by Cheree Alsop
“Keeper, look out!” Koya shouted.
The creature stumbled back, then turned and grabbed me by the throat with a speed that was inhuman. I struggled but couldn’t get free of its claws. The wolves jumped at it, but it ignored their attacks. It lifted me higher and opened its mouth further than any human could. Koya let out another scream.
Before it could bite me, Joven dove in and shoved the stick further into the hole beneath the creature’s arm. It dropped me and stumbled back against a tree. It grabbed at the stick and tried to pull it out, but its claws scrapped uselessly against its side. A sticky, white substance began to ooze from the wound. The wolves grabbed its arms and legs in their strong jaws and brought it down to the ground. It was dead before it hit the flattened grass.
The foul stench of rotten milk and mildewed stinkweed hung in the air. Joven stared at me, his face pale and expression one of shock at his own actions. I gave him a nod of gratitude and glanced back at Koya. She looked scared and her hands trembled slightly, but she gripped a stout branch like she had been ready to use it. At my look of surprise, she dropped the stick and brushed her hands self-consciously down her dress. “N-not how a lady should act, right?”
Joven let out a strangled laugh. “You’re asking a man who talks to wolves?”
She laughed too as if it was the only thing keeping her from sobbing. “I guess you’re right.” She stared at the body behind us and the fear that she kept hidden touched my nose. “What do we do now?”
Joven let out a breath in a rush. “We need to inform the others that the Viel have made it past the Valley Guardians.”
The weight he gave the word Viel said the telling might be more difficult than the battle we just fought.
Silver Leaf gave a small whine. She was anxious to get her pups as far away from the clearing and the corpse as possible, and I couldn’t blame her. I met Shadow Runner’s gray eyes and gave a grunt of agreement too quiet for the humans’ ears. He turned and led the way into the forest. Silver Leaf licked my hand, then followed her mate between the trees. Cricket, Pond Jumper, Night Seeker, and Trace hurried after her with anxious glances at the Viel’s body. Gull and Traveler brought up the rear. The older wolf paused at the tree line and looked back at me, his head tipped in question. I let out a small breath and closed my eyes in denial. His tail gave a slow wave of acceptance and he disappeared through the trees.
My heart ached at their absence. It hurt more to watch them leave than it did to hear their questioning howls at night. The wild half of my heart longed to disappear from human life forever, to fade into the trees and never look back. I had made an unspoken agreement when Koya let me out of the cage, but its bonds were weak with the promise of freedom ahead of me and the castle walls behind.
“Go.”
I turned to see Joven with an arm around his sister’s shoulders. He nodded toward the woods and said again, “Go with your pack. You don’t have to stay here.”
Even as my heart leaped at his words, I looked at Koya and saw confusion and regret on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and held me with her eyes. Her gaze was pleading even as she nodded her agreement of her brother’s words. “You’ve risked so much for us,” she said quietly, her brow furrowed and a stray strand of hair catching in front of her eyes. “You deserve your freedom.”
A knot tightened in my throat and I swallowed against it. Every fiber of my body willed me to obey; my instincts yearned after moonlit meadows and the fierce adrenaline of the hunt. I longed for the simple life beneath trees and in forests so old the loam told of the history of the world. I wanted to hear the pad of paws beside me and follow the trail of an elk fresh under my nose. I wished for water crisp and fresh from glaciers melting in the mountain tops, and to feel dew on my face as it clung to long grasses awakened by the early morning light.
The wolf side of me longed for freedom almost as much as the human side reminded me of what I was, a stranger in both lands changing in the same moonlit meadows and following the pack on two feet instead of four. The human thoughts that waged war with the wolven images in my head begged for knowledge and thirsted for something greater that I couldn’t comprehend. I couldn’t say when the human side became more demanding than the wolven, but I knew what my choice would be before the wolves disappeared into the forest.
