Hidden Carmina

by Adri Sinclair

  “Breakfast with the Clan. Uncle Darious will be leaving today.” Liam’s eyebrow raises but he gives me a small kiss on my forehead and waits outside the room.

  I am in the hall when the gong sounds. I wait behind my mother’s chair at the head of the table. When Uncle Darious enters, I smile my prettiest smile at him but stay firmly put. There is no mistake of my intentions today.

  Today, I am the first daughter of Margarith Nightshade, and leader of this clan. Uncle Darious walks silently around me to take a seat. When the clan gets together, they do not sit down as usual. They wait. They know this method of assertion and they will not move until I do, or tell them to. Uncle Darious is seated already and the looks towards him are not without contempt at his disrespect. John and Roland summarize the situation in seconds and follow the custom.

  I smile at the clan when they’re all together and flick my hair back.

  “Good morning, Fire Clan,” I give the official greeting, and the family looks almost relieved to be addressed in this manner.

  “Please allow me a moment of your time.” I do not tie my hair back but hold my hand up by way of taking the floor.

  “Some of you may have noticed my Mother’s absence. I assure you she misses you all. Let’s not forget to thank Lady E, who has been graceful in assisting us; as an Ancient, she has no obligation to take up any course of action to do so.”

  I lift my hand higher and drop my head, encouraging whoops from the Clan by way of giving their thanks to the woman. I know Lady E is listening but not visibly attending.

  “Let us thank my Uncle Darious, too. I assure you it was not his intention to bring the wrath of the outcast Lynx to our clan. I am sure he has nothing to do with the death of Aunty Joshlyn’s clan member either and I am thankful for his help.”

  The clan nods in his direction but it is clear they are not comfortable with him at the table. I feel the shock rising up from my Uncle. He clearly didn’t know about the death of the girl.

  “As for the girl and wolf scene that was left in my cottage – please don’t be too worried about that. Make sure you take care of your homes and your families. If you see or hear anyone or anything suspicious, report it immediately – gather witnesses. We do not speculate, gossip or assume, so if you have any concerns or questions, you know where the Elders’ kitchen is. I’ll be happy to answer and help where I can.” I see the supportive nods around the tables and smile confidently again.

  “Now, I am not your Elder, but I am here with plenty of support from those far superior than myself. I am, however, the first daughter of Margarith Nightshade and this is our clan, our family and our united front. Uncle Darious will be leaving today and I will be staying in my Family home until such time as my cottage is repaired. None of you are under obligation to help with the restoration, my main concern is that the business is taken care of, and our families are safe. Our Elder is informed and she will be advising me soon.” Uncle Darious look furious but I press forward.

  “Now, as my mother would say: I’ll be damned if the food on my table is spoiled by a little controversy! Let’s enjoy breakfast together.”

  I drop my hand and, under loud support and appreciation, the clan sits down to eat.

  “Spoken like an Elder, sweetheart. I am so proud and thank you for that wonderful mention.” I hear from Lady E.

  Uncle Darious leans in and hisses at me. “This does not make you an Elder, girl; don’t get used to the power.”

  I put my hand over his and smile bright at him.

  “You’re right, Uncle. This makes me Carmina, as was pointed out to me.” I wink at him and focus on my food.

  From the other side, I hear John and Roland putting up a production of Shakespeare.

  “To be, or not to be, that is the question—” John begins the rendition.

  “Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer the wrath of a woman scorned!” Roland supplements his own version and the clan is in stitches.

  “Please see me before you leave, Uncle.” I make sure that he knows I’m not asking. “I think you need to be informed of a few things before you go.”

  Uncle Darious throws his napkin on the table, storming off. Liam looks at me with a crooked smile.

  “And here I was worried about you this morning… You are extraordinary, Carmina.”

  I lean towards the man I love and give him a warm kiss, whispering.

  “I’m only getting started.”

