Fate & Fortune: Stallion Ridge #6 Page 5

  Sky shook his head. “There’s a herd of Tech’ta, or Nightmares, just northeast of here. A family was attacked making their way towards town. I need to find a way to start pushing them back.”

  “Goddess.” Quellin shivered. “If you need a hand, I’d be happy to help, darling.” He rested his hand on his belt, his silver daggers catching the light as he moved his fingers. While the assassin’s weapons and fighting skill would be a priceless asset when it came to keeping them safe and alive, Sky knew that even a Widow couldn’t outrun an angry Tech’ta.

  “It’s not safe for anyone to be on the ground near them. I need someone with wings,” Sky explained.

  Victor lifted his hand and gave a salute with one finger. “I can help with that.”

  “These animals are very dangerous. They’re territorial and will try and kill you if they catch you.” Sky hoped that the threat would be enough to sway the copper-eyed stranger, but Victor raked his fingers through his hair as he casually shrugged.

  “I won’t let them catch me then.”

  “I don’t think you’re going to get a lot of volunteers, Sky,” Quellin added. “You know how thin the law is stretched these days.”

  Of course Sky knew. He saw the exhaustion in their eyes each time he spoke to them. He did his very best to pick up the pieces and keep problems off of their plate. The Tech’ta wasn’t something they would be able to spare someone for, even if the threat was very real.

  Sky gave Victor a nod. “When can you leave?”

  Victor’s smile was bright in the morning sun. “Let me change, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  Quellin parted ways with them as Victor led Sky back to the carnival’s train cars. Since they were not planning on leaving town for some time, the cars had been moved to the side tracks to allow passenger trains to come and go. The construction of the main tents was still fully underway, each member of the team pulling their weight.

  Victor pushed one of the smaller car doors aside, the door sliding on rails like cargo cars often did. Inside, the small but comfortable living space was decorated in small lanterns hung over a simple hammock, a case of books tucked into the corner, a trunk of clothing half open, and a skylight in the roof to allow the sunshine in. It wasn’t anything luxurious or impressive, but the space was a small pocket of comfort just big enough for him.

  Victor didn’t need much to be happy, it seemed. Just some books, a place to sleep, and sunshine.

  Sky watched the bustling around the camp while Victor shed the clothing he was wearing, replacing the black jacket and pants with a pair of loose, dark gauze pants with a wrap around the waist. Attached to his hip was a revolver with a worn handle.

  Naked from the waist up, Victor’s tanned skin soaked up the sunlight, highlighting the strength displayed on his chest and arms. His ember strands of hair danced in the wind as he tossed them over his shoulder.

  “Ready?” Victor asked as he slid his car door shut again. Sky flexed his other side forward, letting his wings spread and taloned feet dig into the earth. Victor’s shift was much more fluid since his body was born with the ability to change, the bones in his body not snapping or creaking with the movement between forms. His skin didn’t pull, only slid and repositioned as giant, beautiful, feathered wings unfolded from his shoulder blades.

  Their color was the same auburn hue as his hair, the deep reddish brown melting into brighter reds that flared into sharp yellows. Sky couldn’t help but be impressed by his large wings as they stretched out, the underside of his wings flashes of red and amber like a roaring flame.

  “I’m not familiar with your species,” Sky admitted. “I don’t think I’ve met one of you before.”

  “The wings didn’t give it away?” Victor winked. “I’m a Phoenix.”

  Sky furrowed his brows as he looked over the smoldering wings. “I thought Phoenixes were made of flames. Or is that an old legend?”

  “A very old legend. Older than most known history. I can’t make my wings sprout flames, though that would make for a pretty amazing act.”

  It took more willpower than Sky realized in order to tear his eyes away from Victor’s wings. The man was already attractive enough as a human. His winged form was brutally stunning.

  “Let’s go.” Sky refused to look his direction again as he pushed off into the sky, pulling his focus back to the task at hand.

