The Ravens of Solemano or The Order of the Mysterious Men in Black

by Eden Unger Bowditch

  “Roll up the window!” Faye said. Wallace scrambled to close the window on the carriage door

  “Light the brazier,” said Noah.

  Faye turned and said, “Don’t be—”

  “He’s not!” Lucy said. “But there is a brazier!”

  And sure enough, there was a small brazier stove attached to the other door of the carriage. It was slim, and almost flush with the handle, but was made of bronze both beautiful and ornate. It had dragons welded on the two front corners and other symbols and patterns around the base. There was coal already inside.

  “Well.” Faye reddened. “Light it then.”

  “Keep your hair on,” Noah said.

  With daggers in her eyes, Faye growled, “If you ever tell me to keep my hair on again, I’ll take your flaming locks and—”

  “Gadzooks, Faye, I’m getting it.” Noah raised his hand, then leaned over to see how he could light the stove,

  But the door flew open, and a man wearing a black fur cap, aviator goggles, and a thick balaclava was holding a flaming torch. They all jumped back, away from the rather menacing-looking fur-capped man with the burning stick, but he was simply there to light the brazier, which is what he did. He then closed the door, and the carriage began to move.

  Within minutes, the lot of them were taking off cloaks and getting much more comfortable. They found a hamper of biscuits that melted in their mouths, crepes stuffed with cheese, and pastries filled with dried fruits and nuts.

  “This is so lovely,” Lucy said, her mouth filled with biscuits. “It’s as if it was made with almond milk and sweetened with flower nectar.”

  “Well, aren’t you the busy bee?” said Noah. He buzzed at her. Lucy giggled.

  In the hamper were a jug of warm honeyed milk and six cups. Miss Brett made sure everyone got their fill of the milk and the treats.

  Feeling well-stuffed, cozy, and warm, the children were quiet as the carriage began to head up toward the mountains. The day was settling into afternoon, and they all watched the landscape begin to rise around them.

  “They’re like sleeping giants,” said Lucy.

  And they all knew what she meant. The afternoon shadows made the mountains seem to sleep lazily around them. Jasper smiled and took Lucy’s empty cup. Her eyes were beginning to droop, and Jasper knew his sister was not going to fight closing them for a nap. He, on the other hand, was not yet ready for sleep. He looked out at the mountains as the carriage ascended through them. Jasper saw a deer and then, within a few short minutes, a fox and a badger. He almost woke Lucy, but he let her sleep. Surely, there would be more of these creatures if they were headed out into this mountainous unknown.

  It was not a gentle arrival that woke them. It was not a slowing of the carriage or the bubbling of the River Tirino’s water that opened their eyes. It was, instead, the harsh rearing of the horses, the sudden stop, and the driver’s shouts that made them jump up and cling to one another.

  “Out, out!” shouted the driver in the impossibly huge top hat.

  It was now dark, and the children were forced from the carriage along a rocky path and into a crack in the mountain, which led into a dark cave. Lucy fell on the way, and the man swept her up and practically threw her into the crevice. She was too stunned to cry. Everyone was nearly knocked over by the bags that were thrown in after them.

  Peeking out, the children saw the driver with the impossibly huge top hat urge the horses forward without a carriage attached. He stuffed a scroll of some sort into the bridle of one horse, then hurriedly attached the reins to both sides of the driver’s seat. He turned a lever and sent the carriage, horseless, driverless, and passengerless, off down the road. The Robin Hood man, who the children had last seen entering the second carriage, then joined them in the cave. In the near-total darkness, they could see him place his finger to his lips and beg for silence.

  And it was silent, except for the sound of the carriage trundling down the path and the occasional howl of an Apennine wolf.

  Then they heard it. Something metallic. Something groaning and cranking. It was a vehicle of some kind, coming down the same road. The children didn’t need the finger on the man’s lips to tell them they had to be as silent as they could ever imagine being. Not a single breath seemed to come from a single mouth,

  The clanking and groaning grew louder and louder, until a dark shadow, darker even than the darkness that surrounded them, passed before the crevice. And then the sound got softer. Noah let out a breath, but Robin Hood put his hand over Noah’s mouth.

