Crossover 'The Chosen One Trilogy: Book One' (29 page)

Luke put a hand on his brother’s
shoulder.

“And then there’s the humans. They must
know of her. They must think she is their most precious asset if
they get their hands on her.”

Luke shivered at the
thought.

“I tend to forget how important she
is.” Jasper looked into his brothers brown eyes and remembered when
they had sat and talked when they were young. “I mean, I know how
important she is to me. If something were to happen to her, I may
as well let the same happen to me. But it’s easy to forget why she
is here. That she didn’t just come back to make me
happy.”

The last time Luke had seen that
strange look in his younger brothers eyes had been the day he had
tackled the tiger in the woods. They had been on the Maj side of
the boundary line. Jasper, having found his family slaughtered, had
run to the only other family he had and almost gotten himself
killed in the process. That was the look that came right before
Jasper started his hunt. “Jasper. Don’t.”

The vague look left his eyes and he
refocused on Luke.

Luke shook his head. “We don’t know who
he is. We don’t know if he knows who Hayden is. Get that look off
your face before Hayden sees it and you scare her. We’ll stay by
the booths all day. No one will try anything with everyone around.
The next time you see him, point him out to me.” He gave his
brother a pat on the back. “Now, let’s get the rest of those bags
and move on to pies.”

Jasper smiled. Never in his wildest
dreams had it ever occurred to him that he would be able to live
side by side with Luke and his family instead of having secret
meetings in the woods just to be able to keep in touch.

They hoisted the remaining bags onto
their shoulders and walked back through the house.

“There you are, Shlova. Ben is bringing
Peena so she can model for you.”

Hayden’s smile took his breath away.
“Thanks.” Would he ever get used to that feeling? He hoped
not.

“I’m stealing your heart’s desire to
haul pies, sweet sister.” Luke flashed her a grin and kissed her
forehead.

She laughed. “Not a problem. You should
put a few in the icebox here and we can have them for
lunch.”

“It shall be done.”

Jasper could hear Hayden giggling to
herself as they walked to Lantoc’s.

*****

I spent the day chatting with everyone
who came to my booth. Though I had told Jasper to go browsing
through town, he insisted on staying by my side.

“Would you like a drink,
Shlova?”

I stretched my arms up and rolled my
shoulders to try and get rid of a knot that was forming between
them. “That would be great. Thanks.” I smiled and turned my
attention on a couple of Wedelven women heading my way.

“Hey, there, Shondai. How are
you?”

Shondai ran a hand through her shoulder
length black hair. She was sixty five, but didn’t look a year over
fifty. “Hot,” she complained. “You would never guess summer was
supposed to be ending.” She wore a pretty white and blue ankle
length dress. The white stood out against her redwood colored
skin.

The other woman was a younger version
of Shondai herself. She picked through the halters and pulled out a
purple one. “What do you think, Ma? It’s almost the same color as
the cooling blanket Tantara made for Thirna.”

“That would look good on her,” agreed
Shondai. She turned to me. “Do you have a smaller one in that
color? Thirna had a fawn this spring and it’s time to start halter
leading her.”

I sorted through the bag of purple
halters and was glad I had thought to make different
sizes.

The women paid for their halters and
went off with a wave. Jasper handed me my drink then headed back
into the house when Luke called for him.

“How many did you sell, Hayden?” Tara
smiled at me from her booth.

“Twenty-seven!”

“I knew they were going to be a hit.”
She turned to her merchandise and started to pack everything up.
“It will be supper time soon. We better get this stuff put away so
we can get to Prense’s camp.”

I began to stuff the remainder of the
halters back into their bags.

“I think we best bring the rest of
these pies to the bonfire tonight. There are about ten that are
fully thawed. I don’t think they’ll keep until tomorrow in this
heat.” Mel was putting the rest of the pies in crates.

“Would I be able to buy one before they
are all put away?”

I glanced over to their booth and saw a
dark haired man leaning casually against its frame. He had ranger’s
clothing, like he had just come in from patrolling. He looked to be
in his fifties.

Dawn looked up and smiled. “I’ll give
you two for the price of one,” she stated. “Just for being our last
customer.”

He laughed and handed her his money.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll be back here at this time tomorrow.
There’s no better way to start off an evening than with a couple of
good pies and some beautiful women.” He gave her a wink then made
his way over to my booth.

“Do you have a deer?” I inquired. The
majority of beings who imprinted on deer were Wedelves. This man
wasn’t one.

He shook his head and smiled at me. I
noticed his eyes. They were grey. The outsides of the irises were a
dark grey, almost black, and they progressively grew lighter so
that they were almost white by the pupils. “No, I don’t. But I know
good craftsmanship when I see it. These are very well made. Do you
make them yourself?”

I tried very hard not to blush. It
didn’t work. “Yes, I do.”

“Would you mind if I asked where you
learned such a skill?”

“Um, no. I had a great teacher…” I
caught myself. I couldn’t very well tell the man I had learned the
art of halter braiding in 4-H. “My dad. I learned from my
dad.”

“And do you miss him? Your father?” The
man’s eyes were still smiling, but they were more
inquisitive.

“I…yes. I do. What…” My heart skipped.
Who was this man?

“Yes, well, I suppose it would be hard
to leave everything you know. To come to a place so strange to
you.”

I felt my eyes widen in surprise, my
breath caught in my throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”

“Of course you do, dear. But don’t you
worry. You’re secret is safe with me.”

