Summer of Crows

by Hans Cummings

  “I have no intention of killing him.”

  “Then you will let him be at the mercy of his beast?” She raised her head just enough to meet Tasha’s gaze. “That is unwise.”

  “I will let him choose his own fate. I know a brew that will help him maintain control of the beast.”

  The huntress nodded. “I am familiar with such draughts. You lack a necessary component, hair from the blood-sire. My fur.”

  Tasha held out her hand. “Then you will provide me with some, and I’ll consider it the start of an apology.”

  “Caw, caw.” Korbin’s cry startled Tasha. Despite her efforts to intimidate the werewolf before her, she recoiled.

  “Wait here. I shall return shortly.” Tasha ascended the steps to her hut. She glanced at Korbin as she moved. “Let me know if she tries to come up or leave.”

  “Caw!”

  Tasha found Torben struggling to sit up. She helped him into a seated position, propping him up with pillows. His skin felt warm, but it did not seem as feverish as the previous night. He coughed. Groaning, he held his stomach.

  “Would that I had died.”

  The words pained Tasha. She took his hand. “I think you’re going to live, Torben.”

  “Live?” Closing his eyes, he swallowed. “I know what happens to sons and daughters of the moons.”

  “You can control it. I can help you learn.” She brushed his cheek with her hand. “I know it can be done, and you’re strong enough to succeed.”

  “And if I don’t want that life? Do you have a silver blade to thrust into my heart?” Cracking his eyes open, he met her gaze. “I lost mine.”

  “I’ve made a wolfsbane poison. For you or for your blood-sire if it becomes necessary.”

  “How will we ever find the exact werewolf that did this to me?” Torben shook his head. “I should have run as soon as I heard it feeding. I thought it was a normal wolf. I… was foolish.”

  “She is here right now.” Tasha glanced toward the doorway. Fluttering on the windowsill, Korbin maintained his vigil of the clearing below. “I think she came to apologize.”

  He laughed until coughs wracked his body. Holding his stomach until the spasms stopped, he leaned on the pillows, panting. “Then let her up to apologize, for that is a sight I would like to see before I die.”

  “If she tries anything, I may not be fast enough to stop her.” Tasha squeezed his hand.

  “I believe I am safe in the hut of the Crow Queen.” He pressed her hand, although his grip remained weak. “Even from a werewolf.”

  “Very well.” Tasha returned to the doorway. She gazed upon Vasilisa, who still squatted where Tasha left her. “He’s awake and will see you if you wish to face your victim.”

  Vasilisa rose, striding forward with fluid motion like a predator stalking her prey. She ascended two steps at a time. Tasha moved aside to let her pass. Upon entering the hut, Vasilisa’s eyes widened, examining the interior until her gaze finally rested upon Torben.

  “I will kill you, if you do not wish to become like me.”

  So much for an apology. Tasha stepped between Torben and Vasilisa. “Not in here you won’t.”

  “No.” Vasilisa glanced around the room again. “Never in a divine sanctuary such as this.” Cocking her head, she arched her back. “I can feel the presence of the goddesses. They cow my beast. I could live here free from it.”

  “If Torben chooses life, will you give your hair so I can make him the draught to help tame his beast?”

  Slumping, Vasilisa faced Tasha. “I will bring you some fur, if he chooses life.”

  Chapter 57

  By the time Aveline finished her patrol, clouds covered most of the sky, and the sun neared the horizon. Apart from encountering minor troublemakers and some young men fighting over petty grievances, she found the day refreshingly uneventful. Returning to the citadel, she regarded its imposing stone edifice, dreading entering to check on Koloman.

  Passersby greeted her as they went about their business. Clenching her jaw, she tried to summon compassion for Koloman and his struggle, if he were even aware of it. However, she felt only contempt for him. Years of his casual abuse and lecherous behavior eroded any sympathy she might have for his plight.

  I guess I’m just not that good. Climbing the steps, she gritted her teeth. Two guards she recognized from her morning at Miners’ Gate chatted near the door to the larder. They snapped to attention upon noticing her.