  A second later came a terrible crash, and then a powerful explosion. The sky lit up with flames. They could smell the burning in the air as the wind blew the smoke through the valley.

  “What happened?!” shouted Faye, as angry as she was fearful.

  The driver in the impossibly huge top hat turned and, silently furious, gestured for her to be quiet. Faye’s voice echoed in the stillness.

  “They will come,” said the driver in a whisper.

  “Is that a good thing?” Noah whispered back, removing the man’s hand from his mouth.

  Robin Hood looked at the driver in the impossibly huge top hat,

  “Stay quiet,” Robin Hood warned. “No shout.”

  “Was that, you know, him?” asked Wallace, meekly.

  “You mean Komar Romak?” asked Noah.

  “Well, of course he means Komar Romak.” Faye looked at Noah, who just nodded. “Well?” Faye turned to the driver in the impossibly huge top hat.

  “They to come and take,” the driver said.

  “Do we want them to come?” asked Noah. He looked at Robin Hood expectantly, then at the driver in the impossibly huge top hat. Whether it was the slight hint of moonlight or his imagination, Noah thought he saw a nod coming from the driver. At least he hoped he saw a nod.

  Robin Hood went over and drew something from his pocket. He bent down and, scraping two stones together, lit a small fire from some kindling already piled on the rocky ground.

  “Is this your home?” Noah asked, looking around. “Lovely, really lovely.”

  Robin Hood looked at Noah for a long second, then stood up and walked out of the cave. The driver with the impossibly huge top hat followed him.

  With the light from the fire, they saw they were in a fairly narrow cave, but one heading deep into the mountain. They all moved closer to the fire—the air was decidedly chilly. Looking around the cave, they could see it was empty, except for rocks and dirt and a large clump, perhaps a sack, in the corner. Robin Hood came back to check on the fire, then left again. The driver did not return. It quickly became clear that everyone would have to wait here, for a while at least.

  Almost immediately, Lucy began to doze. Miss Brett had been concerned that she would be unable. It was a testament to the strange nature of their lives that Lucy having been thrown from a carriage into a cave before witnessing an explosion likely caused by the very man tearing their lives apart, could fall asleep amidst the low grumble coming from Noah, Faye, and Jasper

  Miss Brett, herself exhausted, covered Wallace, who was also losing the battle with his eyelids. She pulled the little ones closer. She glanced over at Faye’s angry face and Noah’s shield of buffoonery, which made Faye even angrier. Should she say something?

  Miss Brett placed beside her three candles she had in her bag, though she was running low on matches. She pulled her cloak around the three of them, leaned her head on Wallace’s, and, upon consideration, let the others battle things out themselves,

  “I never said we should go after him ourselves,” Faye said angrily to Noah. “I said we should do something to help ourselves instead of sitting here like a row of pigeons at a fox convention.”

  “I’d prefer to think of myself as an eagle,” said Noah, chin in the air.

  “Funny, I think of you as an idiot,” Faye grumbled. “And you have no idea what I’m saying.”

  “I do, Lady Faye,” Noah said. “I know exactly what you’re saying,
and I think you’re an idiot to think that we, five children, should seek out and fight Komar Romak.”

  “Faye, it’s not that we want to sit here and do nothing,” Jasper said in an attempt to calm her. “But we have learned that our battles must be well-placed, and well-planned, and this is not a time when a battle from us is likely to help.”

  “So what should we do?” Faye was exasperated. She felt that she alone understood that they were in danger. It was as if everyone else was willing to wait for the axe to fall. Komar Romak was out there. He held the axe,

  Jasper took a deep breath. “If we think about it—”

  “What, Jasper? What I am supposed to think about?”

  “Flern,” said Noah.

  Faye turned on him and opened her mouth, prepared to shout words that no lady should ever use. But then she thought about what he had said. Noah was probably acting like the fool he was, but if “flern” meant “all that one has learned,” she had to agree. What had they learned? Komar Romak was impossible to stop, and there was far more to him than they thought. He seemed to be everywhere and nowhere. There was something about him that made a whole army of crazy men in black afraid of him. And their parents. And everyone. What was it?

