Sabre's Quest

Just Some Tea

Sabre

It's been another week of staying on the road to elude Brandon. Nike is still calling to his wolf, so he keeps finding me. I only stop to eat and relieve myself. I have gotten very little rest, and I feel like collapsing. But I must keep moving.

I pull into a rest area to get something to eat. I last saw Brandon and his warriors two days ago. Thanatos lands beside me, and I jump.

"Careful," he says, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I eye him as I sit on a bench, "I am so tired. My wolf keeps calling to Brandon's wolf, Nash, so they keep finding me."

"I know. I wish I could help you more," He mutters as he sits beside me.

"Can't you carry me to the Underworld?" I sigh.

"You have to die first," He gives me a small smile. "And you have to find your mother."

"I can't," I yell. "I have to keep ahead of my dumb mate."

'He's not dumb,' Nike speaks up.

I shake my head to ignore her. "I am so tired," I lean against Thanatos, and he puts his arm around me.

"I can help a little," He mutters. "There is a witch not far from here. She may have a potion to suppress your wolf."

I sit up and look at him. A strange smile breaks out on my face, "Who is she? Where?" I nearly yell.

"Calm down, Sabre," He laughs. "Her name is Pepper Willow."

I kiss his cheek and stand. "Point me in her direction."

"She is in a small cabin just off the highway. Tell her that I sent you," He grins.

"She knows you?" I ask.

Thanatos shrugs, "You can say that."

"You dog," I laugh as I hop back onto my bike.

Thanatos approaches me, "It's maybe a few miles down. Look for a tree that seems out of place and turn down that road. Follow it to a fork and go left," He explains. "I will see you soon." With a flap of his wings, my friend is gone.

I sigh, start the bike, and drive out of the rest area, forgetting I had to pee. I drive down the road, looking for a tree that seems out of place. Most of the trees appear to be pines. Cars honk as I go slowly while looking for this weird tree. Then I see it. Among the pines is a bright green desert palo verde tree. I pull off the highway and drive down the road full of thick overgrowth. My bike struggles over the rough dirt road. I come to the fork that Thanatos described and very left.

The road narrows, and the trees seem to be reaching for me. I do not see any signs of any cabins or houses. Then I smell smoke and see it rising from a hillside. As I get closer, the trees spread out and form a circle. I see a chimney sticking out of the hillside with windows and a door. Flowers grow along a beaten path with some mushrooms among them. Birds and other animals flit about as I get off the bike.

I stare at the unconventional home for a moment.

The door opens, and a beautiful blonde woman steps out. She is wearing an old-fashioned purple velvet dress. She shields her eyes from the sun and glares at me. "Who are you?"

I take a deep breath and step towards her. A large dog runs up, and I back away.

"Don't mind Ruckus. I am the one you need to mind," the woman mutters.

"Are you Pepper? Pepper Willow?" I ask.

"Who wants to know?" She responds.

"Thanatos sent me. I am a friend of his," I say.

The woman's face breaks out into a broad smile. "You must be Sabre."

A chill runs up my spine, but I nod. "Yes, ma'am."

"I am Pepper Willow," she steps toward me. "Come in, my dear." She beckons me toward the house. Ruckus runs up to her, and she pets his head. I hesitate. "I won't hurt a friend of Thanatos. You are safe with me. Come and get some rest and something to eat. You look famished."

"I need to pee," I blurt out, and Pepper laughs.

"You can do that too," she says as I enter the surprisingly modern house.

I was expecting a cottage with wooden furniture and a wood-burning stove. But Pepper has a modern setup with a flat-screen TV.

"Did you expect me to live like a hobbit?" She laughs.

I open my mouth and nod, "Sort of."

She laughs again, "You are a funny child." She points down a narrow hall. "The bathroom is on the left."

"Thank you so much," I smile and trot away. I find the bathroom just in time. "Gods," I mutter as I finally relieve myself. I wash my hands and wander down the hall when I finish.

Pepper is sitting on a couch with her large great dane looking dog at her side. She is reading a magazine and looks up, "Better?"

I nod, "Yeah."

"So, you came here looking to repress your wolf?" She sets the magazine down and rises from the couch.

A chill runs up my spine. She already knew my name, and now she knows about the wolf. I press my lips together, and she smiles.

"Thanos told me you were coming and why," She steps toward me. "I am a witch. I do sense things and know others. I am aware that you are a werewolf. I have nothing against your kind."

I nod, "Yes, I want to repress my wolf. Just temporarily."

"Why?" She gestures to the couch and nudges the dog off. "Tell me."

I sit on the surprisingly comfortable couch and watch her pour some tea. I am not a big tea drinker, but it smells nice.

"Do you hate your wolf?" Peppers asks as she hands me a beautiful teacup and saucer.

"No, I don't. Though right now we aren't getting along because I rejected my fated mate," I state.

Pepper sips her tea and nods, "That happens a lot with your kind."

"I just turned eighteen. I am not ready to settle down," I explain and sip the tea. It's a floral and fruity and delightful flavor. "This is delicious," I remark and take another sip.