  She returned their salute. “Kolya, Galina. Anything going on here? How’s our guest?”

  Glancing at her comrade, Galina, a freckle-faced mudder’s daughter with auburn hair, shook her head. “He’s been ranting off and on for most of the afternoon. Brana’s watching him now. He’s said the most horrible things to her.”

  “Then, in the blink of an eye”—Kolya clicked his fingers—“he’ll turn on the charm and be sweet and seductive, promising you the moon and stars if only you’ll let him out.”

  “I was hoping he’d settle down.” Aveline stowed her mace and shield in the rack.

  “M’lady?” Galina, frowning, approached Aveline. “What’s wrong with him? Has he really gone mad?”

  “Mad, possessed.” Aveline shook her head. “I can’t say for certain. I only hope when the Crow Queen returns, she has some answers for us.”

  Kolya chuckled. “Insane nobles… I’ll bet the Crow Queen wishes for a nice simple drought or cow plague right now.”

  Aveline nodded. “You’re right. She’d have those fixed in no time.”

  The door to the hallways leading to the cellblock opened. Brana stuck her head through the opening. “Oh, Lady Aveline. You’d better come down here. Something has changed with the Lord Mayor.”

  The knight-captain and Galina followed Brana down the hallway with Kolya bringing up the rear. “What’s changed, exactly?”

  “He’s carrying on a conversation with himself, but it’s like there’s at least three people in there with him.” The young woman held the cellblock door open. Aveline heard Koloman whispering in a raspy tone, but she couldn’t determine what he said. When she reached his cell, she found him squatting in the corner, his head darting to the left and right.

  “What is this place, Master?”

  “Who are you?” Aveline rattled the door to gain Koloman’s attention. “Who is your master?”

  Koloman ignored her. “It’s strange in this place. Too soft. Too weak.”

  The Lord Mayor clutched his head. “No, no! Not another one. Go away. In my dreams, in my head, in my bed, in my… no, no, no!”

  “Who’s in your head, Koloman?” Aveline considered entering his cell, but the Lord Mayor leapt across the chamber and onto the door, clinging to the bars with his hands and feet.

  “Ah, the Lady Knight returns.” Dangling from the bars with one hand, he dropped to the floor. Smoothing his loose clothing, he rose in front of her. “You keep us locked up. Why? You despise this man. He knows. All the guards know it. This whole mudhole of a town knows it.”

  “You will stand trial for the murder of Alik and the woman at Danica’s Den.”

  Scoffing, Koloman waved his hand in dismissal. “Worthless lives. They meant nothing.” He leapt upon his cot. “They weren’t important, and no one will even remember their names in a few years.” Spinning, he pointed at her. “You don’t even know the woman’s name, do you?”

  “She was from out of town. I never met her, and no one at Danica’s Den knew who she was. Except maybe you.” Aveline clasped her hands behind her back. “So, why don’t you tell me who she is.”

  “A lonely woman from Muncifer. Her husband, a minor noble, left her for a younger lass. Estranged from her children, she left to travel to Cliffport. From there, she was to take a ship to Vlorey, seeking a new life. I am young and handsome, and she desperately wanted to feel loved again.” Smiling, he laughed. “I never learned her name. Why? I gave her pleasure in her last moments. Now, she’s with, well, whatever god she fancies. Maybe Maris
took her. I don’t care.”

  Aveline’s lip curled at his callous disregard for the woman’s life. “You’re not that young.”

  Upon stepping off the bed, he approached the cell door. “Release me. I’ll leave Curton and never trouble you again.”

  “I have a better idea.”

  “Oh?” Koloman grinned. “What’s that?”

  “Sit in there and keep quiet. We’ll keep feeding you until your trial. When you’re found guilty and I’m ordered to execute you, I’ll try not to enjoy it.”

  “Pfft. Weak widow. You couldn’t even keep your husband alive.” Pressing his face against the bars, he licked at her. “I’ll torment your dreams before the end.”

  She cocked her fist, preparing to drive it into his face. Brana seized her arm before she could strike.

  “He’s not worth it, m’lady.”

