Spirit Of The Wolf Collection

Chapter 8-1

“What are you doing?”

Artemis jumped at the abruptness of the question and the sharp tone. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heartbeat, he turned in the direction the voice had come from. As usual, he was playing games with Artemis, blurring his form in mist and shadows. It was a successful intimidation tool. Even after all this time, it could still affect Artemis far more than he was comfortable with. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m watching the girl.”

The shadowy form solidified, inches from Artemis’ face. “I would recommend a more civil tone in my presence. I’m in a good mood today, but you might not be so lucky next time.”

Artemis visibly gulped and a slow smile crept over his face just before he faded back into the shadows. “Now, as I was saying, why are you just watching her? Don’t you think it’s about time you approach her? After all, she’s just a girl, a child; defenseless in her ignorance.”

“She is rarely alone,” Artemis said defensively. “That one is always watching her.” He pointed to the shadow of a man, crouched low in the far away trees. As Nicole moved, the man moved to follow her. “David follows during the day and the wolf is with her at night.”

“Very well. Since you feel incapable of taking on that whelp, I will see to it they are separated. But I warn you, be ready to take advantage of the situation.” With that, he was gone.

Artemis turned his attention back to Nicole in disgust. “Watch your tone,” he muttered. “I’d like to tell him just what he can watch.”

heHe watched as Nicole paused to tie her shoelace. Her foot propped up on a bench, she took a thermos from her bag and drank some of its contents.

Artemis experienced a momentary burst of nostalgia. She looked so much like her father when she turned just the right way. She reminded him of the way Richard had looked the night he’d come back from the war.

“Richard’s home!” Artemis had cringed when those two words were yelled throughout the house. The excitement level rising throughout the house had been tangible. The Council members he’d been speaking to only moments before, left mid-sentence to greet Richard on his triumphant return from the war and beseech him once again to join their hallowed ranks. Artemis crumpled a napkin in his hand and threw it into the fireplace. The cloth ignited with a snap and burned swiftly.

“Richard’s home!” Artemis had cringed when those two words were yelled throughout the house. The excitement level rising throughout the house had been tangible. The Council members he’d been speaking to only moments before, left mid-sentence to greet Richard on his triumphant return from the war and beseech him once again to join their hallowed ranks. Artemis crumpled a napkin in his hand and threw it into the fireplace. The cloth ignited with a snap and burned swiftly.Artemis walked through the main hall, coming to a halt at the edge of the entry hall, tucked in behind the crowd of well-wishers gathered to talk to Richard. Unnoticed, he watched Richard smile and hug everyone, even the servants. Honestly, the man had no sense of decorum.

Artemis walked through the main hall, coming to a halt at the edge of the entry hall, tucked in behind the crowd of well-wishers gathered to talk to Richard. Unnoticed, he watched Richard smile and hug everyone, even the servants. Honestly, the man had no sense of decorum.“Come on in,” Richard called into the darkness beyond the front door.

“Come on in,” Richard called into the darkness beyond the front door.A woman slowly entered. Artemis stared at her familiar face for a moment, trying to place it. Other than a small shock of white hair at one temple, she was a picture of youth and beauty. “Mara!” his mother cried, gathering the woman into a hug.

A woman slowly entered. Artemis stared at her familiar face for a moment, trying to place it. Other than a small shock of white hair at one temple, she was a picture of youth and beauty. “Mara!” his mother cried, gathering the woman into a hug.Mara smiled weakly and gracefully removed herself from the embrace. “You didn’t tell me so many people would be here,” she whispered to Richard. He shrugged as he was pulled into another conversation by the acting head of the Council, Vardum.

Mara smiled weakly and gracefully removed herself from the embrace. “You didn’t tell me so many people would be here,” she whispered to Richard. He shrugged as he was pulled into another conversation by the acting head of the Council, Vardum.Artemis tried to listen in on Richard’s conversation, but his mother had pulled Mara to the side, closer to Artemis and started talking her ear off, questioning her on what she had been doing, where she’d met up with Richard and a million other inconsequential questions. All he could hear was their voices.

Artemis tried to listen in on Richard’s conversation, but his mother had pulled Mara to the side, closer to Artemis and started talking her ear off, questioning her on what she had been doing, where she’d met up with Richard and a million other inconsequential questions. All he could hear was their voices.As they spoke, he finally realized where he knew Mara from. She was the woman his father had been such good friends with, when Artemis and Richard were still children. For some reason he didn’t understand, his father and mother had always loved Mara, always tried to make her feel welcome. But for some reason, years ago, she’d stopped coming by.

