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“Luza wake up,” Keira shook her traveling companion.
“No, don’t!” Luza screamed.
With that, her eyes opened and she heaved for air.
“What happened?” Keira leaned in from the open passenger side door.
The white haired teen couldn’t speak. Images of her family, of her home, of the wolves filled her mind. She took several deep breaths and then wiped a lone tear on her cheek.
“Talk to me. It wasn’t just any dream was it? Were you back at the cave?”
Luza shook her head. “We’re done with that cave. That much I know. This was far worse.”
“The dogs at the lake?”
“No. Why are you asking me these questions?”
“Because you did this just a second ago.” Keira pointed to her shredded turtleneck sleeve. “For someone that doesn’t have their claws anymore, you put up a good fight.”
She was dumbfounded. “How did I do that?”
“I don’t know. I think you drew blood even.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t . . .”
“Not another word. Where were you?”
“Later Princess, I can’t spend another second revisiting where I just was.”
Keira looked away. “Sort of like me from earlier.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Luza said.
“If you say so,” Keira felt herself wanting to cry. She bit her lip, whimpered slightly, and fought back the tears that wanted to flow.
“I’m telling you, sometimes you have to act. I certainly would have.” Luza looked to the driver’s side. “Where’s Riley?”
“Birchard flew down a few minutes ago. He guided us here to this cabin, campground, something of the sorts.”
“Is it safe?”
“How would I know?”
“Is this where we are for the night?”
“You keep asking questions Luza, as though I know the answers. They went off. The light turned on over there at the main lodge. The last thing I saw was Riley and Birchard heading inside.”
“You don’t have to get snippy,” Luza pushed herself out of the middle seat and out of the truck door.
Keira leaned back against the side of the old truck.
“I’m not snippy. Maybe I’m just annoyed that I didn’t have to do what I did.”
“You weren’t in the wrong. How could you have been?”
“For one, I knew that boy I attacked.”
“Is he a good person?” Luza grabbed the letter jacket from the floor. “It’s still wet.”
“Throw it in the back. You look ridiculous with it anyway.”
“Now you tell me,” Luza flung the coat into the bed of the truck. “It’s not like you gave me a lot of options. Come on Keira what am I supposed to wear?”
“We’ll think of something later.”
Keira looked back at the letter jacket she had commandeered at the Tearel cabin. That seemed so long ago. For that matter, the last time she had seen Bobby, until tonight that is, felt like ages.
“You never answered my question.”
“Which one?”
“Is he a good person?”
“Oh,” Keira turned away. She kicked at a rock on the ground, thinking of the right words to say. “I don’t know. He made fun of me when I was just a kid — too many times to count actually. I can’t blame him for ‘Tigress’ or ‘cat lady’ because all the kids called me that.”
“Why?”
“Luza, you’ve seen my eyes right?”
“They are perfect,” she replied.
Keira smiled. The comment took her by surprise. “Thank you. That means a lot. To Bobby and his classmates that wasn’t the case. For a time I could handle his stupid comments, but then he said I killed my mother. That was too much.”
“You didn’t kill your mother.”
“There were other things too. He tried to stop me from getting the Whistleberries.” Keira trailed off.
“Let’s not forget what he did tonight. He insulted me repeatedly. And it’s not like I could fight back with more than words. I appreciate what you did even if Bucky doesn’t.”
“That’s because I killed him,” she whimpered.
Luza smirked. “I don’t think so. He was a big boy. It was going to take more than your claws to put him out of his misery. Don’t get me wrong he’s hurting, but I don’t think you killed him.”
“It doesn’t make it right. I can’t just go off attacking people.”
“Don’t listen to Riley. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Since when can he be in your shoes? And now mine I suppose?”
“Luza don’t talk like that. Being cautious —”
“Get’s you killed. I don’t know what I’m going to do now. It’s not like I can outrun everyone. I need that knife at least.”
“You don’t need a knife.”
“Yes I do. I need something to protect myself.”
Keira looked down at her cut arm. “Looks like there’s still some fight in you,” she laughed.
“I’m serious,” Luza shrugged.
The black haired teen was about to comment again, to shift the topic away, but it was no matter. At that same moment, the front door to the main lodge opened. Riley stepped out and Birchard flapped his wings and flew past him.
Before either of the girls could comment, the red-eyed bird was on the hood of the truck.
“Princesses.”
“Looney,” Luza chuckled.
