The Case of Parihaan's Poison (The Wolflock Cases Book 4)

by Rhiannon D. Elton

  Case 4. The Case of Parihaan's Poison

  By Rhiannon D. Elton

  The Wolflock Cases, 4. The Case of Parihaan’s Poison, by Rhiannon D. Elton

  First Edition published April 2017

  © 2017 Rhiannon D. Elton. All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by Australian Commonwealth copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, at “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  rhiannonelton@gmail.com

  Cover compiled by Rhiannon D. Elton

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedicated to those who have taught me the evils of addictions and their cure which lays in love and love for oneself.

  Chapter 1. Mothy’s Recovery

  It had been three days since the discovery of the seabug poisoning and Wolflock had not left Mothy’s side. To Mothy’s delight, Nü had barely left his side either. The three became quite good friends over those three days. Wolflock probed Nü for stories of her life, which she humbly obliged him, but from her soft smiles, he could tell that she enjoyed telling them about the wonders of the East.

  She told the story of her secretly learning how to ride dolphins on their trips to the South of Xiayah and how she loved the water. She told them of the multi colour florescent blossoms in Spring, the lantern festivals in Summer, the platformed rice paddocks and the temples dedicated to appeasing the various spirits and demons. Mothy asked her shyly about how she felt about every topic and Wolflock watched her light up like the full moon whenever he did this. He was torn between happiness for his friend and mild jealousy for his diverted attention. But Nü was a great conversationalist, so his curiosity overthrew his jealousy. He wanted to know everything about the North East. Wolflock wanted to know everything about everywhere and Nü was a great source of information. She was highly observant given her passion for medicine and healing, and she simply made Wolflock more determined to see the world and all its mysteries.

  The forests along the banks of the wide river turned into boulders and mountains, and on the first morning Mothy was able to get up for breakfast he and Wolflock watched the stony peaks gradually rising higher and higher. The Silver River had carved its way through the mountains thousands of years ago, and the great canyon between the mountains had barely changed in all that time. The giant grey and purplish rocks were beautiful, and as they stared out trying to spot any fauna, Wolflock wondered what kind of stone they were made out of.

  The Silver Ice Hair’s company had even celebrated Mabon by eating specially preserved poultry, wearing wreathes of red leaves and twine (painted by Veluse), and expressing their gratitude for the prosperous and peaceful lives they had, as well as a special blessing for their continued good health.

  The day after, most people rose late in the day due to the happy revelry of the sabbat and Wolflock and Mothy took the opportunity to get into more mischief by sampling Grogen’s spices and making their own special breakfast. They also found some fishing gear and rigged a contraption that would automatically bring fish onboard, but it broke when something very big stole their bait of Tuiti fruit. They hid the evidence in the secret shaft between crew quarters and Captain’s study and returned innocently to the top deck for the rest of the afternoon.

  “Hey... Lockie?” Mothy said softly and when Wolflock glanced up he saw that Mothy was looking back onto the ship.

  “Hmm?”

  “Can... can I have a minute alone?”

  Wolflock saw his friend’s cheeks go pink and he smiled.

  “Why?” he raised a black eyebrow suspiciously, feeling a little hurt being asked to leave by Mothy.

  “I... I just want to see someone about something, aye?”

  Wolflock saw his hand fiddle in his pocket and he noticed a green glint in the morning light. He had Nü’s dark jade comb. Why did he have Nü’s comb? Did she not take it back after they’d finished looking for the seabug poison?

  For some reason when Mothy was happy, Wolflock was happy too. His friend’s contentment and smile was infectious. Wolflock distinctly remembered giving it back to her. His mind ran like lightning and he realised that Nü had most likely given it to Mothy because he wanted put one of his opals into it as a kind gesture to thank her for her help. It was also something to remember him by. Wolflock looked in the direction Mothy was looking in to see Nü looking out over the water with her brother, Didi.

  “Sure. I’ll see you when you’re done.”

  Mothy smiled gratefully as Wolflock made his way to the aft end of the ship, watching the wake as the Silver Ice Hair streamlined through the clear water.

  It wasn’t long before Didi came and joined him in silence. The child was very quiet, only ever saying a few words at a time.

  “Did she tell you to leave too?” Wolflock asked conversationally.

  Didi only nodded and continued to stare out at the water.

  “Yeah... Want to go and spy on them?” He grinned mischievously.

  Didi looked horrified and shook his head.

  “Oh c’mon! You won’t get in trouble if we don’t get caught.”

  Didi kept shaking his head, his fine black hair wisping around his eyes.

  “Fine,” sighed Wolflock boredly, “You’re no fun.”

  Didi just kept staring out at the water and the distant trees that started to morph to stone.

  “Is everyone but your father quiet in your country?”

  Didi shook his head.

  Wolflock pulled a face. He never thought much of people but he was certainly no introvert. When he got bored or tired of the present company he would start to poke fun at them or show off. Even he was self aware enough to know his own habits, but not getting any response from Didi was disturbingly frustrating.

  “So...” He drawled a little, “Your sister is good at medicine. Are you good too?”

