The Willows: Haven

by Hope Collier

“Please, call me Harry.”

  “Sure, Harry.” Gabe nodded. “We would very much like to speak privately with you about several matters — some more pressing than others.”

  “Yes.” Harry’s eye flickered to my wary expression. “I didn’t expect their need to arise quite so soon.”

  Harry was still unaware of the extent of my knowledge, though I sensed there was more than I was being told.

  “Harry, is there somewhere else we can go? Do you have a hotel or someplace you’re staying?” I felt exposed outside, even among the trees — especially among the trees.

  “Yes, of course. Please forgive my thoughtlessness. I’m sure you’re quite tired.” Harry pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “I’ve been staying at your father’s house. It’s not too far from here, just outside of town. You can follow me if you’d like.”

  I nodded quickly, eager to be away from the woods.

  By the time we reached Charlie’s, I was grateful again that Gabe had driven. The mountain roads here were high on my things-I-despise list. My stomach turned as I mentally relived the winding highway.

  “How are you feeling?” Gabe stroked my face, wiping the sheen of sweat from my forehead.

  “I’ve been better, but it’s starting to lighten up.” I shifted on the gold-patterned loveseat in the parlor.

  “How about some sweet tea?” Harry gave a knowing grin as he carried a silver tray with a crystal pitcher and several glasses into the sitting room. The ice cubes chimed against the decanter as he placed it on the coffee table. The sound soothed my frazzled nerves.

  “That’d be perfect.” I reclined, feeling some relief.

  “I haven’t been through Kentucky in a long time,” Gabe spoke as if he were making small talk, though we all knew better. “I’d forgotten just how mountainous it is.”

  “Indeed,” Harry said on a slight frown. “It is heavily forested.”

  “Like Ashton, I much prefer water and open areas myself,” Gabe said, implication heavy in his tone.

  “You’re not likely to find much open water near Cumberland,” Harry replied.

  “Yeah, yeah, everyone’s a freaky nymph,” I joked. “Can we stop beating around the bush here and cut to the chase.” My sentence fell away as I saw Harry’s expression darken in fury at Gabe.

  “Are you insane?” Harry spoke through gritted teeth, his voice low. “Do you want her dead?”

  “Harry, I would never do anything to endanger Ashton.” Gabe pulled me into an embrace that was more than a friendly gesture.

  “What?” Harry’s face twisted in a mix of pure rage and complete bewilderment. “Ashton, what’s going on here?”

  “Harry, please,” Gabe soothed. “Let us explain.”

  “What us?” Harry looked between Gabe and I. “There is no us here!”

  “Please,” Gabe entreated once more and held out his hand toward the armchair.

  Harry resigned with a growl and sat down hard. “Well? Go on.”

  “Yes, Ashton knows,” Gabe said, “but please allow me to explain before you speak. I didn’t tell her just to tell her, though it would’ve been for the best if I had.”

  Harry inched further toward the back of his chair though his posture remained rigid, a deep scowl carved in his forehead.

  By the time Gabe finished our brief history, explaining the things such as his arm and finding the attic, Harry wore a blank expression. He leaned back in his armchair, shaking his head and mumbling to himself. I couldn’t understand anymore than hearing something about complicating things. The room went silent for a long minute as Harry rubbed his face in thought.

  “You said it would’ve been for the best to have told Ashton, even if those things hadn’t happened.” Harry inched forward. “Why?”

  Gabe’s jaw tensed. He spoke one word, simple yet full of hate. “Oren.”

  “You had a run-in with him? When?” Harry asked, the vein in his forehead throbbing under his skin.

  “He was in a hotel outside of Flagstaff where I stayed. We haven’t seen or heard anything from him since,” I assured.

  Harry pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and mopped it across his wet forehead. “That works to our advantage then. Bringing you here wasn’t a mistake.”

  Gabe edged closer in thought. “That’s what I hoped you had in mind.”

