“That’s crazy. Iris color is genetic. Dad’s eye color must’ve been dominant, so I picked it up. It’s proven science.”
The red-haired man chuckled under his breath. “You may believe that, but you weren’t raised here. Pups born among the Altehrei have been taught the legends since they were old enough to learn—to them, it isn’t mere speculation, but cold, hard truth. To them, the Sight is revered. And since you have the Sight, you are destined to be our next leader.” He offered a smile. “It’s getting dark. Should I take you to your room for the night, Kia?”
I glanced past him, through the trees which held too many unspoken secrets. I wished almost desperately to see Arii—my Del—running through the woods, a forest faerie with four legs and a tail and those stunning, probably still-angry, blue eyes. I never saw her. I just heard the soft chorus of crickets. And I was getting tired.
“Alright.” I paused. “You’re not taking me back to that empty cell of a room, are you?”
“Please.” Scythe scoffed. “You get the finest room in the Den.” He took a path that led us back to the building we’d left, though we went in through a different doorway, bypassing the marketplace. He led me down a hallway and opened the door at the end, depositing me into a massive room.
The carpet was thick, a lush tan, the walls a sun-bleached cream…and sketched across them were the forms of wolves, running through a forest of gold and silver, howling at the moon. And in the face of the moon was a wolf’s head. One eye was vivid blue…and the other was a pallid grey, the only splashes of color in the entire painting. I stared at the mural for a moment, then turned away.
The room was decked out with tall oaken dressers and a bed that would’ve easily fit five full-grown guys. The sheets were made of soft cotton and the mattress was firm as I sank down onto the edge of the bed. “Wow.”
“This was Kitane’s room,” Scythe murmured. “Feel free to look around. Consider anything in this room your own. You are his heir, after all.” He smiled warmly at me.
“If you need anything, I’ll be close.” He bowed, and then slipped from the room. He shut the door behind him. I tensed, but I never heard it lock. Slowly I relaxed. I took off my belt and laid it and the dagger on the dresser closest to the bed. I pulled off my shirt and tossed it to the floor, kicked off my sneakers, then crawled between the sheets.
The room held secrets, I was sure. Tales of my father, tales of a proud wolf king. Tales of a person I would never be. But between the stress of the day, Sikta’s warning in the marketplace and Arii’s departure, my eyelids felt heavier than lead weights. So I curled up on my side, hugging a pillow to my chest. Sleep overtook me quickly.
Chapter Nine
The next morning I woke feeling…off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but my stomach had the hint of an ache, my head was gently thrumming my heartbeat, and my throat was a little scratchy.
I stretched out fully in the large bed, then got up, my feet sinking into the cushiony carpet. I raised both arms out behind me and picked my shirt up off the floor, shrugging into the airy fabric. Then I began to look around, remembering Scythe’s parting words. This was my father’s room…
There were no pictures on the walls or on any of the dressers. I pulled out drawers to find clothes and undergarments and sheets for the bed. Nothing of interest. I closed them and headed across the room, to where a cream-painted door was shut firmly.
A closet? I twisted the knob—it held fast. Damn. Looking around, I grabbed the blade Sikta had given me and attempted to jimmy the lock. I only succeeded in scratching the doorknob. I’d ask about a key later; Scythe had said this was my room now. And I wanted to know what was behind door number one.
I wasn’t surprised to find an adjoining bathroom, elegant but no-nonsense. I took a leak and praised the fact that this side of the world, realm, whatever had running water as it flushed and I washed my hands. Then I took a quick shower, lathering up with soap that smelled of rich peppermint. I breathed it in deeply; was this how my father smelled when he was here? I slightly remembered the smell of his Old Spice aftershave when he’d tuck me into bed at night and weave those tall tales.
I dressed and left the room, aiming for something to eat. Scythe wasn’t standing in the hall waiting for me like I’d expected—perhaps this building was deemed safe enough for me to wander without a guard. I studied the photographs and paintings that lined the walls, likenesses of the werewolves who resided here, no doubt.
I froze, hearing voices rise and fall around the corner.