Pepper grins, "Thank you. It has taken me a hundred years to perfect."

I give her a look. I shouldn't be surprised as I have been around beings with long and immortal lives.

"It's okay to be surprised," Pepper smiles.

"You just look so young. Like you don't look like you are much older than me," I mention.

Pepper flips her hair with a bright smile, "Thank you. I take care of myself and don't indulge in certain potions like other witches."

I take another sip, and my mind feels different. Nike whimpers and then becomes quiet. 'Nike?' I call to her.

"I assume the tea worked," Pepper smirks.

"My wolf is repressed?" I huff.

"Yes, but only until the next full moon," Pepper explains.

"That's like a week away," I sigh. "That hopefully should give me a big head start."

"Are you running from your rejected mate?" She asks, and I nod. "Was he abusive?"

I shake my head, "No, he seemed rather nice. But I just met him."

"So, you just didn't want to settle?" Pepper wonders.

"There is more to it," I hesitate to tell her the whole reason, but she is a friend of Thanatos. "I am on a quest," I say.

"I thought I smelled some God in you," She remarks. "Not a demigod, though."

"My grandfather is Ares," I respond.

Pepper snorts, "Hmm. So, he gave you a quest?"

"To find my mother," I reply with a nod. I set the teacup down. "Would you happen to know how to get to the Land of the Giants?"

"Is that where your mother is?" Pepper asks.

"Yes," I say.

"I do not know where it is, sorry," she frowns. "But I may know someone who does. He is a cousin of mine."

"I would appreciate the help. I have spent weeks on the road trying to elude my mate and got backtracked," I explain.

"He must be an alpha or something," she laughs.

"Yep," I snort.

Pepper rises from the couch and walks over to an old roll-top desk. She picks up a notepad and pen. She writes something down and then hands me the paper.

"My cousin Rainer White. He is a son of Hecate."

"I thought she didn't have sons," I say as I look at the note.

"He is her first and only," Pepper sits back down. "His father is my father's brother."

"Cool," I remark. "Thank you for the tea. What do I owe you?"

"I will let you know," She smiles. "Now, are you hungry?" She rises again. "I have a nice beef stew cooking. It should be ready."

"I hate to impose," I say as my stomach growls.

"I don't mind," she says. "I also have a room you can stay in for a day or so. You need rest. You won't heal or recover from fatigue without your wolf as fast."

"Thank you," I say quietly.

"Come," Pepper beckons me.

I stand and follow her into a large kitchen. It has windows that overlook a forest and mountains. "It's so pretty."

"I think so," Pepper nods as she spoons some stew into a bowl. She sets it on a bar. "Do you like cider? I don't have soda or anything like that."

"Cider sounds good," I say as I sit down. I taste the stew, and my eyes roll. I take a few more bites. "This is delicious."

"Thank you," Pepper sets a glass of cider before me. "It's been stewing in the pot for three days."

I continue eating and looking out the windows. I begin to feel sleepy as I fill up my stomach. "You didn't put me under a spell?" I ask.

"No," Peppers sits beside me. "I only gave you the potion that you asked for. You are just exhausted. I don't need to be a witch to see that."

I sigh, "I feel like a burden."

"You aren't. If I didn't want you in my home, you would have been dead the moment you turned down my driveway," she says casually.

I give a side-eye glance.

"I am very picky about whom I allow into my home, Sabre. Thanatos told me that you were a good woman, and I believe him," she says dreamily.

"Are you two," I pause. "Together?"

"No," She shakes her head. "He just saved me once. I was dead, and he was to take me across the river, but for some reason. He didn't," she explains. "He brought me home and has watched over me ever since."

"He watches over me, too. When I was a baby, he started showing up. My parents thought he was my mate or something," I laugh.

"Thanatos is drawn to certain souls he feels need him," she tells me.

I finish the stew and sip the cider.

"Come, I will show you to a room," she touches my shoulder.

I follow her down the narrow hall into a lovely bedroom with a very comfortable bed. She turns it down and smiles.

"You remember where the bathroom is," she says, and I nod. "There are towels and toiletries you are free to use. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish."

"I will only stay till tomorrow. I want to stay ahead of my mate," I say without thinking.

Pepper smiles, "That is fine. I hope you find your mother."

"Me too," I sigh. "I never met her. Well, I met her. Obviously, she gave birth to me, but she left when my brothers and I were a year old and never came back."

"She is the demigod?" Pepper asks.

"Yes."

"It's not easy treading the line of two worlds, Sabre," Pepper says. "You are welcome to sit in the living room and watch TV. I have all the streaming services," She points out. "I also have excellent internet."

"Thanks."

Pepper smiles once more before walking out of the room. I stand for a moment before deciding to get my bag off my bike. Ruckus follows me outside and barks towards the road. I freeze as I swear I smell cedar. Nothing comes from Nike, so I hope it's not Brandon.

'I'm sorry, Nike,' I call to my wolf. 'I have to find my mother. I can't do it with you calling to Brandon.' I say before walking back into the house.