Tempest

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  This time our kiss was less urgent, sweeter, and I savored it like it was our last.

  Chapter 24

  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

  Genesis 3:1

  I stared at Cricket in the early morning sunshine as she flicked her tail back and forth against imaginary flies. The grass was still dewy and my tennis shoes were damp straight through to my socks. Ivan knelt beside Angus and Lutz stood on the pathway. Sawyer and Horas leaned against the aged boards of the barn. The Roman frowned a little as he clutched a blanket to his chest, but Sawyer looked confident.

  I blushed for the hundredth time and dropped my eyes. We’d returned to the cabin early that morning to a bunch of wide, knowing eyes. Horas and Ivan hadn’t said a word, but Insepth hadn’t been so discreet. Fire still pulsated in my veins when I recalled how he’d congratulated us in a mocking tone on the consummation of our relationship. He had been drunk, but that didn’t excuse his behavior. Today, he wouldn’t even look me in the eye, making it even more uncomfortable and confusing.

  I tilted my head and listened to Insepth go over the procedure once again with Youmi and Sir Austin. He paused, giving them ample opportunity to disagree with him or make suggestions. They remained quiet. They were as clueless as the rest of us about what was going to happen.

  Still not looking my way, Insepth asked, “Are you sure Adria instructed you to consume the particles?”

  We’d already gone over this point several times and I became impatient. “Yes, that’s what she said.”

  “And the spell—you remember it? If you don’t recite it exactly in the right way, who knows what will happen to your horse, or to you.” Insepth’s eyes lifted, met mine and then shifted again.

  It had only been the briefest of glances, but I saw anger in their depths. It occurred to me then that he was upset about what I did with Sawyer because he was jealous. The realization made my mouth go dry. For the first time, a wave of guilt flooded me. Why, I had no clue, but it was there nonetheless.

  “Well?” His voice cut the air.

  “I remember, don’t worry. Unless Adria told me wrong, I got this.”

  “Maybe we should wait a few more days—give you time to recover from the ordeal in Purgatory,” Sir Austin spoke up.

  The air Watcher was the only gray haired person in the group. Because of his age, he demanded a certain amount of automatic respect, and his accent didn’t hurt, either.

  I jutted my chin out and placed my hands on my hips. “Ila had been urgent about transforming Cricket as soon as possible. We lost Eae and Ormr to do this—we’re not putting it off any longer.”

  Sir Austin stepped back, waving his hand towards Cricket. “By all means then.”

  Sawyer and I exchanged looks.

  One of the barn cats, a gray tabby, rubbed against Cricket’s leg and I shooed him away. Cricket paused from her grazing and raised her head.

  I stepped up to the horse, who was now watching me with her head raised even higher. She was suspicious.

  “I’m right here if you need me,” Insepth said in a business-like fashion.

  I didn’t answer him. My fingers wrapped around the glass tube and I trembled. Sin’s evil essence filled the vial. I pushed the thought away. “I trust you, Ila,” I muttered under my breath, pulling the small cylinder from my pocket.

  I barely looked at the swirling black fumes when I uncorked the bottle. It smelled like smoke. I wrinkled my nose.

  The particles sped from the bottle into my open mouth and down my throat. I swallowed and blinked. The tranquil scene of a sunny, autumn day abruptly changed. The valley was on fire and the rotting corpses of my friends were strewn about the ground. Ivan’s head twisted unnaturally and his face was frozen in a horrified grimace. Black liquid oozed from Sawyer’s mouth and his eyes were fathomless black holes. Hellhounds chewed on the flesh of the goats and a black dragon met my gaze before she opened her mouth, releasing a stream of blue flames that burned the forest and all the animals living there. A deep feeling of hopelessness and despair washed over me until I was drowning in it.

  You are strong—stronger than the particles. Get a hold of yourself. Insepth was inside my mind.

  His words were like a slap to my face. I cleared my throat and blinked the vision away. My Gaia, fire and tempest surrounded the black matter inside of me. I touched Cricket’s neck and recited Adria’s spell.

