Threat

by Drae Box

  “You–” Raneth slowed his tongue and thought over his next words carefully. Pedibastet was the prince of Giften Kingdom’s cats, and his status in Giften society gave him a higher rank than Raneth, forcing Raneth to accept Pedibastet’s orders, no matter how much he disagreed with them. “May I ask why, Prince Pedibastet?”

  “They like water,” said the cat, moving his brown cheek away from Aldora’s and snuggling his white cheek against her other shoulder instead. “And less is more. Why do you think cats are smaller than humans? You’ll attract less attention this way.”

  “Cray specifically said I was to take at least three others with me besides Aldora, because of the inspectors, Prince Pedibastet.”

  “I am worth at least two humans and we are wasting daylight,” said the cat. “Move, royal official.”

  Reluctantly, Raneth nodded.

  Chapter Two

  Aldora

  Holding Raneth’s calloused hand for so long made Aldora’s clammy. Yet she kept hold of it, giving it a slight squeeze every now and then, which he returned with one of his own. They walked with Pedibastet in silence along a wide dirt road lined with trees a few metres apart from one another. The midday sun dappled them as they strolled under the overhanging branches, dodging the larger gouges in the dirt from wagons, carts, buggies and other types of horse-drawn vehicles. The white paws of Pedibastet had turned a slight yellow from the orange-brown dirt, but his tail was held high, with its slightly reddened tip swishing side to side in a relaxed manner. Relaxed, unlike Raneth, thought Aldora, observing the frown still present on his face since the cat had joined them at the border wall. “Pedi,” she said softly. “Why don’t you trust Raneth to keep us safe? Or me?”

  Pedibastet looked up at the two humans, his green eyes watching them for a moment, before one ear turned to listen to something to their far left that Aldora couldn’t hear. “It is not that I do not trust you two,” he said softly. “It’s more that I do not trust Raneth is quite ready to return to active duty after his injuries. Quinn told me that Cray insisted before Raneth woke this morning that he needed to be declared fit for duty when he awoke, and he asked that I watch over you both. I didn’t realise you were both being sent out today, otherwise I would have travelled with Raneth. Then there is the fact that Newers do not consider cats a threat, but they do for royal officials, and the citizens here fear royal officials because of the propaganda they have endured. I can watch out for the two of you unnoticed.”

  Aldora noticed Raneth was staying quiet. Is he still annoyed at Pedi coming with us, even after he’s explained himself? Or is it because we were supposed to be meeting those others? It sounds like the royal doctor and Pedi are just looking out for him.

  “The inspectors, they’re a cross between royal officials and royal detectives, right?” asked Aldora.

  “Yes, but without the superior training of a royal official,” admitted Pedibastet. He eased to Raneth’s right side and, as Aldora watched, rubbed his side against Raneth’s shin, curling his tail around the back of Raneth’s calf.

  He’s trying to apologise, she realised.

  The Prince of the Cats rose briefly off his front legs and rubbed the top of his head against Raneth’s leg as the three friends continued to walk. “Royal officials are like cats in many ways, making them far superior than a Newer anyway.”

  Definitely trying to apologise, noted Aldora. She watched as a tiny hint of a smile twitched at the corners of Raneth’s lips. He leaned over and stroked the top of Pedibastet’s head where black and brown stripes ran between his white ears.

  “That’s Oreg,” stated Raneth an hour or so later, pointing ahead.

  Aldora frowned, raising a hand to shield her eyes as she looked where he had pointed. Oreg Town had no external defence walls, leaving the buildings dangerously exposed to those who would do them harm. The Dagger Bearer’s gaze ran upwards, following the buildings, which were easily taller than almost every building in Giften, except the Giften Daily news tower and some of the older stone buildings dotted around the kingdom.

  “Different from Giften towns, huh?” said Raneth.

  Aldora nodded, noticing that the buildings looked to be made of brown and yellow bricks.

  “We’ll be staying at a royal official safehouse here. We have a base in most of the towns and cities in Newer, thanks to Cray.”

