Chapter 44: Drinking Silver
Lynn led us to the poorest part of town. The builders had used wood for the structure here, and they stank of pine tar. The streets grew like weeds. They snaked between the buildings, narrow and twisted. I could hear the sounds of rats moving, out of sight. Fiona made a point of walking with her saber in hand and resting on her shoulder.
“Is that necessary?” Lynn asked.
“At this time of night in the Pig Market? Absolutely.”
“The Pig Market? Do I want to know why it’s called that?” I asked.
“You do not,” Fiona answered, “I will tell you that the actual meat market was never located here. And I will leave things there.”
"Why is Wulfric hiding here?" I asked.
"Because he's killing and eating commoners," Lynn answered. "There is a pile of bones next to his bed. He's hiding in the Pig Market because the city guard never comes here. So, he can kill without worrying about getting exposed. That’s why he wouldn’t tell us where he was staying. No more mystery. End of story."
"He's eating people?" I asked.
"He is a werewolf," Fiona said.
"Do all werewolves eat people?" I asked.
"No, but most do. As an immortal ages, a hunger develops in them. They crave flesh. And as they continue to age, they crave the flesh of sentient beings. Some manage to subsist on animals. But after a certain age the craving becomes excruciating. "
"Excuse me, this is Wulfric," Amy said. "I assume he kills people for the fun of it."
After another twenty minutes we reached an old stone house. The House sat on an island in the middle of an old dried up river bed.
“You must go in alone," Fiona said. "You have the wine you were going out to purchase?”
Lynn held up three wine bottles, “One for husband and I. two for the guards. Celebration before we consummate the marriage.”
I shuddered at the thought.
“And you have added the silver potion to all three, correct?” Fiona asked.
“I have.”
“Then you’re ready.”
We watched from a distance. And then we waited.
Twenty minutes later We heard Lynn scream from inside the building.
Fiona stood up, "That was our signal. Move."
Fiona picked me up, fireman carry style and we rushed to the house. Fiona set me down. Vincent didn't stop and instead kicked the door at full speed and tore the door from its hinges.
In the middle of the one room of the house, Lynn knelt over a body. She wailed as she beat upon the chest of the body.
"No! No! No!" She cried as she pounded on the body's chest.
It took me longer than it should have to recognize that the body was Wulfric. In fairness- he lay dying, half transformed into a werewolf. His body was a tortured mix of flesh and fur. Limbs lay contorted into uncomfortable proportions. I finally recognized him from his monocle, now embedded in his distorted face.
As we stared, his guards turned and saw us. One yelled “Betrayal! The witch has done this!”
The nearest guard drew an ax and chopped downward at Lynn. Lynn twisted her body without watching, dodging the downward blow. The blow struck Wulfric in the chest. Blood sprayed and another guard moved to attack with a dagger. Lynn pushed to her feet and stepped backward to avoid the dagger thrust.
Vincent placed himself between the guards and the two unarmed ladies: Amy and me. In hindsight, we should have waited outside. Fiona drew a flintlock and blew a hole in the face of the guard with the dagger. She dropped that flintlock and drew her second flintlock and gave the guard with the ax a third nipple. Fiona kept moving. She threw three of her throwing knives and killed another two guards.
A guard turned and pointed, "Ignore the witch! That one's a butcher!"
"Come and die then," She said with a troubling smile. She drew her saber and roundel dagger.
She stepped forward and beheaded the loud guard. Three guards remained. One guard circled behind her. I scowled and then hurled my cigarette case and brained the one behind Fiona. He snarled and turned toward me. Fiona took a step back and jammed the roundel into his lungs without looking at him. She spun and cut the fingers off the right hand of another attacker.
The last guard looked at the bodies around him and then looked at Lynn. He lunged and made a grab for her. I realized he was trying to use Lynn as a hostage. But again, Lynn dodged away.
In his lunge, the guard had placed himself with his back to Fiona. She attacked from behind and effortlessly severed his spine with her saber.
Vincent snorted, "Well I was useful."
Lynn looked down at Wulfric’s corpse, “In the end, you could not stand against me. In the end you could not stand against Ys.”
Fiona stepped over to Lynn, "Lady Carolynn. Are you alright?"
"Of course. They didn't touch me," She said.
"I am a little curious how they failed to touch you.” Fiona said. “How did you dodge those attacks?"
"I know the answer," I said, "Lynn has never told me if she had a gift. But I bet she does."
"I do," Lynn smiled, "I have the sixth sense gift."
I nodded, and then froze, "That means that you let Wulfric do those terrible things to further the plot."
Lynn nodded, "It was necessary."
I stumbled forward and wrapped her in a hug, "Gods Lynn. The pain you've put yourself through. But nothing tonight? Right? You never- he never-?"
She shook her head, "Nothing tonight. And now it's over."
Read more in "Daughters of the Digital Empire," Available soon!
.png)
Comments
Post a Comment