Ashes

by Lauralana Dunne

  The guard snorted and rolled his eyes. “’Enpeck’d,” he muttered in disgust.

  Guard Harv gave Malcourt a sheepish grin before focusing on Phoenix. “An’ ‘oo be ye?” he asked. “I ain’t seen ye a’fore.”

  Phoenix opened her mouth, but Malcourt interrupted her before she could speak. “My niece, Malinda. She’s come to stand at the joining.”

  Malcourt beamed at the guards. He inclined his head ever so slightly to her as an introduction, giving her a private wink when his profile allowed it. Phoenix smiled at the guards and nodded with excitement so as not to spoil Malcourt’s story. “She doesn’t say much,” Malcourt continued, giving the guards a humorous smile, “but she doesn’t complain much, either.”

  “A’righ’, a’righ’. Git a move on,” the second guard growled, waving them on. “Dun ‘ave time t’ be talkin’ t’ ye all day.” He looked past them to an approaching traveler. A large ornate carriage approached the entrance to the town from a different direction than they had arrived from.

  Malcourt gave a little bow, then he turned and hauled himself back into his saddle. He clicked to Powder and continued past the gates.

  “Good luck, Saunders!” Harv called after them as they made their way into town.

  Phoenix held her tongue until they could no longer see the guards at their backs. “Malinda?” she asked finally, incredulously.

  Malcourt rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his posture back to normal. “I’m sorry about that, my dear. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to involve you.” Looking around at the houses they passed he lowered his voice. “Sometimes it’s important for me to travel unnoticed. I need to be able to move around without leaving a trail. And I didn’t want anyone to track me back to you. Do you understand?”

  Phoenix, strangely stung by that statement, regarded him disdainfully. “Are you a thief?”

  Malcourt threw his head back and laughed so loudly that a rock dove fluttered off its perch.

  Phoenix felt her cheeks grow hot from her rudeness. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t’ve-”

  He waved his hand, chuckling. “It’s quite all right. And, no, it’s nothing like that I assure you.” Malcourt looked thoughtful for a moment. His free hand snaked under his cloak, brushing his fingers against a pouch that was secured to his belt, as if checking to see that it was still there. He rearranged his cloak so that his belt was hidden from sight. “Sometimes I have to be secretive in order to protect the others involved. Does that make sense?”

  Phoenix frowned as if in thought. “Are they thieves?” she asked dryly. She grinned to herself when Malcourt’s answer was to start laughing again.

  Phoenix glanced around as they plodded down the road, trying not to stare. The houses were small but mostly in good repair. They huddled together in haphazard clusters, the winding roads that divided the different areas the only marker between the different properties. The streets were not made of stone, as Phoenix remembered the outskirts of Avondale Proper boasting, but the dirt had been tamped down from years of wagon wheels and hoofprints to the point of being smooth. Much easier to navigate than different shaped stones set permanently for a road.

  She made note of the different businesses they passed, creating a plan so that she could double back later to ask for work.

  “Leave ‘er alone!” A shrill cry cut through the air, snagging Phoenix’s attention and interrupting her train of thought. “She didn’t do nothin’!”

  A young boy was howling at a group of older boys while running around them. The older boys, formed in a loose circle with their backs to him, turned to jeer and shove him away.

  Phoenix was surprised by the behavior of the juniors. “Is tha’ normal?” she asked, nodding to the group of boys.

  “Unfortunately,” Malcourt sighed, making a face. “There’s not a lot to do here this time of day, so everyone fills their time however they can.”

  Phoenix frowned. She may have over-anticipated the amount of people looking for a willing set of hands.

  One of the older boys pushed the screaming child down in the dirt. “Get outta ‘ere, Sammy!”

  “I’m tellin’ Modder!” Sammy shrieked as he jumped back up, dashing tears from his eyes with the back of a hand.

  One of the other boys stepped forward and grabbed his shirt collar. “Like toads y’ are!”

  “’Ey! Leave off!” The first boy balled his hands into fists. “Dun touch m’ brodder!”

  Phoenix was appalled. No one would dare act anything like this back on the farm.

