“I know. I just need to see something.” I pushed from my chair, picked my bow off the bow rack, turned to Angie.
She angled a sour look up at me. “Are you serious?”
“You can stay here if you want.” I slipped the quiver crossways over chest and shoulder.
“Ugh, fine.” She puffed a breath, pushed from her chair. “But I’m not bringing my bow.
We made our way around the front of the house. When we reached the back corner of the tall lilac hedges that bordered the pool, I knelt to a knee, my gaze across the weeded field and into the tree line. Echoes of distant male laughter came from the left. With sharpened senses, I could hear the bugs and the birds. Countless flying insects danced over and through the tall weeds like darting specks. I inhaled the sweet scent of lilacs.
But that’s not what held my focus.
Is that a black wolf in the shadows? That’s not Jaeger is it? All through my childhood, I’d observe Jaeger whenever I got the chance. He’d almost let me pet him once. His beautiful pack—ten wolves of black and white and gray—live in the forest around Conall Mountain. I always loved their presence here, their enchanting bays in the night.
Wait, that’s too tall to be a wolf.
“What are you doing?” Angie asked behind me in a somewhat irritated tone.
“Just, get down.”
“Ellie, I’m really not in the mood to play right now. Let’s just go back to the house.”
Reaching back, I pulled on her shirt. “Get down.”
She grunted a disagreement, but complied as I heard her flop to sit, then say, “What are you gonna do, kill some squirrel or something?”
Peering into the woods, I eased an arrow out of the quiver, clicked it onto the string, pulled, aimed for a beat, loosened my fingers and let it fly...
“I got it! I got it, Ang!” I bounded up, spun to face her.
“What the flap are you talking about?” She got to her feet. “You didn’t kill an animal, did you? You better not have.”
“No, no, of course not. It was a drek, sis, swear to Source. I just killed my first drek. That was awesome.”
“Really? I don’t believe you. Show me.”
“I don’t know if there’s anything left, but let’s go get my arrow and see.”
Before she could agree, I was bounding through the weeds to the tree line.
My arrow had stuck in a pine tree, so I rocked it back and forth, yanked it out, and looked at the tip. Nothing.
Angie finally strolled up beside me. “Well, I don’t see anything.”
“I know what I saw. I shot him right in the head.”
“It’s getting late, maybe we should go back in.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?” I slammed the arrow back in my quiver, slunk.
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you. Now let’s go in.” A little grin tugged at her mouth as she placed a big-sister hand on my shoulder. “I’ll fill that bubble bath for ya.”
I jerked my shoulder back. “I don’t want no flappin bubble bath. And stop looking at me like that. I shot him. Right in the head. I saw his stupid black eyes right before he, just, melted.”
With a glance at the ground behind Angie, I noticed a thick pool of black on a bed of pine needles, a footprint in the center of it.
“Ang, you should check your feet.”
“What?” She instinctively lifted and looked at her right tread. “Oh, that’s just nasty. What is that?” Black dripped like syrup off her shoe.
“Turn around.”
She turned. “That’s—” Eyes widened, then swiveled to me. “You did, didn’t you?”
“I told you, right in the head.” I stepped over to the stained ground, picked up a stick in my right hand, and swirled the end around in the dark pool. “Eew. That is kinda gross, isn’t it?”
“I can’t believe it, Ellie. You shot a drek. You.” She tucked some hair behind her ear. “What was it like?”
I dropped the stick, turned. “It was weird. I mean, something happened to me. I thought I saw Yeager, but when I started to focus, the whole forest, turned like, white. I don’t know. It was like all the trees were covered with snow, but it wasn’t snow. It was more like fuzzy white light. I don’t know how to explain it. And in the middle of the white there was this dark spot, strolling along. And the next thing I knew my bow was up and ready to shoot. I thought it might’ve been the fever so I just let go of the string, like Dad said, you know. Then the drek looked at me right before the arrow hit him between the eyes. And everything went back to normal. I’m telling you, something happened. It was—”
“Girls, time to come in now,” Mom called from the house, a touch of panic in her tone.
“Wow, did you hear that?” Angie said. “Mom does know we’re adults, right?”
