Shifters: Winding Roads

By Wendy Fehr

Nothing is the same for Elly after her return from eiliff mors. With Ethan gone and the chaeli seemingly defeated, Elly struggles to return to a normal life—until Caleb shows up.

Wanting to defect from the chaeli, Caleb warns Elly and Liam that their enemies may not be as powerless as they had thought. Trying to stay one step ahead of the chaeli, Liam takes Elly back to his former home to retrieve some long-hidden items, but what they discover there is beyond anything they were prepared for.

Elly and Liam return home with more questions than answers and no closer to solving the mystery of who—or what—is trying to capture Elly. In a desperate bid to uncover the enemy’s plot before it’s too late, Liam and Elly look to Caleb and his band of chaeli defectors.

But is Caleb truly there to help?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wendy Fehr
• Release date: May 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9780987739841

Wendy Fehr

Wendy Fehr is a wife, a mother of four, and a health care professional. She took up writing as a creative outlet during her “spare time”, exploring ideas about time, finding one’s place, and good and evil. What began as stories she told her children eventually formed the basis for the stories captured in the Shifters Series.The characters, themes and story arcs that we are introduced to in Horizons, the first book in the Shifters Series, are carried through Winding Roads and Coming Home, the second and third installments of the series. All titles are published by Shifterspress, an independent publisher, and are available in print and all popular eBook formats.You can read more about Wendy at shifterspress.ca.Thank you for supporting independent writers and publishers.

Book preview

Shifters: Winding Roads

Wendy Fehr

Published by Shifterspress at Smashwords

shifterspress.ca

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Copyright © 2015 Wendy Fehr

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-9877398-4-1

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book also available in print.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Inertia

Chapter 2: Movement

Chapter 3: Still Waters Run Deep

Chapter 4: Life Goes On—Or Something Like It Anyway

Chapter 5: Monsters

Chapter 6: Weeds

Chapter 7: Caleb

Chapter 8: Scotland

Chapter 9: Memories

Chapter 10: Q and A

Chapter 11: More Questions Than Answers

Chapter 12: Christmas

Chapter 13: Cians in the Mix

Chapter 14: A Dark Night

Chapter 15: Rescue

Chapter 16: The Morning After the Night Before

Chapter 17: Revelations

Epilogue

About The Author

Prologue

A small group of mourners stood beside the grave watching as the casket was lowered into the ground. A young girl clung to her father’s side, occasionally burying her face in his long black jacket. The man adjusted the toddler he held, shifting the infant’s weight to his other arm, and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. The oldest son—perhaps eight years old by appearance—looked on, tall and still, his grandfather’s arm around his shoulders and his grandmother’s hand in his. The group stood, silent and somber.

On the far side of the grave a handful of onlookers had collected—friends and neighbors of the deceased—mostly elderly women like the deceased herself. They watched the solemn family and whispered among themselves, nodding their approval of the mourners:

...distant relatives.

Great grandmother I believe.

...very devoted to her.

Very close. They visited often.

The short service ended, and the neighbors made their way into the house.

The mourners remained by the grave as the others passed by, nodding their condolences.

Can we go home Father? the oldest boy asked quietly, watching the onlookers file past.

The father turned from the grave to look down at his son. He handed the toddler to the grandfather and turned to the boy, pulling him into a solid embrace. I’m sorry son. Not yet. We have guests to see to.

But I don’t like what they’re saying about us.

The father sighed heavily.

I know. I’m sorry.

Chapter 1: Inertia

I knew I was awake. I just hadn’t opened my eyes yet—didn’t want to open them although for the life of me I couldn’t quite figure out why. My mind started to follow a thin thread of a thought, trying to trace it to why I didn’t want to wake up, but the thread got lost in the shadows. Or maybe my mind drifted back into the hazy fog of sleep, the thread now woven into some dream that I wouldn’t remember when I woke up.

The next time I floated up out of the mists of unconsciousness (minutes? hours? days? later) I turned over, trying to sink back into sleep’s numbing depths. It didn’t work. My mind refused to relinquish its tenacious hold on reality and pulled me up to face an unwelcome but insistent awareness of my very physical existence. The pain that greeted me was accompanied by the equally unwelcome idea that something lurked in the waking world—something bad.

I stubbornly refused to move, trying instead to remember what lay in wait for me. My sluggish brain rebuffed my demands to relinquish this information with an I-know-what’s-best reply. I kept my eyes closed and tried to trace a path through my tangled memories. I could remember arriving at the cabin and I remembered Theo bringing Jess. That was the day before the battle. What day was it now? I remembered fighting the chaeli, but what had happened during the fight? What had happened and where was I? For all I knew I could be lying on the battlefield, dying.

