Circle of Wolves

by Jacqueline Roth

  The men around the circle murmured again and several smiles and nods of approval were seen. But so were several frowns and wary looks. Evan watched carefully, suddenly eerily certain he was missing something. Alexi spoke again. “What else do you ask as compensation? What other assurances, promises, do you seek?”

  Assurances? Promises? Evan heard Alexi’s voice in his mind “our peoples”. He remembered hearing him tell the Alpha that he sought alliance on many levels. The layers of what was happening began to peel back and he saw what was really being promised. The men were conducting more than the negotiations for Kira’s darro. They were conducting the terms for the alliance between the family and the conclave.

  While our peoples are joined, we shall offer succor and sustenance one to another, Alexi had said. As long as our peoples are joined together they may draw enrichment from the diverse flavors of our traditions. Alexi had promised. Evan needed to pay closer attention. He had been wrapped up in what seemed like a quaint ritual and now needed to be more attentive to what Alexi was agreeing to on his behalf.

  “We seek compensation for the spirit of the woman. She is strong, powerful and determined. Her role in the family, her place in the Family, will be impossible to replace.” There was that pointed emphasis again that moved this beyond a simple ritual. “How do you plan to compensate for the loss of her spark, her life, her spirit with us on a daily basis?” The Alpha was watching him, Evan realized. He was still talking to Alexi but was watching him.

  Alexi reached into his bag and pulled out the bottle. The bottle of wine was wrapped in a bright colored handkerchief of blue and green. The gold coin necklace chinked merrily as Alexi handed it to Evan. He took it and stole a glimpse of the older brown eyes as he lay this too, at the man’s feet.

  “We offer proof that we honor and respect the spirit of the girl. That we will revel in and take delight in that spirit and spark, which make her who she is and who she will become. We offer this proof that as long as our peoples are joined we will respect and honor the uniqueness that is in each of us. We will rejoice in the spirit of each people and will never fail to pay tribute to and to celebrate, that which makes us who we are.” Alexi settled back and flashed a slow grin to Evan. That was it. The bag was empty.

  Alexi seemed to be waiting for something. And waiting. Gregoravitch was looking at Evan directly. He was lost in thought and seemed to return to the moment slowly. Evan wondered if something were wrong.

  “We ask one more compensation,” Gregoravitch said softly. The men of the circle looked uncomfortably at one another and Alexi looked startled. “He is gadje. It is hard to trust the assurances of a gadje. Will you swear allegiance to the family? Will you, Evan Forester swear loyalty to the Family? Let us hear it from him.”

  Alexi was no longer a part of this. Alexi was no longer involved in this delicate negotiation for more than the hand of the woman Evan loved.

  Evan drew a deep breath. “I have sworn an oath, my allegiance has been claimed by the circle I serve and the conclave to which that circle is sworn. It is to that family I am loyal. I cannot serve two families.” Alexi was looking at him horrified but Evan pushed on. “However, you have my assurance that upon taking the hand of your daughter my loyalty, my allegiance, my devotion and dedication belong to her. First and foremost I will serve her as she will serve me. We will be the family that comes first. It is to Kira I will swear loyalty.”

  Alexi was tense. Evan wasn’t sure how his answer was going to be received. He noticed several of the younger men nodding. The older ones sat more cautiously.

  “Swear it, then. Swear that your first loyalty shall be to my daughter, to my Nakira.” Stanislav Gregoravitch was staring him directly in the eye. It was more than a bit unnerving but Evan didn’t flinch.

  “I swear it. If she accepts me and agrees to join her life with mine, she will be my first priority, my first loyalty.” Evan felt the growing sense of unease crest. He was actually a bit frightened by what that could mean but he was certain it was right.

  Gregoravitch reached down and lifted the bottle. He removed the necklace from the bottle and stood. He held out the necklace to Evan, who took it. “Then we are agreed. Your offer is accepted. We accept the bride price.”

  Alexi, face showing his abundant relief, moved closer and whispered to him, “You now have to walk over to her and place this around her neck. If she allows it, she is agreeing to marry you. If she refuses, she…well, refuses.”