I shook my head slowly, my eyes on the way the starlight caught between the branches of the trees. “I’m. . . needed. . . here,” I forced out. The words were unrefined and still sounded like the growl of an animal, but Joven stepped forward and set a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him.
“Yes, you are,” he agreed. There was a light of respect in his eyes as if he knew how much the words had cost me. He spoke to Koya. “We need to tell Rasmus and have him send word to the other duchies.”
She nodded but her eyes were on me. I met her gaze, then had to look away. Her blue stare laid me bare as though I stood with only the shredded remains of my soul for protection. I gritted my teeth and willed my fists to unclench. I wasn’t used to people who dared to face me without fear, and her look tore down every wall I so carefully held in place to protect myself from those who hurt me without remorse. I felt the scars on my body and heart stand in stark contrast to the innocence of her quiet acceptance.
“Koya?”
She turned away at Joven’s call and hurried to catch up to him. I followed more slowly, feeling each step away from the pack with a keen edge that reminded me of what I left behind.
“Rasmus will be furious we left the castle without him,” Koya said.
“He would be right,” Joven replied. “First an assassin, now a Viel? The walls are becoming only stones to be scaled.”
“He’ll never let me out of his sight.”
“Between the guards and your maids you’ll be a child in leading strings again,” her brother replied with a quiet chuckle.
Both talked as though they kept thoughts of what had just happened at bay. I didn’t have the luxury of such distractions. The scent of the Viel lingered on my hands and the clothes Joven had given me. I grabbed a pine branch and pulled the needles from it, then rubbed them across my palms in an effort to mask the foul smell. It mingled with the odor and my stomach turned over. I swallowed, threw the needles down, and paused.
A bent patch of grass stood next to a small, broken aspen branch, its leaves just barely turning yellow. A few feet away, another indentation revealed a second set of footprints. Both smelled of Viel. I pictured the white creatures standing soundlessly as they watched the castle wall.
“Keeper?” Koya asked.
I glanced back at the footprints, then walked after the pair who waited by the hidden gate.
“Everything alright?” Joven asked.
I concentrated on making the word understandable. “More.”
“Viel?” Koya pressed. Her face paled at the word, but she watched me intently.
I nodded and heard Joven’s teeth grind together. He pushed open the gate and waited for us to pass, then made sure it was closed securely behind us. We hurried through the gardens and into the main corridor of the castle. Fatigue burned through my body, but I ignored it and the questioning stares of the servants we passed.
Joven led us down one hall, up a flight of stairs, through another hall, then into a room that smelled of iron and the oil of the suits of armor that lined the walls as though ready to march into combat. The table that took up almost the entire floor was scratched and worn and overlaid with a giant map that detailed the forests and the five duchies along with the outlying mountains and rivers. Small red wax dots surrounded the perimeter as well as the land in between each duchy, blue dots were scattered among the seas, and one green dot sat in each duchy where tiny gray buildings marked the castles.
The scent of windswept hills and steel met my nose when Rasmus entered the room. “I’ll bet you could fill it in better than we have,” he said when he noted my attention on the map. He gave my clothes
a curious glance but didn’t comment on them.
“You’re going to need more red dots,” Joven said in a grim voice.
Rasmus lifted an eyebrow in question but waited without speaking. Joven ran a hand down his face and took a steeling breath before he lifted his eyes back to the General. “A Viel attacked us outside the north gate.”
Rasmus studied him for a minute. “You can’t be serious.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Joven snapped. When Rasmus didn’t reply, Joven shook his head. “I apologize. I’m a bit on edge. I never thought I would actually see one.” He said the last sentence quietly as an afterthought and a haunting tone touched his words.
Rasmus’ expression darkened and he looked back at the map. “We’ll add more red dots,” he said in a tone of quiet irony. I felt vaguely surprised that I could recognize irony and the subtle nuances of their conversation.
“They shouldn’t be here,” Joven said. “Why are they so close?”
“There have been more attempts to breach the border. It looks like they succeeded,” Rasmus replied with a hint of uneasiness.
