The Phantom Queen

by Yasmine Galenorn

  “Then you are doing this all for her.” I stared at him. He might not realize it, but Veronica was his vulnerability as well as his love. If he would do anything to help preserve her, then she was his Achilles heel.

  Trecht stared at me for a moment. “Never mistake my allegiance for friendship or empathy. Nor my beloved’s. We laid waste to a hundred villages, destroying everyone who would not kneel before us. Men, women, children, it did not matter. A scattered handful of deaths mean nothing to me. But for my Queen, I will take on the world.”

  I felt a knot harden in my stomach. “Heard and understood. But Whisper Hollow is under my protection, and I will protect the town, regardless of who threatens it. Don’t mistake my allegiance for friendship, either.”

  We stood, gazes locked, until Trecht let out a short laugh. “Give me an honest ally any day over a hypocritical friend. Fix your drink and I will tell you what I found. I don’t have much time left to get belowground.”

  My lungs feeling tight, I turned back to my espresso machine to find Bryan, standing at the counter, listening. He cast an unfriendly nod to Trecht, but said nothing to him.

  “I’ll foam your milk. You sit. You want chocolate?”

  “Yeah, mocha, please.” I sat down at the table, grateful for Bryan’s appearance. The Unliving could attack the living just like Shadow People did. I had the upper hand, it was true. All I had to do was run into the living room, grab my dagger out of my bag, and stab through him. Or at least, that’s what I thought. I hadn’t actually tried it out yet. But in the intervening seconds, Trecht could do some serious damage to me.

  “What did you find out?” I said, situating myself at the table.

  Trecht waited till Bryan brought my mocha and sat beside me. He leaned forward. “I found what I think was one of the Soul Collector’s lairs in the woods. It’s in the thicket next to the lake. The lair is empty now, but I felt his residue there. And I think there may be some sort of evidence in there. Obviously I didn’t move anything around or touch anything. It’s as I found it.”

  “Well, that’s something. Can you give us a landmark to go by?”

  “It’s next to a tree that’s so old it’s twisted on itself. I believe it’s a crabapple but I’m not certain. I stacked several stones next to it. The opening to it is through a stand of thick foliage that reminds me of a hedgerow.”

  I sipped my mocha, letting Bryan take notes as I listened.

  “What was there?” Bryan asked.

  Trecht shrugged. “A few articles of clothing. Blood. I think several spell components. It looked as if he had to vacate quickly. Perhaps someone came close to stumbling on him.” He glanced out the window. “I need to leave. I must report back to my queen and attend to other duties. I’ll be back tonight.”

  “Lovely,” I muttered but when he looked at me, I just forced a smile. “We’ll see you then.” After Trecht left, I let out a long breath. “Thank gods he’s gone. I’m glad we have some extra info, but…”

  “But he’s creepy as fuck. I don’t like him coming around here, but I understand why he has to. Listen, I got a text last night. Can you take the kitten to the vet this morning?” Bryan poured himself a cup of coffee and set a plate of toast down on the table.

  I rummaged in the fridge and brought back cheese and some leftover chicken. “Sure. Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah, but…” He paused, then said, “How do you feel about meeting Juliana? I’m meeting her in Seattle this afternoon and she’ll be coming back with me. We’ll be back in time for me to make tonight’s meeting.”

  I blinked. “She’s arriving today?”

  “Yeah, I thought it wise to keep a few of my businesses, so she’s taking over for me. It will be good experience for her and it will keep them alive. She’ll make some money managing them, and it will keep a couple good revenue streams flowing. And best of all, the two of you will have a chance to meet.”

  He looked so anxious that I wanted to calm his worries.

  I knew that Juliana and I would have to meet some day, and that was fine with me. Given she was a grown woman, it meant even less stress, but I wished it could wait until things had a chance to calm down around here. However, I wasn’t about to say that to Bryan.

  For one thing, I didn’t want him to think that I didn’t want to meet her. For another, who knew when things would calm down? Since I had returned to Whisper Hollow, it had been one thing after another. There was no guarantee my life would ever be less hectic than it was proving to be.

