Claws: Homeward VII

by Barb Hendee

  Jan took no issue with this, and he was glad when the townspeople began tossing coins into the hats. Aunt Doreena needed the money for their community box. Turning, he looked at Julianna and saw she was still glowing... and that she was enjoying herself. He realized this was the first time she’d ever experienced the joy of performing and the sound of applause. Normally, she preferred to work behind the scenes, in kitchens or hen houses or out gathering firewood, so it pleased and surprised him that she was having a good time out here on display in the marketplace.

  “Ready?” he asked her.

  She nodded, and he began the next song.

  The afternoon passed quickly, with Uncle Rosario and Heraldo spelling the musical numbers about every third or fourth song. At one point, only Jan and Belle performed, so he could play something haunting and mournful, and she could do one of her slow, seductive dances that kept the audience mesmerized.

  Aunt Doreena read palms and told fortunes, and Jan anticipated that tomorrow, Uncle Rosario would bring a larger group into town. This was a relief. Perhaps they had all been worried over nothing regarding Rico.

  However... the worry over Sebastian’s invading family was still very real. Normally, Rosario would start in the merchant district and move to various locations through the town. If Sebastian’s people had played out the better areas, there would be little coin available for another family of Móndyalítko coming in and performing the same types of shows.

  Something had to be done. Jan simply didn’t know what yet.

  As dusk set in, Rosario called a halt. He bid any remaining audience members a good night and promised to return tomorrow.

  Jan was just walking over to help Heraldo pack up when the first eerie cry rang out, and he whirled around, going instantly cold.

  “No,” he whispered.

  Townspeople in the market began screaming as a great black cat dashed past a candle-seller’s stall and went after a woman carrying a child.

  Jan dropped his violin and bolted forward, with no idea of what he might do, but driven by the need to do something.

  He was too late.

  As with the previous attack, as the cat reached the woman, she appeared to stumble and then fell. The child rolled free, but the cat was atop the woman, slashing twice this time, catching her across the face and shoulder.

  As Jan reached them, the cat darted away, dashing the way it had come, leaving the injured, bleeding woman writhing on the ground.

  Glancing back, Jan saw that Julianna had run after him, and she was holding the child, gripping it tightly to her chest. He fell on his knees beside the woman. Three jagged claw marks marred her face, and her shoulder was bleeding badly.

  “Someone help!” he called. “The cat is gone! Go and fetch a healer!”

  Rushed footsteps sounded behind him, and he looked back again to see both Master Braxton and Rosario running up.

  Braxton dropped down beside Jan.

  “I’ve sent for a healer,” he said. “What happened?”

  Jan hesitated. “Same as before. A great cat appearing... slashing... and then vanishing again.”

  Braxton looked down at the woman and then up at Rosario.

  “Where is your son?”

  · · · · ·

  No arrest was made, but the mood at the camp that night was tense and fearful. The group did not wish to lose Rico, and Jan even heard whispered suggestions that they should all pack up and leave in the night.

  Jan knew that Doreena and Rosario would most likely never agree to that, or at least not yet. They’d worked too hard to create a yearly cycle of places where they were welcome to stay and work—and they would be hard pressed to give up Serov.

  And yet... the fear of the other family members caused him to ponder something Julianna had said last night.

  If it’s not Donovan, who could it be? Who would benefit from hurting Rico?

  Just the possibility of Rico being arrested, of being taken away, already had half of the family ready to pack up and leave.

  If that happened, who would most benefit?

  Only one name came to mind: Sebastian.

  As the women prepared dinner, Jan looked over to see his aunt and Julianna both busy at the fire. Neither one noticed him looking. He knew Rico and Rosario were both tending to the horses.

  Quickly, Jan went up the steps of the wagon, and he quietly opened the door. Belle was the only person inside, and she was asleep on her bunk. Ignoring her, he went to his aunt’s shelf of herbal remedies, and he randomly chose a tiny stoppered vial, which he dropped into his pocket. Then he found a clay pitcher and went back outside.

  Belle never even stirred.