  Chapter Five

  Stretching his wings felt amazing.

  Victor hadn’t been able to fly in days, and feeling the wind under his wings was a breath of fresh air. The wide expanse of the area was stunning to soar over, with massive, painted plateaus and vast stretches of wilderness. While most of the area was flat and open around the marbled rock formations, dense forests were pressed back against small streams that bled into a massive river. The crisp air was cool and fresh as they flew, filling Victor’s lungs with the gentle scent of earth and distant water.

  Each flying creature had its own unique way of travelling the wind, and Sky was no different. He was as comfortable soaring through the sky as much as any naturally born shifter, his raven-black wings strong and elegant as they carried him. The sun brought out the deep hidden sapphire coloring to his feathers, and his long hair scattered in the strong wind that slipped over his back.

  “Do you know how big the herd is?” Victor asked as he flew beside him, slightly staggered in their formation so their wings didn’t clash when they needed to flap.

  “My guess is twenty, but I haven’t seen them all together yet. Only tracks and the alpha travelling with its betas.” Sky scanned the horizon with his sharp, golden eyes. Their brown color had melted into pale gold during his shift, making his gaze all the more intense and focused. “If we can determine their territory, we’ll know which areas are safe and possibly try and push them back.”

  “How do you push back a herd of territorial, carnivorous animals?” Victor asked, but Sky shook his head.

  “I’m not sure. But if we don’t try, they’ll just get destroyed.”

  Normally, the response to animals causing a disruption of modern life was to force them to conform or cut them down. It had become such an ordinary practice that Victor was surprised to hear that Sky’s plan involved actually helping the animals instead of fighting them. A small slice of guilt cut into him at realizing he assumed they would be shooting at the things, not plotting their salvation.

  It felt good to be helping, even if he wasn’t terribly sure they could save a herd of Nightmares.

  “They’re probably just hungry and expanding out to find food,” Victor supplied, following Sky as he dived down closer to the ground. “I’m sure the town has impacted their hunting.”

  “There.” Sky pointed at heavy hoofprints pushed into the dirt, leading southwest. He tilted his wings to change direction. “They’re following the forest line.”

  “There’s a stream in that forest. I saw it from above.” Victor followed Sky as he made his way towards the forest, the tracks lining up with their flight pattern. The forest was thick with tall trees, some of which were giant beasts that climbed high with thick branches and dark leaves. Sky made a slow circle over the forest, following the stream as it bled into part of the northern river.

  Victor followed Sky onto a branch of a tree, overlooking the view of the creek mouth, which was surrounded by giant, horse-sized animals. The ancient tree they stood on reached several stories into the air, too high up for the Nightmares to register their scent. Instead, they drank from the water while a couple foals splashed around, nipping at each other's heels.

  “From a distance, they almost look like stocky horses.” Victor watched them, their hides a mix of wild horse colorings with long manes, thick tails, and strong legs. Their powerful forelimbs were vicious, with massive claws and powerful muscles. When one of the animals yawned, its massive jaws opened wide, flashing rows of dagger teeth and a curling tongue.

  Victor squatted down on the branch to keep his balance. Sky’s talons gripped the bark without any issues, his posture straight and alert, like a falcon ready to strike.

  “There are three generations in that herd,” Sky mused softly. “The older Tech’ta have white around their hooves.”

  “Do they mean something to your tribe?” Victor turned his attention to Sky as he asked the question, curious about the man’s past. Sky kept his gaze on the animals below, his wings pressing into his back.

  “All animals mean something to Natives.”

  “I didn’t mean offense,” Victor added. “I’m just curious about your folklore.”

  Sky took a silent breath and exhaled slowly. “Tech’ta are viewed as guardians of horses and deer. Anything with hooves, they don’t eat. They’ll protect them from wolves and bears because to them, they’re still part of their herd. Even if they’re not Tech’ta.”

  “Maybe we can get some fake hooves made. You think we can fool them?” Victor smirked.

