“He has found the first object.”
Master Orde’s lips curved in a snarl. He glanced toward Gravin Arturo who seemed intrigued, but nothing more. Toby took several deep breaths as he stared at the two humans. At least now he knew what to expect. He looked toward Master Meredith. She nodded, indicating he should continue. The young tom lifted his nose to the air again.
“I smell stale food.”
Toby took a step down the stairs. He turned his head left and right, trying to catch any other unusual smells. There. Over there. What was that? The orange cat opened his mouth again to let the smell caress his scent glands. He closed his eyes. The scent felt like something warm and furry scuttling over his mind. He opened his eyes and looked toward Master Meredith at the top of the staircase.
“There’s a mouse in the walls.”
The tortoiseshell cat looked toward Master Jalen, then back at Toby.
“Can you show us where?”
Toby nodded and padded down the stairs toward the far wall. He stopped, sniffing the air again. The mouse wasn’t moving. The tom stalked his prey, setting one foot lightly in front of the other, wary of any possible vibrations he might make with his pawsteps. The scent was growing stronger. He opened his mouth again. The images playing in his mind of the warm, furry creature became overlaid with visions of flowing metal and the sweet stink of death. Toby ceased stalking the mouse.
“It’s dead.”
He walked to the wood panel hiding the creature and placed his paw on it. The panel rotated inward, revealing the servant’s hidden entrance to the kitchen in the adjoining room. Toby found the mouse two cat lengths past the door. He bent to pick it up by the tail. The short passageway reverberated with the same scream the pin had made.
The young tom flattened his ears against the sound. As he passed the humans at the foot of the stairway, he couldn’t help a small splay of whiskers at the look of frustration on Master Orde’s face. Master Leta was grinning at him. The screaming stopped when Toby placed the dead mouse next to the pin on the table. This was too easy.
He started down the stairs again. The scent of old perfume wafted by. He sniffed the banister, Lorn’s mother must have stood there for awhile. Her perfume seemed to linger on everything far longer than any other scent Toby knew of.
The tom continued on, identifying scents from whatever gathering had transpired recently. Nothing out of the ordinary or recent. He paced the length of the hall, raising his nose to the air at every possible smell.
Nothing. He could feel the stares of everyone in the room. His skin began to prickle. Where was the third object? He turned to retrace his steps around the room. It had to be here. Toby’s fears began to twist his stomach. He’d been right. Someone was cheating. Who?
He turned to study the group at the stairs. Gravin Arturo would have the most to gain if he failed, but Master Orde seemed ready to throw both he and Lorn out the moment Toby admitted defeat. The young tom narrowed his eyes. Where would he hide an object he didn’t want found?
“May I be permitted to scent everyone here?”
Master Meredith’s eyes narrowed. She looked toward Master Jalen who frowned, cupping his chin between a curled index finger and thumb. He looked at Toby, then, taking his hand away from his chin, motioned for him to do as he asked. Master Orde glared at the head masters.
“I will not allow my person to be violated by this apprentice.”
“Then you concede that Toby has passed this test and that he and Lorn’s records are to be expunged of any wrong doing in regards to the explosion?” asked Master Leta.
“Absolutely not.”
“Then what other choice do we have?”
The balding mage lifted a lip in a snarl, but said nothing else. Toby forced his whiskers to remain still, though they wanted to splay in victory. When he reached the man, he lifted his nose and breathed deeply. He closed his eyes and let the scent images fill his mind. Musty visions floated by followed by the tang of a dark blue rivulet and a hint of floral Toby vaguely recognized.
He concentrated on the floral scent. It blossomed into a soft human face with dark eyes and flowing black hair. Toby opened his eyes in surprise, looking up at the master mage. Master Orde’s jaw protruded slightly, a steely challenge in his eyes. Toby glanced at Master Leta, who colored pink and dropped her gaze to the floor.
“What do you smell?” asked Master Meredith.
“Only old books and ink.”
Toby looked back at the balding mage. The human’s face softened slightly and the orange tom blinked in acknowledgment. Turning, he made his way toward Gravin Arturo. Hesitantly, the young tom breathed in the air next to the gravin and let the images play through his mind. Wet stones tumbled past chased by a bitter slime. When he opened his eyes, he stared into the gravin’s face. The man cocked one eyebrow, but said nothing.
“It seems Gravin Arturo has recently taken a bath with some very strong soap.”
“One can never be too cautious when people are sick and dying at every turn.”
Toby opened his mouth to reply, ears laid back and whiskers clamped shut. Master Jalen cleared his throat. Toby turned to continue to the next person, ignoring the gravin’s small smile.
Master Leta, bent down to look the young tom in the eye and smiled warmly. Toby’s whiskers splayed in response. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He recognized the muted floral scent of her perfume immediately, as well as an underlying scent of old books and ink. He wanted to laugh. He could hardly wait to tell Lorn what he’d discovered.
The young tom was about to move on when a peculiar image zipped past. It was gone before he could catch it. He inhaled again, opening his mouth to let the scents access his glands. To the right. There. Eyes still closed, he stepped closer to the woman. He stretched his neck closer to where the scent was coming from and inhaled deeply.
