Shepherd Hunted (9 page)

Flames taunted them. The shattered building blocked their path to freedom.

Without a word, Kit pulled Timothy around and started down another street. Timothy stumbled more than he stepped. He licked his dry, cracked lips. The heat made his fool beard furious on his cheeks. Yuzu slipped under his other arm. They moved faster. His eyes burned from the smoke. Ash fell like corrupted snow. It covered the avenue they turned down. Sparks fluttered like fireflies.

A wall of fire waited. Kit coughed and cursed. Timothy felt panic rising. There had to be a way out.

“This way,” Yuzu said.

Another building crashed onto the street. Timothy choked on the kicked up ash. Kit’s eyes gleamed in the fire’s glow. The way back was a mass of burning timber and stone. A wall of fire blocked their way forward. Trapped. Timothy heard Kit growl deep in her throat.

Yuzu wiped her eyes. “They couldn’t  have made it through this. Not with Colt being sick.”

“I will be damned if we are dying here after all the effort it took to find you, shepherd. I still need to knock sense into you for being so thick-skulled,” Kit said.

“If we get out of here, I may just scratch your ears,” Timothy said.

“Humph. I may just let you. Come on.” Kit pulled him toward the wall of fire, and Yuzu followed. The heat felt like it could burn off Timothy’s beard and eyebrows. Flames whittled at a tangle of fallen beams. Between the tendrils, Timothy could see the open gate. Fire licked at the double doors, but they were open. That was all that mattered. So close.

Kit studied the ruins, tapping her lower lip. “We might as well try it.”

“What? Run through that?” Yuzu pointed. “We wouldn’t make it.” Her shoulders slumped. “It is hopeless. There is no way the others would have made it through this.”

Kit shifted Timothy. “You can stay here, but we are getting out of here.”

“Just don’t singe your tail. I like it, but too many bald spots…” Timothy said.

Yuzu looked at Timothy like he had lost his mind.

Kit barked a laugh. “You are almost worth singing my tail. Almost.” She tapped her lower lip and measured him with her gaze. “You should be light enough now. Lucky for me. Just don’t skewer me with your ribs, Timmy.”

Timothy blinked. “What?”

Kit let go of him and crouched with hands behind her back. She looked over her shoulder and waved her fingers. Yuzu shook her head, muttering under her breath.

“Who is going to grab a handful of whom?” Timothy asked.

“Just get on before I sling you over my shoulder.”

Yuzu shook her head. “You two are crazy, but it is better than burning to death.”

With Yuzu’s help, Timothy climbed onto Kit’s back. She straightened and bounced him until she was satisfied. Her hands squeezed several times. He was almost too big for her, skeleton or not. His feet hung close to the ground.

“Next time I want something to squeeze.” She pinched. “All right, let’s go.” Kit leaped into the flames. Timothy felt the heat kiss his skin, and they were off. Yuzu ran behind them. Kit raced around clumps of fire, jumping through the thinner walls of flame. Her body rolled under him. Softness sheathed her muscles, and her sweat soaked into his shirt. She twisted as a piece of building crashed ahead of them. Timothy squeezed her chest to keep from falling off as they rushed through the pieces of building showering them. Kit began to slow, and Yuzu raced past them. Timothy could see the gate ahead of them. A large crash shivered the air close to them. Timothy looked up just as a building toppled toward them.

The building began to fall. It was right in their path.
We are not going to make it.

Kit growled and pushed forward. Timothy pressed closer to her. Yuzu cleared the gate.

Creak, split, snap
.

Death’s shadowed fingers reached for them.

Closer.

Debris twinkled around them.

Large timbers speared the cobblestones. The space to freedom grew smaller, too small to run through.

He wondered how much it would hurt to be crushed.

Kit dove to her side and skidded in the ash. Timothy squeezed her chest with what little strength he had left.

The world went gray.

At least neither would have to die alone.