  Safehouse? I suppose that makes sense if the inspectors are likely to hurt Raneth, but I find it difficult to imagine they would. If they’re law enforcers too, and royal officials are known to be some of the best trained soldiers and law enforcement officers worldwide, why would they attack them? Aldora was used to her home kingdom’s respect for royal officials, and she tried to figure out how to ask Raneth why an inspector would hurt him. I can always watch and observe, she decided. Then I can see for myself. Besides, Pedi and I can help him out if they do try and take Raneth on.

  “Do you need safehouses in other kingdoms?” asked Aldora when she noticed Raneth and Pedibastet were both looking at her as if expecting a question.

  “No, just here because of the inspectors. Royal officials are always more than welcome in the Southern Kingdom and the Barbaric East.”

  “Not to mention the Northern Barbaric Island,” added Pedibastet. “We had issues once getting Raneth back from there – they kept delaying his return after an assignment.”

  Raneth lifted his eyebrows as he looked down at the Prince of the Cats. “I’m surprised you remember that, sir.”

  “I do happen to like royal officials, Raneth, and you are my favourite one.”

  Easing close to the entrance into the town, Aldora glanced down, looking for Pedibastet. She spotted him next to Raneth, on the other side to her; the cat had his tail patting against Raneth’s left leg, letting the royal official know where he was as they slipped amongst the growing number of men and women walking around them. A man brushed against Aldora side, so she moved closer to Raneth until they were almost touching. He glanced at her but said nothing, giving the slightest hint of a smile instead. Watching the people around them, Aldora noticed that their eyes kept sweeping over to look at Raneth, and then they would try and ease towards her to avoid walking directly past him. Weird. She tried not to look uneasy as the Newers continued to give Raneth a wide berth, soon leaving almost all of his side of the wide path empty of foot traffic. In Giften you always feel safer when there’s a royal official on the same street as you. Aldora turned her gaze onto her partner, noticing that he was observing the people around them too, his blue eyes twitching to each as they neared them. How does this make him feel? If it makes me feel a bit off, it can’t be much better for Raneth.

  Raneth turned his gaze away from a man and pointed at a line of yellow bricks on the side of the path. “That’s the edge of the road,” he explained softly. “The carriages have right of way between yellow lines, so make sure to stay out of them if you can.”

  “Good to know,” admitted Aldora.

  Wouldn’t want to get trampled like Mum. She watched warily as some of the nearest carriages and wagons rattled past them, their horses goaded into running between the lines. Should they be going that fast?

  “Pedi, maybe you should walk on my side?” said Aldora, watching as the cat’s long fur ruffled. The fur down his spine was a line of solid black intermingled with offshoots of black and brown, as if a giant spider and a horse’s saddle had been merged in his otherwise white fur.

  The Prince of Giften Cats walked behind them, before tapping the back of his tail against Aldora’s leg and walking at her side.

  She watched as six more carriages rushed past, one large enough to reveal through tiny square windows the faces of multiple children in matching blue uniforms.

  “We need to keep following this path,” said Raneth. Along the path ran a row of yellow brick buildings that ended with one that jutted further into the path with its purple window frames. When they drew close to the large windows, Aldora peeked inside. The place wasn’t w
ell lit; the only light available to the men and women sitting round the wooden tables on the stained red carpet inside came from the windows. A bar of light wood stood facing the door.

  “Is that a pub?” she asked, making Raneth pause and glance inside. We could grab something to eat there, she thought.

  Her partner smiled. “Yes and no. It’s a brothel,” he admitted, pointing above their heads.

  Aldora looked up, her footsteps stalling. A wooden sign dangling above their heads declared the building as The Rover, for Distinguished Gentlemen Only.

  “The hint is the gentlemen bit. That’s what they call a brothel here. They actually take any man willing to pay for his drink and his… uh… dalliance, but only if he doesn’t hurt the people who work there. Then it gets nasty.”

  Aldora arched an eyebrow at her partner.

  “Uh,” said Raneth at her look. “They tend to girls’ needs too. I’ve never used one.”

  “I was teasing,” said Aldora gently, giving Raneth’s cheek a quick peck.

