A Double Edged Wish (A Cat Among Dragons Book 3)

by Alma Boykin

  Instead she finished collecting her papers and followed him out of the meeting room. A sergeant was waiting for them. “Col. von Hohen-Drachenburg, Miss Na Gael, a message for you.”

  Joschka read it and frowned. “Miss Na Gael, the innkeeper says that someone broke into your room. I’ll take you there so you can tell the police what is missing.”

  She looked very upset, as one would expect. But what Joschka heard was, «Then someone may have gotten a nasty surprise.»

  Joschka had searched a few rooms in his days and whoever tried to rifle Rachel’s things had been singularly inept. Or wanted to look inept, he cautioned himself. As Joschka studied the crime scene, a nervous-acting Rachel wrung her hands and told the policeman, “No sir. I have no idea who might have wanted to rob me. I had some books, just novels, there on the table,” and she pointed to the small table under the broken window. “But nothing of great value, aside from some jewelry. A silver ring with a red stone, matching earrings, and a red coral necklace are missing from my bag.” She gave a pathetic sniff, “They were my only inheritance from my parents.”

  The policeman did his best to reassure the Irishwoman. “It was probably just an ordinary criminal, ma’am. I’ll dust for fingerprints and Herr Andreas should have the window fixed by tonight. The pieces sound unusual enough that we should be able to find them fairly easily.”

  Joschka seized the opportunity. “Herr Police Officer, considering how upset Miss Na Gael is, perhaps it would be better to have her stay with my wife this evening. That way she won’t be alone and Herr Andreas will have enough time to repair the window, should he have difficulty finding a glazer this late in the day.” He didn’t quite pat Rachel on the head but he came close.

  The policeman agreed. “That certainly seems wise, Herr Colonel.” The men seemed to find it natural and expected that the young lady would be distraught and terrified by a burglar, poor thing.

  Rachel remained “scared and helpless” until they were en route to Hohen-Drachenburg. Then a voice from the back seat of his car growled, “Joschka, by the Bookkeeper’s tally, I’m going to get you for that.”

  “It worked, didn’t it, Commander? None of the local authorities will take you for anything but a typical woman.” Joschka sounded a bit smug, even to his own ears.

  The response was a deeper growl, one that faded into a hiss. Then silence. It was a very good thing that Joschka did not glance into the rear seat until they had stopped at a railway crossing to allow a train to pass, because when he looked over his shoulder his heart almost failed.

  «Do not patronize me, Joschka. Even in jest.» A very large black jaguar-like feline snarled. Her heavy claws dimpled the leather of the front seat as the cat loomed over him.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he squeaked, feeling once again like the young corporal he had been when they first met. Well, now you know what her non-Wanderer half is, part of his mind gibbered as the Commander glared at him, ears still flat against her head.

  «Now get your eyes back on the road, please,» and the cat dropped back out of sight of other drivers.

  By the time they reached the Drachenburg, Joschka had mostly recovered from his shock. Rachel said nothing more for the rest of their drive nor did she speak after getting out of the car, although she had reverted to her more usual appearance. “Commander,” Joschka began. She failed to respond, and he felt his own temper getting a bit warm. “Commander Ni Drako,” he repeated, and still got no answer. Angry, he grabbed her arm and drew the small woman away from the schloss door.

  “Rachel, answer me,” he ordered.

  She glared up at him, defiant. “What?” she snarled, baring her teeth.

  “Rachel, I don’t care for your attitude or for your startling me like that. You are the one who acted like a scared girl,” he pointed out. “And if you antagonize Major Peters any more, it could well be the end of my career as well as of your place on the investigation.”

  Unrepentant, Rachel snapped, “Then don’t patronize me! You are the only person at Army Group who is taking me seriously for who I am and not ‘because she’s Col. von Hohen-Drachenburg’s associate,’ and I’m getting bloody tired of it, Colonel. If you too start patting me on the head and feeling sorry for me, I’m going to scream. Or rip someone’s throat out!” Rachel sounded deadly serious.