  “I’m looking forward to meeting her. What are your plans?”

  “She flew into Seattle last night. She’ll stay at my place for a few days before heading home. Today we’re talking to my lawyer in Seattle and signing some papers to transfer management over to her. We’ll be back around seven o’clock tonight if the ferries are on schedule, so I’ll be here for the CMS meeting. Will that be all right with you?”

  I nodded. “That works. I’ll take the kitten to the vet, and then I think I may do some shopping. I have a few other errands to run as well.”

  “Text me if you need me to come home early,” he said, giving me a long kiss. “Juliana is going to love you.”

  “I hope so. I just hope she doesn’t feel like I’m trying to replace her mother.” My biggest worry was that she’d resent me and that her dislike would put a wedge between Bryan and me.

  But he waved away my fears. “Juliana doesn’t remember her mother, remember? Katrina died in childbirth. She missed having a mother, but my mother and a few other aunties stepped in to help. Also, you should know that Juliana isn’t possessive. We get along, but we lead our separate lives. She knows that I’m always there for her, but I never hovered, so to speak.” He glanced at his watch. “I have to run if I’m going to make the ferry.”

  I kissed him, long and deep, the feel of his lips against mine shoring up my spirits. As I gazed into his eyes, once again we fell into that deep melding that I had never experienced with any other man. It was as though he could see right through me, and I through him. I could feel the warmth of his spirit, the deep longing in his heart that eased up only when he was around me. I could hear the whir of doubts and worries inside him, and I could sense the need to protect and guard whenever he was near. Every day we grew closer, and every day our union deepened into a tumultuous sea of longing and desire and love that felt like it extended beyond time.

  “I wish my grandmother could have felt this every day,” I whispered. “I wish she and Avery hadn’t been driven apart by the Hounds.”

  “If wishes were pennies, we’d all be kings, my love,” Bryan said. “Now, don’t fret. Your grandmother will one day be united with her love again.”

  “Will they? Will their love extend beyond the Veil?” I paused, thinking of Veronica and Trecht. He worshipped her, and even though they had both passed through the doors of death, he had returned to be with her, clawing his way back through the Veil. I didn’t like him, but the strength of their bond was obvious. But they had killed her guardian. Maybe sometimes, soul mates were ill-fated. Maybe in some cases, it was better never to meet the love of your life if it could drive you to destroy others.

  “Long thoughts?” Bryan asked, tipping my chin up.

  “Long thoughts,” I whispered. “Yes. But not to worry. I’m just thinking about relationships and all the different ways they present themselves. Go on, catch the ferry. I’ll see you later.” I kissed him again, waving as he left the house and headed over to his place.

  I put in a call to Sophia to tell her what Trecht had told me. After that, I decided to give myself a break and spend the day focused on happier things.

  The kitten bounced over to me when I entered the hall bathroom, carrying Gabby’s carrier. It was far too large for the little boy, but he purred as I picked him up and popped him into it. “Come on, little twit. We’re going to see the vet. If he says you’re healthy, I suppose you’ll get to meet the gang.”

  Sophia’s husband—
Tomás—was the main veterinarian in town, though there were one or two others. He specialized in a number of small animals and exotic pets like snakes and birds. His practice was on Third Street, on the north side of town. I parked in the parking lot next to the building that served a number of the small businesses in that area of town, and carried the kitten into the office.

  “I’m Kerris Fellwater, and I have an appointment at nine thirty. Bryan Tierney made it for me.” A loud mew came squeaking out of the carrier as the kitten let everyone around know just how he felt about being locked up.

  “Oh, yes. Come right in.” The tech led me into one of the exam rooms. “Let’s see who we have here.” She took the carrier from me and placed it on the counter, peeking into it. “Oh, how adorable.”

  “He’s a stray, I found him yesterday in my backyard, huddled in the snow. I looked for a mama cat and other kittens, but couldn’t find anybody else around.”

