It didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt, though. She’d got me through those black days after Dad’s death, pulling me from the brink even my brothers couldn’t save me from. She’d reminded me there were things worth living for, things worth fighting for. After decades of failure, she helped me think things through, and rekindled my spirits. She was everything to me. And it was devastating knowing I’d been forced to betray her love.
My grip tightened around the fire poker. Stop it. I didn’t need to dwell on this now. I’d accepted this mission and had a duty to see it through. Besides, Colt and Daniel would be back any minute, and hopefully our invited guests wouldn’t be far behind, either.
Koda had said he could visit over Christmas. He’d also promised to bring Bailee, another member of his clan, the Silloquize, and Bree, one of our own Consilador members. Since Cheyenne had travel plans for the holidays, it would’ve been impossible to track her with only the three of us. Besides that, Colt had an inkling she knew she was being watched, and was keeping a close eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Meaning it would’ve been far too obvious if one of us was always around her.
Hence I’d agreed with his idea to get the girls involved. Of course, I couldn’t let them catch on about the issues surrounding her heritage, but as I’d kept that information from Colt and Daniel, I was confident that hiding it from them would be a piece of cake.
I grew tired playing with the fire, so I pushed the curtain aside and stared at the falling snow. It blanketed the forest, like white icing. Colt and Daniel were taking their time. I briefly recalled my panic that night Daniel stormed out, but quickly shook it off. They were more than capable of handling themselves. Daniel wasn’t too far away, anyway.
Soon I caught a flash of headlights in the long drive. Ah; Koda, Bailee and Bree had arrived.
Daniel, is Colt back yet?
There was a long pause.
No, not yet. Want me to call him?
No, it’s fine. Just come inside, the others are here.
I heard truck doors close, so I made for the front door. The second I opened it, a frigid wind hit me, throwing a blast of snow in my face.
“Hey, Callon!” Bree waved as she stepped into the snow bank. Koda was behind, dressed in a hood as he helped Bailee cross over to the porch. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet.
“Hello Bree,” I smiled as Bree skipped up to the front step, giving me a brief hug.
“Callon, long time no see!” Koda called. Bailee looked up, smiling, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m glad you made it, Bailee,” I said, leading her inside. Bailee nodded. Inwardly I frowned. It wasn’t like her to be this quiet. Koda turned back to the horse trailer; he’d brought Midnight along, too.
“Wow, neat place!” Bree poked around the living room, testing out the surround sound unit. “Of course I’d never expect anything less from you, Callon.”
“Good to see you’re still as curious as ever,” I chuckled. “How was the drive?”
“Snowy,” Bree answered, jumping onto the sofa and kicking her feet up. “I’d forgotten it gets just as cold here as home.” She glanced around. “Where’s Daniel?”
“He should be coming back soon,” I said, checking the fire. From the corner of my eye I watched Bailee, who stood near the window. She was staring at Koda, who was tending to Midnight. “Bailee, is everything alright?”
Bailee jumped, and turned around.
“Oh. I’m fine, fine.” She began to play with the buttons on her sleeves. She was nervous.
“Did something happen on the way over?” I asked.
Her eyes grew wide. Hmm, seemed I’d hit the nail on the head.
“Well…” Bailee was hesitant. “It wasn’t…um…”
I reached for her hand.
“Tell me.”
Her words seemed to dry up, and she shook her head sadly. I glanced towards the window. Koda was taking an awfully long time with Midnight. Was he trying to put off speaking to me?
“Bree, please explain what’s going on.” My voice was firm.
Bree managed a nervous laugh, though it quickly died. She knew she couldn’t lie to me.
“Well, we had an…unexpected visitor.”
My brows narrowed.
“Bree, please don’t say anything!” Bailee was starting to tremble.
Bree looked at her with sympathy, before she bolted out of her seat and wrapped her arm around her. I didn’t know what to make of it. I’d never seen Bailee look so upset.
“Callon has to know, Bay.” She glanced back at me. “It was Amour.”
I stared at her.
