Page 19

Chapter Nineteen

AUTUMN

T he cave is dark when I awaken with a start. My eyes scan my surroundings trying to decipher the sound. Something woke me. I heard something, something I know to be impossible. Something so familiar and so distant it had to be part of a dream. My head cranes, listening intently, but I hear nothing, not even the snores from Renall on the couch. That’s what makes me rise to my feet and take a few steps toward him. He’s lying in his usual spot across the length of the couch, his chest rising and falling, but no audible sound escapes him. Now that I’m thinking about it, even the hum of the cave is missing. There’s no moans or growls or vibrations that are usually echoing through on the air. The cave is silent. I hear it again. My name. It comes whispered on a phantom wind.

Autumn.

The voice is so familiar, I must still be dreaming.

Autumn , it’s farther away now, beckoning me to follow.

I approach the door. I’m not supposed to leave. Something happened today, it was bad and scary, but I can’t remember what it was.

Autumn.

I glance back at the couch, the dark shape of the sleeping wolf-man reminds me I can’t leave. I’ll have to wait until he’s awake to leave. So I tip toe back to the bed and crawl inside, silencing the whispers that found me.

* * *

Growling is all I hear when I awaken sometime the next day, confirming I dreamt the silence the night before. There’s no way the cave could be that … still. The voice I heard, well, it would be impossible. What a sick, twisted dream my subconscious is playing on me.

“Ah, you’re up.”

I scream and reach for the first thing I grab on the table beside the bed, waiving it at the voice. Between my hands is a golden flower, it’s not heavy like gold should be. It’s as light as a regular flower, just pure golden. Onai hides a giggle behind her hand decked in gold rings, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“I didn’t even notice you were in the room.” I scratch my head, placing the pretty flower back on the table beside the bed. “How long have you been here? How long have I been sleeping?”

“Renall says you don’t sleep well, he said to let you sleep. He let me in when he went to trial today.”

“Oh, I can be ready in a few, he should have woken me.” I leap up from the bed and rifle through my backpack for something clean to wear. That’s when I remember, I never washed my clothes after yesterday’s events. I’ll be damned if I wear a dress or skirt in front of these people again.

“Well …” Onai coughs uncomfortably. “You can’t exactly go to the trial anymore. So Renall asked father if you could be watched while he was away.”

“He gave me a babysitter?” I seethe, “I’m going to throttle him.”

“I can’t say we have never thought about it.” Onai smiles. “And we can’t exactly have you back out in the cave unattended after what happened yesterday.”

“I can’t even watch the trial? How am I going to know what’s happening? He could be killed.”

“Well, you’ll need me to translate anyway. They never said anything about not being able to eavesdrop.” Onai shoots me a mischievous smile. It’s so different from Lupe’s sudden cold demeanor that I almost don’t believe they could be related. She drags a chair over to the door and leans her ear against it.

“Today is all about Renall’s past grievances, it seems.”

“Past grievances?”

“I guess it’s their chance to bring up his pattern of disobedience.” Onai rolls her eyes.

“How long do these trials usually last?”

“Depends on the crime and how many questions the clan has. Renall is one of our ancients, part of the original Warrior Clan created by the Sun God—his trial could go on for days, weeks even. Plus, he doesn’t like to follow rules. I hope they don’t bring up all his past atrocities, then we’d be here for months.”

“He’s that bad, huh?”

“Renall’s an honorable wolf, but you don’t become the fiercest warrior by making many friends.” She pauses, glances at me, and adds, “Or by following rules.”

“I see.”

“Be glad we’ve resorted to trials. Back in ancient times, these things would be decided by blood.”

“By blood? I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Oh yes, it’s exactly as it sounds. A fight to the death with the accuser would be the only way to resolve the issue. Either you killed your accuser and were proven innocent, or died a guilty man at the hands (or teeth) of your challenger. A Blood Rite they called it.”

Silence grows between us as the gravity of the situation twists in my gut. When I glance at Onai, she glances toward the door, pulling her eyes away from my gaze. I’ve never been good at this, human interaction. They never seem to understand me or my beliefs, but Onai and I share similar Gods and gardening hobbies.

“So,” I start. “Your Mother told me you have a garden. I had a garden back home.” Sorrow fills my heart and tingles behind my eyes at the loss of my raised garden beds beside the cabin.

Onai smiles proudly. “Yes, every Guardian tends the garden in training years, but it’s flourished quite nicely under my hand.”

“We had to grow our own food when my Mother died, I had a planter of herbs, then two for vegetables, and the blueberries just took on their own life. Then there’s the apple tree that we started from a pit and grew apples in less than six months, which is unheard of.”

Onai looks at me knowingly. “It’s not unheard of for a Guardian. I think you’ve had this gift for longer than you’ve known.”

“Maybe I have …” My flowers always blooming, the orchid Vicky killed that I’d nursed back to life. My abundant garden even in winter, the apple tree …

“Maybe, when this is all over and you’re permitted to stay, you can help me tend my garden. We’ve got a ton of vegetables, and some you’ve probably never heard of, like the bumbleberry tree. They are from before. The wolves are carnivores, but there’s something about the bumbleberry fruit that they love. I’ve had to kick a few of them out of the garden before for filling their arms up with them and leaving none for the rest of the pack.”

“That sounds nice, I would love to see that.”

“Since the garden is said to be one of the best in years, my Mother believes my affinity is to earth.”

“Affinity?”

“Wow, they weren’t kidding, you really don’t know anything, do you?”

“No.” I sigh. “I didn’t even know werewolves existed until last week or so.” It’s been hard to tell what day it is underground.

“My Mother was adamant I was only supposed to watch you. Do not entertain her, Onai,” she mimics in a stern feminine voice. “Don’t ramble on, Onai, she is still an outsider.”