  As I walk out into the courtyard after breakfast, I hear the conversation from a few families. They are surprised and relieved that I did not break down last night. They were exceedingly impressed at me showing up at the table, let alone in Momma’s place. Many of the conversations are filled with pride and expressed happiness. The clan does not know where Momma, Lilly and Jarrod have gone to, but they know why.

  I make my way to the kitchen after breakfast, with Liam close by my side. When I walk in, a young member is already pacing. I invite her inside and make her a cup of herbal tea.

  “Trinity? What is the matter?”

  Her eyes fly to Liam and I smile warmly, putting her mind at ease. It is hard for the clan to be around the Ancients. Liam in particular as he has a more serious disposition than John, who integrated with the clan as he, and he alone, can. Liam is also respected and revered for his outer calm but feared for his inner wrath. I’ve heard the stories told amongst the clan about the exact roles of the Ancients and it is brutal, to say the least.

  “You said… I have been working on the designs you made, Carmina.”

  I smile again, honored by this. Trinity is spectacular and meticulous and if she works on my designs, they are as close to my own hand as I will get.

  “Well, before you left, you made the ‘Arrowhead’.”

  I recall the design. It is a small hollow metal casing that folds close to look like an arrowhead with a stem. When you tap the stem, it opens up to expose a porous round lava rock, ideal to use as a fragrance dispenser with Lilly’s oils.

  “Well… we sold a lot of those. Then suddenly the buyer stopped buying them, so I put the design away. Your Uncle asked about the design yesterday… and when I went to find the technical draft and design notes… it was all gone. I know I didn’t lose it Carmina, I am very careful, especially with your work.”

  I rub the girl’s arm to let her know it is alright, and I am not about to fly off the handle.

  “What did you tell my Uncle?” I ask as naturally as I can.

  “Well, I told him that he would need permission to book out the design, and that it must be in the archives because it is so old.”

  I smile at the clever answer from the girl and nod in approval.

  “Good job, Trinity. Thanks for letting me know. This is important. Please… if you can think of anything else…”

  The girl’s quick response catches me off guard. “Carmina, you will make a great Elder. I’m not just saying that. You are your mother’s child.”

  The honesty and sincerity in the words hit me in the chest. I feel the tears well up but bite them back with a quick reply.

  “Oh dear me, Trinity! What a lovely thing to say… but don’t get your hopes up young lady! I’m going to keep you busy with designs for a long time yet!”

  Trinity laughs and looks at Liam. She bestows a smile on him too and nods respectfully before she leaves.

  When Trinity leaves I rub over my face. Why would anyone want to steal my designs? I look at Liam for an answer.

  “I don’t know, my Rockflower. Let’s first find out whom was the original buyer. Go from there. I’ll let John and Roland know. “

  “At least I know now what my Uncle was after.”

  And as if on cue, Uncle Darious walks into the kitchen.

  “The pretend Elder summonsed me?” He chides and I find it hard not to snap back at him. Instead, I revert to theatrics.

  “Oh Uncle Darious! That is so funny; it is much harder than pretending to be a princess. I think I prefer that!” I hear
Liam cough and see him turn away knowing full well my answer caught him in a humorous surprise too.

  “Why am I here?”

  “I wanted to inform you, Uncle Darious. Jackie was involved in the scene around my cottage last night. In fact, the girl and the animal that were left for me to find…” I can’t help but feel the emotions well up at the memory and my voice cracks when I finish, “…was alive at the time they were brought there.”

  Uncle Darious is upset.

  “Also, the design you were looking for. It’s gone. Stolen. May I ask why you wanted it?”

  A few more shades lighter and my Uncle is visibly shaken.

  “I-I wanted to have a look at the design, the mechanical structure intrigues me.”

  “Jackie! Did that Lynx betray me?”

  I hear his thought and bite back a smile.

  “I hope you understand, Uncle Darious, Jackie cannot be trusted. I do not know what the deal is between the two of you, but… Jackie is looking out for herself. It was Gello’Des in my cottage, it was Joshlyn’s missing girl that was killed there and Jackie also attacked Roland. Please, Uncle. Be careful. I beg you.”