“Amour? Are you sure?”
Bailee could only nod. I could see tears glisten in her eyes.
“He’s been watching her,” Bree said. “Trying to get to Koda, I think.”
My hands clenched into fists. Amour was a powerful Tresez, one of the few still able to take human form, despite the curse cast upon them. And if he’d been tracking Bailee…
What had they done?!
“How long has this being going on for?” I asked.
Bree swallowed.
“If you’re worried he followed us, don’t be. We’ve kept a careful eye out, and Clayton and Skylar are on it. They spotted tracks outside the house a couple hours after we’d left. They’ll keep him too busy to come after us.”
Bailee tensed. Obviously they’d not told her that tidbit of information.
“There were tracks?” Her voice trembled.
Before Bree could answer, the front door blew open, bringing in a whirlwind of snow. Koda grunted as he dumped the luggage in the hall. He shoved the door closed, and his eyes met mine. I couldn’t read his expression.
What’s going on, Koda? I asked. He wasn’t able to communicate telepathically like we could, but he was enough of a relation to Colt to be able to hear our thoughts. You brought Bailee here, knowing Amour’s been stalking her? I was finding it hard to control my temper. Don’t you remember why I asked you to come here? You’ve just laid a trail for one of Marcus’s most powerful allies to hunt down Cheyenne!
Koda frowned.
“Callon, calm down. He didn’t follow us. That’s not his style.”
“And what proof do you have?” I challenged.
“Look, Clayton called me with an update, it’s fine,” Koda snapped back. “I’ve got the situation under control. Don’t worry about Cheyenne.”
I took a slow, calming breath. I trusted Koda, and he was a good friend. But when I couldn’t afford to take any chances, this was totally irresponsible and reckless. Cheyenne needed to be kept as far from the front lines as possible. The more observant of Marcus’s spies would instantly see her resemblance to Qaysean, and then…
We’re home!
The door swung open again. Colt filled the doorway, his shoulders dusted with snow. He stepped towards the desk and dropped what was left of a phone onto it. Daniel trailed behind.
“Drop something, Koda?” His blue eyes were narrowed.
Koda suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“Must’ve slipped out of my pocket,” he muttered.
Oh, really? Colt’s anger echoed in my thoughts. I saw the message, Koda. Who’s been stalking Bailee?
“Listen, both of you, Amour didn’t follow us!” Koda barked. His muscles tensed beneath his shirt. “I wouldn’t have come here if I thought I’d be putting Cheyenne in danger. Amour has been tormenting Bailee to get to me. It’s safer for her to be here right now, believe me.”
Maybe, I replied. But you should’ve said something. We could have taken extra precautions. Amour has a lot of connections, he doesn’t have to come himself to track his prey.
Koda looked down.
“Yes, that was probably a bit careless of me, but I didn’t want to make too much fuss. If Amour suspected something, he’d send out spies. He knows I wasn’t around last year, which was when he targeted Bailee. But then suddenly I was back. He’s been trying to lay a trap for her ever s
ince. I’ve got Clayton and Skylar on it, though. I swear, Cheyenne will be safe, at least from him.”
Colt clenched his jaw, but didn’t protest further. There wasn’t much point; we couldn’t change anything now. Bailee stared at her feet, Bree rubbing her back to calm her.
“Alright, I’ll take your word that it’s under control,” I said. “Sorry. Let’s sit down and discuss our plans.”
The tension seemed to ebb a little, and Koda shrugged off his coat. He took Bailee’s hand and together they sat in front of the television. Colt took the chair, and I sat on the footstool. Daniel hovered, and I couldn’t help but catch the disappointment in Bree’s eyes.
“So, thanks for coming,” I said. “I know it’s been a long trip, but before we rest up for tomorrow, I thought we should outline our plan, since Cheyenne is going to have an early start.”
The others nodded.
“As you know, we’ve been charged to protect a girl named Cheyenne, who’s eighteen. Her adoptive parents believe she is Timeless, which we’ve managed to confirm. However, keeping Marcus’s eyes off her is proving to be a struggle, especially when Cheyenne herself has no clue to the dangers.”
