Ruby Hood and Kassandra Wolf Conspire Over Tea

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An EXCERPT from

Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale

By Aspen Hite

“Ruby, will you join me in the parlor for some tea before you leave?” Kassandra said.

“Sure,” Ruby followed her into the other room. She wasn’t sure she had any other choice.

“How are you dealing with all this?” Kassandra gestured to an empty loveseat and opened a box of teas, allowing Ruby to select her tea flavor. “It must seem like it’s all spiraling out of control?”

“Yes, a bit,” She pointed to a jasmine lavender blend and leveled her voice. “I’m holding my own.”

“Good choice,” Kassandra closed the rectangular box, but continued to speak while busying herself with tea making. “You see, Ruby, I suddenly find myself in a precarious situation. I have stumbled upon some important information and yet, up until this very moment, I've had no one to share it with.”

Ruby did her best to hide her surprise. So many things popped into her mind, but she tamed them all and reached out for lemon and honey as Kassandra Wolf placed her cup in front of her, “I see. And Mr…the mayor…he wasn’t able to help?”

“You’re learning I see,” the woman said with a toothy grin, “It’s too bad, Miss Hood, you have plans to become some great architect, you’d made a helluva Guardian.”

“Archeologist,” Ruby corrected, taking a sip of her tea.

“Whatever,” Kassandra shrugged and continued, “My husband has been busy tracking our daughter and that deranged Huntsman. I understand, of course, but…”

“You believe your information is more important?” Ruby finished.

“Very observant,” Kassandra gave a rare nod of approval, even her face seemed less pinched for a second, only the briefest second, then she was back to business, “I did try to tell my husband this morning, but in his haste to get to Kingman for the day he showed little interest...besides, I need you anyway.”

“Well, if I can help in any way,” Ruby offered. What was this woman up to?

“I figured you would say that,” The woman took a sip of her tea, then sat back and looked at Ruby, “I’ve found the Aarush Mage, and she’s agreed to meet us. Well, she’s agreed to meet you...and me...maybe.” 

Ruby Hood and Mayor Wolf

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

Ruby Hood and Mayor Wolf

EXCERPT from 
"Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale"
By Aspen Hite

Before she closed the front door, her eyes scanned the street. All was well. In fact, there was nothing at all. Not a neighbor or a cat or a kid on a bike. No sign of the mayor. Yet. She closed the door behind her and turned to take the suitcases upstairs.

Ruby.

Dylan? Ruby jumped.

“It’s the mayor, the voice clipped. “Jedidiah Wolf.”

You can talk to me in my head, too? Ruby almost screamed in reply.

Under emergency duress, an aligned Beast and Protector can communicate in closee proximity. I’m on your porch.

Setting the luggage down, Ruby pulled the front door open, “I just looked out here.”

“Evening, Miss Hood,” The mayor’s tall lean build stood before her. He was cool and aloof with his hands in the pockets of his trench, but jaw was set, and his eyes were sharp. He was ready. “I tend to be stealthy.”

“How’s Kellan?” She blurted, even though she knew she should ask about whatever duress had brought him here.

“Stable. For now, and we will talk about that more. But first, I’m here because my nurse, Mary, is worried. She senses something off, so I thought it best to check things out, especially with the arrival of your guests.”

“Are Lily and her father in danger?” Fear shot through Ruby.

“At the moment, I don’t think so, in fact, while not necessarily convenient, your houseguests are not terribly inconvenient either. Innocents, and witnesses, can be a deterrent,” the mayor said, “at least, I hope.”

“Um, I’m not really okay with using my best friend and her dad as a shield,” she said, barely able to control rising anger. If anything happened to them because of this Otherly Natural world…

Then a sudden strangeness overtook the mayor.  With his nose pointing straight up to the sky, he sniffed, long and deep. “I’m afraid, we have any even bigger problem.”

“What’s that?” Ruby’s jaw clenched.

“I’m not entirely sure. Yet.” He said then walked around the porch and out to the street, stopping to sniff longer in certain places. When he returned, his shoulders shuddered, and his composed demeanor returned. “There is the tiniest whiff of unnaturalness lingering nearby. And there’s something else, something I can’t quite put my finger on.”

Poisoned (Part 1)

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An Excerpt from 

"Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale"

By Aspen Hite

Ruby! Ruby! It’s here. Hurry.

It was Dylan, in her mind. Where?

