Nalusa Falaya stepped onto the path. A man Nitushi had never seen in his small village. A man...yet not a man. The closer Nalusa drew, the more Nitushi grew uneasy. He had arms and legs and a face like other men, but he was too tall. His ears were too pointed, his eyes were too small, his skin a little darker than others in his Nation.
The long black being—Nalusa Falaya? He’d been warned about the dark shadow spirit, like all Choctaw children. Nitushi threw down his small bow and arrow and ran.
But his legs were not full-grown with the length and span of a grown-up’s limbs. No way to win this race.
Nitushi darted into the underbrush. His small size could be an advantage. He’d use it to hide. Terrified, he glanced back but the strange man had disappeared. Nitushi panted, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. He’d never disobey his parents again. He’d never come alone into the woods at night again, he’d never...
A rustle broke through the din of his drumming heartbeat. Louder, closer, fast as an arrow. He looked down and gasped. The hugest snake he’d ever seen. It slithered S-shaped, rattling and deadly.
Nitushi was mesmerized, paralyzed by the small black eyes in its triangular face. Intelligent eyes. The eyes of Nalusa. He closed his eyes before the fangs pierced his flesh and poison invaded his veins like a thousand needles pricking his veins. A wisp hovered nearby, ready to claim Nitushi’s spirit.
April witnessed it all in an instant.
I will free you, Nitushi. All will be well. She was born for this. For wielding her Fae enchantment to soothe a distressed human soul—or a spirit if need be.
April concentrated, inhaling deeply. She exhaled, releasing a mixture of heat and coolness to penetrate the wisp’s orb, a ray of focus that penetrated through the vaporous wisp and to Nitushi.
Fly through the light. Hurry.
He did. The green heart pulsing of his spirit elongated to a thin shaft and he squeezed through the narrow beam of light April provided.
Swoop.
April released her breath. The green light in front of her transformed to a pure white that gleamed like a miniature star in the Alabama bayou. This time, the emanating images were of joy. Nitushi’s slender, boyish face alight with a grin. What a handsome lad he had once been.
Find your people, she urged softly. Your parents have been waiting for you in the After Life for a long, long time.
He nodded solemnly, and his eyes drifted upward, somewhere private and sacred to him. A place she could not see or enter.
Svshki. My mother. Ak. My father, he breathed.
The wisp shook, darkened. Aware its strength had escaped.
April flew backward, out of reach for its last moment of power. The wisp screeched, a rage-filled rushing of air that sounded like a punctured balloon collapsing. The bayou grew silent again. The other wisps continued on, uncaring that a fellow creature had died. That was the way of their world. A waiting and a battle. A taking or a releasing. Victory or defeat. And always, some form of death in the brew.
Hoklonote’s scent grew stronger, but not near enough to cause a panic. The old spirit was far too cunning to confront one fairy. And why should he when his goal was to suppress their entire realm? Besides, Hoklonote was a coward. Anyway, she was far too insignificant to matter.
But Chulah mattered.
April flew to the treetops, determined to help eliminate more of the wisps intent on Chulah’s destruction. Nitushi’s spirit flashed before her, climbing upward.
Yakoke. Thank you, he whispered. The white ball of light became a pinprick in the heavens.
At least she had helped one soul this evening.
But there was no time for quiet thanksgiving. Not with Chulah’s life in danger. Had the birds arrived yet?
April streaked forward. They had probably already dealt with the Ishkitini. Which left six wisps versus two humans. Those odds left her burning with fear. If she was quick enough, maybe she could take out one more before they attacked, even up the humans’ chances.
The wisps were almost upon Chulah and Tombi. April flew to the nearest, one with two trapped spirits. Inhale, exhale.
Whoosh.
Two white lights funneled out of the wisp. A brief glimpse of two adolescent girls, shining with hope as they ascended to their Land of the Spirits. Quickly, April rushed back, avoiding the gust of evil energy as the wisp burst and collapsed in on itself.
Five remained.
“Look out,” Chulah warned his friend. “Five incoming.”
Tombi moved until the men stood back to back. “I’ve got you covered.”
With speed and precision, they dug out rocks and loaded their weapons.
“How did they find us?” Chulah grumbled. “Haven’t seen this many at one time in months.”
“Me either. The Ishkitini had mostly disappeared, too, after Nalusa’s defeat. Until tonight.”
Chulah frowned. “If that fairy thing guided them to us...”
The accusation cut deep, but she ignored the pain, concentrating on what must be done. April darted closer and killed one more wisp before quickly flying off. To stay longer meant being unwittingly felled by the shadow hunters as they aimed at the wisps.
Chulah stared directly at her. But was blind. “I smell violets.”
She darted away. He needed to concentrate on the wisp attack, not her.
* * *
“This is no good. I’ve got a better plan,” Tombi said. He motioned with his hand. “We have time to flush them out. This way.”
Chulah ran, following him down the game trail, noiseless and unerring in the feeble sliver of moonlight. Only their supernatural shadow-hunting eyesight made it possible to see in such darkness. They had managed to lose the wisps, but they were still clearly in danger.
Tombi looked back over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing the same rustling,” Chulah whispered.
Tombi picked up the pace and Chulah guessed at his strategy. The trail ended at a large clearing. Dangerous to cross at night while being hunted.
“The noise has stopped,” Chulah said in a low, quiet voice.
Tombi held a finger to his lips and Chulah stood silent, straining to pick up any unusual sound.
It came.
A familiar whooshing of air broke the normal night sounds. The sound of a large flock of Ishkitini flying low. Yet another round of attack. They could outrun and hide from the wisps when outnumbered, but the damn birds could always spot them. And where the birds of the night flew, the wisps were sure to follow. Hoklonote sent them to wear down a hunter mentally and physically so that the wisps could easily finish the job when
