Chapter 14
Cole kneeled briefly at the spot where Tes had died. The familiar sense of touching but not feeling – as if he was wearing thick mittens – had restored itself, giving him no cause to doubt that he was once more in limbo.
This part of the castle was quiet and deserted. The three pyres had burned down; leaving nothing but smoke and some ashes that still glowed. Imagining Phoebe tied to one of the stakes; imagining her burning, he had scowled severely at them. It made him doubly grateful that Tes had been there.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I'm sorry it had to end this way. It wasn't how I planned it."
"And do you often find that all your plans are working just as you planned them?"
"Well, there was a time before I fell in love with this witch…" He turned around and smiled a big, glittering smile at the mischievous eyes regarding him. "Tes."
"Cole." Her tongue lolled out and next second she was all over him – much like any domestic canine – tail wagging so fast it was whipping up tiny whirlwinds in the ashes. "Did we make it?" She butted her head below his arm to make him hug her.
"Depends on what you mean by 'make it'. We helped save Christmas, and Phoebe is on her way home –safe – thanks to you."
"I sense a 'but' in there."
"We made it, but we didn't make it." He gave her a wan smile. "I'm sorry, Tes."
"Why? I'm not. Now we can always be together in limbo. This is limbo, right?"
He nodded. "Yes, and you're here only because you haven't moved on yet."
"So where are we going?" She took a couple of excited leaps away from him, inviting him to play.
"Tes…we are not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere. I'm stuck here, remember?"
"Well, now I am stuck with you." If a werewolf could stick out her tongue to tease, that's what she did as she leaped back to him, bouncing around his legs. "What?" Finally getting that there was something she wasn't getting, Tes sat back on her haunches. "What is it? Don't you want me any more? Is it because I almost didn't help Phoebe?"
Cole bent down to grab her by the neck with both hands, making her look him in the eye. "No, Tes. We all have our dark moments, but you pulled through, and I want you with me very much, but it isn't my choice."
"But, I'm dead!" Tes objected. "I helped save a world I don't even live in – I should get to choose where and how I get to spend the rest of my…death."
"Maybe you should look at all the options before you make up your mind," a soft voice said.
Cole didn't even turn around. "Elenea," he said flatly. "I was wondering if you would turn up."
"Congratulations, Cole Turner." The emissary bowed solemnly. All the Archangels are talking about you and your feat."
"Bad news travels fast," he sneered not too politely. "Leo and the boys?"
"Are all safely back where they belong – just like you are. All that remains is getting Tes to where she belongs." Elenea reached out a hand, but Tes snapped after it, showing her row of sharp fangs.
"I am where I belong!" she growled, hackles rising on her back. "Just you try and remove me!"
"Easy, Tes." Cole put a staying hand on her head. "Where are you taking her?"
Smiling softly, the emissary gestured behind her. "Home," she said.
Tes snatched a little as the smoky darkness parted to show a moonlit glen in a forest. "Where…?" she breathed, taking an involuntary step forward, sniffing the air that brought familiar scents.
"Take a look," Elenea suggested.
"Is this a trick?"
"No trick. You can come back if you don't like it."
Licking her nose in indecision, Tes glanced back at Cole.
"Go ahead," he encouraged and watched her creep up to the portal, with a strange lump growing in his throat.
Tes stopped at the edge, sniffing, whining a little, her tail starting to wag. "Cole, I think…" Throwing a confused and slightly wondrous glance over her shoulder, she boldly trotted into the forest.
Dry leaves rustled under her paws, soft grass whispered in a cool night breeze that came down from the higher mountains. The bushes parted for her sleek body, and there, in the glen, she saw her cubs playing in the moonlight outside a den.
Perplexed, she stopped, not knowing what to believe, when a larger shadow detached itself from the others to step into the light. With a whimper of joy, Tes loped toward her mate to reunite in a happy tumble with him and her cubs.
"Cole!" Breathless, Tes returned, beaming of joy. "My mate, my family!" She jumped up and down for sheer joy.
"I know." He smiled at her happiness.
"Come! You must meet them!"
Catching Elenea's look, Cole shook his head. "Another time," he said.
The werewolf sat down and regarded them silently for a while. "I see," she said, her mood suddenly dampened. "My choice." She looked back, looked at Cole. "Cole…I want to be with you."
"I sense a 'but' in there."
"I want to be with them too." She licked her nose and whined a little. "If you want me to, I will stay," she offered valiantly.
Cole found himself holding his breath. He had to give her up, he realized. He would have to give everything up – nothing would be left for him – such was the curse. But this choice wasn't hard to make. "You have paid your debt to me, Tes," he assured her. "In fact, I'm indebted to you. As much as I will miss you and your company, I won't keep you from those who really need you. Go to your family and be happy, Tes."
"You will come and see us, won't you?"
"Whenever I can.," he promised, knowing it would be a long time before he could keep that promise – if ever.
Sensing he was holding something back, Tes trotted over to him, rose on her hind-legs and morphed into her human shape. "I will miss you very much too," she said, putting a soft hand on his cheek. "Whatever they may think, you are a good man. The best, and I am better for having known you." Smiling, she stood on tip-toe to reach up to kiss him on the mouth. "Good-bye, Cole Turner. I won't ever forget you." Her amber eyes glittered, and then the wolf was standing in front of him again.
"Good-bye, Tes, and thanks for everything. I won't ever forget you either," he promised – knowing it was a promise he would have no problem with keeping. "Be happy!"
Tongue lolling out, Tes licked his hand that rested on her head, then she turned around and trotted through the portal to her waiting family.
"See?" Elenea said, closing the portal. "Happily ever after."
Cole nodded. "Thank you."
"Thank you, Cole Turner."
"There's no chance that gratitude would extend to breaking the curse, is there?" The look of regret he received had him shrugging. "I guess I wasn't cut out for happy endings, huh?"
"It's not always the lot of the hero."
"I'm nobody's hero," he snorted. Then he sighed and squared his shoulders. "I guess I won't be seeing you again in a while, either."
Elenea smiled again – a more encouraging smile this time. "We never know what the future brings."
"I guess not."
The emissary appeared to listen to something he couldn't hear. "Merry Christmas, Cole Turner," she said and disappeared.
Taking a deep breath, Cole took a last look at the room. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered and shimmered away.
The nights are colder now
Maybe I should close the door
And anyway the snow has covered all your footsteps
And I can follow you no more
The fire still burns at night
My memories are warm and clear
But everybody knows
It's hard to be alone at this time of year
It was only a winter's tale
Just another winter's tale
And why should the world take notice
Of one more love that's failed
A love that can never be
Though it meant a lot to you and me
On a worldwide scale
We're just another winter's tale
While I stand alone
A bell is ringing far away
I wonder if you hear
I wonder if you're listening
I wonder where you are today
Good luck, I wish you well
For all that wishes may be worth
I hope that love and strength
are with you for the length
of your time on earth
A Winter's Tale Lyrics by Tim Rice/Mike Batt