  Once outside, he slipped beneath the wagon, knelt beside a small cask, and filled the pitcher with dark, red wine. He always kept a dagger inside a sheath in his right boot, but he didn’t think he’d need it.

  After glancing again at his aunt and Julianna, he headed across the way, entering Sebastian’s camp. Similar activities took place over here. Women cooking. Children playing. Men tending to horses.

  A girl about sixteen who was leaning over a pot, stood up as he approached. He gave her his most charming smile and raised the pitcher.

  “I’ve come for a drink with Sebastian,” he said. “Can you point me to his wagon?”

  In addition to being overly handsome, he looked like one of the “world’s little children,” and his smile did the rest.

  Without word, she pointed to the largest wagon. It was the one he would have guessed, but he couldn’t have been certain.

  Sweeping back with one leg, he bowed. “My thanks.”

  She didn’t speak but continued watching him as he walked toward the wagon. Taking the steps swiftly, he decided on a light knock.

  “Come in,” a gruff voice called.

  Jan opened the door but didn’t enter.

  The rotund man sitting behind a desk looked up at him and blinked in surprise. Inside, the wagon was cluttered with rolled papers and clothes and bottles and saddles and boxes. It smelled of stale dust, and Jan wondered when it had last been cleaned. A single bunk was visible at the front, built into the wall, and the only other furniture was the desk where Sebastian sat.

  Blinking his heavily folded eyes, Sebastian said, “You’re... you’re...?”

  “Rosario’s nephew.” Jan held up the pitcher. “My father is the vassal of Chemestúk and its surrounding fiefs, and my uncle has been giving me more authority in the family. We performed in the marketplace today, and I know your people were in the merchant district. I thought you and I might have a drink and work out some... boundaries for dividing the town between us.”

  He’d worded his statement carefully, first stressing that his own father was in a position of authority for the House of Äntes—no small feat—and then that his uncle was favoring him with more authority—which wasn’t remotely true—and finally that Rosario may have softened and was willing to divide Serov without resistance after all.

  Sebastian’s eyes glinted. This was probably more than he’d hoped for so soon. “I won’t promise agreement,” he said casually, “but pour us some drinks and we can talk.” He stood, his girth filling half the width of the wagon, and he reached to a shelf above his head, bringing down two clay goblets. “What did you bring?”

  “Dark burgundy from Kéonsk.”

  Sebastian suddenly smiled, exposing stained teeth. “Well, that bodes well. You’ve got the good sense not to offer the cheap stuff.”

  Jan poured the wine, set down the pitcher, and handed a goblet to Sebastian.

  “To a meeting of mutual benefit?” Jan asked, raising his goblet.

  Sebastian’s smile broadened. “Why not?”

  Again, this must be far easier than he expected given the fact that he’d broken with long established Móndyalítko agreements. Jan waited as Sebastian took a large swallow, downing half the contents of his goblet. Then Jan raised his own goblet to his mouth and set it down on the desk.

  �
�Giving up the marketplace would be hard for us,” Sebastian began, shuffling papers aside on his desk, “so I hope you won’t you suggest that. Perhaps we could alternate?”

  Jan remained silent until the rotund man looked up from the desk.

  “I have a better suggestion,” Jan said coldly. “You tell me whatever it is you’re holding over Master Braxton or you’ll be dead within a few moments. I’ve just poisoned you.”

  Sebastian stared at him and then glanced down at the goblet. “What did you... what did you...?”

  “I put a special mix of my aunt’s into the wine,” Jan explained, taking the tiny, stoppered vial from his pocket. “I normally prefer not to be murderer, unless I can’t help it, so this is the antidote. Tell me what you’re holding over Braxton, and I’ll hand you this vial. Easy enough.”

  Turning red, Sebastian looked down at Jan’s goblet. “Then you poisoned yourself as well.”

  “I did not. My goblet’s full. I didn’t take a sip.”

  Sebastian’s eyes widened, tinted with fear.

  “Right about now,” Jan went on, “your throat is beginning to close up and your tongue is beginning to swell. Within a few breaths, you won’t be able to swallow at all.”