“Yeah, it’s a little annoying. But I can understand. I mean, if my daughters were out here I’d feel the same.”
She paused to consider, her eyes saddened, mouth curled down. “I never thought of it like that. Source. I’d be terrified if it were my daughters. I should be nicer to her.” She blew a breath, dropped her forehead into her hand. “Ugh, she must think I’m such a bitch sometimes.”
“It’s all right, Ang. She understands. Now, let’s go be nice to Mom. And don’t tell anyone about this, okay? We weren’t supposed to be back here.”
Her eyes lifted to me. “Yeah. I won’t.” She wrapped a hug. “I’m proud of you, sis.”
After she drew back, a tiny white bird fluttered to a branch. A sparrow, no, a canary?
“Oh, Angie, look at that white bird.”
“Wow, that’s pretty, isn’t it?”
Eyes on us, the bird started to whistle a song. It flittered down and landed on the tip of my bow limb. The little head flicked back and forth, as it twittered a few musical notes, and then flew away into the forest.
“What was that about?” Angie wanted to know.
“I have no idea.” I stared after the bird, before adding, “C’mon, let’s go.”
Approaching the front lawn on our way back, I glanced at the ceramic faerie lawn ornaments and said, “Hey, you ever notice that lawn faerie over there looks just like Faye?”
“What? Oh, really.” She walked over and stood on the lawn before the faerie. Her hair hung forward as she bent over, hands on knees, staring at it, tilting her head and studying. She tucked some hair behind her ear and said, “Wow, you’re right,” then lifted her head and raised her eyebrows at me. “It looks just like her.” She dropped to her knees, placed her palms on the faerie’s ceramic head, and bowed as if in prayer. “Oh wise and great Faye, please tell me the secret to my wedding cake.”
I snorted a chuckle.
Mom said from the porch, “Girls, what are you doing out here?”
Angie lifted her gaze.
Mom added, “Why don’t you come in now. Angie, I baked a cake for you.”
Angie’s eyes widened with surprise. She looked at the statue of “Faye,” then me.
I grinned and giggled at my sister.
CHAPTER 23
Water splashed from the swooping bath faucet as I sat on the edge of the porcelain tub, watching the bubbles gather into clouds. Every muscle in my body pleaded for that water. Next thing I knew, my clothes were on the floor and I was sinking into a luxurious, warm and foamy heaven.
After rotating the faucet handles with my toes to shut the water off, I lowered my wings to rest on the wing-ramps of the tub, and spread a damp washcloth over my eyes. The scent of cherry bubble bath pulled a smiling sigh from me.
Ah, the cherry trees … Immersed in clouds of foam, I drew in a lungful of sweet scent.
****
“Elle?”
“Hmm,” I hummed in response, eyes still under the cloth.
“Elle,” Steff’s little voice outside the bathroom door, “are you in there?”
“Yes, sweetie. I’m in here.” I pulled the cloth off my face, placed it over my chest.
“Can I come
in?”
“Of course you can, come on in.”
The door inched open with Steff peeking cautious eyes around it. “Are you sure? You’ve been gone for a long time. I was wondering where you were.”
“Come in and talk to me, sweetie, and close the door, okay.”
She stepped in, tapped the door shut, walked and stood before the tub.
“You have pretty wings, Elle, just like Mommy’s.”
“Well, thank you, Steff.” I reached out, cleared some hair off her forehead to get a better look at those little blue gems. “What’s everyone doing down there?”
“Playing some game. They pulled a special table out and everything, and they have little colored chips tossing around. I asked if I could play with the chips too, but Mommy said it’s not for kids. I was getting bored and I wondered where you were. I hope it’s okay.”
“Don’t be silly. I love talking to you.”
Her face brightened. She looked around. “It smells nice in here.” A mouse skittered across the floor behind her, skipping my heart for a moment before Steff turned and said, “There you are, Tinkle, do you wanna blueberry?” Tinkle put two little feet on Steff’s foot, looked up at her, twitching its nose and whiskers. Steff pulled a blueberry out of the baggie she was holding. She reached down and Tinkle took it from her with two paws, or feet, or hands? Hmm? Tinkle nibbled the blueberry at Steff’s feet. Then hovered, clear wings buzzing, and landed on the edge of the tub. What the—?
