by Taft, Nicole
My daypack. He’d scared me so much standing over Marianne I’d just dropped it then and there. “You went back and got it?”
“I bought it with me when I followed you. You had some tasty things in there.” His eyes glittered in the firelight—or did they do that on their own?
“You ate everything?”
“Of course not, my heart. I saved some for you.”
I hoped so. The last thing I needed was for this guy to be running on power bars and Snickers.
“How do you know my name, anyway?”
“I found a thing in your pack with your name on it. You look delicious in the picture, but not as delicious as you are in the flesh. Your hair was much shorter then.”
My driver’s license. Then I remembered. I had bear mace in that pack. Why hadn’t I thought of that earlier?
“Could I have my pack please?”
“Yes, of course, my sweet Caroline.”
I half waited for him to start singing the song, but he’d called me sweet Caroline in earnest, not some stupid joke like so many other guys did. He crawled over and dragged the pack to me. Good boy, I thought involuntarily. I opened it up to rifle through it.
“So,” I said, hoping to distract him, “why exactly were you attacking Marianne? You’ve never given me a straight answer.”
He huffed and made quiet growling noises, looking into the fire and scratching at his neck. “I wasn’t attacking her. I was…” His mouth twitched. “Someone made a request for me regarding that girl. But I wasn’t going to eat her. That knife was all for show. Scared kids do what they’re told right? Although she did look every bit the succulent meal like a fresh lamb playing in the fields, those delicate curls of hers bouncing in the sunshine and her dainty dress like bluebells swaying in the meadow.”
He’d gone somewhere off the deep end I suspected, gazing into the distance with a dreamy grin on his face, all his teeth showing—including those abnormally sharp canines. Then he seemed to catch himself and regroup.
“Not that I eat young girls—or any girls for that matter. I only attacked you because you attacked me. I don’t eat people at all, no matter what all the stories say. It only invites trouble and makes a wolf more worse off than he already is.”
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince me. Hopefully he had more luck on himself, because I certainly wasn’t going to buy it. And where the hell was my bear spray?
“So who wanted Marianne and what for? If you resorted to using a knife, it doesn’t sound like anything good.” I managed to keep my voice level. Where was that damn mace? Sure, he’d helped me, but I couldn’t stick around with someone this neurotic. Who knew when he might snap again?
He scratched at his neck again and blew air out through his nose like an aggravated dog. “I don’t know the reason. As for who, I can’t say.”
“Why not?”
“I’m force-bound not to.”
“Uh huh.” I savagely pushed at my daypack. “God! Wolf? Did you see a small can in here at any point in time?”
“I most certainly did. Awful smelling stuff. I got rid of it immediately. Why did you have such a thing in your pack?”
I let out an exasperated sigh. Might as well tell him. “For protection. It’s especially good against bears.” And crazy people.
“Bears hmm? They’re no worry. Too busy eating honey porridge and going on outings.”
Oh joy. “Wolf, where am I?”
He smiled, and this time it wasn’t scary. It was soft and happy. “You’re right here, with me.”
“No, I mean, this place. This forest. What’s this place called?”
“Oh. You’re in the Kingdom of Red. It’s a very big place. Home to all the wolves in all the lands.”
“How many ‘lands’ are there?”
“Three. Would you like to see a map?”
“I would, very much so.”
He sat up enough to pull a worn piece of leather out of a pocket. Then he flopped back on his stomach by me and held it out.
“This is the land of Arglesia, though we all know it by the name of King Thrushbeard’s Land, even though he and his queen have been dead for generations. Above it is King Lute’s realm. And this is the Kingdom of Red. See? We can’t leave here because the mountains border it, and they’re much too high for any of us to scale and half-wolves aren’t allowed through the human passageways.”
I carefully examined the details of the map. The continent was like nothing I’d ever seen before, at least, not where I came from. Lute’s kingdom sat in the upper corner in the northeast, and if the map keys were anything to go by, looked like farmland as well as forest. Thrushbeard’s Land was below in the southeast, mostly forest, and appeared to have two little castles scrawled on the map. The Kingdom of Red was the largest, at least twice the size of the other two lands, and practically all forest. A line of mountains separated the Kingdom of Red from the other lands, stretching from ocean to ocean across the continent. The continents and writing were scrawled in black and faded with time. The leather was flimsy and careworn from years of use. I didn’t see how it could be fake.
The pond. Marianne. Wolf. Giants. Now this map. I finally gave in and fully accepted where I was. Far from home. In some fairy tale land. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh, cry, or just freak out, but considering everything I’d gone through already I was too tired to do any of those things. It was like I’d just gone through the five stages of grieving. Except I’d skipped the bargaining part. I wondered if I should start.
I handed the map back to Wolf, watching him as he carefully folded it up and tucked it away in his jacket pocket. Then he settled down near me, happy. He looked like a regular guy relaxing fireside. Like we weren’t in some fairy tale land and he and I had gone camping for the weekend. Then he noticed me looking at him and winked.
“Are you really a half-wolf?” I asked.
“Oh yes,” he said softly.
I stared at him for a bit before speaking again. “You seem to have issues.”