Maybe I’m already dead…

My heart lurched, my eyes snapped open, and I sucked in a sharp breath as I jerked my head up off the pillow.

Ow!

I ignored the pain and swiveled around to find myself in my bed in Liam’s cabin. I dropped back on the pillow and willed my thumping heart to quiet, its steel-drum pulse hammering in my temples and clanging against the ache at the back of my head. I had never had a hangover, but I was reasonably certain this was what it would feel like.

How did I get here?

I rummaged through dim recollections, trying to put them in order: Theo and Jess arriving at the cabin; combat practice; dread stalking me in the night; the expression on Ethan’s face when I put my hand on his cheek; the guttural sounds of chaeli shouts; Theo’s surprised look over the fallen chaeli and then—nothing. Blank.

My heart drummed louder again and I tried to pull in a breath. I lifted my arm to check my watch (ouch), but it was gone. My eyes darted around the room, finally locating the watch on the bedside table. I snatched it up (oww—again): 11:30. Morning or night? There was sunlight streaming in through the window.

Before noon then.

I squinted to see the tiny numbers of the date but they didn’t make sense—wouldn’t resolve into any reasonable meaning.

I sat up, disorientation driving an importunate need to fill the crater-sized hole in my memory. Every muscle sang out in a finely tuned choir of protest and I groaned. I threw back the covers and forced my feet to the floor, wincing at the pain that jolted up my legs. I looked down.

Pyjamas? No armor? Where’s my sword?!

I lifted my eyes to see my clothes piled on a chair at the side of the room, my sword in its sheath leaning against the arm.

I should get that. I might need it.

Before I could move, there was a single rap on my door just before it swung open and Liam strode in, not stopping until he stood in front of me.

You’re awake, he said, the relief in his voice plain, but not entirely concurring with the worry in his steel grey eyes. The room did a bob and a wheel, and I gripped the edge of the bed to steady myself.

I guess, I said. My voice was hoarse and my lips stuck together when I spoke. I cleared my throat and swallowed, trying to wet my mouth. What happened? What day is it? I said in a thick rasp. The floor stopped its rolling long enough for me to push myself up off the bed. My goal was to reach my sword, but I never made it off the bed. My soggy knees caved before I was fully on my feet. I started to crumple, but Liam caught me before I hit the floor. He set me back on the edge of the bed, and I stared up at him.

Why can’t I stand up?! The fear in my eyes collided squarely with the concern in Liam’s, and my heart stopped for several long seconds before it raced forward at a frantic pace.

Jess appeared in the doorway and I jumped, my eyes darting to my sword again. She hurried over to me, Timothy close on her heels (I had forgotten about him). They both wore the same worried expression Liam did.

Elly, Jess said in desperate relief. You’re all right.

Maybe, I replied.

What’s wrong?

"I can’t stand up. I feel…heavy."

Jess and Liam exchanged a troubled glance then both turned to frown down at me.

You’re just stiff. You’ve been in bed for days, Jess suggested.

"Days?" I cast Liam an appalled look. He nodded.

Try again, Liam urged. His burnt ash eyes locked with mine, and I could read the unspoken question there. He took one of my hands in his and put his other arm around my waist, pulling me to my feet. This time my knees held, but my legs trembled like branches in the wind, and I didn’t trust them to hold me up for long.

What’s going on? I asked, watching Liam’s expression closely. I can’t stand up and I can’t remember past the start of the battle.

Liam and Jess exchanged another solemn glance.

You’ll be fine, Jess said in a purposefully calm tone—the one she used when she was trying not to panic over one of my mishaps—the one she used to try to convince herself of what she was saying. You just need to start moving. I’ll help you. Let’s get you washed up first, then we can talk. Liam can explain everything while you have something to eat.

Liam turned to Jess, apprehension churning his eyes into a storm-cloud grey. Jess met his gaze steadily, and he turned away, frowning.

I glanced between the two of them and then over at Timothy who only stared soberly at me. Some unformed thought crept up my spine making my stomach twist when the idea solidified. I felt the blood drain from my face.

Where are Ethan and Theo? I asked quietly, ignoring the warning that insisted I didn’t want to know the answer to that question. I saw Timothy look down at the floor, and I knew I shouldn’t have asked. I turned back to Liam.

