Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series

The hours seem to pass slowly the more I work on my studies. I should really be thankful I still have the cubes Mom gave me. I’d often reach into my bag and pull out one and yank the occasional snack. Athena will look at me when I do, watching as her jaws clap at the sight of food. I giggle, breaking off pieces and handing some to each wolf.

I lean back, watching as the sun slowly progressed further down the sky. I look around, knowing I haven’t had any problems with being a kitsune in public. Mainly due to how remote the spot I chose. Very few people have even come close to me, yet never draw close enough to notice nine pink tails admit four silver ones.

I finished my studies roughly an hour ago, having also drawn a sketch of the wolves surrounding me. I smile, having really done a good job of capturing their likeness.

Mom did stress the arts on me when she and I first started out with each other, and not only with music. Several of the assignments she’d give me were art pieces. So I developed a sense for drawing, not great mind you, but not childish.

With my studies done, I have since pulled out a book to read. It’s a recent novel from a local author Celes lent me. I smile, strumming through the pages.

I peer up to see both wolves resting quietly around me. I smile, pulling out my camera and snapping a picture of them. I take a couple more before putting it away. I smirk softly, knowing both Mom and Marron would scold the hell out of me for doing this. But…I guess it’s one of the joys of neither of them being here.

I sigh, missing them still.

I feel the wind shift, sensing the same uneasiness as the last few times. I still can’t quite pin it down. Even with my senses spreading outward, it still feels masked, if not buried. The only way I could possibly find out what it is would be to tap into the leyline itself.

However, that can be a double-edged sword because it would allow someone to find me instantly. It’s similar to active sonar on submarines. While I am a wily kitsune, there are certain things even I don’t mess with.

I look around the near-empty patch of the park we’re in, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

My ears, and those of the wolves, flick at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Athena?” I hear someone call out.

Both wolves instantly wake up and leap out behind the tree, shielding me as I instantly transform back into my human form.

I stand up, slowly rounding the tree. My heart sinks into my stomach as I see Selene standing less than ten feet away from me. I stare at her, feeling a slow billowing of rage.

She tilts her head, “I remember you. You were that girl I met a month ago.”

I nod slowly, “I am.”

She grins, “Aria, if I recall. Have you been causing trouble for my sister?”

I bite the inside of my lip, trying to fight the urge to simply leap out and strangle the woman. I clench my fists tightly, threatening to dig my nails into my palms. I quickly take a long, deep breath and let it out, calming down.

I look back to her, “No…I haven’t.” I know it’s childish to say that Celes is my sister and not hers. But I have to fight it down.

She smiles, waving off her hand to someone behind her. I peer around her, seeing a small squad of knights standing nearby. The group slowly steps back, giving us a bit more space.

“When I saw Athena,” she continues, “I wondered what my sister was doing all the way out here again. No doubt desiring to spend some time away from home. And yet…here you are, with her bonded. I must admit that to be peculiar.”

I look at her, “You’re correct on the reason, just not the person. Athena here simply wanted to be with me.”

Selene smiles, “I see.”

She then slowly takes a step towards me, causing both wolves to move closer. Selene merely smiles as she closes the gap. I rest a hand on each of them, easing them, feeling their growing tension. I won’t lie in saying I don’t feel the same as them. Athena and Fenris begin to step back, letting the woman through.

She turns to Fenris, eyeing him. “This one is rather large,” she says. “In fact, I believe him to be larger than Cronos.”

“Who’s Cronos?” I ask.

She smiles, “He is the bonded wolf to Aurelian, father of Celestine. He is also Rhea’s mate.” She eyes his glaring gaze. Fenris calmly watches her, yet is obliviously not happy with her being this close to him.

“This one is truly magnificent. A true, regal stature.” She glances at me, “A quality shared with Cronos, who is said to be the 'god of wolves' within the city.”

I nod slowly, yet glimpse a sly smile as she continues to examine my bonded. She studies him closely, “Is he the same wolf I met a month ago with you and Celestine?”

I cling to him, “He is.”

She grins, “Would you care to tell me about him? It’s clear he is not of the wolves of Shyair.”

I take a swallow breath, feeling her words making my skin crawl even more than they already are. “You’re right, he and I both were born outside of the city.” I look to him, “He’s also my bonded.”

“Oh…bonded you say?” she asks, still smiling. “It’s rather rare for a wolf and human from outside the city to bond with each other.”

Selene leans in slightly closer to him, running her fingers over his fur. Fenris tries his best not to snap at her, remaining stoic and ever watchful. I glance over to Athena as she now wants to step in and separate the woman from him.

All the while this is happening, I feel slimy just being around the woman.

Selene finally steps away from him and over to me. I see her hand wanting to move up to my face, however stays it in lieu of both wolves ready to rip it clean off if she were to. She instead merely smiles as her eyes examine every inch of me.

“You truly are a beautiful little girl,” she says.

I stare up at her, “I thank you for your compliment but is there a reason why you’re here?”

She blinks softly in surprise, only for her smile to widen. Behind her I hear her guards stepping forward, no doubt in response to my reply. Selene chuckles as she waves them off. “My, my, you are a rather plucky little one aren’t you? Speaking to a noblewoman as if you were her equal.”

I bite the inside of my lip again, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.

She settles down, smiling, “To answer your question, little Aria, I wanted to try and talk to Celestine on a particular matter we discussed months ago.” She then sighs, “However I feel it shall only result in the same as before.”

I nod, knowing exactly what she’s referring to.

She grins, looking to me, “Since I have you here, I can use you to relay a message.”

I look up at her, “What would that be?”

She leans in even closer to where I can clearly see her dark greenish hazel eyes. They’re a stark contrast to the piercing crimson I know from her wight form in the future. “My message is to be careful. Shyair should exercise caution and not to interfere in matters that do not pertain to them.”