  “The inn is just over there,” Malcourt informed her, motioning to a large building just back from the main road.

  She nodded and directed Muler towards the inn. Her attention remained on the group, eyes following the scuffling boys to make sure that they remained a safe distance away. The donkey had been known to kick people for coming too close.

  Something caught her eye, causing her to rein in Muler more sharply than he was used to. He huffed, then turned around to give her a baleful look.

  “Sorry,” she murmured, stroking his neck apologetically.

  The crowd of boys - half a dozen at least - were gathered in a loose circle around a stout post, the type used for hitching horses outside of shops. Tied to the pole, secured by what looked to be a battered hunter’s snare, was a small animal.

  Phoenix assumed it was a dog. Its thin legs were long enough that at first glance it looked like a miniature foal, but it had a thick muzzle which put her in mind of a bear. Its ears were pressed against the side of its skull in a warning to anyone who came too close. Large splashes of white, tan, and black were patterned across its body, marbling against each other oddly as if the colors had dripped from an errant painter’s brush.

  The pup was trying its best to hide by backing into the wooden post that secured it. Sticks and rocks littered the ground at its feet, stacked so high in some places that the creature tripped over them in its haste to try and get free, and Phoenix realized that the boys had been throwing them at the animal.

  The pup yelped as a stout stick flew through the air and intersected with the tip of its nose.

  “Hey!” Phoenix’s outrage snarled out of her as she shouted at the group. “Wha’ do you think yer doin’?”

  Startled by the new voice, the group turned towards her. Even the pup looked at her, head still lowered in defense.

  There was a brief moment as their eyes met, as though everything had gone quiet around them, and Phoenix felt a strange pull in her gut from the little creature. Sympathy flooded her senses from the sight of it.

  “Wassit t’ ya?” a boy sneered. Two haughty eyes looked her up and down. “This dun concern you, girl. Best move on a’fore it do.”

  Enraged, Phoenix nudged Muler towards the group.

  “What’s going on here?” Malcourt’s voice was hard with authority, surprising her with its closeness. He had followed her when he noticed she had lagged behind.

  The boys scrutinized Malcourt’s scruffy appearance, looking less sure of themselves now that they had his attention. Some of the older ones eyed Powder appreciatively. The one that spoke to her, a boy that looked like he matched her age, kept his attention fixed on Malcourt, assessing his interest in the situation.

  “They’ve got a pup tied up,” Phoenix said, her voice dark. “They’re hurtin’ it an’ it can’t get away.”

  “No we ain’t,” the first boy said sullenly. Phoenix glared at him until he looked at his feet. “S’just a wild stray, anyways,” he muttered under his breath. “Ain’t no proper dog.”

  Phoenix touched her heels to Muler’s flanks. With a surprised lurch, the donkey charged through the boys blocking their way. They scattered with startled yelps, diving out of the way of the donkey’s incoming hooves.

  Phoenix came to a halt at the center of the circle. She glared at the group before she swung down from her saddle and turned her attention to the pup.

  The pup backed away from her and bared her tiny teeth in war
ning. She was dirty as well as underfed. When she moved, Phoenix could see that she held her back paw off of the ground to protect it, refusing to put any weight on it as she stood there, hackles raised to make herself seem bigger than she was.

  Phoenix felt revulsion in the pit of her stomach. “Hey now,” she murmured. “S’okay. S’gonna be alrigh’.” Phoenix took a step forward.

  The wind picked up behind her, buffeting her hair and blowing Phoenix’s scent towards the pup. She paused, two long round ears snapped forward like large bat wings as she assessed her. Slowly, Phoenix moved to the pole and began to pull at the thin snare. “Good dog,” she murmured.

  “Hey!” one of the boys protested, weakly. “What d’ y’ think yer - Ow!” he cried, when the youth next to him kicked him in the shin.

  “All right. That’s enough. Playtime’s over.” Malcourt dismounted and slowly walked through the boys. He gave them time to move out of his way; his stride never faltered, but his expression dared them to challenge him. Wisely, no one did. “All of you get home to your mothers.”

