I didn't like seeing the hesitation in her eyes as I asked her to take care, as if she wasn't used to hearing those words. What kind of an existence did she lead? I kept thinking back to the ‘Kevin’ she’d been on the phone with yesterday. The thought of him being her boyfriend frustrated me, even though it shouldn’t.
I let her lead after a while walking around the lake. Silence descended once again as we looped back around toward the coffee shop. She tossed her paper cup in a recycle bin in front of the bank. We walked across Old High Street and stopped in front of a black sports car. I raised an eyebrow at her, a bit surprised by her mode of transportation. Morgana was a surprising kind of gal, and I wanted to know more of her secrets. She seemed like she might have a lot of good ones.
Before I could stop myself, I asked, "Are you in a relationship with someone?" It was pretty damn brazen. While I might've been a confident guy, I wasn't normally like this.
She looked up at me with something akin to shock on her face. "Excuse me?"
I opened my mouth to apologize, but she spoke first. "That's not any of your business. I'm working a job for you, against my own better judgment. I don't know what you've heard about me, but I do not have relationships with my clients." She stomped toward her car door, but I got there first, blocking her from opening it. "Get out of my way, Cody."
"Wait, please. I'm sorry, okay?" I grimaced as she pushed against my chest, but I didn't budge. I couldn't lose her help because of my own stupidity. "It was silly of me to ask..." A few women walked past, giving us uneasy looks and making me feel even more like a jerk than I already did. "But it wasn't your reputation that made me ask. I..." I squeezed my hands into fists, trying to get the words out of my mouth, even though I'd had no problem with that a few moments ago. "I admire you, okay? I like you. I'm sorry I asked like that, but I'm not sorry because I would like to hang out with you."
She frowned up at me, not looking quite as hostile anymore. Just...confused. "I don't think that's a good idea."
It was my turn to frown. What? How could she say that it wasn't a good idea? I didn't care if she didn't have relationships with clients. I wouldn't be her client forever. My coyote growled, and the sound trickled from my lips. I coughed, trying to distract her attention from the sound, but I knew by the questioning look on her face that she'd caught it.
Morgana widened her eyes at me, but something about her posture changed a little. "I'll drive you back to campus. Get in."
I raised both eyebrows at her, but did as she said.
She started the car and threw it into reverse, zipping out of the spot while another car tried to ram past, forcing them to stop. "First of all, no, I'm not in a relationship." The car behind us honked their horn a few times, and she muttered a few curses under her breath. When we were off and away from them, she glanced at me and shook her head. "You probably see me as some strong chick with a pretty face, but even if I liked you too, I don't think getting anywhere near me would be a good idea." She let out a shaky sigh. "I'm not good with holding onto people."
"What's that supposed to mean?" It wasn't my business, but if she was going to give that kind of reason, I wanted to know.
"Every time I get close to someone, they end up going away." Her hands shook, and she clenched them tighter on the steering wheel. "Instead of causing any more trouble for anyone, it's just best for me not to go there again." But when she looked my way, I wondered for a moment if that was as hard for her to say it as it was for me to hear it.
I didn't feel quite as pissed off anymore. I could understand where she was coming from. Losing a lot of people close to them would make anyone unwilling to connect with others. I sometimes wondered if my own desire to connect wasn't because I’d never really known that kind of love. I’d never really had anyone worthwhile.
I looked up as we approached campus and glanced over at her as she slowed. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, but don't think I'll let this go so easily. You deserve to be happy again." I gave her a half-smile, not feeling like I could give a whole one. "Let me know when you find out news on the talisman." Her eyes watered a little, and I climbed out of the car, unable to watch her cry.
It was time for me to visit my grandmother and tell her what was going on. If anyone could give me more information on the talisman, it was her. I was concerned about Morgana going after it alone. I'd seen the damage it could cause. While I didn't want to insert myself into her life, I was serious when I said she deserved more from life. She deserved happiness.
I pushed my bag up higher on my shoulder and headed to my dorm room. It'd be easier for me to travel to my grandmother's if I was in coyote form. I was faster on four legs, and after that incident with Morgana, he was ready to run off the stress we were both feeling.
Chapter Ten
Cody
The thick set of oaks that lined the well-trodden path to my grandmother's house were ancient. When the Miami tribe first settled in the area, it was said that the spirit of nature herself gave a powerful shaman the trees. Now, many generations later, the trees still grew, even in adversity and dry seasons. Some thought it was a blessing, or magic at work, but I knew that my grandmother went to great lengths to care for the trees each day. It was her way to keep in touch with the legacy given to her for safekeeping.
My paws sank a little into the fertile ground as I made my way toward her home. In my mouth, I carried a red duffel bag with a change of clothes. It bounced with each step, but I paid it little attention. The air was silent to human ears, but for mine it was alive with the whispers of unspoken secrets. Tribal magic hung heavily in the air, permeating the forest all around me. It charged the edges of my fur, revitalizing me with its presence.
Despite the run, my coyote and I were eager to feel the wind rush along our fur as we darted through the forest. It seemed to be the only time my mind was clear anymore, not clouded by unnecessary garbage that had little to do with everyday life. I could go for weeks without running through the forest, but lately it had become a constant itch beneath my skin, the fur within desperate to find a path of least resistance to push through.
Before I’d made it halfway to the house, the door opened. My grandmother walked onto the porch, her wizened frame old and frail. Her features were always unreadable, but the light of clarity in her eyes remained. "I was told you were on your way, Grandson. Come up here. The forest is uneasy," she said, waving me closer. Her voice carried easily across the distance between us.