“I think Tinkle likes you, Elle.”
I crinkled my nose. “Yeah, that’s what it looks li—”
“Steffunnie Rhea, are you bothering Elle in there?” Ginelle said outside the door.
Steff swiveled her head around. “Uh-oh, Mom said my big name.”
I snickered, called out, “It’s okay, Ginelle, she’s fine.”
“Are you sure, do you mind if I come in?”
“No, of course not, come on in.”
Ginelle stepped in, clicked the door shut. She must’ve borrowed Mom’s blue sundress, I noticed, as she padded bare feet across the tiles, crouched down in front of Steff. “Steffunnie?”
“She said I could come in, Mommy.”
“It’s really okay, Ginelle. She’s no bother at all.”
Tinkle flew over, landed on Steff’s shoulder.
“Oh, Steff,” Ginelle sighed. “You brought that mouse in here too.”
Steff cut eyes at Ginelle, squished up her face all serious like. “His name is Tinkle, Mommy.”
“Okay, well, you brought Tinkle in here too?” Ginelle turned to me. “What am I supposed to do now, aren’t those things supposed to be dirty?”
“Are you dirty, Tinkle,” Steff said. “I know”—she toddled off—“let’s give you a bubble bath in the sink.”
Ginelle lowered her forehead into her hand, blew out a sigh. “Oh my.” She lifted her head, eyes on me. “Did you hear that, she’s giving the mouse a bubble bath?”
A chuckle slipped from my mouth. “Well, you did say it was dirty.”
“Yeah, I guess I should be more careful what I say around her.”
“She’s great, Ginelle. She’s absolutely perfect.”
Ginelle angled a soft look at Steff. “Yeah, she is, isn’t she?” She took a moment, gave Steff a motherly grin, and then moved to sit on the edge of the tub by my feet. She crossed a leg and laced her fingers to hold her dress knee. “Listen, I talked to Celeste. We think you and Angie should relax tomorrow. No practice. Spend the day with us before we go back to town. It might be a while before you have another relaxing day off. Besides, I wanted to talk to you about something. I heard you like Dahlia Emil, so I gave her a call. She’s coming to your birthday.”
Nerves shot up my spine. Stiffening up, I instinctively adjusted the cloth on my chest.
“Now don’t you be embarrassed about anything, especially in front of me. You do realize I spend most of my time in a locker room with a bunch of other cheerleaders, right?”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just— Dahlia’s coming up here to meet. Me?”
Tinkle floated by covered in bubbles, distracting me from the overwhelming news.
“Tinkle, get back here,” Steff called out.”
I couldn’t help but snicker at the flying bubble with whiskers.
Tinkle floated back to Steff’s shoulder. “That’s better, now don’t do that again. Mommy said if we swallow bubbles it will make us sick.”
Ginelle shook her head, sighed … “Anyway, you’ve been soaking for a while. I bet that water’s getting cold. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She got to her feet, looked down into my eyes. “And the subject of your birthday might come up. So you might want to wear a helmet, or elbow pads or something. You know, in case you pass out again.”
“Very funny. Has anyone ever told you, you might be a little bit crazy?”
“All the time.” She flashed a grin. “Okay, sweetie, we’ll get out of your hair now. If you have time before you go to bed, I’m sure Steff would like some help tucking her in.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Ginelle gathered up Steff, tapped the door shut behind them.
Steff said out in the hall, “Isn’t Tinkle pretty, Mommy? Just look how clean he is.”
I giggled, pulled the drain chain with my toes.
CHAPTER 24
Monday morning, knees down on the dirt and pine needles with my bow in hand, I spied around the trees and through the underbrush. The scent of smoke lingered through the forest near the Crag Mountains. What was I seeing, and what were they doing? Four dreks sat on large stones around a fire pit, surrounded by sparse pines and dirt, a sheer-cliff wall as a backdrop. They seemed to be roasting something on sticks. Almost like a family?
