“Wrong,” I interjected. No one had forced Nathania to quit spinning this tale and I felt tempted to use magic to make her stop. I kept the magic in check, but let my tongue run loose. “There were two murders about a week ago. The people who just snatched Tzadok aren’t above committing murder, either.”
Ara shook her head several times and then slowly turned to look at me. Tears showed in her eyes and her voice was so low I barely heard her words. “You aren’t my brother?”
I held out one hand to her, palm up. “I’m not your brother, but you are still family. I–”
Her voice grew strident. “How long have you known this?”
The knot in my stomach tightened so much it hurt to breathe. My voice was low and scratchy. “Father told me about my birth mother the day before he died.”
“Really?” She sounded incredulous. “Really? You knew that and didn’t tell me? We took days and days to get here.”
She spun around and looked at the people on the porch. Yedda was crying silently as she beckoned with both hands for Ara to come back up with her. Instead of going to Yedda, Ara pivoted and looked in my face. Her eyes were impossibly wide and her piercing voice was so loud I winced. “When did you learn about my real father?” she demanded.
I gestured toward the porch with one hand, but kept looking at Ara. If she grew angry enough with me to stay with Yedda and Inigo, then she would still be here when the Hunter arrived. My voice cracked, but I thought it was still understandable. “Inigo told me after lunch the day I brought you here. That’s part of the reason I wasn’t welcome. You were family, but I wasn’t. If all of this is true, then I’m not your brother. But…”
“But what?” Ara shot back. Her face was as pale as a bank of snow.
“We grew up together and I’m interested in your safety and well-being. That’s why I came back. There’s something—”
“Really?” Nathania interrupted with an incredulous snort. “You’re like your father. You can’t be depended on to take care of your family. Who knows what happened to his first wife and then he let Maude die!”
I couldn’t think of an apt reply, but then I saw a red flush replace the white on Ara’s face. She turned and faced Nathania, placed her hands on her hips in the same posture the older woman had used, and said sweetly, “I noticed you stopped coming to see Maude. You’re the one who abandoned her and let her die.”
My anger hadn’t bothered Nathania, but she seemed taken aback by Ara’s words. “Not visiting Maude wasn’t my choice.”
“Really?” Ara waved her hands at Yedda and Inigo while she continued to stare at Nathania. “You seem to do what you want and you certainly didn’t listen to what anyone here has to say. What blot on your past is black enough to make you listen to what your husband says? You did something Tzadok didn’t like, didn’t you?”
Nathania’s face turned white and she raised both hands. Her fingers were so rigid I could see the tendons making lines across the backs of her hands. She drew back her lips, exposed her teeth, and froth bubbled on her lips as she screeched, “You will not talk to me like that, you little hussy!”
“Ha!” Ara shot back insolently. “I’m right. What did you do to upset your bald little husband?”
Nathania screamed like one of the big cats yowling over a kill and launched herself off of the porch. Her fingernails looked like the claws of an eagle as she reached for Ara.
Chapter 22 – Leave Taking
The speed of Nathania’s attack required a quick response, so I erected a magical shield in front of Ara as I had done when Trey threw a rock at me. Nathania flew sideways when she hit the shield, slammed down on the ground, and rolled away from us in the dirt.
Ara straightened from where she had crouched with upraised hands and looked at the now motionless Nathania. “What happened?” she squeaked.
“She attacked us,” I said, trying not to let my anger get out of control.
“I know that,” Ara said as she spun around to look at my face. She raised one shaking hand and pointed at Nathania who had risen to her hands and knees. “But she didn’t hit me. Instead, she flew over there in the dirt.”
“I couldn’t let her hurt you,” I replied.
“You did that?” Ara asked incredulously, jerking a thumb in Nathania’s direction. “How did you do it?”
By this time, Yedda had rushed to Nathania’s side. “Are you okay?” she asked anxiously.
“I’m fine,” Nathania said as she rose to her hands and knees and then to her feet, pushing aside Yedda’s helping hand.
Nathania’s fingers shook as she pushed back the long hair covering her face. Loathing filled her face as she stared at Ara and then at me. “Tzadok was right,” she hissed. “You can do magic.”
Ara looked from me to Nathania and then back to me so quickly her hair swirled out in the air. “Is that right?” she asked. “Did you really use magic?”
I nodded, giving mute agreement without saying the words. Jorum and Malka, Ara’s twin cousins, now stood beside their father Inigo on the porch and I didn’t want to bring everyone into the discussion. I focused on Ara. “I protected you when she tried to hurt you.”
“Oh.” Ara gulped and then seemed to accept my tacit agreement. She turned back and faced Nathania. At first, Ara stood as still as a tree and then she slowly began to nod. Just as slowly, her hand rose and her stiff forefinger jabbed towards Nathania. “You tried to hurt me. Why? Oh, I don’t need to ask, do I? It’s obvious. You… can do a little magic, can’t you? Tzadok caught you doing it and you forced him to promise not to tell anyone. I’ve heard rumors of what happens to people who use magic.”
