Trickster s Girl - By Hilari Bell Page 0,58

if he is an arrogant jerk."

The old woman's warm laugh rang out once more. "I'd have said 'arrogant young fool.' But as for leaving him, he's the one who sent me to guide you until he can rejoin us. So don't feel badly about leaving him behind. You look exhausted, poor girl. The police have set their trap on the road ahead - they're not looking for you until just before Hope Lake. We can camp right here tonight."

***

Not having lived on it for over a week, Otter Woman dug into peanut butter and crackers with relish. "This nut stuff is very nourishing. I've never eaten it before. And you'll need the energy, my girl. We've got to go a long way back for the tree calling."

"Back?" Kelsa, who'd been folding up the tent, turned to stare. "I can't go back through Deese Lake; the police may be looking for me. Why should we go back?"

"I can take you around the town," the old woman told her. "But we've got to go back. The best place to call on trees, and all the living green of this world, lies on the other side of that ... what is it called, Bug Pass? There are other places along the ley where you could call on trees, but the ancient grove is ... well, it's special. I can't think why Raven took you past it."

"We were arguing." Kelsa fought down a pang of guilt. "He may have thought I couldn't focus, or something."

"Perhaps that's it." The old woman nodded wisely. "But it's still the best place for the calling of trees, so back we go. Don't worry about the police. As I said, they're not looking on the road yet."

Kelsa wondered how she knew. Perhaps this Eagle was scouting for her, or some other ally. Unlike Raven, Otter Woman would be smart enough to accept help. Still...

"I'd rather keep moving north," Kelsa said. "If we go back, it will give those bikers more time to catch up."

Her skin crawled at the thought. The old woman might be smarter than Raven, but fighting against a biker gang, Kelsa would rather have a strong young man on her side. Of course, Otter Woman might be able to be a strong young man if she chose to.

"The bikers? Oh." Angry contempt swept over the wrinkled face. "Don't concern yourself with those useless creatures. They're probably still groaning over their hurts and hiding their precious drugs on the other side of the border. They're no match for me."

Raven wasn't the only one with an arrogant streak, but in this case Kelsa found it reassuring. "Well, if the best nexus is behind us ... All right. How are we going to get around Deese Lake?"

***

It turned out to be easier than Kelsa expected, though it took a long time. The old woman guided her for almost a mile through the brush-choked tangling woods to a fishing trail that followed the Cottonwood River, and then ran along the far shore of Deese Lake itself. It was even slower going than the potholed road, but Kelsa was accustomed to wrestling her bike over mountain trails. She was almost sorry when, in the late afternoon, the old woman instructed her to turn onto one of the paths that led back to the Cassiar Highway.

Kelsa rode back up the other side of Gnat Pass, taking the stretch where she'd blown out her tire at a cautious crawl.

It felt wonderful to reach the place where the new paving began, to increase speed till the wind tugged at her clothes, and to sweep around the curves. For once, the road was dry.

It was just past dinnertime when the old woman tapped her shoulder.

"Slow down!" Her voice was as thin as a bird's, and she shouted over the wind. "We're almost there."

Kelsa slowed obediently. There was still no traffic to speak of.

The small white sign, Ancient Forest Trail, was so unobtrusive Kelsa wasn't surprised she'd missed it before.

There wasn't even a paved parking area beyond the shoulder, but a swath of rocky earth had been graded out of the base of the hill, and Kelsa pulled the bike over and stopped.

It wasn't raining, but when she took her helmet off the air was soft with moisture, caressing her skin like Joby's baby fingers. Her hair would frizz up like a clown's in this much humidity. Stupid as it seemed, she was glad Raven wouldn't be there to see it.

The old woman dismounted the bike