Memory Hunted (20 page)

Finally, on a warm, sunny day, they stood at the palisade’s
gates.

"I think I will miss the place." Yuzu held Tell’s hand.
"It was fun."

Timothy winked at Tell. "I’m sure Tell would rather forget
that bath incident." The boy’s face reddened.

"Hey, Sis was the one who gave me that idea."

"Every interest needs to be surveyed to see if he passes
muster." Kit patted Timothy’s arm. "Tell did better than this bookbug."

"He has a cute tail. He shouldn’t stuff it into his pants
like he does." Yuzu grinned.

"Don’t fight battles you can’t win, Tell." Timothy shouldered
his pack.

"Then he would never fight, and where’s the fun in that?"
Yuzu asked.

Timothy turned his back on the camp.
In a few years
it will be reclaimed by the forest, like Belafonte.
"Are you sure you want to
go, Kit?"

"Why wouldn’t I?"

"Once we leave, you will have to hide your ears and tail
again. If people found out you were a fox…"

She stroked an ear. "We can go someplace else. A cabin
in the woods. Besides, I’m sure by now Balwar has tried Daeric and Tredere. That
should put an end to this fox-demon nonsense."

"Or it may worry people more."

"Well, I miss Mother Mae," Kit said. "Besides, if we
lived too far out, who would you sell books to after you copy them, bookbug? I,
for one, refuse to live barefoot in a cabin. Even with you. Now let’s go." She stalked
out of the camp. Tell and Yuzu followed.

Timothy looked back at the camp and Belafonte beyond.

The journey away from Belafonte proved pleasant. The
good weather held, and they managed to cover good distance each day. The forest
was soon behind them. Timothy enjoyed the time spent with Kit, Tell, and Yuzu. Best
of all he didn’t have to look over his shoulder for the first time in what felt
like years.

Timothy and Kit grinned as Big Al’s inn came into sight
one evening.

Tell glanced between them, looking confused. "It’s just
an inn. Why do you two look so happy?"

"Oh, you’ll see," Yuzu said.

The inn’s warmth enveloped Timothy. The same farmers
occupied the seats as if Timothy had been gone for just a few minutes. Big Al’s
voice filled the room.

"So there Marc was, hopping from foot to foot—why, look
who has returned to us! I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again after you left with
that shady red-haired man. Did you have something to do with him being all trussed
up with that Inquisitor?"

"I don’t remember you thinking that boy was shady," Marc
shifted on his chair.

"Not that boy." Big Al waved a hand at Tell. "That Daeric
fellow. Where’d you find that lad? Looks like he could use some meat on him."

Yuzu patted Tell’s wool cap. "He’s with me, Big Al."

Big Al leaned over the counter and regarded Timothy.
"Told ya you needed more meat to keep them both satisfied."

Timothy grinned and shook his head.

Tell’s mouth hung open, and Yuzu chuckled behind her
hand. Elsie shot Timothy an unreadable look before she ducked into the kitchen.

"I am quite satisfied, Master Doni." Kit shot a smile
at Timothy. He rolled his eyes. Kit pursed her lips at him before returning to Big
Al. "We would like—"

"Please, just call me Big Al. I feel as if I’ve known
you forever, lassie. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Kit hesitated. "In a way."

"Sounds like you have a story. You did have something
to do with that Daeric fellow being trussed. I’d bet my beard on it. "

Marc scratched his chin. "You’d starve without that hairy
larder on your chin."

"Bah, not like I am going to lose that wager. Am I right?
I’ve no love for Inquisitors after what they did to our friends at Belafonte, but
past is past. No point in blaming boys who were at their mommas’ teats. The Inquisitor
said little, but the soldiers who wandered in spoke about what happened. Demons,
heretics, and their own captain burning his men? Pffah. What’s this world coming
to when a captain is a turncoat? Some said that lad you left with, Daeric Whine—Rhine—whatever—was
one too."

"Daeric was, Big Al." Timothy sat at the counter, feeling
his chest tighten. He noticed his chest did that whenever he was tired. "He was
a part of a group of…heretics who…who were killing Churchmen."