To my surprise, Nathania didn’t protest. All color drained out of her face and her shoulders shook. She gave a quick glance at all six people looking at her and then looked away. Moments later, she turned and strode quickly down the lane. She started running before she got halfway to the road.
I pushed thoughts of Nathania out of my mind and tried to think about how to use this awkward situation to get Ara to come with me.
Trey joined the conversation for the first time while I was groping for words. “It’s more than a rumor,” he said.
“What’s more than a rumor?” Ara said, spinning around to look at Trey. Her expression was surprised, as if she hadn’t known he was there.
“Hunters from Falkirk search for people who can do magic. When they find them…” Tears filled his eyes and choked off his words.
I put my hand on Ara’s shoulders. My words were for her, but they were loud enough for everyone to hear. “One of those Hunters killed Trey’s parents a few days ago and tried to kill Trey. We saw the same man in Glendale today, and he was asking questions that will eventually bring him out here.”
“Killed?” Ara shivered. “Killed his parents?”
“Yes,” I said gently. “I think it was the same person who killed those two men the night before we arrived here. You—”
“I know,” she interrupted. “What will he do when he gets here?”
“Use your imagination, but you are the daughter of a woman who used magic, and the Hunter will come for you,” I said more roughly than I intended. “I came here today to ask you to leave with me. We will go to…” I caught my breath and searched for words to use that wouldn’t reveal our destination because they would trade it with the Hunter in exchange for their lives. “Go somewhere else,” I ended lamely. “Somewhere safer.”
A look of comprehension slowly replaced Ara’s bewildered look. She turned and looked at the porch where Yedda now stood by Inigo. Inigo returned Ara’s look and then spoke over his shoulder. “Jorum and Malka, go inside the house and shut the door.”
“But Father,” Malka said, “I—”
“Now,” Inigo barked. He waited until the door closed with a slam before stepping forward to the edge of the porch.
&nbs
p; “You think I should leave,” Ara said tartly.
Inigo sounded sorrowful when he answered, “He’s right. I can’t protect you here. Reuben may be able to protect you if you leave.” He stopped and swallowed, and his tone of voice matched his next words, “I am truly sorry to hear about your parents, young Trey. I met them several times when they visited town and they were nice people.”
Trey wiped his nose on his shirt sleeve before answering, “You know why they died.”
“I know, but only because some people talked who should have kept their silence.”
“Was it her?” Trey asked, jerking his thumb in the direction Nathania had fled.
“No, son. It wasn’t her. She has good reason to keep silent.”
Even I caught the implications of his last sentence. Inigo knew far more than I had first thought, but he was one of those who talked little. However, the woman traveling with the Hunter would learn everything Inigo knew if she spent the time to ask enough questions. Maybe it would be good to end this conversation right now. I touched Ara on the shoulder again. “Are you willing to go with Trey and me? We need to leave today.”
“Now,” Trey added with a stamp of his foot for emphasis. “We need to leave now.”
“I’ll go,” Ara said with a hint of a sob. “I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”
Yedda shook her head and gestured with both hands. “You don’t have to…” Her voice died away as Ara stared at her.
Moments later, Ara glanced back at me. “I’ll get my pack and two changes of clothes. It won’t take long because I didn’t empty the pack after we arrived.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling relieved. Nathania’s attack on Ara had yielded the result I wanted but experiencing strong emotions always made me tired. “I’ll wait out here with Trey.”
Trey watched Ara enter the house and then he sidled over next to me, and turned his back on Inigo and Yedda. He spoke softly, “You need to watch for that woman.”
I didn’t think the two people waiting on the porch heard Trey’s words unless Inigo was actually a magician. I didn’t think he was, but I had been surprised several times over the last few days. I made a quick scan along the road, looking all the way back to Glendale. Nathania had slowed to a fast walk and her mind was a bundle of seething emotion, but she was still moving quickly. More importantly, the Hunter had left Glendale and was heading south on the King’s Road, although he hadn’t reached the intersection with Jude’s Road. I couldn’t feel the mind of the female magician.
Ara reappeared in the house door far sooner than I had expected. She stopped beside Yedda and Inigo in the porch and bowed her head slightly. Her voice was level but not subservient, “Thank you for letting me stay here. Maybe we will meet again someday.” She didn’t wait for a response and hopped nimbly down beside me. “Let’s go,” she said and began walking without looking back.
“Thank you,” I added with a wave of my hand to her aunt and uncle before turning and following Ara.
We walked three abreast after we turned west on Jude’s Road. Trey leaned forward and looked around Ara at me. “How far can we go before we have to leave the road?”
“Where are we going and why should we leave the road?” Ara asked.
“The small town of Casselton,” I said and took a relieved breath. I didn’t know what I’d have done if Ara hadn’t come with us. I did know she wouldn’t have lived another full day.
“I’ve never heard of that place,” Ara blurted.
“I only heard of it the day before Father died,” I replied. “He told me my grandfather lives there. We need to go downriver to Falkirk and then up the Gackle River towards the Danzig Mountains. He owns a small tavern called the Pig’s Ear.”
Ara glanced up at me. She didn’t seem all that sad about leaving the farm. “Do you have a map?” she asked.
