The Garnet Dagger

by Andrea R. Cooper

  It was too dangerous to risk a large fire, so I tossed a pile of sticks near her boulder while she continued to eat.

  Winter wind wailed at us and I saw her shiver. Gripping two sticks, I rubbed them together, hoping for a spark.

  Nothing.

  Hearing her whimper with each gust of wind, I strained three more times.

  “No use,” I said as her teeth chattered, “snows made the wood too wet.” Cursing, I brushed the fragments of the sticks off my hands. At least I could offer her dry clothes. I stalked to my pack and removed a clean tunic and trousers.

  “Here, they’ll keep you warm.” Elvin clothes, woven from threads that cooled you during the summer, and warmed you during the winter.

  Awkwardly, I set the clothes in her lap, then turned and walked off leaving her alone to change.

  I yearned to watch her, but I kept my eyes locked on the clouds skirting above.

  “Done.”

  Dressed in my cream tunic and russet trousers, I trembled to touch her. Even though her frame was far too thin, her hips curved underneath the fabric.

  Her brown robe tossed over a low limb to dry.

  Struggled in my mind over her. Bring her with me or leave her behind?

  In the end, I decided to take her to the nearest town. Make sure she fared well, and after I got the dagger back, leave. I promised myself it would only be until then and no longer, but it felt like a lie.

  “When you’re up to travel, I’d like to find rooms for us at the nearest town.”

  She tilted her head as if I told her I’d grow another set of ears. Thinking this, my fingers brushed over my hair to cover my ears.

  Her voice reminded me of songbirds in the spring. “I believe a warm bath and bed would do us both good.”

  Images of her naked as I dragged a soapy hand along her long legs made my mouth water. I shook my head. As soon as I could, I’d set my feet away from her.

  I must find the witch. Pierce her heart and spill her blood.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hours later, we arrived at a town. My cloak wrapped around her. Even so, shudders wracked her body with each gust of the wind.

  Only the evergreen trees sprinkled among the bare branches showed courage against the freezing winter. They wore the snow and ice on their branches like trophies.

  Without my cloak to at least draw my hood, I felt naked. My cap lost, left behind in the torturous village we fled.

  Worried, my hands kept creeping into my hair pushing down the strands to cover my ears.

  She walked beside me into the town. “No one will notice.”

  “The last place did.” I kicked aside a pebble along the dirt road.

  Late afternoon sun melted the snow along the ground. Patches of ice spread along the grass and clung to branches. Passing through the town square, the sun dipped into the horizon.

  “Come with me.” She took a detour back to the line of pine trees.

  “Forget something?”

  “Aye.”

  I did not like the way she stared at my hair.

  “I’ll need a disguise. No one will give us a room if they think we’re slaves.”

  At this my eyebrows lifted. How would they know?

  “Slaves or criminals have hair short.” She touched one of her golden spikes with her good hand. “I need yours.”

  “How much?” I dreaded her answer. Why didn’t I leave her back at the monk’s tower? But I had to know she was safe. Perhaps if I could protect one innocent, I’d redeem myself in my eyes. Would it make me less of a monster?

  “Just turn around so I may cut enough for myself.” With my grumble, she added, “I won’t give you a tonsure.”

  Before I argued, she spun me round. Then I felt the tug of the dagger on my hair.

  “There.”

  I inched my hand up to feel the damage. Nay, she did not make me bald by human standards, but now my hair hung to my shoulders. With a good wind, the hair would lift off my ears instead of concealing them.

  “Hold this.” She handed me one end of my severed hair.

  She rummaged through my pack and tore off the edge of one of my tunics.

  Then she used the dagger on a nearby pine until the sap oozed out between the bark. With the blade, she stroked the sticky sap across the end of my tunic.

  “Give me the hair, pieces at a time.”

  As I did, she laid each piece along the strip until all my hair lined the inside. Since she could use just one hand, and knocked my offers to help aside, the sun dipped behind the trees.

