Red and Her Wolf (21 page)

“That’s ridiculous.”

“No.”
Alice
shook her head.
“Maybe to you, because you don’t understand it.
And I barely do, but Hatter told me there were years when he wasn’t sure Ewan would make it. It’s a physical wound for a wolf not to have his mate once he’s claimed her.”

“What do you mean?” Violet felt like she was listening to
Alice
through a long tunnel, her heart pounding
so
hard as she tried to imagine what it’d been like for him.

“That’s for him to share.” She smiled. “You know I ran out on Hatter.”
Alice
’s smile grew sad, bitter. “I thought he didn’t want me and I left. I didn’t fight. Maybe I was too scared.”

“But you guys seem so happy.”

“Now.
But then, I couldn’t see beyond my hurt.
My beliefs.
It almost cost me everything.
My life and my happiness.
I love him, Violet, with every fiber of my being. These aren’t the easiest guys to fall in love with, but I promise, if you let yourself, you’ll never be happier.”

“
Mmm
, I like the sound of that.”

Violet jumped at the sound of Hatter’s deep drawl. He’d poked his head inside the door, sniffing appreciatively. “Did you make the bread?” he asked.

Every time
Alice
looked at Hatter her entire countenance seemed to glow. “Why don’t you turn your back and see.”

Violet frowned when she glanced at the table in the dining area. There wasn’t any bread on it. As confused as Violet was by the cryptic reply, Hatter was not. They shared a secret smile, a wordless exchange that transcended mere food.

“Minx,” Hatter finally drawled. “Leonard grows impatient for his sustenance. Hurry it up, woman,” he growled.

“You tell that rat, to be patient and wait,”
Alice
huffed, but hopped off the counter and grabbed the pan. “Bring the salad, Violet,” she called over her back.

She stood there for a moment, cold salad bowl in her hand. They had something and she desperately wanted it.

Was it really as simple as letting go?

Chapter 13

Danika
and Miriam landed on the fattest branch the old oak tree had to offer and settled in, awaiting their midnight visitor.

So far the journey had been uneventful. Actually, boring would be a better descriptor.
Danika
wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it certainly hadn’t been this. Miriam barely talked to her, hardly even looked at her. They’d shrunk themselves down to the size of a gnat, there’d be very little that could detect them in this form.

The moment they’d stepped through the portal she’d expected doom, winged monsters bearing down on them. Maybe even
Galeta’s
fat rump making a showing.
But nothing.

“I hope Violet and Ewan are doing well,” she said, glancing from the corner of her eye at her friend.

Miriam stood as a sentinel, one arm wrapped around a thin vine, peering like a barnyard owl into the thick gloom below them. “
Mmm
,” she nodded.

“Mir!”
Danika
stomped her foot. “Now really, this is enough. I’m your friend. You must talk with me.”

Eyes covered in bright red veins turned to stare at her. Exhaustion leaked from every crevice of her body, wrinkles marred skin in a permanent patchwork of lines and age.

“
Dani
,
it’s
better if ye
doona
ken too much--”

“Blast it all, you stubborn old fool.
I’m your friend.” She gripped bony shoulders and gave them a gentle shake. “What’s happened to you, sister? How did you age so quickly? You look beyond your years.”

Miriam pinched the bridge of her sharp, thin nose. “It wasn’t easy,
Dani
.
Living in that world.
The constant use of magic to keep the humans away, making our
home exist
on fairy time. All of that’s taken a toll. I’m tired. Worn out and…” she paused, mouth open as if she wanted to say something, but then finally shook her head and sighed. “None of which is your fault.”

She patted
Danika’s
arm, giving her a tight lipped smile. Gray frizz surrounded her head like a sort of aged halo. Even her moth speckled wings beat slowly, as if Miriam hadn’t much strength for more.

“I’m worried about you.”
Danika
laced her fingers through Miriam’s. “You don’t look well, my friend.
Not at all.
Fairy should have restored your youth, and yet you look little better than a hag.”

Miriam snorted, some of the old light entering her eyes. “
Ye’ve
still a sharp tongue about ye,
Dani
, I’ll give ye that.”

The glen glowed silvery in the moonlight. A scuttle of tiny feet scampered up their tree, a bushy red tail disappearing quickly within a hole in the wood. The night was rich with the scent of hyacinth and lavender. Dark
petaled
roses opened their blooms, knowing the fairies were about and seeking a morsel of dust.

Miriam gently squeezed
Dani’s
hand one final time before letting go. “I loved these woods.
This place.”
Joy laced the longing in her words.

“You’re back now. We can fly through here anytime we want.”

She laughed. “That is until
Galeta
finds us.
She will ye know.”

