CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Without the Wings
As I'd expected, Danelle didn't show up to help unload that night. And with the servants behind schedule already—they'd had to clean up after the fountain sprayed the decorations—I had plenty of work to do. I couldn't lift any of the heavy pieces, like the silver breastplate and matching helmet, but I made myself useful. I carried a bulb lamp from the wagon down into the sagekeep, and went back for a pair of rolled-up rugs. The servants didn't seem to recognize me, which was a relief, so I continued the monotonous chore and tried to forget that Will and Mira were enjoying a night at the Bard Song without me.
All this exercise is good for my training, I thought as I walked halfway up a staircase to place an antique vase on a wall ledge. Next time I'll surprise Galen with how long I can keep fighting. Swinging one of those wooden swords for about ten minutes left me winded, so maybe I needed the practice carrying heavy objects up and down stairs.
I grabbed another vase from the wagon and carried it up the staircase that led to the Order. I placed it on another ledge and sat down on the steps to catch my breath. A rat scurried by my foot. I jumped up, but it had already fled. That's strange. I hadn't seen rats at all in the sagekeep; students whispered that my mother had enchanted the sagekeep against vermin, or that the sages had prayed for divine protection. Whatever kept them out before wasn't operating now.
I took a clay pot to place in the alcoves. I wasn't an artist, but even I wished they had found more interesting pieces of scenery. Why hadn't they brought over the ones with charging rangir painted on them, or with angels flapping their mighty wings? I placed the boring pot and saw something flicker on the edge of my vision. A toad. Hopping up the steps. I bent down and listened carefully. I could hear rangir and crows talking, so why not toads? But if I could understand him talk, he wasn't saying anything. A creature scuttled by me on the wall. My stomach twisted. Cockroaches. Simply thinking about the black bugs with their tiny, flailing limbs made me ill.
I looked up at a ceiling that seemed to be moving. Beetles and ants and cockroaches scurried along the ceiling, all heading upstairs. Toward Vormund tower. But why? Had my mother left a feast of rotten yogurt sitting in the hallway? Or was it . . . a corpse? I gagged and sat down on the stairs. Corpses attracted bugs. All the stories said so. The legends stated that Baldr found his servant dead in the hollow of a tree, with worms and cockroaches crawling through his eye sockets. I didn't want to think what would lead all of these things upstairs. I glanced around for one of the sages. They would know what to do, or send the Knights to check it out.
"There's no one here, Kaybree."
My heart skipped a beat, and I whirled around to find Mikael standing behind me, a dark figure in a green cloak. "Where did they all go?" I asked, petulance concealing my fear. "Since you seem to know everything."
"They're in the sanctuary, holding a Vision Prayer," he said. "But they can't do anything about what's happening upstairs. That's your job."
I clenched my fists. "And how do you know what my job is?"
"You're a Witch. You fight Angels."
I swallowed to regain my composure. "You're saying there's another Angel up there."
"There could be," he said, circling around me. "More importantly, the doors are wide open, and the guards are away chasing shadows. If you're going to find out what your mother has locked up inside there, now's your chance. Unless the Angel gets there first."
My heart beat quickened, and my mouth went dry. Jans did want me to find out what my mother had hidden up there. And if someone caught me, I could claim I was working on the decorations and heard a noise. "How do you know the doors are open?"
"You'll have to take my word on it."
His secrecy was starting to wear on me. "Well, if it's so important, why don't you go up there yourself?"
He walked over, leaning down so our faces were almost touching. I hadn't realized how tall he was. "You protect people from the creatures of the forest, not me. I'm just a messenger."
"The Knights of Valir can handle these bugs just fine," I said, glancing around for the night watchman. "I'll just let them know."
He took me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes. "The Knights can't handle this. If you don't go up there, Kaybree, innocent people will die." His lips turned up in a slight smile. "And besides, aren't you just a little curious?" He let go of me and turned away, adjusting his coat lapels. He strode off down the hallway before I could say a word, his footfalls disappearing into the distance.
I turned toward the stairs, his words burning in my ears. I couldn't stop now. Even if he was wrong, I had to check.
I took the stairs two at a time, lifting the hem of my skirt to avoid tripping. I'd worn the bordertown style of blouse and skirt tonight, since it was more conducive to the physical work. I reached the top with my heart hammering. The bridge was eerily silent, and I burst into the chamber to find the guard gone and the doors thrown wide open, just as Mikael had said. Bugs scuttled in from the ceiling. I ran inside, conscious of the creatures creeping around me. A few fell from the ceiling onto my clothes, and I brushed them off before they made me vomit. Why had God invented bugs after all? They were so disgusting.
"I think we should go," said a voice that I knew. "This is starting to get weird." I paled. It was Mira.
"Come on," said Will's voice from up in the corridor. "Didn't you say you were trying to find out what was up here? These people turn sages away at the doors. If we don't explore this place now, you're going to have a lot of disappointed grandkids when they ask for a story."
