Before Emma, he could have learned to cope with the utter solitude of his life now, with only his uncle’s company. But with her entry into his life, everything had changed. She’d awoken the flames of his soul and only her presence would keep the fire burning within him. He watched the snow tumble endlessly from the sky to rest in clumps on the ground, and spring seemed an eternity away.
He set his mind on survival, knowing they’d need shelter for the winter. Neither he or Jock could stand the thought of settling in Weasel Tail’s former home. For Amarok, it held far too many memories of the days he’d spent there as both prisoner and wolf. And for Jock, it was a reminder of how he’d failed to help his nephew for so many years.
They’d agreed to build a new cabin, staying at Weasel Tail’s only until the construction could be completed. The new dwelling would be a twin to the one Amarok had built with his father, but far from the shaman’s reach.
As they headed home, discussing what supplies they’d need for their new project, a badger exploded from a stand of willow shrubs. It ran at them, and then stopped a foot away. Stomping its thick legs, it stared at them and grunted.
“Well, now.” Jock eyed the creature with one cocked brow. “Isn’t that a curious thing?”
Amarok studied the animal. What did it want? “Look!” he yelled. “It has a totem!”
Jock grinned. “So it does.”
Amarok dropped the pack and fell to his knees in the snow, digging through the bag. Opening the lower compartment, he sorted through the totems Emma had liberated, examining each one.
The badger growled and pawed at the snow again. Amarok took another look at the short-legged creature, with its bristly coat of silver-gray, a black and white mask on its broad face, with white margins on its stubby ears. Amarok frowned—none of the totems looked anything like the animal. Then, he spotted one half-hidden in the bottom of the bag, faded with age and chipped on the side. The creature crept forward, nose twitching. Amarok held up the totem to make sure the animal saw it. He approached very slowly, so as not to frighten it. Rather than being nervous, the badger charged, sliding to a stop at Amarok’s feet.
Jock raised his gun. “Be careful, boy!”
Amarok knelt, draping the totem around the creature’s neck where it clacked gently against its mate. He jumped back and watched in sympathetic fascination as the poor creature made the painful transformation back to human. As his fur disappeared, Amarok dug into the pack again, pulling out the elk hide he carried in case he got trapped away from the cabin, and draped it over the transforming creature, for both warmth and modesty. In a matter of moments, a wrinkled old man stood before them. Instead of smiling with joy, the man scowled, shaking his fist.
“It can’t be,” Jock said.
“Do you know him?”
The man glared at them with hard, raisin-like eyes. He gritted his teeth and snarled something that Amarok couldn’t understand.
“I’m sorry,” Jock said. “I never meant you any harm.”
Clutching the hide around himself, the man opened his mouth, spewing a slur of foreign words, lunged forward, and rammed his bald head into Jock’s stomach. The wind whooshed from the big man’s lungs as his attacker scrambled to his feet. He kicked at Jock, and Amarok tackled him. The little bald man flung him aside, screaming like a madman, and then jumped to his feet and retreated into the brush.
Jock slammed his fist into the snow. “Dammit!”
Amarok got to his feet and offered Jock a hand up. “Are you all right, Uncle?”
Jock stood, tore his stocking cap off his head, and slapped it against his knee.
“Uncle Jock, what’s wrong?”
Jock’s big shoulders sagged as if carrying a thousand-pound bag of sand. “It’s all my fault,” he muttered.
“What do you mean?” Amarok asked, studying his uncle’s face. “You didn’t have anything to do with all this.”
Jock shook his head, and set his gaze on the setting sun. “Yes, unfortunately, I did.”
45
Emma woke to a brutal throbbing in the base of her skull. Every movement made her head swim. She sat up, clutching her neck to stop the pain. Across from her, perched in a plastic chair, a man scribbled in a notebook. His legs were crossed and his polyester suit looked decades out-of-date. He remained immobile, stoic, watching her every movement. Judging her. She knew who he was without even asking. Her screaming had brought a shrink. She knew all the things he’d say before he even opened his mouth.
He cleared his throat and smiled. “Hello Emma, my name is Dr. Reynolds. I’m a therapist here at the hospital.”
He flashed his name-tag, still smiling. Emma spotted what looked like spinach stuck between his front teeth. She knew the game, and she also knew she had to be careful. No matter what happened, she couldn’t let him know she was a minor alone. It would be a one-way ticket to a foster home, and then she’d never know what had happened to Amarok.
“Glad you’re awake. You gave us all quite a scare.”
Emma looked at the wall, wishing he’d just go away.
“How are you feeling now?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“I’m here to see if there is anything you’d like to share with me. Any issues that I might be able to assist you with?” “Issues?”
“The nurse told me that when you were admitted, she saw scars on your arms. Would you like to share with me how long this has been going on?”
Emma’s stomach fell. Great, here we go again.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Dr. Reynolds frowned and leaned back in his chair. “You know, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Cutting behaviors are somewhat common among young women in your age group. Perhaps while you’re recovering, you’d like to discuss other avenues of release to rid yourself of these self-harming urges.”
