."
"I hope so." Turning, she found the Were in his young human form. "But he left, and he'd promised he wouldn't." Unable to keep still, she crossed her arms and let her feet wander.
Garen watched her pace for a few moments and then sat, crossing his legs. "Sometimes, we can't always keep our promises."
She didn't find those words helpful at all.
"Do you think I'm selfish?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. Why?"
"Things he said. That I don't care about him, only about Prince and my brothers. That I've just been sitting around doing nothing this past month."
"Aro," he said, exasperation in his voice. "You've had more heartache and losses in this past year than most humans ever have in their entire lives. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to think of the ones you love. Kei means much to you, but he isn't everything."
Shaking her head, she walked back and forth in front of him.
Garen stood and came up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders to make her stop. "This life you lead, this path you follow, you rather tumbled into when you were taken by the slavers. Yet you have persevered, and you have made choices that led to where you are today."
"What does that have to do with Kei?"
Shifting his hands, he gently began to massage her shoulders. "Life is choices. This is something you just have to accept. We constantly make them and shape where our future leads. Sometimes we make bad ones.
Sometimes we can fix our mistakes, others we can't. You worry too much about the future, and about the prophecy. You will go where you go, and you have to remember seers see many things and speak only of the most likely to come to pass. Some things will happen, and there is little stopping them because we would never make a different choice. You must understand worry does nothing."
She relaxed under his hands and calm words. "But worrying is…it's just something I can't stop doing."
"You are a very strong woman, but you are young yet."
She snorted.
"These are things you learn with time and age, but I'm sharing it with you now, because I think it is something you need to hear. Having confidence in yourself and the choices you make will make you stronger. You need to be strong," he whispered forcefully. "Things will not be getting easier. Not with the future we can easily see before us."
"Healing the Fey, fighting the Vor," she answered, her shoulders tensing again.
"The Were king and who knows what else. Yes. I don't mean to frighten you. I just want you to understand. You aren't a child any longer."
That comment made her smile at least.
"Whether you intended it or not, you are our leader, our alpha. We will depend on you and we will follow you."
"Garen." She turned, but his hands stayed on her shoulders. "I don't know–"
"You can do this. Whatever you need to do." He smiled. "You won't be alone. You may lead, but we will be with you and we will support you. Even Kei."
She shook her head. "But he left!"
"He'll come back," the Were repeated. He paused a moment before continuing. "Think of what I said. You have to think, Aro." When she merely shook her head, he continued. "We all make choices. Kei chose to leave. But what does he want?"
"To heal the Fey," she answered.
"And who does he need to do that?"
Her eyes widened. "Me," she whispered. "He has to come back for me. I don't know what to do. I can't do it on my own…"
He tilted his head with a smile and dropped his hands. "Exactly. See, you just have to think to understand." He paused. "When he does return, we do need to talk about the prophecy, mainly what is happening to him."
She nodded her agreement and began to pace again. "He kept mentioning words."
"I do believe your idea his parents bound the words within him is correct. However, I worry the magic used is having adverse reactions. Obviously he was meant to remember, but I can't believe they intended for him to go insane."
She turned quickly, her eyes wide. "Insane?"
Garen grimaced and shrugged. "I would say it is possible. Words are released into his mind, apparently in no order, and repetitively. They invade his thoughts and dreams. Kei is much stronger than we think to have withstood them these past months."
"How…Can we even help him?"
"I don't know," Garen answered quietly. "But we can try. Talking about the words might help, putting them together. I think he tried to do this on his own, writing them on his walls."
Staring up into her darkness, she sucked in a deep breath, trying to push away her growing fear for Kei. "Do you believe in them? The prophecies?"
"There is always truth in prophecy. Yet often you don't know what that truth is until afterward."
She nodded and looked away, before another thought came to her. "Will the king know we're here, because of you?"
Garen took a moment to reply. "We are connected through our packs. When solitary, he could not keep track of me. Now, our pack has not been approved by the king. We are not yet bound to him."
"So, no," she said with an amused laugh.
"It is more complicated, but no, we needn't worry about that. Come, try to get some sleep."
With a small smile, she turned and nodded before pulling out of her mind. Garen stayed with her, and his even breaths helped calm her tumbling thoughts.
Kei, please come back. I miss you.
Chapter 10
Mistakes
She woke late, which didn't surprise her. Worrying about Kei the day before had exhausted her. Walking into the kitchen, she struggled to braid her growing hair. Should she cut it? Kei would…
"Rot," she muttered.
Bo raised his eyebrows. "How you doing, pup?"
She raised her chin. "Good enough." When Garen cocked his head to the side and gave her a skeptical look, she continued, "He'll be back. We just have to wait for him."
Bo looked to Garen. She scowled at the long silence, knowing they spoke about her. "I will say," she said, interrupting their private talk on purpose. "I'm rather sick of waiting for men, though."
