by annie nadine
“May I ask…why do you use bone for the dagger blade?” She wondered. He picked up one of the usual size daggers and held it solemnly.
“The only bone that will kill a snatcher is a bone that has been removed from one of us…” he said as he looked at the dagger. When she didn’t comment he looked up to see the disgusted look on her face. “That is how I felt when I first heard it.”
“What do you mean…‘us’…as in trackers?” Annie pulled the small dagger out of her hair and stared at it, horrified that she had even touched it. Eli held back his laughter at her reaction.
“We do not fully develop into our potential as a tracker until the age of twenty, which is when we have reached our physical peak. Once we have reached that age we have a rib that crosses over our heart removed and fashioned into a dagger,” he explained. “The particular rib used actually grows thicker and stronger than the rest of our bones, specifically for its purpose.”
Annie thought about the sacrifice that the trackers made to try and keep unknowing humans safe. Even though trackers were known to heal quickly she imagined that it would be an excruciating process. She didn’t like the thought that Eli had to go through something like that. Suddenly she thought about what he said, one rib is removed.
“But why do you have so many daggers?” She looked at the daggers lying across the seat with horror written across her face.
“There are of course casualties in my line of work and we do not let daggers previously made go to waste if we can avoid it.” He tried to say it as tactfully as he could but it didn’t change what they were. Those were the bones of dead trackers. Annie thought she was going to be sick, she looked at the one in her hand and placed it down with the others. Then she took the one from around her neck, careful to ensure it did not touch her, and placed it with the other ones.
“I know it seems altogether horrendous but they could save your life,” he reasoned.
“Yes…I understand that…” she looked at him to try and think of the words. “Just let me get used to the idea for a moment.” He nodded, understanding her reservations. After a moment of thinking about all of it she spoke. “So a snatcher’s skin is penetrable then?” She wondered. She thought mythical creatures would be indestructible or something.
“Well…yes,” Eli answered. “They still have their human shells but when they are injured their bane heals them quickly.”
“Can they…perish?” She was surprised at how normal it felt to be talking about these things called snatchers.
“Yes, by using the dagger to stab them through the heart.” He flicked the dagger in his hand and caught it easily, he almost looked proud of the instrument.
“Why do you have to stab them through the heart with it?” She asked feeling completely fascinated by it all.
“Because the heart is known as the origin of love and the myth tells us that the men that were sacrificed had truly loved her. When the demon made her he had to ensure that the new creations would have a weakness as nature requires a balance. Since her victim’s hearts were what made them vulnerable it is said that the demon made snatcher’s hearts vulnerable in a different way,” he recited the information as if he said it a million time before.
“And how do you know all of this?” She thought it was curious because apparently trackers didn’t have much to do with snatchers.
“The first tracker,” he answered easily.
“I see…and how does he know all of that?” She was skeptical of this ‘first tracker’ that seemed to be so knowledgeable. Eli paused, obviously he had never thought to ask the question before. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I…do…not know,” he stumbled. He was surprised at himself that he didn’t have an answer. She decided to let that discussion drop, who was she to come along and question everything he knew?
“So why does it have to be a bone that crosses over a tracker’s heart?” She wondered, saving him from his doubts. He seemed more than grateful for it.
“Essentially, we were formed from them to create an opposing force. So where their heart is weak and the point of their demise, a tracker’s hearts is their strength,” he enlightened. “The only rib that suffices is the one that crosses directly over the centre of our heart.” It all sounded kind of romantic to Annie, in a morbid sort of way.
“So what happens when a snatcher dies?” She started fiddling with the dagger she had placed down before.
“If the person had died instead of being preserved by the bane then their body would have started decomposing. Since the bane hindered the natural process they do not. Once the dagger is removed from their heart they return to where they should have been in the natural progression of death. So if they had been changed decades or centuries ago, they would turn to a pile of bones or even dust as that is what their corpse would have done. If they are not so old they turn into a rotting corpse.” Eli pulled a face as he remembered the horrible smells he had encountered. Annie held back the smile that was trying to escape her from his reaction.
“So if the dagger remained in them they would just be a lifeless relic?” She clarified. He nodded, impressed that she was doing so well with all of the information. “And which dagger was made from you?” She asked curiously.
For the first time since meeting him she saw his eyes turn vulnerable and it surprised her. After his initial hesitation he lifted the dagger in his hand a little higher, indicating that was the one. She paused for a moment, looking at the dagger he held. She stretched out her hand slowly, wordlessly asking to inspect the invaluable dagger. He handed it to her and she took it with great care. Knowing that it was made from him made it feel special and she felt closer to him by having the privilege of holding it.
