THE LAST SECRET KEEPER Secret Keeper series books 1-4

CHAPTER 3

"Good Morning, Queen of Camelot," Wilhelm grinned before dipping before Lanecea with an elaborate bow.

Lanecea, suddenly shy, blushed, unsure if the blonde who stood before her was mocking or if he recognized who she was. Either way, she decided to just go with, "Hello."

"Well c'mon, go ahead and hop onto my back. I don't want you getting scared of the critters and there are a lot of snakes in the corn field."

Lanecea glanced back towards the hill that blocked the small white house her family called home from view, the thought of returning home no less appealing than the thought of thousands of slithering snakes wriggling in the field that stood between the creek and wherever this boy intended on taking her.

"I'm Lanecea, by-the-way," the girl introduced herself, looking warily at Wilhelm's back.

"I know who you are," Wilhelm smiled as he glanced over his shoulder before crouching down. "Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my hips. I know you're scared of heights but I promise I'll never let you fall."

Lanecea's breath quivered in her lungs as she took a deep breath, interlocking her fingers as she clung to his neck as though her life depended on it.

"You smell like cows!" Lanecea exclaimed before remembering to think twice before speaking everything that popped into her head.

It was too late to take it back now, but Wilhelm didn't seem to mind in the least, laughing as he leaped over the creek without getting the hem of his rolled-up overalls wet.

"I suppose that's quite possible. I sure spend enough time in the barn - when I'm not watching you."

A soft flush dusted his cheeks but Lanecea didn't notice, distracted by the tall stalks of cow corn as Wilhelm wove through the wide, seemingly endless field.

"...I was wondering who lived on that farm. I only ever see your big dog when I feed your cows. He's pretty scary and I don't think he likes me very much. It is a he, right? I've never seen anyone else..."

"Ya, Waffles is a boy but you shouldn't feed the cows weeds anymore. My dad says it changes the taste of the milk and you wouldn't know if it's safe for them to eat. Maybe if you can stay a little longer today and don't have to hurry home to do dishes, you can help feed them. Would you like that?"

Wilhelm already knew her answer before he heard Lanecea's breathless sigh.

"Oh yes, I would love that very much! Thank you! I'm sorry, I don't know your name. It was rude of me not to ask but I forgot my manners in my excitement. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive. I'm Wilhelm."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Wilhelm," Lanecea smiled up at her companion after he set her down on the ground just outside the barn. "Thank you for protecting me from the snakes."

"You're very welcome. We have to hurry tho," Wilhelm waited a moment for Lanecea to slip her hand within his as he held out his hand for her before leading his companion within the shadowy barn. "Up here. You'll be able to see better but we best be quiet."

Lanecea paled, glancing up at the towering stacks of hay.

"I'm afraid..." Lanecea began, but Wilhelm was already quite literally two steps ahead, reaching down with both hands to hold both of hers.

"I've got you, remember? I promised I'm never going to let you fall. Now just hold my hand tight and trust me. Follow my lead, okay?"

Lanecea nodded, clinging to his hands as he led her higher, but she never once looked down or even watched where she was taking her next step, her eyes focused on his with perfect trust.

"You're such a good girl. See? We are already here. Now lay down on your stomach and look over there. Her name is Blossom," Wilhelm added as he lay down beside the Secret Keeper.

"This is amazing!" Lanecea squeezed Wilhelm's fingers tighter as they watched Blossom bring her calf into the world. "Oh thank you so much for bringing me here to watch with you!"

Lanecea's voice was softer than a whisper and barely heard above the soft mooing filling the barn from the rows of stalls.

"What will you name him?" Dieter asked as he took a seat beside the children, watching absentmindedly as Wilhelm removed a piece of straw from Lanecea's waist-length braid.

Lanecea glanced up at the blonde man who wore overalls that matched Wilhelm's to the boy now sitting up but remaining at her side as she waited for him to answer his father's question.

"Dad wants to know what you are going to name the calf," Wilhelm clarified.

"Me? I get to name him? Really?!"

Lanecea looked as though she had just been given the world's greatest gift.

"Go ahead," Dieter grinned as he nodded.

"Oh thank you so much! I like the name Freckles for him. Do you think it is so perfect as well?"

All three companions looked down at the newborn Holstein bull from their perch on the stacked hay.

"It's unique," Dieter smiled before growing serious. "Come now. I'll help you down then Wilhelm will show you how we feed the cows. You are always welcome in our home, I only ask that you stop feeding the cows everything that grows near the forest. It can make them very sick but I know you meant well."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you and I promise I won't feed them anymore without your permission although I was only trying to feed them treats to thank your cows for loving me so much."

Dieter remained silent for a long moment as he carried Lanecea back down to the ground level before setting her down in front of him. Tilting her chin until her eyes met his, Dieter finally broke the silence.

"Some people don't say, 'I love you' often, and sometimes they will never say those words but they will show their love in other ways, such in how they take care of you and protect you. You are loved more than you realize even if you rarely hear those words. Now Wilhelm, show Lanecea Chocolate Milk. I think she'll be her favorite cow too."

"Now that's a unique name," Lanecea laughed as Wilhelm led her toward the stalls by her hand. "Thank you, Sir. I won't forget what you said."

Dieter nodded, acknowledging he'd heard her promise before stepping into the sunlight.

"There you are," a slightly shorter man stepped out of the shadows. "Where is she? I saw Wilhelm head back this way with Lanecea just after dawn."

"She's safe - for now. Arrange for that meeting tonight."

"Good. I'm relieved to see you're finally agreeing it's time to put the next step into motion. I don't trust Philippe and if we don't make the first move..."

Hans left his words hang unsaid as laughter drifted out of the open barn doors.

"It's a shame we couldn't..."

Dieter shook his head, holding up a hand to stop his friend from completing his train of thought.

"We cannot do anything to risk blowing our cover. What good will we be then? Look what happened to Friedrich!"

Both men gazed into the shadows with unseeing eyes. For warriors who put the fear of god into vampires, biding their time was a hard pill to swallow. They wouldn't be helpless for much longer and when the time came, the vampires would regret the day they stepped out of the underworld. Hans and Dieter would make sure of it.