He sniffed, the content look fading from his face. “It’s hard, being half-wolf. No pack to speak of. Feared by humans. Farmers especially. They hate wolves, half and whole alike, those farmers. Doesn’t matter which. They catch a wolf, they build a fire and burn it or stab it with pitchforks and anything else until they reach its heart. No one loves wolves in the Kingdom of Red.”
He got very quiet as he said the last part. He plucked at a thread on his coat cuff, sullen.
“I study wolves, you know,” I finally said.
His gaze fixed on me again. “Study them?”
“I’m a wolf biologist. I watch them, follow them. I understand their habits and personalities. I protect them where I come from. I’m not afraid of wolves.”
“No? Is that why you weren’t afraid to kiss me?” His eyes glittered again.
I laughed lightly. “I was afraid to kiss you, trust me. But that was because I thought you were a serial killer. I didn’t believe you were a wolf in any shape or form. I’m still not sure I trust you.”
“Because I’m a wolf?”
“No, because I’m still worried you might be a serial killer.”
He grunted and rolled his eyes.
“I fear humans more than I fear wolves,” I said. “Where I’m from it’s rare for wolves to attack people. Humans, on the other hand, don’t always need provocation to hurt someone. Frankly I think humans are crazier.”
His jovial grin returned. “No wonder you’re my mate.”
I put a hand over my eyes. “I am not your mate.”
“What if I make a pledge?”
“A pledge?”
“A pledge to help you. I’m tired of seeking the girl for her.” I wondered who he was talking about. “I just want to be free. I just want to be near my mate.”
I sighed in exasperation. “I am not your—”
“Please,” he said, and his serious expression stopped me. “I know
you may not believe me but…I would be very grateful if you gave me a chance. No one ever gives me a chance.” He touched my arm and my heart did that weird flip-flop thing again.
I finally relented. “All right. But that’s quite a sudden turnaround, babe. How do I know you won’t do the same to me when the time comes?”
“As the moon is my master, I promise to be by your side no matter what. I will do everything you ask. And a wolf who promises on the moon does not go back on his vow.”
“What about the girl?”
He held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t even go near her without your leave.”
I supposed it would have to do. We fell silent, watching the stars come out while the rest of the world went from blue to black. The moon hung low in the sky, a little over half of it showing. I caught Wolf staring at it intently.
“You’re not gonna howl at that, are you?”
“I might.”
“Wolves don’t howl at the moon where I’m from. That’s an old wives’ tale. They howl to reinforce pack bonds and to let other wolves know where their boundaries are.”
“We do that too, but the moon is our master, especially for us half-wolves because we have no pack and no one to howl to. The pull is stronger when the moon is full.”
I inched away from him. “You’re not a werewolf, are you?”
He sat up in disgust. “No. Of course not. Werewolves are disgusting, vicious creatures. Wolves in human skins that have indulged in their darker sides and killed too many people. They revel in their bloodlust. All the werewolves of this country were banished a long time ago.” Then he settled down again. “Werewolf,” he scoffed.
“But…you could be. As a half-wolf, right?”
He growled. “I’d eat poisoned meat before becoming a werewolf.”
Good to know. I shifted my spot in the leaves, closing my eyes.
“You’re going to help me find Marianne tomorrow, right?” I asked.
“Yes. A wolf never goes back on his word, half or whole.”
“Good.”
I woke up in the middle of the night, a little chilled, and stiff from lying on the hard ground. My head didn’t hurt at all. I shifted again, turned on my side with my head on my arm. I opened my eyes a crack and thought I saw Wolf, standing about twenty feet away amidst the trees. A pack of wolves, full ones on all four paws, surrounded him. He gestured with his hands from time to time. He paused for a moment and shook his foot, something gold jangling around his ankle. A weird tingle pulled at me. He went back to gesturing as though talking. Then several of the wolves turned to look at me, the fire making their eyes glow in the dark. Wolf did the same, and his eyes glimmered in the exact same way.
Chapter 4
I woke with a start. Panic wrenched in my chest from my strange surroundings, and for a moment I was six again, lost in the woods. Then the previous day’s events came rushing back. I relaxed slightly. Old memories lingered in my mind. I pushed them away. My watch read six o’clock, though I didn’t know how accurate that was for this place. The sun’s rays shone through the trees and early morning mist. My body was stiff but thankfully not too cold even though the fire must have died sometime during the night. Wolf laid a few feet away, half curled up and whimpering softly in his sleep. I was surprised I was awake before him. Probably due to his little late-night wolf powwow, whatever that was about. I thought he had no pack. I’d have to ask him about that. I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to undo some of the tangles I’d developed during the night. My stomach gurgled, and I pulled my pack over to get out a power bar for breakfast. I assumed slave traders slept at night like everyone else here and if they were weighed down by a lot of people, we could have a good chance at catching them today.
I stood as quietly as I could, stretching my arms, legs, and back. I still wasn’t sure what to make of Wolf. I didn’t know if I could really trust him or not. He’d apologized and explained, and I wasn’t going to lie to myself—he looked good and smelled good too. But he’d been after Marianne for a reason. For her, whoever she was, and no matter what he promised, that thought lingered in my mind. He growled at some phantom dream image.
