The Willows: Haven

by Hope Collier

  As we approached the western wall, an odd formation angled from the mountain. I couldn’t make out why until we closed in on the building. Traditional gothic architecture blended with contemporary accessories. It looked like a combination of ancient Petra and Notre Dame. Six circular columns stood across the front, supporting the overhang leading to the entranceway. Intricate stone carvings of nymphs lined the smooth mountain face. I shielded my eyes from the sun as I tried to decipher the story they told. They looked a lot like Egyptian hieroglyphs.

  “What are you staring at?” Kyle nudged me, his mouth pulled into a grin.

  I shook my head. “I can’t believe the attention to detail. How you carved those things, it seems impossible. Hey, is that you up there?” I pointed to the carving that bared a striking resemblance. “I see your brothers. Who are the rest?”

  Kyle tugged at my arm. “Lots of people. You ready to go?”

  I frowned. “In a sec, I’m still looking. What’s in there anyway?”

  “It’s just a factory. Very boring,” he stated, his eyebrows pulled up in the middle, and I lifted mine.

  “What’s with the secrets, huh?” I inched toward the doorway.

  Kyle’s eyes darted around the area then he grabbed by hand. “It’s nothing, really. Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover before dinner.”

  I sniffed at his lame excuse but let it go.

  “I’ve been enlisted to educate you,” he began as we walked. “All those questions I know you’ve been dying to ask, now is the time.”

  I smiled at his spot on comment. “I don’t know where to start. I guess first of all, how are we different?” I passed my hand between us. “Like you can definitely run faster, but I think you’d acknowledge I’m a better swimmer.”

  Kyle rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you guys have us beat in the water — we swim about as well as a Volkswagen — but we’re quicker on land. In general we tend to be bigger and stronger.” He flexed the thick band of muscle around his bicep. A mischievous grin stretched across his face when my eyebrows rose.

  “Our sense of smell is much better than yours. Out of water anyway. You guys have the upper hand in the covert department. Our size, while menacing, doesn’t exactly promote quietness. Of course, we have other ways of blending in. We usually have a little darker complexion. Our skin, and sometimes our hair and eyes, tends to match the type of tree we’re linked to. It helps us blend into our surroundings.”

  “The type of tree you’re linked to?” My nose scrunched up. Kyle laughed and ran his finger down it, smoothing out the ridges in my skin. I lifted my hand to scratch my neck while surreptitiously pulling away from his touch.

  Kyle’s hand recoiled in an instant. He glanced around the woods as if he’d forgotten where we were. I saw the wheels turning in his head as he struggled to remember what we discussed.

  “The trees,” I reminded him as his face turned slightly panicked.

  “Right.” He exhaled heavily and shook his head. “We have preferences, as far as which trees we live near.”

  “Why is that?”

  He paused. “You know how you need certain types of water? You can make do with what you have, but it’s not really the best?”

  I nodded, understanding completely.

  “It’s kind of like that but with more options.” He picked an apple and tossed it to me.

  I turned it over in my hands as I considered his statement. “Well, yeah, but why do you need trees at all? What do you gain from them? With water, I can soak in it and drink it. How can you drink a tree?”

  Kyle smiled and looked down at me. “I guess that does sound a bit bizarre.” An odd look came into his eyes as he scanned the area. “You don’t have any knives, do you?”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me off the trail, deeper into the forest.

  “Huh?” I followed behind, weaving around the blackberry bushes.

  “I’ll show you how we soak in trees, but I need you to not have anything sharp on you.”

  I shook my head.

  “All right, there.” We stopped in front of a well-aged tree. “My family uses oak trees mainly.”

  I nodded and took a bite of apple.

  “Don’t freak out on me. This is going to get a little weird.” Kyle released my hand, quickly glancing around. He turned his back to the tree and leaned against it till every part of him touched the oak. His arms nestled alongside the trunk, and he molded himself to the length. A gentle groaning like the shifting of planks on a wooden ship then Kyle literally melted into the tree.

