Grave Debt

by T. G. Ayer

  Then, with liquid ease, I shifted back into my panther form, then settled into a loping run that fell somewhere between a sprint and a trot. I was in no rush to return home, even though I'd felt the pull of fatigue as it reminded me that I ached for rest. I'd get that rest, of that I was sure--I just needed a few more minutes to myself.

  And as I ran, I caught sight of that cat, at first a blur in my peripherals and then a flash of gold as it crossed my path, bolder now, as though she'd decided to reveal herself on purpose as a message to me.

  I slowed to a walk and studied the trees into which she'd disappeared, eyes focused on the thick brush which rustled and shivered in the breeze. The wind had picked up...or had it?

  I looked around the forest, beyond the clearing in which I'd been standing so still, and confirmed that whatever the breeze was it didn't extend beyond the area surrounding me.

  Odd as it appeared, I didn't default to a state of fear. The cat was certainly no threat, its size hardly that of a predator that would make me afraid. Besides, its bearing and behavior didn't lend itself to announcing a threat either.

  Even so, I didn't drop my guard as I wavered in place, unsure of whether I ought to leave now or wait to see if she'd reappear. I wasn't far from the spot where I'd left my clothing, and I was tempted to shift, but my panther body was by far more conducive to tracking any form of prey.

  I scented the air and began to follow the trail, moving between bushes and plants, making my way ever closer to a scent that remained elusive.

  And so, I soon came to a halt and turned away from the trail, tired now of this game of hide and seek that seemed to have only one player.

  But, as I turned, the trees blurred, wavered, colors bright now and then dark, so dark that the reds and greens appeared neon. I hissed a low breath and sniffed, now unsure of what I'd walked into, almost certain that I'd been dumb enough to allow my curiosity to lead me straight into a trap.

  And this time there'd be no soultracker to come in and save my ass.

  I shook my head, blinked again and scanned the trees, letting out a low whine as my vision stuttered, a blood-red bird calling from a low branch as though he'd sensed my worry.

  But as I glanced over at him, the bird itself flicked out of sight--as though it had Jumped away. I coughed, low in my throat, aware now that something was terribly wrong.

  And then, just as I was about to shift back to human form, the need to stand upright seeming to overpower me, a red spot shimmered on the branch and the bird returned.

  I tossed my head, confused now as around me the trees and grass and plants shivered and wavered, feathered pixels merging and splitting and then joining again. I took a step forward, and later I wasn't at all sure what I'd intended to do, whether I'd meant to race off into the trees or if I'd moved in order to shift back to human form.

  Either way, I never made it as I blinked and found myself lying on my back in the grass, one arm flung out, knuckles grazing the dirt, the other resting on my abdomen, fingers fisted.

  I grunted and lifted my head, eyes inspecting every shadow, every tree, every movement. I shivered, cold having sunk deep into my bones, then bit down on my jaw to stop the trembling.

  Twisting around, I was placing a hand to the ground to boost myself up when a flicker of gold blinked from around my wrist.

  The hand on my stomach threw off that shimmer, and one glance down had me drawing a breath of shock.

  A bracelet.

  Bronze, carved, wrapped around my wrist. And so very familiar.

  Familiar as though a new image had slid in front of the old, and I knew in that instant why the cat had seemed so familiar.

  I knew her. I knew her very well.

  Cat the cat.

  Grams' little feline sidekick.

  I frowned, struggling to recall what had happened to the cat, aware that in my memory she'd been there one moment and then had evaporated from my mind, as though someone had taken an eraser to her.

  I cleared my throat and then forced myself back to my feet, spinning around to check the clearing. There was little chance that I was truly alone and I'd dropped my guard despite all my best intentions.

  And now I stood in the forest, naked as the day I as was born, staring around me like a madwoman, wondering when a flickering shadow would spring out at me.

  I took a step back, blinking as the second memory hit me.

