Wild Spirit: Huntress

by Victoria Wren

  You shouldn’t be out at this time of night. You were with him again, weren’t you?

  “Oh, don’t start,” Win groaned, throwing herself on the bottom step in a huff.

  I don’t trust him, Win.

  “You don’t know him.”

  Neither do you. I don’t like it. And you need to be careful after what happened today.

  Win was grateful for the change of subject. She hated being reminded of her reckless behavior. The night of the bonfire, Grayson had warned her away, told her he was dangerous. And he knew things. But still, it hadn’t kept her away, though it should have. Win hated to imagine what her grandpa would say if he ever found out. She hadn’t gotten it past Rowan, who worried endlessly.

  Luminous flecks of moonlight bounced off the creature’s tiny yellow eyes. It hopped closer, its talons scratching her knee as it inspected her with a tilted head.

  “Do you know who Iris is?” Win asked her mother. The bird pecked absently at a grain of wheat blown in from the fields. It avoided Win’s gaze.

  I think it’ll be best if you ask your grandpa. He may be able to give you the answers you need. Win stiffened, not sure why her mother’s tone worried her. So, her grandfather did know of an Iris. Her mother knew too. Win edged closer to the bird. “Mom?”

  Speak to your grandfather.

  “Okay, I will, but…Is Grandpa okay?” Win asked, echoing the earlier worry she had voiced to Grayson. “I don’t know why but…he looks old.”

  He is old Win. Older than you think.

  “Is something wrong? You would tell me, wouldn’t you?”

  The falcon rustled its wings. It’s getting close to his time, Win. It’s something we all need to accept.

  Panic exploded in her chest, her skin prickled with tension. “No…what do you mean?”

  Grandpa is changing. The wolf is getting old.

  “You mean he’s dying?” She blinked back tears, unable to control the knot wobbling in her throat.

  I don’t know, darling. He spends more time as the wolf than the man we know. We have to accept it’s getting closer. We’ll know when the time comes.

  Win brought her knees up to her chest, shivering as the night slipped in around her. The falcon nestled close, hiding under her mane of curls. After a while, she made the climb back up to her bedroom. Exhausted, she hauled herself over the ledge, miserably pulling herself into bed. The falcon hopped in through the open window.

  “You can come in,” she whispered. Its brown speckled wings beat the air as it flew across the room, settling down next to her head on the pillow. “Goodnight.” Win stuffed her face into the pillow, willing away tears.

  The falcon watched her all night but was gone by morning.

  Three

  WIN TWIRLED THE spoon in the chocolate froth, back and forth, watching bubbles disperse. Her shoulders were stiff, tense as she waited for familiar footsteps on the stairs. Eventually, they came, the slow, dense thuds as her grandfather appeared in the hallway. He wore his usual cut-off tee shirt and frayed shorts. He gave her a wink as he headed for the coffee pot.

  “You’re up early,” he said, sloshing black liquid into his mug, drinking it neat. Win grimaced, she never understood how he could stand it so hot.

  “Luke is picking me up in ten minutes,” Win said, waiting for a scowl to cross his face. Even after Luke’s heroism at the bonfire, John Hickory still flinched at the sound of any Fraser mentioned in his house. Win guessed some grudges were too deep to let go of.

  John crossed the room, dragging out a chair and planting himself across from her. Win eyed him carefully. His beard was neat, trimmed, and clipped in line with his shock of grey hair. He looked the same as ever, strong, tanned and chiseled. There wasn’t anything about him that suggested he was unwell.

  “Why are you looking at me like I’ve grown another head?” he joked.

  Win shifted, sitting on her hands. “I’m not,” she said, staring up at him through her thick lashes. “I had this vision last night…it was like a migraine.”

  “A vision?” His white brows flew up. “We’re having visions now, huh? One of your great aunts used to get those.”

  “Well, I think it was,” she answered. “I saw a locked door…do you know who Iris is?”

  It was a flash, barely half a second, but he flinched. Win noticed the shift in his expression. He swigged back coffee before heading back to the sink.

  “You do,” Win accused. “Who is she?”