They’re all right, Liam said, the storm clouds gathering and darkening his eyes to a threatening grey. I’ll explain after you clean up and come downstairs.

My chest tightened. I could only nod and try to swallow past the dry lump in my throat that refused to go down.

Jess helped me shower and change into some cold and rumpled clothes she had pulled from my backpack. The only words exchanged in the process were directives from Jess: here’s your shirt; I’ll brush your hair for you; sit down while I help you. I didn’t ask questions.

Elusive memories skittered around me just out of sight behind a drape of darkness and guarded by the same mental warning. They pressed in on me from behind the shadows, bending the murkiness toward me like a breeze blowing a curtain. I was positive it was only a matter of time before the curtain tore and the memories engulfed me.

I let Jess help me back out through the bedroom and into the hallway where Liam stood waiting. He scrutinized me with a pained expression on his face and took a deep breath.

Can you make it down the stairs? he asked quietly, his charcoal eyes never leaving my face as the crease in his brow deepened.

I considered the stairs. I’m not sure.

I’ll carry you down, Liam said. He stepped close to me and ducked to catch my eye. I avoided his gaze. I nodded and he lifted me into his arms, pulling me close as he adjusted his balance. I leaned into him. Some part of my brain registered the welcome warmth radiating from him as he carried me down the stairs and over to the couch in the living room. I was cold—especially my hands—despite my hot shower. Liam set me on the couch, then stood, watching me. I glanced up at him but looked away from his grave eyes just as quickly. Whatever was coming, it wouldn’t be good, but then, I already knew that.

Liam and Jess sat on either side of me, trapping me between them. Timothy sat on one of the large chairs across the room.

How are you doing? Liam asked.

I can’t remember anything. What day is it? Where is everyone? I glanced over my shoulder to the kitchen area. There was no sign of Ethan or Theo: no swords, no jackets, no chainmaille. I felt my stomach roll on a wave of nausea when my mind flashed to a mental image of being sucked into a black hole. I looked desperately to Liam. He frowned.

It’s Tuesday. You’ve been asleep for a long time—since the battle ended.

"Tuesday? My brain tilted and swirled again as though I were navigating the deck of a ship in stormy waters. The last thing I can remember is the battle. That was on Sunday, wasn’t it? I can’t remember anything past the start of the battle."

I’m not surprised, Liam replied evenly as he studied my face. "What’s the last thing you do remember?"

Helping Theo. I took out one of the chaeli when it tried to attack him from behind.

You took out a chaeli?! Jess asked.

"Yeah—at least, I think I did. There’s just…nothing after that, I finished lamely. I swallowed hard and met Liam’s gaze directly now. Where are Ethan and Theo?" I asked, speaking slowly and deliberately while I fought to control the rising panic that made it difficult to draw a breath. Liam sighed heavily and leaned toward me, elbows on knees.

Do you remember Corbett grabbing you during the fight? Liam asked. He watched my face, and I watched shadows fall across his eyes. Hit-and-miss images tore through the protective curtain, creeping past the warning one at a time.

Wait… I said with a hollow cast to my voice. Suddenly, the curtain ripped asunder, and all the memories came leaping down on me from every direction: the three men on their knees in front of me in the field; Ethan’s tortured expression; the unending blackness. I closed my eyes trying to claw my way out from under the dog pile of images. I lost all ground when the image of Ethan’s lifeless body crashed down on me, obliterating all other thoughts. I was pulled under in a wave of pain that descended with a flash of searing light.

It was then that the floodgates truly opened and the memory of Ethan turning and walking away sideswiped me. Go home, Elly. My mind reeled as I fought against the echoing voice. I winced, ducking my head as if trying to avoid the image that assailed me. My chest seized. I couldn’t breathe and I hunched over, gasping for air and holding my stomach as it turned. I likely would have thrown up if I’d had anything in it.

Do you remember the rest now? Liam spoke gently.

I could only nod; my throat too tight to speak, tears falling on the sweatpants I wore. I’m sorry, Elly, I heard Liam say. I nodded again, struggling to draw in a breath. I felt Jess silently slip her arm around my shoulder.

He’s gone. He’s gone. He’s gone.

The thought clanged in my head, and everything stopped. That one thought consumed all other thoughts, lingering like smoke in fog, taking on different shapes, but never drifting away. He was gone, and I could see nothing beyond the pain and the memories—didn’t want to see past them. Anything beyond this point would be a life without Ethan.

I can’t do that.

There was a long silence. No one moved. After several moments that seemed more like hours, Liam asked, Elly? Are you all right? His voice was barely above a whisper, and I lifted my face to stare dully up at him.

