Scarlet Curse

by T. H. Hunter

  “Who do you think it is, then, Charlie?”

  “Radicals within our own ranks, of course. Want to destroy everything we’ve built. Siding with the Outlaws, no doubt. Lawless scum.”

  “You’re not paranoid if they’re really out to get you, eh Charlie?”

  They all laughed and eventually the man called Charlie joined in as well.

  Closer to the fireplace, another group was discussing the possibilities of infiltration by Slayer agents, how the castle was crawling with spies observing us at every turn.

  It was terrible and fascinating at the same time to listen to all of these theories. Steve, who took a natural interest to politics as such, was also keen to discuss the matter.

  “So who do you think it is, Beccs?”

  “I-I’m not really sure.”

  “You know, I think it might be a simple act of murder. Perhaps he had a dark secret we didn’t know about, or perhaps he was quarrelling with the wrong sort. The fact is, anyone could have got that crossbow. Or even built it themselves. Easy to place the blame on someone else.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “But why kidnap him? Seems like a crazy risk to take if you’re just trying to bump someone off. And these little things don’t add up. I mean, why was he carrying one of those figurines around with him?”

  I hold told Steve all about the figurine the attacker in the storage cellar had dropped, though he remained unconvinced.

  “Look, this is one he dropped,” handing him the figurine I now invariably carried in my pocket.

  He examined it carefully before handing it back.

  “Looks like good craftsmanship. But why do you keep going on about these figurines? They could just be collector’s items. Like tin soldiers or something.”

  Steve was right, but something bugged me all the same about them.

  “It’s just – call it a hunch if you like.”

  “You’re obsessed, if you ask me. But, if your hunches are as good as your fighting instincts, you’ll get no argument from me,” said Steve.

  We both laughed, and the matter was settled, at least for the time being.

  ***

  Part of me was hoping that Raphael would turn up, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then, to my great surprise, I bumped into Jayden.

  “Oh, hello Jayden. I thought you were with Lynn this evening?”

  I don’t know whether he was on something, but he had trouble focussing me properly, though he didn’t smell of alcohol. His eyes had a feverish look about them.

  “Oh, yeah, I – I just wanted to get something. ‘Scuse me, Beccs.”

  He walked dazedly over to one of the cupboards and began opening the drawers. He took something out of it that I couldn’t see from a distance, said goodbye, and headed for the door.

  Without trying to arose any suspicion, I casually walked over to the drawer and peered into the drawer Jayden had opened. To my astonishment, a gleam of silver figurines, at least ten or more, shone up at me.

  “What’s going on, Beccs?” Steve asked.

  “Sorry, Steve, I’ve really got to go somewhere. I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.”

  “Ok.”

  I quickly stepped out of the room and into the adjacent corridor. Jayden already had a head start, though was presumably walking fairly slow. I was determined to get to the bottom of this. I headed for the tower exit.

  To my relief, I saw his figure lumbering over the courtyard towards the Great Hall and followed, making sure there was enough distance between us. I didn’t want to arouse suspicion. I felt guilty, but I kept telling myself that if Lynn was involved somehow that I could help her. Or at least keep out of it with a clear conscience.

  Jayden entered the entrance hall, but didn’t continue on to the Great Hall beyond. Instead, he stepped through a door I hadn’t noticed before. I waited a bit before following and then slowly pushed it open. The door led down a flight of stairs.

  Calling this the cellar area would have been an understatement. Catacombs would have been more accurate, though it obviously also served as some sort of water supply system. Torches had been lit along the walls and Jayden took one of them in his hand, as his footing kept slipping on the moist stone floor. I couldn’t see any water, but I heard an unmistakable flow of it echoing off the damp walls and arched ceilings.

  Moving faster to keep up with my quarry, we came to the next flight of stairs. Or rather, slabs cut out of rock would have been more accurate. They looked dangerous, and it was quite a drop down if anyone had the misfortune of slipping here.

  At the bottom, I could hear that we were very close to the water source, the steady rush of it was unmistakable. But Jayden headed in the other direction, to our right. I hesitated briefly, though decided on following him. There would always be time to investigate this place later.

  With the sound of the stream getting softer again, I was sure I could hear human voices, laughing and whooping, like a party gone wild. We now entered into a series of narrow cavities, like small rock-cut chambers, each of them damper and colder than the subsequent one.

  Why had he been so secretive about coming here? Surely, he could have just said it was a private party. But my questions were answered soon enough. The next room was full of old boxes and dysfunctional equipment. But in the next, a party of sorts was raging. There were no torches there, but instead blue neon lights that played off of the walls in a sinister fashion. I was the first to enjoy a good time, but the laughter and cries within had an aggressive tone, like guests that had obviously overstayed their welcome.

  I was thankful for the darkness of the room I was in, though I doubt anyone would have noticed if it had had more lighting. Some sort of celebration was going on inside, though it was hard to tell. There was psychedelic music playing in the background.

  Then, with a rush of adrenaline, I saw Lynn, by the looks of it arguing with Jayden. She looked terrible and miserable to boot. What were they doing in this place? The moved out of sight and further into the room.