“Is there a reason for the chromium?” She wondered. She looked up to find him with a sly grin on his face.
“We all just liked it the most,” he answered, referring to himself and some of the other trackers.
She found it amusing because compared to the other information she had been told it was so superficial. Everything else had so much meaning but this didn’t have any whatsoever. She looked back to the dagger in her hand, holding back a laugh. She thought he was being rather cute with it all. She did wonder why he was one of the ones who had gotten to choose the material for the handle.
“Are you part of some committee that gets to make decisions for all trackers?” She missed the nervous look that came across his face because she was so focused on the dagger. He had told her a lot in regards to trackers but there were some things he wasn’t allowed to tell such as, how many trackers there actually were in existence and his role amongst them.
“Something like that,” he said casually. He was lucky that she was rather interested in his dagger or she would have questioned him further. He was relieved when she didn’t go more into the matter.
“This is all so implausible,” she whispered as she gazed at the crafted bone. She handed it back to him carefully and he placed it back in its notch. After she took her daggers he packed everything away and closed the lid of the day bed.
“Wait…” She said as they both stood from kneeling on the ground. “If their skin is penetrable then why not cut them to pieces?” She thought it would be gruesome but possibly effective. He smiled because she was so full of questions.
“They also heal very quickly,” he reminded. “Their flesh is the fastest to heal and once it is cut, no sooner has it closed back over. No matter how deep or quickly you cut them it will close over almost instantly, even if they are wounded within. They take longer to heal internally but their skin is designed to protect them.” He paused for a moment to recall some of his own experiences. “It is strange because you can stab them through the heart but if you try to drag the dagger to open them up the skin will not allow it. But it will allow small gashes, as if it knows which will cause the most damage.”
“And I am assuming you know all of this because of the first tracker?” She tried to hide her reservations b
ut she didn’t quite manage it. He simply nodded to answer her. “What was his name?”
“Timothy Obrad,” he answered. She waited for some more information but Eli looked at her blankly. “That is all we know,” he explained his lack of an answer. When it didn’t look like she was going to ask anything else he decided that question time was over. “So let us return to our lesson!” Eli announced. She put her daggers down on the day bed cushions and moved over to the cleared area with him. “This lesson is more to inform you of what you should expect and what you need to know in regards to an attack. The others will be more to train you and build your strength.” He crouched in his defensive stance to brace himself for an attack.
“May I ask something else before we recommence?” She wondered. He nodded but kept his pose. “You began to tell me that there was something else that snatchers were designed to do but you never got around to explaining it...” He looked at her confused.
“Have you not read, ‘Methods of The Soul Snatcher’?” He queried.
“I seem to have misplaced the book. I am sorry, Eli.” She was annoyed at having to admit to something she didn’t do. She always made sure she took care of things, especially things that didn’t belong to her.
“Oh.” He straightened up from his position to explain. He didn’t seem bothered by the mislaid book. “You see…”
Before he could go any further, Garrick burst through the door with a frazzled look on his face.
“Mr. Brighton, Miss Belle. I am sorry to disturb your lesson but there is an urgent matter,” Garrick said. “This just arrived for you, Mr. Brighton.” Garrick held out a letter to him. Eli just stared at it with a quizzical look on his face. “It is from your brother,” Garrick added. Eli’s face dropped instantly as he took the letter from him.
“You have a brother?” Annie asked, completely befuddled by the information.
“I…I…” Eli started to explain but he got lost in his words as he stared at the envelope. “I must cut this lesson short. I do apologise, Annie.” Eli left without looking at her and Garrick followed him out the door.
Annie stood astounded for a moment in the now quiet room until she realised she was being ridiculous just standing there. She headed to her room to get changed, all the while wondering why Eli never mentioned he had a brother.
CHAPTER 15
That evening Eli came up to her room and knocked on the door. Annie moved to answer it and let him in but he remained standing at the door.
“I am sorry to disturb you Annie but I have to inform you that I will be attending to an urgent matter. It may require me to be gone for a week or more.” He sounded guarded and a little brash.
“I see. Would you like me to come with you?” She wondered if this had something to do with the letter he received from his brother but she thought it rude to ask.
“No, that would not be advisable. It hopefully will not take long.” He purposely avoided having to say too much.
“When do you leave?” She asked.
“Immediately,” is all he said.
“This very moment?” She repeated the detail, shocked at how abrupt it was.
“Yes, Garrick will be here to assist you with whatever you need and I should return shortly. He is permitted to accompany you into town if you should so desire. With Miss Danes gone and no other dangers in the area, there should be no threats that Garrick cannot manage.” He was acting business like and unemotional. He was distancing himself from her and she didn’t know why.
