“What the dust, Kestral?” I shouted, wincing at the pain in my elbows and back. “You knew it was me!”
Kestral had backed up a pace, his eyes wide, his breath shallow. He held a hand up towards me as if warding me back.
“Never—” He stopped as a violent shudder wracked his body. “Never take that form again.”
“You have got to be dusting kidding me.” I stood up, brushing dirt from my clothes. At least I still wore clothes to dust off, which meant the cloak worked. “Sir I-killed-twenty-pigoblins-and-a-slag-with-my-bare-hands is afraid of a little spider? I’m not even a venomous spider! I mean, the hairs kinda sting, but I’m not actually dangerous—”
“Stop.” Kestral held up a hand. “Stop talking.” He unclipped a waterskin from his belt and drank deeply. Afterwards, he drew a deep breath, eyes closed.
“All this over a little—”
“Say it and I’ll shoot you.” He had his hand on his crossbow in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t loaded, but the threat was real. I considered saying it anyway; his reaction was the funniest thing I had seen in days. Instead, I tucked my hands behind my head and waited for Kestral to recover from his vicious spider attack.
After another draught of water, Kestral straightened and turned back to prepare Shan for a long ride. “If you need to bring anything, go get it. It’s a few hours to the closest village.”
I pushed back the urge to continue teasing him and ducked inside the cottage. I gave in to a small laugh. I had never met anyone with a true phobia for one of my forms before. It was like having a minor weapon against the otherwise implacable mage hunter.
I gathered up my throwing knives from where they had fallen the night before. I checked the kitchen, but Kestral had already taken any food good for traveling. Nothing in the little house belonged to me, so I didn’t feel right taking anything. It was sad to think of all Cera’s stuff being left as junk once more. I found myself pawing through a drawer of wooden carvings, trying to understand why she had felt the need to keep them. I stopped when a tiny, intricately carved lyre fell into my palm.
Hadn’t Cera been trying to fix a full-size lyre? I looked around until I saw it, heaped in a corner along with other broken objects. I found myself wondering if she knew how to play or if she had been hoping to learn. I turned the carved lyre over in my hand, then tucked it in a pocket. At least I could keep one thing from being left by the wayside.
Kestral shot me a sharp look as I stepped back outside, as if checking that I wasn’t a spider again. I hid my grin under a cough as I held out my bundle of knives to him.
“Can you carry my knives?” I asked. “I can’t shift with them.”
Kestral took the bundle and tucked it away in a satchel without breaking eye contact. His hand shot out suddenly, gripping the edge of my cloak and drawing me a step closer. I jerked backwards, preparing a spider-shift in my mind. Kestral ran his fingers over the cloak, staring at it intently.
“Fae made,” he said finally, letting it go. “New?”
I took a few steps back and straightened the cloak. “Yeah. Wix stopped by last night. She needed to repay a debt.”
Kestral nodded slowly. He had seen me shift before the cloak, so he probably already understood its function. He didn’t say anything else but pulled himself up into the saddle. “We’ll get to Bonham Village just after noon. I suggest you fly.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I felt like spitting. I hated being given orders. I could use my magic again now; maybe I could make my escape and go after Velyn on my own.
Just picturing those intense eyes as he promised to kill me if I ran brought that thought to a halt. Besides, Velyn had proven too much for me once already. I decided to have a strong talk with Kestral about ordering me around once we had a room at the village. Yes, that was sure to work.
I shifted to my crow form and took wing, getting just ahead of Kestral and Shan along the game trail that led from Cera’s cottage. Shan moved slowly compared to me; it didn’t take long for me to get bored of flying ahead and waiting for the pair of them to catch up. Kestral kept his eyes on me as I flitted back and forth overhead.