  The full, horrible answer soon came to light. Several footsteps behind me heralded the arrival of yet more party-goers. I quickly darted behind a large crate, shielding myself from view, though I couldn’t see anything from here. There was a sickly smell about the place.

  I risked a peak around the crate. Two guys, in their mid-20s, were holding up a girl between them. She looked pale, as if she’d passed out. As they passed into the next room, I got up from my hiding place and risked a peak in. One of the men was putting something on the counter. And I had a pretty good hunch about what it might be.

  If I was wrong, I would be in deep trouble. It was worth the risk, though I was glad Lynn wouldn’t be able to see me immediately, for she would for sure give the game away. I stood up, took a deep breath and walked straight into the room.

  The blue lights dazzled me as I squinted around the room. A makeshift bar had been created from old crates of beer and barrels of wine. Tiny phials and large pitchers on wooden boards adorned the walls behind the counter.

  A surly-looking girl with a jaw like an anvil came over.

  “What do you want?”

  I took out the small figurine from my pocket and pushed it across the counter. She felt the silver in her hand briefly, looked at me, and then nodded. She brought me a small phial with dark red and clotted liquid within.

  I needed information more than anything without arousing suspicion. I looked around for someone sitting alone. And there, in the corner, was a gaunt-looking guy with spiky hair, smoking a cigarette. He was reading a magazine.

  “D’you mind if I sit here?”

  “Be my guest.”

  He didn’t look up. I pretended to relax a little, leaning back and taking in my surroundings. The two guys holding the girl had vanished from sight.

  “You.. erm.. saw the match today?”

  “Yes.”

  “Disappointed?”

  “I wanted Vox to win.”

  “I guess I should have just beaten
the Prince while I had the chance.”

  For the first time, he lifted his head and looked me in the face. I’ve never seen anyone switch from boredom to interest that fast.

  “Hey, you’re the girl he was fighting in the semifinals.”

  “One and only.”

  We talked a little more about the tournament, though I kept trying to turn attention towards our current location. It turned out his name was Harry Benthon. Finally, he asked:

  “S*your first time?” he asked

  “Erm, yeah, that’s right,” I said.

  “First time is the best time. Go on, try it.”

  “I’m still waiting for a friend. We wanted to try it together.”

  I was just making things up now to avoid having to drink it.

  “So, when did you try it first?”

  He looked at me as if it was a long time ago, too long to really remember.

  “In my first year.”

  “Did you always meet up here?”

  He laughed.

  “Hell, no. We did it in the South Tower early on. But they raided it soon after I got in. We still use the old storage rooms, though.”

  So that had been why our attacker had been hiding in the cellar that night. We had to have been involved with this lot. I must have a-ha’d a little too loud because he looked at me strangely. I quickly turned it into a cough, and he seemed satisfied enough. I decided to change pace a little bit.

  “Then, we tried to East Tower, but those holy-than-thou Scarlet Knights were all over the place, putting their noses that didn’t concern them.”

  “D’you think Wiley was sniffing around here?” I asked.

  “Doubt it. Never seen him here before.”

  “He must have made some enemies.”

  “Must have, sure. But who cares about him.”

  He checked his watch lazily.

  “Feeding’s gonna start soon. You have your ticket?”

  “Erm, no – not yet.”

  “Well get one quick.”

  “I’ve run out of figurines.”

  He looked at me suspiciously but didn’t say anything more. I was already stretching it, so I decided to look for Lynn.

  I moved through the smoky air, blue lights shining on couples drinking the contents of the phials together. It was evidently blood, something the Council had strictly prohibited. But my worst fears were still not abated. I needed Lynn for that.

  Finally, I found her in a corner, sitting alone. Jayden was nowhere to be seen. When she saw me, she almost had a fit.

  “Beccs, what are you doing down here?”

  “I might ask the same question, Lynn.”

  But before she could answer, the two men with the girl returned. The people were getting excited. The man behind the bar turned a knob, and the lights went slowly from blue to purple and finally red. This was evidently the highlight of the evening.

  “Lynn…”

  I wish I had taken my rapier with me. Blunt or not, anything would have been welcome now. They dragged the girl onto a chair. She was white as a sheet. I wasn’t sure whether she was conscious.

  Enough was enough. I took Lynn by the hand and led her out of the den. She protested but didn’t really put up a fight. I dragged her past the small room with boxes and old equipment. Outside, the stream would be too loud for anyone to overhear us.

  “Lynn, are you totally out of your mind?” I demanded.

  “Stop treating me like a child, Beccs. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Do you? Aren’t they drinking blood in there?”

  “Sure, because you wouldn’t do anything outside the rules. You sound like Mrs. Prill, you know that?”

  “Lynn, this isn’t breaking into some storage for wine. This is wrong. You know blood only works if it’s forcibly taken. And that girl certainly didn’t look like she was in there of her own free will.”

  She was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. Then she sobbed softly.

  “I-I didn’t know they were going to do that, honestly. Beccs, I didn’t know. I kind of – I got mixed up with Jayden and he always wanted to go. I mean, he didn’t force me but I wanted to be with him.”