Mira and Will? I cursed myself for getting her involved in this. She was curious now about what my mother had hidden up here, and I'd led them into danger. I had to get them out of here before another Angel came.
"Well, sure," I heard Mira say. "But what are we going to tell the guards? My grandchildren made me do it?"
"We can say we came in because we thought someone was hurt. That line always works."
More bugs dropped onto the floor. I squished them as I ran, trying not to think about cleaning the bottoms of my shoes later.
"But why would the guards leave like this? Lady Andreya will be furious if she finds out that—"
Mira screamed. I burst into the tower keep to find Will and Mira scrambling behind a table as a massive shape leapt at them. The silver glow of moonlight through the windows illuminated an advancing shape: a great white direwolf. It snapped its jaws at Mira, missing her by inches. It leapt onto the table and growled. "They say that drinking kills," he said, jumping off of the table and stalking toward them. Will and Mira backed up until they hit the window. "But curiosity kills faster."
"Wait!" I said. I bolted forward, sliding the ring onto my finger. I clutched the heretic bone hanging around my neck, beside Mikael's key. "I'm the one you're looking for."
The wolf turned to look at me. I stared into his golden eyes, into a gaze human in intelligence, but savage in hunger. "You miss one Witch to find another," he said, taking slow steps toward me. For some reason, the calm tone of his voice unnerved me more than if he'd been enraged. Predatory beasts were not supposed to stalk quietly toward their prey. Neither were they supposed to speak. "The Lancer should be here soon. He won't mind if I clear the path for him a bit."
Who was the Lancer? The other Angel? I backed away as he prowled toward me. I tried to focus my mind, as Galen had taught me. Think about nothing. Let the power flow into you. I locked eyes with the wolf, letting him come closer. The ring sizzled in my pocket, and energy crackled around my body like an electric suit of armor. The wolf pounced, and all of my concentration vanished. I dodged to the side, pulling out my hand and shoving the ring at him. My hand was blue with energy, with lines of electricity snaking around it.
The wolf hesitated. "She's teaching you, too," he said, circling around. "Wretched Witches. Your curiosity is breeding like a pack of spring rabbits." He leapt at me. I swung at him with my lightning hand, but missed. A heav
y blow knocked me to the floor, and the wolf leapt atop me with unthinkable speed. Jaws snapped at my face. Panic rushed through me. Why wasn't this working? I'd vowed to Galen that I would protect the people of Nordgard. I'd made a promise, and I intended to keep it.
Light exploded around me. The wolf backed away, snarling at me. I raised my hand and saw that my whole body radiated that crackling lightning energy. Somehow, I'd managed to transform. I turned to the wolf. "Get out," I said, taking a step toward him. He growled and ran out the door, disappearing into the hallway.
"Kaybree?" It was Will. He and Mira crouched by the windowsill, staring at me. "Is that you?"
I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the window. The form staring back had my shape, but instead of flesh, there was only the whirring bolts of blue and purple energy, pulsing like a colony of fireflies. The image only lingered for a second, because the light of my own reflection blinded me, and forced me to look away. "Yeah, it's me," I said. I reached over and took off the ring. The glowing stopped, and I reverted to my ordinary self. My clothes smelled like they were burnt, but otherwise I was the same.
"What happened to you, Kaybree?" Mira asked, staring at me like she'd never seen me before. "Please tell me this has nothing to do with your mother's voodoo Witch stuff."
I swallowed. "This has to do with my mother's voodoo Witch stuff. Sorry."
Mira shook her head. "No, it's no problem, really. I mean, you did just save us from that scary wolf thing. But . . . how?"
"That's what I want to know," I said, partly to myself. They got up and shakily moved toward the hall. I heard footsteps and waved for them to stay back. I peered out into the hallway and saw Jans walking toward us. I tensed, waiting to spring into action if the wolf returned. I was about to warn him to leave, but then someone came out of the armory to meet him: Father Kraus.
"Brother Jans," he said, frowning. "What are you doing up here? The tower is forbidden to those outside the Order."
"I'm sorry," Jans said, glancing around. "I just heard a noise and thought I'd come up and check."
Kraus ushered him down the hallway. "Well, you'd better get back," he said. "Whatever it was, it looks like it left. We wouldn't want to get caught inside the tower after hours. I'm surprised the night watchman isn't here." I motioned for Will and Mira to be quiet. Once Jans and Kraus were gone, we could slip out and nobody would ever know we were here. As long as the wolf didn't tell his Angel masters who I was.
When they'd reached the end of the hall, Jans turned back. "What is it?" the relics teacher asked.
Jans shook his head. "I don't know. Why don't you stay here while I investigate?"
The other sage grabbed his arm. "You shouldn't go alone. I'll come with you."
"I'm fine alone."
Kraus frowned. "It's too dangerous. I'll scout ahead first."
Jans sighed, as if in resignation. "No, Father. I'm afraid you won't." He threw his hand off of his arm and then reached up and snapped Kraus's neck.