The thing about wearing an animal’s shape was that it gave me that animal’s instincts. I could ignore those instincts when I felt like it, but the road was long, and the horse was slow, making me give in to the crow’s desire to collect shinies. Something glittered inside one of Kestral’s overstuffed satchels and I wanted it. As the horse plodded past my perch, I dove for the satchel’s buckle, thinking I might be able to unlatch it and free the shiny inside. Shan whipped his head around and nearly had me by the wing before I wheeled away with a warning caw. Kestral pulled his mount’s head back around and shooed me away.
“Is there something that would keep you from being a pest?” Kestral called out to me.
I landed on a branch and ruffled up my feathers, conveying my irritation at the question. I waited until Shan got a bit ahead of me, then flew over to land on Kestral’s shoulder. He shot me a sidelong glance but didn’t say anything. Shan rolled one large eye back at me, daring me to come close enough to bite. I flicked my wingtips at him then settled in.
The trail eventually met a packed road and Shan picked up his pace. It was still slower than I could fly, however, so I stayed on Kestral’s shoulder. He wore his riding cloak, so my nails didn’t scratch him as I adjusted for the bumps in the road. Hours passed in slow silence. I think I napped. Once I tried preening Kestral’s messy hair, but he waved me off. A little before noon, Kestral opened a bag on his belt and pulled out several strips of dried meat. He snapped one into small pieces and held each piece up to me to eat. I struggled internally as I ate; I wasn’t fond of being fed like a pet, but I was hungry.
I was dozing off when Kestral suddenly shrugged. I tried to catch my grip, but a hand pushed me free. My wings caught me quick as thought, carrying me aloft as I got my bearings. The trees had dropped away suddenly, revealing a small village that looked almost like the one I had left behind. Kestral must have decided it would be strange to be seen riding with a crow on his shoulder, which was why he’d shrugged me off.
He could have just said something, I thought, flying above the village.
And risk being seen talking to a bird?
Well, that’s a fair point. Wait, where did that thought come from? That didn’t sound like me. I perched on a nearby rooftop and cocked my head, looking down at Kestral. He had dismounted and was leading Shan to an inn. He glanced up at me once before tying Shan to a post and disappearing inside the inn.
He’s probably looking for a cheap room again, I realized, taking wing. It couldn’t hurt to get a quick bird’s eye view of the village. There were a few inns, several shops, a blacksmith yard and two tanners on separate ends of the street. Set back from the road were the villagers’ homes with a few small gardens. The large building at the far end of town was the military outpost, where the local law enforcement was stationed along with mail-carrier services. It had a stable around back, but I noticed a pair of travel-worn horses hitched out front. I spiraled down, perching on a hitching post to get a look at them.
Just as I suspected, these horses looked similar to Shan—no distinct breed, sturdy and built for long journeys. One snorted at me, the other pinned its ears. Honestly, I was a friendly guy; horses and I usually got along great. I cocked my head, trying to get a better look at the saddlebags. No military insignia, but they were rolled and stowed with the same precision as Kestral’s packs. Were these army outriders? I had to let Kestral—
Large teeth snapped in front of my beak. I leapt into the air, cawing loudly. Shan eyed me with pinned ears. When had the blood-thirsty animal gotten so close? Kestral tied the lead rope to the post I had been sitting on. He didn’t look up at me but made a show of rooting through one of his saddlebags. I shot a dubious look at Shan’s hooves before landing on the ground far behind Kestral, then pecked and scratched at the dirt.
Kestral turned
slightly, talking softly over his shoulder. “I’m going to check for any updates on your bounty. I’m also going to update Velyn’s information and report Cera’s death. I’m not going to say anything about you, all right?”
I bird-shrugged. It was nice of him to check with me, but I couldn’t exactly argue in this form. I cocked my head, fixing him with a beady-eyed stare. Did he intend to collect Cera’s bounty? He hadn’t killed her, but it wasn’t as if Velyn could claim it.
“They won’t pay on Cera’s death without proof, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Kestral said. “Keep out of sight. There are other mage hunters here.”
I flapped my wings, sending road dust up at him as I took off, landing on the roof of the military building. Kestral swiped a hand over his leathers and kicked the dust from his boots before stepping inside. I gave it a ten-count before I swooped down into the shadow of the building and shifted. As a cat, I leapt through a ground-floor window and slunk inside.
