by Cheree Alsop
“It worked for the lacuda, didn’t it?” Vey replied calmly.
Aleric wanted to laugh again, but the seriousness of her expression stilled the rise of hysteria. “Yes, it did.”
“Trust in the minky, Dr. Wolf. You’ve been true to Diablo. She will be true to you.”
Hands helped him up, though truth be told, the werewolf felt far stronger than he had in a very long time. Even the wound from the Archdemon barely throbbed. He closed and then opened his hands, amazed at their lack of pain.
“Vinca and Valerian will escort you,” Vey said. “We will do everything in our power for Lilian. Come back with the Almedragon. Without it, we’re all lost.”
Aleric nodded. There were no words to answer the woman’s request.
Before he could leave, she said, “The way to control a dragon is from above. Try to reach it from below and it will shred or burn you into nothing. Find a way to reach it from above or it will kill you before Diablo has a chance.”
Aleric had no idea how do to what she asked, but she turned away without giving him the opportunity to question her. The werewolf allowed the two wood nymph sisters to lead him from the clearing.
“The banshee waits for you in the woods,” Vinca explained.
“Out there?” Aleric asked. The thought of Daylen and Elianna’s father seeking him through the forest he so feared was a sobering one.
“He preferred the terrors of the trees to our peaceful clearing. I don’t understand it,” Valerian said in a tone that showed her confusion.
“Banshees have a fear of wood nymphs. Do you know why?” Aleric asked as he followed the sisters through the trees.
“Their cries don’t work on us,” Vinca said.
Aleric nodded in understanding. “Their debilitating cries give them control. The lack of control can be terrifying. They can’t seem to stop the zilants, either. I suppose that’s where the fear came from.”
“And their eyes,” Mathen called from the trees ahead. “The bright green. It’s like they’re made of trees.”
“We live in the trees,” Valerian pointed out. “We’re not made out of them.”
“It’s alright,” Aleric reassured her. He kept his gaze on the banshee who cowered against a trunk in the shadows. “He’s in no place to understand right now. He’s protecting his family.” He turned to face both wood nymphs. “Thank you for taking in Lilian and for what you’ve done for me. I’ll do what I can to help,” he promised the sisters. “I’ll be back.”
“Are you sure?” Vinca asked.
Aleric nodded. “Absolutely.”
That brought a smile of hope to both sisters’ faces. “Goodbye, Dr. Wolf. Good luck.”
“I think I’ll need all the luck I can get,” Aleric replied.
“You have ours,” Valerian said.
The wood nymphs stepped back into the trees and vanished from view. Aleric listened for them, but their footsteps had disappeared as well.
“A-are they gone?” Mathen asked.
Aleric nodded. “They are.” He reached the banshee’s side. “I’m amazed you came this far.”
“Daylen and Elianna said you’re our only hope. The zilants are getting bolder. With nobody in the streets, they’re breaking into houses. People are being killed left and right. There’s no escape. The w-wood nymph woman,” his swallow of fear was audible, “She said you could bring a dragon that will stop the zilants.”
“She has a lot of faith in a minky,” Aleric said.
“What does that mean?” Mathen asked.
They paused at the edge of the forest where the woods gave way to the city. He studied the sky and street between them and the shelter of the closest alley.
“It looks clear,” Mathen whispered.
He took a step forward.
Aleric grabbed the banshee’s arm. The man opened his mouth to question the werewolf, but Aleric held up a hand.
At that moment, a zilant slithered across the mouth of the alley. It looked even bigger close up, even with its wings held tightly against its back so as to not interfere with its movements. Its undulating motion was unnerving as its purple tongue tested the air for warmth. Its massive head swung in their direction. The slit green eyes stared straight at them.
“We’re in trouble!” Mathen whispered loudly.
The snake’s mouth opened wider than the human was tall and an ear-splitting hiss sounded. Both the human and werewolf covered their ears.
