“Eric is asking if he can take a healer back with him to Manitou,” Adam began, “we were just working out the specifics.”
“You are going to go?” Nat asked Adam.
“Hell, no,” Adam answered, “We might send someone, but it is a question for the council.”
“Or what is left of it…” Nat cut in, thinking of Rich.
“Yes,” Adam added, “We will have to replace Rich on the Council, which is also a council vote. We have a lot to do when we get back. I don’t think it is a bad idea to continue our short alliance.” Turning to Eric, he finished, “I doubt it will be a problem, but it is the kind of thing the council votes on. We will let you know soon.”
“Very well,” Eric said, mounting his saddle once again. “I will await your response, and your request.”
Natalee watched Eric and his men ride off across the bridge that spanned the river and gallop their way south after that. “What request?”
Adam turned to her. “He requested a healer of us, and suggested some trade arrangement. For the healer, they could give us something, if we wanted it. My concern is about how they received the items he offered. His men are nothing more than common thieves.” He turned to look at Cal, a grin spreading across his face. “My dear friend, returned from the grave. You look more like Calvin Ward without all that facial hair, but the long hair? I am not sure Kate will stand for that.”
A shadow crossed her father’s face again. It was the look of shame and regret which he wore for a good deal of the early time since they had reunited. She walked up and stood before him, “She will understand. She still loves you. She still misses you. Every god damn day.”
Cal nodded at his daughter, but she still couldn’t wait to see Jordan again. He could understand her father’s weird gestures. He said “sign language” but it wasn’t any form of sign language which she had seen before. Jordan would be able to fill in the gaps. What had happened after Cal fell into the creek? Where had he been for the last two years? Why did he never come back?
That last question was certainly wrapped up in whatever he felt guilt about. That much Natalee knew, even if she didn’t know what that guilt was based upon. Since they were back in their own territory, the group split. Most of the healers, and a few others, went with Adam straight for the Hillside. Natalee and the rest turned to the long trek north and up the approach to the Bluffs. By dark, they would be in the warm safety of their homes at the Bluffs. She spent most of that ride trying to figure out how she would explain her father’s presence, and still being alive, to her mother and brother.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
“What do you mean she is gone?” The hair on the back of Ted’s neck stood on end, as he stared at the man giving him the horrid news.
“I am sorry, sir.” The man spit out, “She walked with some of her dogs down the road. She does that all the time. We didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until we realized that all of her dogs were gone that it occurred to us she was gone. We sent out patrols, but nothing. Our patrols have been pretty reliant on her for a while.”
“You are basically telling me that my twelve-year-old daughter ran away?” Ted asked.
“Yes, I guess so.” The man replied.
Staring at the man who was clearly chosen from a group to relate this news, he didn’t want to take out his frustration with his daughter’s choices on him. But, it was hard not to since this man was the only one available.
“Okay, gather a team,” Ted said, “We will take horses and chase her down. She can’t have gotten that far.”
The man nodded and departed. Jenny Martinez was holding him in a long stare. It wasn’t shock, or anger, but it was something. “What, Jenny? What is it?”
“Don’t do this.” Her statement was soft, and almost kind, but Ted could not understand why she said it.
“Do what?” he asked.
“Go after her. She is not a little girl, no matter how much she looks like one. She has a hundred life experiences coursing through her all the time…”
“A hundred canine lives!” Ted exclaimed.
“Yes,” Jenny responded, “But a hundred lives all the same. And a hundred minds. She couldn’t control what she was doing to people. So, she got away for everyone’s safety.”
“You knew about this?” Ted took a step toward her, his anger having a new subject.
“No, Ted,” Jenny said, standing her ground. “Don’t be an asshole, it is not your way. Of course I didn’t know.”
He backed down. She was right, he wasn’t going to come out ahead in this by intimidating a young woman.
“I didn’t know about it, but I could see the turmoil inside her every day. I wish I had done more, but I don’t know if I could help.” She said, almost to her shoes. She felt remorse at not doing enough. Ted had no intention of feeling that way.
“I hear you, Jenny. I really do.” He told her, “But this is my daughter, and I am not going to let her run into the wild blue yonder in this dangerous world.”
She snorted dismissively and Ted’s eyes went wide.
“Ted, she is the most capable person in our entire group. In the old world, she would have been at risk. But now? She is a walking army. I am sure she will come back when she is ready.”
Ted understood where Jenny was coming from, but she didn’t have kids. She didn’t understand. He looked her right in the eyes. “I understand, Jenny. I am going to go look in on my wife.” She relaxed her shoulders a bit, but it didn’t last. “Then, I am going to mount up and go bring my daughter back to the Bluffs. I need to do this.”
He pushed past her without waiting for a response. It wasn’t any of her business anyway. What did this even have to do with her? He stomped his way back toward his home and entered. It was dark inside, and Kayla didn’t even call out to see who was there.
“Babe?” Ted called out.
“In here,” came her voice from the bedroom.
Ted walked into his bedroom and saw his wife curled up in a ball on their bed. She had been crying, probably for days. He walked over to give her a hug.
She held her hand up, “No, I am dangerous. You don’t want to be this close.”