  Evan turned to find her standing next to Elena, who was holding her hand. A few steps told him that the entire group would follow him to her. All would bear witness.

  This was really happening, he kept telling himself. He was really about to set his engagement to her. To become her intended. He thought idly how long he would have to wait for her to become his wife. He hoped it would not be long. He would marry her now. Right now if it were possible.

  Kira was chewing her lower lip when he arrived. The women had come racing over to watch the procession and Evan realized he had an enormous audience for this very private thing. He smiled at her feeling almost shy for the first time in what seemed a very long while. She would be his. To some that might sound horrible, unenlightened in this age of equality among the genders. But no, he meant that she would be his to hold, to cuddle, to adore, to love, to respect, to admire…the list went on and on forever. And he would be hers.

  He held up the necklace to her and spread it over his fingers. Elena was smiling and excited muttering could be heard from the women. After all these years the beautiful young woman who was so alone would never be alone again.

  Kira watched Evan’s face. Did he want, truly want, to do this? Did he truly love her? As he approached she felt herself trembling. She wanted to belong to him and wanted this man who was so strong, so gentle to be hers. He was wolf and yet he was something else, something else that eased her tensions and made her life simple and easy. Did he really understand what he was agreeing to? Did he really understand what all this would mean for him? For her? For them all? He paused before her with his hands extended and locked his stormy eyes with her clear blue ones. He lifted the necklace over her head and it dropped with a rattling chinking into place around her neck.

  A cry of joy went up from the group. Even Gregoravitch tipped back his head and let forth his joy on behalf of his darling little girl. He knew with regret this strange young man would take her away from him, take her to his gadje world but she was and would be happy.

  Evan reached out to touch her face forgetting the taboos of these people. Alexi caught his hand and the scarf thrown to him by Elena. He covered Evan’s hand and with the soft silk between them, Evan pressed his hand to her cheek. He wanted to kiss her but that was not going to be possible. Not here and now. This had better be one short engagement.

  As if he read his mind, Gregoravitch’s voice rang out above the crowd. “What say the happy couples? There is one abiav, one wedding, tonight. What do you say we make that two?”

  Evan stared at him startled. He looked down at Kira who was smiling up at him. “I told you, Evan, this is your choice. When you were ready, I would be ready.”

  Evan turned to Elena. “Is this agreeable to you?”

  Elena turned to the girl Nadja and asked the question without words. The girl beamed at them in response. A second glance at the young man who must be her betrothed, Emil, yielded a similar cooperative grin.

  “Tonight it is,” she laughed merrily and looked lovingly at Kira. “Tonight will be the night I have waited nearly sixty years for. The night I get to play sister to you, when my hands will braid your hair as you did mine, when my hands will dress you, when I will lead you to the fireside and to the side of your mate.” She wrapped frail arms around Kira. “Come, the sun will be down soon. We must make ready.” She looked around at her family, “What are we waiting for? Make ready the feast, tune the cimbalom, the guitars and the violins. We have two weddings to rejoice at.”

  A short time late
r, Kira had disappeared along with Elena and her daughters. Gregoravitch had left the clearing telling them he would return. He would see his daughter joined to his man she had chosen. He was going to inform his wife. This had brought several pointed stares in Evan’s direction. The woman was obviously well known for her temperament and attitudes.

  Evan’s head was spinning at the speed with which all this was happening. Still, as soon as a doubt would surface, it would be viciously chased away and sent yelping back into the recesses of his mind. This was about Kira and him. Kira.

  Alexi sat next to him imbibing deeply from a bottle that was being passed by the men sitting in the circle. At first the men had taken it as an insult when Evan bypassed the bottle. Alexi explained that Evan could not drink. “Gadje magic,” he whispered. Evan saw even the largest of the men shudder. “It helps him to understand us but he cannot drink.”

  Young Emil was drinking deeply, his nervousness apparent and the source of more than one crude joke. No one joked this way with Evan. For him there were only indulgent and knowing smiles. Emil looked curiously at him. “How then will you drink at the ceremony?”

  “A sip or two will not hurt,” Evan assured him.