I passively glare at her, feeling a tinge of magic forming at the base of where my tails would be. “Are you threatening us?” I ask

She looks at me, eyes blinking in mild surprise as she smiles in amusement. “You are merely living with my sister and her mother, and yet you count yourself as part of their family?”

I smile, “They love me as much, so therefore I might as well be.”

Selene smirks, “Well, Shyair does love to take in strays.”

I feel a nerve twitching in my temple. She’s really starting to test my restraint, not to mention my patience.

She then stares deeply into my eyes, “A rare, deep golden color, a truly rare trait in this part of the world. I say they complement your lovely hair.”

When I reverted back into a human, I chose to keep my eyes golden. Just to add some security, since my real eyes are a dead giveaway. I also know Selene wasn’t that close the day we met her a month ago, so even better.

She then cups my face, causing both wolves to instantly tense up as they glare at her. I stand firm and not move as she strums her thumb over my cheek.

“A truly precious child, a beauty from beyond our borders.” She looks over my face as though examining me. I really don’t like her being this close but I can’t do anything expect endure it.

I nod slowly.

She smiles, “I do hope to see you again soon, my dear, perhaps later today if possible.”

I tilt my head, “What do you mean?”

She smiles, releasing my cheek and stepping back. “That, my dear little Aria, will have to wait.”

As she moves, I glimpse a sword on her hip. I feel my tension growing the more I look at it, but relax, knowing I have both Athena and Fenris with me.

Now, each time I’ve seen my sister out in the city, I’ve noticed she too was wearing a weapon. I know its common practice in this time to be armed for personal protection, yet somehow I’m getting the impression that here it has a different meaning.

Selene then steps back, “As much as I am enjoying our little chat, I fear I must leave. There are matters that must be attended to.” She smiles gently, yet again I feel grimy as she does, “We should see each other again at some point, for I have found you to be an interesting curiosity.”

She then eyes as the wolves, causing her to grin, “A cute, little fox amongst the wolves, fitting if you claim to now be of Shyair.”

I bow my head to her, “I thank you for the complement and the invitation.”

She smiles and turns, returning to her party. I nearly want to flip her off as her back is turned, but it wouldn’t do much. As they file out, I watch them carefully, waiting to see if one of her guards is wanting to do something. When none do, I sigh.

As my growing tension flows out of me, I feel my legs give out, causing me to stagger back only to rest against something soft yet firm. I look up to see Fenris looking at me, having stepped behind me while I was talking to Selene. I smile, stroking his fur.

I then feel another face nuzzling me, looking over to see Athena’s silver muzzle against my cheek. I grin at her, stroking her muzzle. She smiles, groaning softly, putting me at ease.

“Are you all right, little Aria?” asks Fenris.

I peer back to him, my hand still stroking Athena. I nod, letting out a hard sigh, “Yeah…although I feel like I need a shower after all that. I feel so completely drained.”

Athena nuzzles me again, and then looks into my eyes, “Why were you so apprehensive around Selene? I know I wanted her to remove herself from your father, but from you, I felt a growing anger and tension as you spoke. Apart from her simply being Selene.”

I hold onto her mane, as she presses the top of her head into mine. I rub my face on hers, as I sigh. “She and another, did something terrible to me in the future.” I peer off, “But I’m not going to discuss it here.”

She nods, gently lifting me off of the ground each time. “Tell me when you are ready.”

I nod, smiling as I stroke her.

Athena then groans softly, making my heart tinge a little. The feeling I had earlier slowly returns as I feel something beginning to wrap around my heart, feeling a second beat alongside my own. I look to her, feeling as though the faint connection is growing stronger, feeling a pull towards her.

I tilt my head slightly as my fingers rake through her fur. Can a person be bonded to two wolves?

Athena pulls back slightly, staring into my eyes. She smiles warmly and tenderly, “My little one.”

I feel my cheeks instantly burning as my heart races within my chest. I pan back over to Fenris who also smiling to me. He presses his face into mine, groaning softly. I nearly revert back into a kitsune as I again feel like I’m surrounded by two parents. My father…and a new mother.

I should be laughing at this idea, of having found yet another mother while in the past. But this is different than with Serasfall. Wolf and human ties are different and are even more so in my heart. I can’t fully describe this feeling or concept.

I slowly pull back slightly, sheepishly smiling to them. Both wolves smile warmly towards me, each feeling close to my heart. I look to them, and then around the garden, “Well…seeing how Selene had to go and put an end to the peaceful quiet, why don’t we head on?”

Athena lowers her head slightly to be more level with eyes, “Where do you wish to go next?”

I smile to her, “Let’s go to the residence. Seeing how we’re already near the citadel, I feel like taking Serasfall’s advice and go see Uncle Tyrion.”

She smiles, “You take to family quickly, little Aria.”

I giggle, nodding.

She grins, licking my face causing me to giggle once more. I then slip back and gather up my things, carefully piling all of my books and notebooks back into my bag. I peer back out into the city, having truly loved the last few hours here. I nod then head back over to the waiting wolves.

I look to them, smirking as I loop my arms through the straps. My head tilts, wondering who I should ride next. Fenris then grins as he lies beside me.

Athena smiles, “It is only natural you should ride on him next, little Aria.”

I smile and sit onto his back. Fenris slowly rises from the ground, as I cling to him. Both wolves then turn towards the entrance. I again look back out onto the gardens and to the city beyond. I smile, knowing why Celes loves this place so much, and hoping to come back here again.

I nod and lean over, gently patting Fenris. “Let’s get going, Papa Wolf.”

He smiles and the three of us take off. I look to Athena, smiling to her, still wondering what I was feeling from her earlier.