  I gasped and choked on my apple. My eyes widened at the empty space where Kyle once stood. The oak remained unchanged less a slightly smoother area.

  “Kyle!” I said in a strained tone. A ghostly chuckle whispered through the leaves.

  He reappeared in an instant, a smile on his face. “Cool, huh?”

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “That’s an example of why we need trees.” Kyle’s grin widened.

  We started back toward the path. I didn’t know what to say. It unnerved me and for more reasons than one. Not only was that a readily available source of reenergizing, it was a heck of a good hiding place.

  “So you just dissolve into trees?” I sputtered.

  “It’s not that easy,” he answered. “We can’t just use any tree. Most of them that are local will work to an extent, though each of our families has preferences.”

  Kyle helped me over a tall tree root. “Gabe told me about that,” I said absentmindedly. “You prefer oaks, so that would make you a Hamadryad, right?”

  I turned when Kyle didn’t answer. He stood still, irritation heavy in his expression.

  “Yeah, that’s about right,” he murmured and stepped past me, out of the trees. “We choose oaks when it’s an option, but most other trees will do in a pinch.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” I said, catching up to him.

  “Depends on what it is.”

  “The day at the hotel, how did you know I was there?” I asked.

  “We have our ways,” Kyle muttered. His eyebrows pulled together.

  “I’ll bet,” I said, my tone sarcastic. “Were you following me? Did Kevin know?”

  “Yes, to both,” he admitted after a moment.

  “How did he—”

  “That’s enough for now.” Kyle’s tone kept me quiet as passed through the oak tunnel and headed toward the house.

  Kevin waited at the front door, his arms crossed over his chest. “You can go now, Kyle,” he spoke, his eyes never leaving me. Kyle’s hands balled into fists before he shoved them in his pockets.

  “Thanks, Kyle. I had fun today,” I said as he turned to leave. He looked back with a nod then strode away.

  “You shouldn’t be rude to him. He’s your brother and my only friend,” I said.

  Kevin’s stared at me for a moment, rocking back on his heels. “I guess I can do that for you, Princess.”

  I frowned and shook my head. “Don’t call me that.”

  “You’d better get used to the idea of being royalty.” He inched forward and wrapped his hands around my waist. “We’re the most powerful family in our world. After the wedding, and wedding night, we’ll be the most powerful family in the realm of nymphs. Honor, respect, and loyalty above all else, Ashton. Don’t forget that.”

  I fought the urge to tell him I’d more than violated all of those over the past few weeks.

  “Why don’t we finish your tour?” Kevin suggested. “Where have you been today?”

  “Kyle showed me the western half of the valley.” I glanced back in that direction.

  “What exactly did he show you?” His grip tightened.

  “Just the barn,” I said quickly, wincing at his grip. “He explained about the dye.”

  His hands relaxed and the arrogant glint reappeared in his eyes.

  “Well then, Princess,” he began, smiling at my frown.

  “Kevin,” I interrupted.

 
“Maybe we should try Mrs. Hawthorne then?”

  I bit my lip and turned my face away. I couldn’t be Mrs. … anything. I didn’t want Kevin, and no one else wanted me.

  “Could we swim, please?” Even in a whisper my voice sounded choked.

  “I’d rather not.” Kevin’s lip curled up as I looked back.

  “Like it or not, I actually need water.” I thought for a second. “It helps with cravings and gives me energy.”

  “Now that is beneficial.” A wicked smile pulled his mouth up. He swept me up and ran us to the pond faster than I realized what was happening.

  Kevin forwent the dip, content to lounge on the grass with just his legs submerged to his calves. I sat crossed legged at the bottom of the glass-clear pond. My heart rate slowed as I watched different creatures swim by. Being underwater was like being inside a living snow globe. But even at the bottom, I would swear I could hear Kevin’s impatient sighs. Staring toward the willow at the edge of the water, I saw him motion for me to resurface.

