Angie turned to me, questioned, “Ellie?”
“What? Oh. I’m just so happy for you, sis. I don’t know what to say.”
“Come here.” Angie leaned, arms stretched out for a hug. We embraced while she said, “You saved us, you and Vyn both.” She released back, held my gaze. “And you know what. A name just popped into my mind. Emmelina Ellie.” She gave me a grinning head tilt. “Our little Emmie, named after her Aunt Ellie.”
Through watery eyes, I looked at my sister. Just looked. My bottom lip curled and I felt it start to quiver. I buried my face into my cupped hands, and sobbed. Then felt Mom’s hand on my leg, Angie’s rubbing my back.
****
Time passed while Angie, Mom and I marinated in the news, giggling and planning a future for our new little angel.
Somehow, Mom knew it was a girl. Yay!
Jaydenn ambled into the room. He stopped, eyes tracking. In his low male tone he said, “Uh, what’s up with all the smiles? Looks like you’re feelin better, huh, Ang? You girls been into the liquor cabinet? There must be somethin weird in the air tonight. Even Phil’s gone all batty on me. He’s got me cleaning up the den, organizing books, stuff like that, said I can’t go anywhere till it’s finished.”
We girls exchanged glances … broke out into a collective giggle.
“Come here, Jay,” Angie requested. “Come sit by me.”
Jaydenn strolled to the opposite side of the bed and took Angie’s hand. “I was worried about you. Looks like you’re in top shape, now, huh?” A crooked grin.
“You mean we’re in top shape.”
“What?”
“Just sit down here.”
Mom and I watched, anticipating the news. Angie took Jaydenn’s hand and placed it on her belly, then gave Jaydenn those twinkling green eyes. “We’re in top shape. Me and little Emmelina Ellie. Our new little girl.”
Jaydenn locked a dazed look at Angie. I thought he went comatose for a moment. Eyes wide and vacant. Face blank. He finally shook his head, snapped out of it. “You’re—”
“You mean, we’re. And yes, we’re pregnant.”
Jaydenn feathered Angie’s temporarily flat belly. He bent down, put his ear to it, turned his head and kissed. Then moved up to Angie, folded his hand around the back of her neck, and pulled her into one of those kisses meant only for one those moments.
He got to his feet, unfurled his shimmering wings out wide, looked at the ceiling and let out a howl of joy. The sound shaking everything that wasn’t nailed down. It was kinda funny actually; all cracked and screechy. A chuckle slipped from my mouth while my face warmed with embarrassment for him. But I understood, and I couldn’t have said it better myself.
When the howl finally subsided, Dad called out from downstairs, “Well, congratulations! By the way, great job on the den, Jay! Celeste, are you coming with us?”
Jaydenn gave Mom a chuckle. “You two are sly, aren’t you?”
Mom smiled, winked. “I just bet that den is spotless.”
“Mom,” I asked, “what did Dad mean? You’re not going with them, are you? If you are, so am I.”
“You’re not—” Angie started to say to me before Mom cut her off:
“She’ll be fine. We just have a few things to take care of, that’s all.” She turned to Jaydenn, her eyes piercing like blue daggers. “And you’re not going anywhere, Daddy, for a very long time. Do you hear me? I’ll fight you if I have to. And you don’t wanna mess with me, Jay, trust me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mom sharpened those daggers. “I know you didn’t just call me, ma’am, did you?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. Uh, I’m gonna go, go grab a drink. Do you need anything, Ang?”
“No thanks, Daddy. Now get outta her before you get hurt. You’re outnumbered.”
“What’s with all the noise up here?” Ginelle smiled from the doorway in blue flowered silk. That dress, just. Wow. All eyes went to her.
Angling by Ginelle on his way out, Jaydenn said, “Excuse me, ma— I need outta here. Uh, nice dress. You look, nice.”
Ginelle gave him a wink. “Good catch, Jay. You almost slipped on the M word. Be careful, it’s a slippery one. We wouldn’t want you to fall and hurt yourself. Oh, and thank you.”
A sheepish grin tugged at one corner of Jaydenn’s mouth. As he turned to step out, he almost tripped over Steffunnie as she ran into the room, arms in the air, chasing the flying mouse. “Come back here,” her little voice called, “ugh, Tinkle.” She chased around the room as Jaydenn made his escape.