As they spoke, he finally realized where he knew Mara from. She was the woman his father had been such good friends with, when Artemis and Richard were still children. For some reason he didn’t understand, his father and mother had always loved Mara, always tried to make her feel welcome. But for some reason, years ago, she’d stopped coming by.Artemis hadn’t heard anyone mention her name in a very long time.

Artemis hadn’t heard anyone mention her name in a very long time.“That must have been horrible,” his mother announced, responding to something Mara had said regarding an explosion and some children.

“That must have been horrible,” his mother announced, responding to something Mara had said regarding an explosion and some children.“I’m just grateful Richard and Marcus were the one who found me and tended my wounds.”

“I’m just grateful Richard and Marcus were the one who found me and tended my wounds.”“And the children?” his mother asked cautiously.

“And the children?” his mother asked cautiously.“All but one of them lived. Luckily, I was able to get them out in time.” Mara took his mother’s hand in hers and looked down at her sympathetically. “I was very sad to hear about Ari’s death.”

“All but one of them lived. Luckily, I was able to get them out in time.” Mara took his mother’s hand in hers and looked down at her sympathetically. “I was very sad to hear about Ari’s death.”His mother swallowed hard and blinked away tears at the mention of his father. “Thank you. But I know he is at peace. He died helping others, fighting for a cause he believed in. And I’m sure he would be very pleased to know you found your way back to us. He always hated how things ended the way they did.”

His mother swallowed hard and blinked away tears at the mention of his father. “Thank you. But I know he is at peace. He died helping others, fighting for a cause he believed in. And I’m sure he would be very pleased to know you found your way back to us. He always hated how things ended the way they did.”“As did I.”

“As did I.”His mother shook their joined hands emphatically and smiled broadly. “But you’re here now. It’s fate, that’s what it is. Now, let’s go and see about getting you something to eat. You must be famished after your long journey.”

His mother shook their joined hands emphatically and smiled broadly. “But you’re here now. It’s fate, that’s what it is. Now, let’s go and see about getting you something to eat. You must be famished after your long journey.”Mara smiled at her exuberance and let herself be led toward the kitchen.

Mara smiled at her exuberance and let herself be led toward the kitchen.With them gone, Artemis inched toward Richard. Many of the people gathered had congregated into groups around the room and others had stared to retire for the night, leaving more room to move around.

With them gone, Artemis inched toward Richard. Many of the people gathered had congregated into groups around the room and others had stared to retire for the night, leaving more room to move around.“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” he heard Vardum ask Richard.

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” he heard Vardum ask Richard.Richard sighed and leaned against the wall. “I’m sure. Maybe someday, but right now, don’t feel ready to take a place on the Council. My father was a wise man. I can’t even begin to fill his place. You should find someone more deserving. I am honored, honestly, but I don’t feel worthy of such great responsibility. I have done nothing to warrant your trust and I don’t want to obtain this position because of who my father was. I want to join the Council when the position is offered to me based on my own merits, when I believe I deserve it.”

Richard sighed and leaned against the wall. “I’m sure. Maybe someday, but right now, don’t feel ready to take a place on the Council. My father was a wise man. I can’t even begin to fill his place. You should find someone more deserving. I am honored, honestly, but I don’t feel worthy of such great responsibility. I have done nothing to warrant your trust and I don’t want to obtain this position because of who my father was. I want to join the Council when the position is offered to me based on my own merits, when I believe I deserve it.”Vardum laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled wistfully. “The fact that you would refuse the position based on that reasoning proves how worthy you are of it, but I will honor your wishes and back off for the time being. Remember, if you ever change your mind, there will always be a place on the Council for you.”

Vardum laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled wistfully. “The fact that you would refuse the position based on that reasoning proves how worthy you are of it, but I will honor your wishes and back off for the time being. Remember, if you ever change your mind, there will always be a place on the Council for you.”Artemis clenched his fists and hurriedly left the room. This was ridiculous! He was eldest born. He should be the one asked to fill his father’s place! Not Richard! That ungrateful little brat didn’t even want the position, and here they were, all fawning over him, trying to make him take it. It was pathetic and wrong.

Artemis clenched his fists and hurriedly left the room. This was ridiculous! He was eldest born. He should be the one asked to fill his father’s place! Not Richard! That ungrateful little brat didn’t even want the position, and here they were, all fawning over him, trying to make him take it. It was pathetic and wrong.He paused at the servants’ quarters when he heard his name mentioned. Listening closely, he fought the urge to rip out all their throats.