A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,53

had hit branches as I fell. It was going to take longer to get back than I had been anticipating.

At least my swans had reappeared, although they flew too high above us for me to question them. I cast frequent glances upward as we walked until they flew out of sight. No doubt they knew we could easily find our way back now that we were on the road.

None of them looked injured, as far as I could tell, and with that worry abated, my mind turned inescapably to our encounter with the bear and the strange sights in the clearing before that. I went over and over them in my mind, trying to make sense of it. And I didn’t like anything that occurred to me.

In unspoken agreement, we bypassed Brylee, making straight for my lake. I didn’t have time to stop at the haven anyway, and Gabe seemed determined to see me all the way back. I wished he would break off and return to the town, but I didn’t bother suggesting it. His presence might make me uncomfortable, but even I had to admit we needed to talk about what we’d just seen. And my lake was the only place we could do that.

I would just have to make it clear he wasn’t welcome to spend the night. It was far too dangerous now that I realized how much I wanted him near me.

We reached the lake just as dusk was falling. Despite Gabe’s gentle coaxing, my pace had slowed considerably, and only the fear of falling short drove me the final distance. I was utterly exhausted and everything hurt.

My swans were already on the lake when we arrived, and they all swam for the shore, waddling up to crowd around me.

“Thank you,” I told them, stroking each of their heads in turn. “You saved us.”

They honked and squeaked, sounding pleased with themselves. Stormy went so far as to preen, until Eagle nearly nipped her wing. I laughed and knelt down to wrap my arms around them.

“Please thank them for me, too,” Gabe said from several steps away.

“Gabe thanks you, as well,” I diligently repeated, and Snowy and Sweetie broke off from our little huddle to approach him, bumping against his legs.

He smiled and knelt on one knee, running gentle hands down their necks and along their backs.

“Aren’t you elegant ladies?” he said, and they both butted him gently with their heads in response.

He grinned up at me, and for an unthinking moment I grinned back at him. But I turned my head away quickly. I couldn’t let myself be lured into dropping my guard just because he was kind to my friends.

Chapter 16

I continued to murmur to the swans until darkness fell fully, and I felt the subtle pressure inside me lift. Then I stood, turning reluctantly to Gabe as the swans dispersed back to the lake.

He had been busy with something, but I had been keeping my head averted. Now I could see the small fire he had built by my shelter. He blew the first small spark into life and soon had it burning merrily. My body pulled me toward it, and I sank onto my pallet, sighing with relief at both the warmth and the release of being off my feet. My mind fixated on the flames for a moment before being drawn inexorably back to a different lake. I looked up and found Gabe watching me.

“What was that today?” I asked, breaking the silence. “I can’t say that’s what I expected to find.”

“No.” Gabe gave a rueful smile. “I’d like to think we would have been smart enough to avoid being chased by a bear if we’d realized ahead of time what we were walking into.”

I slowly shook my head, reliving the terrifying moments.

“I didn’t even get a chance to draw my sword.” I smiled reluctantly. “Which actually might be for the best—I’m a little rusty in truth.”

“You brought a better defense with you, as it turned out,” Gabe said. “I don’t like to think what would have happened without your swans.”

“I never expected them to intervene like that. I’m just so relieved none of them were hurt.”

“Did you get the impression the bear wasn’t particularly interested in hurting them?” Gabe asked. “Like there was…I don’t know…some sort of connection between them?”

I frowned. “It did seem odd the way they just landed on that lake as if the whole area wasn’t filled with predators. And the other animals didn’t seem particularly interested