  “Maybe.” Sky looked his way. “If you know how to speak to them.”

  “Can you?” Victor raised his eyebrows.

  Sky shook his head. “I’m connected to birds, but some of us whose animal side is aligned with the Tech’ta, like horse, deer, and buffalo Skinchangers, can communicate with them. They kept tribes safe, and we returned the favor.”

  Victor studied him a moment, taking in Sky’s steady gaze and the melodic, rich tone of his voice. “I can see why saving them is so important to you. Did they protect your tribe?”

  Sky turned his sights back to the Tech’ta below, then scanned the tree line. “Let’s see if we can find more of their tracks. We need to map their territory.” Before Victor could apologize for overstepping, Sky pushed off the tree and took flight, heading down river.

  It was impressive to witness someone so intimately familiar with the landscape tracking down clues of the animal’s migration. He could spot the smallest details, from the tracks left on the ground to the patterns of broken branches. Sky knew this area like it was his own skin. Like he had always been in this stretch of earth.

  He had to have been part of a tribe at one point, but there was no trace of any neighboring Natives in the area that Victor could tell. Nor did Sky bring up any tribes that might be nearby. It was just him and the wildlife beyond Stallion Ridge.

  When they finally stopped for food after hours of flying, Victor helped Sky clean some fish he had caught in the stream and get a fire going to cook with. The heat of the sun was blocked by the swaying branches of the trees near the creek, the shadows dancing in the soft wind. Since they weren’t sure if the Tech’ta would travel upstream, they made sure to eat on a cliffside so they wouldn’t be within attack range.

  “You seem to be well liked by the mayor and the badges in town,” Victor brought up as they cooked their catch. The fish weren’t giant, but they were good size for a light lunch. Sky listened to the birds singing in the trees, his eyes focused on the fire.

  “They’re good people. I respect their dedication to the town.”

  “Have you known them a long time?” Victor stretched his legs out while his wings rested against his back. Sky simply gave a nod and moved his eyes from the fire to the trees, watching the birds bounce to different branches. He didn’t watch them like a human admiring the wildlife, but like a caged bird watching his cousins flying free.

  “How long have you been with the carnival?” Sky asked, his gaze still following the birds. Victor hummed and counted back.

  “Six or seven years now. Celestine found me doing my card tricks in New Haven trying to make enough change to eat and offered me a roof over my head and food if I did my tricks for his carnival. That’s how he found most of us.” Victor shrugged as Sky looked his way. “Collectively, we’re all little forgotten pieces that make up a whole show.”

  “You were an orphan?” Sky’s question wasn’t much of one, more of a fact being stated with the mask of a question.

  “Who isn’t these days?” Victor chuckled humorlessly. “The family I have now is more than enough. When you don’t have blood family, the ones you gather up along the way are much stronger, don’t you think?”

  Sky rotated the fish they were cooking over the fire before he changed subjects. “Can you do real magic or just sleight of hand?”

  Victor clicked his tongue. “I’m not so sure I should give away my act, Sky.”

  “I think you just did.” A ghost of a smirk played on Sky’s lips as Victor laughed.

  “I’m not naturally magic like some. Phoenixes are in tune with the unseen magic. We can follow the threads of fate, pass into dreams, and are supposed to be able to channel oracle visions to interpret the future.”

  Sky studied him for a moment, his eyes brown since he was sitting in his human form. “You don’t believe in your species’ abilities?”

  “I believe maybe some can,” Victor corrected. “But I can’t. Neither could my mother, even though she had faith in our flock’s ways until her death. I was raised being taught all the customs of our fortune telling family—tarot cards, bone readings, ash drawing, dream walking, and guided meditation through realms. The most I got from it was a collection of cards, bone shards, and a vast knowledge of which herbs you can smoke to get extremely high.”

  Sky gave a huff of a laugh, a small exhale through his nose that mimicked the sound. His eyebrows ticked up just a fraction. “Want to know about the local herbs?”