  Waves crashed against rocks and seagulls screeched. The taste of salt water was bitter in my mouth and harsh wind pummeled my face. I couldn’t hear myself speaking, but I felt all four of my elements come to life, even the wispy caress of air, melded with the others in a thundering dance that made my head spin. I held strands of Cricket’s mane in my hand. Her black fur blurred. She whinnied, snorted and then groaned in pain. When she went up on her hind legs, I didn’t let go. She thrashed sideways and I went with her.

  “Ember!” I thought it was Sawyer’s voice, but wasn’t sure.

  For an instant, Cricket’s heavy weight pressed down on me and I closed my eyes, thinking I was about to be crushed by her.

  Silence.

  My head throbbed and I was afraid to move a muscle. I wasn’t touching my horse—my hands gripped a human arm.

  “My God in Heaven, it worked,” Sir Austin exclaimed.

  “Extraordinary,” Youmi chimed in.

  Feet scurried in the leaves and I opened my eyes. Horas was bending over a naked woman lying beside me. He arranged the blanket around her shoulders.

  Cricket’s eyes were closed, but I could see the rise and fall of her chest. I crawled closer, not taking my eyes off her. She was strong and athletic looking and her black hair was jagged and short, contrasting with her pale skin. The red outline of a scar she’d had on her horse neck from a sharp branch that had wounded her two summers ago was still there. Her pink lips parted and I leaned closer still.

  “You did it.” Insepth knelt beside Horas.

  “Can you hear me, Cricket—do you understand what I’m saying?” I asked in a shaky voice. The energy I’d just used was greater than I’d expected. My stomach rolled with nausea and I was exhausted. Sawyer’s hand gripped my shoulder, supporting me.

  Cricket’s eyes fluttered open. They were the same warm brown as her horse eyes. Her face was oval and her cheekbones high. My mouth dropped opened in awe. She was beautiful.

  She coughed and pushed up on her hands. Horas jumped forward to help her.

  I touched her arm and she snatched it away, glaring back at me.

  “What…have…you…done…to me,” she struggled to get the words out.

  “Just like I thought, she speaks in English.” Insepth grinned. “She learned the language by you talking to her all those years. Your horse understood a lot more than you probably thought.”

  Memories trickled in of so many times Cricket had been stubborn and I had to kick her a little harder to get the response I wanted. Horses were herd animals and if they didn’t respect their leader, they became the leader, sometimes in a fit of biting and kicking.

  I straightened at her narrowed gaze. She might look like a human on the outside, but there was still a horse somewhere in there. “You remember Ila—you liked her.” Cricket nodded once. “She told me to change you into a human.”

  “Why?” She gripped the patchwork quilt tighter.

  I glanced around. Insepth held his hands out and Sawyer’s lips puckered, but neither of them said anything. The absurdity of the situation dawned on me as I searched for an explanation.

  “I’m not sure yet, but Ila was a sensible Watcher—she must have good reason. It just hasn’t been revealed to us yet,” I said.

  Cricket rose on shaky legs and took a wobbly step forward.
Horas went with her, holding her arm so she wouldn’t fall. She wasn’t used to walking on two legs. I remembered entering her mind before. Her muted, yellowed vision and her powerful muscles had been quite upsetting until I got used to being inside a horse. A human body must feel very weak and flimsy to her.

  “Ila was…one of the…magical ones, like you. I sensed her…kindness and…love, but I am not yours to command.” She thrust a finger in my face, her voice scaling higher as her speech improved. “Turn me back!”

  I saw the same firm set on her jaw I’d seen too many times to count on my horse’s face. I hadn’t speculated how difficult she’d be in human form.

  “I didn’t think you’d mind becoming a Growler.”

  “She isn’t a Growler,” Ivan spoke up, his brow furrowed. “She can’t be, only predatory animals—meat eaters—are Growlers.” He spread his hands wide. “She is something completely new, one of a kind.”