  Within an hour or less, dusk would color the sky.

  “I’ll need your help with this.” She picked up one end of the strip. “Tie the ends together at the nape of my neck.”

  Why we made this wig as the sticky sap stuck to my fingers I wondered why for the hundredth time since she chopped off my hair.

  Then the strip, sap side against her head, was in place. If I’d not seen her put the piece together, would have thought was her own black hair hanging halfway down her back.

  Then she used the snow to remove the excess sap from the dagger. Before I blinked, the dagger disappeared into wherever she hid it before.

  “Now we’re ready.” Her strides to the village made me snatch up my pack and rush after her.

  Disconcerted to see my black hair wave at me from underneath the strip as I followed.

  Instead of going to the edge of town for lodging, she turned on her heel and into the nearest inn.

  I snatched her elbow. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting us a room.” Her smile almost made me smile back.

  “We need to find an inn farther away.”

  “Nay, if they come for us this will be the last place they’ll think to look. All will assume we went to the farthest inn.”

  Appearing nonchalant, she pushed forward into the inn’s doorway.

  Inside, greasy men snapped their stares on her. I heard their lewd whispers. Anger coursed through me and ignited the pressure of my curse within me.

  But this time, I knew what this feeling was. My curse and hunger to feed on a living being’s essence.

  My body fueled by this, and not food and water as before that cursed night. This thought brought the acid taste of bile up into my throat.

  Still, anger to drain these men until their eyes sunk into their sockets for staring at her pulsed with each beat of my heart.

  As though oblivious to her audience, Celeste marched to the bar. Then she rapped on the wooden counter. “Have you a room to rent for the night?”

  “Got a room upstairs.” The innkeeper limped over. Wiry sprockets of red hair shot out from his head.

  She clasped her hand on the counter and I noticed her nails, jagged and caked with dirt, before she hid them.

  Did the innkeeper wonder how she stood balanced on such thin legs? Her knobby knees pressed up through the fabric of my trousers she wore.

  “How much?”

  “Three tronce,” he replied.

  “Truly?” her breath came out raspy, “does the King himself wait upon us then?”

  “Nay,” the innkeeper cleared his throat. “It’s a fair price.”

  “Aye, if the Queen scrubs the floors.” She leaned in. “But at the looks of things, I’d say the other inn fairs better at their cleaning.”

  “Three tronce or you can go elsewhere.”

  His glare brought a shrug to her shoulders and she turned away.

  “Wait,” he said after her as she rounded the nearest table to the exit. “Two tronce, and I — I, include a hearth, hot bath and one meal.”

  “Two meals.” Not a step did she move until he nodded in agreement.

  She nudged me as my mouth hung open. “Pay him.”

  As she dipped into a curtsy, I fumbled for the coin pouch. A few copper coins jingled inside.

  After I placed two coins in his palm, he gave the directions to the room.

  “We’ll take the first meal in our chamber.”

>   The innkeeper let out a gasp.

  “No worries, my servant will bring the plates down when we are done.” She leaned forward. “My trunks of clothing arrive on the carriage tomorrow.”

  Dipped his hat to her and then she sauntered down the hallway.

  Open mouthed, I snatched up my pack and careened through the crowd after her. Lies she spoke. I worried she wanted us killed.

  Apparently she thought I might lose my way, for after I dashed up stairs and turned the corner, our door stood open.

  Marching inside, I kicked the door behind me. “What was that about?”

  “Make no mistake. We’ll be followed. Morgan is more resourceful than you know.” She rose up to her full height glaring up at me. Even though she reached to the bottom of my chin while standing on her toes, she made me feel like a dwarf. “He’ll not die from his injury. But his wounded pride will make him chase us down, even down the devil’s throat.”

  “But I don’t see how — ”

  “Men will come looking. Only they look for a peasant girl with short blond hair and a stranger. Everyone’s convinced who heard us that I’m wealthy.” She tossed back a lock of my black hair that hung against her neck. “And this helps too.”