  No one had any answers. They didn’t even have the right questions. But Faye and the others would know. And perhaps, once they did, they could fight him. But for now, Jasper and, yes, even Noah . . . they were right.

  Faye took a deep breath. “Very well,” she said, then turned over, closed her eyes, and pretended to go to sleep.

  With a shiver, Miss Brett was the first of the lot to wake. Neither Robin Hood nor the driver in the impossibly huge top hat was in the cave, but tea was prepared, and warmed biscuits sat in a pan near the fire. She warmed her hands on a cup of strong, sweet tea and looked at the sleeping children who were, more or less, in a pile on the floor. They reminded her of puppies, all cuddled together.

  In the light, the large pile in the corner was now an empty sack. Robin Hood or the driver in the impossibly huge top hat had obviously stored blankets and cloaks in it. One of them had covered the children in the night. Wallace and Lucy were nicely tucked in on either side of her, sleeping soundly in warm blankets. Miss Brett pulled her cloak more tightly around her, trying to ward off the cold morning air.

  She took her cup and walked to the opening of the cave, where a beautiful sight took her breath away. The sky was as blue as she had ever seen it. High in the mountains here, it felt as if she were closer to the heavens. There was a sweetness that lingered in the air, like the freshest of grasses and trees and flowers, watered by the purest of waters. She breathed deeply and found it strange that she could find this moment of peace amid all that was happening around her

  The driver with the impossibly huge top hat came around the path. He had a basket of pears and apples and what appeared to be almonds. He handed them to Miss Brett, then climbed up on a rock and stood there, like a sentry.

  “Thank you,” Miss Brett said. The driver did not appear to have heard her. Miss Brett brought the basket back to the cave. The children were just rising, though Noah’s head was still totally covered by his blanket. Jasper was not among the sleepers, but Miss Brett soon saw him.

  “This is amazing,” Jasper said, emerging from a narrow crevice in the rocks. “This cave must have been used by the Romans. There are carved torch bases and inscriptions on the walls back there.” He pointed behind him, where there was a carving of a bird with its wings spread wide. “There are urns, as if the Romans stored supplies in here. We really should explore. It’s not too dark with a torch.” Jasper had broken a straight stick and lit the end in the fire.

  “Well, certainly there would have been Romans,” said Noah, his hair mussed and his mouth yawning. “We are in Italy, after all.”

  Miss Brett smiled and began to fold the blankets. She glanced over and noticed that now only two candles were lying out. It was as she pulled up the last blanket that fear grabbed her by the neck,

  “Where is Faye?” she asked, her voice forced through her tightened throat.

  “She’s . . .” But Noah found nothing as he rummaged beneath the blanket. Faye was missing.

  “Faye!” cried Miss Brett, followed by the others. They had lit the two remaining candles, opting against flaming torches from the wooden sticks strewn around the cave. The wood was slightly wet, and the torches smoked too much for a crowded cave. Miss Brett, though, had her electric birthday torch. She handed it to Jasper, who held it in front.

  “We have to stay together,” said Jasper. “These tunnels twist and turn.”

  At first, in the tunnel, there was some light coming from the outside, and then, a bit farther, light came from a crack in the rocks above. From there, it was dark, and they were all very happy they had the candles and the electric torch.

  Lucy clung to her brother’s shirttail. He had thought about having her stay in the front of the cave, but his own fear of leaving her had kept him from doing so.

  “I hear something!” cried Wallace.

  They could all hear it. It sounded like groaning or grunting.

  “She might be hurt!” cried Lucy Reaching out, Jasper failed to grab his sister’s arm as she ran ahead. And then, like ice in his veins, he heard a scream.

  It wasn’t Faye who was groaning in the cave—it was a huge, snarling, grunting creature with hooves and fangs that looked as if they could run a man through. And Lucy was right in front of it, her face bleeding from the cheek where she had slid into the rocks trying to avoid the beast. Jasper put his arm out to keep the others from rushing into the cavern.

  “Don’t move, Lucy! Don’t move!” he cried, his voice cracking. He saw the blood on his sister’s face and wanted to tear the creature limb from ugly limb. The monster snorted, and Jasper could feel the others squeezing closer.

