Chills & Thrills Paranormal Boxed Set (49 page)

Her words came, wrenching his heart.

"I must consult the council. Such momentous news will
provoke much discussion. We'll let you know."

Ravenheart rocked forward. "You would deny my next
step? After this?"

"No, merely a delay. These decisions mustn't be made
hastily." She rose, cup still in her hand. "I'll call for you when we
decide."

Hiding his outrage in a cloak of humility, he also rose. Her
jealousy had prevailed again. Argument would be useless. Bowing his head
respectfully, he stepped off the dais, said his parting words, and left the
longhouse.

Star Dancer's response had so thoroughly doused his
expectations that Ravenheart was almost surprised to find the sun still
shining. He stared at the bleached-out sky, still reeling from the new obstacle
she'd thrown onto his path. Again, she doubted him! Again!

He could, of course, continue the shaman's way without her
blessing. Others had traveled the path without a High Shaman's guidance. But he
would waste countless winters mastering what she could teach in a single moon,
and though he scoffed at the thought, it nonetheless occurred to him that
without her help he might never master the teachings at all.

As he headed for his pueblo, he realized he'd stepped into
shadow. Looking up, he saw a gathering storm mass scudding toward the sun. Soon
the village center turned bleakly gray.

Another omen? He turned away, refusing to doubt the great
wolf's words.
You shall rule forever. Yes,
forever.

And by the time he'd reached the walkway to his quarters,
Ravenheart almost believed he really had encountered White Wolf Woman.

"You are the werewolf?"

Lily looked up to see a man of probably twenty years or so
regarding her with intense gray eyes. She'd been eating the evening meal by
herself, sitting on a stone wall that surrounded the fire pit and trying to
ignore the covert glances and murmurs of the other diners, all of whom stayed
well away from her.

"No," she replied. "I'm not."

Lowering himself cross-legged to the ground in the smooth
way all Dawn People seemed to possess, he leaned forward earnestly. "But
you were a werewolf, isn't that true?"

"One might say that."

He inclined his head gravely and continued looking at Lily
as she nibbled a piece of bubbly brown bread that had a delicious flavor. After
four days of being ignored by everyone but Shala, it felt odd to be under such
scrutiny.

"I am Arlan Ravenheart," he said after a time,
giving his head a proud toss that sent the red feather and rabbit's foot in his
hair flying. "I returned but yesterday from a vision quest and only now
learned you were here. Otherwise, I would have sought you out before."

Lily looked up from her food. "Sought me out? I'm not
exactly an honored guest."

"The wolf came to me in my vision. It bodes well to
receive such a powerful guide, and I now wish to fully understand its
ways."

Lily laughed. "By asking a werewolf? Would you learn
about men by studying gorillas?"

Just then his sharp, beak-nosed face twisted in annoyance
and he bellowed, "That is mine!"

Lily followed his livid gaze to find a gawky adolescent boy
hovering over a plate on the hearth, a piece of pork halfway to his mouth. His
hand froze at Arlan's shout and he quickly dropped the meat.

"Well, perhaps you might take that approach," Lily
commented caustically as she watched the boy scurry away.

Arlan greeted her remark with a blank stare. "These
young ones have no manners. As to your question about the gorilla, I see it
differently. I believe this is more like learning of the spirits by studying
men. We are all made in like image. As above, so below."

Lily gawked at Arlan, trying to decide if he was serious.
She'd learned from White Hawk, Shala, and Star Dancer that these people
possessed a keen and subtle sense of humor, but this grave face in front of her
held no hint of amusement.

So far she hadn't been sure if she much cared for him, but
now she knew she didn't. She supposed she couldn't afford to turn away a
supporter, but on the other hand what difference did it make? Rocking forward,
she made a move to leave.

"Wait," he implored. "It's important I learn
all I can. I'm Star Dancer's apprentice in the shaman's way. Someday I will be
High Shaman. It is already done."

Not so
, Lily
thought. Surprised to hear a shaman speak those words lightly, she gave in to
her urge to goad him. "Really? I thought White Hawk had the job
cinched."