Evelyn watched the town smolder from a hill. Nearby, a sleek black horse tried to graze around the bit in his mouth. He tossed his head whenever the reins dangled too close to the patch of green grass. Signs of soldiers were scattered around the hill. Stacked pikes forested the empty camp in jagged clumps. Stone-circled campfires had long since grown cold. The town below looked much the same, surrounded by its walls. Refuse was strewn everywhere. Here and there a mound of clothing lay in the cold wind. The air did little to chill the heat that seared her veins. Her breath rasped in her throat.

“My boy, my little dirty cheeky boy, we will see the pearly gates. Your momma will hold your hand so you won’t be scared.”

Evelyn knew she looked a mess. She could feel the ash on her skin. Her once-black dress was gray with the stuff. There was no need to be clean on the outside. God would take care of cleaning her soul now. Soon she would be at peace. If only Joseph hadn’t died. No, not yet. They had to see him together.

“Joseph. Joseph, Joseph. Why? So long I waited. Gone. Dead. Why did you leave us? Did you break your promise?”

Joseph never wanted this,
a voice within her mind said.
He would have wanted us to be happy.

“Why did he leave me then? Why did God take him?” The voice didn’t answer. It never had any answers. Well, soon she would be free of it, and together with Joseph and her Timothy. But she couldn’t be selfish and go first. No. A mother was never selfish.

She noticed a few people staring at her. Most had fled. The people looked like burnt coals. A few children huddled in their mother’s arms, and several of the men looked at the town as if they were uncertain what had happened.

They lost everything because they trusted you,
the small, insane voice in her mind said.
People just want to live peacefully, just like Timothy. That girl of his is good for him. He looked happy whenever we saw them together.

That voice was always insane.

It was time to speak as the Prophetess one last time. She turned to the remnants of her army. “Sin is gone. Burned. Once the last burns away, you can rebuild the town anew, better. The illness is burned out.”

At least most of the illness was. It cleaned and sent to heaven. Only Evelyn still had more sin to burn out. She had much to answer for. Why else would Joseph have gone to heaven without her? Why else did he have to die but because of her? She had enjoyed her marriage too much. Some nights, in her dreams, he was still there. She enjoyed those dreams too much. They felt too good.

It is good to love. It is good to be sad.

Evelyn squashed that insane little voice. It wasn’t love. It was lust. Sinful. Bad. The worst of the deadly sins.

The handful of followers looked at their Prophetess. “You will build a paradise out of ash. This prophecy is my last telling. Live in God’s peace. I will see you in heaven.”

She turned away from her flock. Her knees shook with weakness she ignored. She had time yet. God wouldn’t allow her to go to heaven first. Not after all the years she had waited. It took that red-haired demon to inspire her to finally act. Her soul shook within her when she saw it beside her Timmy. Seeing the demon awakened her to what she needed to do to save her boy.

“God knew that my boy would run into that demon. It was the first sign. My life was full of signs. I am not sinless yet, but his mercy still robes me.”

She wandered down the hill. For some reason, the horse followed her. He puffed to try to get her attention, but her eyes focused on the refuse scattered in the grass. The wind rustled the mounds of cloth, revealing gazes empty of life. God’s punishment scarred their pallid skin. The canvas tents fluttered in the cool breeze, and her skirts danced in time with the canvas. The horse nudged her shoulder. She ignored it and ducked into the tent.

Her nose wrinkled at the smell of rot. A man looked like he was sleeping on the low cot. Black sores marred the young man’s face, and a bare foot dangled over the edge of the cot. The red uniform, slashed with white, was rumpled. Evelyn ignored the scent that clung to the canvas around her. A musket jutted from behind a small chest. She pulled aside a powder horn and found a pouch of round lead balls and paper wattle. More memories of Joseph fluttered in her mind. His strong arms encircled her as she placed the wooden butt against her shoulder. She could still picture his mussed brown-blond hair. The sound of thunder and the shock of the recoil running into her shoulder felt like it had just happened. Joseph’s laugh sounded in her mind.