  A painful knot formed in my throat. I’d blindly done as Ila asked, without even contemplating what it would mean for Cricket. She was alone in the world, an oddity among oddities. “I’m so sorry, Cricket.” I reached for her, but she smacked my hand away.

  “I won’t switch back and forth like the wolf or the bear to do your bidding. Make me a whole horse again,” she demanded.

  Sawyer’s fingers kneaded my arm. He felt my heart cracking and sent the same calming vibrations through our connection he used to pull me back when my fire got out of hand. I let out a long breath and looked solidly into Cricket’s eyes. “I can’t change you back. Ila once told me this magic can’t be undone.” I forced my voice to be firm. “You’re just going to have to get used to it.”

  I saw her fist coming, but didn’t have time to react. It struck, punching me squarely in the face. There was a sickening cracking sound and a squirt of blood from my nose.

  Horas threw his arms around Cricket, jerking her back. She thrashed in his arms, but he was strong enough to hold her in place.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Sawyer shouted at Cricket.

  I held up my hand to silence him. “It’s okay. I had it coming.”

  Sawyer continued to scowl at Cricket, but Insepth nodded encouragement. I tilted my head, meeting Cricket’s defiant glare. “You can punch and kick me all you want. It’s not going to change what you are.” I carefully touched my nose. “I’m already healing—I can take whatever you dish out, but we don’t have time for this nonsense.” I motioned at the meadow. “All this will be gone soon. The world will be horror and death. I’m trying to stop it from happening. I don’t know if I have any chance at all—or if it’s even the right thing to do—but I’m going to try anyway. Somehow, you’re part of the plan. I need you.” I wiped the blood off my cheek, ignoring the pinched, tingling feeling of my Gaia healing my broken nose. “You have a choice. If you refuse to help me, all the horses in the world will die. They’ll be killed and eaten by monsters or starve to death when the grass is gone. You can be your usual stubborn self—but remember, by helping me, you’re helping them.”

  Everyone held their breath while Cricket stared back at me. In a softer tone, I added, “Ivan and Lutz can teach you how to transform back and forth—you won’t always have to be a human. Lutz stays in bear form most of the time—” I didn’t get to finish.

  “I don’t want to talk to you.” Cricket crossed her arms.

  I threw my hands up. “Horas, why don’t you take her to the cabin and get her settled in. She can have Ila’s bed.”

  “Of course.” He offered his arm to her in a formal manner.

  She glanced down at it and turned away, walking up the path slowly as if she was thinking about each step.

  He took a sharp breath before following her up the path.

  “Don’t worry. She’ll come around,” Insepth said.

  I snorted. “I hope it’s before bedtime or else she might slit my throat while I’m sleeping.”

  Chapter 25

  Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; His number is 666.

  Revelation 13:18

  I glanced at Cricket again. She was sitting on Ila’s bed, staring straight ahead. Cool air blew in the open window, ruffling the curtains. Every so often there was the sound of the tapping of leaves striking the side of the cabin when the wind gusted. I climbed over Angus’ sleeping form and closed the window. When I leaned back onto the pillow, Cricket was still ignoring me.

  I fidgeted with the corner of the blanket and closed my eyes. My nose was completely healed, and I was tired. I wanted to fall asleep, but my mind kept wandering. I wasn’t particularly worried about Cricket doing me real harm. She’d been difficult as a horse, but I knew deep down, she loved me. Besides Piper, Cricket and Angus had been my only friends for most of my life. Thinking about Piper made my chest sting. I’d lost her, and now, because of my own actions, I might have lost Cricket too.

  My head throbbed like it was going to explode. Piper was dead, Ila was a ghost and I didn’t know the fate of my guardian Angel. Visions had been playing in my mind all day long of Gabriel torturing Eae, and then killing him.

  Angus’ leg jerked and he yipped softly in his sleep. He was probably chasing a squirrel. I wished I could sleep as well as my dog. Whenever I did manage to drift off for a few minutes, I was plagued by nightmares, some normal bad dreams and others from the magical dream world. I didn’t like either kind, but the latter was far more terrifying.

