He offered a warm smile. “Understood.” He took a bite of the salmon.
She popped the lid and devoured her food, keeping her eyes down. He really wanted her gaze on him, but she seemed unsure of herself. Earlier, she’d fought with confidence. Now, she was nervous.
“My aunt says you’ll be here about a week.”
She dipped her head. “Yeah, I guess my father loved this place. He wanted me to see things here.”
His head cocked. “Who was he?”
“He died many years ago. Even if you met him, you wouldn’t remember. And I understand his friend moved on long ago. Still, I want to see the place for myself.”
“I see. Do me one huge favor. Whatever you do, stay here, on the reservation. Don’t venture over to Saint Morton. The town is full of people who hate what we are.”
Her brow arched. “We?”
“Others, in general. Please tell me you aren’t like some of the elitist Others.”
“Oh no, not at all. I just haven’t been clumped into a collective we. It’s strangely comforting to hear.” Shaking her head, she dropped her gaze and focused on her meal.
“Good?” he asked, hoping to keep her talking.
“Mmhmm.” She swallowed the bite in her mouth. “Very. I really should have stopped for dinner earlier.” She glanced up. A shiver worked through her before she dropped her gaze once more.
She had stopped for food. He saw her stop, not that she had time to eat anything. Thankfully, she got away from Mason and left him far more hurt than the bruise across her cheek.
He didn’t blame her for omitting the earlier events. She had no reason to trust him, yet. As long as he convinced her to stay, he could find out later.
Which gave him an idea. “I could show you around, take you to all the sights. There are many beautiful places on the reservation.”
She nodded slowly, her gaze sweeping back to his. “You aren’t too busy?”
He shook his head. “Tomorrow is my day off. I’d be happy to show you around.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Your girlfriend won’t mind?”
“No girlfriend, no wife, no woman to call my own. I’m all yours for the day.” He probably shouldn’t have said it that way with the way pink raced across her cheeks. Then again, he couldn’t have been the first one to compliment her.
“Oh, I…uh…”
“Didn’t mean anything by that. Sorry. You asked. I’m only pointing out I don’t have someone to be jealous if I spend the day playing tour guide.”
“Sorry. I can be…awkward.” A small laugh escaped. “I don’t spend much time with other people.”
“You lead a nomadic life?”
She tipped her head from side to side. “You could say that. Easier that way. But never mind that.”
“Can I ask how old you are?”
Her brows drew together. “How old are you?”
“Thirty.”
She sighed. “Twenty-two. Why?”
“Curious. Others rarely look their age, but I imagined you were around there. How long have you been on your own?”
Her eyes turned steely, a challenge. “Since I was sixteen.”
“Parents gone?”
“My father is dead. My mother gave me her blessing before I left. She knew I needed to find my own way.”
He nodded slowly. “My mother died when I was young. I come and go between Wanatoga and up near my brothers and father up in Washington. This is more home than there.”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever felt at home anywhere. I prefer to be on the move, learning, exploring.” She looked down at her food and finished off the last of it.
“You’re welcome here.”
Her brow arched as she drank her tea. After setting down the glass, she met his gaze. “Thank you, but none of you know me.”
“Yet.” He offered a smile. “I’ll introduce you to a few people tomorrow.”
She turned her fork in her hand before lifting her gaze. “Why?”
“Antisocial?”
“Not on purpose.” She glanced out the window. “I’m not good with people.”
“Let me be the judge. Maybe you haven’t been around the right people. No one here will judge you.”
“We’ll see how that goes.” She gathered her plate and silverware, and he placed a hand on her arm to stop her.
“I’ll take them home and wash them. I live at my aunt’s, next door. It’s a short walk down the trail. And I’ll be by in the morning to show you around.”
She chewed her bottom lip a moment, then let out a breath. “That’s really not necessary.” However, she’d said earlier he could.
His brow arched. “Afraid you’d get bored with me?”
Her nose wrinkled. “More like you’d get bored with me.”
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he admitted with a grin. And he was, probably more so than he should.
“All right,” she answered slowly, her gaze delving into his.
He took the last drink of his tea and placed everything back in the basket. “What time do you wake up?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Depends.”
Standing, he moved to the kitchenette and pulled a pen and pad of paper out. Then he wrote down a phone number. “Call when you’re awake and ready to go. And I’ll take you to breakfast.”
“I really can manage breakfast. It was just late when I finally got here. I didn’t figure anything would be open.”
Nodding, he pushed the paper forward. “I’m sure you can, but Loretta will insist you come over. I guarantee it.” He tapped the paper. “Call, please.”
“Sure.” She covered her mouth and let out a long yawn.
“Sweet dreams, Jacinda.” He let himself out, and she followed him to the door, watching him head back toward a trail.
“Thank you for the company.” She licked her bottom lip, then shook her head slightly. “And tell Loretta thank you.”
“I will.”
“Good night.”
He dipped his head and took the dishes home.
