“N-No! No. At least not yet. Maybe someday, but that’s beside the point. Al. I know you like to wander the woods a lot. I get it, but maybe you should start sticking around the village more. You know, where it’s safe.”
Where no one can grab you, I added mentally.
He lifted a brow. “What are you, paranoid now?”
“I just… I don’t know.” I raked a hand through my hair in agitation. How to tell him without telling him? “I just have a bad feeling about it, that’s all. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Or worse.”
“Only you would be worried about me getting hurt. Reality check—no one would care.” He slowly shook his head, curls bouncing. I opened my mouth and he raised his hand to stop me. “I get it. No one beside a handful of people. Like you and my sister. But everyone else?”
“Aliel.”
“Alright, fine. I’ll be a little more careful, but I’m not gonna quit visiting the woods alone. That’s where I truly feel like I belong.” His eyes softened a little and I grabbed him in a bear hug. He groaned and struggled until I let him go.
“Thanks, Al. It means a lot.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He gave a wave and headed back for the kitchens. I watched him go, but the weight on my heart didn’t lift.
I needed to figure out Kanzi. Figure out who this Astridr was and why he wanted her as his queen. I needed insight, damnit. I grumbled as I strode quickly out of the building.
I found myself knocking on the door where I’d first learned about Hati. The white-haired Kuska answered it on my second knock, looking at me with her pale eyes. She offered a kind smile.
“What brings you here, milord? I’ve taught you all I know.”
Which was true. I’d started lessons with her immediately after the first day I met her. She reminded me so much of my own grandmother. Kuska was family in more ways than one; when Arii and Aliel’s parents had died, Kuska took them on as her own children.
“What do you know about Kanzi? What can you tell me that you haven’t yet told me?”
As she settled back on her stool, I began to pace, hands stuffed in the pockets of my coat. I kept my gaze locked on her and she frowned. At first, I thought she was going to refuse, but she merely nodded.
“Alright. But for Skoll’s sake, sit down. Your pacing’s getting on my nerves.”
I sat.
“Kanzi was born with Hati’s Sight to two well-bred hunters. He was their first child, and the first in the pack to have Hati’s Sight since a rogue several years before. A rogue who had ultimately been run out of Altehrei. Kanzi was just a puppy, but still no one trusted him. They feared him.” She took a breath and shook her head.
“Kanzi was bullied and picked on by the heirs to the throne. Your father and your uncle Kaughlin. And young Sikta, Tallys’s daughter, two years younger than the twins.”
“And he grew up distant and mean-hearted?” I guessed. Just like Hati.
“No. He foresaw Sikta’s mother’s death…and when it came to fruition, Tallys was beyond hurt. He demanded the pup be exiled from the pack, though an eight-year-old boy would’ve died on his own. Tallys didn’t care; he wanted Kanzi out.
“The pack rallied and there was tension between the members threatening to leave. Tallys finally relented, though he treated the boy harshly. That’s when Kanzi grew distant. But it wasn’t until after Tallys was wounded in a pack hunt and Kaughlin stepped up to lead that the boy became mean-hearted.”
She slowly shook her head, rubbing her face with both hands.
“Kanzi fell in love with a girl…and that girl, just like Astridr, turned him down. Kaughlin took her as his mate and Kanzi just fell apart. He attacked our Alpha and the fight was brutal. Kaughlin died. That’s when Tallys banned him for good. But he didn’t leave quietly. He took a third of Altehrei with him. They followed him to become their own pack. The Rashti.”
She paused and I looked up at her, wanting to squeeze her for more information. Surely she knew something else.
“And that’s all you know?”
Her eyes seemed to glaze over and she slowly shook her head.
“No. I know one more thing…”
I looked at her, expectant, and she sighed.
“Kanzi is my son. When he broke the pack up, his father went with him. I stayed behind. Kanzi was so…beaten down. He believed he was unworthy all his life. He cried so many tears, tears of frustration and pain. I tried to help him, but in the end he did what he had to do.” She smiled, melancholy.
“And I know you’ll do what you have to do to set this right. To ease the ache in this old woman’s heart.”
My heartbeat stilled. “Kuska.”