  Not only had the Cat been a part of my life, but so had the bracelet which had miraculously appeared around my forearm as though it had never left. I stood there for a moment, staring at the intricately carved armband, remembering how it had protected me from the wraith lord's blade...well not entirely as a shard had embedded itself inside my arm despite the armor. Still, my injury would have been infinitely worse had I not been in possession of the armband.

  And then...and then I'd removed the armor.

  I struggled with my memory, trying hard to recall what had happened when Logan had removed the bracelet from my hand, and we'd seen then how badly the poison had infected me, poison from the wraith's sword.

  I caught a flash of a memory, the bracelet in Logan's hand, his scowling face, eyes shadowed with worry, the soft clunk as he let go of the bracelet and it hit the bare wood floor.

  And then, nothing.

  I hadn't even thought of the armor, hadn't spent a moment wondering where it had gone and how--given that it had fallen at my side in my bedroom. How was that even possible that every single memory of the bracelet had been wiped from my mind?

  I stiffened, fingers wrapping around the bracelet as my thoughts flittered to Darcy. Was it possible my memory had been tampered with without my knowledge?

  I wasn't sure that there had been too many instances in which such an intrusion could have occurred, and I would have at least registered the skipping of time. And even then, what kind of mental manipulation was capable of allowing memories to return at the same moment that the armband reappeared out of nowhere?

  I shook my head, fingers tracing the bumps and grooves of the carvings, then let out a sigh. The cold of the night was apparent now, in the ache of my skin and my bones, and I shivered, turning on my heel and heading off at a run.

  I navigated through the forest and made my way to the tree where I'd hidden my clothing, then dressed quickly, my mind not for a moment leaving the new mystery. Not even when I was lying under my covers, freshly showered and changed, the blankets wrapped around the armband so I wouldn't keep staring at it.

  I gazed up at the ceiling, biting my lip as I clenched my arm, the bulge of muscle touching the warm metal of the armor. Where had it come from and what had Cat had to do with the bracelet?

  It appeared that an innocuous little housecat was more than she had seemed to be. I nodded slowly, acknowledging that Cat had never been consistent, and would often disappear for long periods of time, where Grams would merely shake her head and say that it wasn't right to stop any living thing from doing what nature intended.

  Even now my mouth curved in a grin at Grams' implication, but now it didn't seem to be so cut and dried as answering the mating call.

  And that brought me right back to the one person I was sure would be able to answer a few questions.

  Grams.

  My lips narrowed, mouth forming a thin line as I turned to reach for my phone. My aching body had grown less achy, and I was pretty confident that the shift from human to panther and then back again had something to do with it. My cheek too had repaired itself, shattered bone reknitting as human bone had shifted to animal and then back again.

  The shift had often been used as a method to repair broken bones and injury, a secret magical power within the transformation also encourage cell repair. There was a working theory that perhaps it was the very act of shifting that ensured the skinwalkers were a long-lived race--maybe not immortal but definitely possessing an extended lifespan with some of the oldest of our community still sprightly at the ripe old age of two centuries.

  N
ow, as I tapped out a message to Grams and then waited for her response, I had to wonder how much the fae-walker knew and even if she did know anything, would she tell me the truth? Grams had always been mysterious, but now that secretiveness was a reason for me to wonder if I could honestly trust her.

  The little dots at the bottom of my screen began to bounce as Grams typed her response and seconds late the phone pinged as her answer appeared, a simple statement of place and time to meet.

  The Corner Cafe, 10am. Don't be late.

  I snorted. I was the one who'd requested the meeting, why would I delay my arrival? I shook my head, reminding myself that I had to stop being so suspicious, that I had to give Grams the benefit of the doubt.

  So I took a breath, calmed down, sent off a hugging face emoticon and tucked the phone under my pillow.

  Within seconds I was asleep, my thoughts on what Grams would have to tell remaining unfinished as darkness swallowed me whole.

