Wolf's Echo (My Winter Wolf, #2)

by Arizona Tape

  “Good, isn’t it?” A voice sounded next to me.

  I looked up and stared in Rosanna’s vibrant eyes. I’d been right about her smirk, it definitely was a permanent feature on her face. And it was infuriating.

  “What?” I asked between my teeth, not wanting to open my mouth further and lose any of the delicious meat.

  “Dad makes the best roasted hog in the whole of the Golden City.”

  “I’m sure he does.” I sounded a lot less sarcastic than I meant to be, but then, it was hard to argue with the aromatic piece of meat on my metal plate.

  “I’ve never seen you before, how did you meet my Ashleigh?”

  My Ashleigh. How dare she. If the raven-haired beauty belonged to anyone, it would most certainly be to my wolf and not to this stupid imposter.

  “I met her in the Aladwin Forest.”

  “The Aladwin Forest? Isn’t that scary for such a young girl as you? How old are you? Sixteen summers?”

  What a little twat. “I’m a lot older than I look,” I countered, using Chesca’s words. Chesca. Wait, where was she? I hadn’t seen her enter the inn with us. In fact, I hadn’t seen her since she pushed me out of the way and—

  I ignored the sneering woman and patted my chest, ruffling between the layers of clothes. “It’s gone.”

  “What’s wrong?” Aspen looked at me with half an eye, distracted by the hog in front of him.

  “The amulet. It’s gone!”

  “What?” Ashleigh shouted, shoving Rosanna out of the way as she pulled me to her. “Are you sure?”

  “This can’t be!” Danny shouted.

  “Look again,” Regan instructed, the calmest of them all.

  I shook my shirt, hoping, begging that the necklace had slipped between the many folds but apart from stale bread crumbs, nothing fell out. Guilt and panic sunk into my stomach and I avoided the eyes of the woman that mattered most to me. “It’s gone.”

  How could I let her down like this? Why didn’t I notice? When did I even lose the jewel?

  “Chesca!” Aspen growled, stabbing his knife into the wooden table.

  “My table!” Rick protested, but one glare from the muscled man shut him right up. Good to know that Aspen intimidated him.

  “Hold on, you don’t know that it was here,” I protested meekly, not wanting to put all the blame on her and start another conflict. I was enjoying the peace and quiet inside of the group.

  “Who else would it have been,” Darren hissed, jumping to the same conclusion.

  “Guys...”

  “If it wasn’t here, where is she?” Aspen slammed his fist down, the metal mugs and plates rattling from his anger. He turned to me, his eyes blazing with fire. “Damn it!I should never have let you wear it!”

  Regret shot across his face almost as fast as the anger left. The darkness ebbed away, but it couldn’t take the hurtful words he swung in my directions. He was right, I was useless. But I’d make sure this was the last time I let them down. Calmly, a lot calmer than I expected to be, I rose from my seat and straightened out my ripped dress. “I apologise.”

  Aspen’s flinched at my coldness. “Akira—”

  “I’ll get the amulet back. No need to burden yourself,” I spoke as cool as possible. If I was staying in their company, I needed to prove my worth to them. To myself. I wanted to be worthy, of their friendship, of Ashleigh, of the Winter Stone. If I were to become the Winter Wolf, I’d do well to practice in gaining dignity and respect.

  “I’ll come with you,” Ashleigh announced, grabbing her backpack.

  “No!” I shouted, my emotions getting the better of me. I regained my composure and cleared my throat. “No, stay. I’m sure you have lots of catching up to do with Rosanna.”

  The guilty look on her face had my wolf howling in possessiveness, but I ignored her. Even my soulmate believed I was useless, otherwise she wouldn’t have offered to join me. It was more important than ever to redeem myself and show them I brought value to the table. I needed to prove it to them and to myself.

  “I’ll be back.” I turned on my heels, the wooden floor clacking under my shoes. The door shrieked as I shoved it open, the sunlight casting a lone ray inside of the inn. The stink of the city entered my nostrils and I took a brave sniff. I’d get this amulet back, even if that was the last thing I did.