  I hugged the pillow, wishing Sawyer was beside me and not sleeping on the cot on the other side of the door. He certainly had no qualms about platonically sharing my bed even with Cricket in the room, and perhaps maybe even more so, since he was still upset that she’d punched me. But I’d insisted he stay in the living room with Horas and Insepth. Horas had good-naturedly taken the recliner when Insepth claimed the couch. Surprising me, Sir Austin and Youmi had taken up residence in the barn, making the best of a loft filled with hay. They had declared that they’d spent nights in worse places in their hundreds of years. Ivan and Lutz prowled the forest in their animal forms, making sure Ila’s warding was working and that no enemies lurked nearby.

  I missed Sawyer’s body wrapped around me—and his kisses. Memories of the night before heated my cheeks and I buried my face in the pillow. It hadn’t been exactly what I expected, but Sawyer had been gentle and sweet. I had decided that it was something that got better with practice, and even though I tried to push all thoughts of it from my mind, I’d been thinking way too much about it. Sometimes my inner fire took over and all I wanted to do was make out with Sawyer, but my Gaia was quieter, almost aloof. I knew who that element wanted me to be kissing.

  “I wonder if I’ll see Rhondo one day.” Cricket’s voice startled me, jerking me up from the pillow.

  Faint moonlight outlined her silhouette. She was still staring at nothing, but her head was inclined my way and her lips were pursed.

  Rhondo was Piper’s old horse. I hadn’t thought about him in forever and felt a stab of guilt that I hadn’t.

  “If you want to, you can visit him,” I offered, trying to keep my voice upbeat, but it was difficult with those little nagging thoughts about the end of the world poking me.

  Her tone softened. “He was always a gentleman, even when I bit him.”

  I smiled in the darkness. She had bit and kicked Rhondo a lot. “Why were you so mean to him?”

  She glanced over. “Because he let me, and it made me angry. He should have stood up to me…the same way you did.”

  Since her voice was level and she didn’t seem as upset, I risked broaching a subject I’d been dreading. “Were you resentful when I saddled you up for a ride?”

  “Of course not! I loved galloping through the fields and hacking through the woods with you. Each time was a grand adventure.” She took an excited breath. “My min
d is much busier now—life was simpler then. Little things made me happy, like the taste of dewy, morning grass and the first chilly day of autumn.” She sighed. “I really enjoyed grooming sessions. You did a nice job and it felt wonderful.”

  Having Cricket tell me all her horsey thoughts as a human was beyond weird, but I’d gotten ridiculously used to weirdness. I was just glad she was talking to me.

  “I’m sorry about hitting you earlier.” She flipped her long legs over the side of the bed and leaned over. “I was frustrated and I took it out on you. You’ve always been kind to me, putting up with my ornery nature, where most people would have sold me long ago.”

  My eyes stung. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw you. You were the most magnificent creature I’d ever laid eyes on. Even though you clenched down on the bit and nearly ran off with me, I knew you were the horse for me. I considered you one of my best friends.”

  “We are still friends and I will help you. But someday, I do wish to see Rhondo again. Will you take me to visit him?”

  “Most definitely. It’ll be a road trip—just us girls.” I sniffed, feeling my chest expanding.

  She nodded and lurched forward, throwing her arms around me. She squeezed almost too hard, but I didn’t complain. The wonderful scent of warm horsehair still clung to her and I breathed in deeply. Whatever Ila thought Cricket could do in human form didn’t matter at that moment. I had my friend back.

  I sat on the log, rubbing my forehead. The day was cold, and gray clouds threatened rain, although no drops had fallen yet.

  “I don’t understand. It shouldn’t be this difficult,” Ivan exclaimed, flopping down on the log next to me.

  For a change, Lutz stood on two legs, scratching his human head as he studied Cricket, who looked back with a scrunched face. She was a few inches taller than me and the jeans I’d lent her looked more like capris. The thought that I’d have to take her clothes shopping occurred to me.