Read Riding on Whispers (the Wolfegang series Book 3) Online
Authors: Jillian Ashe
Riding on Whispers (the Wolfegang series Book 3) (25 page)
The soldier was gone, and in his place was a vulnerable man whom for some reason felt responsible for what happened to me. I couldn’t let him think that when it wasn’t true.
“I never would’ve left without you,” I told him.
He looked up at me. There weren’t words to describe what I saw in his eyes just then. “I would never forgive myself if you hadn’t made it,” Wolfe said.
I almost reached out for his hand to try and comfort him, but I wasn’t sure I should. I cleared my throat instead. “What about the men following us?” I asked.
“We lost them when we went through hyperspace,” he said.
We stared at each other for a few moments. I felt like I should say thank you, or….something else meaningful, but I didn’t know how to do it right.
“You should make sure Ricky looks at your cuts,” I said. His wrists were still mangled and untreated.
Wolfe stood up. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “Don’t worry about me.”
He didn’t look too stable, so I commed Ricky. “Maybe you should come back. Captain looks like he might pass out.”
“On my way,” Ricky replied.
“I told you I’m fine,” Wolfe said. He walked towards the door, but stumbled. Ricky appeared out of thin air, and managed to grab him before he fell.
“Good catch,” I said. “You made it here fast.”
Ricky hefted the captain on the infirmary berth next to mine. “I was already on my way back; he didn’t look too good.”
“Is he all right?” I asked. “There were a lot of really deep cuts on his chest and back.”
Ricky ‘tsked’ as he cut away the shirt.
“You should check for internal injuries, and his wrists and ankles. He’s beaten pretty badly.” I closed my eyes, laying my head back down on my arms. I was really tired.
“You should sleep,” Ricky suggested. “I’ll find everything and make sure he’s okay.”
“He went to that base because of me,” I murmured. “I will never forget what he’s done for my brother and me.”
“You should tell him that.”
I nodded in agreement, and drifted off. Sleep whisked the pain away with my consciousness.
***
When I woke up, I was alone. Wolfe wasn’t on his bed and Ricky seemed to be elsewhere. I shifted, feeling the pull of my skin trying to knit back together. It hurt, and it felt disgusting; like someone using a needle and thread to sew my skin back together. I reached back to try and feel the wound, but my hand was slapped away.
“Don’t you dare,” Wolfe said. He sat on his berth and glared at me.
I guess he’d just been in the bathroom. “How’re you feeling?” I asked, deflecting his attention from my back. I hoped it was mostly covered. I didn’t want him to be the first person, other than Ricky, to see how fast it healed.
“Better,” he said.
I wasn’t surprised that he didn’t go into details. He probably thought it would make him seem weak, so I let it go.
“I’m glad,” I mumbled into my arms. “If it weren’t for John, I don’t know how well we would’ve made it out of there, if at all. I guess I misjudged him.”
Wolfe watched me. It seemed he could understand my mutterings. “I’m thankful he was there to help,” he replied.
He looked away from me and checked his bandages. “I’m sorry for what Donnelly did to you, I feel responsible. He would’ve left you alone if it weren’t for me,” he said it so quietly, I could barely hear him.
I looked at him and saw the same thing I’d seen earlier: a bottomless pain, and something akin to self-loathing. He had no idea how much of what happened didn’t bother me. We all had something that was going to bite us in the ass eventually.
“Wolfe.” He didn’t respond. “Chase,” I said, getting his attention. “Don’t be dumb. You were on that base because of me, because of my stupid brother and his stupid puzzles. It was
my
fault that you were hurt. If it weren’t for you, I’d be lost, dead, or worse. So get over yourself. We did get something out of that mess.”
“Will you ever forgive me?” He asked.
I felt like he wasn’t listening to me. “Yes, because there’s nothing to forgive; I don’t blame you. We’re teammates, and I have a feeling that we’re going to get into more messes,” I said. I smiled a little, and slowly pulled the necklace over my head. “Because of this.”
I held the necklace out to him. The crystal caught the light, and the glowing inscriptions threw blue shadows against the walls. The shape itself was beautiful, uncut, and naturally the shape of a pencil with flat sides, and the end cut off into a rough point as if someone had broken it off its main piece.
Wolfe carefully took it from me, and inspected the inscriptions. “I’ve never seen an inscribed crystal this shape. How’re you going to read it?” he asked. He came over and gently placed it over my head.
“John told me there’s a reader on the planet we’re supposed to be going to, the one that has your Brisingamen.”
He sat back down, and frowned. “How does he know where it is, when we don’t even know?”
I shrugged. “Get this – the name of the planet is Asgard.”