  “How can you stand that? Doesn’t it suffocate you?” he asked when I surfaced.

  “No more than liquefying into a tree,” I argued.

  “So Kyle showed you that?”

  “Briefly,” I said and swam toward the bank.

  “I am somewhat impressed. You haven’t badgered me with questions.” He stared me down for a long minute. “Still … something’s off. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

  I didn’t have a response to that.

  “I’m sure you’re adequately hydrated now.” He sighed and stood to his feet, rolling the cuffs of his pants down. “Time to leave. We have dinner plans and being late isn’t an option.”

  I climbed onto the bank, and we set off for the house. Kevin dropped me at the front door, leaving me with a wave since my clothes were wet, and heaven forbid he should get messy. Maybe I was onto something there.

  Kyle had warned me that we were expected to have dinner with the family that evening. The entire family. It surprised me when I ambled inside to find him propped in the corner, his expression unreadable.

  “Hey.” His somber tone broke the silence.

  “What’s the matter?” I stepped toward him, searching his tight features.

  “We need to talk.”

  “Sure,” I said slowly.

  Kyle drew a deep breath and stepped forward. “I don’t really know how to tell you about this. I don’t want to hurt you anymore than you already are, but I can’t let you find out in the wrong way.”

  Every scenario imaginable raced through my mind. I bit down on my lip, fearing the worst. “You’re worrying me here.”

  “It’s the thing with Harry,” Kyle said. My stomach dropped. “It’s not what it seems.”

  “What are you talking about?” My jaw tightened. “What does that mean?”

  Kyle drew a deep breath. “Harry was your mother’s uncle. Everything that’s happened from the beginning is his fault.”

  “I don’t understand,” I choked. “Harry’s not related to my family at all. Why would you think that?”

  His expression turned sorrowful. “Ash, Harry is Leith.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Family Ties

  The ground moved under my feet. Kyle grabbed an arm to steady my swaying. “That can’t be…” I struggled to stay upright. “If that were true…” I shook my head. If it was true, Harry had been playing me my whole life. Who would do something like that?

  The seconds ticked by and the reality sank in. It was Harry. All this time. Harry knew everything because he had caused everything. It was probably the reason he hated Gabe. Why he was pushing for me to stay with Kevin.

  My entire life was a lie.

  “I’m so sorry,” Kyle spoke after a moment. “I can only imagine what you’re going through.”

  “I doubt that, Kyle.” I bit my lip and pushed the thoughts of betrayal out of my head.

  “Ash,” he began.

  “You’d better go,” I spoke through a thick voice. “Kevin will be back soon.”

  Kyle walked to the door but hesitated in the archway. “Do you hate me, Monet?”

  “No, how could I hate you?” I answered, and shook my head. “You’re the only real thing in my life. You’re my best friend.”

  “Yeah, I’m your friend.” Kyle smiled sadly. He leaned in and kissed my forehead, his eyes darkening as he backed away. “See you in a bit.”

  ***

  The wood floor creaked under my weight as I paced back and forth in front of the covered mirror. I wrung my hands together till my fingers ached and sighed for the umpteenth time. Meeting the Hawthorne family in its entirety was the stuff of nightmares. What if any of them had a gift like my grandfather Cowan? Would they see right through me? Would it ruin everything? What if Harry was there? I wasn’t ready to confront him yet.

  A sharp knock on the door jarred me out of my incessant worrying.

  “Come in,” I squeaked.

  Kevin strolled through the archway wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a loose white shirt that laced at the top, emphasizing his muscular chest. A slow grin stretched across his face as he appraised my choice of clothing.

  The silk ivory dress dipped and curved around my body in all the right places. The low cut back laced, crisscrossing with intricate beading that matched the delicate straps. Loose curls framed my face and spilled down my back the best I could manage without a mirror. And while I wanted to be convincing, perhaps I was overdoing it.

  “Too much?” I asked.

  “Hardly,” Kevin assured, his eyes traveling the length of my body. “This is how a princess should look. I may need to bump up the wedding date and move in here.” Kevin pulled me into his chest.