In the basement. Looks like a janitor office. With Kellan. Hurry.

Ruby shuffled sideways and squeezed through tight spots to get around a congested main corridor to the smaller hallway, the road less traveled. Then she set off at a run.

A vision tickled her mind. Dark and shadowy. The Unnaturalness lurked nearby. Ruby knew it was watching her as she rounded the corner and sped down the stairs. Pulling open the office door, shock stopped her in her tracks, “What happened?”

Dylan sat on his knees, cradling Kellan’s very sickly head in his lap, “I don’t know what to say, Ruby, I found him this way. I stopped by to see how you guys things went this morning, and I saw Kellan stumbling and moaning toward the park. I brought him into the nearest door and called to you.”

Ruby made her way to the floor and rested a hand on Kellan’s forehead. “Jeez, he’s burning up.”

“Rue, is that you?” Kellan opened his eyes and tried to focus on her. “You came. It’s good to see you. You’re so pretty.” Then he faded as his eyes fluttered closed and some drool leaked out.

“Kel, what…” Ruby took his head in her lap. “Talk to me…”

“The Unnaturalness, Ruby. It's in the park. I was going to the park, but it this hit me. All of a sudden, I was weak and tired and couldn't stand. I felt like I'd been smacked upside the head with a two by four,” Kellan’s voice came out in short bursts and his eyes stayed closed, “I think I’ve been poisoned. I can feel it burning its way through my insides. It hurts.”

“We need help, Ruby. Like right now. Here at school. How does that work?” Dylan said, glancing around them. “There has to be an Otherly Natural emergency system in place.”

Kellan pushed his hand into Ruby’s, giving her a white wadded piece of paper. “Use the phone. Call this number. Someone will come. Now.”

Dylan made the call from the rotary phone in the office.

Eight minutes had ticked by when two men in suits and sunglasses, like something out of Men in Black, knocked on the door. Ruby tucked a crystal into Kellan’s pocket as Dylan opened the door. Without a word, the men swooped into the room, picked him up and disappeared out of the tiny office. Ruby watched through the window as they blended right into the swelling student population, “How did they do that?”

“A glamour, I suppose,” Dylan ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just glad for the help.”

“Yeah, me too. But who do you think those men were exactly?”

“I’d guess we just saw another part of the Lycan army, especially if your last name is Wolf.”

“An army?”

“Yes, Ruby. Your boyfriend has his very own entire army. Of villains.”

“Huh,” She said, and at that moment it struck her. She had an alliance with an army. But were they villains?

A Guardian and Huntsman Relationship Grows

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

Excerpt from 

"Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale"

By Aspen Hite

With the birth records in his left hand, Dylan sprinkled a pinch of the truth powder over them and chanted the words of the spell, “Communicio, Tellisco, Vulgedi. Then he brushed the powder away. This was supposed to reveal only the truth of the records, but they were still shuffling nonsense.

“Why isn’t this working?” Ruby fiddled with her ponytail. She was tired and jittery - too much coffee, not enough food, “Maybe we should take a break?”

“We’ll find a way, Ruby…” Dylan said loud and clear. Inside her head.

A light flashed in the room. It was quick, if Ruby had blinked, she would’ve missed it. Every fiber of her body stood at attention, except her eyes, which ricocheted around the kitchen. She stared at Dylan. Neither of them spoke.

“Did I just hear you in my head?” Ruby heard her own voice echo inside Dylan’s head. “What’s happening?”

“A Guardian and a Huntsman have a mental telepathic connection.” Dylan’s voice was a soft comfort in her mind. “Looks like I really am your Huntsman.”

“And this just happens?” Ruby held her breath. “Even short-term cases, like ours?”

“Not usually.”

“I see,” she said. Carful with her thoughts, Ruby forced a smile. Surely, hers was a unique situation. “Looks like we’re stuck together for the time being, then.”

“Indeed.” Dylan smiled and gave her an exaggerated bow, “My Guardian.”

But before Ruby could chastise him for his formal tone, even in her head, her inner vision transported her to the edge of the Wood. She glanced at the clock. “We have company. A Wolf…no…Wolfs. Mother and son.”

“What are they doing here?”

“You’re guess is as good as mine,” Ruby glanced at the phone, wishing she’d had a heads up. Her excitement to see Kellan was shrouded in worry, “that woman makes me so nervous.”

“Me, too,” Dylan agreed. In his head.