Chapter 25
She hadn’t recognized him.
Shan followed behind Zephyr and Leonie, mind reeling with more than just exhaustion. To his naked eyes, the clear morning sunshine seemed painfully bright. Without his sunglasses and gloves, he felt stripped bare; exposed and vulnerable, every hidden secret laid out in plain sight.
And she hadn’t recognized him.
Secrets, hissed his monster, though for once it sounded more distressed than enticed. It slunk through his blood, tail twitching. Truth, but not truth. Lies, but not lies. Wrong. Wrong.
He breathed out, repressing both his animal’s agitation and his own. Trying to figure out how his fated mate could look him straight in the eyes without feeling the slightest hint of connection would have to wait. Right now, there were more pressing matters.
Zephyr led them to the camp office. Conleth was already there, leaning against the porch rail while he scrolled through his phone. He seemed relaxed, but something about his posture suggested that air of casual preoccupation could vanish in an eye-blink.
“Is he still here?” Zephyr murmured to his business partner.
Conleth nodded, putting his phone away. “He’s round the back. If he makes a break for it, do you want me to stop him?”
“No. We don’t have any authority over him, and it would only cement his bad opinion of us.” Zephyr headed down the side of the office. “And he’s here of his own volition. Let’s hear what he has to say.”
By now, Shan could make an educated guess as to the identity of this mysterious visitor.
Sure enough, Alder-in-Winter was waiting for them behind the office building.
Next to the dumpsters, the unicorn was about as incongruous as a racehorse in a McDonalds.
He shifted his weight from hoof to hoof as they approached, clearly ill-at-ease.
At the back of his mind, his monster growled. Shan shared the sentiment. He kept his face impassive, but reached for the qiongqi, ready to take its form. While he respected Zephyr’s desire not to antagonize the unicorns, he wasn’t about to let Alder-in-Winter get away so easily this time.
“Alder-in-Winter,” Zephyr greeted the unicorn. “This is a welcome surprise. We’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”
*I have been busy.* Alder’s mental voice sounded stiff. *As the herd speaker, it is my duty to ensure the safety of my people. Where that responsibility takes me is not always my choice.*
Now that he was up close, Shan realized the unicorn looked as tired as he felt himself. Last time they’d met, Alder had been as pristine as an illustration in a children’s book, but now his long black mane was tangled with twigs and leaves. Dirt streaked his gray flanks.
Conleth’s eyebrows rose as he took in the unicorn’s unkempt state. “I thought your kind had fur coated with Teflon. What happened?”
*None of your concern,* Alder-in-Winter snapped. *I gather one of your younglings snuck out of your territory last night. Has she been found?*
Zephyr blinked at the unicorn. “How did you hear about that?”
Alder flicked his tail. *I speak to many creatures. And any intrusion into the forest attracts my attention. The animals told me members of your herd were searching the woods earlier, but that the hunt seemed to have been called off. Does that mean you found her?*
“Yes,” Zephyr replied. “A few campers did indeed slip out last night, but they’re all back safely now. Thank you for your concern.”
Alder-in-Winter sagged a little, as if he’d been holding his breath. *Good. That’s good. See that your errant foals do not stray again. That is all.*
“Wait,” Zephyr said, stepping forward to block the unicorn’s path. “We need to speak to you about another matter. Something that concerns your people, as well as mine. We have reason to believe there’s a stranger habituating the woods near the camp.”
Alder stamped a back hoof impatiently. *Yes, these others here spoke to me about this nonsense before. I will tell you the same thing I told them. I know these woods, and everything in them. There is no danger to your herd, Slight Breeze.*
Leonie drew in a sharp breath, as if she’d just realized something. “Conleth, give me your phone.”
“Now?” Conleth said, but reached into his pocket. “I don’t think Alder-in-Winter wants to be featured on the camp’s Instagram, Leonie. Certainly not looking like this.”
“Just give me the phone, comedian.” Leonie snatched the device out of his hand, hunching over the screen. “I need to look something up.”
Shan wanted to ask her what on earth she was doing, but there was no opportunity. Zephyr glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. He nodded, answering the director’s unspoken question. So far, Alder-in-Winter was telling the truth.
“I’m sure you believe that, but we have proof someone has been camping out in the woods,” Zephyr said to the unicorn. “Possibly a shifter. Some of my staff found a cache of clothes and food hidden in a hollow tree.”
Alder flicked his tail again. *I know nothing about that.*
Bitter ash coated his tongue. He bared his teeth, unable to help the growl that rose in his throat. “Lie.”
It was a mistake. Alder’s head snapped round, his whole body stiffening. His pale gray eyes fixed on Shan.
“Ha!” Leonie crowed, making them all start. Before Alder could pull back, she grabbed a handful of his mane. “Not Stuart. Steward. I should have realized earlier. You’re so busted, mister.”
“Leonie?” Zephyr said. “What’s going on?”
“Spencer said the person he met last night kept getting his name wrong.” Leonie brandished Conleth’s phone.
“The name Spencer comes from old English. It means dispenser of provisions, or steward. I just looked it up. That’s what the stranger was calling him.
Steward. The literal meaning of his name. ”
“You were the person Spencer met in the woods last night?” Zephyr asked Alder-in-Winter.
The unicorn hesitated, gaze flicking to Shan. *Yes.*
Truth. And not simple fact, either. There was a rich, mouthwatering depth under the sweetness. This was something Alder had not wanted to admit, though Shan had no idea why.
“Why didn’t you say?” Zephyr said. “Or stay until we got there? We would have thanked you.”
