Iron Cage: Dark Urban Fantasy Novella (Quest for Shifter Magic Book 1)

by Melle Amade

  “You mean if I win, I can pick someone?” Hanneke asks. “Am I eligible?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Willem says.

  Oh no. What has happened? “I’ve never heard of something like this before,” I murmur.

  “Maybe women’s liberation is making an impact on El Oso.” Willem’s tone is light, still I feel the impact of his words.

  “This was El Oso’s decision?” I ask.

  “I’m not sure. We’re in Muiderkring West so technically it’s my father’s jurisdiction.”

  “Who cares who made the proclamation,” Hanneke says. “It’s awesome. I have a chance of being able to get a spouse and not be stuck with some South American eagle.”

  It’s no secret who she’ll pick if she wins. A groan stifles my insides. My little sister is fast. I have got to win the hunt tomorrow.

  I catch Willem’s gaze. Neither of us say anything.

  “You’re the favorite, sis, but I might give you a run for your money,” Hanneke smiles.

  I cringe. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. This is not going at all how I had expected. I thought Willem was going to talk to his father, tell him he wanted to marry me and secure that Matching. But this…this means I must win the hunt if I want to make certain of getting Willem.

  “Agi’s going to be tough to beat,” Willem says to Hanneke. My fingers twist the edges of my rabbit stole.

  “I won once,” I say. “That doesn’t mean I’ll win again.”

  “Of course not,” Willem says. “But the hunting dogs listen to you, so you definitely have the advantage.”

  And I hear the truth in between his words. This is something he arranged with his father. He was supposed to organize our Matching and instead he somehow managed this, a competition.

  We’ve made our way through the maze of hedges. A sea of red and purple and white and yellow tulips sprawls before us in intricate patterns. These colorful patches are connected by paths, which meander in and out of the trees. Sunlight filters through the branches and dance on the flowers.

  Willem stops moving; his golden head turns from side to side as he takes in the stunning view. Even though I’ve seen this garden my entire life, I’m almost always calmed and enchanted by its beauty.

  But not right now.

  Right now, needles prick my skin and I want to let out a shriek and stab my talons into something. Maybe even Willem.

  “This place never ceases to amaze me,” Willem says.

  But he has no idea what he’s done. When he was here last summer Hanneke couldn’t shift. Now she can and he’s unaware of how fast she is. How there’s a good chance she could outstrip me in the hunt and win. There’s no doubt in my head if Hanneke wins, she’ll chose Willem. Even now she stares up at him, her eyes glowing.

  What has he done to us?

  My throat closes.

  “Would you like to go for a ride on the lake?” Hanneke asks him, nodding at the small paddle boats that sit on the edge of our small lake.

  “Sure, with both of you,” Willem says.

  “You two enjoy,” I crush the words through my tight throat. “I have to feed the dogs.”

  “But—” Hanneke looks perplexed. I don’t care. I’m already turning away.

  I step on the edge of my skirt and stumble forward slightly. Willem quickly reaches to steady me, but I jerk my elbow away. Grabbing at the edge of my skirt, I twist the fabric around clenched fists and hurry back into the hedge maze.

  4

  The lava lamp casts a swirling red glow on the wooden boards of the kennel wall. My fingers stroke Jack’s ears as I stretch on my beanbag listening to the electric guitar of Pink Floyd. I mutter the words as the melody starts. “…think you can tell heaven from Hell? Blue skies from pain…”

  Jack sits up and gives a yap as the shed door opens.

  “Wow, you’ve really decked this place out. It’s like your…crib?” Willem hesitates on the last word.

  “So you do know some of the human slang?” I roll over, glowering at him.

  “Don’t be mad.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I sit up. “Was it all just lies in those letters? I mean, it’s not like you pledged your love for me or anything, but…you did say-”

  “I said I would talk to my father and that is exactly what I did.” He plops down on the beanbag next to me.

  “Impressive results.”

  “Look, it’s not that easy to just walk in and change everything around the way you want it. I tried and this is the best that could be arranged.” Willem reaches over and strokes my hair. I don’t move. As angry as I am, I’ve missed him. Our new-found intimacy, if only long distance words on paper, makes me want to be close to him.