“Definitely,” Colt broke in. “And as it’s the Christmas break, she wants to go shopping. She wants to go to Coeur d’Alene, which is a short drive away, but it’s a lot more open than Sagle.”
“So you just want us to shadow her?” Bree asked. She flashed a grin. “Too embarrassed to be caught in the lingerie section with her, huh?”
Colt sneered, and Bree snorted back a giggle.
“I promised I’d drive her up, but she wants to do her shopping alone,” he said. “So long as you two girls can watch over her, it should be fine. I can look out for any bigger threat.” He hesitated. “Though it’s the smaller ones that worry me. Those damn soul-shards are so inviting, and with all the glass windows around…”
“We won’t let anything happen, Colt,” Bailee said. “You can count on us.”
I chewed my lip. Much as I appreciated Bailee’s words, I wasn’t sure she’d be quite as confident out in the open. She was still very much shaken up by her encounters with Amour. A moment’s lapse on her part could spell the end for Cheyenne. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, though.
“You know, maybe this whole thing is too risky,” I said. “Colt, can’t you come up with an excuse to keep her home?”
“It won’t work,” Colt said. “Cheyenne can be more stubborn than you, you know.”
“Callon, you can’t just coop her in her house forever!” Daniel suddenly blurted. “She should still be able to live freely.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the shopping here,” I mumbled.
“It’s not like that!” Daniel strode into the middle of the living room. His eyes were full of determination. “The more you shut her up, the more she closes herself off. It’s not healthy for her to be alone with her thoughts for that long. She’ll only work herself up trying to resist things she can’t control. And when the time finally comes to tell her everything, she’s not going to believe a word of it.”
“Daniel’s right, Callon,” Colt added. “Also, with Gene traveling so much, she’s already tried to push me away a few times. She’s afraid they’re going to move again, and doesn’t want to face leaving.” He looked me in the eye. “I know you want her in Ireland as soon as possible, but I agree with Alexis. We’ll only be killing her spirit if we tear her away from here too soon.”
I ground my teeth. Great, the Wilsons had even won Colt over to their thinking. Daniel, though, was something else. I knew he had strong feelings about this, no doubt because of what Dad had done to him. He probably empathized with Cheyenne and didn’t want her to go through the same trials he had.
But it wasn’t for either of them to decide. I was the acting clan regent. And it was in the best interest for the clans to protect Cheyenne, and tell her the truth sooner rather than later. Then, when she turned twenty, we could train her, harness her powers, and find a way to defeat Marcus for good…
Colt’s phone went off, snapping me back to the present. Colt glanced at the screen, and raised an eyebrow. With an apologetic shrug, he answered.
“Hey Cheyenne, what’s up?”
I heard her muffled response, still so taken by her voice. It was just like Sahara’s.
“Oh, you need a hand with that practice math paper? I’ll be right over,” he replied.
I flashed him a warning glance. He’d been using any excuse to be around her lately.
Colt, you don’t need to go over there, Gene and Alexis are home, I said.
Colt frowned.
She needs me, he replied.
There was a pause as Cheyenne answered. She didn’t seem to want him to go to the trouble, either.
“Look, Cheyenne, it’d be easier if I showed you in person. You tend to grasp it better when you watch me write it out. I’ll be expecting something in return, though.”
Colt, don’t do it.
Colt ignored me, listening to Cheyenne’s response. I could hear her teasing him, telling him to go find a date instead.
“Oh, Cheyenne, but I already have a date. If you don’t let me help you finish that paper, though, it’s going to be too late to take you out for a movie and have you bake me some cookies.”
I rolled my eyes, but before I could comment, he’d hung up and was reaching for his coat again.
Colt, you’re only going to draw more attention. Leave her alone.
He ignored me. With a casual farewell to the others, he slipped out and disappeared into the night.
“Well, Colt’s definitely not changed,” Bree laughed. “Still the same white knight in shining armor.”