“I don’t think the town is on a map. Father said to look for it without asking people about it.”
“Oh.” Ara seemed startled and then she nodded. “More magic stuff? How long have you been doing magic?”
I began what I knew was going to be a long explanation. “Father said I started using magic when I was four. I didn’t know it was magic until a day or two before he died. He told me about magic the day that Hunter visited our house.”
“I saw him,” Ara said, and pursed her lips in thought. “Father’s explanation about who he was didn’t make any sense.”
“You’re good at detecting lies,” I said. “What did he tell you?”
We were halfway to the intersection with the King’s Road, still talking animatedly, when I felt the Hunter turn on the road in our direction. That confirmed my thought he was heading for the farm. I waved towards the wooded slope to our left. “We need to leave the road now and reach the top of that hill before we stop to rest.”
Ara followed Trey as he hopped from rock to rock on the side of the road, not leaving any footprints. She spoke without looking back at me. “Why are we doing this?”
“The Hunter is coming along this road from town. We don’t want to meet him.”
“Oh.” Ara didn’t ask any more questions as we moved behind a bank of bushes and headed for a stand of immense oak trees.
The leaves underfoot were dry enough they rustled as we walked. The good thing was we weren’t leaving any footprints. The bad thing was we made noise as we walked over the dried leaves. It wasn’t loud enough for the sound to carry very far, but it was enough to startle nesting birds. I looked up, disgusted that at least a dozen birds were circling over us.
Trey also looked up when we passed through a small open area. He shot a concerned look at me. “Can you make the birds ignore us? Or make them fall from the sky? The Hunter will notice them for sure.”
“I don’t know,” I replied, ashamed that I hadn’t already thought about that possibility. “I could try, but doing so might alert anyone who can sense magic that we are close by.”
“Yeah, I understand,” Trey said as he scanned the sky again. “I don’t see Sorcha either.”
“Who’s Sorcha?” Ara asked as she glanced at the sky.
“A golden dragon,” I said and then continued before Ara could respond. “We need to stop talking and hide behind the next rock outcropping. Maybe the birds will calm down before the Hunter arrives.”
About two hundred paces later, we moved behind a small ridge of exposed rock. “This is far enough,” I said quietly and swung my pack down as soon as we were out of sight from the road.
Trey pointed up as Ara let her pack slide down to the ground. He said, “There aren’t as many birds as before, but the Hunter probably already noticed them.”
“Yes,” I agreed grumpily. We should have left the road not long after leaving the farm. I had been so excited that Ara was with us that I hadn’t been thinking clearly. I pointed along the rock face. “I’m going to find a place I can watch the road without being exposed on the skyline.”
Soon, all three of us were lying in leaf-filled hollows, peering through cracks in the rocks. We had climbed far enough that the road looked like a little ribbon that showed in four places between the trees.
“I see more birds rising,” Ara whispered.
These birds were circling over the end of the small hill to our left, above where the road skirted the base of the hill. I glanced up before responding. All of the birds we had disturbed had already returned to their nests or taken interest in looking for food. “We should be able to see them on the road before long.”
“Them?” Ara asked, glancing at me.
A chill moved up and down my back as I responded. “A woman is traveling with the Hunter. She is a magician who can make you talk even if you don’t want to.”
“Oh,” Ara said with a shudder.
My chill feeling intensified as I saw Trey shudder. I suddenly realized the shudder had an
external cause. Had one of the Effigia found us again? I pulled in more magic and strengthened my efforts to hide us before rolling over to look up at the sky. The sky was bare other than two high clouds but that didn’t do anything to quell my growing unease. From what Zephyr and Sorcha had said, I thought the Effigia only hunted at night, but they hadn’t said anything about where they went during the day.
“What is causing that terrible feeling?” Ara asked, running one hand up and down her bare leg. I could see goose bumps forming on her skin. She was wearing a dress, but she had told me she had trousers in the pack.
“Shh,” I said quietly, not trying to answer the question.
Figures moved on the road far below us. Moments later, I could see a rider on a horse and another figure on foot. The rider’s hair was long enough that I surmised that it was the female magician. I caught my breath as they both stopped in one of the spots visible among the trees and looked up at the sky. The man turned in a circle, still looking up, while the woman looked both ways while sitting on the motionless horse.
I rolled over and looked up again as the chill feeling intensified. A smudge on the sky that hadn’t been there previously caught my attention. It was the color of a cloud rather than dark like an Effigia. However, it was almost as large as the Effigia had been.
“What’s that?” Ara whispered, glancing up in response to my fixed look.
“I’m not sure,” I said. “Lie still, though. Don’t make any motion it might see.”
“Does it have eyes?” she asked as the smudge changed into an immense shape with wings, but no discernible head.
The chill grew more intense as the white figure circled high above us. It slanted down after completing another circle. To my immense relief, it headed for the road rather than us. The chill grew more intense as the flying creature grew closer.
Ara didn’t say anything else. I glanced at her as I rolled over to watching the gliding form as it moved down to our level. Ara was lying with her eyes closed and her face was white as snow. I decided to ignore her for the moment after I saw her draw a ragged breath.
Hunted Page 20
