Neither did I.
For all the silence and stillness, the energy between us had shifted to something soft and just as dangerous. We might’ve escaped my brother’s compound, but my heartbeat remained elevated as if it hadn’t received the message.
The cave, the fire, this thin veil of safety all felt suddenly, delicately temporary. Like the world might hold its breath for us, just a moment longer, to see what we’d do next.
“So…” I started, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat. “You’re a phaanon wolf shifter.”
“We already covered that, Mouse.”
“I need you to start talking. Start with when we were kids.”
“I was fourteen when we met.”
“Like I said, kids.” I paused to watch the change of colours within the embers of the fire, letting the heat bathe my face. “You said you wanted to become a hunter because of your sister. Was that all bullshit?”
He stiffened beside me. “No. I just left some important parts out.”
“Like what?”
“Like she was killed for being what we are.”
Pain struck my chest. I already knew what it was like to be treated differently. “I’m sorry.”
“We knew the change would happen when she turned twenty-two years old. Our mother died when I was a baby, but our father did the best he could for us and made sure we knew as much about ourselves and our world as possible. We’d only lost our father about a year prior.”
He’d prepared them in case anything happened to him.
Another pain stabbed at my heart, and I rubbed my chest with a flat palm.
I wish I’d had that. I wish I’d known that kind of parental love.
“On the eve of her birthday, we packed up some stuff and went on an overnight camping trip.” A small smile teased his lips. “We told stories by the campfire. She had me giggling and in hysterics and I had a hard time going to bed. Looking back, I think she did too, but for other reasons. In the morning, as soon as the sunlight hit her skin, she transformed. It was beautiful and awful at the same time. It sounded so painful. She cried out and contorted in unnatural positions…” He shook his head. “It scared me and then it was over. She’d transformed into a beautiful wolf. We had an hour together and she figured out how to walk on four legs and then how to play. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard.”
He hung his head and stared down at his folded fingers. “And then the hunters found us.”
And they shot her.
“Not all phaanons are immortal,” he continued. “Despite what the galeon royals will have everyone believe, phaanon culture was rich and diverse and full of many different magical beings.”
“And what am I?”
“I already told you. A high phaan,” he said. “Immortal.”
I sighed and leaned closer to the fire. I had to accept that some of my questions would never get the answers I wanted.
“What happened to your sister?” I asked.
“As soon as the arrow struck, she turned back to her human form.” He pressed his lips together and looked away from the fire. “I’ll never forget the look on their phaaning faces. They were so proud for shooting a wolf—painting themselves as heroes for saving some random boy in the forest. And in a way, I think I could’ve understood that. But their expressions quickly turned to shock and fear. They’d shot a young woman. And then…”
He swallowed and stared off into the darkness surrounding us.
I reached out and placed my hand over his.
“And then realization hit them. They’d killed a phaanon monster. They’d defeated the evil entity. I ran before they turned to me. I knew that would be next. They’d suspect me. They might’ve even killed me without asking any questions. I ran as hard as I could. They called out and tried to chase me, but I was fast, and I escaped.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I went back later, but they’d taken her body. I don’t know what they did with her. I don’t even know if she was buried.”