  “Damnit, Rachel, what do you expect? That’s the only way that they know you until you prove yourself. And besides, you are a woman!” Joschka reminded her. “It’s our job to protect you.”

  Rachel started to snarl but Joschka cut her off angrily. “And you have no call to be complaining about my behavior. I’m the one who’s been doing everything for you,” he growled, then tried to calm down. “Is it the jewelry that you are so upset about? It sounds easily replaceable, from your description.”

  That stopped her cold. She turned away from him, hands closing into fists, head bowed, and voice dead. “Go to hell.” She started walking, away from the manor house and him.

  Ach, Gott, what is going on with her? He watched his friend disappear into the shadows, running a hand through his chestnut hair as he tried to decide if he should go after her or not. The door to the house opened and Magda emerged into the night chill, looking around as if she’d heard a disturbance. To Joschka’s surprise, his wife hurried straight to where Rachel had vanished into darkness. Then he felt it. Joschka rushed over to the women. “Inside, now!” he ordered. Magda put an arm around the Wanderer and urged her along while Joschka assumed a guard position behind them. Rachel straightened up, pulling her pendant free from her collar and humming a fierce-sounding melody under her breath. Something within Joschka responded to the music and he realized she was summoning a mental defense of some kind.

  “What tune was that?” Magda asked once they were safely inside the ancient house.

  “An old Scottish war-song called ‘Caber Feidh’. It was the first one that came to mind,” Rachel said as she leaned back against the wall, eye closed.

  Magda pulled her husband aside. “Love, what’s going on?”

  He sighed. What isn’t going on is the better question. “It started this morning,” and he gave her a condensed version of the day’s events. He kept an eye on Rachel as he spoke. He was still angry with her, but concerned also.

  After he finished Magda announced, “The first thing is to get some supper into both of you. The children already ate. Joschka, if you’ll help me with them?” At his nod she offered, “You go on up and I’ll join you in a moment.”

  “Of course, dear,” he kissed her, then strode up the stairs to the family section of the big house.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Magda studied the Wanderer. “Rachel, what happened?”

  “The one who did this to me,” and Rachel touched the remains of her eye. “He started off patronizing and patting. When that failed, he... hurt me.” She hung her head and stared at the age-worn slate floor. “I’m sorry my lady. I didn’t think, just reacted, and I hurt Joschka.”

  “Yes, you did,” Magda stated firmly. “And when he and I get back, you will apologize to him. Then we’ll see what needs to be done about that,” and she gestured to whatever lurked outside the door. The redhead left Rachel in the entry hall.

  When the couple returned, they found Rachel standing in front of the fireplace in the great hall, humming again as she stared into the flames. Before Joschka could say anything she turned and approached him. “I apologize for my harsh words, Joschka; I shouldn’t have let myself lose control. I know better than to read the past forward like that. And I’m sorry I hurt you. The jewelry was all I had left of someone.” She was truly repentant, Joschka could tell.

  “I forgive you, Rachel. And I apologize for patronizing you. Some of the local attitudes are wearing off on me and I also know better,” Joschka admitted. They hugged, and Magda took Joschka’s arm.

  “And now both of you eat, while I talk,” she ordered. Rachel and Joschka both mimicked scolded children, drawing a loud sigh from t
he Gräfin.

  As the two warriors devoured a heavy pork stew, the Gräfin told them her tale. “Like you, the day’s events started early in the morning. Meister Klaus, the head stableman, came to me because the horses were acting oddly, especially Pferdo.”

  Rachel had to ask. “Pferdo?”

  “Our oldest boy, Johann, named him after coming back from a summer in Italy. Johann was six at the time,” Joschka shrugged.

  “As I was saying,” Magda silenced the pair with a look. “Pferdo refused to leave the stable. Usually I can settle him, but not this time, so we kept him and the other animals inside. Rachel, you need to know that Pferdo is Joschka’s horse. He is,” and she paused, “unusually sensitive. The stable cats also acted upset most of the day, never settling down, or napping only in groups of three or more.” Rachel’s eyebrow rose at that tidbit and she pursed her lips.