  The boys began to mutter. They looked even less sure of themselves than they did before. “Ha!” the sneering boy spoke up. “Who’re ye t’ tell-”

  “Go!” Malcourt cut him off. His tone was hard and his stare on the offending boy was steady. There was no hint of the kindness on his face that Phoenix had become accustomed to.

  The boy tried to hold Malcourt’s eye, but he quickly dropped his gaze and muttered something to the boy next to him. With shrugs and angry glares, the boys sneered and disappeared along the streets of the town.

  The young child, Sammy, had stopped crying and was watching everything with wide eyes. As the older boys disappeared, he ran over to where Phoenix was struggling with the knots. “Here.” He offered her his belt knife. “Is she gonna be okay?” he asked as Phoenix used the dull blade to saw through the snarled hunter’s snare.

  Malcourt crouched down and let the little dog sniff his hands. “She’ll be fine,” he assured the child. “Thanks to you. It was brave the way that you stood up to those boys.” He spoke to Sammy, but his gaze included Phoenix as well. “You’ll be able to take her home soon enough.”

  Sammy shook his head emphatically. “If I take ‘er ‘ome, Patrick’ll jus’ give ‘er back t’ dem bullies. Plus modder seys I can’t never ‘ave no dogs.” He looked upset as he contemplated the pup. “The guards’ll just put ‘er down if they sees ‘er.”

  Finally cutting through the restraint, Phoenix handed the blunt knife back to Sammy.

  “It’s okay,” she said reassuringly. Her head pounded as she took in the condition of the pup standing with one paw raised. Phoenix rolled her shoulders. “I’ll take ‘er.”

  Malcourt pursed his lips. “Your Aunt won’t object?” he probed.

  “It’s fine,” she said, shrugging. Slowly, she extended her hand to the pup. The pup looked ready to bolt, but she gave the hand a sniff and wagged her tail slightly.

  “Great!” Sammy jumped up and clapped his hands together. “’Ear tha’, girl? Yer gonna be a’right!” He beamed at Phoenix and she couldn’t help but smile back, feeling a flicker of warmth from his exuberance. “Well, see ya!” He spread his fingers in farewell, then turned and ran around the corner.

  Malcourt watched him go with a chuckle. “Ah. The energy of youth.” He turned to Phoenix and motioned to the inn. “Shall we?”

  She nodded and took Muler’s reins. Holding the snare in her other hand, she led the two in the direction of the inn.

  “That was a very brave thing that you did back there, standing up to those boys like that,” Malcourt said. He walked next to her as he led Powder. “And kind, too,” he added. “If you want I can explain everything to your Aunt. I wouldn’t want her to be upset.”

  “She won’ be mindin’ much,” Phoenix assured him. She was feeling uncomfortable with the amount of interest Malcourt continued to show in her non-existent Aunt. “She has lotsa animals. One more ain’t gonna upset ‘er.”

  “Ah,” he replied. As they approached the inn, Malcourt led them around the corner to a courtyard at the back. “The stable’s back here. If you know what room your aunt is staying in, they’ll room Muler accordingly.” He nodded to the stableboy, who opened the door for them with a bow. “I’m only staying for a short while, myself. Just long enough to rest Powder before we continue on our way.”

  The boy followed them in and, with another bow, took the reins and led Powder down the row of stalls. The mare’s hooves echoed dully, and Phoenix began to feel light-headed in the enclosed space.

  “You’re sure you’ll be fine here by yourself?” Malcourt asked, his voice kind. “I can wait with you, if you’d like. I’d hate to leave you alone in a strange town...”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said, looking around. Her gaze settled on a dappled brown and white horse. “M’ Aunt’s here already. Her horse’s feedin’ righ’ there.”

  Following her gaze, Malcourt raised an eyebrow when he saw the horse. He inclined his head with a slight smile. “Then this is where we part ways, I’m afraid.”

  With a shy smile, Phoenix spread her fingers in farewell. “Thanks fer everythin’, Malcourt.”

  “Be well, my dear. Take care of yourself.” He splayed his fingers in response. Then, after giving her a quick bow, he turned and strode towards the inn.

  With a sigh, Phoenix dropped Muler’s reins and rested an elbow on the saddle. “Tha’s th’ nicest we was treated since Marla was alive, eh, Muler?”