Ravenheart sneered and rapped his chest. "White Hawk's
heart is soft, like a woman's."

"I'm sure Star Dancer would be delighted to hear that
opinion."

His eyes clouded with obvious confusion but before he could
respond bird screams tore the air. A few seconds later a hawk dropped from the
sky and landed in the village square. After several more cries it flew off.

"I will do much greater things," Ravenheart
mumbled sullenly, then he climbed to his feet and walked away, leaving Lily to
wonder what he meant by that.

A few minutes later she saw White Hawk emerge from a group
sitting around one of the other fires. He stopped not far from where she sat,
looked at her solemnly, then hurried toward the longhouse door.

Delmar is dying, Riva," Tony said, stalking back and
forth across the width of the longhouse. "I must go and make my peace with
him. There's unfinished business in Quakahla, which I'll take care of in the
morning. When the heat of the day has passed, I'll leave."

"This is an important time between you and your
father," Riva replied, putting down her shuttle and turning to him.

"Two more requests . . ." Tony looked away.
"Please forbid Shala to keep company with the she-wolf."

"Tony—”

"Lily already lied to Shala," he said heatedly.
"She's denied her knowledge of Tajaya's death."

"That's not surprising."

"But Shala is growing fond of her." Tony glanced
beseechingly at the ceiling. "Although it defies my understanding. When
the truth comes out—and it will—she'll be devastated. What father wouldn't want
to prevent that?"

"Do you honestly think forbidding her to spend time
with Lily will dim her–
 
Please stop that
pacing, Tony."

Riva patted the seat of a chair next to her. Tony grimaced
sheepishly and sat down.

"Your desires are very human. But as you should know by
now, you can't keep surrendering to them. What's more, defending your desires
so ferociously only feeds them."

Although she hadn't said it in so many words, Riva wasn't
going to honor his wishes about Lily and Shala, and though her biting insights
made Tony feel like squirming, he decided to put his second request on the
table.

"I've tried to honor Lily's nature. Unsuccessfully, as
you well know. It's time I took this to the spirits. I want to go on a vision
quest before I return to the village."

"Will you also ask for help in releasing Tajaya's
memory?" Riva asked. "And in permitting your daughter to seek her own
path?"

Tony pressed his lips together. "I'll ask, but my heart
isn't in it."

"It will be," Riva replied. "It will be. Your
request is granted. Now let's sit and talk of other things until your heart is
again at ease."

She rose and went to the cupboard to fill two cups with tea.
While Tony waited he thought how often they'd simply sat together, laughing,
talking about inconsequential things — the pattern of Riva's latest weaving,
the antics of one of the village children, a particularly fine meal at one of
the hearths. But as he accepted the cup and sipped the liquid inside, he knew
this wouldn't be one of those times. His heart would never be at ease again
until Lily was gone from the canyon.

Or dead.

* * *

The next morning Lily carried her breakfast to a shallow
ravine she'd discovered a few days earlier that had an enormous sycamore in the
center. The ancient tree's trunk branched out into dozens of limbs that grew so
tall Lily had to tilt her head to see their tops. She took a seat on one of the
lower branches, enjoying the cooling effect of the shade beneath the gently
swaying leaves.

It was just shortly after sunrise, but the sun was already
warming the moist air, and her thin cotton top clung uncomfortably to her body.
She shook the fabric to fan herself, then picked up a vegetable omelet that
she'd wrapped inside a soft tortilla.

When she'd dished up her breakfast at the hearth, a few of
the tribespeople sneaked looks her way, but most didn't give her a second
glance. Apparently they were getting used to her.

They were a busy people, she decided, and happy too. They
toiled in their fields, tended their sheep and pigs and goats, wove and
constructed their clothing, made pots and baskets. But they never seemed in a
hurry. . . .

Except when they were headed to and from the mysterious
narrow canyon at the far end of the pueblo wall. What was so fascinating about
that canyon? Quakahla maybe? She'd heard it mentioned again and again, and the
gaily reverent tones made her believe it was some kind of holiday, probably
occurring at the fall equinox on September twenty-third.