We all watched Steff, no doubt all of us thinking the same thing; little Emmie would soon be running around here too.
Ginelle said, “I guess I should say congratulations. You’re gonna be a great mother.” She padded bare feet to the opposite side of the bed, bent a kiss to Angie’s forehead, straightened up with a mischievous grin. “We’re gonna spoil her rotten, you know.”
“Absolutely,” Angie replied, and lifted a new-mother smile.
“That’s better,” said Steff. “Now just stay still for a little while, will you?”
Ginelle turned to me. “And, Elle, I have some news. Dahlia Emil has a birthday present for you. She’s bringing up tickets to the Angel’s Closet fashion show in Boden. You won’t have to watch it on TV this summer. We’ll be in the front row, with backstage passes.”
Did she just say—? There were those little stars dancing behind my eyes as I dragged for a breath. No, not again. I can’t—
“Hey, Ellie!” Ginelle yipped. “Wake up. Do you want one of those tube thingies in your arm, or maybe a bag to breathe into?”
I shook my head, released some trapped air from my lungs.
“Are you coming or what?” Dad boomed out from below.
Mom tossed a sigh. “Let’s go, Ellie, before your father has a fit. We’ll talk later.”
As Mom and I stepped down the stairs, thoughts brought ladybug wings to flutter in my stomach. Dahlia Emil wants to meet, me! And little Emmelina Ellie is on her way. Oh, my.
CHAPTER 32
Hunters shrieked their disagreements across the night sky, knowing that we were on a mission to destroy those that they fed. My nerves were wire-tight, vulture sounds dragging across them like an abysmal instrument.
I remembered saying to Mom, If you’re going, so am I. Yeah, real bright, idiot.
This place, at night, sent prickles of fear down my neck.
We had made it to the tree line behind the house before the hunters even noticed us, and the density of the forest kept us out of their reach. But did nothing for my sanity. I would catch a glimpse of glittering stars through spaces in the forest canopy, until a passing vulture would block the view, squawking, and my eyes would avert anywhere else but up. I should’ve stayed home with Angie. I took another step.
Ahead of me, twigs were snapping under the feet of Dad, Mom and Vyn. We were hiking through the woods, swords held at the ready. Well, I had my bow ready—the humans had saved that also—and a sword in a sheath on my back. All of us had dressed the part of purpose: Mom and I wore jeans and long-sleeved T’s, Dad in his team wear. Vyn’s lab coat was a white ghost weaving through the dark woods; he never seemed to wear anything else.
As time passed with each step, I became a bit more comfortable in the safety of the forest, despite the horrific sounds. The darkness. The sense of watchful red eyes on us. And the stench of imminent death on the air.
Even though Mom had told me not to look up, “Just ignore them,” she had said, I couldn’t help it and caught sight of a hunter perched atop a pine like a waiting shadow.
“Come on, Ellie,” Mom beckoned. I glanced her way as she weaved through the trees.
“I’ll be right there,” I called as they walked on, Dad ambling through the woods in the lead. With my gaze back on the hunter, I lifted my bow and flung an arrow. The arrow whizzed upward, twig-tapped the hunter’s neck, bounced off and fell through the trees, rattling off branches on the way to the
ground.
The hunter blinked down at me.
I swallowed, wrinkled my nose and tucked hair behind my ear. Okay, so that didn’t work.
“I told you,” Mom said, giving me a start as she stood to my left. “It takes much more than that to kill them.” She placed a palm on my shoulder. “Come on, let’s go.”
The same cave opening, only without color. Oh goody. The dank smells were still here, of course, tangling with my recent horrific memories. Dad stepped in through the hanging veil of roots, followed by Vyn. Mom and I waited outside the cave, guarding, with our backs to the opening while we surveyed down through the dark forest. Dad had told the team that we could take care of this on our own.
Okay, I guess.
A few minutes passed before we heard Dad’s deep voice in the cave, “Well hello there, drek.” Seconds later, “Well goodbye there, drek.” Then Vyn laughed down the tunnel.
Scuffling and running sounds blew from the cave, sounding like hundreds.