  I look up at him and he leans over and presses his lips, against mine. It’s a moment I’ve thought about for the last ten months and I hold on to it with every part of me. His lips are earnest as they move over mine. We press together, held in by the grooves of the beanbag. His hand starts to reach under my shirt and I jerk away.

  “No.” I press my hand against his chest and push him away, rolling out of the beanbag and falling onto Jack. My hunting dog yelps and scrambles away. “In two days you could be betrothed to any one of my sisters. There’s no way we’re doing this.”

  “This? I wasn’t trying to-”

  “Anything. We’re not doing anything.” I clarify. “Because if I have to go through life with you as my brother-in-law, I don’t want to have any memories of kissing you or touching you or anything.”

  “That’s not going to happen. You’re going to win the hunt and pick me as your betrothed. I’m not even worried about it.” He sits up awkwardly. I’m not sure beanbags were made for Heirs to the Kortsrijk. I stay quite comfortably sitting on the floor as Jack crawls back and flops his head in my lap.

  “I’ve known you my whole life,” I say. “You’re worried about it.”

  “You know all this stuff is contraband.” Willem changes the subject. “Lava lamps. Record players. Psychedelic posters.”

  “Yeah, I kinda figured you weren’t rocking this stuff over in your manor. Why do you think I hang it out here in my dog kennel?” I ask.

  “We don’t have pets in California. My father doesn’t approve of them.”

  “It’s good he lays down some laws somewhere,” I snarl.

  “Agi stop,” Willem says. “I haven’t seen you all year. The last thing I want to do is argue. In fact, I’m not even sure that I want to be sitting in your stinky old dog kennel.”

  “Jack can hear you,” I point at the hunting dog’s head in my lap.

  “You’re going to do fine tomorrow.”

  “You better hope so,” I say. “Imagine if I lose. You’ll spend the rest of your life married to my stick in the mud oldest sister or my silly youngest sister. If you get Mais, you’ll be lucky. She’s always in a good mood.”

  “Agi.” He grips his fingers together and I can see the fine lines of stress tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I only want you. Last summer, spending time with you was so relaxing and fun. I want that all the time.”

  “It’s not always summer,” I murmur, inspecting Jack’s ear.

  “These last ten months, I had to write you.” His words unknot some of the stress that’s been running through me.

  “I loved getting your letters.” I look up at him and for the first time since I’ve seen him this summer, he smiles.

  “I’m glad.” His chuckle warms the small shed. “I spent a lot of time thinking about what I was going to write. Then a lot of time waiting for your response.”

  I nod. “It was a long year.”

  “Yeah.”

  That’s something we can both agree on. I don’t say the unspoken truth. If I fail tomorrow, we’ll spend the rest of our lives waiting for something that can never happen.

  The thought unravels my insides

  “You better go back. They’ll miss you.” I press my face against Jack until I hear the door of the shed sh
ut behind him.

  .

  5

  The bracing wind rushes off the salt water, over the dykes and onto the manicured lawn where the Berzerken, Ravensgaards and eagles have gathered for the hunt. Muiderslot castle looms behind us, a dark shadow on an overcast day. A low platform is set up on the grass, but it’s empty. Everyone is still milling around the garden, drinking tea and coffee and waiting for the trumpets to herald the Hunt’s start. The harsh wind blows back our hair and skirts. We’re still required to wear white gowns, though I’ve cheated a bit by wearing an open white skirt with white leggings underneath. I want to be able to run as we set off on the Hunt.

  I wind the rabbit stole around my wrist and let it unravel itself. I’ve won before. I can win again. Today doesn’t have to be any different than it was five years ago. My experience killing the rabbit was one I didn’t want to repeat, yet if that’s what it takes to marry Willem, I’ll do it.

  Giancarlo, Pierre, and Rolf stand with my sisters and Annalise in a cluster at the front of the gathered crowd. This weekend is for us. El Oso and Lord Van Arend may rule, nevertheless as those who will be matched, we are the guests of honor. We are expected to be at the center of everything that is happening.