  Koloman sneered at Brana. “Come in here with me, sweet. I’ll show you what I’m worth.” His hand dropped to his crotch. Aveline spun Brana, marching her out of the cellblock.

  “No one goes in there with him. Open up the second cellblock if we need to jail anyone else.” Aveline slammed the door, locking it. She felt her blood boiling. “Bring him food and water twice a day, but just slide it in. Make him stand at the back of the cell first.”

  “What about his chamber pot?” Kolya grimaced at the thought.

  “Replace it when he goes to sleep but only when he sleeps. If you’re not sure, let him stew in it.” Partway to the vestibule, Aveline faced them, pointing at the cellblock. “And no one goes in there alone. I want two of you at all times, armed, whenever anyone goes in there with him, and do not engage him in conversation. Understand?”

  Brana and Kolya answered in unison. “Yes, m’lady.”

  * * *

  Shortly after Vasilisa left, Torben fell into a fitful slumber. Tasha slumped in her chair, wracked with indecision about the huntress. She fought at the side of a werewolf years ago, a young woman named Aeryn, so she understood they could be responsible citizens, despite the need to hunt and kill. Tasha had never heard anyone in Curton mention werewolves to be a danger to the town, and Mother Anya had vouched for her.

  Perhaps it was just an accident. Tasha wanted to check on Aveline, but she did not want to risk leaving Torben alone just yet. She used the basin to locate her friend instead, finding her at Miners’ Gate talking with some of the guards there. Not wanting to eavesdrop, she severed the connection.

  While she waited for Torben to awaken, she sliced some cured meat from her larder, preparing a plate with cheese and bread before putting on a pot of tea. Sipping from her cup, she sat by the window overlooking the forest clearing. She’d placed the hut in a remote part of the foothills east of town, only a few hours walk from Curton.

  Korbin and Revan nestled close to her as she rested her arm on the windowsill. They preened the edge of her cloak. Torben stirred. He sat up on his own, looking around in confusion for only a moment before noticing Tasha and smiling.

  “There’s food.” Tasha pointed at the plate sitting on the edge of the stump. “You should eat. How do you feel?”

  “Better.” He glanced at his bandaged chest, flexing his muscles. “Better than I should, I think.”

  “You’ll heal faster now, unless the wounds are caused by silver.” Letting Revan and Korbin hop away, Tasha put a kettle of fresh water on the hearth, selecting one of the sachets she had made earlier. “I have a tea you’ll need to drink. I don’t have the last ingredient, but it’ll help a bit even without it. Once I have it, it should allow you to maintain control at all times.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at him. “That is, if you want it.”

  He threw the covers aside, but upon realizing bandages were all he wore, he quickly pulled them over himself again. “I feel a great deal of despair right now. If I were to harm an innocent…”

  “It’s not a decision you have to make immediately. You won’t change for several days still.” Tasha dropped the sachet in the kettle. “But the longer you drink the tea, the easier it’ll go for you, should you choose life.”

  Torben nodded. “I understand. Um, if it’s all the same to you, though, I’d like to go outside for a bit first.”

  Tasha narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

  “I slept for what? Almost a day? Plus, I ate before I went hunting… I feel as though I may burst.”

  She suddenly understood, feeling her cheeks redden. “Yes, of course. Be careful and shout if you need anything.”

  “Do you need help getting down the stairs?” She turned her back to afford Torben privacy.

  Groaning, he hobbled toward the door. “I think I can manage. I’ll just take it slow.”

  As he descended, Tasha kept watch out the window with furtive glances to make sure he didn’t need help. When he returned, she waited until he was covered up in bed again before bringing him a plate of meat and cheese.

  Accepting it with thanks, he ate a bit before meeting her gaze. “I don’t suppose I could get some clothes?”

  “What you had was pretty shredded. If you promise to lie here, rest, and not die on me, I can go out to get some for you.” She offered him a smile. “Unless you want one of my skirts?”

  He laughed. Wincing, he pressed his arms against his sides. “As lovely as they are, I don’t think they’re quite my style.”

  “Do you have a preferred tailor in town?” From the now-screaming kettle, Tasha poured a cup of the bitter brew. She handed him the steaming cup.

