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ALL NIGHT LONG, Trinity cared for Mirra. By morning, the Tracker was doing much better.
“My babies, Little One. Where?”
“I’m sorry.” She stroked Mirra’s furry face and blinked back her tears.
Mirra tried to sit up but flopped back down, exhausted. “They dead. Mirra need see.”
Travis moved over to the wrapped bundles and carried them to her. Trinity handed first one and then the other to Mirra. The Tracker unwrapped them and held them close, her long claws stroking along their little bodies. A low purr rumbled in Mirra’s chest and she swayed, kissing and talking to her babies.
“We need to bury them. If you’re strong enough, you can help me pick the spot.”
“Verly said she had to stay in the cage,” whispered Travis.
“If the Forest Witch won’t let her out, I will. She isn’t going to stay here when we bury her young.” This was the least she could do for Mirra and if the Forest Witch gave her any trouble, she’d figure out something.
Travis pulled her aside. “How are you going to—”
“I can pick locks, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. But don’t you need tools or something.”
She pointed to her backpack. She’d sworn she’d never be a prisoner again and she’d meant it. If she’d had her backpack at Jethro’s camp she never would’ve...He’d said he’d loved her and she’d drugged him. No. She wouldn’t think about that. She had to focus on the problem at hand not the past, not the future.
“How’s the Tracker?” Rocco’s gaze drifted slowly over her as he entered the barn, carrying a tray of food.
He was an attractive Guard, tall and muscular with sandy blond hair and eyes so brown they were almost black. His hair was short and his beard trimmed, highlighting his strong cheek bones and full lips.
“Better.” She took the tray as he slid it through a small door, making sure he realized she wasn’t interested. She had enough problems with males; she didn’t need anymore. “We need to bury her babies.”
Rocco glanced at Mirra and his eyes filled with sadness. “I’ll tell Ms. Verly.” He turned and left.
A few minutes later, Verly came into the barn followed by Rocco, another Guard and two Grunts carrying a stretcher. She opened the cage and entered. “Mirra, I’m sorry about your young.”
“Mirra want be mother. Mirra no good.” The Tracker gave one final stroke down the head of each baby, kissed them both before bundling them in the blankets.
“Sometimes it’s nature’s way. It’s happened to many others. You’ll have another chance,” said Verly.
“Mirra no kill more babies.” She clutched the babies closer to her chest.
“That will be nature’s decision.” Verly waved the Grunts forward. “Come. We’ll take you to bury your young.” She left the cage and headed for the door.
Travis waited for Mirra’s nod and then picked up her and her babies. He carefully stepped out of the cage and placed her on the stretcher.
“We’ll take you to one of my favorite spots,” said Verly. “It’s your choice of course, but I think you’ll like this place.”
They followed the Almighty to an area deep in the woods, far away from the small cabins and huts of the Forest Witch’s community.
Verly stopped, stretching out her arms. “The trees are tall and strong. There’s water”—she nodded to a stream on her right—“over there, but not too close.” She smiled at Mirra. “And my small community is not too far away. The spirits of your young may haunt our town, eyeing all their prey.”
“They like that.” Mirra kissed the bundles.
“Then it’s settled.” Verly turned to the Guards. “Dig.” She faced Mirra again. “One grave or two?”
“One. They born together. They die together. They stay together.”
The Grunts put the stretcher on the ground as the Guards began to dig. Travis hovered nearby as Trinity sat next to Mirra, both of them silent.
When the Guards were done they moved to the side. Trinity squeezed Mirra’s paw. The Tracker unwrapped her babies for the final time. The female was brindle like her mother and the boy was brown with black along his face and paws.
“I’m so sorry, Mirra.” She didn’t know what else to say, so she rested her head on her friend’s shoulder.
Mirra kissed her babies and then covered them again. She grimaced as she tried to stand and then dropped back on the stretcher.