  The doors slammed shut as I stepped into the street. I ignored the part of me that was hurt Ashleigh didn’t protest harder or run after me. I couldn’t afford to wallow in my self-pity, I had a Puma to find and a necklace to retrieve.

  I slipped through the shadows cast by the houses, hoping to find the marketplace where I last saw Chesca. If I was lucky, I’d find the vendor that sold us our nuts. I had a feeling that his crashing stall wasn’t as coincidental as I thought it to be. But where to start first...

  With the setting sun, it was hard to orientate myself against the tangled streets and all the similarly looking houses. Left. Right. Right. Left. Where did we come from again? Did that butchery shop look familiar or did we pass the Cocked Hen earlier? Which street would take me back to the market?

  Why hadn’t I paid more attention when we entered the city? Even the Aladwin Forest wasn’t as hard to navigate and there were only trees there.

  I turned to ask Regan for advice, only to remember he wasn’t actually here. Damn. I’d gotten so used to not being on my own, I forgot what it was to be alone. Like when I started out this quest. When it was still an adventure. Now it felt more like I was sent to my doom. Maybe that’d been their intention all along. But regardless of that, I didn’t have time to worry about the Winter Stone right now. I needed to find that amulet before it fell in the wrong hands. Despite them stressing the necklaces were just heirlooms, I knew there was more to them. The ancient magic, the dormant power, it was strong enough to break through an age-old curse laid upon us by the Great Spirit himself. I feared to think what someone else could achieve with the raw and dark force contained within the amulet. I couldn’t have that on my conscience, not with all the other failures piling up.

  For once, I just wanted to do something well instead of being the disappointment everyone thought me to be. To do something right, to be the hero of my own story.

  Chapter 15. Market

  The streets wound through the city, a moment of awe behind every corner. The dancing women with their alluring smiles, an artist painting caricatures of the rich men passing by, a sword-swallower spewing fire. The city was fast, wild, exciting. Nothing like the small village I grew up in. It brawled with life, with movement, with people knowing exactly what they wanted and endless streets that all looked the same. One of the dancing women winked at me as I passed them for the third time. She shook her hips and waved at me. Hesitantly, I waited, unsure if she meant me.

  “Come here,” she sang, her belly moving in a hypnotising way I’d never seen before. It was exotic, mesmerising, enchanting. How did she move like that and why was it so beautiful? Like water and waves, she shook her hips, her waist twirling effortlessly as she danced around me. Her ribbon caught my shoulders and she smirked. “Are you lost?”

  “What makes you say that?” I breathed, chained by her attention.

  “Only young men pass us multiple times.” She pointed at a group of old geezers. “Unlike them, who have no pretences left. So why is this the third time I see your pretty face?”

  “I’m new to the city and can’t find the market,” I admitted.

  “I see. Are you here by yourself?”

  “No, my friends are here too. I just wanted to explore,” I quickly added, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. I wasn’t looking to join their carnival or circus. I already had my own.

  “I see.” She unhooked the ribbon from around me and stepped away from me, the disappointment clear in her eyes. “Let your feet guide you downwards to the market.”

  “Downwards?” I called after her.

  “Follow the stream,” she smiled, pointing at the gutters hidden at t
he sides of the street.

  “Thank you!” I fingered the coin pouch in my pocket, but even the biggest coins weren’t worth much. My thanks would have to be enough. I smiled at the beautiful woman and hurried down with the hill, following the natural curve of the earth.Why hadn’t I noticed that we’d been climbing a hill to the Humble Pig? I really needed to pay more attention to my surroundings if I was going to be of any use.

  The dry earth thudded under my feet as I ran down the winding streets. The scent of roasted turkey briefly distracted me but before I could stop to sneak a peek at the roastery, a fleeting whisper breezed through me. An echo of a darkness I recognised.