  “You might ask who was she?” John suggested, rubbing his fingers through his beard. “She died a long time ago.”

  “You knew her.” Win was on her feet, urgently. She knew Luke would be here any moment. John turned his back, his large calloused hands on either side of the sink.

  “Did you see her in the vision?” His voice was low. Win joined him at the sink, propping her hip against the counter.

  “No, I heard voices behind the door. They were telling me I had to find her.”

  John’s tired eyes found hers. “You don’t have to look far. There’s a marker for her in the Cedar Wood cemetery.”

  “Grandpa, who was she?”

  “Iris Hickory was my sister. My younger sister. But when she was young, she ran away and got married…” he struggled for words. A car rolled into the drive, a horn sounded, and Win groaned inwardly. “The boy is waiting out there. You go. We’ll talk when you get home.”

  Win searched his eyes, so worn and fragile. He did look altered. It was so small, so minute she knew she’d missed it. But she’d been so wrapped up in her own life—with Grayson. Win sensed a surge of guilt like she was losing time.

  “I don’t have to go. I can stay here with you.” The car horn sounded again. She could visualize Luke rolling his eyes impatiently.

  The Wolf is getting old. We can’t keep him forever.

  He threw her a wry grin. “Win, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you get home.”

  Win stepped on tiptoe and gave him a rough kiss on the face, his beard scratching her skin. Giving herself a shake, she ran out the front porch door. Luke had left a text message on her phone, asking if he could take her to breakfast. Luke’s arm was dangling out of his car window. He threw her a glare.

  “Take all day, why don’t you?” he mocked as she jumped in the passenger seat.

  Win muttered an apology and strapped herself in. They drove in silence out of town; Luke was heading in the direction of his favorite roadside diner outside of Lincoln. It was a small, squat building with a red and white awning. She followed him inside, greeted by the smell of waffles and bacon. That smell reminded her of Rowan. Waffly, honey-sweet, it had clung to Rowan’s skin like a fragrance.

  Shrugging off the feeling, she slid into a booth near the window overlooking the parking lot.

  “This is an unexpected date,” Win teased as Luke tossed a menu across the table. Win’s stomach was knotted and sore; she wasn’t sure she could manage a bite, but if Luke was paying, she would order something.

  “It’s not a date,” Luke said. “I’ve got something I’ve got to ask you…well, actually, it’s kind of a favor.”

  “Oh!” Win brightened. Could it be he was finally admitting how he felt about Ella and was asking her advice?

  Luke pushed his glasses up his nose, peering down at the menu. “Spencer is out of jail.”

  Win’s stomach dropped. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. Her face drained of color, and Luke gritted his teeth and grabbed for her hand across the table. “It’s okay. He’s gone to Hawaii with my dad. He made bail. I’m—I’m so sorry, Win.”

  Win’s eyes blurred. She propped both elbows on the table to support her chin. “How can he be out? We all saw what happened.”

  “It wasn’t enough.” Luke shook his head. “There was no real evidence to fully hold him. My dad’s lawyers put a lot of pressure on and in the end, there wasn’t enough to keep him in.”

&
nbsp; “He shot at me with a gun!” Win snapped, her temper flaring. She ducked her head, her eyes narrowing and flashing a fiery yellow. Sucking in deep, deliberate breaths, she kept her head low as the waitress approached, but Luke waved her away.

  “Your guy shot at him with a crossbow!”

  Win’s expression soured at the memory, that night and its horrors still burned into her mind. “He shot Rowan.”

  Luke rolled his eyes skywards, exasperated. “I’m not defending Spencer. No one wants him behind bars more than me. But your boyfriend conveniently vanished into the woods—”

  “He isn’t my boyfriend,” Win said but shut her mouth, catching Luke’s glare. He had warned her repeatedly he wasn’t there for ‘boy talk.’ This was why she had Ella.

  He carried on, ignoring her remark. “Plus, everyone at the party was wasted, so no one really remembered much! There was nothing concrete to keep in him there, and Dad flew him to Hawaii after he bailed him out. And…he’s selling Mercy.”

  Win’s head snapped up. “What? He can’t. Where will you live?”