Emma shook her head. “That was something from my past. I don’t cut anymore.”
“So the scars are old ones, then? No recent thoughts of harming yourself?”
“Yes and no. I don’t even think about it anymore.”
“Well,” he said. “Then that’s good news. But, if ever it gets to be a problem again, you will seek help, right?”
Emma nodded.
“Would you like to tell me what happened?” He glanced at his watch. “I mean, how you ended up in this present condition.”
Emma sighed. Here it was, the game—like chess, but the pieces were bits of information. She’d have to think moves ahead to avoid letting him trap her, because checkmate would mean not only her freedom, but likely Amarok’s life. Her heart twisted. If he’s still alive. What good old Dr. Reynolds didn’t realize was that she’d played this many times before, and she’d gotten very good at it. He wanted her to spill her guts, and then he could check out in time for an early dinner with his wife. He’d never believe the fantastic things that had happened to her; he wanted a cut-and-dry answer. That was exactly what she’d give him.
“I just got lost. That’s all.”
“Lost? Are you sure?”
Emma nodded and pain darted behind her eyes.
“The nurses had to give you an injection. They said you were hysterical, screaming one certain word or name.” He glanced at his tablet. “Amarok?”
The sound of Amarok’s name on the man’s lips brought tears to Emma’s eyes. She couldn’t allow herself to cry, and she couldn’t let him know about Amarok, either. She wanted to protect his memory—keep it safe, and all to herself.
“It was my brother’s name. He died when I was nine. Guess I was just having a flashback or something.”
“So, you were alone, then? We don’t have to worry about trying to find anyone else?”
“No, I was alone.”
The shrink took a toothpick from his pocket and stuck it into his mouth. Emma stared at the piece of spinach still wedged between his front teeth.
“We have some therapeutic art classes that I feel would be beneficial to you,
if you’d be willing to participate.”
“No thanks. I can’t even draw stick figures and besides, I won’t be staying that long.”
“You’ll be here at least another two days. They want to keep a close eye on you. You were in serious shape when you were brought in here.” He stood, and Emma couldn’t help but notice a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Here’s my card, in case you need anything,” he said, offering her a plain, white business card.
“Thanks.”
He took one step out of the room, paused, and then came back in and shut the door. “I almost forgot. There’s one more thing I need to mention. You see, while you were out of it, the Sheriff matched your description to the driver’s license he found in your car. Since you’re a minor, we had to contact your stepfather.”
Emma opened her mouth to protest, but Dr. Reynolds continued. “He informed us he has no guardianship rights and provided us with the name of your father.”
“My father? I don’t have a father.”
“I spoke with him yesterday.” His voice trailed off as he dropped his gaze to the floor. “He made it clear he didn’t have any parental rights either, and to be frank, he sounded.…”
“Uninterested? Mad that you were bugging him? That sounds like my dad, all right.”
“No, actually quite the opposite. He sounded very concerned about you, but unfortunately he’s incarcerated in Texas. He didn’t want you to know.”
“Incarcerated? You mean, like prison?”
“I’m afraid so, Emma. And that leaves us with no choice but to seek foster care.”
Emma’s brain spun in a thousand directions. Where would they send her? How would she ever get back to Amarok? Even if he’d died, she still wanted to return to find out for sure. She’d promised him before she left that, no matter what happened, she’d return.
“No, no way! I’m not going to live with strangers.”
He held up his hand. Emma spotted a flimsy gold band circling a pale finger.
“Now, listen, I may have good news. Luckily enough for you,” the shrink said, “the gentleman who brought you here offered to take you in. His family is well known here. I think they would make a suitable home for you, for the school year at least. And if it doesn’t work out, we can make other arrangements. What do you think?”
Emma released a sigh. She could stay with Ben, and he’d be able to take her back to the mountains, back to Amarok. “Okay, that would be cool.”
“Good, then it’s settled. I’ll phone the family and make the arrangements.”
The doctor stepped from the room and Emma laid her aching head on the pillow. Before she could close her eyes, he ducked back into the room.
“I’m sorry; I almost forgot. I have a letter for you.”
Emma’s chest tightened. Was it bad news? Good news? Would she go crazy if it was from Ben, telling her of Amarok’s death? A thousand disturbing thoughts battered her exhausted mind.
46
Jock walked a few feet away and sat on a stump. He glanced at Amarok, and then lowered his eyes. “Yes, that’s true. I’m not the cause of all of this, but I am the cause of that man’s entrapment.”
Amarok frowned. “But, how?”
“It’s a long, sad story. One I haven’t thought of in quite some time.” The big man folded his arms across his chest. “The guilt of it forced it to the darkest places of my mind. Through the years, it would resurface and the feelings of regret would tug at my heart again.” Jock plowed his hands through his hair and slipped on his stocking cap. “When I came from the coast to fetch you for our fishing trip, I couldn’t get anyone to bring me here. No one would come within ten miles of this place. I laughed it off. I couldn’t believe that anyone could be more superstitious than sailors, but I was wrong. No one was willing to help.”
Amarok shrugged. “That doesn’t surprise me. The locals all knew better.”