  Lucy looked up at Jasper and nodded, tears streaming silently down her face. The monster seemed to be sniffing the air, as if realizing there was more meat nearby. Jasper looked around for something to distract the beast, but there was nothing but the rocks and the dirt.

  And then came a rock from behind him, flying through the air from Wallace’s hand. It hit the back wall, and the monster jumped, turning its gaze from Lucy to the sound. Without even a thought, Jasper dashed forward, grabbed Lucy, and brought her back to the others. Tearing off his shirt, he quickly lit it on fire using the candle Noah held. To the others, he shouted, “Run!” He threw his burning shirt at the beast and ran after the others. They could hear a loud squeal coming from the monster, and the pounding of its hooves against the rocks of what seemed to be its lair. They all ran back through the maze of tunnels, guided by Wallace’s torch and following Lucy who clearly remembered the way out.

  And then, with a wumpf, Lucy ran smack into something else, This time, it was not a giant monster. This time, the groans came from Faye.

  “Where were you?!” cried Jasper. “You almost got us killed.”

  “What?” said Faye. “I . . . well, I—”

  “Just run!!!” Jasper grabbed her hand.

  And they ran. They did not slow down, even as they spotted faint light ahead,

  “Let’s get back to the main cavern,” gasped Jasper, his side bursting with a painful stitch. “There are enough rocks scattered around to fill this entrance. If we block it, we’ll keep that thing on the other side.” And as soon as they reached the cavern, he began grabbing rocks and piling them atop one another.

  Faye saw the scrapes on Jasper’s arms, the bruises already ripening on his side, and she could see his lips, which were almost blue. It was cold, and he had no shirt. She grabbed a blanket, but he refused. It was too cumbersome, and they were rushing to get the rocks in place.

  She pulled off the muffler she had around her neck and wrapped it around Jasper’s. She knew he’d never agree to take her wooly cardigan and, if he had, it would have been terribly scratchy against his skin. The muffler would keep him warm enough until he was
done. She gave him her hat, too. Then she set to work.

  It wasn’t until they had filled the narrow crevice with rocks that Jasper wanted to hear what Faye had to say

  “Well, at first I had to, well, use the ladies’ room,” she said demurely.

  “What ladies’ room?” asked Noah, confused, but he shut up when Jasper elbowed him in the ribs.

  “Then I had the idea that I might be able to explore—perhaps find a way out, like a secret exit if Komar Romak showed his ugly face. But then, when I tried . . .” Faye blushed. “I couldn’t find my way back to——that is, I didn’t find another exit.” In truth, Faye had not really looked for an exit. Though she was not about to admit it, she had simply gotten lost, then panicked when she found herself in a small dark cavern off one of the tunnels in the cave. “I heard you all calling and I thought you needed my help. Then I came running.”

  The driver in the impossibly huge top hat entered the cave carrying a tea tray. Everyone turned at once, and a barrage of questions and accusations came his way.

  “You didn’t tell us there was a monster in this cave!” Faye said, glad for the distraction.

  “A?” He seemed quite confused.

  “A monster!” Jasper said loudly. “A huge creature with fangs and tusks and hooves. It almost killed us. It almost killed Lucy! What madness to leave us in a cave with something like that nearby!”

  “What is?” the driver in the impossibly huge top hat said.

  “The creature,” Miss Brett said. “What did we see? What is it we saw?”

  “You are boar,” the driver in the impossibly huge top hat said.

  “I am a what?” Miss Brett sounded shocked.

  “Wild boar,” said the driver in the impossibly huge top hat, who then turned on his heels and left the cave.

  Gaping mouths, followed by dawning realizations, created silence in the cave.

  “A wild bore? I didn’t find him boring,” said Lucy. “He was horrid. But he wasn’t boring.”

  “No, sweet angel,” said Miss Brett, with some relief. She was slightly red-faced, having been fearful of hellish beasts now entering their lives. She was glad to know that the creature was of earthly origins. She thought back to books she’d read with drawings of wild boars chased by hunters. She thought about her childhood and perhaps seeing one stuffed in a museum. Yes, now that she was thinking clearly, it had clearly been a boar. “The wild boar is indeed a fierce creature, but it’s in the pig family. They are native to this area, I suppose.”