  Rather than argue with her, I stalked to the bed. Set down my pack, and tossed my sword, bows, and quiver beside it on the floor. Moving aside my cloak she had discarded, I flopped onto the bed.

  Mistake, images of her on the bed with me sprang into my mind. Kisses by candlelight. Felt my heart flip inside my chest in applause to my thoughts.

  Damn my curse. I had enough to worry about, besides her bringing dogs snapping at my heels and crazed monks. Perhaps if I left her tomorrow as planned, she could evade them. Throw them off my trail so I could find the witch.

  The dagger. Sitting up, I wrenched off my boots. Just the coin pouch fell onto the mattress. Snatching up the pack, I rummaged through the items. Her brown robe and another tunic of mine splayed out before me.

  Where had she hidden the blade?

  Her head cocked to the side caught my attention.

  “Give me the dagger.”

  “Told you. You gave it to me of your own free will. It’s mine now.”

  “I must have it, return the dagger at once.” I’d never be able to leave unless I had the dagger.

  Yet, given her circumstances, I could scarcely explain why. Didn’t doubt she’d gut me if I told her I needed the dagger to find a witch. A witch I would kill.

  “Why?”

  I struggled not to cringe at her question. “Because it belongs to me. I only allowed you to borrow it.”

  “Well, I’m not done borrowing it yet.” She tilted her head nonchalantly as though I asked her for a cup of tea.

  Clenched my hands instead of using them to hold her up off the floor by her neck.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A rap sounded and Celeste rushed forward to open the door.

  Two maids waited, each holding a plate filled with a slice of ham, two pieces of bread, and a lumpy white heap.

  Before I could say I wasn’t hungry and to take one of the plates back, Celeste accepted both.

  One stoked the fire and it popped and hissed in response.

  “Bring up a bath for me within the hour.”

  In response, they dipped into curtseys and left.

  After I closed the door, I leaned against the frame watching her. Balancing a plate in each hand, she sat down upon the floor. Then she set one plate down on the stone floor. Crossed her legs and placed the other plate on her lap. Stuffed a piece of ham into her mouth.

  “You’re going to eat both plates?” I knew her captors didn’t feed her well from the frailty of her appearance.

  Between bites she nodded, “Come morning, I’ll have another two meals.”

  “But eating too much too soon will make you ill,” I said as I sunk to the floor.

  She tore a piece of bread. “I know.” Used the bread to scoop up a glob of the white substance. “Often Morgan starved me for days.” Popped the soggy bread into her mouth and talked between chews. “Then bring me a tray overflowing with food. At first, I ate till my stomach hurt. During the night, I’d retch till blood came up.”

  How could mankind be so cruel? Bitterness I didn’t know was there crept into my throat.

  “After the second time, I hid what I could among the straw.” The first plate empty, she traded it for the full one on the floor and took a bite out of the slice of bread. “But then the rats found my stash. Had to beat them away with my chain and throw their limp bodies from the window so Morgan would not know what I’d done. The monks who found the dead rats claimed their god protected them and killed the rats.”

  Finishing her plate, she stacked both beside her.

  All I had to do was wait until she went to sleep. Then search the room for the dagger. Once I recovered the dagger, I’d leave her to fate. Despite her imprisonment, she took care of herself the best she could. Now with her freedom, she would fair even better.

  Better we split up now, before she became too dependent on me. Or I became too entangled in her. Besides, they looked for two, not one, I reasoned with myself.

  A knock sounded on the door. I, being closer this time, rose and swung the door open. The innkeeper grunted, his arms holding a metal tub. Five women waited behind him with buckets of steaming water.

  “Make way,” he said as he pushed passed me and bowed his head to Celeste.

  Set the tub before her. Then he reached into the tub and drew out four folded cloths, two smaller ones for cleaning, and the other two for drying. Another dip and he brought out a large piece of lye soap.

  The women rushed forward sloshing water in their wake. After the buckets were emptied, and the tub full, the innkeeper ordered a servant to pick up the empty plates.