  Didi shook his head.

  “I see... What are you going to do when you’re older?”

  Didi shrugged.

  Wolflock flopped his arms over the edge of the ship and huffed.

  “Nope. This is boring. Have fun short stuff.”

  Wolflock strode back to where Mothy and Nü were and saw Nü holding her hairpin with one of Mothy’s opals in the centre of a beautiful lotus flower engraved into it.

  “But what does it do?” Nü asked and delicately touched the gemstone.

  “When I was little my mother found a bag of opals and gave them to me. She told me that they were magickal and that when I give them to someone I care about I’ll be able to always be with them. As long as I have one opal left I will be able to be close to them.”

  Nü blushed and Mothy very shyly held her hands around the comb.

  “I... I care about you. I’ve never met anyone like you. I just want to know that if you ever need me in any way, I will be there for you.”

  Nü’s porcelain face tinged with pink and she held his hands over her heart.

  “Thank you, Mothy. I will treasure this forever.”

  Wolflock watched his friend raise his hand to Nü’s cheek and move forward to kiss her...

  “Nü! Didi!” Nan Ji shouted from the dini
ng hall. “Where are those ungrateful children!?”

  The magick was lost. Nü tore her hands away from Mothy, the comb still gently clasped in her fingers.

  She started to speak in her native tongue as she attempted to placate her father. Wolflock sighed in disappointment. Suddenly he felt a presence by his hip. Didi was watching them as well.

  “I hope baba let’s her marry him. I like Mothy. He’ll help me become strong enough.”

  Wolflock was astounded. He couldn’t believe that the child had spoken at all.

  “Strong enough for what?” He frowned a little.

  “To join the Shruiken Guard.”

  Ah! So the child wanted to become an officer of the Guard. As far away from medicine as you could get. Wolflock had considered becoming a Guard at one stage, but the job seemed too boring for him. The Guard was the policing force in Puinteyle. They went through special diplomatic training in Shellinden and then returned to one of the Salt Towers placed in each major city to maintain peace and order.

  “Well, good luck with that,” Wolflock shrugged and stepped forward to join Mothy. “Smooth,” he chuckled and Nüdged his arm.

  “I knew you’d be watching...” Mothy smiled a little sourly, “Sticky beak...”

  Wolflock just smiled and looked out over the lake. The sheer mountain canyon they sailed through had its own beauty, but it was rather boring after a while due to the lack of wildlife and the cooling Autumn air as they headed further North.

  “I just wish I could take her away from everything that causes her anxiety... you know? There’s no light in the sky that could even come close to her beauty. No birdsong sweeter than her laugh. No softer fur than her touch...”

  “I thought you were heading to Mystentine to study. Not Shellinden,” Wolflock rolled his eyes.

  “Huh?”

  “Shellinden? The university of Arts and History?” Wolflock sighed in exasperation.

  Mothy chuckled, “Yeah... But I’ve lived there before. I haven’t been as far as Mystentine. Besides, I don’t know what I want to study. Maybe botany.”

  “Then you could grow herbs for Nü at your clinic,” he didn’t know why he sounded so cold and bitter, but he spoke much more cruelly than he felt.

  Mothy blushed, but hearing how Wolflock had spoken made his smile flicker. Before either of them could say another word, Nan Ji burst forth from downstairs swearing in his home tongue.

  “Foul woman!” He spat and seemed outraged. “Disgusting slut!”

  Mothy’s eyes went wide and he dashed downstairs, checking to see if Nü was safe. Wolflock thought to help his friend by stalling Nan Ji from returning, as well as find out what the problem was. He was swiftly becoming addicted to the mysteries the ship presented.

  He used to seek out mysteries as a child and youth, but his father preferred to keep Myna and himself on their land so they didn’t cause mischief in town, for whenever they did venture into town he had to rescue either one or both of them from punishment by the townsfolk.

  “Nan Ji! Whatever is the matter?” He asked calmingly. He was getting better at soothing people under Mothy’s informal teachings.

  Nan Ji looked at him with his almond shaped eyes wide and wild.

  “That wretched woman! She- she-!” He stammered and dug his nails into his scalp.

  “Breathe, my man. Take a deep slow breath and tell me slowly what happened.”

  If it were Mothy, he would have reached forward and taken his arms in firm reassurance, but he wasn’t on the best terms with Nan Ji yet.

  Nan Ji did do what Wolflock suggested and inhaled, held, and exhaled slowly.

  “That woman. The one from Uluken-”

  “Haatji?”

  “No. The other one. Haatji is a good woman. Quiet. Fully dressed.”

  “So you mean Parihaan?”

  “Yes. That one. She has not recovered from the sea bug poisoning that Gege discovered and she still requires treatment. Nothing is working though. She gets better but by the next morning she is ill again. I said to her that we do not have any more herbs for her after today. She smells foul and she tried to put her arms about me. She moved so messily that I thought she would fall. Her teeth are rotted and her belly is hard. She shoved me against the wall and tried to put her lips on mine. I shoved her away and demanded an explanation. She said that would pay for more herbs with her body and that my wife would never have to know...”