“I did what I had to do,” Tallys’s baritone rumbled. “He may not like it now, but in a few years he’ll thank me.”
“He is lost here,” Scythe argued softly. “He doesn’t know anyone; how can you expect him to be comfortable with his kidnappers? You had him abducted, Elder. No disrespect, but we were working on convincing him to come on his own. You should’ve given us time.”
“You know that we have very little time to play with. We need him here with a change underway. Once he realizes he belongs with us, pack instinct will kick in and he’ll find the need to stay.”
“I told him I’d give him a few weeks to feel Altehrei out. He’s going to expect to go home.” When Tallys didn’t answer, I could almost feel my guard’s shocked expression. “You really don’t plan on letting him go, do you?”
“Altehrei needs a strong leader. Should Kitane be somewhere, safe and sound and willing to return then yes, I will let young Silverwind return home. Until that time, he’s here. That’s all that matters. Don’t go spewing fantasies for the boy—you’ll only let him down.”
Scythe sounded resigned. “You didn’t have to involve the girl. He thinks Arii had something to do with his kidnapping.”
“Probably a plus. He could do better than her.” He sighed. “I’m hoping Sikta will take him on, teach him our ways.”
That earned a snort—both from Scythe and from me. I rounded the corner to see the two men debating. Scythe’s arms were crossed over his chest and his jaw jutted out in an almost defiant manner. He offered a tight smile as I came into view. I shot a glare at Tallys.
“Sikta would rather kill me than teach me anything. She hates me, in case you haven’t noticed.”
Tallys frowned. “Just give her time, pup. She’s like her mother in that sense, bless her soul, but she’ll come around. You need to earn her respect.”
Yeah, like that was gonna happen. I merely shrugged and turned to Scythe.
“So Arii really had nothing to do with this whole fiasco?” I felt a boiling ache at my heart—I’d accused her of baiting me. No wonder she’d been so mad. She’d been innocent. Damnit. When Scythe merely nodded, I dropped my shoulders. “I need to find her. Where would she be?”
“Knowing Arii, she could be anywhere, but I’ve got a few ideas.” Scythe inclined his head to Tallys, then looked to me. I stared at Tallys for a moment longer, the man’s gold eyes drilling into me. Daring me. I refused to bow, if that was custom or whatever. I merely huffed and followed Scythe as he began to walk away.
“Come along, Kia.” As if I needed prompting.
We checked the marketplace first—it was bustling with more people than I’d seen before. Where had they all been last night? I felt eyes on me, meeting the gazes of several different people, their eyes in jeweled hues. But not one of them had the Sight. And not one of them was Arii.
I felt something bump my foot and when I looked down, I found a small yellow ball resting against my shoe. I reached down to pick it up just as a young boy burst through the legs of the crowd. Maybe five or six, the boy had fine blond hair and a wide smile. He looked up and our gazes locked and his jaw dropped a little.
“Mommy, look! It’s Skoll!” he cried, his voice filled with childish joy, and I felt my face heat up.
I knelt down next to him. “I’m not Skoll,” I said, reaching out my hand with the ball in my center of my palm. He grabbed it up and held it to his chest, still smiling. “You can call me Kia.
I’m just like you, but I have Skoll’s eyes.”
“Harmony!” I glanced up to meet the protective gaze of a blonde woman, the boy’s mother by the way she pulled him to her, like I was going to bite him or something. She was round with child, her stomach a gentle curve. I stood and stepped back, offering a smile. Her frown was an angry slash across an otherwise beautiful face.
“You’re the half-blood?” Her voice was sharp.
Despite the truth in them, the words stung. I blinked at her. “Um, yeah, I’m—”
“Kia’la Silverwind. I know who you are. Everyone who sees those eyes will know.” She stiffened, her lips drawn in a tight line. She glanced around, then her eagle-eyes zeroed in on mine. “But what makes you think you can lead a pack into war?”
“War?”
“With the Rashti. You don’t think Kanzi will stop hunting us just because you’re here, do you? He got rid of your sire, he’ll get rid of you. It’s just a matter of time.” She shook her head, then ushered her son along, putting herself between me and him.