  “You wouldn’t do this! You’re Móndyalítko! We don’t kill our own.”

  “I’m only half Móndyalítko. My father serves the Äntes.” He leaned forward, placing one hand on the desk and holding up the vial with the other. “Tell me! What do you have on Braxton?”

  Sebastian put one hand to his throat and focused his gaze on the vial. “He stole some taxes! Last spring, he married a girl half his age, and she wanted a finer house, so he started to build her one. He couldn’t finish paying for work and materials, and when he delivered Serov’s quarterly taxes, he held some back and made an excuse to Lord Rueben. One of Braxton’s servants found out and I... I acquired the information and threatened to go to Lord Rueben unless we were allowed to stay.”

  Jan took a step back, letting anger flow into his voice, “And then you somehow got hold of a great cat that you set loose in the marketplace to ensure Rico would be blamed and we’d have to leave.”

  “What? No!” Sebastian shook his head adamantly. “I had nothing to do with that. I may be trying to earn a little extra coin, but I’d not expose one of my own people’s shifters.”

  Jan studied his face. He was being truthful.

  Whoever had set that cat loose in the market... it wasn’t Sebastian.

  “Give me the vial!” Sebastian cried.

  “Why?” Jan slipped the vial back into his pocket. “You don’t need it. I didn’t put anything in the wine.”

  Sebastian stared at him, panting. “But... my throat... my tongue.”

  “You believed me, and your body reacted.” Jan leaned forward again, this time putting both hands on the desk. “Here’s what’s going to happen. Tomorrow morning, you will pack up your family and leave. I want you gone before the midday meal. And if you don’t, I will go into Serov and begin spreading word about Master Braxton stealing those taxes, and I’ll make sure everyone knows the information came from you. I’ll make certain Master Braxton believes that you’ve been spreading his dirty secret. I believe he has some pull with the magistrates of a number of towns and villages in this area. Even if he falls from power over this, you will have made quite an enemy.”

  Sebastian went pale. “You would do that? You’d let my entire family suffer, keep them from finding a welcome and a place to perform?”

  Jan turned away and headed for the door. “Be gone before mid-day.”

  · · · · ·

  Dinner was going to be served late tonight, but no one seemed to mind. Julianna was helping Doreena reheat some chicken and lentil stew from the night before. No one here ever minded eating the same thing two nights in a row either.

  Belle came out of the wagon, yawning from a nap, and she sat down in her usual spot. Rico was crouched by the campfire, staring into it, and offering no hint of his feelings.

  Doreena leaned over the large cast pot—hanging on a hook over the low flames—and stirred it. “I’m not sure we have enough for everyone. Julianna, I bought some tomatoes at the market today. Would you run to the wagon and fetch them? We can cut them up and add them.”

  Fresh tomatoes in the stew sounded promising.

  “Of course. Be right back.”

  Julianna hurried off, went to the wagon, and found a box of tomatoes on the floor. She wasn’t certain how many Doreena wanted, so she hefted the entire box, intending to go right back to the fire.

  However... as she descended the steps, movement caught her eye, and she looked over to see Corbin coming out of the wagon he shared with the rest of Heraldo’s family. The sight of the twitchy young man exiting his own wagon was nothing out of the ordinary, but something about the way he moved, something furtive, caused Julianna to stop and observe him.

  He crept down the steps as if he feared being heard or seen, and he carried something in his arms. Darkness had fallen, but the moon was full, and Julianna squinted to try and see what it was he carried.

  Instead of heading toward the campfire, he turned and slipped away through the trees, vanishing into the forest.

  After only an instant of hesitation, Julianna set down the box of tomatoes and went after him, passing through the exact same spot in the trees and trying to listen for his footsteps. She heard nothing but continued onward until she reached a clearing, and then she stopped at the edge of the brush, peering through the leaves.

  Corbin stood inside the clearing, bathed in moonlight.