  “Why would they want her now though? We’ll have to hide her,” Harry mumbled, smoothing his sandy-colored hair back in thought. “Maybe keep her in the mountains. They might not think of that. Of course, they have no idea that she knows any of this, so perhaps we should keep near the water; we unquestionably have the upper hand there. If only she had the ability…”

  “You know, Harry, that reminds me.” Gabe looked back toward me, his eyebrows raised. “Ashton has shown some changes lately.”

  “Changes?” Harry echoed in question as he stared at Gabe and wiped his forehead again. “In what way?”

  “She’s craving water and her senses are heightened,” Gabe said, grinning when I sighed.

  “Unbelievable.” Harry shook his head, his eyes focused on mine. “You’re changing?”

  “I don’t know.” I hesitated. “It looks that way, I guess. You’ve seen this happen before?”

  Harry nodded solemnly. “And so have you.”

  I thought for a moment. “Oh!” I gasped. Harry looked at me expectantly. “You don’t mean … Allie?”

  He nodded in apology but with a sense of relief.

  I fell back against the loveseat, pressing my palms to my temples. Allie was a nymph? How was that possible?

  “Who is Allie?” Gabe asked, his expression worried.

  “Allie Taylor was the daughter of Ashton’s childhood nanny,” Harry began. “They grew up together like sisters until the Taylors left rather abruptly when Ashton was fourteen. I don’t know the whole story, but needless to say, Allie was like us.”

  “I see. They disappeared, didn’t they?” Gabe eyed me with regret.

  “Was that why they left? Did it have to do with … the incident?” I asked.

  “Yes, to the extent of my knowledge,” Harry continued. “After the episode in the woods, it became imperative. Unlike yours, Allie’s symptoms came about abruptly and very pronounced. She shouldn’t have changed so early.”

  “That makes sense, I guess.” I risked a glance at Gabe’s face. It was full of nothing but concern for me. “You’re wondering what we mean?”

  “I don’t want you to talk about anything that makes you uncomfortable.” He rubbed my hands between his.

  I so wanted to take that as a promise. I wondered selfishly if he’d offer me a rain check.

  “No, it’s okay. Now that I know, it’s a little easier to not feel so…” I started to say guilty, but I couldn’t imagine anything erasing that emotion. “Would you like to hear about Allie?”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  What We Found There

  “Growing up, I was surrounded by people who saw me as an obligation. Even though Allie’s mom worked for us, she never treated me differently, and Allie and I were best friends.” I smiled remembering the way Allie’s sapphire eyes twinkled when she laughed. Gabe and Harry stared intently as I began my story. Harry was no stranger to my childhood but much more occurred than he knew.

  “Lynn Taylor, Allie’s mom, was my nanny of sorts. She had taken care of me from as early as I can remember, and I loved Miss Lynn as much as I could imagine any child loving her parent.

  “Allie and I grew up like sisters. We’d ride horse-back and explore for hours. The only place Charlie forbade us to go was the easternmost point of the property that was lined with a high stone wall. It wasn’t until I turned fourteen that I started to question the rule, and I took trying to find a way around the wall as a challenge.”

  Gabe and Harry chuckled, and I lifted an eyebrow.

  “One morning, we overheard Charlie say he was leaving for the day,” I continued. “Allie and I had been trying to figure out what
was so special that Charlie would build a fortress to keep us out. I figured there was no better time to find out.”

  I stood and walked over to the window. Dropping my head against the pane, I stared over the little river that curved behind the house. I imagined a gust of muggy Louisiana air heating my skin as the memory played full force.

  “We waited until Miss Lynn went inside, and then we snuck along the border of the tall grass near the water’s edge. It took the better part of a half hour to make it across the lake, but one breath carried us the whole way.

  “Allie took a few steps onto the shore, trying to follow me, and then she collapsed. I tried to shake her, to wake her up, but…” I drew a shaky breath. “I pulled her back into the water and swam us home, screaming for Miss Lynn as the shore came into view. I’ll never forget the look on her face as she ran from the house.” My voice broke as I swiped at a tear.