The front room was mostly a receiving area with a long counter for the government officials to stand behind. Benches were set against the right wall; a small jail cell stood off to the left. Kestral was standing at the wall of posted bounties, luckily with his back to me. I crouched in the shadows beneath the counter and hoped he wouldn’t notice me.
Raucous laughter bounced off the walls as a door behind the counter opened. Heavy boots strode across the floor and several voices spoke all at once.
“—won’t be a problem for long. After that pigoblin raid in Hollager Village—”
“I still can’t believe they reported that as a raid. Sure there were a lot of them, but all that means is that the village is eating good for—”
“Is that Kestral?” The boots stomped closer and a waist-high door in the counter swung open. Kestral turned, looking over the counter, one hand hooked casually over the hilt of his sword. “Captain Kestral of Duke Allaran’s army? What are you doing way the dust out here?”
Two men dressed in army leathers held their hands out to Kestral. He shook each of their hands, grasping the inside of the wrist and pumping once: a formal military greeting. The taller one was blond with an easy smile and a nose that had been broken more than once. The shorter one was dark haired with a short, coarse beard. The newcomers smiled but Kestral’s face remained stoic. Either he didn’t recognize them or didn’t like them.
“Didn’t think I’d see you again without a mage-born’s head on your spear,” the tall one laughed. “To be honest, I’m still hoping to beat you for the first kill, though.”
Kestral jerked a nod.
“Wow, as tight-lipped as ever, eh, Captain?” The other man threw a few soft punches at Kestral’s arm. Kestral flexed and glared. The man backed away, holding his hands up in placating gesture.
“Aw, he opens up after a drink.” The first man elbowed Kestral in the ribs. “Did you just get into town? Have a drink with us at The Coop tonight.”
“Maybe.” Kestral pushed past them, making his way to the counter. He stopped suddenly, eyes lighting on me. I had crept too far forward, interested by the men who had known Kestral before he became a mage hunter. He couldn’t say anything to me, but there was cold fury in his eyes.
“Make sure you do, Captain.” The blond smirked. “Unless The Coop isn’t to your liking.”
Kestral turned, his eyes flashing a warning as his hand tightened on his hilt. The second man drew back, surprise clear on his face, but the first just laughed.
“Kidding, Captain! We all know those charges were dust-ridden. But it’d help if you would tell your side of the story.” He waved. “See you tonight, right?”
The ex-soldiers exited but Kestral stared after them, tension in every line of his body. My fur itched; I was torn between staying with Kestral or following the other men. Maybe I could get them to tell me why Kestral left the army.
“What can I do for you, sir?” A young male voice asked from beyond the counter.
I had forgotten that there must have been a clerk waiting to be of assistance.
“I’m looking for any updates on Laurana’s children,” Kestral replied, turning back to the counter. He glanced down at me briefly. “I may have updates as well.”
I heard something heavy being set on the counter and pages being turned. After a moment, the youth said, “Nothing new has come in yet. The last information we have is almost a year old, about the daughter called Kila.”
Kestral nodded. “Send out word that the siblings are fighting amongst each other. I witnessed Navelynstra kill Hacerathan.”
There was silence, then a small squeak. “What?”
“The youngest daughter, Hacerathan, is dead,” Kestral repeated slowly. “She lived not far from here, on the edge of the lake. She might even have come through here on occasion. Long, pale hair. Tall for a woman.”
“Eyes like the moon?” the clerk gasped. Kestral shot a look at me. I bobbed my head in a nod. I doubted Kestral had gotten close enough to see her eyes. “She read fortunes. Everyone knew her. She was one of the mistress’s seven?” The clerk’s voice rose several octaves. “She’s dead?”