  “He wants me to go there and finish school. I’ve told him to go to hell.”

  Win shook her head in dismay. “What about your grandfather?”

  “Not that I give a crap about the old man, but he’s going too. Dad is making preparations to get him flown out. That’s why I need some help.”

  Win closed her eyes, the shock of Spencer being out in the world still riveting through her skull. She rubbed at her eyes, hoping Rowan wouldn’t find out. Luke ordered her some pancakes; her hearing so muffled she barely noticed him do it. When they were placed there a few moments later, she stared down at blueberries rolling around her plate.

  “This is insane,” she grumbled. “How can they do this to you?”

  “Well, I’ve never been top of their list of priorities, you know? This is why I’m trying to get myself emancipated. I’ve seen a lawyer, and things are in motion.”

  Win slumped in her seat. “But, what about school?”

  “I’ll have to try and work alongside school,” he said, and she flew forward in her seat. “Plus, I have to prove I can look after myself, keep my grades up…somehow!”

  “You can’t leave school!”

  “I wasn’t planning to! I’m not exactly a top student, Win.” He dipped his chin, sighing. “But I could hopefully get into college on a sports scholarship. This isn’t an overnight decision, the whole process takes ages. But I’ve thought about it, and I can’t go to Hawaii. I’ll stay here, no matter how long it takes.”

  Win nodded, thoughtful, the image of him leaving them behind filling her with dread. She hated to think of him miles away, miserable and alone.

  “Well, that settles it. Luke, you can’t leave school. A scholarship is your ticket out of here. We could help you study?”

  Win stabbed at her pancakes, watching syrup drip down the side of the stack. It dawned on her, something prickled at her neck. “Have you told Ella?”

  “We’ve talked at work,” he said softly. “Things are complicated. I went to see Rosene last night.”

  “You said she wasn’t back yet.”

  “Well, I lied, okay? She got back last week.” He avoided her stare.

  It didn’t surprise Win one bit that he would lie. He was guarded. That hadn’t changed.

  “Her father is going to help me out for a while with money if things get tight. But I should be able to manage mostly by myself, find a place to live.”

  The fog cleared. Win’s heart plummeted in disappointment. He was going to go back to Rosene. Win fought back memories of their summer together. Walks in the woods, road trips, and pizza out in the meadow. Their bond, an unlikely friendship, was about to drip down the drain. Win could imagine Ella’s heartbreak. Having watched them get close, she saw the way he looked at Ella. But he had been placed in an impossible situation. How could she deny him what he needed? Win didn’t want to lose him.

  “So what do you need me for?” she answered, and he smiled gratefully.

  He was brimming with nervous energy. Clearly, he hadn’t been looking forward to telling her. “Well, I need help with the house. I need to start clearing paperwork out of the attic, and I thought you could give me a hand. Dad has given me some money to pay for extra help. He’s coming back here in a couple of days to get some of his things, and we’ll see a mediator together. He really isn’t happy with me right now.”

  “Of course I’ll help you,” Win said, confused. “But why me?”

  Luke cleared his throat. “You should get a job,” he replied curtly. “I don’t know how many times I’ve paid for you this summer…and you can’t keep using the ‘your brother nearly shot me’ excuse.”

  Win’s face broke into a smile, tension slipping away. “That’s not entirely untrue.”

  “I just need a couple of hours over the next few days.” He held up his hands. “It won’t interfere with any of your training sessions with Rowan or your nightlife.”

  She ignored his jibe about Grayson. Over the summer, Luke had made it clear how he felt about her disappearing off into the woods to see him.

  Win’s eyes darted away, feeling a blush creeping up her neck. “A job would be great.”

  After breakfast, Luke convinced Win to come by the house. Reluctantly, she agreed. He sped back past bleached fields, parched from lack of rain, until he turned off into the partially concealed entrance, Mercy bearing down on them. Metal gates swung inward, and Luke pulled up roughly, flinging open the car door.

  “You don’t feel nervous, do you?” he asked as he rustled in his pocket for his keys.

