Chapter 7
“I hate him, Safra.” With balled fists, I fight angry tears as we walk back to my cottage. “How dare he take my daughter from me!”
I pick up a stick and throw it at a tree as hard as I can, imagining the hulking giant is the leshy. As if I threw it at the overbearing clod himself, the stick bounces off and falls to the ground. “He isn’t her father, and I don’t answer to him. He’s supposed to answer to me!” Not really, but that doesn’t matter at the moment.
She replies with a low whine.
“I wish you could tell me what the hell is going on and what that meeting was about.” She opens her mouth wide and yawns. “Yeah, I know, I’m boring you. What the hell else is new? But I don’t have anyone else to talk to. Em just ruined that.”
Instead of turning toward the cottage, I continue in a direction I don’t usually travel. Over the years, Em cleared stretches of land to create paths. There are tons of them, but unless you’re in the forest and know they’re there, you wouldn’t know they exist. Instead of taking the turn home, I continue walking toward the river. It’s a few miles away, but I hope the walk will clear my head.
“I wanted to talk to him about something important,” I complain to my companion. I need to tell him everything that happened over the last few weeks. That was my plan. Damn him, why’d he have to be such a jackass?”
She rubs against my leg, much like a cat would. I freeze. While Safra’s been assigned to watch over Ana and me since we first arrived, she never showed any sort of affection before. I reach down and pat her side, gingerly, hoping I don’t lose any fingers. Even though she’s acting in a warm, loving manner, I don’t want to do something that will cause her to turn aggressive.
I let out a relaxing breath. “I get it, girl. You think he was wrong, too.” I feel a hint better knowing at least Safra’s on my side. That gives me hope that, before the sun sets, Em will return to his senses and bring Ana home—with a jar of brimberry and an apology.
Safra circles my legs, then stands statue still in front of me, causing me to stop walking and impeding my progress. This move I’m familiar with. This isn’t a direction she wants me to continue in.
“Please, girl, I can’t go home without my daughter.” My voice cracks. The thought of being there all alone hurts too much.
Again her mouth opens, displaying her long, sharp teeth with a long, deep growl. I take a tiny step forward. She lowers her head and chest into a stretch with her front paws out, like she’s ready to pounce.
“Fine,” I shake my head at the beast. “I’ll stay away from the river. I’ll go to the spring instead. Besides, the warm water will do more to calm and settle me than the cold water of the river.”
She answers with a short moan I’ve come to understand as agreement. Maybe I have learned how to communicate with the animals after all.
“Search the perimeter,” I tell my cougar bodyguard when we get to the spring. She does as she’s told, and once she returns and I believe it’s safe, I undress, leaving my clothes in a pile a few feet from the water.
Even coming to my favorite place in the forest hurts. Without my daughter, the colors are dim, and the water stale. I didn’t think to go home and pick up a loofah, either, or anything to towel off with. Whatever. None of it matters anyway.
The moment I step foot into the spring, I feel like I can breathe a little easier. Before settling on the smooth, hard notch that acts like a bench, I stand in the deepest part and fully submerge myself in the comforting warmth.
“Okay,” I say to myself, smoothing my hands over my wet hair. “I needed a little perspective. This is my fault. All of it. I overreacted, and I need to fix this.”
The purpose of going to Em was to tell him about the mysterious man, the gifts, and the fact that he got so close to my house undetected. That’s the unnerving part. Instead, I got defensive about this stupid bracelet and blew the whole thing out of proportion. That’s unlike me.
I pull my wrist from the water to examine the bracelet. The stones drip with water and glisten in the dimming light. They are beautiful. Hypnotic. Shit. With one look, Em said it was enchanted. Is that my problem? Am I under a spell?
Magic comes with a price. I know that. Magical things are notoriously bad. Have a windfall of money, and you die of a terrible disease. Find the love of your life, only to watch them suffer, losing everything.
Is that why I freaked out and forgot everything else when Em questioned me about the bracelet? Does it hold power over me?
Lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice the white horse approaching the spring until his head dips into the water next to mine. I jump and screech as his warm breath puffs against my neck, sending a strange warmth vibrating through me.
When I see that it’s him, I take a few calming breaths before leaning back and closing my eyes. My heart is racing, but not because of the horse or the scare. It's taking off in anticipation of seeing the man the horse belongs to. Part of me, okay, all of me, hopes the tingly warmth came from him.
With the horse behind me, I lean back against the makeshift wall and reach my hand up and around the side of his face. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a horse, let alone pet one. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever touched a horse before.
He leans against my neck and face as I pet him. I can’t tell if his mane was already wet or I’m dripping water on him. Either way, he doesn’t seem to mind.
“You’re such a sweet boy.” He nuzzles against my neck, tickling me. Calming me. Feeling better, I forget my distrust of his owner and wish the man was here, too.
I look up. Perched on a tree branch, Safra watches, looking as alert as ever. I thank my lucky stars that she hasn’t come down and attacked the horse. That must mean the animal poses no threat; if that’s the case, neither must his owner.
“Hey, boy, I enjoy the company.” I worry my lip between my teeth as I release my hold on him. “Can you get your owner? It’s past time we speak.”
I watch, awed, as the horse backs away and walks into the surrounding trees.
“Did it understand me? How is that possible?