Page 25 of Call of A Eagle

We were fated mates.

“Lyra,” he whispered. His voice sounded strained, like it was caught somewhere between guilt and desire. “There are things you need to know. For starters, who I am.”

My heart stalled.

Who he was?

What was that supposed to mean?

My confusion morphed into anger. I’d known better than to get involved with him. I’d sensed he was hiding somethingall along. Even though my owl and I couldn’t understand why we were so drawn to him, the doubts had always been there, swirling in the back of my mind.

“Then talk,” I demanded. “Tell me what I need to know. Tell me who you really are.”

I braced myself for some big revelation that would knock the wind out of me, but it didn’t come.

“I’m not a gardener.” He grinned, and I tried not to laugh.

That was his big secret? He wasn’t a gardener.

I could handle that.

He scratched at his neck. “I don’t know Jack about gardening.”

“Why did you take the job here, then? Why did you even show up pretending to be the guy Brody sent?”

“I didn’t.” He shook his head. “You assumed that’s who I was.”

I tried to think back to his first visit to the cabin. Had I just assumed he was the gardener Brody sent?

My eyes widened when I realized that I had.

“If you’re not a gardener, then what are you?”

“A zipline instructor. I work at Crescent Creek Ziplining,” he said, a crooked grin spreading across his face.

“Why did you pretend? You’ve worked in the garden beds for days. Did Granny pay you?” My last words sounded clipped.

“I pretended because I thought your grandmother was Maribel. I’m looking for her and came here on a lead. It wasn’t until after the first day in the garden that I realized she wasn’t who I was searching for, but by then I was already invested in helping the two of you with taming those jungles. My eagle wouldn’t let me leave even if I tried. Now, I know why.” A warm tenderness swirled through the color of his eyes. “And no, your grandmother is not paying me. She was milking the situation thewhole time, making sure I got the beds in order before she gave up any information about Maribel’s whereabouts.”

Shock rippled through me. “She knew you weren’t who you said you were?”

“She ran the real guy off an hour before I got here that morning.” He chuckled with a nod.

“Sounds like something she’d do.” I frowned. “So, who is this Xander guy? What’s his deal?”

“He’s dangerous. Not just to us, but to every shifter in Crescent Creek.”

A chill ran down my spine at his words and the way his entire demeanor changed. “What do you mean dangerous?”

“He’s possessed by the spirit of an evil shifter. One me and those in my crew thought we’d never have to face again. This spirit gives him the power to control a shifter’s mind, which isn’t a power anyone should have.”

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know,” Waylen admitted. “But what I do know is that he has to be stopped, this time for good. To do that, I need to find Maribel.”

“Maribel?” I echoed. “I’ve heard Granny mention her once or twice, but I don’t think they’re friends. She’s bought herbs from Granny before.”

“Maribel’s supposed to be a shaman, so that would make sense. Don’t you think?”

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