by Perrin Briar
The dome-headed jailer grinned, saliva dribbling down his chin. Craig backed against the prison wall.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Gregory pushed the foliage aside. The old windmill had long ago lost its sails, and the stones it had been built with had a bedraggled, worn appearance.
“Are the men in place?” Gregory said.
“Yes, sir,” Captain Philmore said. “They will move in if they see any activity.”
Gregory stepped out of the foliage and onto the wide open field. He watched the forest behind the windmill with wary eyes. The foliage stirred with the wind. At his back were a dozen soldiers, every one had their swords drawn. The ground was lumpy and uneven.
The windows had been bricked up, and there was no sign of habitation. Gregory tried the door, but it was shut tight. He moved aside as a fellow constable knelt down before the door. He slid a length of wire into the keyhole and jiggled it around. There was a sharp crack, and he stood up and moved aside. Gregory took hold of the door knob once again and pushed it open.
Gregory’s stomach heaved and he held a hand over his mouth and nose at the stench. It stung his eyes. He peered around at the dark inside space. It was empty. Then a piece of ragged cloth slid toward a shaded corner. Gregory pushed the door open wider, flooding the room with light. A figure was curled up into a ball in a soiled dress. She pressed herself against the wall as if trying to push herself through it.
“Kali?” Gregory said. “Kali, is that you?”
Her cheeks were wet with tears, and she had dirt on her face. She whimpered. Gregory kneeled down beside her.
“Kali, it’s me,” Gregory said. “It’s Gregory.”
She opened her eyes and let out a whimper of relief. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into his arms. She didn’t resist.
“Don’t worry,” Gregory said. “I’ve got you now. Everything’s going to be all right.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
Lady Wythnos pulled the blanket back and climbed into bed. The silk sheets were cold and made her skin prickle with tiny bumps. The bed warmed quickly with her body heat. She jiggled her feet and giggled.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight!” she said. “I’m so excited!”
“Mm,” Lord Wythnos said, grunting in agreement.
“Our girls are all grown up! It seems only like yesterday they were wearing pigtails and matching outfits. Although I suppose they’ll be wearing matching outfits tomorrow too!”
Lord Wythnos began unbuttoning his shirt. His movements were slow and measured. He shut his wide eyes and let his tears gather at the corner, his lashes melding together to form a thin paintbrush. His head bowed down and his hands hung at his sides.
“Frederick?” Lady Wythnos said. “Are you all right?”
He turned to face his wife. He looked haggard and old, his skin grim and grey, eyes bloodshot.
“I have something to tell you,” he said.
Lady Wythnos’s breath hitched at the turmoil in his voice.
“What is it?” she said.
He eased himself down onto the corner of the bed. He looked into her eyes, and then looked away.
“We’re destitute,” he said.
Lady Wythnos smiled.
“I keep telling you,” she said. “The wedding’s not as expensive as you think.”
“It’s not the wedding.”
“What, then?”
“Wythnos Shipping is failing. It was the Great Storm six years ago. It ruined our fleet and we barely survived. We’ve been limping on ever since. I didn’t want you to know we almost lost everything.”
“How is that possible?”
“When we couldn’t provide, merchants went to other shipping companies. We’ve had poor returns ever since. I borrowed from everyone I could until there was no one else I could borrow from.”
Lady Wythnos frowned.
“And then you went to the Ascars,” she said.
“Yes.”
Lady Wythnos got out of bed and walked to the window. The moon was big and bright, and bathed the whole world in its cold glow. She rubbed her arms with her soft hands, the skin beneath them prickling again, this time not because of the cold.
“I always thought it strange you agreed to let them marry our daughters,” she said. “You said you would never do business with them.”
“It’s easy to say that when you’re sitting on a pot of gold and everything is fine. But when the winter comes and the wolves are at your door a man would do anything to protect his family.”
“Even marrying off his daughters.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
“It’s what we did, isn’t it?”
“At least by agreeing to Arthur Ascar’s wishes our children will be well taken care of. They’ll never need for anything.”
“Nothing except love and affection. We promised each other our daughters would avoid our fate. They would marry for love, not advantage.”
“But we did marry for love.”
“We were lucky. It might have been very different.”
Lady Wythnos turned and stared at the bedspread, the sheets made curling rivers.
“I don’t mind that you did it, Frederick,” she said, “but I do mind that you didn’t tell me.”
“It was the coward’s way out, I know. But I never expected the Ascars to be involved in something like this.”
“Like what?”
Lord Wythnos looked up. His grainy old yellow eyes studied her.
“The Ascars are involved with the growth and distribution of the compound Gap,” he said. “And they’re going to use our tribute ships to transport it around the world.”
Lady Wythnos was silent a long time.
“Why don’t we tell the authorities?” she said.
“We can’t tell the police. The Ascars are the police.”
“The port authorities, then.”
Lord Wythnos shook his head.
“They won’t search without my permission,” he said.
“Then give it.”
“And ruin what we have left?”
