Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (31 page)

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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

As if just realizing that the other man wore no clothing,

Kenny averted his gaze.

"Why do you think she has a lover in there?"

"Because I saw them."

"Laura still believes you to be dead," Kenny informed him.

The only answer he received was a grunt. Kenny was sure

that Justin's jealousy was not only clouding his heart, but his

head as well.

* * * *

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Laura returned to her room. She felt an overwhelming

need to wash all traces of

Dark Claw from her body, but her need to escape this

prison was even more intense. Not until Laura was sure that

the inhabitants of the palace were deep in slumber did she

slip out of her room.

Guided by moonlight, Laura made her way through the

streets of
Coba
' until she came to the old slaughterhouse that

Blanca had spoken of. The building appeared as if it hadn't

been used in years, but still the rancid scent of old blood

caused her to retch.

With a picture of Blanca's map in her head, Laura felt her

way through the dark until she came to the door that she was

certain would open to the tunnel. Pulling the heavy door open

was no easy task, but finally it gave way. Its rusty hinges

squeaked in protest.

In Laura's anxious state, the noise could as well have been

a clap of thunder. She held her breath—frantic someone had

heard from outside. Moments passed and there was no other

sound but her own breathing. Laura peered into the inky

darkness of the tunnel, cursing herself for not thinking of

bringing a candle.

With no alternative but to push forward, Laura started to

step into the darkness, but stopped abruptly. The tunnel had

to be underground, therefore there would be stairs. Feeling

her way she found some handrails. Laura breathed a sigh of

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relief that she hadn't just plunged ahead. She surely would

have been sent tumbling to the bottom.

Laura took the stairs slowly, testing each step before

putting her full weight on it. With immense relief, she finally

reached the bottom and in the distance she could make out a

faint glow of light. She followed its source, her progress

sluggish at first until the glow of the torch had succeeded in

pushing back the darkness of the tunnel.

Laura was reassured to see that torches would light the

remaining length of the tunnel. Here the scent of blood was

replaced by the smell of damp earth and mold, but the stench

didn't do to her stomach what the blood of the

slaughterhouse had done.

The tunnel went on for several hundred feet before she

came to what appeared to be a guard post. She found the

post unoccupied and was extremely grateful of Blanca's

wisdom. Here the tunnel was blocked by a set of large double

doors. Trying the handles, she prayed that the doors wouldn't

be locked. The handles turned easily, and the door swung

open silently.

Beyond the doors, the tunnels split off in several different

directions. Again Laura envisioned the map. She knew that

the tunnel to her right should lead to the room that contained

the master key. She was not disappointed—the tunnel opened

up into a large chamber.

The room appeared to have been some sort of command

post long ago. From what she could see, there were four

different corridors leading from this main chamber, and

through the corridors she could make out cells. Everything

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was covered with dust and cobwebs and Laura doubted that

this part of the palace's dungeons had been used in a very

long time.

It made more sense for them to keep her grandfather

closer to the entrance that would lead into the palace. He was

their only prisoner and certainly not a threat in their eyes.

She found the key exactly where Blanca said it would be and

quickly retraced her steps to the main tunnel.

Continuing in the direction that she was sure would lead

her closer to the palace entry, Laura stopped every few

seconds to listen for the guard's return. Luck was with her—

all was quiet. Before long she came to a large stone staircase

leading up to what she assumed was the palace, but she

knew her grandfather wouldn't be up there. He was here in

the tunnels and close.

Laura first took the tunnel to the right, but it lead to a

storage area for food and wine. Backtracking, she entered the

tunnel to the left of the staircase. It was here she found the

cells. At the far end of the tunnel she could see the cell that

held her grandfather. His still form rested on the floor with

nothing but a thin blanket to ward off the chill. She hastily

opened the cell and knelt down to touch him softly.

Startled, his eyes flew open. "Laura!" he croaked in a

scratchy voice.

Laura put a finger up to her lips to signal silence. Helping

Busby to his feet, She motioned to him that he should follow

her. Now that she knew her way, it took no time at all for

them to reach the guard post. Laura could only hope that he

hadn't returned from his lover yet—there would be no escape

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for them if he had. She hadn't even thought to bring some

kind of weapon.

The post was still empty. Laura closed her eyes in a silent

prayer of thanks. No doubt the unsuspecting guard was too

caught up in the passion of the moment to give a second

thought to his post. Laura felt a twinge of guilt when she

thought of what might happen to the guard when their escape

was discovered. Pushing her thoughts aside, she led her

grandfather through the double doors and into the outer

tunnels.

Not until they were well away from the guard post did

Laura risk speaking. "It will get very dark, grandpa. You will

have to hold my hand and follow me."

Busby did as she asked without saying a word. He was too

old and wise to question a girl that had shown as much

courage as his granddaughter had on this night. Though lost

in the thick darkness, Busby glowed with pride. His

granddaughter could rival any warrior of his people.

With an extra sense born of desperation, Laura quickly

found her way out of the tunnels and into the slaughterhouse.