It was surreal. My skin chilled in the dim forest under the shade of the cliff. The morning sun lit the tips of the towered stone mountains thousands of feet above, like torches in a blue sky. With my eyes and ears on alert, I noticed something strange; silence. Do the animals and birds avoid the dreks? All I could hear was, well, me … breathing. I waited for the familiar call of the red-tailed hawk that I’d become accustomed to over the years. It never came.
After lifting to a crouch, I spun around on my bare heals, yes, bare heals, it was quieter and my shoes were at a makeshift base camp we had set up. More like a spot by a tree where we had dropped our backpacks, but, whatever. I liked the sound of base camp, more official or something.
I straightened up and walked along; curling my toes on the hard dirt to block out the cold and twigs, and whatever else was trying to cut into the pads of my feet. Yeah, real bright. Go barefoot in the woods. Idiot … Then memories began to pull my attention away from the annoyance, and I thought of yesterday: When Ginelle and her family had left for home, it’d felt like a kick to the stomach. Little Steff had become part of me. The family had spent the entire day together, relaxing, talking, and swimming. I’d even taken Steff for a horseback ride, Steff wide-eyed and full of questions while we clopped along. I will never forget that Sunday.
Now, I traipsed along through the wild-grass meadow on my to the “base camp” tree on the far side. A light, continuous drone of bug song, shiik-shiik-shiik… and pollen smells filled the air. The ground was softer underfoot, so I could relax a bit and stroll. The sun, shining through scattered clouds, felt so good after being in the cool shade of the cliff. Angie and I both wore jeans and long-sleeved T-shirts that Mom had loaned us. Mom had said the stretchy shirts are thermal and would keep us warmer. I was beginning to doubt whether it worked, because I could feel the air through the thin fabric. Approaching Angie, I was nearly silent as I watched her dig through her backpack. With plans to scare her, maybe tug on her long ponytail, I lightened my steps. It didn’t work. Even as I crept along, she said over her shoulder, “Don’t try to scare me, sis. I know you’re there.”
Shoot. Anyway. My innocent reply, “I wasn’t going to.”
“Uh-huh. I need a drink.” Angie pulled out her Boden’s
Brew tea bottle. She twisted the cap open with a pop as she rose. “How’d the bare feet thing work out for ya?” She tipped a drink.
“Well, I found some dreks if that’s what you mean.”
A light choke as she lowered her bottle. “You’re lying.”
“Angels do not lie. Angie.”
A few snorted giggles exchanged …
“No, seriously though, there’s a group back there by the cliff wall. They’re like a family or something. How can I shoot a family?”
“Really, show me.”
“I will. But I need shoes first.” I dropped my bow and sat next to the tree, pulled my backpack open and removed my shoes. “I tried the bare feet thing, never again”—unlacing and pulling my shoes on—“The sticks were biting into my feet. I don’t care if it’s quieter.”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t want to hurt those model feet.”
“Whatever. I knew you’d start that eventually. I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” My shoes tied, I pulled out my tea. The cap went pop, and I took a long swallow.
“I’m just kidding. You know that.”
“Uh-huh.” I wiped my mouth, put my tea back and got to my feet. “I wanna warm up first. It’s flappin cold over there.” I rubbed my arms. “You might want to put your hair down.”
She gave me a quizzical look. I thought she was about to laugh, but instead she crinkled her nose and said, “Put my hair down, does that help?”
“It helped me. My ears were freezing until I let my hair down.” Out of the corner of my eye, I caught site of a twig hanging from my hair, so I picked it out.
“Hmm, okay.” She followed my advice, untying her hair and putting the elastic thing around her wrist like a bracelet. Her lustrous fall of brown hair glistened in the sunlight as she shook it out, running her fingers through it with a grin. “It feels like it’s warming up already. Like I just stepped onto a tropical beach. I smell coconuts, do you smell that?”
A smirk. “You’re such a turd. C’mon then, let’s go.”
As I was walking off with my bow in hand, Angie said behind me, “Hold on, sis.” She caught up to me. “You got grass and dirt on that cute butt a yours.” I did a mental eye roll. She began brushing off my rear as I stood waiting. “All right, all better. Now, show me those dreks.”
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