In case you need to catch up, here are the links to the preceding chapters!
Chapter One: Homo Fuge, Chapter Two: What Happened After Sunrise, Chapter Three: Arrangements, Chapter Four: Mother Returns, Chapter Five: The Next Day, Chapter Six: Hannah, Chapter Seven: A Subtle Yes, Chapter Eight: I Will, Chapter Nine: Him, Chapter Ten: Old Wives' Tales, Chapter Eleven: The List, Chapter Twelve: Noah's Ark, Chapter Thirteen: Cheikos, Chapter Fourteen: Is It Him?
“No,” Orius breathed. “It’s not Khoda.”
The messenger looked at Tobias. He nodded in agreement with Orius. “This isn’t Him.”
“But now I’m wondering how a wolf got into that staircase; how a wolf got inside at all,” Nathan muttered.
This wolf wasn’t dead, though it was skirting the edge of that abyss. I could feel its life energy waning, but fighting every inch.
“He isn’t dead,” I said.
“What are you talking about? Of course he is.” Nathan countered.
“He’s not dead,” I repeated. “I can still feel life in him.”
“Then take it out of him,” Nathan said.
“No!” Orius exclaimed.
“What?” I questioned.
“There never should have been a wolf in the castle to begin with,” Nathan answered.
“But Khoda – ” Orius began.
“Is an exception,” Nathan interrupted and finished his sentence.
I looked at the matted fur and took pity. A thought crept to my conscious mind. I only hoped I wouldn’t faint again.
“Catch me if I fall,” I whispered to Tobias.
Confusion spanned over his face, but he nodded and subtly shifted his weight. I inhaled and moved a portion of my own life energy to my feet.
“What are you doing?” Nathan asked.
“Helping,” I answered begrudgingly.
The energy pooled around the soles of my boots. I slid it across the stone floor and up to the stiff sheets. A white ear twitched. Hesitantly, his energy reached out to mine and began to absorb it. Nathan watched quietly. The wolf whined and pawed once at the sheets.
“Kynder – ” Nathan began.
Tobias cut him off. “Don’t chastise her; she did the right thing.”
Nathan faced him. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I was merely saying,” he turned to me and took my hands, making me feel like a small child, “That you have your mother’s strength, and your father’s heart, and you will be a mighty force to be reckoned with.”
He pressed my hands to his forehead, bowed to Tobias, motioned for Orius to follow him from the room. Once outside, I heard him ask for a veterinarian.
“Are those my old clothes?” Tobias asked suddenly.
I laughed and nodded. He traced the grey under my eyes.
“You’re exhausted,” he said softly.
He had dark circles of his own beneath his eyes. “So are you,” I responded.
“Yet, there is no time for rest.” He led me from the room after a final glance at the wolf. “We have much to discuss.”
We nearly ran into Nathan, who was followed by Orius and a veterinarian, just outside the door.
“I’ll call for you if I need anything,” Nathan said.
Tobias and I nodded and continued down the hall. We walked to the meeting room. Its locks and handles still bore the marks of my mother and Nathan. Behind the intricately carved doors, the large table and its chairs had been removed. The thick rug still held their indentions, though. By the enormously proportioned fireplace, chairs and sofas formed a half-moon. I moved to sit in one of the chairs, but Tobias steered me from it.
“Talk with me like we used to,” he said, sitting crisscross on the dark rug before the fire.
I sat across from him after laying my sword on one of the couches. “This is nice,” I smiled.
“It is, indeed,” a deep voice sounded behind me.
At once Tobias and I were on our feet. I grabbed for my sword, but he spun me around before I could reach it. Khoda stood a few feet away, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth in a doggish grin. His teeth were stained red. I sputtered, but no articulate words came from my lips. Finally I took a deep breath.
“You better have seen Orius before this!” I managed.
“Where do you think I came from?” He countered.
“Well,” I paused. “Good. Because he was worried.”
Tobias chuckled at my scrambling coherency. I glared at him, barely keeping back a smile. Khoda approached and licked my hand. I scratched behind his ears. He ran his head beneath Tobias’ hand and laid down with his back to the fire. Tobias and I sat in front of him as we were before his arrival. Had someone seen us, they might have thought we were two children conspiring together with their greatest pet wolf how to sneak candy past the guards and into their rooms at bedtime.