  “You’re just going to have to be patient, I guess.” I tried to pull away but he held tight.

  Kevin tsk’d. “I’m not so good at being patient.” He lifted my chin to touch his lips to mine. Heat blazed from his skin as his fingers wound beneath the straps at the small of my back and worked their way up. The material slid off my shoulder, and I jumped away with a gasp.

  Kevin shook his head and stepped back to appraise my silhouette once more. “You’d best get over this modesty problem. This used to be a non-issue.”

  I slid the strap back in place and followed Kevin outside.

  As we walked, I thought about his comment regarding our current living arrangements. In California, Kevin had a house in Malibu, and my condo was in Pasadena about an hour away. When I was in school, I spent the week at home, but my weekends — and basically the last few months I’d been bumming around — were spent at his place. And while we occasionally shared a living space, I had been very strict about our physical relationship, despite Kevin’s persistence. Still, I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t broached the subject of living with me in the stone house. It wasn’t like him not to want to be close.

  “Speaking of living arrangements,” I began with caution. “Where are you staying?”

  “Why? Are you lonely?” He smiled suggestively.

  “Um, well, what I meant was just…” I stuttered, wishing I had kept my curiosity to myself.

  “Are you considering rezoning your boundaries?” He lifted an eyebrow.

  “No. I was just wondering why you weren’t trying to weasel your way into my bed lately.”

  “My parents are very old fashioned, as you can imagine. My mother would not be fond of us shacking up, even if you are locked tighter than Fort Knox.”

  My blood pressure shot up. “Well, excuse me for having integrity, Kevin. Maybe you should find someone with looser morals.”

  He laughed. “So you set a moral standard, do you? Need I remind you of your junior year at Idyllwild? Or last spring when you had that run in with the state trooper, and I had to come clean it up at three o’clock in the morning?”

  Or an almost incident in a coal mine? I sighed. “I guess not.”

  “Things have changed now, Ashton. It’s time to gro
w up,” Kevin said, his expression firm. “You have obligations to your people and to mine. More importantly, you have obligations to me.”

  “And what if I don’t want this?” I stopped and met his gaze, anger bubbling up. “What if I want to choose another life?”

  Kevin moved into me, grabbing my elbow. “You don’t get that choice,” he murmured in my ear.

  I winced at the familiar words. His grip loosened as he glanced up to see the people milling around their homes.

  “You see that child?” His eyes fell on a little girl who looked around four years-old. Her auburn curls bounced as she played with a small terrier. “Children are occurring less and less in both our kind. I refuse to let our numbers dwindle away. It would take so little to wipe out an entire race … given the need,” he said, his words thick with implication. My people, my family, would suffer the consequences if I didn’t fulfill the treaty.

  Hopelessness settled in my chest.

  Kevin smiled at my expression. “I’ll give you a life you never dreamed of, Ashton.” He pulled my chin up to meet his gaze. “You need but to honor me.”

  I swallowed and looked away, refusing to let him see the emptiness growing inside.

  “But you are mine, one way or another.” His eyes hardened as he stared out over the landscape.

  The sun skirted above the canopy of trees, casting the remainder of our walk in shadows. An owl hooted in the distance, and a chilled wind swept through the trees. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered.

  The face of the palace finally came into view, and my eyes widened. Much like the factory, the building spanned the mountain rim and moved inward like an immense monolith. Gray columns stretched toward the sky, protecting the statues of stunning beings perched on the ledge three stories high.

  Our bare feet padded across a little stone bridge as we crossed over to his family’s grounds. A full courtyard spanned the front. Box hedges framed a fountain large enough to rival an Olympic pool. Statues of a dazzling couple stood in the middle, a spray of water outlined them like a liquid umbrella. Waves of color swept over the lush grass. Flowers of every shade and design hugged the stone paths winding throughout. My eyes fell on a patch of plum-colored tulips, and I quickly looked away.