The rush of marigolds and wet metal overwhelmed his nose. A powerful sneeze pushed him back.
“What do you smell?”
Master Meredith’s voice sounded like it was coming from far away down a tunnel. Another sneeze exploded from the young tom. A warm hand touched his side.
“Are you alright?” asked Master Leta.
“Pocket,” gasped Toby.
He scrambled away, taking shallow breaths. Halfway across the room, the orange cat found the air easier to breath. He opened tear blurred eyes on the group. The gravin turned to scowl at the young woman.
“It seems Master Leta may have been hiding something.”
The woman stood up and reached hesitantly into her pocket. She pulled out a silver charm bracelet, a red gem dangling from one of its links. Her eyes widened as she looked at it in the palm of her hand.
“Is this what you smelled?” she asked, holding the offending object toward the tom.
Toby studied the bracelet. Its red gem glittered in the light from the banquet hall windows. He reached out a paw to touch it, then stopped, unsure of himself. He closed his eyes to replay the images. Wet metal. Marigolds. Anything else? He replayed them again. No. Nothing.
He opened his eyes and looked at the bracelet, his paw mere inches above it. Holding his breath, he touched the object. Immediately it began screaming. Master Leta dropped it. She looked around at the gathered group.
“I don’t know how that got in my pocket.”
Master Meredith paced toward the screaming bracelet. She picked it up and raced toward the table, dropping it next to the other items. She stared with narrow eyes at the group gathered at the foot of the stairs.
“Although the bracelet was not one of the objects slated to be found, we do have a total of three.”
“If the bracelet wasn’t one of the original objects, then why did it react like the other two?” asked Master Orde. Master Jalen crossed his arms over his chest. He looked aro
und the group.
“Master Meredith and I cast a spell over this room in which only those items brought in with the specific purpose of being found would emit a scream when our young apprentice touched it. It would appear someone wanted this bracelet found.”
“But I didn’t put it in my pocket,” repeated Master Leta, curling her fists at her side.
Her face was pale, making her dark eyes stand out. She looked helplessly toward Master Orde.
“We are not supposing that you did, my dear.”
The balding mage patted the young woman on the shoulder. He glared at Master Jalen and Gravin Arturo. The gravin gave Toby a penetrating stare, making his fur stand on end. He turned toward the head master mage.
“Does it really matter who brought the object into the room? The fact is that young Toby has passed your test. Isn’t that what we are here for?”
The head master glanced at the young tom, then back at the gravin.
“True enough. I believe we can all agree that it is at least possible, given the head housekeeper’s statement and the evidence gathered here, that Toby is indeed gifted with a strong sense of smell.” Master Jalen looked from one nodding head to the next.
“In that light, I declare this hearing at an end and Apprentice Toby and his companion Apprentice Lorn shall be allowed to continue their studies at the academy. All accusations leveled at the partners in regards to the explosion in their room are hereby withdrawn.”
Chivato paced in a stiff circle around Reginald. The fire in the gray tom’s fireplace popped and hissed, making the white tom jump.
“It’s a good thing Master Orde is such a weak human, wanting to keep his inane little affair a secret, or I wouldn’t have been able to get Arturo into that room. Unfortunately, it seems our spies have found a way around our efforts to eliminate them. If I find whoever is responsible for placing my charm bracelet in that woman’s pocket…”
Chivato’s tail lashed as he tore his claws through the plush carpet. He turned his gaze on Reginald. The young cat ignored the overwhelming desire to flatten himself to the floor as the gray tom stalked toward him.
“I’m surrounded by idiots and thieves. Do you understand what losing that bracelet means?”
Reginald shook his head, holding his breath as he tried to still his trembling tail by wrapping it tighter around his toes. He could smell the tuna from lunch on the gray tom’s breath as Chivato leaned closer.
“It means I have to find another way to do what he wants before he finds out something went wrong. He doesn’t take well to having things go wrong.”
Reginald saw the gray tom’s pupils constrict, his whiskers clamping together. Chivato’s whiskers brushed Reginald’s face as he turned to pace back toward the fireplace. The older cat sat down, licking his ruff. He stared into the fire for a moment, then turned his gaze back on the young cat.
“We are fortunate that I had something else tucked away that will do just as well. Perhaps even better.” Chivato cocked his head to the side as he looked at Reginald.
“Our gracious leader may not like things to go wrong, but he seems to believe in second chances. He has seen fit to allow you one more chance to prove your worthiness in the coming new era.”
Reginald eyes widened and his whiskers splayed in a grin. The gray tom’s eyes narrowed as he bared his fangs.
“I do not think you are worthy of such a task, but it is his command.”
The young cat straightened to his full height, lifting his chin.
“I’m ready. What am I to do?”
“It is dangerous. You must be stealthy.”
“I can be night itself.”
Chivato snorted and turned away, stalking stiff-legged toward the door.
“If that were true then this would not be your last opportunity.” The gray tom called to his human, then paced silently to the fireplace. Reginald opened his mouth to retort, then thought better of it.
“What is the task?”