  As she drew back from him, she glanced through the brothel’s window. A woman behind the bar was waving at Raneth, a warm smile directed his way. Aldora rolled her eyes. Must be trying to entice him inside.

  “So where were we going, Raneth?” she asked, noticing as he gave the smallest of his smiles to the waving woman.

  “I was going to take us to the royal official safehouse here,” he admitted, still watching the waving woman. “But if Sasha is openly waving at me that means she has information for me. We’ll go to the safehouse later.”

  Aldora eyed the brothel woman as Raneth strolled to the entrance of the building. She doesn’t even look like she trades flesh, she thought, thinking of all the theatre productions she had dragged her friend Jenny to see, which often portrayed brothel workers in very little clothing. The woman smiling at Raneth wore a long black dress that clung to her curves but didn’t show off too much skin, only exposing her shoulders, her arms and an inch below her collarbone. And how does Raneth know her if he’s never used a brothel?

  “You coming, Aldora?” asked Raneth, holding the glass door open for her.

  Reluctantly Aldora nodded, quickly joining Raneth at the door. As she walked past him, she gently ran a hand over his chest, giving him a thankful smile. Her nose was accosted by the smells swarming to greet her; she raised the back of her hand to her nose.

  “No, I refuse to walk on stained carpet,” snapped Pedibastet.

  The Dagger Bearer turned to see her two friends blocking the doorway. Pedibastet sat at the entrance of the brothel and Raneth was still holding the door ajar, waiting for the Prince of the Cats to step through.

  “Carry me,” added the cat, looking expectantly up at Raneth with his green eyes.

  “No,” hissed Raneth, his eyes lifting from the cat to Aldora. “What will the Newers think?”

  “That you care about your cat’s cleanliness. Are you aware what that smell is under the alcohol? I know you’ve not mated yet, but even so–”

  “I know perfectly well what the smell is,” growled Raneth.

  “Handsome!”

  Aldora jumped at the woman’s voice by her side and an arm slipped onto her shoulders in a loose hug.

  “Come away from the door,” said Sasha, looking briefly at Aldora with a smile. “Hi, sweetheart.”

  “Hey,” uttered Aldora, easing to the side to free herself from Sasha’s arm. Aldora glanced around the common room of the brothel; everyone was watching them.

  “Carry me,” hissed Pedibastet again.

  “Come away from the door, handsome,” said Sasha, smiling broadly at Raneth. She turned to the room, her hands clasped together in front of her. “Ladies, gents, it’s my nephew. Make sure you spoil his cat rotten – my nephew is one of the odd ones. His cat triggers his… oddness.”

  Aldora watched as Raneth frowned at the Prince of the Cats, but noticed that Pedibastet’s white whiskers were pressing against his cheeks in a smile. Great, thought Aldora. This Sasha person just declared Raneth mad. This probably isn’t going to end well.

  Raneth stepped through the doorway, forcing Pedibastet to rush onto the carpet so he wouldn’t get bumped by the closing door. He glared up at Raneth.

  Aldora stepped over to the cat and picked him up without a word. Glancing around, she noticed that the patrons in the bar weren’t paying them any mind now. OK, maybe that was clever. Maybe.

  “Handsome, let’s go and catch up upstairs, alright?” asked Sasha, turning on the spot. She lead the three friends through a doorway to a corridor behind the bar and up a set of carpeted stairs to the right. At the top of the stairs, Sasha paused to unlock a red door.

  Following her into the upstairs room, Aldora noticed that the entire room was decorated in a colour which almost matched the robin red of Sasha’s long but frizzy hair. The older woman sat down on a sofa almost in the middle of the room, with its back to the large windows draped with thin white curtains.

  “So I take it you’re Raneth’s partner, the Dagger Bearer. I’m Sasha. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Miss Leoma.”

  “Thank you.” As Aldora stepped further into the room, Sasha rested her arms along the back of the sofa and smiled at her. As Sasha’s amber eyes ran up her body, the Dagger Bearer wondered if she was trying to decide how she would look in a dress like hers. Aldora looked over her shoulder at Raneth, who was gently shutting the door behind him.