  She lifted him out of the carrier and set him on the counter. After putting the carrier on the floor, she glanced at his butt. “Well, you are definitely a little boy. Let’s get you weighed.” She placed the kitten on the scale. “Twelve ounces.” The kitten mewed at her as she handed him to me. “Here, why don’t you hold him until the doctor comes in. Are you going to keep him?”

  I stared at the kitten, then said, “If he’s in good health and won’t pose a risk to my three, yes.”

  “The doctor will be with you in a moment.” She headed out the door, shutting it behind her.

  The kitten crawled up my chest, curling up near my chin. I stroked his fur, wondering who could be such a monster to dump him out in the snow. Or maybe he was feral and got separated from his littermates, though he didn’t act like he had never been handled by humans. He began to purr, rumbling away as he burrowed his way beneath my chin.

  A moment later the door opened and Tomás Castillo entered the room. Sophia’s husband was of moderate height and trim, with limpid brown eyes and a warm smile. While I had met Sophia in high school, I had never met Tomás. The vet tech followed him in and closed the door.

  “Hello, welcome to the practice. Tess tells me you found a stray?” He held out his hand and I stood, holding the kitten with my left hand while I shook his hand with my right.

  “Yes, I found him yesterday. I’m Kerris Fellwater. I know your wife, Dr. Castillo.”

  “No need for formality. All my clients call me Dr. Tom. Or rather, my clients’ humans.” He grinned and I immediately took a liking to him. His energy was clear, and he felt like he really cared about the animals.

  “ ‘Dr. Tom,’ then. Here he is. I’ll need to bring my three in for exams soon. I have three Maine Coons. They were littermates and they’re about three years old. I took them in when they were rescued from an animal hoarder. I found this little guy in a snowbank in my backyard yesterday. I looked for his mama and other kittens, but found no sign.”

  He took the kitten and held him up. The kitten mewed loudly, and Tomás laughed. “Is that so? What were you doing out there by yourself, little one?” He paused as though he actually expected an answer. The kitten let out a squeak, then meowed again. “Oh, is that what happened?”

  Intrigued, I asked, “Can you really understand him?” Given this was Whisper Hollow, I wouldn’t be surprised. And I’d heard that Tomás was a regular Dr. Dolittle.

  He looked at me for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, Kerris—may I call you Kerris?”

  “Of course.”

  “Given you’re the spirit shaman, I assume you won’t be surprised by the fact that I can talk to animals, in a way.”

  “Not at all. In fact, it’s kind of a relief. It means you’re privy to more information about our pets than most of us can pick up.” No wonder he had become a vet, given his talents.

  “It helps a great deal, in a lot of cases. Not that all animals know when they’re sick, but I can get to the root of a lot of behavioral problems that would stump a lot of other veterinarians. Your little boy here…I can’t quite tell what happened, but the gist of it is that he somehow got separated from his family. I caught a glimpse of a road. I think he somehow crossed it and couldn’t figure out how to get back to his mother. I caught the image of a thicket near your house.”

  “That would be Bramblewood Thicket. I’ll go out later today. Maybe I can find her and the other kittens.” I had no clue what I’d do if I found them. I couldn’t take in that many cats. But Bryan had a huge house. If he didn’t mind, we could make sure they were all safe if we could catch them.

  “His temperature is normal. Let me test him for feline leukemia. Then we’ll discuss what vaccinations he needs right now.” Dr. Tom picked up the kitten. “We’ll be right back. But overall, his lungs sound good and he looks healthy. I’m seeing no sign of fleas or flea eggs. We’ll worm him just to be safe, because almost all kittens have worms.”

  As he carried him out the door, talking to him softly, I found myself grateful Sophia had someone so caring at home. With her job, she needed an emotional cushion.

  Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Tom returned, a smile on his face. “He tested negative. I’ve wormed him and given him his initial vaccinations. So are you going to take him home with you?”