“Nice Foxy.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Riley will fill you in. You’ll be here for the night. I’ll be back in the morning. That’s when the fun stuff begins.”
“Fun stuff?” Keira repeated.
“Fun for me, not so much for you I suppose.”
“Why can’t we see your Great Loon tonight?” Keira faced the bird.
“Unless you can fly or swim, it might be difficult.”
“More riddles and questions.”
“Like when we first met Red-Eye,” Luza said.
Before another word could be shared, Birchard took off and flew into the night sky.
“Don’t say it Princess. He can be trusted,” Riley interrupted as he stepped towards the truck.
“Coming from you, I don’t know what that really means.”
Riley ignored the comment, grabbed the backpack, and shut the truck door.
“Nothing huh?” Keira prodded the shape shifter.
He handed her the bag and turned for the lodge.
“Come on. The truck’s not going anywhere. We’re safe for the night. I can assure you both of that.”
“Oh yeah, and how do you know?” Luza walked beside him.
“Look around and tell me what you see my friend.”
She didn’t have to spend much time scanning the area. The surrounding woods were filled with glowing yellow eyes in the trees and a series of rounder oval red eyes at ground level.
“Are you sure they are on our side?” Keira asked. The more she looked, the owls and foxes of the forest were easily recognizable. She couldn’t believe she had missed them during her conversation with Luza.
“You can ask them if you want.”
“Maybe I will later,” Keira said under her breath.
* * *
“It can’t be,” Keira dropped her bag on the hardwood floor. “You’ve been gone since . . .” The teen tried to count the years.
“Since your mother my dear. I had no choice,” the middle aged woman said.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Keira’s eyes watered at the sight of her mother’s dear friend.
“It’s good to see you darling. Far too long, and I suspect under less than ideal circumstances. It’s the times we live in I fear. Come along now Keira.”
“Who is that?’ Luza whispered to Riley.
“My Princess of the Northern Wood, you may call me Corky. I was born under a different name, one far too long and boring to share. This is a place you can feel safe, call home for the night or for years. It’s for the wayward traveler, those under duress, or in the case of my best friend’s daughter, a respite from a very long day.”
“How long? I didn’t remember till I saw that clock on the wall,” Keira lamented.
She looked wearily at the grandfather clock. Was it really 10:00pm? It seemed earlier, yet later. Despite her overall exhaustion, she smiled back at her mom’s friend.
Corky was a beauty. She glided with every step, as though she was in dance with an invisible partner guiding her along the hardwood floors. Few wrinkles if any were on her face. She may have been the same age as Lane, but time had no quarrel with this woman. Her skin was fair and her cheeks rosy.
She was of average height and frame, and her auburn pixie styled hair was a delight that accented her emerald colored eyes. If Keira had not recognized her mother’s old friend, she still would have been put at ease, simply because for the first time in days, she felt safe and at home.
* * *
The next few minutes were a whirlwind as Corky led the teens on a tour of the house. Besides the kitchen and the large parlor, where Luza had hoped they might linger longer, Corky showed the trio a living room fitted with oversized couches and a library worth of books stuffed in a series of built in shelves. A large sun room was next with three walls of windows and plants from across the world.
There was a complete wicker furniture set with cushioned seats placed in the middle of the room, with a small coy pond and accompanying fountain. Even Keira had to stop to look at the large golden fish. She might have stayed longer had Luza not asked if she could eat “the giant gold fish.”
Finally, Corky led them down a vast hallway with a collection of doors on the left and right. Stopping at the first door, Corky turned the brass handle and stepped aside.
“Luza dear.” Her genuine spirit and loving nature filled the room as she smiled at the white haired teen. “Here is your room for the night. It might not seem like much, but the bed will comfort those tired feet and legs of yours. You’ll find a change of clothes more to your liking, and some other things you’ve been hankering. If you need something, my room is the last door at the end of the hallway. Of course everything in the house is at your disposal.”
Luza grinned uncontrollably. She felt special and relieved. She looked at the other teens and wondered if she was supposed to remain close, but once the door was open the pink and purples hues of the fluffy down comforter on the oversized twin bed and the accompanying chaise proved too tempting.
She was speechless.
Keira smiled back at her traveling partner while Riley mouthed, “We’ll catch up later.”
As the others walked down the hallway, a loud thump and boisterous giggle filled the air. “Cheez-Its!”
“How did you know?” Keira smiled.
“I know a lot of things.”
