Alyse James
Alyse built up a padded seat for herself in the back of the buckboard with the blankets they had purchased on the train. She left the hard seat to her uncles. The sun had already begun to descend toward the mountains as they drove out of Denver. She knew they couldn't continue to travel after the sun set.
Two hours of dust and dirt covered Alyse’s dress before the team slowed down.
Bay said over his shoulder, “Alyse, you should see this.”
She came to her feet in the back of the wagon as she wiped the afternoon perspiration from her forehead. She put a hand on each of her uncles’ shoulders to steady herself as the team inched forward. In the middle of the road, several yards ahead, sat two large black wolves.
“They found us.” Alyse grinned and watched the wolves remain calm as the team approached. The horses ignored the animals as though they weren’t there.
Bernard stopped the wagon less than ten feet from the animals.
Alyse climbed down and hurried to her familiars.
One stood and began to slowly wag her tail back and forth. The other lay down on the road and rolled onto its back. She looked up at Alyse her tongue out of her mouth.
Alyse ignored Bernard's warning to be careful. She knew these creatures. She fell to her knees and hugged Anaïs and reached down to scratch Sabine's chest.
Alyse heard footsteps behind her. She glanced up at Bayard.
“Why aren’t they with Amy?” He knelt and scratched Sabine's neck.
“I don't know. Maybe they weren't comfortable, or maybe—”
Both animals pulled away and trotted several feet. When they stopped, they swung their heads back and looked at her and Bay.
“Maybe they thought we need their help more than Amy does,” Bayard finished.
“Let’s move on and find a place to camp,” Bernard called from the wagon seat.
This time, Alyse sat between her uncles on the seat so she could watch the wolves. They trotted ahead of the wagon, disappearing several times into the tall grass on either side of the road, only to reappear again ahead of the family's wagon.
The sun fell behind the mountains and left them in an odd twilight. In the sky above them, the clouds still reflected the sun's light in a kaleidoscope of ever changing colors. In the east, stars began to appear.
The decreasing visibility made it dangerous for them to continue. The wolves disappeared into the darkness ahead and could only be seen when they looked back at the wagon, their eyes reflecting the golden glow still shining above the mountaintops.
“We need to find a place to stop,” Bernard said again.
Both sets of glowing eyes turned back to them. The wolves had stopped. One stepped from the road while the other waited for the wagon. By the time Bernard halted the team, the second wolf had left the road.
Bayard jumped from the seat, crossed in front of the horses and followed the wolves into the growing darkness.
After several silent moments, movement alerted Alyse, and she pointed to the road ahead. “There he is.”
Bayard walked toward them along the road. He stopped beside Bernard. “There’s a campsite not far from the road. I’ll lead you in.”
Bern nodded and relaxed the reins.
Bay took hold of the bridging strap between the horses. He led them several paces before he left the road. They moved down a small incline, then turned and stopped on level ground.
Alyse blinked, but all light had gone. A slow stream made soft noise nearby, and when she looked up she could see stars.
Bayard moved, surefooted, in the darkness as he gathered firewood from the back of the wagon and crossed the campsite.
Alyse heard him stack the wood a couple of yards to her right.
“How can you see?” Bernard called.
“I can’t. It wasn't this dark when the familiars brought me here. There is a fire pit in the center. Be patient and I’ll get a fire started,” Bay replied.
“I didn't think to purchase a lantern,” Alyse commented as Bay struck a match and held it to the firewood. It glimmered for a moment then went dark.
“You were never any good at starting fires,” Bern commented.
“Then get down here and try,” Bay responded.
Alyse found herself alone on the wagon seat as she listened to her uncles argue about how best to start a fire.
“Just use your fire-skill.” Alyse called to them in the darkness.
They were both silent for a moment.
“We need fire to manipulate fire. It isn’t something we just create. You know that.” Bernard sounded frustrated.
Alyse grinned in the dark. “You have matches. I don’t understand the problem.”
“If you think you can start this fire, then come down here and do so,” Bernard retorted.
“She’s trying to help,” Bay told his brother.