  I stared at the direction of the market, the vendors shouting about their wares and the mixed scent of piss and spices made it clear I found the market. And yet, the whispers were luring me away, but could I trust they’d take me to the right place? Did I know for sure I’d find Chesca or the amulet at the other end?

  Another whisper brushed through my head and my wolf growled protectively. That was promising. With a last doubtful glance, I turned away from the market and hurried in the direction that made my wolf stir.

  A big hand caught my wrist and I froze in fear.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Fuck. Darren, you scared me.” I yanked my arm out of his grip and breathed in relief. It was just one of my friends.

  “The market is that way.”

  “Yes, I know that. And why are you here?” I asked, my eyes narrowed suspiciously. Did Ashleigh send him?

  “You don’t know the city, I didn’t want you to get lost.”

  “So you’re here to babysit me,” I spat, annoyed at the young man. I thought he respected me, that he had faith in me. But he was just like the others, he saw me the same way they did. Useless. Weak.

  “No, I’m here to help you. That’s what friends do.” He smiled at me, the kindness not lost in his words. I wanted to refuse his help, but I knew I lost too much time already. I didn’t know how to navigate myself in a city and finding the amulet was more important than my pride.

  “Fine, but you’re the sidekick,” I joked, motioning him to follow me.

  “The market is that way.”

  “I know, but I’ve got a feeling about this.”

  “Oh no, not a feeling,” Darren muttered. “Danny always gets a ‘feeling’.”

  “And is her feeling usually right?”

  He laughed as he ran in the direction I chose. “Annoyingly, always.”

  “Of course, she is.” We ran down the pebbled road, chasing the unearthly feeling that seemed to lure me in. With every step, my wolf grew more restless and as she paced up and down in my chest, I knew I was getting closer. She was itching to call upon the ancient magic, to be free from her constraints again. With her growing impatience as my compass, I navigated us through the streets of the Golden City. The sun was setting, the rays disappearing behind the highest roofs, but the city wasn’t any less gold than before. If it was possible, the setting sun made it even more shimmery and beautiful. I took a moment of awe, to admire the grandiose and magnificence of the spectacle before me. Maybe under different times, under different circumstances, I could return and have a leisurely time in the city with Ashleigh.

  “You seem to like the city,” Darren spoke.

  “I think I do. I’ve never really been in one.”

  “I never liked cities. They’re too dirty and crowded for me.”

  I studied him as we strode alongside each other. “Are you really a Prince?”

  He chuckled, my question tickling his amusement. “I am. But my kingdom is a long way from here, I don’t imagine you’ve heard of it.”

  “What’s it like? Is it like this?”

  The young man laughed. “Oh no, the Capital is much bigger. And cleaner.”

  “Bigger than this?” That was hard to imagine. In comparison to my village, this was already multiple times beyond my expectations and more crowded.

  “Much bigger.”

  “I’d love to see that one day,” I mused, wondering how Ashleigh felt about cities. Would she want to live in one with me?

  “You might, we’ll be going back there after Aspen gets his—” He paused in his step, the words freezing on his tongue.

  “After Aspen gets what?” I glared at him, my wolf growling at his name.

  “I meant, after we find the Winter Stone,” Darren corrected himself. He avoided my gaze, the stress visible on his face as he jogged on.

  “Wait a moment!” I called after him, catching up with the young man. I caught his arm and forced him to halt and look at me. “Now that I think of it... You were all happy enough to join me on my quest, but what were you doing in the Aladwin Forest?” I was so blinded by the twins, I just assumed they all joined to help me. But why? Why were they in the forest and why did they all come to help me fulfill my quest? It made no sense and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought about it earlier. Such a fool that I was. “Well?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. For all his good qualities, lying wasn’t one of them.

  “Darren. Tell me.”

  “It’s not my story to tell. Ask Aspen.” He pulled himself out of my grip and pointed at a dirty inn. “Should’ve figured we were coming here.”