He wanted you to be able to hunt if something should happen. He wanted you to defend yourself and our son.

Evelyn shook her head, clearing the memory. She ignored the musket and pulled the man’s long knife from the belt resting on the chest. She ducked out of the tent flaps. The horse still waited. Reins dangled as he watched her. She walked up and placed a hand on his nose.

“You were sent here,” she said. The horse tossed his head and puffed. Evelyn felt her stomach grumble. She could see supply wagons in the fields beyond. She guessed it was going to be a long journey. She doubted little Timothy would have gone to heaven in the fire. He was always giving the nuns trouble, after all. He would cause his mother trouble too. Her bad little boy was smart like Joseph. Only Joseph did not use his intelligence for jokes. Well, not too often, and never for mean-spirited pranks. She needed to find her Timmy. She patted the horse’s neck.

“I would know if he was gone. You are still here to help me find him.”

The horse puffed.

She swung onto its back. She knew how to ride and ride well.

That was something Joseph had taught her too.

* * *

Tera stood on one of the hills overlooking what was left of Honheim. She could make out a few stone structures, blackened bones of the once-bustling town. The cold wind held the smell of char, and the heavy clouds promised a short autumn. She gripped her habit. The fox had slipped away from her once again. The demon had her master’s luck. Tera had no doubts that she had escaped the fire. What could fire do to a creature of hell? Part of her wanted to go out searching—the vixen could not be far—but Tera had responsibilities.

Evelyn. Tera knew the woman was out of her mind but to do this…When Tera left the woman in front of the burning church, she wished Tera happiness. Happiness! As if happiness can be found after seeing so much. Evelyn’s lucid spells were more chilling than her usual madness. Tera could almost like the woman when she was sane. Of course the woman was alive. People reported seeing the Prophetess riding a horse around the walls of the town.
When did Evelyn learn to ride?

Her fists shook. It wasn’t right that this happened. So many people gone. The demon that caused everything was free. Where was God? Where was justice?

The young nun turned and watched the people—her people—gather wagons, horses, and supplies together. Caroline, with her bent back, organized and directed. Nearby, a pennant snapped against the wind. Vyrin and several of the young men lifted children into a wagon meant for weapons. Tents and old cook fires dotted the hillside. People stepped around mounds of cloth. It would take time for Vyrin and the others to dig graves. The wind slapped Tera with cold fingers. There were too few blankets. How many people? Tera hadn’t had a chance to count. At least two hundred, she guessed. They were lucky Lord Heim’s men left the camp in a hurry and left behind what they did. Lucky that some died and others did not? How did God choose who lived and died? A group of children wandered near Tera.

“I am going back for Yuzu,” a boy, all knees and elbows, said. “She will be alive.”

A young girl tossed her soot-stained, golden locks. “No, Colt. Yuzu is with her. I know she is.”

The thin boy looked the girl in the eye. He looked older than she was, but they were about the same height. “How do you know, Mira? She could have taken a wagon ride!”

“Shut up, Colt. Yuzu is alive. I know it. You know it.” A boy with tangled brown hair towered over the pair. “Mira is right.”

“Hoss,” Colt whined, “I want to thank the red woman.” He took a few steps toward the town.

Mira looked at Hoss. “Maybe he should thank her. I want to see Yuzu too.”

Hoss shook his head.

Tera stepped forward. No use allowing these children to put themselves in danger. “Your older brother is right. Your friend is probably with us right now.”

“No, she isn’t. I would have found her,” Colt said.

“She is with—” Mira stopped, wrapped her thin arms around herself, and shivered. “Cold.”

“You need to get some blankets,” Tera said. “It is getting cold. The…red woman is probably looking with Yuzu for you over there by the wagons. “

“No, she is not!” Colt stamped a bare foot. A few disease marks scarred his legs. He was one of few lucky ones, Tera guessed.