  Nan Ji’s eyes dropped and he wouldn’t look at Wolflock.

  “She made me feel so ashamed... My wife... I lost her many years ago... She was the perfect woman. A little headstrong and too intelligent, but I loved no other like I loved her. I never will love another woman like I loved her. Nü looks so much like her mother. They are so alike... I just hope that Nü will be a perfect lady and be married to a man who loves her like I loved her mother...”

  Wolflock wanted to give sympathy, but as Nan Ji shed a few silent tears, he remembered how terribly he had spoken to his daughter and what little regard he held for the opposite sex, so Wolflock only offered his presence.

  “What happened after she propositioned you?” He prompted.

  “I refused her and called for Nü to help her. I refuse to let my boys anywhere near her. She is stupid, foul and dangerous for men to be around. If I could I’d throw her off the ship!”

  Nan Ji’s rage returned and he stormed away.

  Wolflock watched him for a moment. He could feel the palpable anger coming from him (as could everyone else resting on deck), but the slump in his shoulders and something in his eyes told of a deep and unfathomable sadness. At this point in time there were only three people whose loss would warrant that depth of emotion from Wolflock. His father, sister and Mothy.

  Mothy. Who was downstairs... likely being assaulted by Parihaan.

  Chapter 2. Parihaan’s Views

  Wolflock dashed like a rabbit across the deck and flung himself down the stairs. Parihaan’s room was the furthest on the port side of the ship and Wolflock made his way immediately there. He could hear an odd conversation mumbled from down the hall. It sounded like one person talking heatedly and the other quite jovial. He skidded to a halt at the door, just in time to see Parihaan pull Mothy down onto her by the collar of his shirt.

  “Hey!” He shouted. Clearly Mothy was unwilling. The angle of his arms trying to push himself away and Nü’s mere presence meant that this was not consensual.

  Parihaan was sprawled out on her bed, sweating profusely and looking feverish. She was wearing only her shift which was pulled up to her inguinal crease. Wolflock noticed that her yellow skin, although she was only three decades old, looked spotted and aged beyond her years.

  “What are you doing?” He growled and stepped into the little room.

  Mothy hauled himself away and unconsciously touched Nü’s hand for reassurance.

  “Oh don’t worry sweetheart,” Parihaan purred oddly, as if her mouth was half full of liquid. “You’ll get some too if you want it.”

  “Well clearly Mothy is repulsed by you and is only here to assist Nü in tending to you, so you’ll forgive me if I follow my friend’s lead and decline your less than appealing offer,” he snarled coldly.

  For once, Mothy wasn’t smiling, which lead to Wolflock’s untempered harshness, but as he spoke Mothy began to smile in relief. Nü’s expression nearly frightened Wolflock though. Her knuckles were white on the fabric of her skirt and her black eyes shone with authority and fury at Parihaan.

  “Say that again so a simple woman can under... under...”

  Parihaan’s words drifted off and she rolled over the side of her tussled bed and began vomiting heavily into the bucket beside her.

  Nü moved forward and held the abhorrent woman’s hair back. A courtesy Wolflock would never have extended. Mothy held out a cloth for Nü, but moved towards the door.

  “You’re a foul child...” Parihaan hissed at Nü, her limbs tensing as she tried to heave herself upright. “A woman shouldn’t kn
ow medicine. They shouldn’t be educated at all! They can’t maintain a man’s skills!”

  Wolflock’s eyelids flattened. He’d had more than enough of this from Nan Ji over the past week. What was it with people from the East and their disbelief in women’s intelligence and capabilities?!

  “Lockie? Will you help?” Mothy asked pitifully as Nü took the towel from him with slow deliberate movements.

  “No. And I don’t think either of you should. She is ungrateful and clearly unevolved vermin that you could barely call a woman,” he scoffed, leaning coolly against the door frame.

  Mothy looked exasperated and Nü hid her face behind her shining curtain of black hair.

  “Insults only work if the person you’re insulting understands them!” Parihaan teased and flopped back on the bed, her belly extending out as if it were hard like a small barrel.

  “Then no insult should ever perturb you.”

  Mothy would have laughed had he not nearly been molested. Nü’s shoulders softened though.

  “You need to drink this,” she said softly, putting down a wooden cup on the bedside table.

  “I’ll only drink it from the mouth of your father or one of these strapping lads!” The horrid woman waved her arms around like a lunatic.

  Nü’s expression stayed expertly neutral, but Mothy took another step towards Wolflock.

  “Father will not treat you anymore. You must drink. Father made it just for you.”

  “Fine...” she sighed drearily and drained the cup faster than Wolflock thought possible. “It tastes like a donkey’s arse...”

  “It will stop the sweating and help you sleep.”

  “Oh I know what would help me sleep! Call a big strong man here and I’ll sleep all day long.”

  Wolflock grimaced at her vulgar display and ushered Mothy out. There was a strong, bitter smell to the room (besides the vomit) and he did not care for it.

  Nü joined them and closed the door, not looking up at either of them.