Dad bugled, “Ha! Now that’s more like it. Here chicky chickies, time to butter the toast!”
Mom heaved a sigh. “He’s so dramatic sometimes. Just like a little boy, you know.” She swiveled her head to me. “They will always be little boys, honey, remember that.”
She didn’t look stressed at all. My stomach tied in knots for Vyn.
“Aren’t you worried, Mom? What if they need our help?”
“They’ll be okay. Besides, we’ll be too busy to worry. Trust me. This isn’t my first party, honey.” She sent a smile into the forest.
The remembrance of all the dreks came back. Pushing down the horrible images became a chore, but they were too recent to ignore. Stirring up my nerves, a hunter would land on a treetop, squawk and screech …Then bound into flight as the tree swayed from the force of his push off. Another vulture would take his place and repeat the taunt.
The forest took on a white haze.
“Well, would you look at that? I still have it,” said Mom.
Glancing over and back, I said, “You can see it, the white?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful, don’t you think? But there’s only one reason for the white. Get ready, honey.” She scanned the forest. I followed her lead.
Behind us, the cave sounds grew into muffled grunts and growls. The brief sound of a drek yell—then cut off like a switch and Dad shouted, “Next!”
Nightmare shadows tainted the light, waves of dreks stepping around bushes and over fallen logs, weaving through the woods, cackling and snapping angry whips—the sounds freezing my heart and seizing my chest.
“Just breathe, Ellie.” Mom’s eyes remained forward. “And remember, rule number one, always get the ones that are about to yell first. When you see a mouth open, that’s your clue.”
Calming, measured breaths drew into my lungs. Pulse slowed. Focus cleared a path in my mind. Targets. My bow pulled up, one second, two, I let an arrow fly … A single drek was gone, hundreds more in sight as they began to pick up the pace, the forest awash with yak yacking sounds like a pack of excited hyenas on the hunt, whips cracking wha-tish! over and over.
“Nice shot, honey. But there are too many for arrows. Let me show you a more efficient way. And get your sword out.”
Oh yeah, that’s right. Dad had insisted I bring a sword, thank Source for that. I set my bow to the ground, reached over my shoulder, pulled the sword out of the sheath on my back and over my head, held it in both hands before me. I had never used a sword before, it was a little awkward, but, whatever.
“This is going to be so much fun,” Mom said as she stepped forward with her sword drawn, her white teeth flashing in the night.
What did she say, fun?
Ghoulish sounds flooded the forest. The vile scent of dreks wafted through the trees.
A smirking drek, flicking his tongue over needle teeth, bulging eyes glinting, began to approach Mom.
Without hesitation, Mom spun a circle and the sword zipped through the drek’s head as if he wasn’t even there. Then he wasn’t. And her sword dripped black.
For some reason, the dreks gravitated toward Mom. Another drek approached her with a lifted whip. Mom let out a sprinkle of laughter … and waited. The drek swung to whip her. Mom sliced the whip in two, half falling to the ground in front of her, the confused drek holding the other half while Mom said, “You know”—slice, drek gone—“I really don’t like those whip things.” Spin, swing and slice, another one gone. She’d step forward, and one at a time, sometimes more, she’d finish them like an artist through the tight trees, painting the ground with pools of drek, gritting her teeth between grins as she lit up the forest.
Squawking hunters were gathering above, nothing they could do but watch.
Something took over my senses, pushed me to perform.
A distant drek’s mouth began to yawn open. I bolted over and took care of him before he could lift his whip. Then ran back to a safer spot and spun around.
Endless waves of dreks marched up the mountainside.
Wha-tish! Yak,Yak! Wha-tish!
Mom pranced to a small clearing.
A group began to encircle her, maybe ten, then twenty, and more on the way, until Mom was aglow in the center of a drek circle. Just as panic for her began to stab me, Mom let out a bursting spray of maniacal laughter, stopped, and trumpeted, “Time for some fun!”
