by Aubade Teyal
Chapter Twenty – Hunted
She did not catch sight of Kellas. There was no sign of his recent passage. It was as if he had not been in Balreaig with her just now. It was as if he had never cared. But he was not the reason for her return. Someone else was.
She did not run. There was no point running into trouble. She wanted to take her time. The school lands were never empty. There were many early morning runners, particularly from Perissodactyla. If he was spotted, Kellas would appear to be out running, for early morning fitness. If she was spotted, it would be a different story. She had to be careful.
She was still a good distance from Calgacos when she heard the sounds of runners. She darted off the track and crouched beside a thicket. Anyone who saw her, would tell a Master. She was an intruder. She’d heard rumours among the juniors that the Masters had ways of keeping their land and borders secure. No one had told her exactly how for the land was unmarked, unguarded, and open; yet as long as she had been there, there had been no intruders within Calgacos land, she had only seen Don across the border.
She sank lower to the damp ground as a small group of seniors ran by without looking, without pausing. They were from a mixture of Houses; Euan, the Caniformia House Captain was one, the last was Zac, her team mate from the Challenge Cup. She held her breath at the thought of meeting Duncan. If he saw her, he wouldn’t tell a Master. It would be much, much worse.
She was even more careful from then on. She didn’t run at all, but scouted the land, moving from cover to cover, looking for movement, and unnatural colours that were manmade, hiding and waiting for the right moment, waiting also for the day to wane. It would be safer in the half light of dusk. Once, from a distance, she saw Nighten leading fitness, juniors stretched behind him like ripples from a boat. She spotted Kearns quite late in the day, with a group of seniors. She came upon him rather suddenly, after reaching the cragged crest of a low hill. He was at the base of the far side, with a pile of heavy packs scattered around. As she watched, half of the seniors pulled on a pack, and ran up the hill. The other half followed them up, without a pack, but with a walking stick instead, which they used to hit their backs if they slowed, or stopped. She watched for a long time, glad she had not suffered that humiliation while at Calgacos.
The group left as the sky thickened, and grew dim. When they were out of sight, she took to the path to follow them. She wanted to be within sight of the castle before the sun set and there was still a good distance to travel.
The mud track was softened by rain and the regular beat of feet, and because she was close to slipping several times, she stayed focused on the path. She was more than half way down the slope when she looked up, and stopped dead in her tracks.
Waiting just off the path, standing in clear view by a pine further down a rocky stretch, was Kearns. He must have been watching her progress for a while.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ he enquired coldly.
‘…walking…’
‘Trespassing.’
He advanced up the slope towards her, his face grim, his lips curled, sneering.
‘You don’t belong here anymore.’
She was rigid. She had stopped with her legs still mid stride. He kept walking towards her and she did nothing to make an escape. She could not decide whether to run at him, or away from him.
He didn’t stop until he was close, too close, and leaned over her. She could see the spittle on his lips, see the edges of his mouth, more black than pink.
‘Do you know what we do to trespassers?’
She was furious with herself. She had walked straight into this. Her own carelessness was at fault.
‘We hunt them. For sport.’
And he smiled. It was the first time she had ever seen his mouth move in that way.
‘You’ve got the time it takes for me to stop those Seniors, and tell them there’s a target, before we’re all after you.’
His words released her from her indecision. She spun round and started running, across the slope.
‘That’s right. Run.’ Kearns called after her. ‘And don’t come back.’
She ran through low, stunted trees and ferns, until she was out of sight, then turned sharply, and plunged down into a leaf strewn hollow, and up the other side, heading straight, not for the border, but for Calgacos. It was a gamble, but it served two purposes. Kearns and the seniors would be expecting her to run straight to the border. Also it took her where she needed to go, closer to Calgacos.
She was in the Dark Hills, where the land undulated, the gorse was so old it had turned black as charcoal, and it was difficult to see beyond the next dip. It was an area avoided by most, the Dark Hills had a bad reputation. She didn’t know why.
She cut across paths, not wanting to follow an obvious route, and headed down the length of long, shallow, depression. Eventually the land rose, and when she reached the crest, she looked down into another, broad, deeper valley, also abandoned. She was running at full stretch through the grass, and between clumps of gorse, when she noticed movement up and to the left, on the gentle ridge. Seniors, she saw with one look. Two of them. They did not shout, but she heard the thud of their feet on the earth, and they knew they had seen her and were after her.
She was fast. It was the only thing she had ever been good at, but she had also been awake, and running, all night, across the highlands. Her body was too exhausted to run at her best. It was not long before she heard the drumming of their feet draw close. They were catching her.
She risked another glance behind, wanting to know who was after her. But she knew, straight away, she’d made a mistake. For when she who it was, she faltered: Euan, and Duncan. She had no chance of escaping.
She slowed, and looked around for options other than running. But there was nothing around her but the gentle sloping heather. Euan and Duncan had spread out, and now were closing in on her, from her left and right. She slowed again. Indecision grinding her to a halt. Moments later, Euan reached her. He dived from the left, pulled her mid stride to the ground. She rolled, and tried futilely to scramble free. Euan was simply too strong, and too skilled. He had her pinned, an arm twisted behind her back.