A door was thrown open and heavy steps crossed the floor. “What’s all this noise about?” a voice boomed. I was getting tired of not being able to see. I slunk along the shadow of the counter then darted between the bars of the jail cell. In the dark corner beneath the cell’s bench, I was able to see the newcomer to the conversation—a military man, wearing a brown uniform with dark yellow trim. He would be the commander of this outpost. “Something about the mistress’s seven?”
“Sir, this soldier—”
“Mage hunter,” Kestral corrected.
“Mage hunter,” the clerk amended, “says that the girl who used to pass through town telling fortunes was one of the mistress mage’s daughters! But one of her brothers killed her.”
“Is this all true?” the military man asked, sounding just as incredulous. “Do you have any proof of this?”
“I can tell you the location of her house,” Kestral replied. “She’s buried there, if you need such proof.”
The uniformed man gave a low whistle. “I’ll send some men to check it out. Which brother killed her? Did you get him?”
“Navelynstra. Calls himself Velyn. He got away.” Kestral glanced down at where I had been hiding a moment ago. I noted a tiny flash of alarm cross his face when he didn’t see me, but he played it off quickly. “I’d like to give an accounting of his powers. He is far stronger than previously believed.”
“Come on back to my office, son. We should talk.” The older man pushed the door in the counter open and Kestral walked through, but not before glancing around the room once more. He found me under the cell’s bench, a look like relief passing over his face. I tried following him to the commander’s room, but the door slammed shut before I could slip inside. I could hear their voices, so I sat down outside the door, trying to hear what they said.
“Oh, hi there.”
I startled.
The clerk was talking to me. “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you friendly?” He held his hand down to me.
I eyed it warily.
“Oh, wait right there!” The clerk—he couldn’t be older than sixteen—ran into a back room and came back with tiny cubes of cheese.
I could be friendly for cheese. I approached cautiously, ducking my head the first time he tried to pet me. He held the cheese out on his hand. I reached out with a paw to knock the cheese to the floor before eating it. No way was I eating food from someone’s hand twice in one day. After I finished the cheese, I leapt up onto the counter, parading back and forth as the clerk petted and praised me. It’s always nice to find someone who really appreciated me for me. At the same time, I was able to catch glimpses of the book he had checked for Kestral earlier. The latest updates were mostly about Kila and the mage hunters she had slain. There were two entries regarding Eagan, detailing some fierce-sounding fire magic. I flopped over and rolled on the book, hook
ing my claws into the pages and pulling them over myself. The clerk laughed in delight. I slipped out from beneath the pages, sat on the book and washed my face. Cats weren’t always the most dignified of creatures, but I made it work for me.
The page I’d revealed had several sketches of my brothers and sisters. Reina, the eldest, Cera and myself were absent from the page. I didn’t recognize anyone but Velyn, with his cumulous-like hair style. I fought the urge to tear his face out of the book; just looking at it filled me with rage.
The door to the commander’s office opened and both I and the clerk froze as if we’d been caught doing something wrong. My ears flattened under Kestral’s glare, my body lowering itself to the counter.
The commander sighed. “What have I told you about pets in the office, son?”
“I didn’t bring it in,” the kid said quickly. “It came in by itself.”
My tail twitched in annoyance. I was not an “it.”
The commander rolled his eyes and turned back to Kestral. “I’ll send runners to share your information with the other mage hunters in town, as well as messengers to the capital. Thank you for bringing this information to light as quickly as you did.”
“That’s my job.” Kestral’s arm twitched, as if about to give a military salute.
The commander nodded formally and turned back to his office. Kestral let the counter door swing shut behind himself with a bang.
I used the noise as an excuse to startle, run to the edge of the counter, and leap through the window I had entered through. I slunk around the side of the building until I saw Kestral untying Shan from his post.
The other two horses were gone already.
Kestral’s eyes narrowed as he saw me trotting over to him.
“What part of ‘stay out of sight’ was confusing to you?” he growled, voice low. “I have a room at the Sleep and Stew, top floor. Go wait for me.”
Sorcerous Rivalry (The Mage-Born Chronicles Book 1) Page 10