Chapter 6
“What’s going on?” I ask Erin, holding Anna in my arms as if she were a baby, not a five-year-old. “It’s a madhouse. Getting in here is like standing in line for the hottest toy in the one store that sells it the day before Christmas.”
“Sure. If the shoppers are furry and don’t speak in a language you understand,” she quips. “Do you understand any of them?”
“I understand they’re wild animals, and I let them be.”
Does she think I have nothing better to do than try to figure out all the nuances of animal communication that consist of clicks, whines, and growls and differ from species to species? My grandmother spoke mostly Russian to us at home, while outside, I spoke English in school and with my friends. Two languages are more than enough for me.
“Safra and I understand each other well enough,” I add, feeling like I answered her with too much snark. My nerves are wound like a spring, and my fuse is nonexistent. I have no one to blame but myself, but I’m here to rectify that, and I don’t want to alienate my only friend. “I call her, and she comes to survey the area.” Now that I think of it, she never acted as if the man was a threat. Aloof, but not guarded. Why is that?
It doesn’t matter. It’s time to come clean with Em. Although I’m not looking forward to his reaction. Hopefully, Erin will be able to reign him in because he’s going to be pissed that I didn’t tell him immediately the first time I saw the stranger.
I look toward the cave entrance. “Is every animal in the forest here?”
Erin shrugs. “Looks that way. All Em said was that there is an emergency meeting and I should stay inside until it’s over.”
Shit. My heart nosedives. Emergency. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? Because I have a sort of emergency? I suspect I know what the meeting is about, but I hope I’m wrong. Because whatever is going on? It’s causing more of a ruckus than my brother showing up and Em and Erin’s wedding combined.
The animals are way too noisy. I hear a lot of nervous chatter. I don’t hear Em, though. He must be communicating with them mentally, which means I can’t take part in the conversation to add or clarify anything. I don’t know how this doesn’t freak Erin out. I don’t think I could be romantically involved with someone who knows what I’m thinking at all times.
I wonder how these group meetings even work. Does Em speak with one species at a time, or does he send out a general vibe that they each translate into their own animal language? Does he know what I’m thinking right now as he’s holding this meeting? When there’s so much coming at him at once, does he need to go slow and interpret the messages one at a time?
“Mommy,” Anna wriggles in my arms and pushes down in an attempt to free herself. “I want Uncle Em.”
“You’ll see Uncle Em when he’s finished with the animals, Honey.” Erin tries to distract her. “Right now, he wants us to wait here while he meets with them.”
“You really don’t know what this is about?” I don’t buy it. I catch myself worrying my lip and turn it into a pretend yawn, not wanting to give my nervousness away to Erin. I might not be able to hide anything from my protector, but his wife is a different story.
“He promised to fill me in after he speaks to the community at large.”
I can’t tell if she’s that stupid or if she thinks I am. Anything this big and important that involves all of the animals can’t have caught Em’s attention while slipping under his wife’s nose. And in my heart of hearts, I know it has to do with my mystery man.
While we wait for Em to finish, I set Ana on her feet. She rushes over to play with Fang. Thank goodness he acts more like a dog than a wolf these days. He pants with his tongue lolling out of his mouth when she rubs him behind his ears.
*
“What’s on your wrist?!” Em’s deep voice booms through the cave, causing me to start. I didn’t realize his meeting had ended. My heart pounds in fear.
“A bracelet,” I answer like it’s no big deal and should be obvious. Why the hell didn’t I leave it at home?
“Take it off,” he demands. I’m startled by how much anger I hear in his tone. He’s never spoken to me like that before. Ordering me around as if he were my father. I know I should put my butt-hurt feelings aside and listen to him, but no! The bracelet, like the man who gave it, means something to me.
“No!” I cover it with my other hand as if keeping it out of his direct sight will appease him.
“I said take it off. Right now.” He stalks in my direction, loud and full of negative energy.
“Emerald.” Erin’s voice holds a stern warning for her husband.
He growls like an animal and shoots her an angry glare, causing her to startle at his behavior as well. “Why can’t you remove that?”
“I never said I can’t.” I square my shoulders, holding my ground. “I don’t want to. There’s a difference.” Erin comes to stand next to me. I hope this bodes well for getting Em to stop harping on me and this stupid piece of jewelry. He always gives in to his wife.
“Who gave it to you?”
“Masha isn’t a child.”
His diamond-shaped eyes flare as they move between his wife and me. “My job,” he points at her, “is to protect Masha and Ana. You have no say in the matter—and need to stay out of it!”
Just my luck, this is the one time he won’t respect her wishes and back down. Reading the hurt look on Erin’s face, I think this might very well get Em sent to the proverbial doghouse. Not that it matters. The big tree doesn’t sleep unless he’s injured. So why didn’t he hear the music coming from the spring?
I want to ask, but as he comes to stand toe-to-toe with me, I’m unable to get the words out. I look up at him, focus on him. Em’s massive size would make anyone else nervous. Not me. He won’t hurt me. He can’t.
“I made it.” I lie with conviction. If I believe the lie that spilled from my lips so easily, maybe he will, too.
He narrows his eyes on me and crosses his arms over his chest. “Since when do you know how to enchant things?”
I do all that I can to keep my poker face on and stiffen my spine. I focus my anger on Em and the fact that he has no faith in me. “Don’t forget that I have druid blood running through my veins. The same blood that created you,” my voice grows in volume. “You forget your place, Leshy!”
Erin gasps. I dare not look at her. They can comfort each other later. I need to stand my ground right now.
Em’s stone-like expression is the one that worries me. His green eyes hold a darkness I’ve never seen directed at me as the realization of what I said and the tone I took with him hits. I wonder if there is some unwritten clause that can negate his duty to protect me.
Why am I acting this way? He’s only doing his best to make sure I’m safe. I should apologize. I need to apologize. Right now.
“Em,” I make sure to soften my tone.
“Have it your way. But until the unrest in the forest dies down, Ana stays with me.”
“Em, no!” Erin covers her mouth, shocked. Okay, at least they’re not both against me. My girl didn’t see this coming.
Fuck an apology. Uncontrollable rage runs through my veins. “Like hell.” I can’t stop myself. This is way out of hand. “She’s. My. Daughter.”
“And you are both my charges. You’re an adult. A foolish one at that. You want to risk your life, fine, but I will not permit you to risk hers.”
Before I can say another word of protest, he collects Ana in his arms. “Hey, beautiful. Do you want to have a sleepover with Aunt Erin and Fang?”
“Em!” I shout. “Put her down.”
Ana looks my way, but Em maintains his calm demeanor and strokes her hair. He ignores me completely, like I’m not even here, and keeps Ana fixated on the promise of a good time.
“The fireflies will put on a show for you, making shapes and drawing pictures. Anything you want.”
“Do you mean it?” Ana lights up.
“Emerald!” My voice pitches to a screech. I feel helpless. Powerless. I’m not physically strong enough to stop him.
“Of course,” Erin says, feigning excitement as she gives me a sympathetic look. “And we can play checkers or backgammon. Uncle Em is still working on the chess figurines and a few new board games.”
“Yay!” Ana cheers.
As much as I want to rip her from Em’s arms, I know better than to challenge his strength. He won’t hurt me. Or my daughter. But I’m not stronger than him, and if I make too big a deal of this or become hysterical, it will set Ana off and frighten her.
My nerves are already too short and tight to deal with that in any helpful way. I might end up yelling at her unnecessarily again. I’d rather see what I can do to right the ship that I sped out of the water and grounded hard on a pile of rocks.