  Upon sipping it, he grimaced. “I suppose if it tasted good, it wouldn’t be good for me.”

  “Oh, you know how medicine works. I’m impressed.”

  “Would there be any harm in adding some honey to this?”

  Tasha tidied the apothecary cabinet while considering his request. “It has some healing properties, so I think it would be all right, at least until we get Vasilisa’s fur to add to the brew.”

  “Fur? I’m going to have to drink something with fur in it?”

  After shutting the cabinet door, she brought a chair to his bedside. “It will help you gain control over the beast.”

  “I believe you.” He sipped from the cup again, wincing. “You can pick up a set of clothes for me from the orchard house. No need to buy anything new.”

  “All right.” Tasha opened a portal to the orchard. “Stay here. Promise?”

  “I will not move from this spot.” He gawked at the image of the orchard house displayed in the back door. “How is that possible?”

  “I don’t fully understand the portal magic. It does work, however. I’ll return shortly.” She stepped through the doorway. In an instant, she found herself outside the orchard house. From the outside, it resembled Koloman’s home, albeit in worse repair.

  She approached, knocking on the door. From inside, Tasha heard Florin complaining. Fumbling with the door handle, he cracked the door open, greeting her with a scowl.

  “No stories ever said anything about you calling on folk.”

  “Times change.” Tasha clasped her hands together in front of herself. “Torben’s been injured. I’m here to pick up some of his clothes.”

  “Injured? How?” Narrowing his eyes, he glared, as if blaming her for Torben’s condition.

  “An animal attack.” At this point, Tasha saw no advantage to giving more information to the suspicious orchardist.

  “Bah, I told him going after a boar alone was foolish. Can’t tell those Watchfolk anything.” He pulled the door open. “Is he dying?”

  Tasha followed Florin to Torben’s room. “No, but his clothes were torn to shreds. He can’t very well run around naked, can he?”

  Grinning, he held open the door to Torben’s room. “You wouldn’t mind that though, eh?”

  “Oh yes, binding his wounds to keep his guts from spilling on my floor was so romantic I swooned.” It took most of Tasha’s resolve to keep from slapping Florin as she passed him. She opened the wardrobe, gathering as many of Torbe
n’s clothes as she could carry in one arm. “He’ll come back for the rest of this himself. He just needs a few days to recover.”

  “If he’s not back by the end of the season, I’m tossing it out.”

  “Your generosity is unparalleled.” Tasha glared at the man before using her free arm to snap her cloak around her. She heard his gasp of alarm as she vanished. Appearing in her hut, Torben recoiled at her sudden arrival, groaning in pain as he clutched his sides.

  “Sorry about that.” Tasha dropped the clothes on the bed. “I’m going to head into town for some supplies and catch up with Aveline. Try not to reopen any of those wounds.”

  Torben picked through the clothes she’d brought back. “Is there any way you can warn me before you just appear like that again?”

  She took a honey pot out of her apothecary cabinet, along with another tea sachet, and set them on the stump. “I’ll send Korbin or Revan to warn you.”

  “Who?”

  Tasha gestured to her birds in the windowsill. “The crows. If one kicks up a fuss, and you don’t see anyone outside, expect me back momentarily. Make another pot of tea, the water in the basin is fine to use. And feel free to add honey to your taste. Is there anything I can pick up for you in town?”

  Torben held up a pale blue tunic, shaking his head. “No, thank you. Your generosity is overwhelming. I owe you my life.”

  Tasha summoned an image of Curton’s marketplace in the back door, then, smiling, looked over her shoulder at Torben. “You’re welcome.”

  Chapter 58

  Aveline selected a bottle of ale from the larder, drinking half before returning to the vestibule. Upon plopping into the chair, she leaned back, propping her legs on her desk. “Maris take him. All two or three of him. I need this like a fish needs fur.”

  Considering she should have done so before giving voice to her frustrations, she checked to ensure none of the guards stood within earshot. The magistrate cannot return soon enough, although I daresay this new Koloman would hardly let him get a word in edgewise.