She took the last sip out of the cup and tossed it into the trash as she continued to follow the mapped image that was in her head. Unlike others, Brailynn had an incredibly special gift. Not only could she manipulate water and the weather, but she could talk to the ones who came before her. She didn’t know how the ancestors were able to communicate with her, but they did. Her grandmother once said it was because she had the purest of souls, and her mother had told her it was because she was destined for great things. Either way, Brailynn had kept hidden from everyone else aside from her best friend, Aversa.
The thought of telling people that she could communicate with the dead freaked her out on so many levels. She remembered sneaking out as a kid and going to the old movie theater in town. One time, they played a movie where a boy could see dead people and Brailynn recalled vividly how others treated him in that movie. And she never wanted that to be her. While witches and warlocks came in all kinds, she couldn’t recall one ever announcing that it had her gift. She knew it would weird people out too much.
Brailynn walked across the parking lot of the old gas station and ducked into the woods to the west. Most people would have been scared to adventure into such places, but not her. The forest had always been her home. The animals, the birds, the smells of nature – it all seemed to blend to create a perfect harmony that just made Brailynn feel comforted. Like a warm blanket encasing her on a cold winter’s day. There surrounded by the greatness of the earth, Brailynn felt happiness, contentment…
She felt at home.
She continued deeper into the woods, stepping over small fallen limbs, and hopping over larger ones. Carefully, she maneuvered her way through the tall, thick brush. The area felt so familiar, yet so different.
She sighed as she stopped for a moment to stretch her back and shoulders. The pack she carried held her entire life within its fabric. It was all she had been able to save after the fires had ravaged her village. It would be getting dark soon, so she knew that she needed to find a place to camp for the night – and quickly.
She looked up to the sky.
“Need to find shelter,” the voice in her said.
“I know. I was just thinking that, but of course, you already knew that.”
Mentally, she could picture the goddess rolling her eyes.
Brailynn walked down a steep slope and nearly lost her footing. “Dang it!”
She wanted to push on for as long as she could, but the lack of sleep over the last few days was starting to wear her down. If she could just make it until nightfall, she would be happy with the distance she’d put in for the day. She didn’t need anything fancy for shelter. A thick tree limb for her to rest on would be perfect, as far as she was concerned.
“You don’t have much farther, but it’s still too far to make it safely at night,” the goddess whispered in her mind. “Too many monsters hunt in the night.”
She sighed, knowing she would have to concede and take the Wiccan’s advice. Brailynn didn’t know the area. She didn’t know the wildlife. And if she wanted to eventually find Derrick and take care of what business she had – then she needed to play it safe. Meaning, she would have to stop long before she wanted to.
Plus, Brailynn didn’t want to face running into Derrick in the dark, if she were truly that close. A battle in an unknown place, in the dark, didn’t equate to her idea of success.
As she journeyed even deeper into the forest, Brailynn tried to scope out a place that would be suitable for the night, but as her eyes scanned over the terrain, the trees seemed to be either Evergreens or tall Pine trees with no limbs on their lower trucks. Neither of which seemed like a good option. Brailynn hoped her only option wouldn’t be to just sleep out in the open. That was never a good idea and always remained at the bottom of her list of suitable sleeping quarters. That’s how people got ate by bears or other wildlife in their sleep. Brailynn was smarter than that. She needed to find a tree with branches that she could climb, and that was also wide enough for her to sleep on.
Or some type of cave, she thought to herself as she hopped over a fallen, decaying tree trunk. Just something to protect me from the wildlife would be great. The sarcasm in her tone was lost in her own mind.
The hours seemed to tick by as the trees and terrain blended in, to all look the same. At one point, Brailynn was nearly certain that she had passed the same rock formation three times. And then, as she topped a hill, her breath caught in her lungs at the sight before her.
There were so many lush shades of green with a slash of brown here and there. Wildflowers grew in an abundance in every color in the rainbow. Hills and valleys spread out for as far as Brailynn could see. The mountains of the west were nothing like back home.
A part of her wondered how long it would take to get from one side of the mountain range to the other and she made a mental note to answer that question one day, but first, she needed to finish what she came there for.
Finding Derrick was her priority. And once she found him, she vowed to make him pay for what he’d done to her people.
Brailynn continued through the forest, mentally following the image in her head. It was hard to describe how the mapping actually worked, but it was more or less as if a picture popped into her mind; and then Brailynn had to find the image in real life, match it to what was in her head, then head to it before another image popped up. While it wasn’t necessarily convenient, it was all she had.
She often wondered how her ancestors knew about the world now, after all, things and places change over time. After all, centuries had passed since Boanna, the goddess of water was alive and on earth.
But instead of voicing her question, Brailynn just kept her inquiry to herself and continued to put one foot in front of the other. She knew the Goddess Mother wouldn’t answer her even if she did ask. She seemed to only respond to things when Brailynn truly needed to know the answer. Any other time, she would just rattle off stuff that made no sense or had anything to do with the topic at hand. That’s how Brailynn learned about the migration of geese – by asking Boanna a question that the goddess didn’t want to answer.