‘Stop!’ Her voice rose into a scream as he twisted tighter, and she felt her bone grind.
He released his grip slightly as Duncan approached, and she fell silent. She didn’t want to bring every senior in the area to the spot.
‘I think she’s gagging for it, don’t you?’ Euan asked slyly, testing the waters, wanting to see what Duncan’s response would be.
There was no clear reaction on Duncan’s face. His expression was inscrutable, but his pace never faltered, and then when he was right in front of Euan, he raised his fist, and sent it flying at Euan’s nose.
Moments later, Euan hit the ground. He raised his hands to shield his face but too late. There was a sickening crunch, and Duncan’s foot connected with Euan’s face. Blood poured down over his lips, into his mouth, and dripped onto his neck.
Duncan towered over Euan. His eyes were flashing.
‘Is that anyway to treat my girl?’
‘Kearns wants her…’ Euan tried to say. Blood stained his teeth like nicotine; a cut as deep as a knife had sliced through his upper lip.
‘I don’t care what he wants.’ Duncan growled. ‘You don’t touch her.’
Euan brought a hand to his mouth, to wipe away the dripping blood, smearing it along his wrist, but it welled instantly, and fell onto his shirt.
‘She’s all yours,’ Euan decided, with a careful air of indifference. Duncan had taken him by surprise, and this was a battle he did not want to fight. . He rose to his feet, unsteady, and deliberately slow, and turned away.
Duncan lowered a hand and lifted Lennox effortlessly to her feet. His hand wrapped round hers like a glove.
‘What’s going on? They told me you’d left. One day you were there, and then you were gone.’
He was studying her carefully. His hands tight
on hers, and pressing down. She stared back at him, wondering what to say, what to do. He brought one hand to her face, and soothed her hair away from her face.
It was the same Duncan as before, the house captain who took a special interest in her. He didn’t know she knew the truth.
‘I did. I left… But I forgot something. I had to come back for it.’
‘Oh?’
She nodded.
‘It’s back at Calgacos.’
‘They won’t let you in. Not anymore.’
She felt his hand tighten.
‘But I think I know a way. Come with me.’
It was easy, with Duncan’s help. He gave her his fleece, and a fleece cap which covered her distinctive hair. From a distance, they appeared to be nothing more than a senior and a junior, on their way back from fitness. They didn’t need to worry about hiding. But rather than take her to the courtyard, where anyone looking more closely would notice that Lennox was far too beautiful to be male, Duncan led her round to the outbuildings, to hide.
‘We wait here for darkness,’ he told her. ‘It won’t be long.’
She slipped down, her back against the wall, to rest. Duncan sat on a stack of unused tyres right beside her.
‘Who are you going back for?’ he asked.
‘What do you mean?’
She’d been careful to say she forgotten ‘something’, careful not to mention any names.
‘You came here with virtually nothing but the clothes on your back. I never once saw you with anything of value. I’ve seen homeless people with more possessions than you. And now you’ve forgotten something so important you had to come back? I don’t think so. Who is it you’ve come to see?’
She stared at the old truck ahead of her, the worn tyres, the crusts of mud on its underbelly, and couldn’t decide what to do or say. Somehow she was going to have get away from Duncan.
‘Who do you think it is?’
She didn’t mean to be coquettish, though it sounded like that. She was just buying time, probing.
‘I wanted it to be me.’ Duncan said, and eyed her meaningfully. ‘But I’m big enough to know it wasn’t me. You’ve got me. You’ve got me all alone, in this shed, in a glorious opportunity to tell me, or show me, whatever you like, and you’ve sat there and said nothing. So, it’s not me.’
It was true. He’d pursued her. She’d never gone after him.
‘Does it matter?’ she asked.
Now she knew what he wanted, why he was helping her, why he hadn’t taken her straight back to his father. He was following his father’s orders, looking for the one who was different. And he was one step ahead of her. He’d been trying to find out if she’d come back because she was a pathetic, love-stricken teen, hankering after Kellas, or if she’d come because she’d realised the dangers and wanted to warn his real target, the one Don had sent him to find.
‘Not really.’ Duncan stood up and leant over her. ‘Because I knew as soon as I saw you why you’d come. You’ve come for Mannik, haven’t you? He’s the only one here you’d risk yourself for. You heard us talking, and you figured it out. Mannik is the one I should have taken.’
He looked outside. Darkness had fallen fast. There would be enough cover soon.
‘This is what we’re going to do. We go inside, and find Mannik. You’re going to tell him exactly what I want you to say. Not a word different. You tell him you didn’t want to leave him here alone. You tell him you’ve come back for him, and you’re going to leave together. It’s only fair. And tell him I’m there to help you. I’m on your side. Then we go, you, Mannik and me. You follow me and do exactly what I say. Got it?’
‘Yes… But what will happen to Mannik?’
‘Exactly what I said. He will escape Calgacos. That’s what he’s always wanted. That’s what I’ll give him.’
Lies. She knew that before he spoke them. Whatever he planned for Mannik, it was bad.
‘OK.’
They stayed in the outbuildings till the darkness was impenetrable, then Duncan motioned for them to go. He followed so closely behind her she felt overshadowed. They advanced on the main gates, invisible in the darkness. Inside, the courtyard was empty.
The corridors of the old castle were dimly lit and desolate. Duncan kept her in front of him all the way. When they reached the infirmary, he stepped forward while he pointed for her to melt into the corner. She did, unquestioningly, as he said.
He knocked, once and loudly, on the door, then pushed his way in.
‘It’s Henry. He’s down at supper. And he’s acting strangely. I think you’d better come.’
From her corner, Lennox saw the tip of Gnarle’s foot.
‘He’s turned a funny colour. He refused my help. He said he’s fine. But I’m not sure. It just made me think of Mannik’s fit...’
Duncan knew just what to say. Gnarle was out the door in seconds. He disappeared through the far door. They had little time. Lennox slipped out from the corner, and followed Duncan through the surgery, and into the infirmary.
At first, the room appeared empty. There was a fire in the hearth, a book spread open on a footstool, and, a plate of an uneaten dinner. But no Mannik.
‘Mannik?’ she whispered. ‘Where are you?’
Then she saw him. Down by his bed, kneeling, hands and feet, on the floor, beside his whittled box, which was open, and empty.
He stared at her as if she were a ghost.
‘Why are you here?’
No hint at a welcome. No sign they had once been friends.
‘To help you,’ she told him.
But she knew he wasn’t listening, for he was no longer looking at her. Instead he was staring at Duncan transfixed, appalled.
‘You’ve wanted to leave ever since you came,’ she added.
Mannik didn’t even blink.
‘I know you resented that I was leaving, and you were staying. I know you thought it unfair. So I’ve come back. I want to help you escape.’
From Duncan.
But she didn’t dare say that, and she had no idea how she was going to achieve it.
Mannik stayed on the floor in his hands and knees. He was waiting for them to go.
‘And what is he doing here?’
Mannik had not taken his eyes off Duncan.
‘I’m going to help you,’ Duncan answered, stepping, slowly forward.
Lennox felt like an outsider. Something was happening, some private encounter between Mannik and Duncan. Neither looked at her, though Mannik, at least, was speaking to her.
‘I don’t want your help.’ It was little more than a whisper.
‘It’s what you’ve wanted all these weeks.’ Duncan told him. ‘Lennox has come back just for you. She’s arranged everything, an overnight train ticket, money, a taxi. You’ll be back home by breakfast. This will all be behind you.’
He lied as effortlessly as he chaired house meetings, or ran cross country, or dominated and towered over every junior in his house. Lennox almost believed him herself. Maybe Duncan had arranged all those things, and simply not told her. No! No, it was all lies, she knew it deep down, and she had to warn Mannik; that was the real reason she came.
When Mannik glanced at her she was ready. She was standing alongside Duncan, so he could not see her face clearly, but Mannik could. And now she widened her eyes in alarm, in warning.
She mouthed one silent word.
‘No.’
And that was all it took for everything to go wrong.
For while Mannik was looking at her, while he was distracted, Duncan made his move. He leapt forwards and dropped to his knees beside the bed. IN one swift move, he seized the empty wooden box with one hand, and brought it under the bed in a sweeping ark.
‘No!’ Mannik cried.
But it was too late. Duncan rose to his feet, holding the box aloft like a trophy. Lennox had time to see a flash of green skin within, before he snapped the lid shut.
‘Give it back,’ Mannik sobbed.
‘If you want it, you have to come with me,’ Duncan stated simply.
He took a step backwards.
‘I can’t,’ Mannik shook his head helplessly.
‘Then stay.’ Duncan replied, dispassionately. ‘I have what I want.’ He looked to Lennox. ‘Come,’ he told her.
She did not waver. This was her chance.
‘No.’
His eyes darkened several shades, from their customary blue, to a stone grey. She wondered if he was going to hurt her. He was thinking about it.
‘I’ll scream,’ she announced. ‘Loud enough to wake the dead.’
It would get her in trouble. But she guessed it would get him into even greater trouble.
‘Then stay,’ he said, his hand on the door behind him. ‘But I’ll come back for you. Soon.’
Then he was gone, out the door, and through the surgery, without a sound.
Mannik was still on the floor. Now he dropped his head to the ground with a wail.
‘What is it?’ she asked, dropping beside him. ‘You did the right thing. You’re safe here, safer than with him.’
Mannik reared up suddenly, defiantly.
‘No.’ He was nearly shouting. ‘No, I’m not. I’m ruined. He’s taken my guardian. I’m worse than dead.’
He slumped back down.
‘I don’t understand.’
‘He’s taken my guardian.’ His voice had subsided into a moan.
‘The box?’
‘She was in the box.’
Lennox had seen nothing more than a flash of green skin, as bright as spring grass.
‘She?’
A silent nod. His eyes were full of tears and despair.
‘Then we get the box back.’
Flames of hope flickered in his eyes. ‘How?’
There was only one answer to that question, only one person who could help her.
‘Kellas.’