Hoss took a threatening step. “Colt. If you don’t—”

“You want to see Yuzu too!” Mira shielded the knobby boy.

“I do. Kit too, but we don’t know where they are. Or
if
they are,” Hoss said.

“They are alive!” Colt and Mira said together.

Tera blinked. “Wait. You said Kit?”

Hoss froze and nodded. Mira bounced. “You know Kit?”

“Red hair, freckles. Green eyes. Strange ears.” Tera bent with her hands on her knees. “It is with a brown-haired man with a nice smile. It had—”

“That is Kit. But I don’t know about a brown-haired man, and I didn’t see her ears,” Mira said over Colt. “She was looking for someone. Yuzu disappeared with her after she helped Colt get better.”

Colt nodded and grinned, gap-toothed.

“Yuzu wanted to help Kit to repay her for helping Colt,” Hoss said. “It was then that everything happened with the fire. We ran out here but didn’t see them.”

“Wait. The dem—Kit helped Colt?”

“I was real sick. Wagon ride sick.” Colt crouched and plucked at the grass. “I was going to see Mom and Dad, but I didn’t want to go yet. The red woman—Kit—helped Yuzu make me a tea that took away my fever.”

“I drank it too,” Mira bounced on her bare toes. “It was yucky.”

Tera glanced at Hoss. He looked her in the eyes and nodded once. Tera wondered just how old the boy was. The demon helped the boy? It was obvious Colt had been sick, deadly sick. His skin was almost transparent. Bones stretched his skin where there should have been softness. His eyes were too big for his thin face.
Why would the demon do that? It had to have been Timothy.

“Are you sure there wasn’t a man with her?”

“No. Yuzu went with Kit to find him.” Hoss looked over at the wagons.

Tera shook her head. It wouldn’t surprise her if Evelyn had Timothy. She did want to mother him in her own way. Still, a demon like that vixen helping these kids?

“I miss Yuzu,” Mira said.

Tera’s people pulled more wagons together. The mules and horses seemed happy to be put to work. What would Mother Mae say when she arrived with all of the people? A village full of people at the abbey. Kit didn’t matter. These people mattered. Maybe, just maybe, Timothy was changing the demon if what these children had said was true. She had never heard of such a thing, but what was that saying—“God works in mysterious ways”? Besides, Tera had her responsibilities. It pained her to admit it, but she couldn’t leave these people. They were more important than chasing a single demon, no matter how evil. She couldn’t spare anyone to go out searching for her. With so many children and weak people, she needed as many able bodies as she could gather. A few were still sick or recovering.

“I know they are well. How about a wagon ride? A good wagon ride to my home. We bake bread everyday for people and make honey cakes too.”

The three children lit up. “Really?” They said at once.

“I have a large home with other nuns like me. Now you will have to work a little. Weed the garden. Cut firewood. Help cook. But you are more than welcome to come with us. There are many old ladies to tell you stories, and they need your hugs too.”

“Honey cakes?” Colt jumped to his feet and wilted. “I wish Yuzu could go too.”

“More for us if she doesn’t,” Hoss said, watching Tera. The boy was far older than he looked.

“I want some too!” Mira jumped up and down.

Tera shepherded them toward the wagons. Vyrin stood up in a driver’s seat and waved. Young, old, and middle-aged faces smiled as she passed.

“Bless you, Sister.”

“Thank you, Sister Tera.”

“We are ready to leave whenever you are,” Vyrin said. A bruise marred his cheek.

Tera tried to push the demon from her mind.
The demon died in the fire,
she told herself. For all she knew it was the truth.
It is over. These people are my concern now.
She was responsible for these people. She could not leave them. She would have to trust the fox to God’s justice.

“Are the honey cakes sweeter than Mom’s?” Colt asked.

Tera ruffled his hair. “Mother Mae makes the best in the world.” She smiled. Who knew responsibilities could feel so light?