Picking up my pace, I dragged the bag of clothes up to her porch. Without asking for permission, I let the shift take hold of me. She’d lived with shamans and shifters all the years I had known her. Her eyes were turned toward the road while my spine twisted back into its human configuration and my fur made way to my pale skin.
When I first learned to shift, she’d been there to guide me. She had been there for everyone in the tribe, whenever they had a problem that needed her attention. No one ever called her. She simply knew when to be there.
My shift was over almost as soon as it had begun. I smirked as I caught an appraising look from her.
"Down to a less than a minute. Good." She nodded, pride evident in her voice.
I opened the small duffel bag and pulled on my clothes while speaking to her. "Yes, the coyote is ready to roam Running Deer. It's a welcome change from the paved world of humans. Could we step inside? I need to talk to you," I asked cautiously. One didn't boss around a shaman, regardless of how close one was to them. That's one of the things my grandmother had managed to drill into my thick skull—respect your family.
She opened the door for me, then followed me inside. The open layout of her house was a reminder of the older days of living in the plains, yet the solid wooden walls provided nice additional shelter for winter. The walls had a variety of tools and hunting equipment lining one side, with a massive bearskin rug taking up the middle of the floor, in front of the fireplace. The smell of watery soup, tobacco, and burnt pine mixed with more typical household smells.
Without waiting for her instruction, I walked over to a picture of our family taken years ago. At the center, my father was holding my mother in a tender embrace, while the children sat in front of them. In the background, my grandmother stood, watchful as ever over the couple.
While I was looking at the photo, my grandmother went to the small stove in the corner and poured us both a steaming mug of tea. Apparently, the spirits had been very specific about when I would arrive.
"What is so urgent that the grandson I raised would visit me?" she asked, her voice calm as usual. She handed me one of the cups and sat down in a chair before the fireplace.
"Sorry to interrupt your evening, but I need to talk with you. All this time you've said that the artifacts we lost weren’t destroyed. Well, I believe you're right. I think someone has found one of them," I began tentatively. With a nod from her, I shared what I’d found in the forest. By the time I’d finished telling her about the destruction, the tea in my hands had cooled enough to be drinkable.
"Someone has found it. There's little question about that now. Do you know what it is, Cody? It's the talisman of an old wizard that lived among our people. With no respect for nature, he tricked the spirits into aiding him. When the white man came the first time, he saw their lust for gold and land. He spoke about riches and wealth...doom and curses. The spirits listened, imbuing that into the talisman. Whoever has the talisman must tread lightly, lest they anger the spirits within," she said with a sigh, pouring herself more tea.
"A wizard did that?" Knowing she didn't often open up about the older times, I hoped she would be kind enough to share more details.
"Yes. Listen with those coyote ears when I speak." She cast me a stern frown. "The wizard paid no respect to the living world around him. Shamans guide and protect their people and their surroundings. They act as a bridge between our world and the spirits. Wizards live by their own rules. Not all know, respect, or protect what they possess. Those that lead selfish or irresponsible lives will always face the consequences.
“This wizard spoke to the ground and to the air about his wants. Many spirits answered his pleas, and they need to be satisfied," she said, staring into the fire. Her eyes were focused on something only she could see. "What concerns me, Grandson, is that whoever uses the artifact does not know its full power. They play around with it like a toy, not understanding where or how it got its magic. Smoking a pipe and paying respects is something anyone can learn how to do. Knowing how, and why or why not to use the power, is a far greater lesson. It's like with your kind. One must respect and be one with themselves. If a shifter is out of balance, they are restless, wandering away from what they call home and seeking out things they don't need." Her knowing eyes now locked on mine. Power, and an iron will, lay behind her stare.
She nodded in satisfaction, as if she'd taught me enough. But I couldn't help but feel the sting of her remark. My coyote didn't like it either, and locking her gaze to mine had been a show of dominance. "It's hard enough when my own family doesn't want to spend time with me. Even my cousin, Jacy, no longer responds to my calls. I know I look different from them, but am I not part of the same family?" I said quietly to her, my voice heavy with emotion.
Shaking her head, she frowned at me with sadness and understanding in her eyes. "They don't know how to behave. You are Coyote to them. Trickster and playful, but you are also the white man. They aren't used to that. Coyotes are usually found in pureblooded family lines. Somehow, you move beyond that. Jacy has been distant lately, and out hunting for a while. The spirits have spoken of him going through a season of trials, working out his own path in life. He is an adult, and we need to respect that. He will return to the family, or find his own way through life." Grandmother sighed and waved her hand at me. "Most importantly, if you find whoever has the talisman, it needs to be returned at once. No one will be safe until it is home. From what you described, the user has little to no control of it, beyond waking up the spirits. Trouble is brewing, and containing it is our responsibility. I'll reach out to others so they can keep their eyes and ears open. Maybe the spirits will be with us and someone has seen something." She smiled toothily.
"I hope so," I said, climbing to my feet. "I should let you get some rest." At her nod, I headed for the door.
Outside, the evening had turned into nighttime. My coyote stirred, eager for a quick run home. With a smile on my lips, I stretched and let the change overtake me again. I'd be dead tired in the morning, but none of that mattered now.
Chapter Eleven
Morgana
I sat down and let my mind wander a moment. Coffee with Cody had been nice, but I couldn't help but feel so vulnerable sometimes with him. Why on earth did I mention Ezra to him? Something about him made me feel like I could trust him. Even my raven didn't mind his presence. Typical humans made her agitated and a little uneasy, since she was a solitary beast. I walked over to my computer, wanting to verify some details about his story. Never trust a client, no matter how detailed they are about the object needing to be retrieved.