by Linda Mooney
Yulen glanced at the Blood lifting a sword to bring it down, and realized nothing he said would stop the creature from decapitating the man. As everyone’s attention focused on what was about to happen, he felt the grip on his arms lessen. His next action was automatic. Launching himself forward, he cried out and threw himself across Mastin’s back. Squeezing his eyes shut, he held his breath and waited for the blade to bury itself into his flesh.
Something whished by his head. There was a solid thunk!, and someone screamed. Yelling followed. There was shuffling, confusion, and several times he was bumped and shaken until his arms were grabbed once more and he was lifted off the man. Filled with dread, Yulen opened his eyes, terrified he’d witness the Bloods continue with what they’d been ordered to do.
The sword, his sword, was embedded in the wooden floor, scant inches from Mastin’s head. The second stared up at him in shock and disbelief. Yulen saw no pain in the man’s face, which meant the killing blow hadn’t struck.
Yet.
He continued to struggle, jerking his arms out of the Bloods’ grasps, when something came from out of nowhere and whacked him on the side of the head. A bright flash of agony pierced his skull, and Yulen collapsed onto his knees as he fought to remain conscious.
That gooey chuckling clogged his ears. He felt a trail of warmth trickle over his scalp and onto his forehead. Raising his head, he glared at the woman sitting in her chair, obviously enjoying the show.
Another Blood rushed for Mastin, a club held over its head. Yulen started to put himself between the two again, when Mink ordered the creature to stop. The Blood paused, panting heavily, and glared at her. Anger crossed its misshapen features, then it lifted its arms to go ahead and make the killing blow.
A spear tip emerged from its chest, spraying black gore. The club fell from its hands as it reached for the weapon piercing its body. Making a mewling sound, the Blood toppled sideways, dead before it hit the ground. The Blood which had wielded the spear casually placed a foot on the corpse and tugged the tip from the body, then returned to its position next to Mink’s chair.
Guards grabbed both Mastin and Yulen and lifted them to their feet. Mastin’s face was pale and sweaty, but he shook his head when Yulen silently questioned him. No, he wasn’t hurt, but the incident had been too damn close.
Straightening, Yulen faced the Blood leader. “All right. You’ve made your point. You want my compounds. What do you want me to do?”
“It’s simple, Battle Lord D’Jacques. We will accompany your men back to your fortresses. When we arrive, you will allow me and a select few of my people to enter. Once we are inside, you will have your men lay down their weapons and declare me the new battle lord. That is when we will take control.”
“Do you honestly believe it will be that easy?”
Mink grinned. “I never assume. It will be up to you to determine how difficult or how easy it will be. Just know this, Battle Lord D’Jacques. Know it and remember it, because I give you my word that if at any time I detect or hear of any duplicity, I will not order you killed. I will order your people killed. I will have those closest to you killed, including that Mutah bitch you married, and the offspring she’s born.”
“You know, it’s very possible I may stand my ground and refuse to do anything. You can go ahead and kill my men. You can kill me. What will you do then?”
The woman sneered. “I find it laughable that you willingly barter your life and those of your men, but you fail to mention the Mutah woman. Have you already forgotten that I am also in control of her life?”
Yulen kept mum, refusing to take the bait. He hadn’t forgotten there were moles planted inside Wallis, and he had no idea whether or not Atty had ferreted them out. But he had faith she would, somehow. And when she did, she would swiftly take care of the matter. But after she did, he knew she would come after him to inform him, to protect him, and to help him defeat them.
Mink kicked the pile of clothing again. “Bring me the hound!”
They came through the rear entrance. Two Bloods struggled to contain a third who appeared to be crawling on all fours. The group standing around Mink moved aside, and Yulen stared in shock at the bestial human fighting the ropes binding it. At first it appeared to be part-Wolfen until it stopped by Mink’s chair and squatted human-like. It was a man covered in mange and sparse patches of brownish-gray hair. It was completely nude, despite the cold weather.