“I want to have peace again. I want to be able to not live in fear of my own damn son. Your pack believes in you, they trust you. They would follow you, if you demanded it. I want you to end this war any way possible, even if it means taking my son’s life.”
Her eyes filled, brimming with tears. She reached for my hands, squeezing them as she began to tremble.
“Promise me that, Kia’la. That someday, you’ll end what I unknowingly started.”
I thought of my vision, of Aliel kidnapped and kept in a dungeon somewhere. If that was the truth, the future…it seemed I would be headed in that direction. I nodded slowly.
“I promise.”
“Go pay a visit to Szarsa.” She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “He would be the one person who knows of the Rashti’s ways. Tell him Kuska sent you. He won’t turn you down.”
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it.
I found Szarsa in the training room, leaning against the railing beside Zephyr as they watched a pair of teenagers duke it out with wooden blades. Szarsa’s golden hair was pulled away from his face in a braid that trailed down his neck. He nearly jumped out of his skin as I tapped him on the shoulder. His eyes narrowed at me and I raised both my hands.
“Easy. I need to talk to you.”
He blinked, his lips set in a grim line. Zephyr waved him off, preoccupied with the kids in the ring and slowly Szarsa turned towards me. I dropped my shoulder and nodded toward the corner, where the sun was streaming through the window, casting pallid beams of light on the hardwood floor. He looked at me from behind his mask of scars, a mask that kept him wary, on edge.
I offered my warmest smile. “I need to know what Kanzi wants.”
His eyes darted to mine, widening with fear and surprise. He started to shake his head, to back away from me. My hand snaked out and caught his elbow, drawing him back.
“Please. Kuska said you would know.”
His voice was gravelly when he finally spoke, swallowing hard.
“Kanzi. Just his name is bitter on my lips,” he said softly, shaking his head. “For nearly eighteen years, I called him my king. I was born into the pack, raised with the other pups. Revered, because my eyes were so pale. So gray. Where a pup with two-toned eyes in Altehrei would be feared and be forced to be an Omega, Kanzi rewarded the people with Hati’s Sight. They were damn near royalty in his eyes. He believed that he could create a kingdom of dual-eyed wolves, a strong line who bowed to Hati and Hati alone.
“I’ll admit, being at the top of the pack had its perks. I ate better than, say, a wolf with green eyes. We had cozy quarters and were treated like kings. Still, the pack was ruled with a heavy hand and we all ultimately learned to fear Kanzi and his rapid mood swings.
“One day, when I was out hunting on my own, I came upon a girl from Altehrei. Her name was Sadia and she was…beautiful. Wonderful.” He pressed his eyes shut, as if it hurt to remember.
“She had pale yellow, nearly golden eyes—and to Kanzi, golden eyes were the devil. I knew I should kill her…but I couldn’t bring myself to harm her. Instead, we became friends. She told me of Altehrei’s ways and I noticed the love in her voice when she spoke of her leader. Your father. How could she be so caring towards her king, when I feared mine? She offered me sanctuary in Altehrei. I almost took it. I sh
ould’ve.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because of what Kanzi had taught us. He said that Altehrei was a deathtrap, a clan of scum that outlawed and killed Hati’s descendants. I was afraid that Kitane would reject me when he saw my pale eyes.” He dropped his head.
“But I started doubting Kanzi. He realized it and had someone tail me the next time I went out, and when they saw me with Sadia…”
He shuddered. “They killed her, right in front of me. They chased her down. It was brutal and bloody. They hauled me back to the village and Kanzi learned of my betrayal firsthand—from me. I was hurt and angry. Livid with fury, he attacked me.”
Szarsa’s hand rose up, tracing the scars across his face, across his blind eye.
“They beat me, and chased me off, leaving me to die of blood loss in the forest. It was by a stroke of luck that I was able to crawl past Altehrei’s territory lines before passing out. Zephyr found me and saved me. I owe my life to her.”
It made sense. If Kanzi was recruiting wolves with Hati’s Sight, Aliel would naturally be targeted. I grimaced, thinking of my vision.
“And who is Astridr?”