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled. This was going far beyond his usual flirting. I’d even say Colt was developing real feelings for Cheyenne. Something else I’d have to put a stop to, if my suspicions about her past were correct.
“You look tired, Callon,” Bailee said. “You must worry about this Cheyenne a lot.”
“Perhaps,” I said. I was just fed up of running into so many dead ends.
“So,” Daniel took Colt’s abandoned seat. “Have we decided who’s driving with who tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Koda said. As he began explaining, I quietly excused myself and headed to the office. I already knew what we were doing, I didn’t need it repeated.
I slumped into the chair, staring at my laptop. I’d gathered so much information…but was I making connections that didn’t exist? Other than the ring—which marked Cheyenne as Servak—what else did I have to go on? A passing resemblance to Qaysean wasn’t enough to prove she was Kvech. About the only firm conclusion I had was that she was related to Sahara, making her most definitely Servak.
Since that was the case, I didn’t need to be quite so defensive as to how close Colt was getting. However, until I could refute the tiny possibility she was Kvech, letting Colt run rampant was too dangerous. He of all people should surely understand the implications of his actions.
A couple of photos lay on the desk beside the laptop, and I reached for them. The first was the photo of Cheyenne Gene had given me in the cemetery, and the other was a black and white print of Qaysean that Dex had dug out for me. It didn’t take a genius to note the resemblance, but that could mean anything. After all, Colt and Koda practically looked like twins, despite only being cousins.
I flung the photos down, pressing my hands to my head. Why couldn’t Gene just tell me? We’d proven ourselves time after time, had risked our lives for his daughter, and still he couldn’t trust us with the truth. Did he honestly think we’d let such a secret fall into Marcus’s hands?
Or was he not telling me because he was afraid what I’d do if I discovered Cheyenne was Kvech. She’d have inherited Qaysean’s elemental powers, and would form a key part in our battle against the Sarac. That fact was undeniable. Perhaps he was simply being a protective father, not wishing for his daughter to face the horrors of war. An
d if it were up to me, I’d agree whole-heartedly. But it wasn’t my choice to make.
Not when the clans were suffering so much…
I stood up and moved to stare out the window. Frustration rolled off me in angry waves. What was I supposed to do?!
Callon? Daniel called out. Everything alright?
Fine, I said gruffly. I didn’t need him prying.
Well, just letting you know I’m gonna go over to the Wilson’s for the night watch. I’ve shown Koda, Bree and Bailee their rooms. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Wait. I chewed my lip. Maybe a walk in the cold would clear my head. I’ll go tonight.
Really? But what about the others?
You can keep them company, I said. Besides, Bree’s been looking forward to catching up with you.
She has?
I shook my head. They might be brothers, but when it came to women, Daniel and Colt couldn’t have been more far apart.
Yes. Let me worry about Cheyenne tonight.
Daniel paused for a long while.
Alright, whatever you say, Callon.
Satisfied, I headed into the hall and grabbed my coat and scarf. I heard Daniel mentioning the change of plan to the others as I crept out the front door. The cold bit at my cheeks, and for once I actually felt it. Right now, anything would be a welcome distraction from this impossible situation.
I followed the familiar trail through the forest, alert for any changes. I was a little glad for the snow, as it would make tracks and paw-prints easy to find. It also dulled any shiny surface, making it harder for the Ghosters to spread their soul-shards. Still, I needed to be careful. I wasn’t going to be caught off guard again like that night in the storm.
My breath drifted in smoky vapors as I picked up my pace. So far, I’d only spotted a few small animal prints. At least I could be grateful Cheyenne no longer went on her hikes alone. Gene’s story about wolves had done the trick to stop her wandering. Not to mention she seemed to prefer Colt escorting her around these days…
I’m on my way back. Colt’s words rang in my head. I stopped, spotting his truck parked on the Wilson’s drive. I must’ve been walking faster than usual. I glanced at my watch, and frowned.
Fated, A Timeless Series Novella (A Timeless Series Companion Novel) Page 9