  “Please lock it, Raneth,” instructed Sasha. “Don’t want anyone poking their head in, considering what we’ll be talking about.”

  Raneth nodded, his blue eyes catching on Aldora’s. The lock turned in his calloused hands with a solid snick of metal. Aldora gently placed Pedibastet down and the cat prowled across the ebony wood floor and leapt onto one of the sofa’s arms. He curled into place, his black tail wrapping around him.

  “Aldora, take a seat next to me. I don’t bite,” offered Sasha as she patted the red sofa.

  Aldora did as suggested and perched on the edge of the sofa, tucking her hands under her knees. “Have you told everyone you know about me?” she asked Raneth as he strolled deeper into the room, claiming a large yellow pillow on the floor and dragging it closer to the sofa. He sat cross-legged upon it, looking up at the girls and the Prince of the Cats, and shrugged.

  “Everyone asks. I don’t tell them anything except that you’re an incredible person who has my whole heart.”

  Aldora frowned at Raneth, but he wasn’t giving his cheeky lopsided grin. He means it, she realised, turning her blushing face towards Pedibastet. His whiskers perked forwards at her look and a rumbling purr reached her ears.

  “Sasha, what do you have for me?” asked Raneth.

  “First up, you’re an idiot – full uniform. The inspectors know you’re here already, Mister Royal Official Captain. No need to go around advertising it or acting like you think they won’t try and hit you in the face. Two inspectors were downstairs in the bar, without their uniforms on. I have another in one of the lower rooms with one of my boys.” Sasha smiled. “Second, Adelard has been here gathering intelligence for you, with my help–”

  “Adelard? But…” Raneth frowned before leaning back on his hands. “I was made to think this assignment was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

  “Ha, ha, ha,” interrupted Pedibastet. “Of course it wasn’t. Did you really think Cray would send his best royal official without preparing some of the immediate mission areas for you?”

  “Pedi,” warned Aldora, “if he didn’t know, he didn’t know. It’s not Raneth’s fault if Cray made him think otherwise. Who is Adelard?”

  “Another royal official. He’s staying at the safehouse. I think the first thing you should do is burn that uniform,” stated Sasha. “I’ve a burning bin in our garden, and I should have some clean Newer clothing you can wear, Raneth. You can’t wear the uniform in Oreg and have an advantage if the inspectors here decide to move against you. There are inspectors working without uniforms this week
– I suspect someone warned Newer you were coming. Someone from the Giften palace must have blabbed, or someone privy to your movements. Perhaps a tribune paying you a lot of attention?”

  “There’s only one person watching my career, as far as I know,” replied Raneth. “Tribune Jovian.”

  Sasha nodded thoughtfully. “It’s not something we can do anything about so let’s talk about the assignment. My understanding of the Shotput is that it looks just like the sort you would find in schools for physical education, but silver.”

  Raneth nodded.

  “Actually, it’s said to be a little smaller – big enough to sit comfortably in the palm of a large hand,” said Aldora.

  “Good to know,” replied Sasha. “Last month something fitting that description was confiscated by the inspectors here.”

  “That is when a report of a sighting reached King Cray,” said Pedibastet, lifting his head from his white front paws.

  “That’s because I was the one who gave the report, prince,” said Sasha. “As a possible sighting, mind you.” She moved her hands from the back of the sofa and gently lifted a strand of Aldora’s hair. “You could look stunning with the right hair products, a stylist and a sexy dress.”

  Aldora frowned at Sasha and rescued her hair, pulling out her ponytail and tucking her hair back into place quickly. She folded her arms. Stop being so interested in me.

  “Don’t you think, handsome?” Sasha asked Raneth.

  “Aldora is perfect as she is,” he stated, frowning as he too folded his arms.

  Sasha’s brows rose. “You’ve got him completely snared, Aldora,” she said, smiling. “If the inspectors still have the Shotput, it will be on the underground floor of their headquarters, in one of the cells where they lock up all unknown and potentially dangerous items.”

  “Do you have floor plans that we can use to get it back?” asked Pedibastet.