So, wisely, she just kept her mouth shut and continued the hike even though her body was growing tired and her feet ached. The sky was beginning to grow darker and even though she wouldn’t admit it out loud, she kind of wished she’d listen to Boanna. Brailynn had lost track of how far she’d journeyed into the mountains as one lush, green pasture seemed to meld into another hill and valley. But it was far enough. If she didn’t find something soon, she would most definitely be stuck out in the elements.
Come on…
She fought to hold onto whatever confidence she still had as the evening sun began to disappear behind the distant trees. Her grip on hope seemed to slip a bit.
The meadow that stretched out in front of her was filled with shadows. Somewhere in the trees, a bird called to its mates. Her eyes shifted over the area, searching for any sign of danger. The last thing she wanted to end up being some animal's midnight snack.
She left another open valley and entered yet another dense wooded area. “Give me a break,” she grumbled.
“Well, if you would have listened….”
“Yes, I know. Me, stupid. You, smart.” Brailynn didn’t need an ‘I told you so’ speech. She was too tired and exhausted for that right now. So, without warning, she threw up a mental block and it cut off anything else Boanna might have thought to say. Now, it was only Brailynn and her thoughts.
She kept walking, even when she felt like giving up. Brailynn’s motivation was the screams of her people as some of them burned to death in their homes and others watched everything they had go up in flames. Their wails of heartbreak fueled her steps. Her people would always be her motivation.
As she stepped around a large, thick cluster of vines and thorns that looked as if they would rip her part if she got too close, Brailynn stumbled. Tall, luscious Rocky Mountain Maples and thick Aspens dotted the area in vibrant colors of g
reen and yellow. She wished there was more daylight because she knew their colors would be even more astounding.
She smiled as she took a moment to bask in its beauty. The coven would love this place, she thought. And immediately tears formed in her eyes and she shook her head. Now really wasn’t the time to get emotional.
Brailynn took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She glanced around the area and felt a kick of excitement when she finally saw something that might be perfect for her to camp in for the night. She walked over to an area that was protected by the trees, but still open enough to see in all directions. It was exactly what she had been searching for. The small outcrop of rocks formed a perfect cave.
Wait. What?
Brailynn turned in a circle. Her brows drooped. How?
The perfect cave literally sat in the middle of the wooded area as if it had been constructed there. Each rock was placed in the exact spot to provide the best protection. She looked around half expecting to find its owner.
“Anyone here?” she called.
But nobody was there. Nobody, but her.
Cautiously, Brailynn crept over to the structure to get a better look. She leaned side to side and squinted to try to see inside but it was too dark.
“Hello!” she called out, but like the first time, it was only met with silence. “Anyone?”
She looked around the area, wondering if whatever lived in the cave was hiding. Or maybe it had just gone out to hunt. Or maybe, nothing lived there at all.
“I’m friendly. I won’t hurt you,” she called, knowing that she sounded ridiculous. It wasn’t like any of the animals understood. But again, there was only the quietness of nature that surrounded her.
She set down her pack and unzipped the small outer pocket. Pulling out her Firestarter, she set the bag aside as she looked around the area. Brailynn needed to gather some wood and kindling. If she were able to build a fire, it would kill two birds with one stone – giving her the light she needed to see inside the cave and provide protection throughout the night should any wild animal happen to cross her path.
Brailynn grabbed up a few twigs and a couple of larger pieces of wood, and some other things that she thought she could use. Thankfully, she didn’t have to venture too far away from the hidey-hole. With winter coming, a lot of the resources she needed were within arm’s reach.
She dropped everything into a pile and began to sort it all. Before she even started the fire, Brailynn needed to clear an area for it. The last thing she wanted was to start a raging forest fire. So, using her hand, she swept away the leaves and pulled up the grass until there was only bare dirt. Then she piled on some dry leaves and bark that she found for tinder. Brailynn grabbed the dry twigs that she chose for kindling and stood them up to form a teepee over the tinder. She kept adding to the structure until it got to a thickness she liked. Then she carefully used her Firestarter to light it, creating the tiniest little spark. Brailynn blew lightly until it formed a tiny flame and smiled when it finally grew.
“Bingo!” she said excitedly as the kindling lit on her first try.
She slowly added larger sticks and once the fire had a good blaze, she stood back to survey her work. Brailynn was incredibly proud of herself.
Looking toward the cave, her smile grew a fraction more. The light from the fire was just enough to allow her to see inside the small cavern. It wasn’t huge, barely big enough for her to fit comfortably, but it was a shelter, and that was all that mattered.
Brailynn sent up a whispered, “thank you.” She knew the Goddesses from above were looking down and helping her, namely Boanna. The woman had been Brailynn’s guider for as long as she could remember. As a child, the voice told her how to manipulate the moisture around her. Even the air had water molecules. Boanna taught Brailynn how to call on the smallest particle to aid her.
And that’s what she did now.