She vaguely recalled something significant about this year's
equinox. Even though astrology played a large part in the Lupine culture, and
as a queen she'd been well educated in it, she couldn't quite put her finger on
why this one seemed particularly important. But there was no reason to renew
that recollection. The equinox was over two weeks away and she'd be gone by
then.

She just wished she felt more urgency about escaping. Lately
she seldom thought about it. Her days with Shala, walking along the river as
she explained the uses of various plants and told the ancient stories of her
people, filled Lily with contentment.

Taking a bite of the omelet burrito, she realized she even
liked the food. It was better than anything their maid had prepared, although
the woman was an excellent cook.

A dragonfly buzzed overhead, and she observed it for a
while, oddly fascinated by the iridescent tones of its wings. Then she shook
her head. She had to make plans to leave the canyon. The Tribunal could convene
at any time and though she'd pressed Star Dancer for a date on several
occasions, the answer was always the same: "The sign hasn't come."

Exactly what was this sign? No answer to that one.
"Mind if I join you?"

Lily looked up to see Arlan Ravenheart entering the ravine.
Without waiting for a reply, he sat on the branch beside her. It sagged
slightly from the additional weight, and Lily waited for it to settle down,
then bit into her burrito again.

Ravenheart leaned forward, his gray eyes filled with
eagerness. "I've come to learn more about werewolves."

Lily's appetite vanished. She put the burrito down. "I
don't have anything to tell you."

"You must remember what it was like. How are your kind
created, for instance?"

His question made Lily remember how much she'd once yearned
to talk about her Lupine life. No one had been willing to listen. Until now.
Although she found Ravenheart less than endearing, at least he believed her.

"A number of ways," she finally offered.
"Certain flowers, when eaten, will bring about the transformation. Some
rivers contain water with properties that will do the same. But both of these
are rare and hard to find. The most common way is by ceremony."

He nodded, his expression turning reflective. Lily went back
to her burrito.

"Can you make me into a werewolf?"

Lily's head jerked up involuntarily, and she stared at him
darkly. "Do you know what you're asking? By the next day you'd be eating
your people for breakfast" — she tapped her plate — "instead of one
of these."

"Wolf came to me in a vision and revealed a destiny I
plan to fulfill to its ultimate end."

"Ultimate . . . ?" Lily laughed incredulously.
"How many of your people did my companion and I slaughter, Arlan?"

"Such impulses wouldn't enslave me. Wolf is my brother,
not my master, as he is for you."

He was clearly unaware he'd insulted her, nor did he realize
he'd displayed his arrogance. She gave him a scathing look. "Why would I
do such a thing?"

"In repayment, I would grant your freedom."

Freedom . . . The word rang in Lily's ears. Freedom. Her
eyes drifted beyond him, taking in the lush foliage of the shallow ravine. Near
the entrance, two flourishing mesquites lifted their thin-leafed branches to
the sky. She fixed her gaze on them, watching the nearly imperceptible motion
of their leaves.

Freedom.

"You have the power to do that?" Not that she had
the power to grant
his
wish, but she
could deal with that later.

He nodded his head. "Tell Star Dancer you want me to be
your advocate before the Tribunal. Instead of taking you to meet them, I'll
lead you out—"

Torn between horror at the treasonous offer and her own
desire to escape, Lily barely heard the rustle coming from behind the
mesquites. Obviously Ravenheart heard, because his pause lengthened.

A second later Shala stood beneath the branches of the
trees. Her blue eyes grew large with apprehension when she saw Arlan glaring at
her.

"Go away, girl," he ordered curtly.

Lily quickly intervened. Giving the man a look that
commanded him to be civil, she pointedly asked, "Are we finished
here?"

"For now. But we will speak more of this." Getting
up with obvious reluctance, he gave Shala a resentful look, then disappeared
behind the trees.

Shala hurried over, climbed up on the tree limb, and settled
beside Lily. "I had a little time before my lessons, and thought you might
want to hear the next White Wolf Woman legend."