“Well…then I wish all the best for the trip and that you can sort the matter as you see fit,” she said, unsure of what else to say. He looked to her and paused for a moment.
“Thank you, Annie.” It looked as if he wanted to say more but instead he just left. She had no idea what was going on and she didn’t think she was going to find out. What’s more, it didn’t feel as if it was something good.
A week passed and no Eli and no Baden, for that matter. She felt conflicted about not seeing Baden because part of her wanted him desperately and the other part was warning her to be wary of him. As for Eli, Garrick assured Annie that Eli was fine and to distract her, offered to go in town for the day. She knew he was avoiding her questions but she saw no use trying to find anything out and decided to accept the offer for the trip. It would be good to get out of the manor.
After the ride, Garrick helped her out of the carriage. She wore a light blue dress with her hair pulled back in a loose chignon.
“Thank you,” she said gratefully to Garrick, stepping down onto the path.
“My pleasure, Miss Belle. If you so wish, Mr. Brighton has arranged an appointment with Antoinette,” he informed.
“Well then, we best not keep her waiting.” She was happy to be seeing the enjoyable seamstress again. Garrick escorted her to the door but went no further.
“I will be here once the appointment has ended but I think it best for me to complete some tasks during your visit to Antoinette.” He smiled and she rewarded him with one in return. With that he was off and she walked into the store. She stopped suddenly when she saw Baden sitting in one of the waiting room chairs. He looked over to her with a playful grin.
“Annie, what a coincidence,” he said sarcastically. It was obvious this was not a happenstance. Before she could respond Antoinette came rushing out from behind the curtain.
“Annabelle, so beautiful,” she said as she approached Annie. Her accent made it sound more complimentary than usual. “I must make you…suit?” Antoinette asked with a puzzled look on her face referring to a message Eli must have communicated to her.
“Not exactly,” Annie said trying to avoid looking at Baden. “Just a pair of tights and a fitted shirt.”
“Whatever for?” Antoinette seemed confused. Annie glanced over to Baden who had a wide grin on his face. He raised his shoulders as if to say, ‘yes Annie, whatever for’? She looked back to Antoinette to answer.
“Eli and I have taken up a more active past time that will require less restricting clothing,” she explained avoiding having to say what they had started doing.
“We begin,” Antoinette declared. She seemed to understand the English language better than she could speak it. She dragged Annie into the dressing room in a whirl. Annie barely had time to glance back at Baden who sat there smiling.
Soon she was fitted with loose pants and a shirt that was hitched up with pins all around her.
“Just moment,” Antoinette said, forgetting to speak properly in her rush to attend to a customer that she heard come into the store. Annie was looking at her outfit when she heard someone walk into the dressing room.
“I think these pants…” She paused when she looked up and saw Baden standing there. Hands in pockets, he sauntered over to her and inspected her outfit. She was standing on a small wooden stool which made her closer to his height.
“I must say, I have never seen a woman look quite so good in pants,” he expressed his appreciation openly. “Why is dear Eli missing this delightful sight?” He asked randomly, watching her to see her reaction.
“He…” She stopped herself from telling him he was out of town. On the ride into town she had finally decided to try and keep herself guarded when it came to Baden but with him so close she was failing miserably. Damn him for looking so appealing with his casual clothes and suave attitude. “He did not accompany me in town today!” She blurted out.
Baden couldn’t help the look of surprise that came across his face when he sensed that she lied to him. He could tell she was trying to protect herself from him and it made him panic.
“Or is it that he is away?” He moved closer to her as if this would make her admit the truth.
“What would it matter if he were?” She asked defensively. She had no idea what game he was playing.
“I suppose it would not matter.” He looked down at her hands to check for a ring. “No nuptials are in place?” She couldn’t believe it, again with this.
“I think you best
go, Antoinette will be back soon.” She didn’t really want him to go but he was so up and down she was starting to think she would never figure him out. He was about to say something then stopped abruptly, he looked off to one side then back to her.
“Until next time.” Is all he said before he left. She could hear Antoinette coming so she regrouped herself before she came in.
The rest of the appointment continued with no further interruptions. Garrick was there to meet her, as he said he would be, and they made it home just before dusk.
“Garrick, I am feeling rather tired. I will go without dinner tonight. I will be in my room if you need me,” Annie said as she walked up the stairs. She locked herself in her room and readied for bed, wondering why she felt so down.
Annie had only just started falling asleep when she heard a noise. The moon was full and she had left the curtains open, bathing the room in a sea of moon-blue. She sat up, grabbed the dagger from her bedside table that she used for her hair and held it tightly in her hand.