  “I’m not letting this go,” I pointed out.

  “You don’t have to, but let’s get this sorted first.”

  “You’re right. Let’s find Chesca and get the amulet back.” I nodded, the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The energy pumped through me, encouraging my wolf, feeding my resolve. I was ready to kick some ass.

  “Here, take this.” Darren pulled a small dagger from a hidden pocket and held it out in front of him. The sun caught in the metal blade, a flicker of light that temporarily blinded me.

  Carefully, I accepted his knife. The cool steel heavy in my hand as I tightened my fingers around it. “Thank you.”

  “Just don’t act rash with it.”

  “I’ll do my best,” I promised, clunkily hiding the weapon in my sleeve. It was times like this that I wished I knew how to properly fight and defend myself. I should ask the group for training after we got the amulet back.

  “Let’s be very careful. It’s rumoured that this bar is run by Coyotes.”

  “You think Chesca is conspiring with them?” I asked hesitantly, the idea of her betraying us again leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Even if I didn’t trust her like I believed in the rest, she wasn’t a bad girl. When she said she wanted to help me, she really did and I owed her.

  “I know she is,” Darren hissed. He strapped his dark hood tighter around his neck and beckoned me to follow him.

  With the last light of the sunset, we left the Golden city behind us and tread on enemy property. The scent of stale ale and dark wood greeted us before the soft candlelight did.

  “The inn is empty,” I whispered, my breath caught in my throat.

  “But there’s light coming from behind that door,” my friend muttered, gesturing at the cracked open door at the far end. We tip-toed past the bar, afraid to disturb anything or anyone watching us from the shadows. The hinges of the blackwood door opened smoothly and Darren wiped his finger across them.

  “They’re well-oiled. Someone’s definitely been using them.”

  “Makes sense,” I agreed, not wanting to sound like an idiot. I’d never have thought to check the hinges, but Darren seemed to really know what he was doing. The candles cast dark shadows on the narrow walls as we shuffled through them. With agitated breath, I willed myself to keep moving forward. If I wanted to be the hero of my own story, I needed to actually do something heroic, like returning a stolen jewel. Running away with my tail between my legs wasn’t exactly brave. I just wished I wasn’t this scared or vulnerable, that I had the magic of the amulet to fuel the courage inside of me and break through the chains of my wolf. Having her close to the surface would certainly lessen my fear.

  The narrow hall
opened up in a dark basement. The ceiling leaked raunchy water into small puddles and a weird breeze tickled the metal chains dangling down. Darren stopped so abruptly in his track, I nearly bumped into him. He sighed, frowns contorting his face. He nudged me to follow his gaze and I tore my eyes away from the dangling chains and spooky spider webs. “Hang on.” Darren unsheathed his favourite dagger as he kneeled to the ground. He scratched the blade into some of the white candle wax and clacked his tongue. “Black blood. Shit.”

  “Black? What does that mean?”

  “It’s not the Coyotes behind this. We need to go back. Now”

  “What? Why? I don’t understand.”

  “Coyotes bleed red. But only one clan has black blood. House Hystericia.”

  “So? I don’t understand.” The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why. Hystericia...

  Darren grimaced as he pointed to the bloody figure chained against the wall. With her long hair and porcelain features, there was no doubt it was Chesca. He growled lowly. “Hystericia is meant to be an ally.”

  Chapter 16. Hystericia

  “Chesca! We need to help her,” I whispered loudly, ready to run to our friend.

  “Wait,” Darren hissed. He clamped his calloused hand around my arm, squeezing harder than I liked.

  “What?”

  “This could be a trap. She might just be playing a part.”

  I yanked my wrist from his grip. “What are you talking about? She’s hurt.”

  “She could be pretending to be, to lure us closer.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. She clearly has nothing to do with this. It’s not the Coyotes, you said it yourself!”

  “Coyotes have a reputation of being mercenaries. They’re always working for someone.” He scanned the room, not moving an inch to free the chained up girl.