Ted looked at her closely. Pre-Event, she had been an ivy league educated economist. She was one of the strongest people he knew. But now, she was a mess.
“I do want to be this close,” he said and leaned in, kissing her softly. “Where else would I want to be?”
She fell into a fit of weeping into his shoulder, eventually sobbing out, “I hurt Kate.”
“I know, babe,” Ted replied, “But Jack says she is going to be alright. I haven’t seen her yet, but I am sure she doesn’t hold it against you.”
Kayla looked up at him, and saw his face for the first time since he came in. He could imagine what she saw, he was pretty bruised, bloody and swollen.
“What the hell happened?” She gasped.
“Well, babe, it was war. Sometimes you get hurt in war.” Her face was full of so much worry; he almost couldn’t take it. “But, I think it is over. Britt is hurt pretty badly. I think he will be okay.”
“What about the others?” Kayla asked.
“I don’t know. I was knocked out and flown here on a dragon.” This last part he said with a little bit of excitement. Every time he thought about it, he was even more excited about the fact that he had ridden on the back of a dragon. It was so unbelievable.
Her face was filled with shock, amazement and the slightest question of whether or not she was being punked. “A Dragon?”
“Don’t ask, because I don’t know,” he answered her with a grin. “It left though, so it may come back with more.” He paused for a moment, trying to decide what to tell her about Max, “I have to go for a little bit. Stop beating yourself up. Kate is fine.”
“Why do you have to go?” She asked.
“You are not the only person in the family who blames herself for what happened, it seems.” Deciding hiding it wasn’t for the b
est, “Max has taken her dogs and split. She has run away.”
“Oh no,” Kate whispered, “Please go get her.”
He smiled and kissed her again. “Where do you think I was going?”
He sat with her for a few more minutes, holding her and comforting her before heading back out into the cold. The man he had spoken with earlier was there, sitting on horseback, and holding the reins of a fresh horse for Ted. Behind him, two other men sat on horseback waiting to accompany them. Ted strode to the horse and pulled himself up into the saddle. He realized how much he was not up for this as he became dizzy the moment he settled into the saddle.
“What the hell is that?” The man next to him exclaimed and Ted looked up to see three creatures walking his way. They were clearly half-man, half-wolf, but looked pretty different than the film or cartoon representations of werewolves. They were basically very hairy men, with over-protruding noses, sharp teeth and pointed ears.
“Good afternoon, friends,” Ted spoke first, “What can I do for you?”
“The alpha asks that you not follow her.” The one in front growled out.
“What did you say?” Ted asked.
“She has accepted us into the pack, and had us remain here so you will know she is safe.” Its voice a deep and guttural growl. “We are of the pack mind, and can relate to the Dad anything that is needed.”
“What is your name?” Ted asked.
“I am Marvin. There are nine in our sub-pack. We will make our den outside the gates.” Marvin replied.
“You can stay inside the gates…” Ted began.
“We are not tame,” Marvin replied. It was a simple statement that both explained and warned. Marvin was not so much telling him that his group was not safe, but rather that his group was independent.
Ted nodded, “And my daughter sent you to tell me this?”
Marvin lowered his head, his expression changed when he looked up again. Something in his expression was so Max, but Ted couldn’t figure it out, “Please, Daddy,” he said in his voice, but Ted knew he was speaking to his little girl, “Give me space. I need to do this. I will be alright.”
Ted’s heart sank. His mission was pointless. Jenny was right. He wasn’t dealing with a twelve-year-old girl. He was dealing with a complex being. She was capable far beyond his understanding. It took only seconds to make up his mind.
“Okay sweetie,” he said, tears welling up in his eyes, “Don’t stay away too long.”
Ted saw Marvin’s face return to the look it had before he had channeled Ted’s daughter. He knew she had heard him, and was done talking about it. Marvin and his sub-pack turned and headed for the gate.
Ted called out to those with him, “Dismount. Go back to your homes, we will not find her.” Ted dismounted and handed the reins back to the man who had brought the horse. Turning, he saw Jenny standing there staring at him again. She smiled sadly and turned away.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Kyle stood waiting, as he saw the long line coming up the road to the Bluffs. They certainly didn’t seem to be in any hurry. But, that was one of the Bluffs’ great advantages. The only way to it was up a narrow, steep incline. The benefits of this were obvious. Not only was it difficult for a force to approach the Bluffs with any size, but the residents and defenders of the Bluffs could see them coming for a long time. This was precisely why the Council had chosen it as a permanent home. Additionally, it was tiring to walk up that long incline. This is what he was seeing his own people deal with now, the fatigue of climbing the road to the Bluffs.
With Britt on the mend, he was comfortable waiting to greet them all. He just wanted to know what happened since both his Uncle Ted and Britt could not tell him. They had very little information. How did the battle end? Where did the dragon come from? What could they expect on the eastside now? These questions poured through his mind as he waited at the gates, a greeting smile plastered on his face. He felt it was important to greet people as they returned.