  Chapter 23

  Logan was pacing the carpet of his room, his mind a whirl of everything General Vyrian had shown him. He was finding it a little hard to wrap his head around the fact that he’d been immersed within the city of Dyr for only half a day and yet he felt as though he’d been here for weeks.

  Everywhere he’d turned he’d been impressed beyond belief: the castle, the city and its construction and of course the army.

  The might of the Drakys military was incomparable, and the reality was that should the dragon realm decide it was time to take over the Earth-Realm, they’d take the realm with such ease it would be painful to watch.

  But, other than the breadth of the military might, Vyrian had also revealed details of security issues within the realm, small skirmishes in the other reaches with ancient clans who didn’t bend to the rule of the regent queen.

  And Logan’s brain buzzed with the words of the Elders he and Sienna had spied upon. The fact that there were two powerful groups threatening to overthrow centuries of rule made for a very volatile situation all round.

  The door opened and Sienna stalked inside, her face flushed, eyes sparking with fury.

  “What’s wrong,” Logan asked, frowning as she shut the door and leaned against it, eyes closed, exhaling deeply.

  Sienna let out a groan. “Don Eridyn is too damned persistent. The man thinks he’s the best thing since Morid’s Tart.”

  “What?” Logan snickered. She’d been meant to bathe and change, then meet him for dinner--which was still waiting on the table near the balcony doors--but it appeared she been waylaid by a passionate suitor. “He wants to marry you?”

  “He wishes.”

  Sienna pushed off the door and hurried inside the vast room toward Logan who was standing in front of the open balcony doors, staring out at the valley below the castle. She stopped at his elbow and let out another breath, this time the sound filled with something akin to rapture.

  “It never ever gets old, Logan. Every time, this view reminds me that it’s all worth it.”

  “Marrying an old git called Eridyn is worth this view?” Logan smirked.

  Sienna hit his arm. “No, you idiot. You know what I mean. This place was beautiful when I thought it was my prison. But knowing it’s my home? It makes the beauty all the more impressive.”

  Logan was silent as he too studied the view. He could see what Sienna meant, but somehow, the beauty of the view faded when he thought of Kai and what he’d left behind.

  Sienna sighed and leaned her head against Logan’s arm. “I know, brother. Just give it a little time. Fix things here and then go fetch your panther.” Then she moved away, almost skipping as she walked over to the table and lifted steel lids to inspect the array of food the palace kitchens had provided. “Mhhh. Come, let’s eat.”

  Sienna had already half-filled her plate with roasted potatoes and grilled meat, the color deep and red, and making Logan’s mouth water.

  He grabbed a plate and hovered behind her. “You think it’s that easy?” he asked as he waited for her to make her next choice. “That I can go back and get Kai to follow me home all because she loves me? What will I be asking her to give up? She’s an alpha panther, destined to look after her people.”

  Sienna poured a dark gravy over her roast and skirted the table to slip into the nearest available seat. “But her brother is looking after things just fine, last I checked. And her father’s still alive and kicking. Corin will take up the reins if Kai isn’t around.”

  Logan grunted, staring at the food, then dishing out everything his sister had selected. “I’m pretty sure it’s more complicated than both you and I can understand,” he said, licking gravy off the back of his finger as he sat beside her.

  She tossed him a warm bread-roll. “So what about giving Kai the choice?”

  Logan scowled at his sister as she stared up at him, eyes narrowed, holding the butter dish hostage as she waited for an answer he didn’t want to give.

  Sienna snorted, shook her head and handed the butter over, giving him a dirty look. “Typical. You’re going around assuming you know what Kai will say and yet you haven’t yet given her the courtesy of making her own choice? You’ve just gone on an assumption and made her choices for her.”

  “You think giving her that choice makes it easier?” Logan asked before he forked a pile of roasted meat into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. He’d only half chewed his mouthful when he continued, waving his fork in the air as he said, “If I did that, Kai would make the choice of her heart.”

  “Which is?” Sienna had almost cleaned her plate and was wiping up the gravy with one end of her overly-buttered roll.

