Silver Claws: Blood Twins

Chapter 23

23.

Johnny and Wilf were hunkered in the kitchen making plans when I wandered in there.

“In another day, she’ll be well enough to travel. We have to travel light, so pick wisely what you need. Hannah too,“ Johnny said.

“We goin’ south?” Wilf asked.

“I am and the kids. I’ve got to find a safe place for them. There are other packs I’ve heard of down there. You and Hannah can find a town and start over. I’ve got money to set you up. Lars will be a big help.”

“Lars won’t leave that girl,“ Wilf said.

“He has too. We got our own sister to show him that no good comes of that. We can’t leave him here. They’ll string him up. But he can help you until he makes it on his own. But he can’t go on with Rhea.”

Wilf shook his head and his eyes filled with tears. “It’s like Maggie all over again, isn’t it?”

“That’s why we can’t let it happen.”

“You’re talking about my mother,“ I said.

Johnny and Wilf almost jumped out of their skins.

“Where’d you come from? Why didn’t I smell you?” Johnny said.

“My smell is probably all over this place by now. Why are you talking about my mother? What can’t you let happen?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” Wilf said. “I mean it, boy. There’s no good to come of messing about in this business. Leave it be.”

Rhea mended fast, even for a werewolf. We packed things and saddled the horses.

“My wood floors. I finally got wood floors.” Tears rolled down Hannah’s cheeks as she stood on the porch looking back into her house. This woman had no fear to take after a gunslinger or werewolves with nothing but a spoon, but she sobbed about leaving her polished wood floors. I didn’t understand women.

 Rhea changed back into human form to leave town. Both her jaw and mine nearly dropped when Miss Tern came running down the street, holding her flapping bonnet with one hand and a book in the other.

    “I’m so glad I didn’t miss you,” she said.She handed Rhea the book. I looked over to see it was the copy of Dante’s THE DIVINE COMEDY. The book Rhea had used to humiliate Miss Tern. “You were right. I’ll never finish reading this book. It’s much too difficult for me to understand or appreciate. I want you to have it.”

    Rhea smiled. “Thank you Miss Tern.”

    We turned our horses and rode slowly down the main street and out of town. Only Miss Tern waving goodbye.

    After an hour, with the town fully out of sight and nothing else remotely human in view, Johnny pulled his horse to a stop.

“Rhea, Rom, tie your horses off to Wilf and Hannah’s. You’ve been cooped up as humans for a long time. I think it’s time you two had yourselves a good run.”

And we did.

We ran.

We didn’t know what we were running toward, but we ran.