  Win swallowed, her gaze roaming the gothic stone-clad building, empty black windows peering down at her like predatory eyes. The last time she had stepped into the building, she had experienced Luke’s elderly grandpa at close range. Meeting him had been something out of a nightmare; she remembered his thin pale skin, the smell of an unwashed body. Not to mention he’d yelled at her and called her a witch.

  Luke was watching her carefully, and she realized she hadn’t actually answered him. “Win?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she lied.

  “Grandpa is confined to his bed. He won’t be wheeling about and scaring you again,” he assured her, in his own Luke way. “I really need your help with this.”

  “Perhaps you should be roping Rosene in?” Win suggested smarmily, shoving her hands in her pockets and following him up the porch steps. Luke threw her a glare. It was unspoken, but both of them knew it wouldn’t work. It irked her Rosene had to be part of this at all. But she had been Luke’s girlfriend, long before she and Ella had come along. Win tried to put herself in the pretty blonde’s expensive shoes and tried to imagine how she would feel. It would have hurt.

  Win nodded. “So, show me around.” She tried to sound braver than she felt, ice creeping across her neck. “Let’s get on with it.”

  Luke unlocked the front door. His key twisted in the lock, and it swung inward, the morning sun glinting off of the stained glass panels, the Virgin Mary’s head bowed in prayer.

  Maybe I’m going to need a prayer or two, Win thought, stepping over the threshold. A wintery chill crawled up her legs. Outside it was sweltering hot, but in here, the temperature was oddly cool. It was hard to believe Luke existed here. Faded printed wallpaper, heavy drapes at long yawning windows, the smell of dead flowers. Win struggled to cast off the creepy chill.

  A woman ambled into the hall, large busted and with deeply tanned skin. She was dressed in a nurse’s uniform. Win recognized her from when she had accidentally stumbled upon Luke’s elderly grandfather. Luke gave her a short smile.

  “Luke!” She bobbed her head back and forth between him and Win. “I didn’t know we were expecting any company.”

  “It’s fine, Judy. This is Winifred, my friend from school.” He waved his hand in her direction. “She’s going to help me get the attic cleared before the removal peo
ple arrive.”

  She cast Win a look of apprehension. “The attic…we’ve not been up there in years.”

  Why did she look so worried?

  “That’s okay, we’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Dad wants me to get all the old business files together. It’s got to be done some time, and he’s coming back in a couple of days.”

  The woman’s lower lip trembled slightly. “He’s coming back?”

  Win shifted uncomfortably as Judy’s face drained. Surely Luke’s father wasn’t scary enough to provoke such a reaction?

  Luke waved off her concern. “It’s fine. He’ll only be here a day or two. Long enough to get what he needs and get out. The best kind of visits.”

  She nodded, lost in thought. She seemed so soft, not the type of woman used to dealing with a grumpy old man like Robert Fraser, still frightening and intimidating even locked in a wheelchair. She seemed so gentle. “Luke, you’ll give me some notice when I’m to start clearing my things…to start looking for a job.”

  Luke ran to give the older woman a hug, patting her shoulder. “You aren’t going anywhere, Judy. Dad will want you in Hawaii. You know he can’t deal with the old man on his own, and Carla certainly won’t want any part of it.”

  Judy wrapped her thick arms around Luke’s waist, giving him a fierce embrace. Win was touched, not having seen this side of him. Luke walked around with a slight hint of coolness in his eyes, his jaw permanently set on edge. Over the summer, he’d softened, but Win was surprised at his empathy. Eventually, Judy let him go. He grinned and patted her shoulder.

  “Miss Winifred, if you need anything, you yell, okay?” She walked briskly over the faded floral rug, giving her hand a squeeze as she passed. She leaned closer to Win, so she had to duck to hear what the older woman was about to whisper to her. “And make sure you yell loud. It’s a long way down.”

  Win swallowed. Oh great, she thought, casting a glance up the darkened staircase. Luke trotted upstairs, his boots heavy on polished steps.

  “Who’s Carla?” Win asked as she jogged lightly behind him.

  Luke turned, a cool look back in his eyes. He winked. “Wicked stepmother.”