  “I might need that for spiritual connections.” Victor winked, and Sky dared to let a bit of a smile peek through. The birds above them chittered away, fluttering around in anxious movements.

  “Do you believe in fate?” Sky asked after his attention went back to the singing creatures above.

  Before yesterday, Victor could have answered the question without hesitation. The image of the three cards laying across the table in front of Sky flashed in his mind, oddly mirroring the ones from so many years ago.

  The Centaur, The Lovers, Death.

  “I don’t know.” Victor leaned his head back to watch the birds. “Maybe not fate but echos. Like reverberations of actions bouncing back. We can ignore them or follow the sound into the unknown.”

  Sky titled his head. “Do you hear anything?”

  “Right now? Just birds.” Victor watched a pair of birds bouncing around each other, almost like they were playing a game of tag across the branch. “What are they singing about?”

  “It’s the end of summer. They can feel the shift in the seasons in the cool air and deep in their bones,” Sky explained softly. “They’re singing about their travels. About where they’re going. It’s the song they also sing before they leave.”

  “Do they always sing the same song?” Victor moved his eyes from the birds to Sky, watching the man’s stony features soften around his eyes.

  “Yes,” Sky said. “It’s always the same song. But who sings it changes every year. The flock that leaves today will come back different. Voices will be missing. New ones take their place. They always invite me to go with them, and I always tell them next time.”

  “Why don’t you ever go with them?” Victor asked gently. Sky shut his eyes and gave another small huff of a laugh.

  “I don’t know how to fly with a flock.”

  Chapter Six

  It was hard to focus on performing after the day with Sky.

  They flew for hours tracking down the Tech’ta tracks, mapping out a rough area of where their territory was. The animals claimed a wide stretch of land, bleeding into the creek all the way up to the river. Sky had been right about their size, twenty strong with two of them having young foals. Whatever had driven them to the area had done so hard enough for them to stick, and they didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave.

  The cagey Native had been tightfisted about sharing anything about himself, but Victor couldn’t help but be fascinated anyway. His silent grace and reverence for the land made him seem so sage and wise, which made his rare slice of humor surprising and delightful. There was no mistaking the sorrow that cloaked him like a dark shadow, and Victor felt a tug of sadness knowing the man hadn’t come back into town with him.

  Instead, he had flown off alone once they were done scouting for the day, declining Victor’s offer to introduce him to the rest of the crew. He didn’t strike Victor as a shy man by any means, but he sure as hell was private.

  “You look contemplative. It doesn’t suit you,” Fei teased as she slithered over to Victor with a grin, her jade-green scales catching the light of the nearby lantern.

  The sun had settled in for the night, and the street lamps were reflected on her scales like tiny, polished mirrors. Her long, black hair was pulled into a bun behind her head, ribbons of bright red trailing down her shoulders from where they held her hair in place. Her dress hugged her curves, the sleeves short to show more of her strong arms, and the gold accents were swirls of stitched snakes dancing.

  “I can’t have deep thoughts?” Victor side-eyed her in feigned offense, slipping his cards away as he packed up his table.

  “The deepest thought you have is how to get cheap beer and a warm body for your bed.” She narrowed her pale green eyes, the pupils small slits since she was in her Lamia form. “You’re not a complicated man, Marigold.”

  “Well, we can’t all be mysterious coils of majesty and elegance, my darling.” He made sure the sarcasm was thick as he spoke, laughing as she slapped him playfully on the ass with the tip of her tail.

  “Be grateful I love you, or you’d be dead.” She looped her arm with his. “Now escort me to the saloon. I want to watch the burlesque show.”

  “You haven’t seen it yet?” Victor was genuinely surprised. “You’ve been talking about seeing Scarlet Rose since we left Worthington.”

  “I didn’t have a date.” She pouted her lip out. “Aggie said she wouldn’t go with me, and Celestine will just try and recruit him.”