“Really?” Keira furrowed her eyebrow. “Give me an example.”
“For one, you’re not the only one who has traveled a great distance to get here. I’ve had lots of visitors of late.”
“My dad? Portia?”
Corky nodded.
“Are they still here?”
She shrugged. “No, my child. You know they couldn’t be. Yet, you’ll feel them here. There might be even something left behind to guide you.”
“Really?”
“In a moment my darling. Let’s get the fair Prince of Perucica to his room.”
Riley was restrained, “I would appreciate that.”
“Your parents were always overly polite, almost to a fault. I always enjoyed your mother’s company. Yet your father, not as much. Kind of a bore if you ask me,” she grinned at the boy. “Be careful young prince. Not all advice is meant to be followed.”
He gave her a puzzled look as she opened the door to his room.
“Good evening,” was all Riley could muster before shutting the door behind him.
“Corky, what was that about?”
“You’ll understand better in the days, weeks, and years ahead; hopefully so. Sometimes we don’t trust ourselves enough, but rely on the wisdom of old people like me who have no clue what the reality of the situation is. At a point you have to march alone.”
Keira found herself lost in thought, contemplating the deep response.
“I’m sorry it’s these fleeting moments of someone not so young as you anymore. I’ve seen too much and yet experienced too little. ”
Grabbing Keira by the arm, Corky led her farther down the hallway.
“Let’s get you settled my dear.”
* * *
The Christmas lights hung up around the bijou room immediately reminded Keira of home. Already plugged in, Keira couldn’t help but smile, at the familiar lighting. Even the distinct frost white color with one section blinking periodically, was a mirror of what she knew. For that matter, the entire room was practically a replica. Adjacent to the door was a twin bed covered in bright colored afghans and quilts. There was a large maple bookshelf firmly drilled into the opposite wall. The top of the shelf was covered with knickknacks.
“Wait a second,” Keira stepped closer to the shelf.
She noticed a remarkable resemblance to the sea lion statue and to the oversized wooden Canadian goose figurine resting on the lower shelf.
“Fish Eater? Tally? It can’t be.”
Dropping her bag on the floor, Keira looked again at the shelf and then around the room. It was downright eerie.
Shaking off the coincidence, she couldn’t help herself and took down the goose for a closer examination. Turning Tally over, there were the initials she didn’t expect to see. They were Lane’s.
“How can this be?”
Kissing the goose on the lips, she placed him back in his spot and looked again at the room. The desk in front of the window was exactly where she placed hers. If her new typewriter had been there, she would have sworn it was her exact room.
Falling back onto the bed, Keira kicked off her shoes and grabbed an awaiting pair of bear slippers.
Sniffling at this turn of events, she noticed a weathered envelope on the bed. Her name written in black bold letters was smeared.
Flipping the envelope over, there was a small note written hastily, obvious from the crude coarse hand writing.
“I thought you might want to see this. Dad.”
Excited yet scared, Keira tore open the envelope and took out the folded manila sheet of paper.
Unfolding the paper, she didn’t recognize the hand writing, until she read through the letter.
My Darling Keira,
It is with a heavy heart I left you to face the biggest challenge of your young life. If you are reading this, just know and believe that I wasn’t meant to be taken from you or your father. This world we live in is a complicated one, far more so than I ever imagined. I’m sure you have seen and know as much if you are reading this today.
In my life if there is one thing I have learned to be true, it simply is that even the ones we hold dear and love, aren’t always the ones we can count on to see us through those darkest times, the darkest hours that keep even the strong at heart awake at night. I’m not trying to fill you with despair, but with the hope and valo, that you are strong enough to see through any challenge and obstacle on the road ahead.
Have faith, dear one, and know that the Great Mother foresaw this journey for you, even before you entered this world. There will be an end, just like there was a beginning. I fear I should be sharing more about what lies ahead, but what a mother fears is far different than what her growing daughter would deem prudent and necessary. Just know that I am with you always. My love is part of you now, just as it was the day you were born. Don’t ever doubt yourself, no matter how bumpy the road ahead may be. We all believe in you. I believe in you.
Your devoted loving mother,
Roohi
Keira held the paper to her nose, taking in the faint scent of her mother’s perfume. She couldn’t put into words the emotions she felt having read those words. How they ended up here was a question she would ask shortly. In the meantime, she looked around her room for the evening. There was no other place she wanted to be and the bed was beckoning.