  Relief swept through me and I realized I had already grown attached. At that moment, I also knew his name. “Yes, and I’m going to name him Frost, after Jack Frost.”

  “I’ll note that on his chart.” Tomás lifted the kitten up. “You’re a lucky little boy, you know. Your name is Frost and you have a new home.” He handed Frost to me. “We should see him in about a month for booster shots. He’s around six to seven weeks old, so he has two rounds of boosters to go. Do you think your three will accept him?”

  “I don’t know, but we’ll give it a try. I feel like I was meant to find him.”

  “I think you were, too. If you are serious about looking for the mother and other kittens, we have humane traps you can borrow.” Dr. Tom handed me a bag. “I send all stray kittens home with a starter pack. It has treats, worm pills, instructions, and a few other things you might need. If you have trouble introducing your cats to him, let me know and I’ll come talk to them.”

  “That’s brilliant. Thank you!” I tucked Frost into the carrier. “Come on, Frost, let’s get you home and go look for your mama.” Turning back to Dr. Tom, I added, “Can I borrow a couple humane traps now?”

  “Tess will check them out to you. Good luck, and we’ll see you in a month.”

  After I had the traps, I was about to start the engine when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but when I answered, I recognized the voice.

  “Hi Kerris, this is Mandy. From the Johnson place? I was wondering if you would let me take you out to lunch? My treat. I wanted to thank you for all you did the other day. I’ve found a new place to live, and I’ve found a space to rent to start a candy shop.”

  I debated. I wanted to accept her offer, but the thought of Frost’s family out there, freezing, nagged at me. “I’d love to, but I’m actually about to go hunting through the thicket across from my house. I found a kitten yesterday, and I think his family is over there, in danger of freezing.”

  There was a pause, then Mandy said, “Can I help?”

  I hadn’t expected her to offer her assistance. “If you want to, of course. Wear something warm. What about Ansel?”

  “My friend Karen flew in when I told her about having to move again. She can stay with him.” Mandy sounded like she really wanted to help, so I told her to come over as soon as she could.

  “I’ll be home in about ten minutes. I’ll text you my address.” As I sent her my addy, I thought about how Whisper Hollow brought people together. I looked at Frost. “Maybe, we just made a new friend. What do you think about that, little one?”

  But Frost just stared back at me, eyes wide.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I tucked Frost back in the hall bathroom. I didn’t want to introduce him to the others without being there to b
reak up any spats. After changing into warm clothes that were easy to move in, I was heading toward the door to check the mail when Mandy rang the bell.

  She looked much happier than when I had seen her earlier, and she was wearing a warm parka over a pair of jeans and snow boots. I invited her in while I prepared the humane traps.

  “Hey, I’m here and ready to go. Put me to work,” Mandy said.

  I grinned at her. “Sounds good. We can have mocha when we’re done as a treat. Thank you for offering to help me. Can you carry one of the traps?” I pocketed a baggie of cat food and a couple small Tupperware containers.

  “How do you know that the cats are over there? Did you see them?”

  I shook my head. “I found a kitten in my backyard yesterday. I took him to the vet this morning to have him checked out.” I paused, wondering how to explain the fact that Dr. Tom had talked to Frost. “How much do you know about Whisper Hollow?”

  After I locked the door behind us, I slipped my keys deep into my pocket as we crossed the street and headed for Bramblewood Thicket.

  “Actually, my mother was born here. She left when she was twenty, got married, and got pregnant with me. As I was growing up, she told me about Whisper Hollow—all these odd stories about all the odd people here. She told me the town has a life of its own. I always felt that I belonged here. I know that a lot goes on below the surface here.”

  “I thought you found the town when you are driving through on vacation?”

  She shook her head. “The truth is that I decided to come over to the peninsula in order to find out if Whisper Hollow really was calling me. I grew up in Bellingham, but ever since my mother told me about Whisper Hollow, I knew that I needed to come visit. She didn’t belong here, but I’ve always felt like I did, just from her stories. So I came over to see whether the town would welcome me or toss me out on my ass.”