Mink reached over and cradled its face between her hands, then kissed it fully on the extended lips. “How’s my Kuli? Are you ready to go on a hunt? Huh? Is my good boy eager to go on a hunt?”
The creature rose back up on its hands and feet and waggled its butt as if it had a tail. Its long tongue licked her face, and it whimpered in anticipation.
Mink reached over, picked up Mistelle’s little white outfit, and held it out to the Blood. The bestial creature grabbed it, burying its elongated snout-like nose and mouth in the material. Suddenly, it threw it back at Mink and let out a long howl. The Blood began jerking on its ropes as if eager to get on with the hunt.
A sense of dread he’d never felt turned Yulen’s insides to ice. The creature had his daughter’s scent, and now it was ready to track down the infant, wherever she was.
And when it finally found her, it would also find Atty.
Or maybe not. If Atty's away, and Keelor is taking care of the baby, that thing will attack without provocation.
His horror intensified with the realization that Mink hadn’t targeted his wife because she already knew Atty would be able to defend herself. Instead, the Blood leader had chosen his daughter, a weak and defenseless innocent.
Yulen opened his mouth to protest when Mink gave the creature a loving pat on the head, then gestured outward, pointing to the store’s front door.
“Go! Hunt! Find! Kill!”
As four captors held firmly onto him, Yulen watched helplessly as the two Bloods released the Wolfen Blood, which took off, running out of the building.
He could no longer keep this new development from Atty, now that the life of their daughter was in danger. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and opened himself up. He had to reach her. He had to warn her, and there was only one way he knew how to make her aware.
Atty. My beloved Atty. Please hear me. Atty!
He prayed he was not too late, and that Mink’s spies had not yet tipped their hand.
Chapter 16
Puzzle
Atty managed to get a few hours of sleep before Mistelle’s hungry cries awoke her. As she gave her child her breast, she glanced around to see that both Paas and Keelor had already left.
“I don’t know where Paas went, but your auntie is probably out getting reacquainted with her old friends,” she murmured to the hungry babe. “That means you’ll be coming along with me as I do inspection. Plus, I’ll get to show you off. Are you ready to become the center of attention?” Mistelle stared up at her with blue-gray eyes the same shade as her parents’. A tiny hand clutched a length of her mother’s blue hair.
Atty could hear the usual sounds of people coming and going outside the tent. No one had come to disturb her since she'd retired for the night, which meant there had been no other emergencies. No further attempts by Bloods to enter the compound. But the memory of the creature she’d killed last night was still fresh in her mind, and Atty made that her next priority.
After nursing the infant, she looked around for the little white outfit Madigan had given her prior to leaving for Rocky Gorge. Not finding it, she remembered she’d thrown it into the pile of her and Yulen’s dirty laundry. That pile was no longer in the corner of the tent, which meant it had been picked up to be cleaned.
Swaddling Mistelle against the cold, she placed the baby in her makeshift carrier. She briefly debated whether to take her bow and chose to leave it behind. Armed with just her Ballock, she exited the tent to seek out her own breakfast.
The compound appeared to be unusually empty, although it was
n’t that early in the day. However, Atty reminded herself that the majority of the men were being used to guard the walls, leaving the running of the shops and markets to the womenfolk.
She soon found Emira and Tamrell near the extinguished fire pit where the wooden tables that had been set up the night before were sitting empty. The two Mutah women were clearing away the dishes from where they and several other village women had served a morning meal to the rest of Yulen’s soldiers.
Emira spotted her approach and flashed her a smile. “Good morning! And how’s the wee one today?”
“At least her belly’s full. Is there enough left of whatever you fixed for me to have a bite?”
“Oh, I think we can manage to scrape something from the bottom of the pot. Have a seat. I’ll go fetch you a bowl.”
“Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?” Tamrell held up the dripolater and gave it an experimental shake. “Sounds like there’s just enough left for one more cup.”