She couldn’t see them, but the tone of their voices painted such a clear picture of their familiar faces and postures—she covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She cleared her throat. “I can do it from here.” Alyse bit down on a giggle. “Strike the match and stand away from the fire pit.” In the silence that followed, she heard Anaïs and Sabine pad away from the pit.
“Are you ready?” Bay’s voice.
“I am.” She heard the scratch and hiss of the match, and then she could see Bay's hand holding the small flame. Alyse put out her hand, and a portion of the flame jumped from the match-head to her hand. The tiny flame was warm and bright before her face.
Bay lowered his match to the pile of wood in the pit.
“I see it. Step back.” When Bay dropped the match and moved back, she tossed the flame from her hand toward the stack of wood. As it moved, she fed it air from all sides. The flame grew when it left her hand and sailed across the camp. The fireball ignited the wood with a whoosh as it landed in the pit.
“Oh, good job!” Bay watched the fire grow as she continued to feed it air.
“Not too big,” Bernard cautioned.
Immediately, the tower of fire dropped to a small steady campfire.
“Now you’re just showing off.” Bay grinned at her.
Bern shook his head as he unhitched the team and walked them down to the water. When Bern brought the horses back, he hobbled them, and Bayard put their feedbags on.
Alyse brought the basket of food to the fire and sat on a large stone near the pit. She handed sandwiches and apples to her uncles. She watched the fire and listened to her uncles talk about tomorrow while she ate. When she finished, she brought her blanket near the fire and pillowed her head on her arm.
Anaïs and Sabine lay down beside her, one behind her back and one by her thighs, just like when they were cats. She scratched them deep through their thick fur.
Her uncles’ conversation turned to how they would begin to train Amy, and how Amy’s people might react to their skills.
When Alyse opened her eyes again, the sky was the soft gray color of impending dawn. She curled her feet and arms into the warm fur of the two wolves. Positioned on either side of her, they kept the chill away.
Embers from their fire had reduced to ash. She could see her uncles huddled under their blankets in the morning chill. They had burned all the wood last night, and although she could take a flame from the matches, she knew it would be short lived without a fuel source. Using her own energy to sustain the flame would tax her strength.
Instead, she pushed Anaïs off her blanket and got up. She walked along the stream to a few denser bushes and took care of some pressing business. When she returned to the camp, both of her uncles were awake.
Bay shook out and folded his blanket, and then picked up the campsite.
Bernard walked the horses down to the stream to drink their fill before he hitched them to the wagon.
Both the wolves had disappeared.
“Where did Anaïs and Sabine go?” she asked Bayard as she shook and folded her covering.
“Dunno.” Bay took her blanket on his way to the wagon. “I thought they were with you.”
In short order, the three travelers were back on the road heading east. The early chill fled as soon as the sun rose in the sky, and by midmorning they shed their greatcoats. Alyse continued to look for her familiars, but they never appeared.
They passed an abandoned ranch before noon.
“Is that the ranch?” Bernard asked.
Alyse shook her head. It didn’t look as though anyone had been there for several days.
The road swung east of the ranch, turned north and began a slow incline. About an hour later, another house came into view.
“Is this it, Alyse?” Bay pointed to the ranch house ahead of them.
Anaïs and Sabine trotted into the road from either side and preceded the family toward the turn off to the drive.
Bernard followed the wolves up the drive and slowed the team to an easy stop just before they reached the yard.
The wolves trotted forward a few more feet then stopped and sat.
There were several horses in the corral. An older man brushed one of them down. When he caught sight of their wagon, he called across the yard to someone beyond the side of the house.
A tall cowboy rounded the back of the house. He waved to the old man in the corral and headed toward the wagon. He paused for a moment when he spotted the wolves, then his gaze lifted to the people in the wagon and settled on Alyse. He walked between the wolves who turned their heads to watch his progress, but otherwise remained still. At the front of the wagon, he stopped and regarded Alyse.
“I've seen your wolves before.” He lifted his hands and touched both horses. They bumped his hands in recognition. “And I recognize our horseflesh.” He patted their necks and returned his gaze to Alyse. “I would, however, doubt my own eyes when it comes to you, miss.”
