Cruel and Unusual - serialised novel EXCLUSIVE to Steemit Part 43

For the full list of episodes, please see this post: Episode List
And Then, 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Images below from Google and Pixabay

Please read the start of the story using the links above. I promise, it’s well-worth the time to check it all out. At least then, this excerpt will make more sense

“Yes Hazel, I remember your quarrel with Phillipe and I also remember that he still bears a grudge. I do not expect to be spoken to in such a manner however, but I do understand your anger. I was not about to defend the snobbery, I know it happens, I also know that I am sometimes guilty of it.”

Hazel held Anton’s gaze but calmed herself down. “I lost my temper, I apologise.”

“No harm done and I think it is quite understandable that you did lose your temper. It is an emotive subject and of course I do not underestimate the sacrifice made by your colleagues in defence of my family and Bloodline but…” and again Anton was interrupted as Hazel’s temper flared.

“Do not, for the love of the Lycaeon, utter the words, ‘They knew what they had signed up for,’ or I swear to you, Anton, I shall drop the mantle of Sentinel Exemplar and you shall never hear from me again. I mean it. At this moment, I have more respect for those Sentinels that have gone before me than I do for the entire so-called elite caste which hangs from your family tree.”

“Sentinel,” Anton’s tone was chilled and Hazel knew that she had gone too far but she also knew that Anton realised that she did indeed, mean every word.

“I was not going to say that, I was going to say that it is unfortunate that I cannot cut certain members of my family loose and relieve them of their elite status and so, your anger is unfounded, unwarranted and ill-conceived.”

Instead of apologising again, Hazel turned on her heel and walked away.

Anton decided to allow her time to cool off before he spoke with her again. The problem with Hazel was that she was right; he had been about to say what she had surmised, but Anton valued his skin and her service far too much to push the envelope and see if she would carry out her threat. He knew from past experience that she probably – almost certainly - would.

Later that evening, Anton and Keme were in the dining room of the hotel, enjoying a glass of brandy, and talking. Hazel went past them and up to her rooms without a word in passing.

Keme gave Anton a questioning look and Anton replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Hazel went past them in the other direction a few minutes later, wearing her shabby clothes once more. Keme stood and made to go to her but Anton placed a hand on his wrist and bade him stay.

Hazel remembered what it was that had been bothering her.

The Wolf at the meeting that had objected to the summoning of the Sentinels was neither an Elder, nor influential - as had been mentioned to him – and therefore, it was unlikely the Sentinels would be interested in him, for he had not lived long enough to have gained any reputation or influence and had therefore, not had time to perform any deed worthy of the Sentinels' attention – or so Hazel had thought.

Since her conversation with Anton earlier, (before it had turned into a row) she had been mulling over what had been said and she remembered that Anton made an observation on why Hazel had not noticed that she was being followed.

He had said:

“Perhaps you did not sense the one that has followed you because he is not an Ancient, he is not even an Elder, and he stays well into the background because, I believe, he knows who you are and more importantly, what you are.”

Whilst the role of Sentinel was shrouded in mystery, Wolfkind knew of them, their role in society, and their powers to execute any Wolf, except for Lycaeon herself, without having to give reason or justification for the execution.

The legend of the Sentinels was used in a Whelp’s childhood to keep them in line and to make sure they grew up respecting authority.

“You be a good student or the Sentinels will come and take you.”

A common enough threat. To be taken where or for what reason was not elaborated upon, but it had to be a strong-minded and wilful whelp to not take heed.

In a similar manner to the Hume Police Forces of the day, Sentinels were the keepers of the First Laws. Laws that had been brought into existence before most living Wolves were born or bitten. They ensured that no Wolf murdered any other and went unpunished for the crime, and that none should endanger Wolf Society by drawing the attention of Humes.

There the similarity to the Hume Police Force ended, for Sentinels were loyal to their Lycaeon – the King or Queen – and if necessary, would be prepared to give their life in defending the Royal Bloodline, and as Hazel had reminded Anton, not one had ever betrayed that trust.

They were called upon in times of war or revolution to fight for the Lycaeon against rivals for the Throne, or Packs that no longer wished to pay fealty to the Throne, or those that refused to fight the Humes – most usually in the service of other Humes – such as in the War of the Roses when Hazel was first Wolfed.

The task the Sentinels most performed, however, was that of Slayer of Throwbacks. The anomalies born to a Hume and Wolf mating pair or a mating pair of Wolves where one had bitten the other to make their own mate; both, without exception, produced Throwbacks as offspring.

The Throwback could grow undetected as such, especially in a Hume society – until of course, it became sensitive to the Moon’s influence. Some were more sensitive than others and a few were not affected to the detriment of their daily life. Those Throwbacks, the ones only slightly affected, were the most dangerous, for they were almost undetectable and yet could recognise a Wolf when they came in contact with it.

In olden times, those Throwbacks became Hunters of Wolf. They learned quickly or died young. If they were fortunate, they gravitated towards one that could teach the tricks of the trade and could therefore benefit from older knowledge – knowledge on how to detect a Werewolf, how to prove that it was indeed a Werewolf and perhaps even to have to go so far as to prove to others that a person was actually a Werewolf.

Then, the most important lesson – how to kill a Werewolf without being killed, maimed or bitten in the process.