The circle ignited with light and made me squint. Dreks were disappearing so fast. A minute later, there she was; Mom with her full wingspan unfurled like diamond-dusted sheets with sharp feather tips. She began to spin. The force of rotation seemed to create a vacuum of light that sucked the dreks in and snuffed them out of existence—as if they just evaporated. No trace. No liquid pool. Wing weapons, no flappin way! The blazing cyclone of my mother was all I could see. A glowing wind tunnel to the sky. I stood in amazement with my hand over my mouth.
She stopped abruptly, threw me a look of terror. “Ellie! Behind you!”
My mind shrieked and I snapped around to see a drek thrusting a dagger toward my head. A second, just enough time to raise my arms into a guard, before the dagger fell to the ground and an arrow careened off a tree and into the bushes behind where he once was.
“Nice shot, Vyn,” Dad’s voice rang from the distance.
Looking back, I finally drew a breath. Vyn stood near the cave, flashing those dimples at me, my pink bow in his hand. I sent him a “thank you” grin. He returned a nod and a wink.
The woods were dark again. Stars glittered above.
Vulture sounds receded as they flew away, squawking their disagreements.
Mom hustled over to me as Dad and Vyn tramped around the trees finishing the stragglers. Vyn pulled something out of his lab coat pocket, a syringe maybe? He ran up to the last drek and jammed it into his head, then stepped back. The drek stood with a look of shock, the syringe dangling from his bald skull. His head started to brighten, and brighter, bigger … it was inflating with light … It popped, sending white serum goo to splash the trees.
Vyn shook his head, scrubbed his hands through his hair as he said, “That’s what I thought. I tried, though,” then brushed more stuff off his coat.
“You have to be more careful, Ellie,” Mom said, roping my attention with a mother look. “You have to remember to stay focused. If Vyn wasn’t—”
“It’s okay now, Mom. I understand. I’m sorry. You were just so—” I stopped, pulled some hair behind my ear. “How did you do that?”
With a smug grin, she slid her sword back into the sheath over her shoulder. “That was my signature move. What’d you think?”
“Mom, seriously, that was flappin awesome. You have to show me how to do that.”
“Okay, that takes care a that,” Dad said, brushing his hands together while he and Vyn approached. “I’m goin down to let them know it’s all clear back here. I’m thinkin we’ll block this entrance off. Use the cave for storage or something.”
“Uh, Phil,” Vyn said. “I think we have
a problem.”
We all joined Vyn’s sight line. Wolves. Wolves paced through the forest lower down the mountain. They didn’t look friendly. Heads lowered. Glowing eyes lanced through the dark at us.
“Dad, let’s go into the cave. I don’t. I can’t—” The lead wolf launched forward, started a charge up the mountain as the others joined in behind him.”
“Dad! Let’s go!”
“Quiet down, Ellie,” Dad half grumbled. “It’s fine.”
The knot in my stomach forced me to run up to the cave. Once there, I wheeled around to watch. Dad said something to Vyn and Mom as they nodded in agreement.
“Come on, now,” Dad shouted to the wolves. Mom and Vyn just stood there.
What the flap are they doing?
The black wolf launched off his feet. Dad caught him and hugged, said, “How you doin there, Jaeger.” In Dad’s arms, Jaeger wriggled and wiggled, swinging his tail and licking Dad’s face. When Dad set him to the ground, Jaeger began to bounce around with energy, a yelp, a yap, an excited whine. The rest of the pack—blacks and whites and grays—made their way to join Jaeger, and began a chorus of joyful barks and yips.
Eyes wide, stunned, I just stood at the cave mouth.
“Come on down here, Ellie,” called Dad.
After making my way to them, I stood beside Mom as we watched the wolves dance around together. I said, “They— I don’t understand.”
Through the sound of the wolf play, Dad said, “I’d say they’re happy. The dreks were probably stealing their food, tormenting them. And we took care of that for them. They just wanted to thank us.”
“Oh, that’s so nice. It’s just so—” Words caught in my throat as a white female stepped over, sat on her haunches at my feet, and looked up at me. Wolf eyes, such beautiful light green, so intense. I crouched, ran my hand over her head and through her neck fur. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered. She lifted her head and licked my face. “Oh, you’re welcome, girl. I think your name is Shiera. Do you like that?” She confirmed it with another series of face licks. Once my face was thoroughly wet, she slowly backed away and moved to Jaeger.
Wings of Boden Page 24