Cruel and Unusual - serialised novel EXCLUSIVE to Steemit Part 30

Exclusive for Steemit - serialisation of Cruel and Unusual – my second novel

Images for this excerpt are from Google Images or Pixabay

Episodes:
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He seemed about to say more but then thought better of it, bowed and turned to walk away.

“I shall see you tomorrow evening then?” she said to his back.

He stopped for a moment and then turned to face her. He removed his stovepipe hat and said, “If it would please you madam, I would be most grateful.”

She allowed herself another smile and nodded. “Goodnight Keme.”

She was further impressed when he left so fast that she only just managed to follow him with her eyes.

“He has potential. It is a great pity that he was not tutored from the very beginning, by the one that made him.”

“That is but one reason you were given the task and he is correct, you did not want to tutor him.”

“You know that is true and I did not. I can find other things to do with my evenings, thank you.”

“As can we all, but you of all people know that an untutored Wolf is by far more dangerous to us on the whole than even a Wolf intent on wholesale slaughter. He can make mistakes, be caught and not know how to escape or avoid detection. We have a good living here in these modern times Hazel. The public in general are above the superstitions of their forebears. They do not believe the old myths and legends, therefore we cannot possibly exist. Science is our ally, at least until one of our kind is caught, killed and examined. Then we would surely be in trouble.”

“Was it you that killed the woman?”

“I? No of course not. Why would I?”

Hazel seemed surprised at his answer. “I felt sure that you did.”

“But why would you think that?”

“If only because you once tested Nichasin and me in a similar manner,” she reminded him.

“Not really, I used animal offal and human urine. That was a controlled test. I would never perform so volatile a test in such a dangerous situation – where the Wolf could be observed by Humes and even caught.”

“Yes, I understand now but it certainly looked as though someone had done this for a reason.”

“I agree it does look that way, but whatever for?”

“I am afraid that it is a mystery to be left for another time. I am tired. I am going to find a bed and sleep for a few hours. I have to tutor your protégé again this evening.”

“Ah, unfair; you try to make me feel guilty.”

“How is it unfair when it is the truth? He is your protégé, your find, and yet I tutor him,” she said with only the ghost of a smile upon her lips.

“I am supervising though,” he said, trying to placate her.

“Only from a distance, yes and I know that you are there, but it is still me that has to have my instincts on full-alert at all times, not only watching for danger to myself but also for him and to assure myself that he is not about to do anything silly or dangerous. That is why we work during the waning moon.”

“I did wonder at that. It is a very good idea.”

“Yes, now I am away to a bed.”

“I ask just one thing more, if I may?”

“Ask while we walk then.” She nodded and started off.

“You did not seem surprised that I am here.”

“I was not surprised; I knew that you were here.”

“You mean that you assumed that I would be here?”

“I mean that I knew. I sensed you. I could even identify you positively, and without guesswork. I just knew that it was you here, Anton, and no other.”

“I was cloaked against such detection,” he argued.

“Yet I still knew. You know that I cannot explain how or why. Perhaps it is another skill?” She sounded weary and for a moment Anton regretted pressing the point.

“Indeed, can you sense all Wolves in the vicinity?” curiosity overcame his regret and he pressed again.

“Not as I sensed you, but I can tell you how many there are. I presume that I sensed you so well because we are close, familiar.”

“You could be right, amazing.” He shook his head in wonderment then continued. “How did he fare this evening?”

“Hah! Why don’t you tell me how he did? You followed him, did you not?”

He smiled. “Yes I did, clever minx.”

“So you know of the problem he had when he tracked me.”

“And you know that is not exactly fair. He had an obstacle to overcome.”

“I know that he told me he had an obstacle. I also know that he told me how he had dealt with it. What I do not know is if he told me true. Did he cause the obstacle? If not, did he do as he claims and resisted change, even in the face of all that gore? Then, most importantly, did he become confused or did he stay to either plunder the kill or to watch?” she asked, all traces of weariness gone, replaced by her own voracious curiosity.

“He did not cause it, I can verify that he happened upon the body purely by chance and was quite shocked by it. I know that he was shocked, for he did lose control for a moment and his transformation did begin but he recognised the change and halted it swiftly, even though he could not reverse it at that time.”

Anton waited to see if she would ask anything more and when she did not, he continued.

“As for your last question, he did seem confused but not in the manner I think you mean. He was looking around, not for your trail – for something - but it seemed to me that he was searching for someone. Perhaps he thought that you had placed the body in his path to give him a tougher test and were observing his reactions. Still and all, Hazel, his progress is rapid. He listens to your guidance and he practiced what you instructed him to practice all last evening. He is a willing and eager pupil. Have more patience, you may yet enjoy this.”

“Yes I know that you are right – as always. I promise to try. It is just that I sense something. Sometimes I get an uneasy feeling that I can neither explain nor rid myself of then suddenly it disappears.”

“It is perhaps another Wolf, a stranger?”

“It could be, but not at this time of the month, surely? And it seems Wolf and yet not Wolf. Perhaps we have a Throwback here.”