  I’m trying to keep my distance from them and stay focused on the hunt. Today will end in the Matching and the pressure is on me to ensure Willem and I are matched. I must beat them all. Hanneke waves me over, angst in her eyes. I got to her and wipe the sweet cookie crumbs from the corner of her mouth.

  “I’m nervous,” Hanneke says.

  Good.

  “You’ll be fine,” I say. “Just don’t overexert yourself.”

  “We’re taking bets,” Giancarlo smirks at me. “Who do you think you’ll win out of the chicks?”

  “You,” I smirk back.

  “Touché,” Pierre grins.

  “Don’t underestimate any of my sisters,” says Katrina. “Especially not Agi.”

  “My money is on Agi,” Willem says.

  “Of course.” I boldly stare into his golden eyes. This is a mistake. Because the second I do, my palms get a little clammy. I bristle, annoyed that they’re disrupting my preparation for the hunt.

  “There’s only one way to find out.” Mais chuckles.

  Trumpets blare and rise on the wind, drawing all the shifters forward to the small platform, which is now flanked by Ravensgaard. They look positively wicked in their brushed black seal skin uniforms wrapped tightly around their muscular bodies, as if they are expecting a battle any moment. So different from the voluminous, pristine white fashion of the eagles.

  Although it’s Lord Van Arend’s estate, it’s El Oso who stands on the platform, leaving no doubt as to who is master of this weekend. His enormous body may crush the platform at any moment, but he scans the crowd, his gaze sliding back and forth over the crowd as he explains the rules of the hunt to the crowd.

  My sisters murmur amongst each other. Willem waves a hand at them, shaking his head. “Be quiet,” he says.

  “What?” asks Katrina. “Do you want to listen to the rules? Really?”

  “Yes,” he says. “I do. You might want to, also.”

  “This year, we have made a special rule. If one of the young women in the Matching wins the race, that woman will be able to select her betrothed.”

  A gasp goes up from the audience and Hanneke clutches at my elbow. “He said it,” she said. “He really said it.”

  Annalise, my sisters and I exchange looks for a moment. Giancarlo lets out a low whistle. Willem stares straight ahead at El Oso.

  “Now we just have to find out what we’re hunting.” I slip a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

  “You knew about this,” Giancarlo leans in a little too close for my comfort.

  I snap to attention. “About what?”

  Giancarlo’s eyes narrow and shift to Willem as he leans back. “You two have made a plan together.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shrivel at the unoriginality of my denial.

  “Be quiet,” Katrina snaps her fan. “He’s announcing what we’re hunting.”

  “It’s a fox.” Annalise says.

  “Agi Oranje of the Van Arend clan, as the winner of the last hunt, will you lead the chase?” El Oso intones.

  “Here goes nothing.” Willem raises his eyebrows as I step out of the crowd. “Yes, my Lord, I shall lead the Hunt.” I curtsy and walk over to the dogs who are in their cages and anxious to be released.

  The dogs’ nails scrape against the metal of their cages as they yap and whine. The sound pierces my ears, still, I smile. I’m in the zone. I need to be. Five years ago, I won the hunt. Just like I must do it this time. My hand pauses, poised over the latch. Caws and cries rise from the crowd. I enjoy the command over the gathering as they wait and watch. I hold steady, feeling the pulse of the crowd and the excitement of the hunt moving through all of us.

  “Jack. Tomas. Go.” I whisper and release the latch. The dogs burst from their cage, their barks filling the sky and sailing up to the clouds.

  And I am sailing with them.

  I launch myself off the ground, and up in the air, transformed. The air currents lift my feathers and catapult me into the sky. A fierce cry wrenches from my throat. All the shifters are rising with me, leaping, jumping, transforming, and following my lead as we prepare to hunt the fox.

  I do not think there are any that can keep up with me. Although I’m small, I’m agile and swift. But beyond that, I have trained every day for the past eight years for this. And although I lead the great group, I am ignoring them. I focus only on my dogs and where they seek the fox.