Ridiculous question. There isn’t even an answer for it.

I told him the truth: I don’t know what to do now. Maybe I was referring to right here, right now, or maybe I was referring to life as I now knew it. Either way, I had no way of sorting this—no reference point to give me any bearings. I couldn’t even begin to pull the pieces together—half of them were missing. I didn’t know how I would get through the next hour let alone put the pieces of my life back together. What does a person do when part of their life is suddenly gone?

I tried to play the movie forward, but the film came to a screeching halt right there at that very moment. The reel kept spinning with a hypnotic tick, tick, tick as the end of the film slapped against the machine, but the screen remained blank. I reminded myself to breathe.

I think you’d better just rest here a while, Liam suggested. He had been watching me like someone trying to decide whether to put a suffering dog out of its misery. You need some time to recover your strength and get your head around this before you go back. He nodded, mostly to himself. Yeah, I think you should stay, he added decisively. The way his mouth twisted at one corner said he wasn’t entirely convinced. But I was.

Do nothing—just sit here.

That I could do. It seemed like an ideal solution, really. I nodded.

Yeah, resting would be good. Do you mind if I stay for a while?

No, he said, shaking his head and closing his eyes briefly, I don’t mind at all. He drew a deep breath and looked down at me again.

Thanks. My voice sounded dull in my ears.

I heard Jess take a deep breath as she dropped her arm from my shoulder. I braced myself for a barrage of Jess’ protests and edicts: this is a stupid plan; you can’t stay here; you’re coming home right now; you ought to have listened to me. But the deluge never materialized. If I had been thinking at all, I might have been surprised that Jess failed to voice a single objection to my plan. All she said was: It’s been a long time since you’ve eaten anything. Can I bring you something?

She stood, watching me expectantly. I studied her uncertainly for a moment while I tried to process her question. It took me a minute. When understanding finally pierced the fog enveloping my brain, the thought of food made me want to throw up.

No, I finally replied, I think I’ll just sit here a bit. I’m really tired. Just speaking was an effort. I drew in another breath.

You’re still tired? Jess asked, her brow creasing as she ducked her head to read my face. But you’ve been asleep forever.

It’s not surprising, really, Liam said. I expect dying will do that to a person. Jess and I both looked at him, and he glanced between the two of us with a quizzical expression.

Dying? I repeated.

"What would you call eiliff mors? If that isn’t dying, I don’t know what is," he replied.

Huh. Hadn’t thought of it like that.

Makes sense, I said as vague snippets of black memories stirred and settled again. My head felt heavy, and I slid over to one end of the couch, putting my head down on the armrest. I pulled in another breath. The couch faced the large, front window, and I could see the wind tossing the waves around on the lake like a puck in some errant game of hockey. I stared out the window, trying not to think. I knew the others were watching me, but I ignored them. After a time, they slowly drifted off.

Eiliff mors.

I might have considered returning there except I knew it would provide no refuge from my pain. Just the opposite. I would be forever reliving this misery, caught in eternal darkness with the memory of Ethan walking away. I pushed the idea aside and went back to trying not to think. I met with little success.

In some distant corner of my mind I noticed neither Jess nor Liam pressed me to eat and I was grateful for that. My tightly knotted stomach still rebelled at the thought of food. I sank into the couch, giving in to the gravity pulling me down with a force that left me feeling thin and worn, as if I had run a very long distance. Outside, the sun was hidden behind thick clouds and a fog that rose up from the lake in unending billows to join with them. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold in some heat.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jess cast Liam a worried look. I pretended not to notice. Liam silently shook his head at Jess then stood up and left the room. He returned a second later with a throw and laid it over me.

Thank you, I whispered hoarsely, quickly redirecting my gaze to the window again. Liam hesitated before moving away. I continued to watch the lake outside, trying not to see the images pressing in on me as they moved in and out of the fog that lingered on the water.

Liam started a fire in the fireplace. It’s warmth soon filled the room and wrapped around me like an extra blanket. Liam picked up a book from the coffee table and sat down to read. He glanced over at me occasionally, but said nothing. I liked him for that.

We stayed that way throughout the day. The others moved around me in a silent orbit as they did their best to occupy themselves while they watched me. Occasionally, Liam would add more wood to the fire or bring some in from outside. Jess set a glass of juice on the coffee table for me without a word. I still didn’t understand why she said nothing about all of this, but I was grateful and didn’t question it. I drank the juice, and Jess replaced it with another before moving off to find something to do. Timothy went outside. I didn’t know what he was doing and I didn’t care enough to find out.