  “How can you be sure about the Lynx?”

  “Roland found Lynx fur in the cottage. Regardless of her being there or not, she was involved. It wasn’t much but enough to identify the scent.” I look to Liam. “The Ancients don’t make mistakes with those sort of things.” Liam does not speak but he looks at my Uncle who takes a step back.

  “I didn’t know, girl. I swear I didn’t know about the … situation until this morning.”

  I put my hand on my uncle’s shoulder.

  “I know, Uncle. That is why I asked you to come here to speak to me. The members of our clan are suspicious of you because…well, you know. Jackie has not told you why she is indebted to me for her life. But she is obviously keeping more from you. If we can help…”

  “No-no. I need to go. Thank you, Carmina.” My Uncle becomes very hurried and I grin at his back.

  “Carmina, you are devious. Your Uncle is truly worried about Jackie now.” Liam cheers.

  “My life. My rules. It is not devious, Liam, if it is all truth. My Uncle may be many things, but he is loyal to the safety of the clans. I suspect there was a clause to whatever plan they were hatching. Jackie… overstepped in her false confidence. I don’t think we were meant to tie her to the scene. We need to know why they wanted my design. I don’t understand it.”

  * * *

  It takes a few days for me to relax. I make a point of being at every meal, taking up Momma’s place at the head of the table. Lady E and Uncle Will join us again as soon as Uncle Darious leaves. He left without a word to me but the Ancients confirm he was gone and reported immediately when he reached his clan grounds.

  I don’t trust the peace at the moment and spend a lot of time in my mother’s kitchen with her files and documents. Trying to trace the initial buyer is harder than we expected. The orders were placed through the tourist company who then sold on to a cash buyer. They were profoundly disappointed when the last order was not picked up. The description of the older lady that bought them fits nobody we know. The tourist company speculates that she probably sold them on at a higher profit. I am not convinced.

  My cottage has been restored but I am still too raw to go into it. When John asks about removing the Moretti emblem, I told him to leave it as it is. The blood smears over the emblem will forever be my personal reminder that I bring blood with me. To keep my feet on the ground and my head level, I have to face my demons every day. It also serves as a memory to the pair that was slaughtered in my home, not to let their blood have spilled in vain. The emblem as whole serves as my strength and my love for the Moretti family.

  Momma decides to stay with Lilly and Jarrod as per the original agreement. She says it will bring less suspicion than if she were to show up without the newlyweds. The Ancients agree with her. I decided that while there is a calm before the expected storm, I would speak to Liam about the soul-bond thing. Unfortunately, the gipsy book is gone. I don’t know who may have taken it or why, but it is the only missing book. The others were torn and bloodied, but that one vanished. I am heartbroken and feel terrible. Sullen entrusted the book to me!

  The more details come to light, the more confused I am, and bigger the shadow of dread casts itself. Roland reports increasing movement towards Uncle Darious’ grounds from the Gello’Des, and there are rumors doing the rounds from clans outside our own circles of a traitor amongst the half-breed clans. The Ancients’ clarity in the matter is being questioned. Maria was right: if this is Jackie’s doing, I have an uphill fight ahead of me. How can I go against a whole race of beings whose every instinct is to destroy me, even those that love me?

  It is a week since Uncle Darious’ departure and I am catching up with the work in Momma’s kitchen. I’ve been neglecting it. Focus escapes me and I find my mind drifting. Before I know it, another day is gone and nothing is done. I am determined to do this today, and make sure that there is no reason for further concern to Momma.

  A gust of wind rushes through the kitchen and immediately I pick up the wolf scent, as well as Roland’s. Excited to see the duo, I rush to the door. They’ve been gone since the morning.

  “Carmina!” John shouts into my mind and I gather the panic straight into my heart.

  “John? I’m here…” I say reaching the front door.