“Let me do this for you,” she said as she wiped the tears from her face, but it was a wasted effort because the ones she removed were quickly replaced by new ones.
Mirra nodded and handed the babies to her. She carried the bundles to the hole in the ground. She knelt, placing them carefully in the grave. Her tears dripped onto the earth as she started pushing the dirt back into the hole.
“I can do that.” Rocco knelt beside her.
“No.” Her eyes met Mirra’s. “It should be someone who loved them.”
Rocco stood and Verly waved them all away.
“I’m sorry, Mirra,” said Travis as he followed the others. Only the Grunts remained in the background, waiting to carry the Tracker to the barn when the burial was over.
Mirra began to hum. It was a sound of love and loss and devastation. Trinity cried harder as she patted the last of the dirt into the hole and crawled over to Mirra. The Tracker pulled her into her arms and she buried her face in the soft, warm fur as her body shook with sorrow.
After several moments, Mirra patted her head and gave her a little shove. “Done. No cry no more.” Her yellow eyes were rimmed with red and swollen but there was a determination on her face.
Trinity stood, wiping her eyes and smearing dirt over her face. She waved the Grunts over and they carried the Tracker back to the barn, placing her in the cage. The Grunts left, leaving the cage unlocked but Mirra only crawled to her bed and fell asleep.
On the way back from the burial, she’d seen Travis working the fields with the other Producers. She should go and help but she didn’t have the energy. She dropped down and snuggled against Mirra. She wanted to sleep and forget about the babies and Jethro’s betrayal and her betrayal of Hugh. She wanted to go back in time and go to base camp instead of following after Travis, but then he’d be captured and Mirra would be dead. No, she’d been betrayed by Jethro but it’d worked out for the best. Mirra was alive and that was all that mattered. She closed her eyes and fought against her tears.
“Verly would like to speak with you,” said Rocco.
She sat up. The Guard stood in the barn doorway.
“Can it wait?”
“She said to let you stay in the barn until the Tracker sleeps and then to bring you to her.”
She stood, tucked a blanket over Mirra, moved the water within reach and left the cage. Rocco shut the door and locked it behind her. She followed him across the camp to a little cabin off to the side of the community. It was nestled between several large trees, blending into the landscape as if part of it.
“I leave you here.” Rocco turned and slipped into the forest.
She hesitated and then walked up to the door and knocked.
“Come in, Trinity.”
She opened the door. “You wanted to see me.”
Verly was sitting in a chair near the window, mending. The cabin was cozy. There was a small fireplace with a pan hanging over a spit, a kitchen table with four chairs, a couch and three doors in the back, probably leading to bedrooms.
Verly looked up, her smile turning to a grimace. “Oh my dear girl, you’re a mess.”
She was. Her clothes were filthy and so were her hands and face. “I’m sorry. I haven’t had time to—”
“There’s a tub in the bathroom.” Verly pointed to one of the back rooms. “But don’t move until we get the last of the hot water in there for you.”
Rocco entered the cabin, carrying a pail of water. He put it down by the fireplace and removed the pan from over the fire and took it into the other room. Then he bowed to her, his eyes traveling down her body, and left.
“Go. Enjoy the bath. I have some lovely scented soaps in there. Help yourself. I’ll have a nice meal waiting for you when you get out and we can chat.”
A bath sounded nice. She hadn’t had a real one since she’d left home. Cold dips in the river or lake were not a bath. She headed toward the room and stopped. “My clothes.” They were a bloody, muddy mess, but she had nothing else. She’d left her other set tucked in a corner of Jethro’s tent. His eyes, dark with desire invaded her memory. His lips moved across her body. She dug her claws into her palms. He’d deserved what she’d done. He’d been going to use her to capture Mirra, Gaar and Hugh, but a small sob escaped her lips at the memory of the hurt and betrayal in his eyes.
“Nothing to cry about, dear. I have some clothes you can wear.” Verly stood, and laughed. “Can’t have you going around naked. You’re way too attractive for that.” She gave Trinity a slight shove and then looked at her hand in disgust. “You’ve already caught Rocco’s eye.”