“I don’t think your Mother likes me,” I point out.

“It wasn’t easy rising to the top so soon, there have been circumstances that made her … the way she is. She’s become weary of strangers. Plus, there are few who don’t believe you to be worthy of Renall. A wolf from Warrior Clan needs a strong Guardian; they need the most protection, after all. You’re not even close to being trained.”

“Then why won’t they train me?”

“I guess they are waiting to see what happens with the trial.”

“What you’re saying is, my fate and Renall’s are intertwined?”

“In a way, yes, a mated Guardian can’t remate without her wolf dying. Even then, it will never be a soulbond.”

“But I’m not mated.”

“Exactly, which puts you more at risk.”

“If you’re mated to Renall, your lives are bound together until death.”

“His death or mine?”

“Either.”

“It gives new meaning to ‘til death do us part’, I guess.” Onai’s eyebrow raises. “It’s a human tradition to recite that vow during marriage.”

“Well, wolves don’t marry as humans do—we mate. The first time is called the Joining, it’s supposed to be magical.”

“Mate,” I repeat, letting it soak in. There will be no romance or wedding planning in my future here. “This cave is all about sex, isn’t it?”

Onai shrugs. “Well, if you remain unmated, you could technically be mated to anyone else.”

I balk. “I don’t want to be mated to anyone.”

“Then you will have to learn really fast how to fend them off.”

“How do you fend them off? You’re not mated, are you?”

“I am not, but my father put it into an Alpha order that I was to remain untouched until I was of age and he has given his blessing.”

“He can use his Alpha order to protect his own daughter, but no other female in the cave?”

She nods, a fleeting shadow crossing her face.

“And no one finds this absurd?”

“He’s the Alpha, we can’t disobey him.”

“Then what can we do? Follow blindly until every available Guardian is claimed, raped, and quieted.”

She shivers at the thought. Onai must see the desperation for a mate in the eyes of the wolves. She must feel them just as I do. The only thing keeping her protected is an ancient magical law. How much has she witnessed? How much have all these people witnessed that gets looked the other way because wolves will be wolves?

“When I become of age,” she talks distantly now. “I will have my choice of all the available wolves at my disposal. I mean, some even are trying to gain my favor now.”

“How exactly do wolves gain favor?”

“Gifts. I can’t tell you how many rabbits have been left in front of my bedroom. I’ve gotten some bone carvings, painted rocks, and such.”

“At what age do you reach ‘of age’ for Guardians?”

“Eighteen … it’s next year. Father doesn’t want to hear about it when I bring it up. But he’s going to have to face it someday.”

“Is there one wolf in particular you’re leaning toward?”

“There’s a few I have my eye on.” She smirks, keeping that tidbit of information to herself. Who can blame her, though?

* * *

After Onai gave me the low down on every available wolf in the pack, I find a break in the conversation to try and learn as much as I can about Guardians and wolves. There’s one thing Lupe’s right about, I’m not in my world anymore, and I need to adapt to what I can do. The asinine, antiquated laws that govern the wolves—that’s another day’s problem.

“Onai, can you tell me about affinities, what are they?”

“Affinities are like your special gift. Some have a knack for flowers and trees, others to vegetables and fruits, some to animals, others to bugs. It’s dependent on the Guardian,” Onai explains.

I grab Colton’s notebook and pen in hand, ready to take notes.

“How many different types of affinities are there?”

“Well, there could be thousands of different individual types, but they can be grouped into five main categories: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Animals. But, not just animals, it could be fish, bugs, reptiles … anything with a life.”

“And earth would encompass trees, plants, flowers, that type of thing?”

“Indeed, and air can be anything from wind to tornadoes. It’s all about the Guardian’s gift and how they wield it.”

“For example, you and your garden are how you harness the earth?”

“Right, and you and your ivy that you make, that can be from earth too, or it could be an extension of another gift waiting to be found. Some Guardians can produce the power they wield while others merely expand it. For example, I can’t create a flower from nothing, but I can plant a seed and make it grow twice as fast, or produce a thousand more buds than it should have.”

“Interesting,” I ponder, leaning back with my pen in my mouth.

“Yeah, we have a few Guardians with the power of fire. Some can touch it without harm, make it grow to larger heights, but some have the fire itself in their veins, and they can warm things with a single touch, start a fire with a thought.”

“Wow. That’s amazing—terrifying, but amazing.”

“It’s definitely a sight to behold.”

“How does one learn the extent of their gifts?”

“Well, again, it’s different for everyone. You have to watch and see when your gift is displaying itself. Some are tied to emotions, but for me, I find mine comes in the quiet. I like to be alone when I tend to my garden, it’s my personal form of meditation.”

“I’ve never been the meditating type.”

“No, and I don’t expect you to be. You will have to figure your gift out on your own time and in your own way. Unfortunately, that is not something that can be taught. That is why training for each Guardian looks different, and sometimes can take years.”

“When did you start training?”

“Since birth, it feels like, but your full power doesn’t manifest until eighteen. That’s when the clan forces you into training to figure out what makes you tick.”

“Will I have to go through all that?”

“If you are allowed to stay and still don’t understand your power, then, yes. You would need to in order to be helpful to yourself or to Renall.”

“Yes, I hate letting him down.” The running away from the hunters and the two attacks on the cave floor have left me feeling … useless.

Onai leans in to whisper, “I think he’s just happy to have you here. I don’t think you could let him down if you tried.”

“I just wish I was of better use to him than hiding away in this cave. Sometimes I feel like he rescued me for nothing.”

“It will come with time, take this time to focus on learning your gifts and how it reacts to you.”

She’s right, I mean, that’s all I can do … that and try to stay alive.