Once again, Szarsa managed to look shocked. “Astridr was the beautiful, crimson-eyed goddess that Hati and Skoll fought over in the legends and tales spun of their lives.”
“But who is she to Kanzi?”
“Kanzi wants the girl who denied him all those years ago. Sikta. He believes, in his twisted reality, that she truly is Astridr and that he is Hati…and that he will have what he desires. Rather brutish,” he muttered. “And he believes that she will bear him heirs to the throne, to keep his purity clean. Milord, did I help any?”
Sikta was the one to turn Kanzi down when they were youths? She had been mated to Kaughlin…and Kaughlin had been murdered by Kanzi shortly after becoming king. Which made Sikta queen. Which meant Sikta was left a widow, deserving of the title of Alpha, and Tallys brought me into the picture.
No wonder she was so bitter.
“Thank you, Szarsa. I think that clears it up for me.”
His lips made a hesitant smile as he bowed. “To my true king, I am loyal,” he said, then headed back to the sparring match. I saw him slip his hand inside Zephyr’s, a picture of innocent love, and I smiled.
Chapter Sixteen
“You really do need to learn how to hunt,” Arii said a few days later. “I mean, seriously. Okay, what if you found yourself lost in the woods, slowly dying of hunger? What if no one could find you? You’d have to fend for yourself.”
“I’m not going to get lost.” I laughed at the thought. “I know these woods like the back of my hand.”
“And what if the Rashti chased you into unfamiliar territory? What then? You need to be able to eat, Kia.” Her blue eyes shimmered with worry and it was obvious this had been bothering her for awhile.
“The idea of you lost and alone out there somewhere…” She shook her head.
“Alright,” I said. I took both her hands in mind, drawing them to my chest and holding them there so she could feel the way my heart beat for her. Maybe that was sappy, but oh well. It was true.
“Will you take me hunting? I don’t wanna look like an idiot.” I thought of the way the hunters had looked at me when I’d tried to save that fawn. Like I was a weakling, ready to be picked off by a stronger wolf. Unworthy to be their king.
“Think you can get away from responsibility for a couple hours?”
I shot her a grin. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
Fifteen minutes later, we were headed into the forest, blades at our belts and a bow slung over Arii’s shoulder. She looked like some sort of Amazon warrior, minus the face paint. Totally…kissable.
Shifting the quiver on my back, I bumped my shoulder against hers and she chuckled. Turning her face towards me, she stuck out her tongue.
“You don’t get a kiss until after the hunt.” She waggled a finger in my face. Damn, she knew me too well. I just kept grinning. It was no good to plead with her—she was too stubborn.
“First things first. Change. You need your nose to pick up the scent.”
I handed her the quiver. The hairs on my arms prickled as my wolf lifted his big head. I could literally feel his excitement bleed into my reality as he came out with a leap. Once shifted, I dropped my nose to the ground and scented in short, rapid breaths. Snow, snow, and more snow. And beneath that? Dirt.
“Nada.”
“Then we’ll do a little hiking. Keep sniffing, Kia.” A smile played at her lips. I wagged my tail and sniffed away until the musky scent of a snowshoe hare filled my nostrils. I paused, testing the scent once more, then let my eyes scan ahead. The hare would be white for winter; it would blend in with the landscape. Camouflage.
My eyes fixed on the fuzzy shape several yards ahead and I stiffened. Arii picked up on my tension and when I glanced over at her, I saw her pupils were dilated, pinpricks in a sea of ice blue, as if she was having a hard time keeping her wolf at bay.
She silently nocked a slender arrow and pulled the string on the bow taut. My muscles tensed, my gaze locked onto the hare, who seemed impervious to the danger that was looming over its head.
The bow string gave a snap as the arrow glided through the air, sinking home. The rabbit gave one high, piercing scream and bolted forwards. I lunged after it on swift paws. It made it a few paces before keeling over, its heart giving out. I padded up beside it and nosed at the rabbit, the stench of blood turning my stomach over.
“Bring it back, boy,” Arii commanded lightly, clapping her hands to her knees like I was an oversized Labrador.
I grumbled and gently hoisted the rabbit up by the scruff of its neck. It swung limp in my grasp and I dropped it at Arii’s feet, feeling dirty.