“This isn’t the first time,” Koya said. I remembered the herder from the Petitioner’s Court.
“Which is why you shouldn’t have gone outside the wall,” Rasmus replied in clipped words.
Joven met the General’s eyes. “We are free to go wherever we want.”
Rasmus dropped his gaze and nodded. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. I just feel that with the threat toward Lady Koya and rumors of spies and the Viel it would be wise to stay where you can be protected.” He lifted his eyes back to Joven’s and put a fist over his heart. “You know that I and my brothers in the guard would die for either of you. I am only concerned about your safety.”
Koya nodded. “And we appreciate that.” She gave her brother a stern look. “And we will do our best to stay within the boundaries of your protection.”
Rasmus bowed. “Thank you, my Lady.”
I studied the map of the mountains south of the valley where I had been captured. Rasmus was right. There were details to those mountains not listed on the map, hidden valleys, caves, and streams I had once thought of as home. The fact that I had turned down the chance to return there weighed heavily on my heart. I wondered if the wolves would go back without me.
“I doubled the guard after the assassin’s attack, and I’ll spread word to the Valley Guardians about the Viel. They send hawks every five days, but they’re a day late. I’ll let you know when we hear back from them.”
“I appreciate it,” Joven said gratefully. He glanced at his sister. “Any word on who sent the assassin?”
A look of reluctance crossed the General’s face. He sighed. “Lord Storion sent him.”
Koya put a hand to her mouth that didn’t quite stifle her gasp.
“But he’s an ally,” Joven protested. “It couldn’t have been him.”
Rasmus met his eyes. “There’s no doubt, my Lord.” The surety of his tone left unpleasant things unspoken.
A sheen of liquid showed in Koya’s eyes. “He’s the last.”
Joven shook his head and put a hand on Koya’s arm. “No, he’s not. We still have the Torgusons and Lord Brayton, not to mention Lady Stry. We aren’t alone, not yet.”
“We are if you count individuals with actual sway in society,” Koya replied. “The Gathering takes place in a week. They’ll tear us apart.”
“Not if we put up a good front.” The determination in Joven’s tone left little room for argument; both siblings looked too tired to continue.
Koya nodded. “We’ll do our best.”
“That’s all we can do.” Joven glanced at me. “Care to learn how to waltz in half a fortnight?”
At my look, he laughed. “Dancing’ll do you good. You’re light on your feet, if the fight with the Viel said anything.”
Rasmus held up a hand. “You fought the Viel?” He looked incredulously from Joven to me.
The tightness around Joven’s eyes was the only sign that the cheerfulness in his words was feigned. “It was quick, really, what with Keeper’s wolves and his good aim. I merely helped finish it off.”
Rasmus looked at me as if he knew there was more to the story, but I was too tired to try to explain myself in their confusing language. He nodded in acceptance of my silence, but didn’t look happy about it. He gave the siblings a chiding look. “Stay within the walls. I’ll have my men dispose of the body.”
“Thank you, General,” Joven replied.
We left the room and walked back down the hall. I wasn’t the only one dragging my feet by the time we reached the door to the room I had been using. Joven put his hand on the doorknob, then looked back at Koya and me. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to sleep in Koya’s chambers?”
“Joven!” Koya exclaimed.
He held up his hands. “I know it’s not exactly proper.” Koya let out a sound of amazement; he pretended not to notice. “But until we know there are no more assassins and the Viel are beyond the valley once more, I feel it’s the only way you will be safe.”
“I have my maids,” Koya argued. Her cheeks were touched with red. “And I can defend myself.”
“We saw that with the assassin’s attempt,” Joven replied dryly.
Koya’s entire face flushed and she turned away.
The scent of her embarrassment touched the air. I didn’t know what to say, I just knew her brother’s words hurt her more than she showed. I glanced at him, wondering if humans needed protection from each other’s careless tongues. He appeared not to notice his sister’s reaction. Instead, he surveyed me with a gaze I had seen many times, the look of one assessing the value of an object instead of a person with thoughts or feelings.