  “Something bothered Peter and Elizabet all morning, until I had their tutor give them a history lesson in the chapel. They calmed down once they were in there. Johann said when he got back from school that it felt as if someone had been watching him. And there was someone, more than one, watching the house.” At this Joschka sat bolt upright, his eyes taking on a faint red tinge. Magda continued calmly, “They also tried to enter the Drachenburg but were... dissuaded.” Rachel felt the weight of something behind Magda’s words and shivered a bit. Joschka bared his teeth.

  “Whatever and whoever it was, the presence faded toward sundown, until you arrived. I sensed it waiting, like a cat crouching in anticipation, and that’s what drew me out of the house to hear the end of your disagreement.” Magda sipped her coffee as the others contemplated her words.

  Joschka spoke first. “It had that same flavor of twisted Power that I sensed from the dead soldiers. That’s why I bolted.”

  “And it uses emotion much as I can, but to manipulate and control,” Rachel added, eye unfocused. She shook herself. “My Lady, I know a little about the Power now living in the southern San Juan Mountains, in North America. Can you tell me anything about what works its will here?”

  Both Magda and Joschka remained silent and Rachel took it for refusal. “I understand. Your pardon for prying.”

  Joschka rose to his feet and helped Magda from her chair. “Come to the library,” he ordered. Rachel fell in behind the couple and trailed them into a well-lit, book-lined room. Magda shut the door and Rachel realized that the room was “quiet” in a number of different ways. The colonel and Gräfin took seats facing each other in front of a fireplace decorated with twining serpents. Joschka pointed and Rachel settled onto a hassock near his chair.

  “House Drachenburg is one of the oldest families in the Tyrol, Commander Ni Drako,” Magda explained. “We have been here since the late 800s and tradition suggests that part of the family arrived in the valley even earlier. Legends about the Drachenburg go back at least that far. The House allied with the local Power shortly after our arrival here. It is a minor House and a minor Power when compared to Logres in Britain, for example, but subtlety is strength, Commander. The people living in the area have venerated ‘dragons’ since before the arrival of the Celts and that has built up a greater reserve of energy than one might suspect.” Magda gave her husband a pointed look and he got up and fixed her a drink, then took up the explanation.

  “I am of the House by marriage, but cannot yet claim the title. Apparently there’s something I still must do, but the House has informed neither Magda nor me of exactly what it is yet. By virtue of being a HalfDragon, I can communicate with the Power and the House, and am accepted or tolerated by both,” Joschka said. As he spoke, Rachel noticed that his eyes had shifted to a slit-pupiled gold from their normal blue. “The Graf of Hohen-Drachenburg is Guardian of the valley and the surrounding areas. Guardianship here is by place.” When he finished, the two Austrians watched Rachel as she considered their words.

  “And a deep reservoir of emotional power would be very tempting to someone trying to tap feelings so they could control people,” she mused aloud. “Access to that could be through the House head, but since there is none at the moment, it is diffused. Thus the watchers following both of you. And my gifts can counter technological as well as psyonic emotional manipulation, and I’m a Healer,” she looked at the couple, “so I’d be valuable as an ally and dangerous as an opponent, assuming whoever it is can sense what I am. Greeeeaaaatttt.” Rachel groaned.

  Magda picked up the idea, frowning. “But to what purpose, Commander? There’s nothing of great value here, nothing important.”

  Her husband leaned forward in his seat, eyes intent. “But what if this is the headwaters? As the old proverb says, ‘A child at the source can control the whole stream.’ If whoever is trying to tap the energies here has to work through someone, why not take over a Gifted person and use them?” Joschka asked rhetorically.

  “And human neurophysiology shifts enough over time that what works 500 years from now might not do so at the moment: thus the experiments.” Rachel added. “My lady, do you think the Power gathered here could be used to gain access to other Houses that may have more resources, of various kinds?” Rachel looked troubled and Joschka understood why. That someone was willing to come back from somewhen to try to manipulate people and situations meant there had to be a very valuable reward for their efforts.