As the first people walked through the gates, he was surprised that Natalee wasn’t one of them. Ever since the Event, she had been the point person in any foray, and was always out front, no matter what. With both Britt and Ted returned, though, she would have been left in charge. He began to search farther back in the crowd as they entered. Finally setting eyes on her face, he smiled a wide grin and waved at her. She looked up at him and tentatively looked to her side, to the man walking next to her. Kyle did not immediately know who this thin, long-haired man was. When it hit him, it hit hard.
With sunglasses on, having lost a lot of weight, and grown his hair out, there was still no mistaking that man. But, it could not be. He felt the cold wave of adrenaline shoot through his body, and goosebumps raised on his arms and a knot raised in his throat. Almost to himself, he whispered, “Dad?”
Kyle rushed forward to the man, and flung his arms around him. But his father did not hug him back.
“Kyle,” his sister started, “I don’t think he remembers us.”
Kyle pulled away, seeing a sadness in his father’s face. “He has what?” he asked, “amnesia?” Turning to face his father he asked, “Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back?” Tears began to run down his face, but Cal said nothing.
“He can’t speak, Kyle,” Nat told him.
“What?” Kyle turned and looked at Nat. Her compassion and understanding showing all over her face, making Kyle feel the guilt of his own judgment.
“Adam says there is a metal spike in his brain, and he couldn’t remove it without consequences. He doesn’t know what those consequences would be.”
Kyle looked at both of them, trying to take it all in. “Do you know where he has been?”
Nat snorted out a short laugh, “Yeah,” she said, “So do you. Kyle, let me introduce you to the Hermit.”
His mouth dropped, “No fucking way.”
“Right?” His sister said with a grin, “He was around the whole time. But, something is keeping him back. We don’t know what.” She turned and touched their Dad’s arm, he looked at her. “Do you want to go see Mom?”
Kyle saw what he could only think was regret, and that same sadness cover his Dad’s face. But, this wasn’t his Dad. It was some mix of the legend of the Hermit, with Calvin Ward deep inside. He could see small fragments of his father, but mostly it was the quiet strength he had heard tales of for two years. The Hermit stared at Natalee for a while, then nodded slowly. They walked back toward the housing unit their aunt had built for his Mother.
Kyle didn’t really think about it. He stopped, “Mom isn’t at home. She is in the healing hut.”
“Why?” Nat asked, “Is she hurt?”
“Jack says her healing is taking longer,” Kyle answered, “But she is fine. She was hurt in an accident.”
Coming to the healing hut, which was more of a building than a hut, they led their father to the doorway. Nat pulled Kyle’s arm and indicated to let Cal go in alone. Kyle nodded and they moved to the middle of the courtyard.
“So, tell me about this accident,” she requested.
“There is more than that. Max was apparently the cause of all that craziness,” Kyle said.
“Yeah, Uncle Ted said that right before we left.”
“Well, she is gone now.” He let that sink in. “She left to keep us safe, and the werewolves are part of her pack, so she speaks to us through them.”
“Wha…?” Nat started.
“I know, it is so weird.” Kyle answered, “What happened with you guys?”
“That Minister guy is dead. The Lord’s Hammer is dead. Well, one got away, but the rest are gone so they can’t join their powers and hurt people. The Faith is scattered, and we set up boundaries. Our area now reaches to Sand Creek in the east. They can have anything past that. We set up an outpost. How are Britt and Uncle Ted?”
“They are fine. Britt is mending up at our place, and Uncle Ted is spending more time with Aunt Kayla. She is afraid of her own power and now, de
vastated that Max left. She won’t accept that Uncle Ted won’t go after her.” Kyle shook his head.
“Why won’t he go after her?” Nat asked, suddenly angered at this news. “If he won’t, I will.”
“No you won’t, Nat. For the same reason he won’t. She doesn’t want it. And she isn’t in danger. She is the safest of all of us.”
He saw the truth of this wash over his sister. “But, you have to tell me where that dragon came from.”
“Cliff?” Nat asked with a grin.
“You call it Cliff?” he replied. “That is kind of messed up.”
“No, Kyle, it is Cliff.”
Kyle was trying to make sense of what his sister was saying when he heard a yell and Jack Collins came running out of the healing hut, a gash above his eye. Their father followed behind, punching the air and a wave of force hitting Jack in the back. He flew across the courtyard and slid in the snow on the ground.
“Dad, no!” Nat called out and ran to their father, whose face was covered in anger. Nat stood between him and Jack. Jack scrambled to his feet and ran out of the area.
Cal looked around the courtyard and settled his gaze at someone running in. Kyle turned to see a returned Jordan, Emma, and Anthony. Cal began making wild gestures in the air at Jordan, whose face was distorted by anguish.
“No,” Jordan said, crumbling to the ground.
“What did he say, Jordan?” Nat asked the young man.
“How would he know?” Kyle asked, but his sister just ignored him.
Jordan answered slowly. “It is your mother. He says it is an illusion, she is not alive. He says Jack did something, ummm… undead to her?”
Kyle turned and ran full force into the healing hut. Against the wall sat his mother, or what was left of her. She was gray and decaying, nothing like what she had looked like earlier in the day. Her eyes, devoid of any color, shifted and looked at him.
Fear of Mystics (Saga of Mystics Book 2) Page 16