  With a flourish, he bowed out of the room. The door clicked closed.

  “They believe your story,” I said staring at the door with my back to her. “Think you maybe the queen’s lady in waiting or someth — ” My words stuck in my throat as I turned back to her.

  Naked, she stood before me. My eyes roved over her form. Breasts were smaller than my hand. The slight curve of her hipbone cradled her flat stomach.

  As though unconcerned from my leering, she climbed into the tub and sank down. Her knees jutted out from the water. Mesmerized, I watched as she reached for the cloth and soap just outside of the tub.

  She scrubbed the soap across the rag, bringing the aroma of wood ash and lye. After she washed her legs, arms and body, she turned to me with a smile that nearly brought my legs out from under me.

  “Do you mind?” she asked and held out the soapy rag. “I can’t reach my back. If you hurry, the water will still be warm for your bath.”

  Bath? Certainly she did not expect me to bathe in used water, and in front of her, no less. I took the rag from her outstretched hand.

  She leaned forward and scooped my hair from her back and held it in one hand. Her golden hair winked at me from underneath her makeshift wig. Saw the curve of her back until the end of her form disappeared into the water.

  And I swallowed.

  “Might as well save the disguise for now.”

  I noticed how her ribs poked out along her skin. Welts healed and crossed in scars over scars. I ran the rag in swirls on her back.

  “Am I hurting you?” My mouth went dry.

  “Nay.” She settled forward, leaning her arm on the rim of the metal tub.

  Fearing she sensed me ogling her, I dropped the rag into the water. “Done.”

  With a sigh she leaned back. Water lapped underneath her breasts. My hair from her wig hung over the side of the tub.

  Forcing my legs to move, I stalked away and began searching her discarded clothing for the dagger.

  Reaching outside the tub, she snatched up one of the cloths and dried her face.

  She stepped out of the bath, water dripping from her nakedness and splashed onto stone floor. The
cloth draped over her, clinging to her form. “Your turn.”

  Her smile and words brought me forward on wobbly legs. Felt as though my muscles churned into liquid and my bones turned to brittle sticks.

  At the tub, I stared down into the water. This same water had caressed her.

  “Hurry, now, before the water cools.” She added another log to the fire.

  With a nod, I pulled my tunic over my head. Not looking at her, I removed my stockings. Slipped my trousers off and leapt into the tub. Water sloshed over the sides.

  Grabbing the rag and soap, I refused to think about anything but bathing. The water chilled my skin, but I didn’t complain. Scrubbed my body, and ignored the ripples of water lapping at my stomach. Doused my hair and scrubbed the soap into my shorn locks.

  When I reached to soap my back, her fingers brushed mine.

  “Let me.”

  My hands gripped the sides of the tub.

  Her strokes across my back made me hold back a groan. Teasing, every so often her fingers brushed my back along the edges of the rag. Lightning coursed through me. I worried my power would take her, but this was different. Tingles spread over me. Wanting, anticipating her next touch.

  The rag splashed behind me.

  “All done.” Her feet slapped against the floor as she walked away.

  I flung my head back to rinse. The metal resonated when my head struck the edge.

  I heard a stifled giggle, but slid down deeper and under the water. I rose and felt her stare.

  Grabbing a cloth, I flung it over my body and turned away from her. Patted down the material to dry off.

  Still dripping, I made a knot with the edges of the cloth to cover me. But the material merely reached from below my navel to mid-thigh.

  A knock made my head whip around to the door. Holding my cover in one hand, I flung open the door with the other.

  On the other side of the door, a boy stared at me. “Here to take your clothes.”

  “Make certain they are cleaned first, before anyone else’s.” Celeste moved passed me with my trousers and tunics in her hands. “Don’t dally like my servant here,” her lips curled in smile. “Have my trunks arrived?”

  “Nay, milady.” Red circled on the boy’s cheeks. “Soon as they arrive I’ll fetch ‘em.”