The older tom sat silently staring into the fire. The white cat’s tail twitched and his fur began to prickle. He clamped his jaws tight on the harsh words he wanted to say. Arturo entered carrying a small wooden box. The gray tom turned slowly toward the younger cat, his golden eyes seeming to bore into Reginald’s soul. Slowly, Chivato’s whiskers parted in a wide cat grin as he motioned the human to open the box for the younger cat to see inside. A shiver ran the length of the young tom’s spine.
“You are to deliver the dragon willow disease to the academy.”
Chapter 13
Spring came to the academy two months early. At least, the Spring Festival did. The head masters announced the festival would take place two weeks after the students began classes again. No one said why the decision had been made, but Toby guessed it was because the sickness had crept into the noble houses and everyone needed something else to think about.
The large banquet hall echoed with rare laughter. The orange tom scanned the room from Lorn’s shoulders. Bright paper flowers adorned the two food tables along with a modest offering of finger foods. A large bowl of punch stood sentinel on the end of each. The number of tables for guests were fewer, leaving a large area free at the opposite end of the room. They’d been told it was for dancing. The musicians had yet to arrive.
The partners made their way down the stairs toward one of the food tables. The human picked up a plate and scanned the fare. He grunted.
“Looks like no one else is hungry.”
Toby gazed around at the small crowd. He could count the number of those with plates on his paws and have toes left over. Several humans and cats were gathered around a small table at the back where Chivato seemed to be regaling them with humorous stories.
Toby’s stomach squeezed itself into a ball as he watched Terence hang on the gray tom’s words. Lorn had been right. Even if the little cat’s gut was telling him something was wrong with his mentors, there was nothing Toby could say to make Terence leave them. The orange tom’s head sunk to his chest as he balanced on his human’s shoulder. Suddenly, Lorn jerked as someone grabbed his elbow.
“We have to talk to you,” whispered Dora. Alie lead them to a spot near the dance area.
“Something’s up.”
“We’ve been keeping our ears open like we said and there’s been some talk about some cat preaching freedom for cat-kind,” said Dora.
“Yeah, we’ve heard of him,” replied Lorn. “We think he’s tied into the ones responsible for –”
“A lot of bad things,” finished Toby, sinking his claws into the young human’s shoulder. Lorn winced.
“No kidding. If half what we’ve heard is true he makes the devil’s henchman seem like a sweet kitten,” Alie said. Dora nodded, eyes wide.
“There’s more. Apparently he’s planning something big and it’s going to happen tonight.”
“Any idea what it is?”
“No, but several members of the High Council were ordered to the palace yesterday and a couple more were sent here to meet with the head masters.”
Toby searched the crowd, looking for either of the head masters. He spotted them speaking to somber looking partners. Master Antwan and Master Natsumi, sitting on stools, seemed to be listening intently to what Master Jalen was saying. The orange tom wished he could read the head master’s lips.
“They’re over there. Are those the council members?”
“Yes,” said Dora, stretching to look around Alie’s dark curls.
“I wonder what they’re talking about,” said Lorn.
Master Meredith began looking around at the crowd. When her eyes lighted on them, she spoke to those in the small group, pointing with a delicate paw toward Toby and his friends. The human councilman looked in their direction. He bowed to the head masters and loners, then turned to walk in
their direction, his dark furred companion perched on his shoulder.
“I think we’re about to find out,” said Toby.
“I’m suddenly very thirsty,” said Dora. “Why don’t we get some punch for ourselves?”
“Wait. You’re not leaving us now,” said Lorn.
“Trust us, it’s better for everyone if no one knows we gave you any information,” said Alie, smiling as if Lorn had just told her something amusing.
She nodded and waved, moving away as if she were just another socializer. Toby felt Lorn swallow, his eyes moving from their retreating friends to the approaching councilman and his companion. The tom followed the young man’s gaze. The bulky councilman was striding toward them, his green and orange spider pendant bouncing against his gorilla-like chest.
“Apprentice Ribaldy and Apprentice Toby, I presume,” said the high councilman, his voice deep and commanding. “I understand you two have recently uncovered sensitive information regarding a mission Loner Victor was on before he disappeared.”
Lorn nodded. Toby inched closer to the young human’s ear, curling his tail around the boy’s neck as he looked up at the sleek black tom. The master cat’s green eyes bore into him. Toby wanted to crawl into Lorn’s robe to hide. The hair on the ridge of his back stood on end. The orange tom’s claws dug into Lorn’s shoulder and he winced. The movement allowed the cat to break eye contact.
He glanced toward the food table, watching his friends ignoring them, the councilman’s voice fading into the background. He wanted to growl. His gaze slid further down the table where Reginald hovered near the punch bowl. The white cat’s gaze darted from one side to the other. He crept two steps closer to the bowl and looked around the room again.
Toby’s ears perked forward as he watched his nemesis lean over the bowl. The orange tom caught a glimpse of something silver dangling from Reginald’s neck over the punch. The white tom’s lips moved as if he were speaking to someone, but no one was around to hear. Sparkles drifted from the silver object into the punch. The white cat glanced around the room again, then jumped to the floor and walked away.
Apprentice Cat: Toby's Tale Book 1 (Master Cat Series) Page 25