  “After Miss Lynn put Allie in a tepid bath, she demanded to know if we’d gone beyond the wall. I couldn’t even look at her.” I shook my head. ‘You must never go into the lake again!’ she said. ‘It’s too soon for...’ But the sounds of footsteps cut her off.

  “Charlie stopped when he saw my wet clothes and that I was crying. ‘Go to your room,’ he said. But I’ll never forget how he wouldn’t even look at me.” I took a deep breath. “When I woke up the next morning, Allie was gone. I never even got the chance to say goodbye. Charlie, as he’d become to me that day, never mentioned them again.”

  I turned away from the outside world and back to my own. Gabe stood behind me, staring at the floor. His breathing was slow and deliberate. An emotion I had yet to see settled on his face.

  “I don’t know how he could just make them leave like that.” My lip quivered. “Did I make him that angry?”

  “Ashton, none of that was your fault. You have to know that.” Gabe met my eyes. “This is why humans can’t be involved in our world. The heartache, the seeming betrayal.” He looked away, his expression pained. “It’s a part of our nature, love. We often act on impulse or direction without appreciating the consequences. Choosing to involve ourselves in human life, with no regard for how it will end, only hurts those we wish to love. The Taylors would’ve vanished either way.”

  I shook my head and sniffled.

  “I certainly didn’t help matters by showing up and telling you to pack your things, did I?” Harry asked, his tone low.

  I gave him a halfhearted smile.

  “What happened that day, Ash?” Harry asked.

  “That was the day I stopped caring about anyone but myself.” I took a deep breath and turned to face him. “I promised myself I’d go back to try and find answers. Since Charlie never replaced Miss Lynn, I was alone most days. The day you showed up, I decided it was my last chance to find out what really happened to Allie.”

  “You found your way back into the woods?” Harry asked.

  I nodded. “The walled section closest to the house was covered with vines and weeds. It took me forever to find the gate, but the lock had been broken off. So, I tugged on the door until it broke free.”

  Harry’s gaze turned questioning but he didn’t say anything.

  “What was it like there?” Gabe asked, his expression curious. “What made it so special or different that Charlie didn’t want you to see?”

  “It was like another world — one where nothing was tainted or spoiled; a place where time stood still.” I laughed once. “The trees were bright and vivid. Even in the coolness of winter, it was comfortable.

  “There was an odd scent in the air. It was sweet, like apple blossom but stronger, as if it had rained recently. I don’t know why, but it messed with my emotion. It was like the smell of firewood in winter; there was a feeling of excitement tied to it because of the memories associated with that smell. In that one moment, I felt perfectly at peace,” I explained, remembering the feeling as if I lived it all over again.

  “There was a small pool there between two trees. The branches curved over the path, forming an archway.” I motioned with my hands. “When I pushed them away, I saw it was actually part of a large pond. There was a giant willow there, larger than any I’d ever seen, and it hung over the water.” I smiled at Gabe, thinking of his connection to willows.

  “Underneath the tree, there was a wooden bench barely big enough for two people. I sat down and leaned back for a long while, enjoying the peace and quiet for a change. But eventually, the sun crept behind the trees, and the air turned cool. I knew I needed to find my way back before it got dark.

  “I remember I was looking at the ground as I walked. Something glimmering in the grass caught my eye. I bent down and picked it up. It was cold and wet. My necklace. The charm was a mariner’s compass. Ms. Lynn had given it to me the Christmas before.”

  My finger swept below the collar of my shirt and locked onto a thin chain. I gazed at the same necklace. “She said it was a reminder that no matter where in the world I would ever be, to remember that we were all under the same sky, and it would lead me to my place in life. I haven’t taken it off since that day, though I don’t know why. It doesn’t even work.”

  “May I?” Gabe asked eyeing the silver trinket. I nodded, and he took possession of the charm. He studied the compass’s erratic movement as I continued.

  “I found the gate and passed back into reality. That was the last visit I made to the other side of the wall because we left the next day — leaving my new paradise and my old heart behind.”

  Gabe pulled me into his chest. “Thank you for sharing your story with us. You shouldn’t have been forced to go through that to begin with.”