"Damn Luthers." Marc sipped from his mug.

"You look as if you’d seen some things since you left
here, lad." Big Al winked. "I want to hear your story. Food and room are on the
house."

"You give travelers free food, but you make your friends
pay?" Marc asked.

"Who said you were a friend, Marc? I can’t help Elsie’s
the best cook in this part of the country. Besides, we all want to hear a good story."

"Aye, she is that," a farmer said from one of the tables.

"Wait till I tell Ashley that," someone else said.

Kit smiled. "Timmy and I would be happy to tell it. It
is a long one."

Timothy looked at her, and she kicked his shin. Her ears
pushed against her hood.

Big Al rubbed his hands together. "Now that’s what I’m
saying. First, what’s this boy’s story? He’s got red hair too." Big Al pointed a
thick finger at Tell.

"He’s my lover," Yuzu said.

Tell backed away from her, shaking his head. "She…she…."

Big Al boomed a laugh. "Why are you embarrassed, lad?
She’s a looker. If I was younger, right, Marc?" Marc grunted, and Big Al swiped
his hand in Marc’s direction. "Bah, your old age has made you a monk. Both of you
lads would be in trouble if I was younger."

Kit patted Timothy’s shoulder. "Careful, Master Doni.
My husband would take objection."

"And so would
Master
Doni’s wife." Elsie came
out of the kitchen with a large platter heaped with the white vegetable Big Al called
mash, gravy, meat, and bread. "You folks are all Al could talk about these last
few months. Yes, Al. I figured you’d want to feed them while they tell their story."

Big Al laughed and slapped his wide stomach. "You know
me, Elsie."

Marc gestured with his mug. "It beats hearing another
of Al’s stories for the hundredth time."

Elsie sat the platter in front of Timothy. Kit slipped
into the chair beside him. A pregnant serving girl placed a second platter for Yuzu
and Tell. Elsie settled into a chair near the kitchen’s entrance and waved the girl
back to the kitchen.

"Sit down, lad." Big Al gestured at Tell. "I’ll let you
go first."

"Go first?"

"First to tell your story, Telly." Yuzu guided him to
the stool. "Tell here used to work with Daeric and the other…heretics. But I reformed
him."

"Oh, so you were a wild one too, lad? Elsie tried to
tame me—"

"And did a good job at it," Elsie said.

"Go ahead." Yuzu’s cheek protruded, and she waved her
fork at Tell.

Tell kept his eyes on the platter of food. "I…my father’s
name was Jan, but he wasn’t much of a father. Daeric, Gert, and Jan decided to get
revenge for my mother’s death. She was burned at the stake…"

Three days later, Timothy sat on the seat of a sled Kit
had purchased from a farmer Big Al knew. Two horses more accustomed to plowing fields
than pulling a sled filled with supplies trudged through the snow. Timothy had his
doubts about a wagon without wheels, but the runners seemed to work well. Yuzu and
Tell sat with the supplies. Snow fell.

"I…I feel much better after talking with Big Al," Tell
told Yuzu.

"I need to think of some new way to make money." Kit
leaned against Timothy. "This wagon of supplies took the rest of the money I earned
from Honheim." Her weight made his chest and shoulder ache, but he didn’t say anything.

"You’ll think of something."

"I better. I have a terrible shepherd to take care of
now."

They rode in silence. Yuzu and Tell spoke in hushed tones,
punctuated by Yuzu giggling.
Those two have gotten closer,
Timothy thought.

Nestled in his scarf and thick cloak, with Kit dozing
on him, Timothy smiled.

The weeks passed uneventfully. Timothy skirted the burned-out
ruins of Honheim. The silhouette in the distance tugged at his memory. Yuzu stared
after the ruins long after they disappeared behind the hills. Snow gave way to mud
as they traveled west. The air remained cold, but it lacked the bite they endured
back at Belafonte.

As they topped a rise, Timothy spotted the abbey and
what looked to be a town sprouted around it. Roughhewn houses huddled against the
cold. A few people worked in the streets.

"Are those people from Honheim?" Kit stood on the seat,
peering around.