Atty waved it off and took a seat at an empty table. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’d prefer some milk if there is any.”
“I know we have plenty of that. Hold on. I’ll be right back.” Setting the pot onto the table, the woman hurried away, passing Emira who returned with a bowl and something else wrapped inside her apron. She placed the items in front of Atty, then resumed with the cleaning up.
The bowl contained porridge, steam rising in the brisk air. The other wrapped item was a partial loaf of freshly baked bread. Atty blew into the bowl and stirred it to cool it down enough to eat without burning her mouth. “Say, Emira, would you know if my laundry has been washed yet? I’d like to dress Mistelle in her little gown.”
The Mutah woman gave her a confused look. “Your laundry? As far as I know, no one’s picked it up yet.”
Atty paused. “But it’s not in my tent where I left it. Who was assigned to take care of it?”
“I don’t know.”
“It was Corcora,” Tamrell answered, returning with a mug of milk. She set the drink on the table next to Atty. “According to the work schedule, Corcora was supposed to do it, but she hasn’t shown up yet.”
“Where is she? Maybe she’s doing it now,” Atty suggested.
“If she is, she should be outside the soap house.” Atty started to rise, but the Mutah woman motioned for her to remain seated. “You stay and finish your breakfast. I’ll go check.”
Atty thanked her and resumed eating, when she spotted Paxton trotting toward her. By the look on his face, she could tell he was perturbed but not alarmed.
“Morning, Warren. What’s the latest news?”
Her second took a seat across from her. “Not much. The shift change went smoothly, and there’s been no further signs of an impending attack. The other Mutah warriors sense nothing out of the ordinary. How about you?”
She paused to collect herself. “Nope. I don’t feel anything either, but I’ve been thinking about that Blood I killed last night.”
Paxton wearily nodded his head. “I thought you would, so I did a little investigation. His name was Oorlas, and he arrived two months ago from a Mutah village called—”
“Turtingale. Yeah, he told me.”
Paxton narrowed his eyes. “Are you familiar with that compound?”
“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there. It’s west of New Bearinger.” She caught sight of Paas striding toward them. At the same time Emira appeared at their table, setting an empty mug in front of Paxton before pouring what was left in the coffee pot. Paas took a seat next to Atty.
"Have you eaten?" Atty inquired of the warrior woman.
"Yeah, I'm good."
Atty smiled sympathetically at the clearly exhausted man across from her. “How much sleep did you get last night, Warren?”
He snorted. “I was too wound up to get much rest. I had your attacker’s remains taken to the hunters’ lodge, in case you wanted to get a better look at them. But you’d need to do it soon. It’s reeking up the place.”
“I don’t doubt it.” She wondered if she could manage examining the corpse so soon after eating, but she also knew she couldn’t put it off much longer.
“Atty, when someone from another compound comes to Wallis, or goes from Wallis to another Mutah fortress, is there any kind of background check done to see if it’s safe to accept them?” Paxton took a cautious sip of his coffee, winced, but drank it anyway.
Atty shook her head. “We’ve never had to. In the past, we’ve always had to be cautious about Bloods and Normals. We’ve never had reason to suspect that one of our own would try to infiltrate.”
“But he wasn’t one of your own,” the second reminded her.
“Atty?” Tamrell hurried over to the table. “Corcora wasn’t at the wash station, and no one’s seen her since yesterday.”
“Have you checked her home to see if she’s there?”
“I sent Bogart over there,” the woman replied.
Pausing, Atty replayed last night’s events in her mind’s eye. “What are you thinking?” Paxton softly inquired.
“I’m thinking about that shadow I saw leaving the compound. Tamrell, what can you tell me about Corcora? Where did she come from? Do you know?”
“Yes. She came to us a few weeks ago from Good Choice.”
“What’s Good Choice?” Paas spoke up.