Alyse caught her breath. His brown eyes were somehow both ancient and familiar. She shook her head once and realized her lips had parted. She clamped her teeth together and sucked air in through her nose, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from his.
“I've never seen her at a loss for words, have you, Bern?” Bay chuckled.
Bernard didn't answer. Instead, he spoke to the giant of a man before him. “We’re looking for my niece, Amy Harris.”
A shadow of a smile crossed the man’s face as he scratched the horse’s ears. “I could have guessed that. My name’s Jimmy Leigh,” he said to Alyse. “I'm the foreman for The Harris-Highlands. If I know Amy, she’s been expecting you.”
Another cowboy hurried across the yard to the wagon. He stopped short when he saw the wolves.
“They won't hurt you,” Bayard called to the cowboy.
Alyse snapped her fingers, and the wolves looked at her. “Anaïs. Sabine. Let him pass.”
The animals stood and padded past the wagon and continued down the drive toward the road.
The cowboy watched them trot away as he approached the wagon and took the bridging strap from Jim. “Those wolves are just unnatural.” He tipped his hat to Alyse. “Ma'am.”
Bay and Bern climbed down from the wagon.
Alyse gave her hand to Bay, and he helped her from the wagon seat. As soon as she set foot on the ground her head came up, and she turned toward the porch.
Amy opened the front door. She wore a bright yellow day dress with satin insets and matching shoes. Her auburn hair was pinned in a loose bun, like their mother’s.
Alyse’s hair hung in two dusty braids, her sturdy, dark blue farm dress, stained and worn from a week of traveling. Her shoes were low-heeled work boots, and on her head, she wore a man’s bowler hat.
We are as different as night and day, and yet, we’re identical.
Alyse left Bay’s side and stepped onto the porch.
Amy caught her breath. Her hand trembled as it rose to her mouth. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “I didn't think you were real until I saw you on the train.” Her voice shook, and she covered her mouth with both hands to silence a sob.
“Amy,” Alyse said with a tearful smile. “Sister.” Her throat closed with emotion.
“Alyse,” Amy replied and opened her arms.
The sisters fell into each other’s embrace.
The sound of boots approaching across the wooden porch drew them apart.
Alyse looked down, her hands still on Amy’s shoulders. “I’ve gotten dust on your pretty dress.”
“It’s just a dress.” Amy shook her head as their gazes met again. “It’s almost like looking in the mirror in my mind, only now, instead of seeing a reflection of me, I see you.”
“Is that what you see when we twyne—a mirror?”
Amy nodded. “You don’t?”
“Not always. The first time, when you were in the box—I saw through your eyes.”
Amy’s brows rose, and she shook her head.
Jason came out the door and stopped behind Amy. His eyes widened as he stared at Alyse.
“I saw him, too.” Alyse nodded to Jason “When he pulled you from the box.”
Amy stepped back. “Jason, this is my sister, Alyse Prescott. Alyse, my husband, Jason Harris.”
Alyse held out her hand. “Alyse James, and it’s nice to finally meet you.” She glanced at Amy and saw her blush, and a grin crept across Alyse’s face.
Bayard held out his hand to Jason. “I’m Bayard James, their uncle.” He looked at Amy. “You can call me Uncle Bay.” He dropped Jason’s hand and swept Amy into a hug. “I never met, Amylia. I was gone with Alyse before you were born.” He stepped back and pointed at his approaching brother. “Your Uncle Bernard now, you might remember him.” Bayard grinned and winked at Amy. “He stayed with your Mum until you were born, and then came to the farm with your grandmother.”
Bernard hopped the step and stood beside his brother. “Bernard James.” He shook Jason’s hand and turned to Amy. “My brother thinks he’s quite funny. Hello, sweetheart.” He gave Amy a gentle hug.
Jason looked between the brothers, then turned and looked at Amy and Alyse. “Two sets of identical twins.” He raised an eyebrow at Bernard. “What are the chances?”
“At least once each generation, or so it seems. Best prepare yourself.” Bay winked at Jason and grinned at Amy.