Brailynn pulled a tin cup from her pack and with a small wave of her hand, she called on the water around her to settle in the dish. She took a long drink and then shook out all the extra before replacing it back in the backpack.
She yawned. Exhaustion finally starting to kick in, but there was still a couple of things that Brailynn needed to do. She still had to clean out the hidey-hole and then figure out a way for her to sleep in it.
“Forget it,” she said out loud. She would figure out better sleeping arrangements tomorrow. Right now, as she stood there staring into the fire, all she wanted to do was sleep.
She carefully dug a thin blanket from her backpack and after rustling the leaves within the cave to make sure nothing was living below them, she spread it out and climbed inside, pulling her pack near the entryway. The ground was a bit lumpy, but it would do. Brailynn had no need to complain. Reaching for her pack again, she slid it behind her to use as a pillow. Anything was better than nothing. She laid down and instantly her eyes closed.
But sleep didn’t immediately follow.
Instead, Brailynn’s head filled with other thoughts. Thoughts about what was to come. Thoughts about the past. Thoughts about the here and now. Anything and everything that her mind could think of – it was there.
Mentally, The Element Goddess plastered an image of a map in her head. Brailynn jumped at the invasion. “Stop that,” she told the goddess.
“We have many things to do, my child,” Boanna replied.
It was still rather odd to have someone, or something else, projecting images into her mind and talking to her. It was like she was losing control of herself and the feeling was unnerving. She wished she knew of others like her. Brailynn had so many questions. But so far, she hadn’t met anyone else that could talk to the ancestors or have them talk back. For her, while it almost felt like a secret power, it also left her feeling widely alone and isolated.
“Focus, Brailynn,” Boanna, the Mother Goddess of Water, told her. “This journey will take everything from you but grant you with so much more. But first, you must be prepared, child. So, focus.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Brailynn replied.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to focus on the images in her head. They passed through like an old flickering film. She saw a small farm set off deep within the wilderness.
“No. Not small,” Boanna corrected. “Look again.”
Brailynn tried harder to focus on the pictures. And Boanna was right, the place wasn’t small at all. It was actually quite large. And what she found even more surprising was the humans turning into animals, and then back into humans again. There were shifters everywhere. Several small houses dotted the area. There were paddocks filled with livestock. Barns and storage buildings filled with large assortments of meat and vegetables.
However, it was the large, logged structure that seemed to pull her in. In her mind, she was floating toward it. Literally, her feet were inches above the ground. There was something there that was calling to her. Needed her.
As Brailynn reached the wide, wrap-around porch, the pull seemed to get even greater. She looked down thinking something or someone must have been forcing her to move. But there was nobody with her. She could feel Boanna’s presence like she always had but looking around she was alone.
It was so weird.
She was there. But she wasn’t. All at the same time.
Slowly, the door started to open. She half expected it to creak as doors did in the scary movies, she’d snuck out to go see with her friends, but it didn’t. The door opened smoothly, then stopped as if it were inviting her in.
Brailynn’s heart pounded.
The pull caused her feet to move on their own. She tried to stop it, but whatever was controlling her was too powerful. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt. As her feet crossed the threshold, Brailynn felt a chill run down her spine.
She was being watched. She knew it.
The moment she was far enough inside, the door slammed closed behind her and before she could even blink, a face came flying at her from the darkness. Its mouth sp
read open wide with long, thick fangs glistened in the moonlight.
Brailynn was frozen in her spot. She couldn’t move. She willed herself to turn and run, but her body was no longer hers.
The mouth opened wider and as it came down upon her. She followed, opening her own. But for her, it was out of fear. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. She raised her hands, trying to block the blow that she knew was coming.
“No!” she screamed.
Able to break whatever spell she was under, Brailynn’s eyes flew open as she sat up. Her hands went up protectively. Her breath sawed in and out of her lungs. “What the hell was that?” she demanded, but there was no answer.
A sound from outside of the cave caused her to jump. Her heart pounded as nervous energy made her dizzy. She had to fight to slow her breathing to normal and remind herself that she was safe, back in the small cave in the middle of the woods.
“Boanna?” Brailynn called out to the goddess.
“I’m here, my child,” Boanna said. “Calm yourself.”
Brailynn had no idea how to make that happen. “I can’t!” she argued. “Did you not see that thing?” Fear had her looking around the small cavern even though she knew nobody else could possibly fit in there with her.
“That thing,” Boanna emphasized the last word, slightly annoyed, “is who will be helping you along this journey. You must seek him because without his help, you and many others, will die.”
“What? You’re supposed to be leading me to Derrick!” Brailynn didn’t need any help. She didn’t need to drag any more people into this.
“And you will,” Boanna replied. “But first, you must seek out the person who will help you to become the creature you are meant to be.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means, the Fates have more in store for you than you realize and that you need to follow your destiny and stop questioning it.” And with that, Boanna went silent. It felt like she had slammed a door in Brailynn’s mind. The silence was jolting.
Brailynn (A Rogue Enforcers Novel) Page 2