  Opening the door, I have to narrow my eyes to see the pair, the glare of the full moon bringing the picture in focus just before they enter through the gate. John’s massive brown wolf is dragging Roland along. There was no time to think; my body was moving before my brain gave the command.

  “He wants you Carmina, I couldn’t help him! He only wants you!” John shouts, frustrated and angry, into my mind. I can hear the despair and effort of dragging Roland’s body along with him.

  They were hardly through the gate when I reach them. John drops Roland on his back in the snow and is pacing frantically around him, making yipping sounds and nudging him.

  The gash in Roland’s chest is shocking and I can see the bones of his ribs protruding. The blood is still pouring unnaturally from the cavernous wound.

  “Oh gods, no no no!” I mutter as I roughly tear my jacket from my body. Laying it on the ground, I fill it with ice and compact it into a wrapped ball. Roland moves unnoticeably as I slide in behind him, pulling him against my chest and using the ice-packed jacket as a compress in hopes to stop the bleeding.

  “Roland? Roland! Wake up, please, please, stay with me…” I beg, worried about the broken bones and panicking, not knowing if I’m helping or making matters worse.

  “Hey… devil’s… advocate,” Roland’s whisper is breathy and faint. His coughing brings more blood from his mouth. Roland turns his head to face me.

  “Roland! We’ll fix this… someone HELP ME!” I scream, nearly hysteric.

  “It’s in your blood, Carmina. It’s in your blood.”

  My mind is racing so fast I nearly didn’t hear him. Why is the bleeding not stopping! Where is all the blood coming from? My hands start trembling when I see the grin spread over Roland’s face. He’s always said he will face his maker with a grin and a string to tie up the angels for ransom. I look over his body for other wounds that could be the cause of all this blood… but there is none to be found. Even the scuffmarks from John’s carrying are slight. John’s wolf form is big and I suspect not much of Roland’s body touched the ground.

  Several hands rush towards us but John puts his whole body between them.

  “They can’t touch him!” He sounds feverish. I wave the hands off, feeling Roland’s body slump against me.

  “No, Roland! You said I’d always have you!!” I shake his shoulders. The tears are streaming. I register the confusion when the clan members step away from John, who’s snarling and snapping at them. With Roland’s body wrapped in my arms, my heart explodes. Not my Roland, not my gipsy brat! Why?! How many mo
re would have to die before this stops?!

  I see Liam rushing towards us, his black and red fur streaked with blood too. A new dread burst from my lips.

  “Liam? LIAM?!”

  “I’m alright, I’m alright Carmina… it’s not my blood… calm down! Don’t let anyone touch Roland’s body.”

  I wrap myself around my beautiful gipsy brat, still holding the jacket to his chest. My hands are smeared with blood and I feel misery closing in fast; more blood on my hands. He looks so happy. He can’t be gone.

  “Roland, wake up, please… just wake up… you promised me!” I cry into his hair.

  “Mina… I’m sorry, we were too late…”

  “What do you mean?! Who did this?” I scream, frenzy circling in my voice with the wolf yipping around me, licking my face.

  “Mina… they’re all … I’m sorry, we were too late.”

  “John, go clean up. Go.” Liam pushes his brother who’s pacing in a circle around Roland and I.

  “Liam? He can’t be dead… please… tell me…”

  “We have to burn his body, Mina.”

  “NO! NO! You can’t! It is sacrilege. He has to be buried, properly. With a funeral and everything. It is their custom!”

  “We can’t do that Carmina… you have to let him go…”

  “NO! Liam! NO!”

  I feel two strong hands grabbing hold of me, dragging me away from Roland’s body. I scream and fight them, but to no avail. Uncle Will’s silver streaks wave past my fury. I watch Liam set fire to my beloved brat and the screams are riddled with agony and heartache. I breathe in the smell of fire and flesh burning and my body heaves. How could Liam do this? The haunting grin is clearly visible on Roland’s face. How could he leave me? He promised me!