*I have no desire for your gratitude.* Alder jerked his head, but Leonie still had a firm grip on his mane. *And I want nothing to do with any of you humans. Once the owls informed me that Mountain was on his way, there was no further need for me to remain.*
Leonie narrowed her eyes at the unicorn. “And you didn’t want Shan to find you. Not after you lied to us about not knowing the location of that hollow tree. That’s the real reason you rushed off, isn’t it?”
*It was…a factor in my decision, yes,* Alder said grudgingly. He let out a heavy breath. *I see there is no point in trying to evade your irritating primate curiosity any longer. Stop yanking on my mane, Lioness. I will answer your questions.*
“Truth,” Shan murmured to Leonie. She released her grip on the unicorn, though there was a certain catlike tension to the way she stayed near him. “Alder-in-Winter, I will know if you are not telling us the truth. You lied when you said you knew nothing of the hollow tree or its contents. Why?”
*Because it is none of your business,* Alder snapped. *None of this is. If there were any threat to the children here, I would tell you. And that is the truth.*
“I believe you,” Zephyr said, tone mild. “Even without Shan’s ability. But we do need some answers, Alder-in-Winter. Why are you so certain there’s no danger to the camp?”
Alder sighed again, head drooping a little. *Because the items you discovered do not belong to a human, or to a shifter. They were stolen by a unicorn.*
Leonie’s mouth fell open. “A unicorn? Alder, what on earth does a unicorn need with underpants?”
*Alder-in-Winter,* the unicorn corrected. He shifted his weight on his back hooves. *Some of the younger unicorns are fascinated by anything human. Unfortunately. I have…known for some time that a member of the herd has been trespassing into your territory, against our laws.*
“So that’s our mysterious thief,” Conleth said. “Who gets to tell the sheriff that a juvenile unicorn is behind the recent local crime wave?”
“It would certainly make for an interesting police report,” Zephyr agreed, one corner of his mouth hooking up. He turned back to Alder, looking rather less tense than he had previously. “You didn’t want one of your people to get in trouble, did you?”
Alder nodded stiffly. *I had hoped to deal with the matter privately, without involving anyone else. Human or unicorn.*
There were no traces of rot or sourness. Shan still had the nagging, tantalizing hint of some richer flavor underneath the surface sweetness—but the unicorn wasn’t lying.
“All right, but what about the lights?” Leonie broke in. “Some of our campers have seen a strange floating light in the woods. How do you explain that?”
Alder gave her a level look. He said nothing, but his horn brightened. Up until that moment, Shan had not realized it was possible to glow sarcastically.
Leonie rolled her eyes. “All right, point made. Literally. But the campers said the light seemed to be floating.” She lifted a hand, indicating a spot a bit over her own head. “At about this level.”
Zephyr frowned. “That is a lot taller than a young unicorn. Or even any of the adults.”
“Except for Alder-in-Winter,” Leonie agreed. She stopped dead. “Waaaait a second.”
*Primates,* Alder muttered, as if the word was a curse. *Give them a piece of fruit to satisfy their hunger, and they only scream for more. Fine. Since you seem determined to not leave me with even a shred of privacy, yes. Your campers saw me. Are we done here?*
“Not even close,” Conleth said dryly. “Give me back my phone, Leonie. I need to clear my schedule for the rest of the morning. Possibly the rest of the week.”
“You’re claiming you’re the camp ghost?” Shan asked Alder-in-Winter. “You don’t think the campers could have seen anything else, other than yourself?”
Alder snorted. *By the consensus of the herd, this area around the camp is forbidden to all of us during the summer.
I am the only exception. While some of the more rebellious foals occasionally try to sneak through, the creatures of the forest help me catch them and send them home.
I can assure you that if another unicorn was hanging around your territory, I would know. *
“One of our kids said she was led back to camp by a floating light last summer,” Leonie said. “Was that you, too?”
Alder paused, one ear flicking back and forth in thought. *A small filly? Long mane the color of ripe chestnuts?*
“That’s the one,” Leonie confirmed. “Hetta. She thought you were a ghost. Why didn’t you talk to her?”
*I do not believe in unnecessary contact with humans,* Alder said haughtily. *I ensured she made it safely back to her own people, where she belonged. There was no need for conversation.*
Conleth frowned. “You spoke to Spencer, though.”
*He could not see me.* Alder-in-Winter turned, pointedly addressing Zephyr. *I have answered your questions, Slight Breeze. Will you finally accept that there is no need for you and yours to continue chasing this so-called ghost?*
Zephyr regarded Alder-in-Winter, dark eyes thoughtful. “Yes. That does seem to settle everything.”
“Not quite,” Shan growled. In his head, his qiongqi echoed the sound, muzzle wrinkling back in a snarl. “Leonie saw a light as well. At the dead tree. Where she was attacked.”
“Shan.” Leonie put a warning hand on his arm. “It’s not important.”
“You were hurt, Leonie.” He shook her off. “I want to know if he was responsible.”
Alder-in-Winter took a wary step back. *I am sorry for that.
I planned to retrieve the stolen items before you could find them, but when I arrived, you were already there.
I was trying to retreat quietly when Lioness leaped at me.
The owls responded to my call for help. I did not intend to cause injury. *
It was true, and he didn’t care. His claws flexed, extending. “But you did.”
“Okay, easy there, tiger.” Leonie planted both palms on his chest, interposing her own body between him and his prey. “I did leap at him in my shift form. You can’t blame him for panicking.”
Shan stared at the unicorn, letting the qiongqi show behind his eyes. “I can blame him for hurting you.”
Zephyr coughed diplomatically. “I think we’ve learned everything we can here. Alder-in-Winter, I appreciate your candor. And thank you for helping our lost campers. If there’s any way I can repay the favor—”
*Just keep your younglings away from ours, Slight Breeze,* Alder interrupted, already retreating. *Our kinds are not meant to mix. No good can come of it.*