“It’s a Mutah compound not far from Foster City,” Atty told her. “Tamrell, what was the woman’s mark?”
The Mutah woman patted the back of her neck. “She had spinal plates.”
Slowly, the picture was becoming clearer as the seemingly random puzzle pieces began to fall into place. As it developed, a coldness settled into the pit of Atty’s stomach.
“Hey!” A young woman raced toward them, her angular face flushed. “Hey, Atty! Corcora’s apartment is empty. The bed wasn’t slept in, either.”
Atty turned to Tamrell. “When was the schedule posted, letting Corcora know she would be handling my laundry?”
“Yesterday. I posted it myself.”
"What about your laundry?" Paas questioned.
"It's missing, along with the woman who was supposed to clean it," Atty answered.
"Is that a problem?"
"It's possible Corcora is the person I saw leaving the compound last night. She could be a Blood plant, like the man who was guarding the door."
"The man who attacked you?"
"Yes."
“So if Corcora is a plant, and she was scheduled to do the laundry, she could have entered your tent while you were away and it wouldn’t raise suspicions. It wouldn’t be questioned,” Paas remarked.
“Wait.” Paxton held up a hand. “Say she's a plant. Why would the woman abscond with a pile of dirty laundry? I’m not seeing any purpose here.”
Atty was on her feet before she was aware of it. “We may not see a purpose, which is why it doesn’t make sense.” Draining her mug of milk, she wiped away the mustache with the back of her sleeve and stepped away from the table. “Come on, Warren. I want a better look at that bastard who tried to kill me last night. Paas, I need you to accompany us, please.”
Without waiting for either of them to reply, she headed for the hunters’ lodge.
Chapter 17
Test
She could smell the rankness emanating from the small building before she reached the door. Even in the coldness of the early winter day, the Blood’s corpse deteriorated at a faster rate than a Normal or Mutah body. Two guards stood watch outside. She bet herself there were none inside, and she wouldn’t blame them.
Atty paused with her hand on the latch and glanced down at the babe sleeping peacefully against her belly. She didn’t want to expose the infant to the carcass for fear the body might contain something dangerous. MaGrath had lectured to her enough times about invisible germs to make his point stick in her mind.
“Is something wrong?” Paxton asked from behind her.
However, Paas immediately understood and held out her arms
. “Let me take her. I’ll watch her while you’re inside.” Adding a small smile, she quipped, “Gotta get accustomed to taking care of one, right?”
Atty handed Mistelle over to the warrior woman and thanked her. Paxton opened the door and let the Battle Lady enter ahead of him.
The smell was enough to make one gag. Only by pinching her nose and breathing through her mouth could Atty go inside and face the body. There were no other guards inside, as she’d expected. The corpse lay on a tattered blanket on the floor.
“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Paxton went over to the other side of the dead Blood and knelt on one knee.
“I don’t know.”
She crouched down and peeled the clothing away from the body, checking it for…
“I have no idea what I’m looking for. A clue, perhaps. Something that’ll tell me where he came from. Or why he was here.”
“His mark looks to be this lack of a neck abnormality. Look at how his head seems to be fused directly to his spine.” Paxton tilted his head to get a better look. “His arms look like they’re attached directly to the spine, as well. Externally he was able to pass as Mutah.”
“Regardless, his blood tells a different story.”
“Which means he wasn’t really from that compound like he claimed he was. More than likely he came from that army of Bloods, wherever it’s holed up.”
“So why did he come to Wallis? Why take up residence here? Could he have been seeking asylum from the Bloods by pretending to be Mutah?”
“I’d like to know if there’s any connection between him and that woman who you think took your laundry.” He frowned. “You said you're thinking that woman is the figure you saw leave the compound, correct? Atty, what if she’s also a Blood in disguise?”
She stopped and stared at Paxton as another implication struck her. “Oh, dear God.”
“What?”
“If she is, what if he and that woman aren’t the only Bloods who came to the compound?”