Beauty's Beast - By Jenna Kernan Page 0,81

you?”

Samantha nodded and looked away.

Should she tell her mother about the pregnancy? Somehow she knew that if she spoke her fears aloud, they would gobble her up. She pressed down the panic. But what if their souls were out there on the battlefield?

She had to go look. Maybe it was not too late. Maybe...

“There is much to do. The Naginoka have ceased retrieving souls. They say too much time has passed. The healers are working to save the injured, and your brother and I are seeing to the humans.”

Samantha sank back to the blankets. Too late. If they were out there they had already crossed. Samantha began to cry.

Her mother nestled her against her breast. “Oh, child. I know you are weak, but there are those who need us. Some of Nagi’s ghosts have taken possession of the wounded humans. We have to dispossess them.”

Samantha had waited all her life to be able to use her gifts. Now here was the chance, and she was too weak and heartsick to sit up. “I’m coming.”

She managed to sit up and swayed only slightly.

Her mother offered some water. Then she helped Samantha to her feet. Samantha, Blake and their mother headed for the battlefield.

“The buffalo are helping us but Sebastian called a halt. It is no longer safe, even for them. We have to accept that not all can be saved.”

“Are any of the Ghost Children still finding souls?” She clung to unreasonable hope, holding it like a soap bubble.

“No. Trying to save them will only kill the buffalo. We must help them cross over.”

Samantha walked unassisted to the battlefield and worked beside her mother, expelling evil ghosts with the help of her medicine wheel, which focused her dwindling energy.

“Like pulling dandelions,” said her mother. “Some of them are stubborn.”

Her mother’s smile faded when she looked carefully at her daughter.

“We’ll manage the rest,” she said.

Samantha shook her head, too weary to argue.

“Go to bed, Samantha, before you fall over,” her mother ordered, using the no-nonsense tone Samantha remembered well from childhood.

“I’m too old for you to order me to my room, Mother.”

They continued on past sunset, the Ghost Children, the Seers and the owls. The Ghost Children were clearly better at expelling evil ghosts, but too impatient to deal with the confused souls whose bodies were beyond retrieval and who needed assistance to find the Spirit Road. Expelling Nagi’s evil ghosts from human hosts did not draw any of their energy. In fact it seemed to give them strength.

The minutes and lives ticked away.

The Skinwalkers, now in human form, shepherded the frightened, confused humans up the hill to the Memory Walkers and Peacemakers, who would help them return to their lives without any recollection of this terrible day.

Samantha kept looking for Alon. When she found Aldara hurrying toward her, she rushed to meet her halfway.

“Is Alon all right?” asked Samantha.

“He is.”

Samantha felt a dizzying rush of relief, and some of the tension left her shoulders and neck.

Aldara’s eyes sought Blake, now speaking to his mother some thirty yards off.

“I came to see that you are all right,” said Aldara and then swept Samantha’s body with her gaze as if checking for injuries, lingering at her middle before meeting her eyes once more. The look was not sexual but certainly intrusive. Samantha frowned.

Aldara knew. Samantha was certain. She met the Ghostling’s eyes.

“Am I?” whispered Samantha.

Aldara nodded.

“They’re still here?” Samantha pressed both hands to her flat abdomen.

Aldara nodded. “I returned their souls myself.”

Samantha threw herself into Aldara’s arms and felt the Halfling stiffen.

She drew back. “Thank you, Aldara.”

“Don’t thank me yet. None of our mothers ever survived our births.”

“Humans.”

Aldara nodded. “But I would stay with you until your time to be certain you survive.”

Samantha smiled and squeezed Aldara’s hand. “Yes. I’d appreciate that.” She stared toward the Ghostlings’ camp. “Does he know?”

The quick shake of her head sent her feathery hair flying. “He’d come back if you tell him of the babies.”

Samantha looked away. “I won’t use them to hold him.”

Aldara’s gaze drifted back to Blake. “Tell your brother that I’ve finished my work here and I would like to see him before we go.”

Go?

Dread settled over Samantha as she realized what this meant. Alon had seen her safe and had seen her to her parents. His obligation was finished.

A buzz of apprehension grew in Samantha’s belly. What if he never came back?

Chapter 19

Alon had received Nicholas Chien in his tent and declined the offer to join the Skinwalkers at council the following evening,