Aleric looked around quickly as the creature approached. He reached for a fallen branch and noticed his hand. He had been living with bandages on them for long enough that he forgot he had been healed.
“I’ve got this,” Aleric said over his shoulder.
“What are you—?”
Aleric pulled off his shirt and phased to wolf form before the zilant could reach them. He heard the banshee curse and scramble backwards. The werewolf gathered his paws beneath him. The winged snake rose up to strike. Aleric sprang with the speed and strength of his werewolf heritage fueling him.
Even at full health, a werewolf would be hard pressed to beat a snake, but Aleric’s strength was fueled by the thought of a banshee who feared returning home to a slain family. The pleading of the wood nymph woman lingered in his mind, her wavering words begging him to bring the dragon back and defeat the zilants. He thought of women and children eaten as they walked streets that had been his home as a child.
The sound of the zilant’s wings beating against him failed to bring fear to Aleric’s heart. Instead, he tightened his hold on the creature’s neck, tearing deep with fangs meant to hamstring a deer or chase down a hart. He felt his teeth slice through tissue. The musk of the zilant’s scent clogged his nose. Blood filled his mouth. It was thick and tasted reptilian.
Another hiss sounded from the dark fae creature when Aleric tightened his jaw further. The zilant flung its head from side to side in an attempt to dislodge him. Aleric waited for the perfect moment, and when it neared the ground on his side, he shoved his back legs against the dirt and used the leverage to push himself up closer to the snake’s throat. The zilant rose up again, another hiss sounding. Aleric held on as he was yanked off his feet.
The weight of his body combined with his grip tore through the zilant’s throat. It gave a great gurgle and jerked from side to side. Aleric closed his eyes and refused to let go. He felt the creature topple forward and sprang free just before it hit the ground. He rolled and came up to his paws, his teeth bared and muscles ready in case the zilant rose.
The winged snake thrashed across the ground, blood pouring from its torn jugular. It rose up once and Aleric readied himself to attack, but it fell to the ground with a thud he felt through his paws. The thrashing stilled and a final gurgling hiss escaped the creature.
“I-I’ve never seen anything like that,” Mathen breathed when he stepped from the trees.
Aleric grabbed his clothes in his teeth and ducked behind a tree to phase back to human form. He couldn’t suppress the smile that crossed his face as he pulled on his scrubs. He felt exhilarated, healthy. It was a reminder of how helpless he had been without the use of his hands or the ability to phase into wolf form. Fighting the zilant had probably been a stupid decision, but it was the only option he’d had. He couldn’t deny how good it had felt to battle something that size and come out on top.
“Wait ‘til I tell the others,” the banshee proclaimed when Aleric stepped out into the open again. “They’ll praise your name for sure. Werewolves will be spoken of with joy instead of fear.” He raised his arms in the moonlight. “We’re saved!”
Aleric grabbed the banshee’s arm and pulled him across the street to the shadows of the closest building.
“There are still more of them out there, remember?” he whispered.
“You’ll fight them all. My children were right. You’ll save us!”
Aleric couldn’t shoot down the look of hope on the banshee’s face. Who knew how many citizens the man had seen eaten by the gi
ant snakes? He let out a breath and nodded. “I’ll do everything I can, but we’ve got to get back to the Rift. Can the children open it for me from this side?”
“Piece of vegetable lamb of tartary pie,” the banshee replied. “They’ll get you back to that human world in no time.”
“Glad to hear it,” Aleric replied. He kept an eye on the sky and his ears focused on the streets. As confident as Mathen was, the werewolf didn’t want to try his luck a second time.
Chapter Twelve
“Dr. Wolf!”
“Dr. Wolf!”
Aleric knelt on the ground and the banshee children threw their arms around his neck. It felt good to see Daylen and Elianna again. Elianna looked as though she was about to cry with happiness.
“Don’t do it,” her older brother warned. “You don’t want to drop him to the ground and have him regret coming here.”
“Oh, right,” Elianna said. She gave him a beaming smile. “It’s so good to see you again. We knew you’d come.”