Jock nodded. “I met a man in town, at the Klondike Saloon—the man you just saw. His name was Eska. He spoke very little English, but from what I could gather, he was working a mine, raising a large family, and trapping upriver—not far from the valley where you lived. The saloonkeeper told me that Eska would do anything to support his family. He said Eska’s wife, who was much younger than he was, had been ill with tuberculosis and unable to care for their children. Because of her grave condition, he had little time to hunt or work his mine.”
“But, you had no idea that the curse was real. Only a fool would believe such tales.”
Jock’s face paled. His eyes softened and he rubbed the whiskers covering his chin. “But I took advantage of his desperate situation.” Jock slammed a fist into his thigh. “Eska begged to drop me off a mile from the cabin, and I refused. He told me his children needed him. That it was too risky. And I told him that I wouldn’t pay him unless he dropped me off right at the riverbank, right in front of the cabin. I knew he wouldn’t refuse because he needed the money. At the time, I didn’t believe in the nonsense he was telling me. I should’ve listened and agreed to his wishes. I never should’ve pushed him.”
Jock’s gaze dropped to the ground, his face filled with sadness. “Just a half a mile from the shore our boat capsized, even though there was no wind. When I awoke, unable to move, I saw Eska pleading with the shaman, begging that vile creature not to take him, as his family would surely perish.” Jock swallowed hard. “That evil monster turned a blind eye and deaf ear to him, taking even greater pleasure in his suffering. I can still hear Eska’s cries as he changed from man to beast. Trapped forever, knowing that his wife and young children would starve to death.”
Amarok stared at the spot in the brush where the angry man had vanished, trying to push the haunting sounds of children’s hungry cries from his mind.
“You had no way of knowing any of this would happen. Don’t be so hard on yourself, uncle.”
“I know that, son, but he tried to tell me, and I pushed him into it. I put us both in danger, being so damn insistent and bullheaded. If he could’ve dropped me off upriver, he would’ve been home that night, tending to his ailing wife and children.”
“Where do you think he’s going?”
“Downriver, I imagine, where he lived before all this happened.” Jock rubbed his chin and frowned. “To a home, rotting into the earth, and his family resting in cold graves.”
Amarok shivered. “At least he’s free now.”
“But the life he once had is gone. You know it as well as I do. Once it’s gone, you can never recover those lost years.”
Amarok had no answer, since his uncle was right.
“Well,” Jock said. “We have a lot more people to find and to free, by the number of totems you’re carrying in that pack.”
“I don’t think reuniting the others will be so easy,” Amarok said. “I can’t imagine that very many have found their original totems. Weasel Tail kept them well hidden.”
“We’ll find them, no matter where that degenerate hid them. Even if we have to rip the place apart.” Jock eyed the sky. “Better head home before it gets any later.”
Neither of them wore a watch, still measuring time by the progress of the sun floating lazily over the edge of the horizon.
“We’ll take stock of the supplies we’ll need for the winter.” Jock glanced at Amarok and winked. “Hope you’re a good cook.”
“Sorry,” Amarok said. “But if I’m doing the cooking, we’ll be skinny by spring.”
The big man laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
A plane buzzed overhead. Amarok’s heart leapt. Jock turned to him with a grin and the two men doubled their pace for Ben’s.
47
Dr. Reynolds reached into his coat pocket and held out a sealed envelope. Emma saw her name written neatly, in old-fashioned print, across the front. She reached for it, and he snatched it away.
“Not so fast,” he said with a smile. “We have a few things to discuss before I give you this.” He tapped the letter against the
palm of his hand a few times.
Emma frowned, her temper flaring. She didn’t have time for games. “What do you mean? It’s mine, isn’t it?”
“Yes, of course, but first I want a promise from you.”
“What kind of promise?”
He paused and gave her a stern look. “That if I give you this letter, you won’t try to get out of bed again, young lady. Not until you’re better. You need your rest. It’s very important to your recovery.”
“Okay, I promise.” Emma gave him a frosty glare and held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor. Now can I have my letter?”
He grinned and slapped the envelope into the palm of her hand. He turned before leaving. “I’ll be here if you decide you need to talk to someone.”
“Thanks.” Emma glanced at him, then at the wall, wishing he would just leave so she could open it in private.
He turned on his heel and headed into the hallway. Emma leaned over the side of her bed, peering into the busy foyer. She watched him saunter to the coffee machine and rummage in his pocket. He dropped some coins into the vending machine and pulled out a giant-sized cup. Taking a sip, he disappeared around a corner. Confident he was truly gone, Emma examined the envelope. She had so many unanswered questions. Maybe the answers were all here in this letter. Emma held her breath, her hands shaking. Please, be good news. She tore open the envelope.
Dearest Emma,
I have so much to share with you. But first, I want you to know, I wish with all my being that I could be at your side. The curse will not allow me to leave the walls of the forest. And so with a heavy heart I must tell you that I’m afraid many months will pass until we are able to see each other. Thankfully, Ben has been checking on you, and with each day the doctors say you are getting stronger. I am so grateful.
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