  A chuckle swept the men and Alexi clapped him on the back. “Don’t worry, by that time he won’t care if he can tell what any of us are saying. Only what his mate is saying.”

  He flushed slightly and smiled good-naturedly. “No, I doubt by the end of the evening I will care what even you have to say Alexi.”

  A few men in the group held instruments. A large flat box strung like a piano had been carried from the back of a wagon and been restored its legs. It was set so that the man who was now tuning and plunking, plunking and tuning, could sit on the log Gregoravitch had occupied earlier. Alexi had explained the instrument was a cimbalom. It had one hundred and twenty-five strings and stood about three feet high. The man held two mallets, about eight inches in length, wrapped in leather. According to Alexi the instrument could be played by either striking the strings, like the hammers on a piano, or by plucking the strings like a harp.

  “Alexi,” Evan said quietly as the men continued to pass the bottle, laughter growing bolder with each circuit. “What exactly is going to happen?”

  Alexi’s eyes sparkled wickedly. “Well, Evan,” he spoke slowly. “When a man and a woman love each other, they want to show it in a special way…” He ducked the slap Evan aimed at his head and laughed loudly. “It is going to be great fun to have you for a brother, my little friend.”

  “Gods you get more impossible all the time. You know you can be a real pain in the ass when you drink.” Evan couldn’t help but laugh at the big man. Brother. As a boy he’d longed for a brother. But having a small werewolf to contend with was more than enough for his parents. And now in Alexi’s eyes he would become his brother. The thought was amusing and horrifying. Yet he found himself touched in a way he hadn’t expected. Family. The man honestly thought of him as family. Evan sobered slightly but maintained his smile. “I meant the ceremony. What will happen?”

  “Nothing unusual, Evan. Elena will lead Kira to your side, you and the young ones will make your promises before us all.” Alexi shrugged. “There is a symbolic gesture involving sharing of bread, wine…nothing you’ll find too challenging.”

  Evan started to relax until he noticed that the evil glint hadn’t faded from Alexi’s eyes. “What else?”

  “Nothing, wrestling the bear is easy.”

  “What?”

  The men around him erupted in laughter. Alexi was laughing so hard he was wheezing and holding his side. Evan shook his head, lips pressed together, his cheeks a bit pink. “Damn you, Alexi. You for a brother-in-law. What have I done?”

  “You’ve gotten yourself one amazing young woman.” The voice came from the old woman being helped toward them. As she reached them, the men stood. All of them. The young girl who had been guiding Elena stepped away and one of the young men took her hand and found her a seat next to the cimbalom player. Evidently age removed some of the restrictions on them.

  Before they could speak, they were interrupted by a woman who came hesitantly into the clearing. She was older than he, she looked to be in her early fifties but with these people one could not tell by looking. The woman approached Elena.

  “Where is she?”

  “In the wagon, dressing. I have done her hair but these old hands will no longer manage the rest. What news do you bring, Sasha?” Evan looked up at the woman. This must be the aunt that Kira had told him of. His suspicions seemed confirmed when he realized everyone had gone silent and that those who could do so without attracting attention, had moved away from her. Even Alexi was shifting uncomfortably in her presence. She was like Kira, cursed.

  The woman turned and brown-green hazel eyes searched his face. She did not speak to him but looked him over carefully. She turned to Alexi and asked, “This one?”

  Alexi nodded. “Evan Forester, this is my father’s sister.” He seemed to almost choke on the next words he spoke, “My aunt, Anastasha Gregoravitch. Aunt, this is Evan Forester, Kira’s intended.”

  Evan was still standing from Elena’s approach. He offered his hand to her. She stared at it in amazement, her own hands clutched to her. He pulled it back and flushed with irritation. What was the matter? Was it the prohibition on touching among Elena’s people? Clarity dawned. How could he have forgotten? He was a pup-eater. A curse wolf. How dare he offer his hand to a blood Wolf?

  “You offer me your hand?” she whispered in bewilderment.

  “My apologies.” He struggled to keep his words even. Even with her mother’s behavior and Nico’s, Evan had almost forgotten.