  “I’ve never thought about it,” the redheaded woman said, then considered the Wanderer’s idea. “It might be possible but I’d have to ask the main House.”

  “If you do, don’t tell me,” Joschka cautioned. “It might be better for me not to know, just in case.”

  “Are there Houses in Russia or the Warsaw Pact lands?” Rachel caught Joschka’s eye and they had similar thoughts.

  “Yes. They are having trouble, but some survive,” Magda told them, and the two comrades in arms both frowned.

  Rachel complained as she rubbed under her blind eye. “Joschka, can’t you get involved in something simple, like a multi-star-system war?”

  He smiled at Magda. “No.”

  “That’s what happens when true love enters the mix, I suppose. Always complicates matters.” Rachel gave them her warped grin.

  “Well, you of all people should know, Commander,” Joschka dared to tease her.

  Magda looked from one to the other. “All right, what is going on here, my love?”

  He just nodded toward the Commander, who stood up, stretched, and shifted to her normal form. Magda’s jaw didn’t drop, quite, but she did lean away from her guest. Rachel’s tail waved slowly as her ears rotated from one Austrian to the other. “Love was blind and I’m the result, my lady.”

  Magda recovered quickly. “I see why Joschka said you were a unique individual, Rachel. However, fascinating as this is, what are we going to do about?” She pointed to the window and what waited beyond the glass.

  “Nothing tonight,” Joschka stated firmly. “There were snow clouds moving in earlier this afternoon and nothing will be accomplished by trying to fight an unknown at night in bad weather.”

  “And if whoever broke into my room and stole the jewelry tries to ‘read’ the pieces, they will get much more than they anticipated. The last emotional imprint on them is rather... unpleasant.” Rachel’s eye darkened with an anger that made Joschka wonder about her sanity.

  Magda deliberated for a moment, then agreed. “The House is ‘on alert’ as you would say, Joschka, and Father Paul and I strengthened the protections on the children this afternoon. I suggest we adjourn for the night.”

  She and Joschka led the way from the library and Rachel stifled a few comments and a snicker at her friend’s obvious physical attraction to his lady, and vice versa. Once in her room, Rachel stared out the window into the snow and darkness, where something paced, watching. The Wanderer began singing to herself, “The storms and the waves will not harm thee/ Beneath the light of the Star—/ A guide to the lost and the lonely/ No matter how near or how far.” No reply came, but then she expected n
one, and went to sleep satisfied that at least she had made the offer.

  The residents of the Drachental awoke to find ten centimeters of fresh snow covering everything. Rachel, a little chagrined at her lack of forethought, asked to borrow a heavy coat and Magda graciously loaned the Wanderer a thick wool walking coat dating to the late 1800s. By unspoken agreement, both Joschka and Rachel put their weapons in the car. She kept her nose pressed to the car’s window on the drive to Army Group headquarters, much to Joschka’s amusement. “It looks just like the pictures!” she exclaimed.

  Joschka wondered at her, amused. One moment you are a hardened warrior and the next you sound like my five-year-old. How do you do it?

  It was a good thing Rachel and Joschka had cleared the air the night before, because an angry Major Peters pounced on her a few minutes after she and the colonel entered the office.

  “Another American soldier was found dead! In the same place,” and he moved closer to the small woman. “Where you and the Colonel were two days ago.”

  She remained calm. “Has a time of death been suggested, sir? Or a possible cause?” Her tone held nothing but honest concern and professional interest.

  “No. His body was found this morning, in the same place as the others. And this was found with him,” and Peters held out a clear glassine bag with another of the control chips in it.

  Rachel’s eye narrowed, but it was Joschka who asked the question. “Major Peters, how was the body located?”

  “One of the valley residents saw it when he was out this morning,” the American said.

  “Was the body on top of the snow or under it?” Joschka pushed.

  “He didn’t say anything about snow,” Peters snapped, turning back to the Commander. “Miss Na Gael, my superiors are more than a little concerned with your presence on this investigation. If the killers are not found soon...” and he let the threat hang.