"Sit down. If they are, they know you are a fox, remember?"
Over the last several days Timothy began to doubt the wisdom of returning to see
Aunt Mae. Too many sisters knew Kit was a fox. But they had to go somewhere.

"They are. I recognize many of them." Yuzu stood in the
wagon bed. "Could Mira, Colt, and Hoss be here?"

"The children you told me about?" Tell asked.

Yuzu nodded. The horses tugged the wagon through the
mud that served as a street.

The runners work as well on mud as on the
snow
,
Timothy thought. He looked at Kit, seated beside him again.

"You are worrying again." She patted his knee.

"If these people are from Honheim, that means you are
in danger. Sister Tera is here."

"Yuzu?" A lanky boy approached. A basket of firewood
weighed his back.

"Colt?" Yuzu leaned over the wagon bed. "Colt!" She vaulted
to the ground and swept the boy into a hug. "I thought you died in the fire."

Timothy eased the horses to a stop. Kit muttered something.

"Hoss said you didn’t make it out of the fire," Colt
said.

"Hoss is here? What about Mira?" Yuzu asked.

"You should go with her, Tell," Kit said. "We have business
in the abbey with the nuns." She stared at Tell until he fidgeted.

"Just tell him, Kit." Timothy rolled his eyes.

"He needs to learn how to understand what a woman means
by her stares."

"What she means is these people know about…what Kit is.
So stay hidden, and go with Yuzu."

Tell looked at Timothy. "You understood that from her
stare?"

He shrugged. "I know Kit."

Tell scratched his temple. "Yuzu doesn’t look to need
me." Yuzu walked away with Colt’s hand in hers. She bent toward him.

Kit glared at Tell.

"All right, I’ll go." Tell scrambled out of the wagon
and trotted after Yuzu.

"There’s hope for you two yet," Kit said.

Timothy flipped the reins and got the horses moving again.

A woman Timothy didn’t recognize waited outside the abbey’s
entrance. "Who might you be, and what’s your business?"

"Timothy Clarke. Aunt—Mother Mae will want to see us."

"She’s a mite busy, but I will ask. A moment." She slid
the heavy door open and slipped through.

"Last time was a better welcome," Kit said.

"They know who you are now."

"Funny."

The woman reappeared. "You may come in, Master Clarke."
She approached the sled. "I will tend to your horses."

Timothy slid from the hard seat. "Sounds good." Kit followed
after hesitating a moment. The woman clambered up and switched the horses into motion
with more skill than Timothy could muster.

"She’d better not take anything," Kit said.

"It’ll be fine…as long as you keep your face covered."
They entered the abbey.

"Timothy! Kit!" Sister Rae stood just inside the hall.
She wagged a finger at him. "Traveling in terrible weather again, I see."

"I—we—"

The old nun planted a fist on her a plump hip. "Sister
Tera told us all about what happened. Bold of you to come back home after that."

"What did she tell you?" Kit asked.

"Sister Tera’s here? If she sees you, Kit…" Timothy knew
they shouldn’t have returned.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Sister Rae waved her
hand. "Sister Tera is away on business."

"How is our dear Sister Tera?" Kit asked.

Sister Rae chuckled. "Regretting the good work she did.
Don’t worry, child. She’s too busy to worry about a fox."

Timothy choked.

"We all heard about what happened. More than a few sisters
left over it. Sister Grace, Nika, and several others." Sister Rae shook her head.
"Those who are still here have no ill will toward you. In fact, it fixed the vexing
problem of Sister Grace vying to become abbess. Bah, look at me jabber. You’ve come
to visit Mother Mae. Come along then." She began walking. Timothy and Kit followed.

"What about the Inquisition?" Timothy asked. "Wouldn’t
they—"

"Mother Mae is more capable than you think, Timothy.
Besides, the Inquisition is too busy now. What, you hadn’t heard? The Papal States
and all the states of Italy are at war. Honestly, Mother Mae’s idea to found a town
elsewhere isn’t going to work with more people coming from the south. But she’s
surprised me before. Ah, here we are. Just a moment." Sister Rae knocked and entered
Aunt Mae’s office.