Jim followed Bernard onto the porch. “Kelly will see to your team. We’ll work out a sleeping arrangement and move your trunks later.”
“Please, come in,” Amy motioned to the crowd on the porch. She took Alyse’s hand and drew her into the house.
Inside, Alyse tried not to gawk at Amy’s home. The polished staircase and fine furnishings in this house made her home seem rustic and worn by comparison. Although her uncles crafted this quality of furnishings, she would never have such things for herself. Voices from beyond the dining room caught her attention. A petite blonde woman gave instructions to another, before lifting her head and turning toward the entry.
“She must be your husband’s sister,” Alyse guessed. “Their resemblance is striking.”
Amy shook her head. “Nichole is my cousin by marriage. You don’t recognize her?”
Alyse watched the woman approach, crystal blue eyes above a warm smile. “No. Should I?” She glanced at Amy.
Amy whispered, “We healed her—well, you did.”
“Welcome. Please, come in. I’ve asked Jeanne to bring refreshments.” Nichole paused and looked between the sisters, delight in her eyes. “I’m Nichole.” She held out her hand to Alyse.
Alyse took Nichole's hand.
She’d had no heartbeat, no breath of life. Beaten so badly, she’d been unrecognizable.
“Alyse James. I’m pleased to meet you.”
Nichole tipped her head to Alyse, grinned at Amy, and then introduced herself to Bay and Bern.
“There are refreshments on the table, please, come inside and have a seat.” Nichole ushered her guests into the dining room. “My husband has taken his guests on a tour of the ranches, but they will be back before supper.”
Jim circled the table and stopped beside Nichole. “Have you thought about where Amy’s family will sleep?” He poured a glass of water and offered it to Alyse, then poured two more and pushed them down the table toward the brothers. “The only empty beds at The Highlands are in the bunkhouse.”
Nichole looked from Jim to Amy. “No. The bunkhouse won’t do. June is at one end, and Bill and Kelly on the other.”
“What about—The Shilo?” Amy offered tentatively.
Nichole raised her brows. “Not a bad idea. Let's discuss it with Merril at dinner. It’s up to him, but I don't see why he would mind.”
“Would this be the abandoned ranch we passed on the way here?” Bernard asked.
“Yes, it is,” Nichole replied. “It’s been empty a little over a week. In fact, everything you would need is still there—beds, bedding, linens—”
“You need to tell them why the ranch is deserted,” Jason interrupted. “They may not want to sleep there."
“Why was it abandoned?” Bay asked.
Nichole exchanged a brief glance with Jason, then turned to Bayard. “The Shilo is my husband's ranch. Over the last few weeks, there have been three tragic deaths there.”
“Horrific deaths, not caused by accidents.” Jason looked from Nichole to Bayard. “Two were murders, and one a suicide.”
“My goodness, that’s awful,” Alyse murmured. “Were they close to you?”
“Yes. My husband’s family,” Nichole explained. “His father, his brother, and his father’s companion.”
Alyse drew breath between her teeth and faced Nichole. “I am so sorry,”
“Our condolences, also.” Bernard exchanged glances with his brother and Alyse. “However, the deaths at your ranch wouldn’t be an impediment to our staying there.”
“Bern’s right.” Bayard nodded. “In fact, we would be happy to cleanse the house of any negativity that remains.”
“You can do that?” Jason folded his arms and arched an eyebrow.
“Of course.” Bay lifted his shoulders. “You should cleanse any house you move into, especially if you didn’t build the home yourself. It’s a wise precaution, and allows you to begin well in your new abode.”
“Huh.” Jason rubbed his hand across his mouth and looked at the brothers.
“Alyse, would you like to bathe and change before dinner?” Amy asked.
“That sounds heavenly.” Alyse grinned. “I’ll need to get a few things from my trunk.
“You won’t need a thing.” Amy assured her. “I guarantee we wear the same size.”
“Why don’t I give your uncles a tour.” Jim offered. “I could show them around a bit before dinner.”
“That sounds good.” Bay smiled at Jim. “After dinner, we’ll have plenty to discuss.”