“Tallys would’ve been better off to let Sikta lead.”
I kept my mouth shut as she sulked off, little Harmony in tow.
“You’re gonna have that, Kia.” Scythe offered me a sympathetic smile. “Some of them are going to love you, but the rest are going to be wary until you prove them wrong. Just keep your chin up.”
“Let’s find Arii,” I mumbled, rubbing my stomach. Scythe seemed to notice and at the next booth, he traded a coin for a warm pastry covered with clear syrup. I pretty much inhaled it as we left the market and headed into the woods.
“Don’t mind me,” Scythe said from behind. I turned to ask him what he meant, but his form shimmered and shrunk until he was merely a red-coated wolf with a scar across his face and a notch out of one ear. He grinned at me doggishly in a way that reminded me of Del and I smiled. I stopped myself as I reached out to pet him, but he bumped his big head into my hand anyway, tail wagging.
“We’re going to find her, Kia. I’ve got a good nose on me.”
I blinked as the words echoed in the back of my mind. “Did you…”
“Just talk? Yep. It’s called mindspeak. Obviously you have enough wolf in you to register it,” he said. Or rather, thought. I shook my head, rubbing at my temples and Scythe nudged the back of my knee to get me walking again. He fell into step beside me, nose snuffling at the earth, paws padding silently across hardened ground.
With a yip, Scythe took off at a lope. For a moment, my legs refused to work, and then I was ambling after him. He ducked under brush and I skidded down a low incline, my boots catching on an upturned root. I pitched forwards, hit the ground, and rolled the rest of the way down. With my pants scuffed with grass, I heard husky laughter and looked up to see Arii sitting cross-legged in the middle of a clearing. There was a pond off to her right, deep green waters with a long wooden pier, shaded by trees.
Scythe wagged his tail and stepped back. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” He ducked away before either Arii or I could swat at him. He padded back up the hill and sat at the top, looking regal.
Wrapping my arms around my knees, I frowned and looked at Arii, right into her face, around the sharp angles of her haircut and into her eyes. They burned with hurt and simmered with anger.
“Arii… Scythe and Tallys said you didn’t have anything to do with it.” Just like she’d said.
“Why would you even believe I did in the first place?” Her voice was soft, almost hollow.
“I mean, yeah. I wanted you to come home with me. I wanted to share my life with you. I thought I loved you, Kia. I really did.” My heart constricted at the past-tense and I reached for her, but she pulled away. “I don’t know if I can forgive you right away,” she said slowly. “I thought you trusted me. I trusted you.”
“I’m sorry.” I dropped my gaze. “I was a fool. Like usual. I told you I wasn’t good with people. I suck at it. I just…” I let my voice trail off, hugging my knees to my chest. I felt very vulnerable; small, insignificant.
“I don’t belong here, Arii. We both know that. But I’m here anyway. I don’t think Tallys intends for me to ever leave. But God, I don’t think I can make it here without some sort of a friend. People look at me and they judge me.”
She frowned. “This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. I wanted you to come to me, my knight in shining armor. I wanted you to be here because you couldn’t stand to be without me…not because you were forced. I’m so sorry, Kia.”
But instead of reaching out and taking my hand like I expected, she rose to her feet, wavering there in her calf-skin boots. “But I’m hurt right now. I need… I dunno, I need time to myself. To think. And then maybe I can help you.” She smiled, but it was tight.
“I’m sorry.” Then she shifted and fled into the woods on four feet, tail tucked behind her.
I felt my heart plummet into my stomach and for a moment, I just sat there on the cold, hard ground. I’d really hurt her. Sure, she’d been angry, but I didn’t even think… I shook my head and sighed, looking out over the water.
My stomach felt angry, like someone had reached in and clawed it open. Swollen, sore. I rubbed my belly with one hand as I heard paws pad down the hill. A few minutes later, I felt a nudge at my shoulder. Scythe looked my way and licked my cheek. I buried my hands in his ruff, remembering the way Del liked it, and Scythe’s tail pounded the ground.
“Sorry. She’ll come around,” he said. “You wanna get a real meal? Lunch should be served soon.”