His eyes were downcast, his shoulders hunched and beaten.
“You’re afraid,” Lady Wythnos said. “What happened to the ferocious man I married? There was a time when every merchant quaked in his boots at the sight of you at the negotiating table. Even seamen watched their language around you. He would never have let two boys push him around.”
“That man’s long gone.”
Lord Wythnos’s voice was croaky and hard, beaten by a thousand humiliations.
“No, he isn’t,” Lady Wythnos said, taking his head in her hands. “He’s right here and he’s going to come back and save us.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Elian’s foot caught on a rock and he fell face first onto the ground thick with brown leaves. His bones and muscles ached, and his eyes were heavy and kept drooping closed. He tried to push himself up, but his arms shook and he couldn’t do it. He laid back down burying his face into the soft moss. He rolled over onto his back. Puca stood on his chest and jumped up and down. He bit Elian on the chin. Elian started, but hardly opened his eyes.
“I can’t go on,” he mumbled. “I can’t keep going. I have to sleep. I have to rest. I’ll get there tomorrow. I’ll get there…”
His eyes closed and his head tilted back. Puca stomped on his chest with both feet and chittered at Elian, who didn’t react, but started to snore.
Puca shook his head, his shoulders slumped. Then he gritted his big teeth together, and growled in the back of his throat. He ran at a tree and kicked it, and then bit at the tree with his teeth, clawing at it, and doing minimal damage. He shapeshifted into a rabbit and bit harder, tearing chunks of bark loose. Then he turned into a goat and head-butted the tree with aggression. Leaves floated down from the canopy like snow. Puca stopped, tired, and fell to the ground, sobbing. He covered his eyes with his giant ears.
Then he felt a twinge in h
is stomach, like his guts were wrenching. He grunted, pressing his hands to his belly. His mouth jerked open, and he felt along his teeth with his tongue. They were square-shaped and larger. He got to his feet, and his head began to tilt forward. He felt at it with his hands. It was longer. He looked at his feet and saw they were hooves, but his legs were morphing, becoming longer and more powerful. The fur on his body turned black and his eyes felt like they were burning, and when he looked at himself in a puddle, his eyes were hell red coals.
Part Three
Marriage, and the end of time
Chapter Fifty-Five
A blast of smelly air blew his hair back. Elian itched his nose and turned to roll over. Another blast of air, warm, and a grunting sound started Elian from his slumber. He opened his eyes to find a large pair of empty eye sockets peering down at him. Elian backed up against a tree, his hands held up in a display of self-defence. In that moment he realised they weren’t eye sockets at all, but hairy nostrils. The horse was black as midnight with burning red eyes. It screamed, rising up on its hind legs and clawed at the air. Elian closed his eyes. But the horse never attacked. Elian opened his eyes again.
The horse cocked its head to the side in thoughtful repose and then sat down and scratched itself behind the ear with its back leg. Its front lip pulled back into a smile, revealing buck teeth.
“Puca?” Elian said. “Is that you? You look good!”
Puca got up. Elian ran his hand over the smooth curves of Puca’s back and legs. He was without a doubt one of the finest horses he had ever seen. Elian climbed on his back.
“We need to go that way,” Elian said, pointing toward the rising sun. “But we’ve only got a few hours to get there.”
Puca reared up onto his powerful back legs and took off into the forest, throwing Elian back. He gripped Puca’s mane and held on for dear life.
Chapter Fifty-Six
“I have to warn you,” the doctor said. “You have to be careful with her. She is still very weak.”
“Is there going to be any permanent damage?” Lady Wythnos said.
“Psychologically, perhaps. Physically, I don’t know. She wouldn’t let me do a full body examination. You should convince her to allow me to do it. Anything we fail to treat now could be impossible to treat later.”
The doctor opened Kali’s bedroom door. Kali sat up in bed with blankets up to her waist. She was pale and looked tired. She put down the book she was reading and beamed at them all.
Lady Wythnos broke down into tears and ran to Kali’s bedside. Kali’s expression broke too and she almost cried. Lady Wythnos wrapped her arms around her daughter, who responded in kind. Then Jera hugged her. There was a moment when their eyes locked, and a spark glinted in Kali’s eye. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.
Lord Wythnos, who remained beside the door, wiped away the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes. He smiled and shook Gregory’s hand.
“Thank you, sir,” he said, “for saving my daughter’s life.”
Gregory nodded back.
“It was my duty,” he said.
“How are you feeling?” Lady Wythnos said to Kali.
“Tired, but not bad.”
“Good. All the wedding preparations are complete. I’ll have no moaning or complaining during the ceremony. I chose everything, and it’s quite tasteful.”
Jera and Kali shared a look and rolled their eyes.
“Your father and I wanted to call the whole thing off, but Gregory and Richard wouldn’t let us,” Lady Wythnos said. “They never once lost belief that they would find you in time. They’re wonderful men, truly they are. You are going to have very happy lives together.”
“I feel lucky,” Kali said.