Chapter 3
The next morning, Chatan moved around the kitchen helping Loretta make breakfast. He really wanted to head over to Jacinda’s room and see if she were awake.
Loretta cleared her throat. “She’s the one who got away from Mason?”
He nodded, placing his aunt’s homemade biscuits into the oven. “She is. Stopped the van somehow, burned the hell out of Mason. Not sure how she got away considering the cuffs are supposed to suppress magic.”
“Impressive, though if she’s been on her own as long as she claims, she may have learned other skills to ensure her safety. But what is she running from?”
“I plan to find out, if I can get her to open up.”
Loretta turned to him, a smile on her lips. “You like her?”
He couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face. “She’s beautiful and intriguing. I want to dig into her secrets and crack her walls.”
“She didn’t tell you much, did she?”
His nose flared. “Hardly anything, other than her age.”
One brow arched. “You know, David put in a police report. He claims a Wendy Naughton who matches her description robbed the diner. Mason says she attacked him with a brand, though can’t explain how she got the metal so hot so fast. How can you be sure she told you her real name and age?”
“How’d you find that out?”
“Chrissy was working the late shift when they brought Mason in. Josephine showed up sometime later, which is the first time she’s been seen out in months.” Loretta leaned against the counter. “How can you be sure what Jacinda told you is the truth?”
“My senses.” He tapped his nose. But more than that, he felt it in his soul. “She’s here for a purpose, and all she would say is that her father had visited long ago.”
“Hmm, interesting. We don’t get many visitors who aren’t friends of someone here or family.”
“She said he had friends who are
no longer around.”
“Not who?” she prodded.
“Didn’t want to pry. I want her to open up to me, but if I push, she’s going to shut me down. If I take the time to get to know her, she’ll eventually tell me.”
She laughed softly. “Patience has never been your virtue.”
“Nope, but most women want the same things. She doesn’t.”
“Good luck. But keep an eye on her. You know the guys from Saint Morton will come looking sooner or later. Probably before Mason’s well enough to come searching himself.”
“Another reason I want to stick by her side.” Not to mention, the more he talked to Eddie and Jackie, the more he realized he needed to find his other half. Could Jacinda be the one? He wasn’t sure, but there certainly was a spark between them, and he planned to find out where they could go.
“Well, bring her over. I want a better look at her.”
“As long as she didn’t sneak out.”
Loretta giggled. “Think she would have?”
“She doesn’t seem keen on taking help. So, I need to convince her.” He ducked out the door before his aunt could comment.
* * * *
After a shower and transmuting her clothes, Jacinda braided her hair, then started for the door. The knock startled her once again and she had to close her eyes and breathe deep to calm her racing heart.
Chatan was a temptation best avoided. And she didn’t fully realize that until he left and she couldn’t stop thinking about him. If she didn’t feel the sense of urgency to solve the riddles her father left, she would have left in the night. Instead, she tried to get out early enough she could sneak away without his knowledge.
She moved to the window and peeked out.
Too late.
Chatan’s ebony hair blew in the wind, his attention on the door, his hands in his pockets.
She was stuck. Unless she went out the back window.
He knocked again.
Oh, whatever. How much harm could come from spending a few hours with him? Besides, he may be able to help her find what she needed to without wandering around aimlessly, hoping to get lucky. Everything she wanted to find had to be off the beaten path, and she doubted she could find a map of the area.
She unhooked the chain and threw the lock.
Chatan smiled when she opened the door. “Hey, Jacinda. Hungry?”
“I am, but I’m going to pick something up at the store.”
“You would only offend Loretta,” he murmured. “Come to breakfast.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t get a lot of visitors and she loves to feed guests.”
She chewed her lip for a moment and he watched her, his eyes glued to her, begging her to agree.
How close did she really want to get to these people? He wanted to make her feel welcome, but why? Jacinda couldn’t help being leery, especially with an asshole in the next town trying to abduct her the night before. Whose side would Chatan choose? Or Loretta? Was she really safe in Wanatoga?
“Please, Jacinda,” Chatan murmured. “She’ll give me hell for a year if you don’t come over. She’s prepared a feast.”
How was she supposed to refuse without looking like she was hiding something? She sighed. “Sure, we’ll do breakfast, but if I’m horribly aggravating or boring, you can ditch me. Honest, I can find my way around if need be.” And she had to bite her tongue to stop giving him every excuse not to help. He was offering, she wasn’t begging, and this would all go faster if she sucked it up and took his help for what it was.
“You are neither boring nor aggravating, though you may start to get on my nerves if you don’t stop putting yourself down.”
So, he was going to play it that way? Plastering a smile on her lips, she locked her room and turned around to find him a mere inch from her. “Lead the way.”
He looped his arm through hers and brought her down the trail he took the night before.
She pulled him to a stop as they cleared the trees and stepped into a garden full of life and color.
“This is beautiful.” Not to mention magical. Earth magic hummed around her. The power had built up, the plants and trees flourished, small animals gathered at the nearest tree, watching her.