At one point I heard a hushed conversation between Jess and Liam drifting over to me from where they stood in the kitchen. I could have shifted and listened to them if I’d had the energy for it—but I didn’t. After all, nothing mattered anymore. A thick silence hung in the air of the cabin after their conversation, closing everyone off from one another as if the fog outside had come in and engulfed each of us. I was good with that.

I only realized time was passing when the sun, only vaguely outlined behind the clouds, began to sink lower in the sky. I lay on the couch and watched the darkness drip down the pale grey sky as an inky blanket settled on the scene outside the window. There were no stars tonight—they were consumed by the clouds and the fog.

The night slowly flowed past. Liam didn’t suggest I eat supper, nor did he say anything when Jess made her way upstairs to bed while I stayed on the couch. I wasn’t sleepy—I’d apparently slept for days—and I knew what waited for me in my dreams.

Even Timothy went upstairs at one point, not to be seen again until morning. I envied him and Jess. I wished I could have slept. A peaceful sleep would have been a welcome reprieve from the memories that swirled endlessly in my head. The night dragged on, and despite my best efforts to prevent it, my thoughts inevitably drifted back to Ethan.

I had stopped just outside my apartment door the night Ethan drove me to work, wondering which vehicle I should be looking for in Ethan’s unending parade of vehicles. He moved past me, and I fell in step behind him, following blindly to a sleek, red motorcycle.

Now this is more my speed!

I smiled as I ran a hand over the cool, smooth front fairing. A motorcycle? I asked hopefully, smiling up at Ethan.

Ethan grinned and nodded, moving to open the locked box at the back of the seat. Sure, he said casually. I didn’t think we’d have to contend with your bicycle tonight. He handed me a helmet. But if you’d rather take one of the cars…

I snatched the helmet and jammed it on my head.

Are you kidding? I’ve always wanted to ride one of these. No car.

Ethan chuckled. He held up a leather jacket for me while I slid my arms into it. I zipped it up. It fit perfectly. I turned to ask how he had managed that, but the sight of Ethan in a black leather jacket obliterated any and all thoughts. He reached over to me to do up the buckle on my helmet. I let him do that while I stared at his stern face.

Okay. One rule, he directed with a firm set to his mouth. If anything goes sideways—possibly literally—shift up as high as you can, jump clear, and slow for your landing. I watched his mouth move around the words. Yes? he prompted when I failed to respond. I nodded absentmindedly, still staring at him—he hadn’t put his helmet on yet. Elly? Ethan said in a patient tone.

Yes? I breathed.

Did you hear what I said?

Um, yeah, sure, I said, stalling as I rummaged through a jumble of half-formed thoughts and pulled out his words. Shift. Jump. Land.

Very good, Ethan said with a grin as he strapped on his helmet. Ready?

Definitely.

Ethan straddled the bike and steadied it while I climbed on behind him. He showed me where to put my feet then instructed me to hold on to him. (Gladly.) Ethan pressed a button on the handlebar and revved the engine to life with a rumble that vibrated in my chest and took away my breath. The motorcycle leapt forward and I instinctively clamped on to the only stable thing within reach: Ethan. The cold wind whipped past my cheek and stole the air away from my face until I took shelter behind Ethan. I looked down, watching as the rushing river of pavement flowed away beneath us. I could feel my heart beating against the thrumming of the wheels on the pavement, and I smiled. My grip eased, and I lifted my head, watching the smear of scenery move past. We reached the restaurant far too quickly, and I reluctantly slid off the bike. Ethan grinned down at me.

I’ll take you for a longer ride some other time, he suggested. I made a petulant face and nodded. Ethan chuckled.

Ethan shifted to a higher frame and stayed with me at the restaurant that evening, trying to stay out of the way of the multitude of people scurrying about while I worked. He alerted me to some of the customers’ needs and with a bit of proactive service, I was able to garner some rather large tips. I shot him a wry smile when no one was looking, and he laughed.

My shift finally ended. I looked around for Ethan and spotted him waiting for me by the front doors of the restaurant. I stood there, trying to figure out if he was in a human frame or not. It didn’t take long. A rather exuberant girl with cotton candy pink hair passed by Ethan and stopped dead in her tracks, giving him an inviting smile. I recognized Cotton Candy as a co-worker. I had worked with her a few times and ought to have known her name—but I didn’t.

Hi. Can I help you? she asked hopefully. She smiled broadly up at Ethan as she pushed