I nodded and rose to my feet as well. Maybe lunch would kill this gnawing ache in my gut.
***
A bonfire crackled, flames licking at wood and rocks, darting up into the sky like burning snakes. My eyes were locked on the fire as I absorbed its warmth. My breath came out in little white puffs and though I’d donned a fur-lined jacket that had been my father’s, I was chilled to the bone. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to steady my heart, which had taken to pounding erratically.
I could feel the buzz and crackle of energy around me as the moon rose in the star-dappled sky. People were gathered around the fire, chatting amiably to one another, basking in the red glow of firelight.
I slid in and out of conversations; most of them were about me, taking bets on if I would be good or bad as their Alpha. I wasn’t quite sure how to take it, but it wasn’t like I could just tell them to all shut up. As my head began to pound, I wondered if they’d listen if I did.
My gaze flitted to Scythe. The guard’s red hair gleamed like fire, slicked back away from his face as he danced with the cocoa-skinned Melia. Her skirts trailed the ground and the grazed the ankles of her bare feet. He wrapped her in his arms and swung her around, then placed a not-so-chaste kiss on her lips. Someone whistled and I smiled, but it quickly slipped away.
I hadn’t seen Arii all day. Not at lunch, not at dinner. Not here, sitting around the campfire. My eyes blurred the longer and harder I looked, so I just gave up, scrunching my shoulders to ward off a coming chill. It traced down my spine with icy fingers and I felt beads of cold sweat break out on my forehead.
I saw something flash.
As the moon cast pallid light down upon us, soaking the skin of the clan, they shivered and danced. Anticipation ground against my nerves and one by one, they began to shift. Some moved slowly, like slipping through a lake of water, hindered by gravity. Their wolves came to the surface with joyful rapture in their eyes. Others changed like a shutter-flash, one minute human and the next in fur. As each person changed, they darted away into the forest with yips and yowls.
My stomach twisted, as if an invisible hand was trying to break free, clawing pointed fingers against the inside of my gut. I moaned and bent over, which eased the pain a little. I shivered even with the fire’s heat pouring in through my coat and I quickly pushed sweat-damp hair away from my face. Bile touched the back of my throat and I heaved, losing everything I’d yet to digest and I groaned ag
ain.
I felt the chill of a nose at the back of my neck. I turned to see Scythe, his emerald eyes gleaming with worry. I weaved shaky fingers in his fur, cradling his face in one hand as I wiped my chin with the other.
“You don’t have to tell me,” I grumbled, pressing my eyes shut. I knew what was coming.
My change. A change that would rip my inner wolf free of my human skin and let the wild take over. I shuddered at the thought, coiling both arms around myself.
“I’m staying here with you,” he said, pressing his muzzle against my face and his warm tongue darted out to taste my sweat. I glanced past him to see a large, ebony wolf staring at us with stern eyes. Melia. She caught my gaze and dropped her head, then sensing that Scythe wasn’t going to follow, loped into the surrounding woods on silent paws.
Scythe plopped down next to me, tail wagging and stirring up dust. “It’s okay. I-I think I’m going to head in. To my room,” I said, touching his head.
His ears pulled back against his skull. “You should really stay outside. It’s going to be harder without the direct light of the moon. The first change is always the hardest, and even then, when our people change for the first time, they’re young. Still growing. You’re already mature.”
A sudden pang jabbed into my stomach and I doubled over. I couldn’t have gotten to my feet then if I’d tried. Instead, I slid off the log I’d been sitting on, crawling closer to the fire. Scythe whined in my ear and I wrapped my jacket closer around me. I twitched, my body seizing and I gave a yelp as my arms twisted hard enough to paint my vision crimson.
“Ugh. This…sucks…” Then I retched again.
Scythe gripped the too-long sleeve of my coat and tugged. “Take it off. You need to let your skin be touched by the moon.” I sat there dumbfounded for a moment and he tugged again and I tried to get myself to focus. I shrugged out of the jacket, depositing it on the ground. When he jerked at my shirt sleeve, I grumbled.
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