Page 71 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

“Wait, what did you say his name was again?” Raiden asks.

“Mael,” I reply.

The adrenaline from this whole situation, the fight or flight, the making friends with a very deadly creature, all of thatadrenaline is starting to wear off, and I am beginning to feel the fact that I am still soaking wet, and it’s still winter. I’m fucking cold, and my arm hurts like a bitch. The voices have been a lot easier to ignore recently since there haven’t been that many instances where I have been left alone with my thoughts. They are muttering now though, and I frown. It sounds like the same echo of a word, over and over again. I can’t make it out though, I never fucking can.

I focus harder.

I don’t think I have ever heard them behave like this, usually it sounds like so many voices all talking over the top of each other, and leaving me no way to hear a single word, but right now, they are all almost chanting the same word, over and over again. I can’t help but think that it’s because it is important.

I feel my eyebrows draw together; it’s right fucking there. I can almost hear it.

“I fucking knew I recognized it,” Raiden exclaims.

The voices slip away, becoming indistinct once again. I sigh but let it go. It has always been the same my whole life, I think I’m getting close to hearing them and then they slip away. The only exception has been when I heard Griff say run and then when I heard something when the guy touched me inappropriately in the bar.

“What?” Doc asks Raiden, “We’re going to need a little bit more information if we are going to understand what you are talking about.”

“Mael,” Raiden says, and I grin as Mael tilts his head to the side as he looks at Raiden, “his name means chief, right?”

Mael snorts, standing proudly and inclining his head.

“I’m going to assume that’s a yes,” Reed mutters.

River chuckles, and we all look at him questioningly.

“I just think it’s funny that out of all the kelpies that Neith could have decided to help, it just happened to be their leader,who she has clearly gained the trust and loyalty of already, which most likely means that the rest of the herd will follow his lead,” River explains.

I shake my head, “I don’t think so, he had to force the others back into the water so that they would stop trying to eat me and they definitely wanted to eat me.”

“That doesn’t mean that they won’t give you their loyalty,” Raiden says and then adds, “kelpies get into a kind of feeding frenzy that is difficult to come out of even if they want to. There is a really good chance that when they have calmed down, and you next meet them that, they are as friendly as Mael is, or at least tolerant of you.”

“Oh, well, that would be kind of cool,” I reply.

I shiver, the wind cutting through my wet clothes, as the tiredness of the last hours events settle in fully and I slump slightly on Mael’s back, he must sense the change in me somehow because he turns his head and glances back at me looking worried.

“Alright, Neith, I think we need to get you back to the house and warmed up. I’m worried about how much you are shivering,” Doc says.

His words have them all looking at me more closely and frowning.

“Warm sounds really good right now,” I admit. I look at the distance to the floor from where I’m sitting and add, “I’m not sure if I’m capable of launching myself off of Mael right now and landing on my feet and not my ass.”

As soon as I have finished the sentence, Mael ducks his front legs lowering himself so that I can slide off his back easily.

“Wow,” Ransom mutters.

Patting Mael on the neck, I say, “Thank you, friend. I need to head back to the house and get warm. I will come back and see you again soon though if that’s okay?”

Mael nods and then butts his head against my shoulder, asking for pets again. I happily give them and then watch in awe as he gallops back to the water, arching high in the air as he jumps and shifts back to his full kelpie form before he disappears underneath the water of the lake.

“So fucking cool,” I mutter. As I’m watching him, I realize that my sword has completely disappeared and I’m guessing that it has gone back to my room. I have no idea how it works, but I am incredibly glad that it turned up when it did. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it saved my life. Finally, turning around, I look at the guys and shrug, “So, that happened.”

Evander shakes his head as he takes off his jacket and walks toward me, draping it over my shoulders and wrapping an arm around me to keep me warm.

“Let’s get you home, Nene,” he says.

I don’t argue as we start to walk away from the lake and back through the woods.

“Hey Griff,” I start, and he turns to look at me, raising his eyebrow curiously, “I need a new phone.”

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