Bo laughed out loud. "Everyone waits for something."
Raising her eyebrows at his cryptic remark, he only shrugged his shoulders and bit into an apple.
Trying to keep busy, she set about to sweep floors and tidy the house. Garen kept her company while Bo went outside to clean out the stable and brush the horse. By noon, no one had heard from Kei.
Preparing to head to the tavern for lunch, Aro winced at the cold when she opened the door.
"Should have mentioned it's rotting cold out today," Bo grumbled.
Both she and Bo fetched their cloaks, wrapping them tightly around themselves as they stepped out into a biting wind.
Thankfully, the walk to the tavern didn't take long. When they entered, warmth met their faces from the fireplace at the side of the room.
"We might want to get ours started later, too, if this cold is here to stay," Bo said, heading toward their booth.
"Do we even have anything to burn?"
He paused a moment. "I'll look into it later today."
Elaina strolled up and stopped before them, hands on her hips. Her sour look was directed only at Bo though. "You get things sorted out?"
Aro looked to Bo, eyebrows raised.
I rather left in a hurry yesterday.
She bit her lip. Sorry.
No worries, pup.
"For the most part," he answered Elaina, forcing a smile.
She stared at him for a long moment. "What'll you have today?"
Maybe you should bring her a present later? Aro offered.
You going to help me pick something out?
It was hard not to laugh or keep in a smile. Of course.
They placed their orders and Elaina left, still obviously put out with Bo.
"So to the market after," he stated with a wistful sigh, his eyes on the retreating back of the barmaid.
"We'll fix it."
They ate, and after Bo left to use the privies outside, Aro was surprised when Elaina suddenly plopped down beside her.
"So…"
Aro blinked, not sure what to say. She had an opportunity to make things right though, and intended to take it. Leaning in, she said quietly, "Kei and I had a fight." Close enough to the truth.
"Oh!" Her hand rose to her lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't…he's not here." Her cheeks flushed suddenly, as she realized she'd stated the obvious.
Aro looked away. "He left. Needed some time away, he said."
Elaina rested her hand on Aro’s arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. How are you doing? I…" She hesitated and lowered her voice. "I know you're not all really family. Kei is your–"
"We are," Aro snapped.
Elaina leaned back slightly at the vehemence in her voice.
"They are everything to me," she said more calmly.
"I…see." The barmaid cleared her throat and tucked a stray lock of hair over her ear. They sat in silence for a moment before she spoke again. "I understand though. Someone leaving. It hurts."
"He'll be back," Aro said firmly.
Elaina smiled slightly and looked away. "I thought so, too."
Aro raised her brows, realizing the woman wanted to share her story. "He didn't come back?"
"We were to be married. He was a sailor. His ship returned, but he didn't. The Captain told me he decided to stay in the west." She smiled bitterly. "At least he didn't die, though I
may have wished it upon him at the time for not returning to me."
"I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "It happens. Not returning. I'm rather against sailors now, though. Lost a brother." She tipped her head toward the kitchen. "Venna's husband. Another brother died in an accident on the docks. He was Cally's."
"I'm sorry," Aro said again, not really liking the direction the conversation had gone. "We're not really fond of ships either."
Elaina laughed. "Well, that's good I guess."
"Bo's a good man. The best," she felt the urge to say.
"That's good, too," Elaina said with an amused smile.
"Aro, ready to go?"
She glanced up at Bo, who stood looking back and forth between her and Elaina. "Yes." Elaina slid out of the booth and she followed, Garen making his way out from under the table behind her. "We're off to the market," she told Elaina. "Do you need anything?"
The woman looked over at Bo. "I believe we had plans to go soon? Perhaps tomorrow morning?"
Bo grinned like a fool and bobbed his head. "Yes, yes of course. I'll meet you here."
Aro rolled her eyes and grabbed his sleeve, tugging to get him moving before he made a fool of himself. "We'll likely see you for dinner," she called, giving a small wave before she pulled a still grinning Bo out the door.
"Is she angry? Of course she is. How much? What should I buy her?"
With a sigh, she tried to pay attention to Bo's rambling as they headed to the market. It was going to be a long afternoon.
∞ ∞ ∞
Once she convinced Bo he should only get something small as a gift this early in his blooming relationship with Elaina, things went better than expected. He picked out a pretty silver hair clip Aro could easily give her approval of.
The change in Bo when it came to Elaina still left her staring at him in surprise more often than not.
Love did funny things to a person's head.
Bo walked her home and then went out again in search of wood, returning after dark with a parcel of pieces tied to his back. A load would be brought by the next morning.
The cold had not abated, so Aro didn't complain as Bo set to starting a fire in the large enclosed kitchen stove. Wondering if they'd all sleep downstairs, Bo laughed and pointed out pipes leading to vents in the upstairs rooms.