  Muler flicked his ears towards her, then swiveled them as the sound of Powder’s feed bucket could be heard.

  Phoenix tied the pup’s rope to Muler’s saddle and wondered what to do next. She assessed the stables. Well-kept, no draft, enough food for all the animals… She eyed the stalls, hoping to find them full so that the inn would be more interested in her offer to work. Instead, only a handful of horses occupied the space, their soft nickering the only sound in the otherwise dismal quiet.

  She decided to ask the stableboy if the inn was looking for any help. Hopefully she could clean or cook for an evening or two in exchange for a place for Muler in the stables.

  A rustling caught her attention. Phoenix looked up to see two round yellow eyes peering down at her intently. The large owl tilted its head to the side and settled in the rafters, watching her.

  Phoenix sighed and rubbed her face. Muler was hungry. She needed to find him something to eat and somewhere proper to rest where she could brush him out. The stables smelled homey, dredging up recent memories, but they were far too warm; much warmer than it was outside. The heat was giving her a headache and Phoenix was starting to feel uncomfortable. It reminded her of the stuffiness of the cave this morning. Sluggishly, she fanned a hand in front of her face.

  The room had grown visibly darker. Her eyes were wide open, but somehow she was unable to see anything except outlines and shapes. Even the colours seemed drained.

  Was it the Stormhounds? Did the Speaker send them after her? Did they find her? Panic gripped her as her mind raced. She reached for Muler and took a step to leave, but she found that she was unable to tell one direction from the other. The light had completely vanished, and she didn’t know which way to go.

  Something hard and cold crashed into her cheek, sending reverberations along her jaw and shooting into her skull. Wincing, she squinted her eyes to see what had hit her.

  It was the floor. She lay there, feeling where her knees had buckled beneath her, her entire body dead weight as she struggled to move.

  Wildly, she tried to force herself to get up. She found that it was of no use. Her senses had completely faded. She could no longer see or hear anything; no longer feel the pain in her cheek or head. Her eyelids were closing, and she had no energy to keep them open.

  The room spun around her. She was falling, as if the floor had opened up and swallowed her whole. Phoenix tried to scream but no sound came out. She couldn’t catch her breath.

  S
he felt the hard floor under her limp body, and then, slipping into unconsciousness, she felt nothing at all.

  CHAPTER 4

  You found it then?

  The gravelly voice scratched at the inside of Phoenix’s skull. She winced as the question pounded against her temple.

  Yes. I have it. We’re on our way.

  Only now, Malcourt? What was the delay?

  These things take time. Malcourt’s tone was mollifying. Worry not. It is under control.

  I hope so. Your quest is an important one. I need not remind you of what’s at stake.

  No. You need not.

  Is the Healer with you?

  I’m here. The woman’s voice was soft, yet just as strong.

  You know what needs to be done?

  I do.

  And you’re up to the task?

  I am.

  Very well. Good luck to you both. Keep me apprised.

  Farewell, Malcourt and the woman chorused. Phoenix felt some of the pressure in her head recede.

  You didn’t mention the girl.

  I felt no need. She is not slowing us down. It’s none of his concern.

  You didn’t even know she was sick!

  I was preoccupied. I take full responsibility for that… I didn’t know if she was a threat or not.

  Phoenix felt confused. She wasn’t near the speakers, but try as she might she couldn’t block out the sound of their voices.

  A child? A threat? To you?

  She Heard the Stormhounds.

  You think she sent them?

  I was undecided.

  And now?

  She seems too… genuine.

  Coercion? The woman’s tone hardened. Did you see her scars?

  Perhaps… She was able to enter the guard ring around my camp.

  You mean it didn’t stop her?

  It didn’t even detect her.

  Impossible!

  It would appear not.

  Well... I can see why she interests you. It seems you have a puzzle on your hands, Tolen.

  I always do.

  ***

  A slight bump caused Phoenix to open her eyes. The air was cool and crisp, its heaviness clung to her like a second skin. Above her, long inky clouds clawed their way across the sky, as if trying to catch the sun before it escaped below the horizon.