“The doctor said you won’t let him examine you.”
“I don’t want to be poked and probed. I’m fine.”
“Let the doctor decide if you’re fine.”
“I’m all right.”
“Your wedding’s this afternoon. It’d be best if you didn’t collapse on your way up the aisle.”
“It’s going to be at the docks. I don’t think there’s going to be much of an aisle.”
Lady Wythnos pressed her lips together. Jera stepped up to her mother and whispered in her ear.
“Let me have a word with her, Mother,” she said. “Maybe I can convince her.”
Lady Wythnos thought for a moment, and then nodded.
“All right,” she said. “We’re going to pop outside. We’ll just be in the next room if you need us.”
Lord and Lady Wythnos filed out of the room.
“I’ll stay,” Gregory said. “In case she needs anything.”
“It’s probably best if it’s just us sisters,” Jera said. “We might talk about things you won’t be comfortable with.”
Gregory thought for a moment, and then smiled.
“Of course,” he said.
Jera closed the door behind him. She turned to her sister, who pushed herself further up into a sitting position. She grimaced.
“Are you hurt?” Jera said.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
A small drop of blood stained Kali’s nightshirt.
“What’s this?” Jera said.
“It’s nothing,” Kali said, covering it with a sheet.
“Let me see.”
Kali sighed. She let Jera pull the blankets back and lift up her nightshirt, revealing a piece of white cloth stained red with blood.
“You’re hurt!” Jera said.
“It’s nothing.”
Jera turned her back to Kali.
“Open my dress,” she said. “Look at my back.”
Kali unbuttoned Jera’s flowery dress. A huge purple and black welt raised up like puckering lips.
“What happened to you?” Kali said.
“I got shot with an arrow too. We’ve got matching scars!”
“Why are you so excited? Since when is getting shot a good thing?”
Jera shrugged.
“Let me give you some clean dressing, at least,” she said.
Kali acquiesced. Jera pulled Kali’s dress off over her head and removed the old dressing. There was blood on it, but no pus. It was a good sign. Jera cleaned it with water and soap and then added new dressing. Kali flinched, but didn’t complain.
“How did it happen?” Jera said.
“I was on a roof with Craig last night. We were trying to steal some fireworks so we could blow up some of the ships carrying Gap. But Gregory had set a trap and Craig got caught. I barely got away.”
“Does Gregory know about this?”
Kali shook her head.
“No, I don’t think so,” she said.
“Good. We need to keep it that way. And you can’t let Gregory know how you feel about Craig, either.”
Kali’s eyes teared up.
“I know,” she said, her voice cracking. “But it’s so hard.”
“I know it’s hard, but you can’t allow them to see how you really feel. This is important, Kali. If they know how you really feel about him they might call off the wedding.”
Kali sniffed through her blocked nose.
“That’s what we want isn’t it?” she said.
Jera’s eyes shone.
“No,” she said, “it’s not. We want all the rich and powerful to attend our wedding. We’ll deny the Ascars our vows, and then we’ll tell everyone about what the Ascars have been up to. It’ll be the perfect time.”
“Nobody will believe us.”
“They will. We have evidence.”
“They won’t search the ships again, not after last time.”
“They don’t need to search the ships. We’ve got a copy of the Ascars’ plans. We’ll show those to the guests, and they’ll have no choice but to arrest them. There’s only one problem. We need someone to bring the plans to us. While we’re stuck under Gregory and Richard’s watchful eyes, we’ll never be able to get them.
”
“Then how?”
Jera took a deep breath.
“Craig will go get it,” she said. “It’s hidden in a cuckoo clock in the Clock Maker shop.”
“But how will Craig get to it? He’s locked up in the police station.”
“I’ve got a plan for that too. You need to convince Gregory to let you see Craig.”
“He’ll never agree.”
“You must. And when you see Craig, give him this.”
Jera handed Kali the vial of green liquid Spit had given her during the heist.
“This will eat through any metal,” she said.
“Where did you get this?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you after everything is over. Can you convince Gregory to let you see Craig?”
“I’ll try.”
“Trying’s not good enough. Can you convince him?”
Kali thought for a moment.
“Yes,” she said. “I think I can.”
“Good. I’m going to leave and let him in. Are you ready?”
“What? Now? But I haven’t had time to prepare!”
“We don’t have time to prepare. We’re getting married today. We need to act now.”
Kali took a deep breath and nodded.
“Go on, then,” she said. “Let him in.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Gregory paced up and down the room, head down, arms behind his back. Something didn’t feel right. His instinct gnawed at him like a rat in his stomach. He stopped to knock on the door twice before turning and resuming pacing again. He stopped again and raised his knuckles to knock on the door when it opened.
“Well?” Lady Wythnos said, getting to her feet. “Shall we get the doctor?”
Jera shook her head.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “She refuses to see him. Sometimes she can be as stubborn as an old mule.”
“Did you tell her it would prevent any medical problems later?”
“I tried everything, but she wouldn’t listen.”