“That’s what your father tells me,” Aleric replied. “How did you know?”
“Grimma and Grimsli told us at school,” Daylen said.
Aleric stared from one child to the other. “You know the grims?”
They both nodded and Elianna said, “Grimma’s my best friend. We’re in the same class together.”
That brought a smile to Aleric’s face. “Fabian kept his promise.”
“What was that?” Mathen asked.
Aleric wasn’t sure if mentioning that the grims stayed at the house of the Second Horseman would be a good idea. There were still plenty of suspicions that stemmed from truths surrounding the Horsemen. He didn’t want the grims to be shunned at school.
He gave the banshee father a reassuring smile. “I’m just glad the grims have found such good friends.” He winked at Elianna. “I couldn’t imagine anyone nicer.”
She grinned up at him.
A woman came into the small living room and paused at the sight of him.
“Dr. Wolf, this is my wife, Lea.”
“Dr. Wolf?” she repeated.
When he nodded, she crossed the room and gave him a huge hug before he could react.
“How can we ever thank you enough for helping our children get back home?” she asked.
A sob escaped her and pain exploded in Aleric’s head. He winced at the agonizing pain and squeezed his forehead with his free hand.
“Lea, he’s fae, remember?” Mathen said quickly. “You can’t cry around him.”
She backed away from Aleric and wiped her eyes. “Even happy tears?” she asked, her voice quavering as she attempted to rein in her emotions.
Aleric nodded and attempted to give her a weak smile through the throbbing headache. “Even happy tears,” he replied. “Who would have thought so much pain could come from such happiness?”
“Maybe we can thank you by not ambushing you with what I’ve been told is debilitating agony,” Mathen said, giving the werewolf an apologetic smile.
Aleric straightened, telling himself the headache was lessening. “It’s okay. I’m fine, really.”
“Can we get you something to eat?” Lea asked with a pleading expression.
Behind her, Mathen shook his head quickly, waving his arms to warn the werewolf.
Aleric didn’t know how to politely refuse, so he nodded. “If I can get something on the run, that would be most welcome. It’s been a long day.” He glanced out the window. “Or night. I’m not really sure when I ate last.”
“I have the perfect thing,” Lea replied. She disappeared through the door.
“Great,” Daylen muttered. “If Mom’s crying didn’t kill you, her cooking will.”
At Aleric’s questioning look, Mathen sighed. “I’d like to correct my son, but he’s right. If you have to eat Lea’s cooking, do so sparingly. We sneak out on occasion for trips to the Market District.”
“Pure survival,” Daylen said.
Elianna giggled. “She thinks the flowers we bring back are out of love, but they’re a bit of an apology. She means well.”
Lea reappeared at the end of her daughter’s statement. The banshee woman carried something wrapped in a cloth napkin.
Aleric eyed the item uncertainly, but he accepted it when the banshee woman held it out.
“Uh, thank you,” he said. He hadn’t meant to end the words with the hint of a question, but the children barely stifled more giggles.
“You come see us when you’re through out there,” Lea told him. “I’ll cook you the best meal you’ve ever had.”
Mathen blanched behind her at the thought. At the same time, the scent of the item in the napkin touched Aleric’s nose. Instead of holding it away in distaste, he brought it closer and gave it another sniff. The scent brought back memories he had long since forgotten.
He sat at his mother’s knee as she kneaded the bread over and over, her hands strong in the days before she was brought down by the sickness. She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. “Care for a taste?”
She knew he loved to sample the dough before she cooked it. She said it was a trait he had inherited from her, and was always generous with the sample she gave him. He chewed contentedly on the dough as she stepped over to the pan and stirred the stewed meat. It was just starting to bubble.
“Perfect,” she proclaimed. She looked back at him. “It wouldn’t do to overcook it. You know how your father likes it.”
“Tender but chewy,” they both repeated.
She rolled her eyes with a fond smile. “How a person is supposed to make meat both of those things is beyond me, but I’ve found bringing the hart to the beginning of a boil before filling the pies seems to satisfy him.”