  “Do you know what I am?”

  “I do.” He would not apologize again.

  Her eyes widened and she looked at Alexi. “He knows?”

  Alexi wouldn’t look the woman in the eye. “He knows.”

  “Kira?” The voice came out as a whisper. “He knows?”

  Alexi lifted his head. “He knows.”

  The meaning of what was being said sprang up like a child’s jack-in-the-box. The woman hadn’t been uncomfortable about what he was, but was amazed he would offer courtesy to her.

  “Let me guess,” Elena spoke from her seat. “You came to warn her. To tell her she mustn’t do this thing and that she must tell him before she does this.”

  “In part,” Sasha admitted. “My brother met me as he was leaving his wife’s rooms. He told me the news. I had to be sure she had told him.” She turned to face Evan. “I could not see my darling girl hurt if you found out later and could not accept it.”

  “That would not have happened,” Evan tried to assure her. “Has no one told you? I am a mage.”

  The woman’s eyes glowed with her disbelief.

  “We told no one else, Evan. But now everyone knows.” Alexi shook his head and placed a hand on his shoulder. “The staff and family would have had enough trouble accepting you as a curse wolf. To have them know you were…well, what you are would have been more than they could deal with.”

  “Does your mother know?” his aunt asked, her voice urgent.

  “Yes, Father would not keep it from her.”

  A small, slightly satisfied smile moved across the face. It was the first expression that wasn’t fear or apprehension he had seen from her. The smile softened her eyes and made her face pretty. Evan thought he could see shades of Kira about her. The hair was definitely Kira. Evan remembered Katerina, Alexi’s daughter. The same reddish brown locks fell in curls from her head as well.

  “I have also come about your mother. This explains a great deal. I have the unhappy task of informing you and Kira that she will not be here. She refuses to attend.” The full, rose-colored lips pursed tightly in disapproval.

  “Her feelings are strong,” Elena sighed, casting a sad glance at Evan. “This is not a surprise. Kira does not expect her. She hopes, for hope dies hard but she does not expect.”

&nb
sp; Kira’s mother wasn’t coming. Because of him she would not have her own mother at her wedding. True he was alone, neither family nor friend with him but that was to be expected. They were thousands of miles away. Her mother was less than a mile from where they stood.

  “You will be here?” Evan asked her.

  She smiled gently and Evan could see the smile of his bride in that face. “No, Evan. I thank you more than you could know for the offer. It means a great deal that you would ask. I have not seen a wedding for many years. But I am bad luck, filled with tsinivari, evil spirits. I would not be wanted.”

  “I would like you here,” he pressed. “I’m certain Kira would too.”

  “Yes, I am certain she will ask as well. But others here would not be comfortable with my presence.”

  “Evan,” Alexi began softly, hesitantly, “you are forgetting Emil and Nadja. Their families would see it as a breach of marimé, of the purity laws, to allow her here.”

  “But they are allowing me? They are choosing to share this with Kira and myself. How can that be different?” Evan stared at the man with incredulity.

  “Because it is Kira, it is different,” Sasha said sadly. “Do not let this taint something that should be joyous and special. It is all right. I am used to this. You will, perhaps, have lunch with me tomorrow. I would like a chance to know you before you run off with my darling girl.” She sighed. “I must see Kira. Elena? You will stand with her for me?”

  “Of course. I have waited long to stand beside her as her sister. Now I finally can do so.” The black eyes were filled with compassion and sympathy.

  “Poor Elena,” Sasha smiled. “You have braided her maiden’s hair and now I must ask you to unbraid it for me. She will have no mother or aunt here to do it.” Sasha reached into her pocket and pulled out a long white scarf. She handed it to her. “Thank you, Elena.”

  The older woman nodded and placed the scarf in her pocket. Sasha hurried toward the wagons.

  This woman was an outcast even as he would be if his true nature were known. Only in this world it wasn’t the wolf that made others shudder and draw away, it was the mage blood. Being gifted made her an anathema. What had saved him in his world, had cursed her in hers. Evan turned toward Elena and Alexi. “Why? Why is it such a curse to be gifted?”