I snuck off to go to the bathroom, far out of his potential sight in case he woke up, and then came back, debating. I could leave him here and set out on my own. But he’d tracked me to the giants’ lair, so there was a good chance he’d just be able to find me again without a problem. I figured slavers probably needed a decent road to travel on at some point, but unless I got lucky and bumped into it, I needed Wolf to find them too. And what if I did find them? I had no idea what slave traders were like here, or how I would get Marianne away from them. Whatever the situation, I needed Wolf to survive. He’d seemed serious enough last night with his pledge. All he asked for was a chance. Fine. I’d give him one. Then we’d see how long it would take him to forget. I knelt beside him.
“Time to get up,” I said quietly, touching his arm. I didn’t want to be too rough in case he woke up snapping or something.
He rubbed his face into the leaves and grunted in protest. I frowned. It was still hard to believe he was half wolf, but after dealing with giants and everything else I didn’t have room to doubt him. Asleep he looked like just a man. A handsome one too—and I really wasn’t supposed to be thinking things like that.
“Hey,” I said a little louder this time. “Let’s get going now.”
Wolf snatched my hand and pulled hard. I shouted in surprise as he rolled me over, coming to rest on top of me. His smiling face looked down at me. He took in a deep breath.
“You smell lovely.”
“I need a shower.”
“And spoil all that natural goodness with water?” He pouted.
“Can you get off me please? We need to go look for Marianne. And yes, by the way, I would rather spoil whatever smell I have with water rather than be gross.”
He stood and hauled me to my feet. I was glad he’d had enough sense to sleep apart from me last night, but now I almost wished he hadn’t. The man was downright toasty.
“By the by Caroline, how’s your head?”
I touched the spot where the injury was and discovered that the leaf had fallen off during our brief tussle. A tiny scar was in place of the cut, and my head felt just fine.
“Wow. That stuff really worked.”
“Lavawort and gum leaf—a wolf’s cure-all. Mind you though, you may crave really red meat for a few days.”
I gave him a stiff nod. “Right.”
“Come.” He started through the trees. “Let’s go.”
“Why am I calling you Wolf, anyway?” I asked. “Don’t you have a name?”
We’d walked for most of the morning. My stomach was grumbling even though I’d fed it a candy bar barely an hour ago to add to my early morning breakfast of power bar. For once I was glad I over-packed snacks when I went to wolf-watch. I hadn’t known how long it would take for Isabeau to emerge with the pups or if she would show them to the pack that day, so I’d planned for an entire day’s worth of snacky food. Except now all I had left was a bag of goldfish and one more candy bar. I resolved to give the goldfish to Marianne when we found her.
“That is my name,” he said.
I ducked under a tree branch. “You can’t just be called Wolf. That’s what every wolf is called.”
“Exactly.”
I grinned and shook my head. “So you’re telling me that every half-wolf is called Wolf?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Doesn’t it get confusing?”
“Not when you don’t have anyone to confuse it.”
“Right.” I bobbed my head in understanding. “No pack, no humans.” I paused, unsure whether or not it was safe to bring up last night. “Then…what was with the pack last night?”
“They were passing by and thought it strange you were with me, so I told them about you.”
“I see.” That meant he could communicate with real wo
lves. That was actually pretty amazing. I nudged an acorn off the path with my foot. “Do you have any family?”
A sad look flashed over his face. “Gone.”
I wondered what happened to them, but it didn’t feel right to ask. Instead I touched him on the shoulder and said, “I’m sorry.”
He surprised me by kissing my fingers. “Thank you.”
We continued on, hopping over the occasional gully stream, skirting thick growths of thistle bushes. The forest seemed endless. After seeing Wolf’s map, I understood why Marianne claimed that the forest went on forever. Aside from the few farms and villages, the Kingdom of Red was nothing but forest. How long did she wander around in it? How long did she wander through the forest in Wyoming? I shook my head. The poor thing. Alone and scared in a dark forest. I’d been in that position before. And now she was stuck with slave traders. What where they like? I hoped they weren’t mean. I really didn’t want to go through three near-death experiences in two days. Or maybe just two. Wolf’s was still up for debate.
“What do we do when we find them?” I walked down a set of thick tree roots like stairs. “How do we get Marianne away from them?”
“Simple. We buy her.”
I scoffed. “With what? They gave those giants six cows for her.”
“How many of those fire sticks do you have?”
“You mean matches? Assuming you didn’t get overzealous and use a bunch, I’d say at least twenty.”
“Then give them six matches. Six nights of easy fire making is well worth a slave.”
“Really?” It didn’t seem like much to me, but then again, I’d never thought much about making fires either. “What are slaves used for around here anyway? Shouldn’t that sort of thing be outlawed?”
“Oh it is. But they still do it and try not to be seen. Slaves usually sell to witches who need young girls and boys to do their bidding.”
I stopped walking for a second. “You have witches here?”
“Of course.”
“They’re not all bad, are they?”
“No. Many of them keep to themselves.”
Suddenly the ground vibrated. I grabbed Wolf’s arm to stay upright. He used the moment to slip an arm around my waist. The tremor died away.