By this time, Mel, Dawn and Tara were
looking on. They all had their hands on their daggers.

The man looked down to my waist and
smiled. I realized my hand was over my scabbard as well, ready.
“There’s no need for that, dear.”

“Who are you?”

He waved his hand in dismissal. “That’s
not important.”

Tara took a step toward the house and
the strange grey eyes moved over her. Tara froze. “Tantara, I think
it is,” he stated. “You don’t have to worry. The men should be out
momentarily.” He turned his attention back to me. “Now, Hayden.
There is something I need to tell you. Listen
carefully.”

He held my gaze with his and I was
unable to look away. “The only thing you must remember, no matter
what your situation, is this. Nothing is as it seems.”

I frowned. “What do you
mean?”

He looked at me and smiled. “It is
exactly what it sounds like.” His eyes focused behind me as the
door to the house swung open.

There was a tense moment of silence
which was broken by a soft growl. “Hayden, marck issi.”

Step away, I thought. Easier said than
done. I couldn’t look away from the stranger’s eyes, couldn’t get
my legs to move.

“Hayden!”

I heard the worry and anger in Jasper’s
voice. “Jasper, I…” I tried to look around but was frozen where I
stood. From what I could see in my peripheral vision, this applied
to everybody.

“Now, dear. Do you remember what I told
you?”

I nodded.

The man chuckled. “Be sure to pay
attention. The next time we meet, I’ll want all the
details.”

“But…” I let a small growl of
frustration slip up my throat. “That doesn’t make
sense!”

“No worries, dear. It will be soon
enough. Though I suppose it depends on whose point of view you look
at it. It will be not soon enough for me, in the near future for
you, and much entirely too soon for your mate.” He flashed the
latter a smile and leaned in toward me, his hand up to protect the
secret he was about to share. “He doesn’t care for me,” he
whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his
wink.

He straightened back up again and gave
a formal nod to everyone. “I apologize to have detained you for as
long as I have. Jasper, you’ll have your hands full with this one.
Keep her safe.” He turned back to me. “And you, young lady, keep
him safe. For in the future that is to come, his role will be
almost as important as yours. But above all, remember.” He leaned
down and kissed me softly on the lips.

I felt a current flow through my body
and the man vanished. The force that had been holding me in place
disappeared. I fell to the ground with a surprised cry. Jasper’s
arms were around me in a flash.

“Are you alright?”

I leaned back against him and nodded.
“Who was that?”

“It doesn’t make…I don’t…” Jasper
seemed at a loss for words. “That was Damian.”

*****

I scooped another spoonful of pie into
my mouth and tapped my foot to the music. There were quite a few
Scannoves dancing by the fire. They were amazing to look at. It was
like watching dressage with some reining thrown in.

“No one has seen Damian leave his rooms
for a good five years, now.”

I turned my attention to
Luke.

“I saw him once, and that was years
ago. Mel has never seen him, and neither has Dawn.”

“How did you get to see him?” I asked
Jasper.

“It was my first battle as a captain. I
was, oh, nineteen I think. He was there. We lost almost everyone
that day. When we went in, it was suicide. There was no way we
should have gone down that ravine. That was the day I decided that
maybe saving lives might be a good enough reason to change orders a
bit.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I
don’t see why he would come all the way here, and then leave
without trying to take me.”

“He wasn’t really here,” explained
Jasper. “He was just projecting himself here. He was probably still
in his rooms. He couldn’t take you.”

“But he was able to keep us all from
moving…”

Jasper sounded frustrated. “Honestly,
Shlova, I don’t know. All I do know for certain right now is that I
have never been this confused in my entire life.” He turned his
attention to the dancers.

This dance was a couple’s dance. The
Scannoves faced each other and bowed.

Phlann trotted up to me. “Would you
like to dance, Hayden?”

I glanced at the dancers again,
wondering how I was going to pull this off without being
trampled.

Dodge snorted.

“Dodge says you can ride him,”
translated Phlann.

I smiled. “Sure, why not.”

I hiked my dress up and Jasper gave me
a leg up onto my horse. It was one of the greatest things I had
ever done on horseback. I held on to Dodge’s mane and moved with
him as he side passed, spun, and moved along with
Phlann.

I smiled at Jasper who had been dragged
out to dance by Dawn.

When the song ended we bowed to Phlann
who was grinning from ear to ear.

I gave my horse a pat on the neck.
“Would you mind giving me a ride over to the drink
booth?”

Dodge shook his head and leisurely made
his way over to where all the booths were set up.

When I had my drinks, he gave me a ride
back to our cloaks and then wandered off to do some more
visiting.

I sat beside Zane and laughed as Dawn
convinced Jasper to stay for one more dance. I took a drink and
looked around, smiling. I loved bonfires.

“I can see four from here.” Zane was
still leaning casually on his elbows.

“Five. I spotted the last one when she
went for the drinks.” Brice took a swallow of his.

Jasper was breathing hard from the
dance as he led Dawn back to us. “Six. One came out from behind the
drinks booth when they left.” He was frowning.

“I didn’t see that one. Did you all
notice the one by Taylor’s booth?” Luke waved and smiled at Mel who
was dancing with Lantoc.

Brice shook his head. “Not me. Does
that make seven?”

I looked at Dawn questioningly. She
shrugged.

Ben came to join us and I handed him
another drink. “I got seven.”

I looked at Jasper who was still
standing. “Seven what?”

He sat behind me and grabbed a drink.
“It seems you have a few admirers.”