  “How long has he been coming here?”

  “He got the stuff even before getting into the castle. He knew an older guy from school days who supplied him with b-blood. He just wanted to be the best, you’ve got to believe that.”

  It certainly explained his permanently bloodshot eyes, as well as the fact that he had been the best at training for a straight week while we had been preparing for the Trial.

  “I’m going in there,” I said, looking Lynn in the eye. “I’ve got to get that girl out of there. This isn’t a place for regular humans.”

  “Wait, Beccs!”

  “They can’t just keep human chattel here. I told you, Lynn, it’s wrong. And you should know that.”

  I was furious at her now. I walked back towards the party area. I didn’t know how I’d do it, but certainly wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing while they sucked her dry.

  “Beccs, please. There’s another way. Let me get Jayden.”

  She was sincere.

  “Ok, Lynn.”

  After a minute, Lynn returned with Jayden. He looked tired but more awake than earlier in the Knights’ room. Perhaps some of the effects had been wearing off.

  Lynn apparently had explained most of the situation along the way. He was caught between a look of defiance and one of shame.

  “What are they going to do to that girl, Jayden?”

  “You know it,” he said in a low voice.

  “Damn well I do.”

  “Wait. Jayden, you can save her,” Lynn said. “You have influence with them. Make something up, anything. I can’t stand it. Please.”

  Jayden looked from Lynn to me.

  “This can’t continue Jayden,” I said quietly.

  “There’re too many people mixed up. And it’s not only students, either. Staff, seniors, visitors to the Castle, veterans. They all need the real thing. They aren’t used to drinking the fake stuff we’re served upstairs. We’re worn out.”

  “How many have you killed?” I asked softly.

  “None, Beccs, I swear,” Jayden said. “I can’t speak for everyone, but nobody’s ever died on my watch. We take what we need and leave.”

  “That girl won’t be alive in the morning after they’ve finished with her, you know that,” I said.

  He stared at me for something like a minute. I held his gaze.

  Then, he nodded heavily.

  “I’ll get her out of there in one bit. I’ll get her out of the castle. Just you don’t rat on us, Beccs,” he said. “Not everyone can adapt this fast. It’s not possible.”

  “Is she from around here?” I asked.

  “Yeah, local girl. Just a couple of miles south.”

  “Get her back home, tonight. Your word on that,” I said.

  “I promise,” he said.

  “Ok, and I won’t mention any of this.”

  Lynn began to cry as Jayden headed back. I took her in my arms and we stood there for quite a while, saying nothing to each other but understanding nonetheless. At last, Jayden reappeared with the girl slung over his shoulders.

  “I told them they found out about her, We don’t have much time. Let’s go.”

  ***

  Outside in the courtyard, Lynn wanted to accompany Jayden, but he refused.

  “I’ve got to do this alone, Lynn. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Lynn and I headed back to our room, still at a loss for words, though I knew that in the morning, we’d finally be back to being real friends again. Her secret was out.

  16

  The next morning, I received a letter at breakfast. A boy no older than 12 had delivered it, and waited beside me. Unlike most, I hadn’t received any letters so far and eagerly tore it open. It read:

  Dear Miss Flynn,

  There have been numerous developments that have come to my attenti
on in regard to the death of Doctor Wiley. I was wondering whether you could see me in the library this afternoon at 4 pm. Please drop me a quick line if this is possible for you.

  Sincerely,

  A. Yurasov

  I borrowed a pen from Lynn and scrawled a brief “suits me, thanks” on the letter on gave it back to the boy. I didn’t know whether he spoke English or not, but I smiled at him to show him my gratitude.

  ***

  After classes had ended for the day, I made my way up to the library tower. It was only a few days since I’d been up here, but it could have just as well been decades ago.

  “Ah, hello, Miss Flynn. So good to see you again. I wanted to congratulate you one more time for your excellent performance. We were all very impressed.”

  “Thank you, Doctor Yurasov. It certainly would never have been possible without you.”

  He smiled appreciatively. He beckoned me to sit down at a reading table close to the medical books section.

  “But as you have surely gathered from my note, that is not all I wanted to see you about. Hm. How to start? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Hamlet. I am afraid, Miss Flynn, that the Castle is facing greater forces than I had liked to admit at the beginning of term. There have been kidnappings, bloodsuckings, even murders. Poor Doctor Wiley had to die in front of the entire body of staff and students. The Council wants to get to the bottom of this mess as soon as possible.”

  “Anything to help, sir,” I said. “I had tried to tell Mrs. Prill but…”

  “I realise she is… difficult to deal with. She turned vampire very late, you see. She is still adapting, you might say. Now, she told me a strange tale of certain silver figurines that you had mentioned to her?”

  I told Doctor Yurasov all about our encounter in the wine cellar, and how the attacker had evidently dropped the figurine. I briefly hesitated. Whatever happened, I had made a promise that I wouldn’t reveal anyone in the addicts’ den. And I’d stick to that.

  But Doctor Yurasov seemed to reading me like an open book.