“Who?” She stopped in the doorway. “Oh, your Guard.”
“Yes, the one who filled your tub and brought you food.”
“I know. I just forgot his name for a minute.” She flushed. It was rude and he’d been kind to her.
“Poor Rocco.” Verly smiled sadly. “His is not the first or the last heart you’ll break.” She gave Trinity another gentle push, closing the door behind her.
The bathing room was small—nowhere for anyone to hide and ambush her. Trusting strangers wasn’t smart or easy. Although, most strangers had been kind to her. It was those she liked who betrayed her. She pulled off her clothes and sank into the tub, groaning as the hot water soaked into her body.
The door opened and she covered her breasts with her hands, but it was only Verly’s arm. She was holding some clothes.
“Is it safe to drop them here?”
Her clothes were several feet away. “Yeah. Thank you.”
Verly let go of the garments and closed the door.
She picked up one of the many bars of soap. It smelled like lemons, like home, like her mother. Tears ran down her cheeks. She wanted to crawl into her mom’s arms and never leave. She sniffed the soap. She shouldn’t use it. It wasn’t safe to smell like anything in the forest, but the scent would surely wear off before she had to leave. She wasn’t going anywhere until Mirra was ready to travel. She dipped the soap under the water and rubbed it onto a rag. She began scrubbing the dirt and grime from her body. She finished washing and sank further into the tub. She had no idea what the witch wanted from them or why she’d helped them, but she’d enjoy this moment. The rest would come soon enough.
When the water was too cold to soak any longer, she stepped out of the tub, grabbing a towel and drying off. She picked up the clothes. There were undergarments and a dress. It was pretty with a green and brown pattern, but it’d be a hindrance in the forest. She glanced at her clothes and wrinkled her nose. She wasn’t putting those back on until they were clean. She pulled the dress over her head and cinched it at her waist. The material was soft and light but it was short, barely coming to the middle of her thighs. She tugged, trying to pull the dress down, but it was no use. She’d wash her clothes tonight and they’d be ready tomorrow. She brushed her hair and left it loose. No reason to tie it back until she had to leave.
She gathered her dirty clothes, holding them at arm’s length as she left the bathroom. Verly turned from the fireplace a smile on her face which turned to a frown when her eyes landed on the clothes.
“Throw those out.”
“I can’t. They’re all I have.” She walked to the door and put them outside on the step.
“I’ll give you other clothes. Those stink of death and betrayal.”
Her eyes flew to the Almighty but Verly had turned back to the fire and was stirring whatever was in the pot. Verly shouldn’t know anything about the betrayal. “Thank you for this dress, but it...it won’t be useful in the forest. I need my pants.”
Verly spooned food into two dishes and carried them to the table. “Those clothes will be burnt. I’ll give you others.” Her eyes wandered up Trinity’s frame. “Hmm. My clothes are obviously too short for you.”
Trinity flushed, her hands tugging at the dress.
“I have some clothes around her somewhere that’ll fit you better.” Verly’s eyes clouded for a moment and then cleared as she smiled. “The males won’t find them as agreeable, but they’ll suit you better once you leave.” She waved at the table. “Sit. Eat.”
At least she knew the Forest Witch wasn’t planning on trying to keep them here. Her stomach rumbled. The food smelled delicious. She sat. “I appreciate your offer but I can wash my clothes—”
“I’ll find you something for the forest.” Verly patted her hand. “Those clothes”—she shook her head—“too much betrayal on those clothes. You can’t wash out such sorrow.”
There was no way Verly knew about anything that’d happened between her and Jethro or her and Hugh. The Forest Witch had to be talking about Mirra’s babies but there’d been no betrayal there, only nature.
“Eat before it gets cold.” Verly sat and began to eat. “I’m sure you’re starving. Your friend was earlier.”