  “I don’t understand though. What did I do?” I dropped my head against his shoulder. “Why does everyone I love end up leaving me? Am I that big of a pain?”

  “Ashton,” Gabe whispered, backing away.

  “Ashton, look at me.” Harry stood beside us. “Look at me.”

  I turned my face enough to see his pale-blue eyes boring into mine.

  “You don’t know what you’re saying. The incident with Allie would’ve happened one way or the other. It wasn’t your fault it occurred too early. Trust me. Few things about our existence are normal.”

  “It doesn’t change anything,” I murmured. “I’m cursed to live alone apparently.”

  “That’s not true. You have me … and Gabe. You must understand. After your mom was gone, something happened to Charlie. It was like he died with her loss.” Harry walked away and came back with a single framed picture of me as a child.

  “This is great, Harry.” I shrugged as I looked over the image. “But it doesn’t mean much. If anything, it tends to prove the fact that I’m little more than a nuisance. I don’t even see one of me in this room with Charlie.”

  “Open the back.” Harry pointed.

  I flipped the frame over and loosened the velvet backing. A lone picture lay hidden behind the original. Charlie beamed with pride, his arms filled with a newborn. My mother sat on the arm of the chair, her hand resting on his shoulder as she looked down at us. Her expression held one of complete and utter devotion. Tears stung my eyes, wishing that I could have experienced a lifetime of knowing her … of knowing them.

  “See, there? He was crazy about you,” Harry said on a smile. “They both were. That never changed, even if he did.”

  “Could you guys just give me a minute, please?” I asked, my eyes locked on the picture.

  “Sure, love.” Gabe stood and kissed my forehead. “I’ll be outside if you need me.” He and Harry turned to leave.

  I stared at the photo for a minute longer. My mother was so beautiful it was hard to look away. My eyes, her eyes. They were identical in shape and color. Sky blue. We shared the same slightly upturned nose and pouty mouth. She of course was beautiful in a way that was more than human. Her golden hair, the opposite of my Charlie-colored brown, billowed down to her waist, shining like satin in the sun.

  My gaze lingered a moment more before I
stood to put it away. I smiled at a framed image of Harry and me at a swim meet that sat on the desk. I lifted it up, but it slipped through my fingers and clanged to the floor. Glass splintered and crunched as it made contact with the wood.

  “Nice hands, Ash,” I grumbled and lifted the frame. Fractures of glass streaked from the center, outward. I tapped the front of the metal against a trash bin to loosen the pieces. Shards fell into the can, the picture behind them.

  Confusion struck when I saw two photos on top of the mess. I looked on the desk to be sure I hadn’t knocked off the one with my parents. Reaching in, I lifted the papers out. The top was the original photograph; the bottom scrap was upside down with handwriting on the back. I recognized the script immediately. I had seen it once before and not even in English, but I knew it to be my mother’s.

  “Ruarc and me. Texas. June nineteen ninety-two,” I read aloud and turned the photo over.

  My gaze fixed onto the face of the man with his arm slung over my mother’s shoulder. He wore a happy grin, white teeth against tan skin. A lock of dark-bronze hair curled into his eyes. Gabe stared back at me.

  I flipped the paper over once more to read the label.

  Ruarc. Not Gabe. Ruarc.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Responsibility

  “That’s where that photograph was hiding.” Gabe paused in the doorway. I jumped and turned to face him. He focused on the image in my hand. “Edlyn was clever, wasn’t she? And it’s pronounced Roar-k.”

  “What?” I shook my head. “Ruarc? I don’t understand.”

  Gabe took the picture from me. His eyes grew tender. “I changed my name when I decided to live among the humans.”

  “But why?”

  “It’s a long story, and one I’d rather not get into at the moment,” he said, his eyes searching mine. “Does it matter?”

  “Do you love me?”

  “With every part of my being.” His palms swept around my cheeks.

  “Then it doesn’t matter.” I sighed at his touch and smiled. He returned the gesture, but it didn’t meet his eyes.

  “Why do you look sad?”