  Logan paused to concentrated on his food, a little annoyed that SIenna was insisting on having this conversation during their dinner. He swallowed and eyed the buffet as he replied, “She’d choose to come with me and leave her responsibilities behind. And then she’d resent me for the rest of our lives. And believe me, walkers live just about as long as dragons.” Logan got to his feet and went over to the buffet to fill his plate for a second time.

  “Logan, you’re forgetting something,” Sienna said sharply.

  “Which is?” he asked, almost wondering if the thing he was forgetting was Kai-related or food-related.

  At this point he wasn't sure given that Sienna was poking her fork at the air in front of her as she replied, “The option for her to turn you down. Are you afraid of giving her the choice in case she chooses not to come to Drakys with you?”

  Logan winced as the question hit him deep, but as he parsed his feelings, he found himself shaking his head. “No. If she said no, I’d be okay with that,” he replied and returned to his seat. “I just don’t want her stay because she was afraid of breaking my heart.”

  Logan made a deliberate attempt not to eat slowly and not shovel his food down like Sienna was doing. Plus, the conversation had succeeded in somewhat dampening his appetite.

  “There’s no easy way, Logan,” Sienna said, rising to fetch a bowl of what looked like lemon meringue pie. As she returned she said, “You need to lay down all the cards for her, and accept what happens either way. You can’t sit here and bear the burden of a decision that Kai hasn’t yet made. That’s insane, brother.”

  Logan took a breath and focused on Sienna, his food forgotten. “So what’s our situation? How do we prepare for the ceremony, and what in god’s name am I supposed to do about flying?” Logan whispered.

  Sienna grinned and pointed at his plate, waving at him to eat. “We do the only thing we can. We practice.”

  Brow furrowed, Logan dunked a potato into his gravy, popped it in his mouth and chewed, saying, “And where the hell are we supposed to do that?” around his food. He really had lost his manners since arriving in Draky. Logan swallowed, wiped his mouth and said, “I think a few people will bear witness to their ruler falling from the sky half a hundred times before he actually manages to fly. If he manages to fly.” Logan concentrated on finishing what was left on his plate and hurried off fo
r a piece of that pie before Sienna went for thirds.

  When he returned to his seat he saw that Sienna was pursing her lips, a feat that was admirable considerable her mouth was filled with pie. “You’ll fly. Even Darcy said the block was gone and you’ve healed. You just need practice.”

  Logan snorted and polished off his pied, feeling a little too full, and a lot lethargic.

  “Don’t worry,” Sienna said, her voice a song. “I have the most perfect solution to get you flying.”

  “Which is?”

  Sienna smirked as she pushed her plate away, got to her feet and raced for the balcony. Just as she flung herself over the railing she yelled out. “Easy. Just throw you off the side of a mountain.”

  Chapter 24

  Sienna had not been joking.

  “You threw me off the frickin’ cliff, Sienna!” Logan screamed as his hands cartwheeled, legs pumped the air as he just kept falling.

  All he could see were jagged black cliffs topped with caps of white snow, all sharp and deadly as a thousand knives, all waiting to impale Logan when he finally hit land.

  “Sienna!” Logan yelled as the rocky blank ground drew closer and closer.

  And, just when he knew he was going to faceplant into the ragged boulders, Sienna swooped down and scooped him up, whooping loudly as she lifted him back up to the top of the mountain.

  Sienna transformed and dropped Logan to the clifftop just as she also got her footing, taking short, sharp, excited breaths. “Wanna go again?”

  “Not if you’re going to throw me off the mountainside again. We already know that’s not going to do anything.”

  Sienna clicked her tongue then paced back and forth dusting out her hands as she caught her breath. “You’re no fun.”

  “No. I’m not. Not if you throw people off mountains. Look, this isn’t working. Maybe we need to tell Lyra and Vyrian to hold off on the Ascension ceremony. It’s not likely that I’m going to learn to fly overnight.”