“Ew,” I said as Arii pulled the arrow from the rabbit’s flesh. It made a slight suckling sound as it slid out with a gleam of blood. Arii slid the arrow back into her quiver.
“Good job, Kia.” Arii’s hand caressed my ear, her nails scratching gently. I leaned into the touch, a soft moan of pleasure escaping me; damn, if it didn’t feel good. No wonder Arii had wanted me to pet her all the time back when she posed as my Delilah.
I shook my head at the memories, chasing them off. I would rather have Arii as a girlfriend than a dog I could never keep anyway. She dropped the bow and arrows to the ground, stashing them beside a tree before changing to wolf form as well.
“Do I get that kiss yet?”
She snorted. “Heck no. C’mon. I killed that rabbit—that was training, for you to scent it. Now you get to scent it and catch it. And don’t look at me like that,” she said, flicking an ear as she padded ahead of me. I followed her closely and we took turns sniffing at the snow. I stumbled upon a freshly laid track and Arii followed my lead.
“Just let your instincts guide you. That wolf knows his way around a forest, Kia.”
“If he knows how to hunt, why do I have to do this?”
“Because I said so.”
The minutes ticked by slowly, just two wolves trotting carefully through trampled snow, hunting for a rabbit that was either long gone or invisible. I didn’t like the prospect of chasing an invisible rabbit, so I flopped down on my side, snow puffing up around me. My breath was an icy jet as I groaned. I heard a soft growl and felt teeth in my ear.
Arii glared at me, biting hard enough to draw blood. I whacked her with a paw, nipping at her scruff. She squeaked and I tugged and she tumbled down beside me. We rolled around for a moment, the only sounds our grunts and growls.
After awhile, we lay still and silent, on our backs looking up at the cloud-filled sky. Tiny snowflakes drifted around us and I glanced over at Arii to see a particularly big flake land on her nose. I turned my head and licked it off, a swift swipe of my tongue. She pinned her ears and bit me, lunging to her feet.
“No romance ‘til you catch the rabbit, Silverwind.” Then with a haughty shake of her fur, she danced off.
Stub
born. I huffed and hurried after her. It took me awhile, but I finally stumbled over fresher tracks. With the scent of musk tingling my nose, I relaxed a little and let my wolf take over. He was eager, his muscles tensed with the excitement of a hunt. Gold eyes narrowed, I found a young white hare at the base of a tree and I crouched into a stalk.
Easy, I cautioned myself, my footfalls placed gentle, soundless against the snow. The hare’s head jerked up, dark eyes wide as it tested the air. Ears flicked back, forever flighty, and I felt my muscles spring into action just as it took off. I galloped across the forest, darting trees in time with the hare, my pulse rushing in my ears. My eyes locked onto that small, fuzzy form.
It veered left. I swept after it, jaws open, tongue lolling out. It was fast, but I had longer legs. In a matter of seconds, I was on top of it, leaping high. My paws collided with the hare and it let out a scream as it tumbled, flailed, and landed.
My jaws clasped around the neck and, tasting the fear of the little animal, I hesitated for a fraction of a second. My wolf wanted to jerk his head, snap the rabbit’s spine, and call it a job well done. And get that kiss.
I felt my stomach roil, but I turned my head, readying for the snap. Then—”No!” I all but screamed as black dotted my vision, threatening another illusion, another version of the future. I couldn’t bear to see Aliel again, trapped in a dungeon with chains around his ankles…or worse. I pressed my eyes shut, swaying on my feet.
“Kia!” Arii’s voice was muddied by a rush of static and I felt my sight give completely.
I was in complete darkness, silence broken only by the muffled groans of a man and the clink-clink of chains. I stiffened, the hair on the back of my now-human neck prickling. I didn’t want to see this. The smell of rot and blood and infection filled my nose, noxious, and I pulled my shirt up over my face to try and block the stench.
“Kia’la…” His voice was just as I remembered it, maybe a little huskier around the edges, worn tired. I glanced around blindly, looking for him. The darkness gave way as a tiny white bulb flickered and buzzed to life, bathing the dungeon in dingy light.
Wolfsong Page 16