Danika
twisted her lips. “Did you see that in a vision?”

“Aye.”
Miriam nodded, not an ounce of fear in the word.

“Who’s coming to meet us?”
Danika
asked, glancing over Miriam’s shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of their mystery gust.

“A friend that made me a promise long ago.”

The wind picked up then, cool and sweet against
Danika’s
gossamer wings. She inhaled, invigorated by the night. There was always something so magical about the woods at night.

“I love this spot,” Miriam said again, this time there was a tremble of tears in her statement.

“You’ve already said that, dear.”
Danika
frowned.

“Did I?” Miriam’s eyes shone bright lavender. “I forgot.”

Something was wrong. Very wrong, and it irked
Danika
that she couldn’t figure it out. Miriam wasn’t herself. But then again, she’d not been around her friend for far too long. Perhaps this was Miriam now.
Distant.
Silent.
She was The Shunned, and perhaps it was more than just a title now. Perhaps her friend believed that’s who she really was--an outcast and pariah within fairy.

Miriam pointed below. “We were born just there, do you remember,
Dani
?”

A small field of red roses waved in the gentle breeze. Most were snoring, though one was drooping, its petal dragging along the ground. Woeful eyes blinked at its sad petals.

“The moon was full and fairy song rang throughout. Aye,”
Danika
nodded,
a fond smile on her face, “I remember.”

Miriam tucked a strand of hair behind her slightly upturned ear. “This is a good place. I could never be sad here,
Dani
.” She looked at
Danika
. “I think I should like to stay here forever, beside the roses.”

Danika
gazed at her friend, trying desperately not to read more into the words, but her heart twisted in her chest with fear. “We’re not going to die, Mir.
None of us.
We will defeat,
Malvena
.”

“Though she
be
but little, she is fierce!” A bell like voice said, reciting one of
Danika’s
favorite lines from Shakespeare’s play.

Danika
twirled, recognizing the voice instantly. Esmeralda stood on the limb they were on, cloaked in shadow; green vines slithered like a snake down the tree’s bark.

Miriam nodded and smiled. “Hello, dear friend.”

Ese
stepped into the moonlight, ivy undulated upon her body. Her thick mane of chestnut colored hair flowed down to her waist. She was a vision of
fae
loveliness, save for the solid blacks of her eyes.

Miriam rushed up to her, moving faster than
Danika
had seen in days.

“I did as you asked, Miriam. I led
Galeta
on a goose chase, but I’m afraid…” She gathered her hands together, clasping her fingers tight in front of her.

“It is okay, this was good enough. I know what I must do.”

“What?”
Danika
asked, though she really wanted to screech. She was so tired of being left in the dark, of knowing her best friend made plans without her knowledge. Why all the secrecy?

Ese
glanced at
Danika
. “You should not have brought her, Mir.”

“How dare you?”
Danika
puffed out her chest, ignoring the desperate desire to grab her wand and turn
Ese
into a green toad. “She is
my
friend. Not yours. And I will support--”

“Hush now,
Dani
,” Miriam whispered, patting her hand in a soothing gesture. “She meant no harm. But you know as well as I do,
Ese
, that she must be here. It’s been foretold. It will only succeed if we follow the plan.”

Esmeralda glanced over her shoulder. “
Galeta
will be here any moment. Are you sure of this?”

“Wait. What?”
Danika
turned toward Miriam, tugging on the tattered sleeve of her blue dress. “You want to be caught? Miriam, have you lost your mind? We have time. We must go. What about the kids? We need to--”

Wide blue eyes pleaded with
Danika
to stop. “It is the only way,
Dani
.
Galeta
will find me now or later, I cannot escape her forever. I’m a fugitive.”

“Of what?!”
Danika
finally did shriek.

“Of my law,”
Galeta’s
deep throated voice boomed like cannon fire. “You were never to return, how dare you?” The Blue crackled with bursts of flames as she flitted toward their branch, a tail of blue glow trailing like a shooting star behind her.

Sharp fangs gleamed bright white in her face. Her eyes were narrowed to dangerous slits. “I will deal with you later,”
Galeta
said as she passed a contrite Esmeralda.

Miriam lifted her chin, her demeanor proud and almost arrogant. “Ye ken the prophecy; I’ve shared it with
ye
--”

Galeta’s
sneer was a mile long and dripped with malice.
“Your prophecy.
As if that’s proof enough for me.”

What prophecy? Why the bloody hell was
Danika
always in the dark about everything. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into the palms of her hand so hard she felt the skin break beneath. Her blood buzzed with fairy energy, like prodding an electric gate. Angry didn’t even begin to describe how she felt at the moment.