Okay, that was eerie. Usually they would run.
“They like you.” He glanced over.
One corner of her mouth tipped up. “Don’t tell me you’ve named them all.”
He shook his head. “Oh no. They come and go. Come on, breakfast is ready.”
She let him lead her into the back door, right into the kitchen that was full of food that smelled wonderful.
“Sleep well, Jacinda?” Loretta asked.
“Yes, and good morning, Loretta. Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’re welcome, today and every day. I have a bad habit of fixing too much food.”
Jacinda glanced at the table and giggled. “I’ll do what I can, but I’ll warn you, I don’t have much of an appetite.”
“Well, you certainly won’t go hungry as long as you’re here. Sit, fix a plate.”
And somehow, Jacinda already felt welcome. She couldn’t remember feeling so at home, not since her father died, and she’d been too little to recall much.
Chapter 4
The little shit had managed to break her sway, just long enough to give that magical feast a chance to escape.
Josephine Monvoisin paced the hospital room. Poor little David was too pure of heart to just follow orders. He questioned everything, until he witnessed Wendy Naughton.
Only, there was no one with that name. The search turned up nothing. And the bitch had managed to burn the hell out of her favorite puppet.
Mason was weak, stupid, no real drive of his own, until her. Now his only mission was to please her and had been since before she infused him with her will. He’d been easy to manipulate.
Unfortunately, David believed in right and wrong. His will was so much stronger than Mason’s. He resisted, questioned, and nearly broke her hold on his mind too many times. He’d become a liability. One she needed to avoid using in the future, which meant wiping his memory.
In some ways, with her death and resurrection, manipulating people had become easier, others harder. Those who knew their mind, were difficult to bend to her will. Those just passing through life without a goal were easy.
Mason, however, enjoyed causing pain to those he believed were evil. All she had to do was convince him that the person she wanted to take magic from was evil, they would use their power to hurt everyone, and he would do whatever she asked.
And now, he lay in a hospital bed with two charred handprints on his wonderfully sculpted chest. His skin was marred and until she could take him from the hospital, she couldn’t heal him.
His doctor would ask too many questions.
The last mage she drew magic from had been a healer. She hadn’t tested her newfound magic yet. Soon, if she could convince the doctors she could take care of Mason.
First, she needed to deal with David. She moved across the room. “A word, please?”
Fear filled David’s eyes. “What do you want from me now?” he sniveled.
“This way.” She stepped into the hall and walked to the windows at the end. David followed, glancing over his shoulder and back at her as he made his way down the hall.
“What now? If it wasn’t for you, Mason wouldn’t be in there, writhing in pain,” he hissed.
She looked into his eyes, and they dulled, then closed. She covered his face with her hands and delved into his mind, then tore any thought of herself out of his head. Satisfied, she turned and walked back to Mason’s room.
David muttered, “Where am I?”
Josephine pushed through the door, a laugh escaping her lips. Problem solved.
She moved to Mason’s bedside and touched his face.
His eyes flipped open with a moan of pain.
“There you are, my sweet. Rest. Soon you’ll be well enough to help
me complete my plans.”
He smiled, falling deep into her gaze. He was so handsome, even with his face lined from pain. “I want to serve you.”
“You will.” She leaned down to whisper in his ear, “In fact, I’ll take you home the moment they let me, and remove every trace of pain. For now, rest.”
He hissed, “Make David pay. He didn’t obey you. Teach him a lesson.”
Josephine glanced toward the door. “He’s too naïve, believing in right and wrong. He won’t be a problem in the future, but he won’t remember a thing he’s done for me or you. Do not approach him. Let him slip back into his boring life.”
Mason nodded. “Of course, Josie.” The perfect puppet.
* * * *
Jacinda managed to eat a large breakfast by her standards, but certainly not by Chatan’s. She finished one last piece of bacon and attempted to take her plate to the sink.
Chatan stuffed his biscuit in his mouth and took the plate from her hand. “Oh no, Jace. You’re a guest in this house.”
She paused at the nickname. The only person who ever called her that was her father. That was it. She could remember his voice, those green eyes so much likes hers, staring back at her, while he sang strange words. She still remembered the spell but didn’t have a clue what it was supposed to do.
In fact, part of the reason she hadn’t been out to Wanatoga yet was her search to decipher the code in the book. Her father had used three different sets of arcane runes, one set from Faerie, and five more symbols she couldn’t find in any language. She was beginning to wonder if she’d ever crack the code and figure out what her father wanted her to find.
And he certainly wanted her to find something, according to the note in the back of the journal, written to her.
Darling Jace,
You were too young when I wrote this, but you’re the only hope your family has. You’re the key to unlocking the power you need to stop Thanatos. You’ll find everything you need in Wanatoga.
I wish I could be there to see you grow up, but I know you’ll do what no one else has managed. You’ll save everyone and have a bright future.
Finding Hawk (Branches of Emrys Book 3) Page 3