Travis, the big mouth, must’ve told Verly about their capture and what she’d done to Jethro. She needed to find out what he’d said before she started to believe Verly’s witch title was deserved.
She took a bite of the stew. “This is really good.” It had tomatoes, onions, peppers and potatoes and it was rich and flavorful.
“Herbs and salt do the trick.”
She nodded as she stuffed food into her mouth, until she scraped along the dish for the last morsel. She pushed the bowl aside. “I don’t know what Travis told you about what happened—”
“I haven’t spoken to him about it.” Verly poured tea into two mugs. “I prefer to get my information from the source.”
“Then why did you say my clothes were full of betrayal? What betrayal are you talking about?”
“That’s a good question. Which betrayal bothers you the most?” The blue of her eyes seemed to glow as she pushed a tea cup across the table. “Answer that and we may understand how your story will end.”
“What do you mean my story?”
“My dear, our stories are as old as the earth herself.” Verly sipped her tea. “Let me tell you my tale. I’ve spent my life hiding from the Almightys.”
“You are an Almighty.” It was simple. The Forest Witch was crazy.
“Yes, but I’m different than most. Those like me are killed at the first sign of our gifts, but most of the women on my mother’s side had the sight. My mother knew how to hide the gifts and she helped me to hide them when I was too young to know better. Like your mother helped you to hide your differences before you knew how.” Verly’s eyes bore into Trinity’s. “It’s a mother’s job to protect her young, especially when they’re different.”
“My mother filed down my teeth and claws. Is that what your mother did to you?” She couldn’t keep the bitterness from her tone. Her mom loved Arthur’s fangs and claws. Mom praised his Servant abilities, but hers had been dirty secrets that had to be kept hidden.
“So much pain and anger for one so young. That isn’t good. That’s what the gods want.” Verly leaned forward, her eyes growing hazy. “Your mother did what she had to do. You’ll understand that one day all too well.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Verly blinked, her eyes becoming crystal blue again. She leaned back against her chair. “Do you know what having the sight means?”
“You can see well?”
Verly laughed. It was a tinkling, melodious sound, that made her smile and then she stopped. She wasn’t happy. This wasn’t a happy conversation.
“You’re exactly right, in the simplest terms.” Verly’s face sobered. “I can see things that are, things that might be and things that will be.” She shrugged. “And sometimes things that never will be.”
“Okay.” She’d been right before, this lady was crazy, but her instincts tingled, whispering that there was something more going on here, more than was natural. Mirra couldn’t heal fast enough. They needed to get off this island.
“Some say, I can see the future.” Verly patted her hand. “Like your answer, that belief is correct in the simplest meaning. What most don’t understand is that whispers from the past cloud the present but the real story is always more than the legend. However, the new story doesn’t have to follow the same path. We have many futures awaiting us. It’s never clear until decisions are made which one we’ll choose.” She grasped Trinity’s hand and tipped her head as if listening to something. Her blue eyes lost focus and clouded to almost gray.
Trinity tugged on her hand, but the witch’s grip was tight. Magic in books was fun but not in real life. Suddenly, Verly blinked, loosening her hold. Trinity snatched her hand away. Verly’s face was drawn and tight, making her look decades older.
“What did you see? Was it about me? On the mainland you said you knew all about me. What do you know?” The questions rolled out of her without thought.
“We’ll discuss that another day. You need to rest.” Verly stood, pulled a tincture out of her pocket and handed it to Trinity. “Give this to the Tracker. It’ll help her mend.”
“Is what you’ve seen about me that bad?” Her hand trembled as she took the vial.
“Everything is both good and bad. Get some rest.” Verly walked into one of the back rooms, shutting the door.
That didn’t help at all but it didn’t matter what Verly had seen because she didn’t believe in magic. She believed in nature, but her instincts screamed for her to flee, so she did. She raced to the barn, to Mirra, and prayed they could leave before the Forest Witch poisoned her future with visions.