Here, she felt her stomach churn, but she ignored it as she

looked out onto the street ensure no one would see their

departure.

The street was empty and they left the building. Laura

drank in the fresh air as if it were her first taste of oxygen.

They started north, silently making their way through back

alleys until they were within site of the temple. The large

terraced structure seemed to emanate a light of its own.

Laura gasped when she caught a movement out of the corner

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of her eye. Someone was standing near the temple's

entrance.

Laura pushed on, hoping it was Blanca who waited there

for them and not Dark Claw. The old woman was upon them

as soon as they reached the top of the terrace.

"You must go now and waste no more time," she hissed as

she thrust at them two sculptured jaguar crystals.

"You will need these to pass through the doorway," Blanca

quickly explained.

Laura held the small crystal in her hand and was slightly

surprised at how warm it was to the touch.

"I don't know how to thank you," Laura whispered to the

old woman.

"No need, just do not let your son forget that he also

carries the blood of the Jaguars in his veins." Blanca was

herding them to the temple's entrance.

Inside, Laura stopped suddenly to stare at the temple's

walls in awe. The walls were carved with gold inlaid words

that reflected the moonlight.

"These words tell of your child," Blanca whispered, "but my

grandson will destroy all that is to be if you do not escape his

evil." Her voice urged Laura to move.

They followed the old woman to a steep staircase. Here

she stopped. "Below is a tunnel. You must keep a hold of the

crystals to reach the other side. You will come out in the ruins

of
Coba
'. From there you will have to go south through the

jungle for several miles until you find a village. They will be

sure to help you."

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Laura cringed when she thought of traipsing through the

jungle in the dark, but she knew nothing could be worse that

losing her grandfather and child to Dark Claw.

At the last moment, Laura turned back to give Blanca a

quick hug, hoping that the woman knew how grateful she was

for her help.

Holding the crystal tightly in her hand, Laura descended

the stairs and was surprised to see a blinding white light at

the end of the tunnel. Instinctively she knew this was the

doorway back to her own world and she pushed on at a faster

pace, slowing only when she noticed her grandfather

struggling to keep up.

For just a fraction of a moment they seemed to be

surrounded by the brilliant light before it dimmed suddenly.

The differences were noticeable immediately. The tunnel no

longer appeared well kept, but was laced with age and decay.

Knowing that the differences meant that they had made it to

the other side, Laura felt some of the tension melt away.

"We made it...." Her words were cut off by a low,

threatening growl.

The predator moved toward them with slow, deliberate

movements. Its glowing yellow eyes devoured them. In a

state of near panic, Laura turned back toward the doorway of

Coba
', but her grandfather placed a firm hand on her arm in

an attempt to stop her. "It must be a
Sungmanitu
," he

whispered.

Laura's eyes darted back to the wolf. It was slowly closing

in on them.
Sungmanitu
or not, the animal appeared to have

every intention of attacking them.

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"We should go back." Laura's whispers were laced with

urgency.

She took hold of her grandfather's arm and started back

the way they had come thinking that if they made it back

through, they could hide at Blanca's cottage if need be,

though she would hate putting the old woman in danger.

"Laura!" The harsh guttural voice came from behind them.

She felt a vague sense of familiarity at the sound of the

voice. Somewhere beneath the layers of her conscious mind

she recognized Justin's voice, but her rational thought erected

a solid wall that denied the possibility.

It couldn't be him! Justin was dead!

She had seen it with her own eyes! Why couldn't her heart

accept that reality?

Busby tugged at Laura's arm and she was suddenly pulled

back to reality and realized that she had been frozen in place,

but for how long she had no idea. She was torn between the

intense need to see who had called her name, and the terror

of finding it to be just another illusion.

Taking every ounce of strength she possessed, Laura

turned to face her pursuer. A scream caught in her throat at

the sight of him and the look of utter hostility in his eyes.

"Justin." Her voice was no more than an escape of breath.

He just stood there, staring at her as if he hadn't quite

decided whether he would rescue her, or kill her. His obvious

loathing sent Laura's already shocked mind reeling.

"Let's get out of here while we have the chance," he told

them, as he was turning to leave, and then adding over his

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shoulder. "Unless of course you prefer to stay?" His words

were directed at Laura.

Laura moved forward, realizing this was no time to ponder

the fact that he was alive, or his odd reaction to her. Within

moments they had left the temple and were in the dark,

humid jungle.

Without a word, Justin disappeared but returned quickly,

and fully dressed. It was not until then that Laura understood

that he had been completely devoid of clothing in that dark

tunnel. Her emotions had been in such turmoil that she hadn't

even noticed.

Laura and her grandfather followed Justin into a thicket of

trees. Here they were greeted by Kenny's enthusiastic

welcome. Without words, he took Laura into his arms and

gave her a tight hug, and then he was clasping Busby's

shoulders in a gesture of welcome. It dawned on her that

Kenny and Justin had worked together in an effort to rescue