  The fox was let out at daybreak and will not be easily caught. I fly low over the edge of the water, looking along the bright green grass. My wings beat a swift pattern against the cold spring air.

  An eagle approaches, and I think it must be Hanneke. She is the only one that can compete with me, but I’m surprised to see it is Willem. He flies strong. Still, he’s not me, and he won’t get the fox. I take a deep breath of the salty air and press my wings harder. The high-pitched keening of my dogs sings to me. They have found the fox.

  Willem knows it, too.

  He lets out a shriek, and I answer his call. We race, thrilled and together in the hunt. It takes stamina to fly like this, and I can endure when others lag. But Willem does not slow down either.

  The dogs have disappeared into a wooded area. I fly low, seeking them out.

  We are far ahead of the crowd. The other shifters are merely dots on the horizon as we sweep down to the earth. We transform into our human form, hit the ground and swat the dogs away from the cornered fox.

  “Heel!”

  I move the bush to the side, exposing a small hole where the fox must be burrowed. My heart is racing in my chest. Our prey is cornered.

  “Be careful,” Willem says. His breath comes heavy and sweat pours down his neck. “It’ll bite.”

  “Only if I put my hand in its mouth,” I murmur, wiping the long strands of loose hair out of my eyes.

  Willem grabs a stick and presses it slowly in the hole until it stops. “I have it.” Our breath comes in bursts as we try to recover from the sprint here. The animal yelps and starts to whimper.

  His soft cries dig into my heart. I get flashes of the blood that poured from the rabbit I caught before.

  I tug at Willem’s elbow. “Wait. Maybe-maybe we shouldn’t do this.”

  “We have to, Agi,” Willem, digs the stick in further trying to oust the fox. “It’s the only way to be sure you can pick your spouse. We can’t leave our future up to chance.”

  “But it’s so barbaric.” But my words are weak as I release his arm. Mud smears my skirts as I slide backwards in the wet earth.

  “I won’t risk losing you.” He gives a low whistle and the dogs nudge in closer. I rock back on my heels as he points the stick at the burrow. “Dig,” he commands and his voice is the perfect tone to get the dogs to ju
mp into action. They dig frantically until we see the dark red fur of the fox. It’s scrunched back in the hole, haunches poised and ready to burst past the dogs at the first opportunity.

  “Heel.” I call the dogs back as Willem bolts forward and grasps it by the nape of its neck. He’s grinning as he spins its snapping jaws away from me.

  “You’ve done it again.” His laughter flies up into the trees. But I don’t laugh with him. I’m frowning at the terrified, angry creature and the low growl that’s coming out of its belly.

  It’s beautiful. Even twisting and turning in my hands. I reach a finger forward and trace it along the fox’s hind leg.

  “What is that?” My finger presses against a gold band clasped around its ankle.

  Willem’s so busy holding the fox’s neck and trying to control it, he can’t see what I’m talking about. “Can you get the dead rabbit off your neck?” he asks. “I think you’re terrifying it.”

  “Oh, right,” I nod, unclasping the gray fur and placing it on the log. “What’s the gold band?”

  “It’s probably just a hunting tag.” Willem says. “They’re used on livestock to make sure we know who the owner is.”

  “I’m not sure about that,” I say. “Hold on a second.” He squeezes the writhing fox trying to get it under control. I reach in regardless, turning the gold metal anklet over and over in my fingers. The fox stops fussing and finally lays still.

  I motion Willem to a fallen tree. “I want to see something.”

  We sit next to each other on the cushioned moss and the fox lies quietly across our laps, holding its leg up, as if it wants us to inspect the band. Willem fusses with the metal.

  “I don’t think we’re supposed to loosen that,” I say.

  But it comes loose and falls into his hand.

  Suddenly the animal grows and transmutes. Fur recedes and its face and ears shrink. I push it off my lap and leap backwards, falling into Willem’s arms. And there, in the mud and leaves at my feet, is a man.

  A shriek of horror erupts from my mouth.

  The man lies face down, panting. Willem releases me and squats down. I sag onto the fallen tree as Jack and Tomas start barking again.