“And me,” young Aleric said.
She blew on the spoon a moment before she held it out. Aleric opened his mouth and tasted the hart meat. The small sample made his mouth water.
“I could eat the whole thing!” he proclaimed.
His mother laughed. “Where would that get us?”
“Sending Father out for another hart,” Aleric replied. “Maybe he would let me go with him this time.”
His mother gave him an affectionate smile. “You’re too young to go chasing off through the Drake Woods yet, but one day you will, I promise you that.”
“I can’t wait,” he replied.
“Maybe this will tide you until then,” she said. She scooped up a generous serving of the meat into a bowl and handed it to him. He sat next to the fire and dipped his dough into it. Broth dripped down his chin as he watched his mother fill the pies.
“This is just the way my mother used to make it,” Aleric said.
“Oh, really?” Lea replied.
Aleric blinked and found them all watching him. He hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud. He cleared his throat with embarrassment. “Uh, yes,” he said. “I’ve missed them without realizing just how much.”
“Does your mother live far from here?” Lea asked.
Aleric kept his gaze on the meat-filled roll in his hands. “She passed away from sickness when I was four. I don’t remember her much, but sometimes something like this will bring back a memory.” He gave Lea a warm smile. “Thank you for that.”
“You’re very welcome,” she replied with a glowing smile of her own. “My cooking isn’t much appreciated here.” Her gaze said she knew exactly why her family escaped to the Market District so often.
Aleric chuckled. “That’s because you’re cooking for the wrong race.”
“What does that mean?” Lea asked.
He held up the roll. “You were obviously meant to feed hungry werewolf doctors.”
Everyone laughed and Lea looked exceptionally pleased. She winked at Daylen and Elianna. “You children just need to have appetites more like Dr. Wolf,” she said.
“We’ll work on that,” Daylen promised. He took a bit bite of his meat pie and ate it noisily. Mathen chuckled and Lea gave a pleased smile.
Aleric soon fo
und himself on the other side of the Rift with two more meat-filled rolls in one hand. Worry for Lilian and the fate of Drake City hurried his steps so that he was nearly running when he came out of the alley. He slid to a stop just before he bowled Dartan over.
“What are you doing here?” Aleric asked in surprise.
“Waiting for you,” the vampire said. “What else?”
“You were nearly dead when I left you,” the werewolf told him.
Dartan eyed him. “Were you hoping I’d be more so by the time you got back?”
The vampire’s sarcasm brought a smile to the werewolf’s face. “Where would I be without my trusty vampire sidekick?”
Dartan rolled his red eyes. “I’m not your sidekick, Wolfie. We’ve been over this.”
“I forgot,” Aleric corrected himself. “You’re the orderly and I’m the doctor.”
Dartan let out a self-suffering sigh. “Why was I waiting for you to come back?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
The vampire gestured to the night sky. “Because we have a problem.”
“Don’t tell me there’re more winged snakes,” Aleric said.
“Winged what?” Dartan asked.
Aleric shook his head. “It’s a long story. What else is it?”
“The Almedragon,” the vampire replied as if the answer should have been obvious.
“It escaped!” Aleric said in alarm.
The vampire nodded. “Officer Ling said it broke through whatever you bound it with, tried to kill several of his men and women who tried to keep it from leaving, and it took to the skies. I figured I’d warn you before it tries to eat you. I have a feeling you’re on its bad side.”
“It’s flying.” Dread showed in Aleric’s tone.
“Back to pointing out the obvious,” Dartan replied. “What happened to you in Blays? Are you holding food? And where’s Lilian?”
“Still there,” Aleric said. He answered the question the vampire appeared reluctant to ask. “She’s alive for now. The wood nymphs are doing their best to save her.”
“The wood nymphs?” the vampire repeated in surprise. “I thought you were off to fight Death or something nearly as idiotic and foolhardy. Couldn’t you find him?”