Wolfe’s eyes widened. “I’ve been doing some reading. Asgard is the planet of the Gods, right?”
“Yup,” I answered. “It should be an interesting trip.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Wolfe grabbed his shirt and boots. “But I want you to heal first.”
“You’re one to talk,” I said, as I watched him get dressed.
“I didn’t get shot by a pulse rifle,” he retorted. “All I need is a good night’s sleep, and I can do that in my own bed.”
He left, leaving me alone. I stared at the clear crystal Ricky put on his desk when he saved it from my pants. I wished he was there to put it in the reader so I could watch the recording.
“At your service, madam,” Ricky said, appearing at the door to the infirmary like magic. “I’ll even let you watch it on your own.”
“Thank you,” I said, not even questioning how he knew. It was something I was getting used to.
Ricky put the crystal from Kris in the reader. “Let me know if you need anything.”
I waved my hand in front of the viewer. The display showed, and when I looked up, I was alone again. It was just me in the silent infirmary.
I tapped play – and looked straight into my own eyes.
“Kris,” I breathed.
“Hey, baby sis.”
I knew it was a recording, but I couldn’t help responding. “Hey, big bro.” My chest constricted, and tears pricked my eyes. I blinked them back so I could get a better look at my twin.
His face was still a male mirror of my own, but it had lines I didn’t recognize. A scar marred the shape of his left eyebrow. It looked like it’d been a cut to the bone, still an angry purple-red. He must’ve acquired it recently. His skin was tan and weathered, but what surprised me the most was the way his eyes looked out at the world. They were pained, calculating, and wise, all at the same time. I wondered what he’d see in mine.
“It’s been almost three years now,” he began. I felt sick; so much time had passed. “I got into a bit of trouble, somehow acquired a cause, and they have my name on a flag. I’ve been trying to get back to Earth, to get to you, and to get you out of there alive,” he paused. “But they probably would’ve shot me on sight.”
I had no idea what was going on, but my twin had been alone for three years? Here I was whining about a few weeks. I guess the difference was that he knew where I was.
Kris continued. “I don’t know when or if you’ll ever get this, but I update it every few months. John is very reliable, proven by the fact that you’re watching this. I have to warn you: don’t ever let someone conduct medical tests on you, and don’t let them take your blood. Don’t let them know you’re anything but human. Which you are, I promise.”
There was a prickle of fear at his words, and I remembered Ricky dousing my blood with bleach.
“I still don’t even know the extent of it,” Kris said. “But it’s the reason we’re alive now, why we are here in this time. I’m not sure what the purpose is yet, but I’m working on finding out.”
I could barely breathe, my face was wet, and it was like waking up in this terrifying new world all over again. Why wasn’t he letting me near him? I had so many questions that a recording wouldn’t be able to answer.
“That crystal I gave you is a way to communicate with me directly, but it only works on Asgard. Maybe we could meet up if it was safe, but it would have to be planned carefully. It’s a lot more dangerous out here than I anticipated. My cause, which I can’t mention on this recording for safety reasons, is against everything they want.”
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. It was like he knew he was rambling, but had to say more. “I know you probably hate me right now if you’ve gotten this far, and I’m sorry. I’m just desperately trying to keep you safe from things I don’t even want you to know about. Just do me a favor and stay alive? Hopefully I’ll see you again soon, baby sis.” He winked. “By the way, congrats on the win, Ms. Wolfe.”
His signal ended with that cocky smile of his.
I hated him.
I missed him.
More than anything I wanted to believe that there was a perfectly good reason he was so secretive. He’d left me, and now he was stringing me along. No answers in the stupid recording other than some vague explanation.
I closed my eyes and heaved a huge sigh. My twin had a reason, he said, and I had to trust his judgment. When I reached the end of the trail I’d have all the answers, and we’d be together again – a family again.
I’d find this planet, I’d find Brisingamen, I’d find the crystal reader, and I’d find Kris.
I had to.
When Elements Collide: Book Four of the Wolfegang series
is available here!
Want to know the second it will be released?
Jillian Ashe lives and works in San Diego, California. While writing the Wolfegang series she attends University in pursuit of a Masters degree, followed by a Doctorate in English and Creative Writing. She has been writing since age twelve and even wrote a few pieces for The La Jolla Light Newspaper. She is part of almost every fandom out there, and she loves makeup, Steampunk, making her own costumes when she has the time, and geeks out about Disney on a regular basis.
Jillian is working on finishing the Wolfegang series, and has a dark fairy-tale series in the works called the Rose Chronicles. Kick-ass female protagonists is her favorite thing to write about, regardless of genre. She loves her readers, so feel free to contact her at
www.JillianAshe.com
Connect with Jillian on: