by Logan Keys
She jumped to her feet and dropped into a crouch, searching the darkness for who, or what, had hit her. Then she noticed that the body of the man she’d had pinned to the ground was also missing. How, she didn’t know.
Picking up the crossbow from the ground, Raven straightened her stance. She tuned her hearing to see if she could figure which direction they had gone but couldn’t. Wherever they had disappeared to, they’d moved unnaturally fast. That, in and of itself, seemed curious. She’d been able to cut the man off by calculating where he’d be based on the rate of speed he’d been going. It seemed he’d been moving at a normal, human speed.
But the second thing, whatever it was, had moved much faster. The strong smell of gardenias still lingered. Whatever the second person… or thing was, Raven had a feeling, it was female.
“Raven? Where are you?” Jack’s voice sounded closer to her position in the woods than on the road where she’d left him.
“I’m coming,” she called back. But her eyes still searched and her ears strained to hear where her prey could have gone. The malicious intent of the beast-like, possessed man had been evident. Even the horses had sensed it. Raven knew if she hadn’t kicked the man when she did, he likely would have attacked her. But he’d been unarmed, so she had hesitated to kill him.
That was, at least, until he’d turned his head in an unnatural way. Thinking of it again caused a shiver to go up her spine and the hairs on her neck to stand on end. She’d been as ready to kill him in that moment as she’d have been a poisonous snake or a black widow. Armed or not, she could sense the murderous purpose of the man immediately. It had wanted her dead.
Shaking her head and calming the gooseflesh on her arms, she turned around and headed back out of the forest. They needed to get out of the area as soon as they could. But she’d also need to be on the alert. Regardless, it would be a sleepless night for her.
Jack was yawning as he held the horses on the road just next to the copse of trees. He’d obviously not seen the things she’d seen escaping or he wouldn’t have been so relaxed. Raven decided not to tell him. No use in them all losing sleep over this. He had weary tears in the corners of his eyes.
“You’re tired,” she said
He nodded and half shrugged. “What was it?”
“Nothing important. Just a wild animal. You should climb into the back with Darius and get some rest. I will wake you if anything exciting should happen.”
His eyebrows scrunched together, the way they always did when he was about to protest or contradict her.
She held up a hand to stop him. “No arguments. If you insist, I’ll wake you in four hours so that you can take over the driving again.”
He nodded, handing her the reins. “Four hours then. Not a moment longer.”
“Not a moment longer.”
He searched her eyes for a moment as though to be clear she was not just patronizing him. Raven opened her eyes wider and looked up toward the moon innocently. With a resigned sigh, he set a foot on the wagon’s sidestep and mounted the vehicle.
Raven felt a moment of relief before she turned and faced the woods once more. A general feeling of unease washed over her. They had enough to worry about. Being a wanted criminal was not a new status for Raven, but she hated that Darius and Jack also held the moniker. Being hunted by beast-like men running naked in the forest was certainly new. But, if Raven could help it, only temporary.
She climbed on the seat, clucked her tongue at the horses, and slapped their flanks gently with the driving reins. The horses started forward, but their nostrils still flared, and they kept a wary watch on the woods for another half kilometer before settling down into the rhythm. Horses were like that. If danger didn’t present itself in an obvious way, after a while they forgot the danger was there. Raven refused to forget and kept a watch on the woods. She would not let them be taken by surprise before reaching the safety of Sedgwick.
—2—
The first intimations of daylight gave everything a silver hue as the horses’ hooves left the dirt stretch of road they’d been travelling and hit the cobblestones of Sedgwick. Their clip-clops echoed through the town as though it were the only noise in what should have been a busy, bustling village even this early in the morning. Instead it seemed no one had risen yet. Raven’s jaw tensed as she searched the side streets for life.
“You didn’t wake me.” Jack climbed from the back of the wagon into the seat and stretched.
“It seemed a waste since it was only an hour more before we reached the town.” Raven’s eyes still hadn’t left the search, even though she did her best to sound upbeat.
But she didn’t really believe Jack would be fooled. He scratched the stubble on his cheek as he began searching the streets as Raven had been. “Where are the kids? You’d think the merchants would be out and about as well, getting their wares ready.”
They pulled to a stop in front of the sign of a bakery shop. The shutters were still closed. Raven sniffed the air. No respectable baker in New Haven would sleep past four a.m. and would certainly have had some breakfast rolls available by sun-up. She spared a glance toward the east where the first orange rays of sun peeked over the horizon, taking away the silver-grey pallor the town had had earlier.
From the other end of town, a single trumpet blast blew loud and long. Immediately the shutters on the bakery opened as well as those of several other merchants along the main thoroughfare.
The baker, a plump woman with her light brown locks pulled into a severe bun, startled when she realized a wagon sat in front of her shop. She squealed and jumped back, her eyes meeting Raven’s in a wide-eyed look of horror. Putting a hand to her chest, she took several deep breaths before venturing a glance upward once more.
“Do pardon me, miss, but I took quite the fright. What on earth has you lot out so early in the morning?” The baker offered a genuine smile while she wiped her flour-covered hands on her apron.
Raven handed the reins over to Jack and dismounted the carriage. “Milady, we have travelled from the north looking for a town to settle in, or at least stay for a short while. My husband is a swordsmith, and my son is asleep in the wagon. We drove through the night to make it to town as we didn’t have enough provisions to make camp and have breakfast before returning to our journey.”
The woman blinked, her face drawing pale once more. “You drove through the night? From the north… and you didn’t… see… anything?”
Raven kept her face under control, tilting it and lifting her brows. “Whatever do you mean?”
The baker shook her head, waving her hand vigorously before darting a glance toward the north end of the street. “Do come in, and bring your young one. I’m putting the rolls in now for breakfast, and it will only be two shakes of your horses’ tails before they be ready.”
Jack had already dismounted the carriage. Wisps of his dark hair blew a little in the early spring wind. Even though the south was much warmer than it had been in New Haven, they still needed to draw on their jackets, especially in the early mornings. Jack had a tired look around his soft brown eyes. Raven wished he’d been able to sleep longer… and better. He’d tossed and turned quite a bit. Probably due to lack of real nourishment.
Raven peeked in the back of the wagon and found Darius sitting upright, rubbing his eyes. His light brown, curly hair stuck wildly in all directions. Raven picked up his cap from the corner of the wagon and tossed it toward him, so that it hit him lightly in the chest before landing in his lap.
“Be sure to put that on before dismounting the wagon. We’ve arrived at a town and will wait in the bakery for breakfast.”
At the mention of food, Darius perked up. He shoved his hat on his head and pulled his suspenders quickly over his shoulders. As he scrambled toward Raven at the back of wagon, he said, “I shall ask the matron of the establishment if I may use the facilities.”
Raven inclined her head toward him slightly. “Not in that tone, I hope.”
Darius froze, blinking as though considering his words. His accent changed slightly. “Right. I’ll ask the lady if I can use her wash room.”
She nodded. The duke needed to keep his identity hidden, likely for the rest of his life. He’d spent a few weeks on a farm with her when they were hiding from his father, but now he needed to take on the persona of a farm boy and embrace it. His upbringing would do them in if he continued to let it shine through.
Raven only observed one or two other customers entering the shop before they’d finished their breakfast. Jack, with Darius in tow, stepped up to the counter to pay the elder baker while her younger daughter came over to the table.
The daughter set three loaves of bread down and then smiled wide. Her southern accent was heavy. “Is ’ere anythin’ else I can git fer ye besides ’ese?”
Raven returned her smile with a soft one, gathering her wits to get some information. “Seems a bit slow for a Saturday morning here in town?”
With a quick peek around, the daughter leaned in. “Ye lot ’re the first ta come in town fer o’er a month. E’er since da Missus come ta visit.”
“The Mistress?”
Wide eyed, the tow-haired girl nodded. “Heard tell she’s married ta dat monster on da other side of da northern mount’in.”
Raven shook her head. “What monster do you mean?”
The young lady leaned in further. “Dracula, the moroi.”
Raven blinked while the girl leaned back, continuing to talk. “Heard tell da Missus left ta pursue a new consort. Whate’r dat might mean. But it be da reason most folks left town ta go further south. Most da rest of us just stay inside from dusk ta dawn. Da horn blows and da shutters close.” She chuckled at her own rhyme then turned on her heel and headed toward the back of the bakery.
Still blinking, Raven started when Jack leaned in front of her and took the three loaves up. “Are you ready to go?” he asked.
They still needed more provisions, but Raven got the distinct feeling they shouldn’t stay in this town as she’d hoped. Getting out before sunset would be best, although she didn’t know if she believed the rumors of the count who’d become a moroi. Was it possible the countess had become moroaică? She shook her head as she stood. Rumors and gossip had no place in her mind. Still, she couldn’t shake away that thing she’d seen in the woods on the way to town. Or rather, things…
—3—
Jack couldn’t tell what had been bothering Raven all day. She seemed to be in a hurry to get out of town, but he couldn’t exactly figure out why. The townspeople treated them with exuberance, as though they hadn’t had an out-of-town visitor in a while. They didn’t seem to have caught on who they were or that they were wanted. Even the town constable had given them a friendly greeting. Still, Jack couldn’t shake the fact there seemed to be no children in town. He didn’t once see a child Darius’s age or younger. Normally it may not have been noticed by him, but the eerie quiet blanketing the town made him shiver.
In the mid-afternoon, they finished packing their provisions. Jack tied down the last of the barrels and stretched. “Let’s get a hotel room for the night. The horses can stay at the livery a bit longer—”
“No, we should get going.” Raven eyed his knots, checking each rope was tight enough. “We can get in several kilometers before nightfall, and I see no reason to—”
“Surely you can’t be serious.” Jack frowned. “You haven’t slept at all and we’ve been running around this town all morning. The horses have been driven hard, and you need rest—”
“If you insist, I’ll sleep in the wagon.” She started toward the back of the livery to retrieve the horses.
But Jack grabbed her upper arm. “There’s no real sleep in a wagon. It’s been days since any of us have had a bed, and Darius could use one most of all.”
Raven glared at him, her face hardening as she tightened her jaw. He’d hit her in her soft spot and he knew it. As a woman, Raven was harder and more independent than any Jack had ever known. The storm in her eyes didn’t subside when she finally softened her jaw. “Fine. If we can find an inn near the livery, we’ll stay.”
Surprised she’d given in, he couldn’t stop the wide smile which formed on his lips. She pulled her arm free from his grip and glared at him one last time before heading back out toward the cobblestone street. It was the first time he’d argued with her and won. He’d have to try to remember what he’d done to gain such a victory.
But a short-lived victory it was. They searched through town, but no inn had room for them for the night. It was nearly sunset by the time they’d returned to the livery. Raven had been silent for the last hour, and Jack worried just how livid she’d be. He didn’t try to break the silence, afraid of how she’d respond. The livery boys were locking up the stable as they approached.
“Stop.” Raven rushed forward and grabbed the older boy by the shoulder. “We’re here to retrieve our horses and wagon.”
Wide-eyed, the boy turned around. His clothes and skin were stained with sweat, dirt, and a hard day’s work. He smelled as though he’d mucked the stable with his bare hands instead of a pitchfork. Judging from his long, lean build, he couldn’t have been much more than a midrange teen. He shook his head. “You can’t, madam. The horn is about to blast. We all need to head indoors.”
Jack had had enough of this cryptic town and their strange customs. Though he’d never lived in the south himself, it was quite a spectacle in town today. He narrowed his eyes on the boy. “What do you mean?”
The boy’s eyes darted between Raven and Jack. Jack looked at Raven, himself. She knew something, and wasn’t telling him. Jack was about to ask what was going on when the younger boy’s falsetto voice chimed in. “If you need a place to stay the night, my mum can take you in. It’s just me, James, and my mum. Dad, Bobby, and Gabe haven’t been home in almost a fortnight.”
“Shush, Will.” The older boy slapped a hand over his brother’s mouth. The younger brother was barely a year or so older than Darius. “My mum would be happy to take you lot in for the night, if you could spare a few more silver?”
“That would be fine, boys. Take us to your mother.” Jack knew the lodgings would likely be hardly worth what they would pay, but couldn’t turn down the offer of a warm bed.
Raven’s shoulders drooped in defeat as she shot a glance to the west and the setting sun. This town had its secrets, and Raven knew them. Jack determined he’d find them out.
Jack cleared his throat just to break the silence. Raven had been especially quiet since they’d accepted the livery boys’ invitation. She sat beside Darius, barely looking around. The townhouse they stayed in was immediately next to the livery, and barely had enough room for the woman and her two boys, much less Jack, Raven, and Darius.
In the distance, the sound of a trumpet blast sounded. The family of three grew tense at the sound, but then relaxed, collectively. Jack found it odd, and it put him on edge.
The sour tang of cabbage soup filled every nook and cranny of the home, giving it a peculiar but welcoming scent. It reminded Jack a little of growing up in his own home back in New Haven. The boys’ mother was a round, friendly woman who opened her doors and her arms to them, even though they were little more than strangers. Her gap-toothed smile widened when they had offered her silver as well.
“Thank ye kindly. ’Cause of these coins, we’ll do well ta buy a bit more then cabbage when we get ta market dis week.” She dished out a double portion of the soup into Jack’s bowl.
She hadn’t been exaggerating. Even though his family had been considered poor in New Haven, they at least had some ham or pork bits to put into their cabbage soup. This small family only had cabbage and potatoes. The gruel was filling, but not very hearty. The boys really needed the protein from a meat source in order to grow strong. Jack couldn’t help but feel the need to get these people into a better situation.
The boys had said something about their father and older brothers being gone. He didn’t
want to pry, but had a need to help. When the mother returned to the kitchen, he decided to fish for more information from the boys. “Is your father away on business?”
Will, the younger of the two boys stopped and placed his spoon back in the bowl, his gaze darting toward his older brother, James. With his eyes fixed on his bowl, James placed both hands down on the table. His quiet voice didn’t have as heavy an accent as their mother. “Poppa said he would be back. He said he’d take care of things and would be back. An hour at the most. But it’s been over a week now…”
“He’s still not back,” Will said with his eyes growing watery.
A decent man would not abandon his family in such a fashion, and the boys, rough as they were, seemed to genuinely miss him. “He’ll be back, I’m sure. A gentleman keeps his promises.”
James shook his head. “No, sir. My poppa isn’t a gentleman, and he won’t be back. I know…”
“The countess took him. Him and my brothers. They went looking for poppa, but they shouldn’t have gone out so late. They shouldn’t have stayed out after dark.” Will shook his head.
The hairs on the back of Jack’s neck stood on end. What was the boy talking about? Jack didn’t profess to know all the noblemen outside of New Haven, but he had a pretty good recollection of rankings so high. “There’s no countess in this province.”
The younger boy shook his head. “No sir, the countess in the Romania province. Countess Dracula.”
James’s hands fisted and lightly pounded the table as he stood. “It’s just a stupid story to keep us inside at night. No one is brave enough to go get them. I’m not afraid of the dark. We need to do something about this.”
“No, James. You can’t. What if you don’t come back, either. It would just be me and Momma. And you promised to take care of us.” Will’s eyes welled with tears.