“You’d need a new wardrobe, and some help with your mannerisms. . . .”
“What are you talking about now?” Koya asked, her tone a bit sharper than usual.
“The way he stands there,” Joven said. He gestured toward me. “People don’t hold so still. It’s. . . animalistic. He’d never fit in, and with the Gathering coming up in a week, we have a lot of work to do.”
Koya’s eyes widened and she glanced at me. I met her gaze but didn’t know whether to be offended or amused. Keeping still was part of survival in the woods. Stillness meant food, avoidance of enemies, peace; an animal that couldn’t hold still didn’t last long. I wondered how long Joven would last. His wardrobe would get smudged, something that would definitely put him out. Of course, it was dirty now from attacking the Viel in time to save my life. The thought made me sober. I owed him for that.
I gave a short nod and Joven’s face lit up in a pleased smile. “Great. Get your belongings and-” he paused as if just remembering that I didn’t own anything. “Well, let’s go then.”
“I don’t think this is necessary,” Koya argued again, but her voice was quiet and the edge of defiance had left it.
“If it keeps you safe, it’s worth it,” Joven replied. “We’re inviting a thousand leeches to our home and Vielkeep will be a dangerous place until they’re gone.”
“I wish I could say you’re going too far with that assessment,” Koya said, regret heavy in her tone.
“Me, too,” her brother replied. He glanced at the bandage that covered the shallow knife wound on her neck. His jaw clenched and he looked away to hide the anger that washed through his gaze.
Chapter 8
Rose-colored silk covered the walls in Koya’s chambers which were made up of four separate rooms, a sitting room, a sewing room, a guest reception room, and her bedroom. The carpets and luxury of her grandfather’s quarters where I had been allowed to stay during my sickness were nothing compared to her chambers.
My bare feet settled into the deeply woven woolen carpets and I looked around in uncertainty. I didn’t belong with the cherry wood furniture that shone and smelled as though polished daily with citrus scented cleaners. The clothing I wore due to Joven’s generosity was torn and
tattered by the fight and stood in sharp contrast to the cream and maroon upholstered chairs. Moonlight drifted through high windows to illuminate rectangles that warred with the warm glow of the fire in the ivory fireplace. Candles danced from candelabrum placed tastefully throughout each room and gave off a faint scent of mint and honeyed wax.
Koya walked through the first chamber, then paused at the doorway and gave me an anxious smile. “Would you mind checking the rooms to make sure they’re empty?” Her tone told of her embarrassment at asking, but her voice trembled slightly to contradict her unaffected countenance. I remembered then that she had just faced two near-death experiences. The assassin’s knife had left a reminder on her elegant throat of how little it would have taken for him to finish the job, and I doubted any of us entertained illusions as to what would have happened if Joven, the wolves, and I hadn’t stopped the Viel.
My nose informed me that no one had entered the chamber but her handmaiden Tessa and another woman who smelled of tallow and wood smoke, a keeper of the flames whose scent told that she came nightly to light the fire and candles. Both were long since gone, Tessa’s only remnant a small plate of pastries that looked delicate and smelled of raspberries and cream. I walked through the chambers anyway to give Koya peace of mind. The thought made me feel strange, performing a pointless act just to appease the fears of another, but my reward was her grateful smile when I came back out into the sitting room and tipped my head toward the door to indicate that everything was clear.
“Joven was right,” she said. At my silence, she smiled. “You do have a lot of wolf mannerisms.”
A sudden yawn brought her hand to her mouth. She threw me an apologetic look. “If I’m this tired, you must be exhausted. I was held captive by a man and cowered in fear from a monster. You chased a horse and took down the assassin, then attacked the Viel.” She shook her head and lowered her eyes in an effort to hide the sudden shine of liquid that filled them. “I wish I had your courage.”