  As he adjusted the bundle in his arms, one of his hands became more visible, and she realized he was carrying two separate items. The bundle was black and appeared to be a large piece of folded cloth, and the other object was a small, hand-held rake... with three sharp, metal prongs.

  She stood frozen, realizing she was on edge of witnessing something important, but as yet, she had no idea what.

  Still gripping the three-pronged hand rake, Corbin shook loose the folded cloth. It was beautiful, black and sheer, and it glimmered in the moonlight like no cloth Julianna had ever seen.

  With one hand, Corbin swung the cloth over his shoulders, and the world around him shimmered briefly. Julianna stifled a gasped. Instantly, Corbin was gone and a great black cat had taken his place. The sight was nothing like what she’d observed when Rico had transformed. There was no alteration of features or fur sprouting or claws growing.

  In a blink, Corbin had vanished and the cat had appeared.

  Although Julianna had no idea exactly how this was being done... she now knew who was doing it, and he should be ashamed of himself.

  Unable to keep still a moment longer, she stepped into clearing.

  “Corbin! Take that cloth off right now!”

  She was not about to let him go into Serov and maim some poor townsperson. She wasn’t afraid of him. She was traveling with his family and was therefore considered “one of the people.”

  His head swung toward her, and his glowing yellow eyes fixed on her.

  A hint of uncertainty passed through her, but she stood her ground. “Corbin, this has to stop,” she said, surprised at the calm in her voice. “You must know that.”

  His lips drew up, exposing fangs, and he snarled.

  Then he charged.

  Julianna whirled, running back toward the camp.

  “Jan!”

  · · · · ·

  Jan strode back from Sebastian’s camp, not terribly proud of what he’d just done, but satisfied that these interlopers would be gone in the morning.

  He realized he was hungry and sniffed the air as he approached the campfire of his own camp, smelling simmering chicken. Aunt Doreena was stirring the pot, and he glanced around.

  “Where’s Julianna?” he asked.

  Doreena looked up. “I sent her to fetch some tomatoes, but she should have come back by now.”

  Frowning, he took a single step
toward the wagon when a cry rang of the forest.

  “Jan!”

  He bolted, running so fast his feet nearly flew over the ground, not slowing down when he reached the trees but crashing through the brush.

  “Julianna!”

  He couldn’t see her, and he shouted her name again.

  Then he heard the sounds of something in the trees ahead, and he darted forward, breaking between two aspens to the sight of Julianna running toward him.

  His relief was short lived as she appeared to be shoved forward and she fell. His heart nearly stopped as a great black cat appeared behind her, leaping on top of her.

  Without thinking, Jan ran forward and kicked the cat in its side. He expected to feel heavy resistance and was surprised when the cat flew off of Julianna and rolled. Dropping to one knee, Jan jerked the dagger from his boot, not sure how much good it would be, but it was his only available weapon.

  True to form, Julianna scrambled to one side and grabbed a heavy branch, whirling back to defend herself. Good. If she could bash the cat just once on the head, he might be able to finish it with his dagger.

  But neither of them got the chance to act further.

  A black form streaked past them, snarling, and it crashed into the cat on the ground, raising one claw to slash. Jan drew back, trying to get in front of Julianna, as the two great black cats were locked in battle.

  “Rico, no!” Julianna cried. “Don’t hurt him. It’s Corbin.”

  The cat on top, with its paw still in the air, looked over at Julianna, and she dashed past Jan, running forward. Dropping beside both cats, she reached out for the one pinned on the ground, appeared to grab its fur, and she jerked. A black cloth came away in her hands.

  The world shimmered.

  The cat on the ground vanished, and a terrified Corbin cowered in its place.

  · · · · ·

  Not long after, Jan was standing by the campfire with the entire family, and he was still trying to make sense of what he’d just witnessed.

  Rico had dragged Corbin back into camp, and Jan had followed, bringing Julianna to an empty chair by the fire and telling her to sit down. She normally didn’t like being fussed over, but he could tell she must be shaken because she didn’t argue. He stood behind her with his hands on the back of her chair. Some of the family members whispered among themselves.