A sickening crack echoed through the hall. I stared as Father Kraus's limp form collapsed to the floor. What had Jans done? I turned back as he advanced through the hall. Jans had just killed Father Kraus. As I grappled with that awful fact, I tried to sort out the reasons. Why would he do such a thing? And how did he even have the strength to do so?
Will shook me. "Hey, carrier pigeon to Kaybree," he said. "I must be seeing things, because I think I just saw Jans snap somebody's neck. Please don't tell me that Jans just snapped somebody's neck."
"Jans just snapped somebody's neck."
He clenched a fist. "Nothing but bad news today," he muttered. "What do we do now?"
"Let me handle this," I said. I put the ring back on. "You two, find a place to hide. This shouldn't take long." Will and Mira scrambled away toward an alcove in the corner of the room. Jans's footsteps grew louder behind me. I concentrated on the ring, fighting with my fear and revulsion to bring it under control. Focus. It's just you and the Weapon, I thought. I'm calm. I'm totally calm. I'm totally not thinking about my history teacher killing people and sneaking into my mother's tower and—
"Who's there?" Jans called out. The sound startled me, and I lost my focus on the ring. The same light as before flared to life around me, and I noticed my hands changing—into bolts of lightning. I had no idea what had happened, or what it meant to be a Witch, but somehow I'd transformed again.
I looked at Jans. If I hadn't seen him earlier, I wouldn't have recognized him. His body had changed too, only instead of becoming a writhing mass of lightning, he had become a monster. His face distorted into sharp, jagged angles, and his skin was an ashen gray. His sinewy arms and legs extended longer than normal, and blocky muscles bulged out from his robes.
"You." He said it with such rancor, such bitter hatred, that I didn't notice he'd rushed toward me until the impact. I didn't feel the initial hit, but I did feel myself slam into the wall. Pieces of brick fell around my feet. I knew I should feel pain, but my mind tuned it out, narrowing its focus to the fight. A claw shot toward me. I brought my hand up to block, and sparks shot out. I tried to get a clear view of Jans, but his face was twisted in rage, and his claws flew at me. I blocked his attacks, but he struck so quickly that I couldn't pause to make an attack of my own. Survival was my only goal. I didn't know how much damage my lightning self could take, and I remembered waking up with cuts and bruises after my last fight. If those claws raked across my stomach now, would I awaken with a mortal wound in the morning?
Jans grabbed me by the shoulders. His claws sank into my arms and back. We met each other's gaze, my flickering eyes against his black coals. He threw me across the room, smashing me through the window. I grabbed onto a jagged piece of glass and hurtled back into the room. Icy wind howled inside from the broken window. I braced myself as Jans lunged at me.
I can do this, I thought. Jans slashed at my face, and I batted his claws away. Galen believes in me. Otherwise he wouldn't have started teaching me. I punched at Jans, clipping him in the ear. I'm a Witch. Mikael said it's my destiny. I've fought Angels—I can fight Jans too. I kept telling myself I could do it. I kept telling myself I could fight him. Because if I stopped to consider my chances of surviving against a thousand-year-old demonic messenger, the fear might have killed me first.
He kicked me full in the chest, knocking me into the other window. It cracked, but held. I latched onto him as he came closer. He slammed me into the wall, lifting me into the air.
"Why must you damn your people?" he screamed. I blinked in confusion. "WHY?" Before I could answer, my necklace dangled in his face and brushed against his nose. Jans's flesh burned at the touch, smoke rising from the wound, and he dropped me to the ground, backing away. I heard a commotion in the hallway. Jans glanced back and then ran out through the window, floating until he reached a rooftop. I watched him run across the rooftops until he disappeared into the night.
My eyes widened as I held the heretic bone dangling from my neck. An object like that could only harm a divine being. An Angel.
The curtains by the window flapped violently in the wind. Jans was an Angel? How was that possible? His dark, menacing visage contrasted sharply with the Angel from the forest, the one from my dreams. Was this the true form of the beings that had guided mankind to civilization?
A wave of exhaustion hit me. My arms and legs ached, and I steadied myself against the cracked window, noticing that my hands had reverted to normal. So had my legs. I shivered in the frigid wind, realizing that the burnt threads floating to the floor were the remains of my clothes.
"Kaybree!" Will ran over into the moonlight. "Lightning Girl! You all right?"
I blushed and grabbed one of the curtains from the window, throwing it over my body. "I'm over here," I said. My voice sounded cracked. My throat burned. "Can you bring my coat?"
Will walked over. "Your coat? Why do you—" He saw me behind the curtain and looked away, his cheeks reddening. Perhaps his vaunted claims to being a
gentleman had some merit. "Oh. Wait here." A minute later, he handed me my coat and I wrapped it around me. As awkward as it felt to wear only a coat, it still covered what needed to be covered. We headed out the way we'd come, my bare feet slapping against the icy, wet stones of the bridge. Once we'd gone down the stairs, Will led us into a side room while a group of soldiers marched up to the tower.
We sat on the cold desks for a while, looking back and forth between one another, not daring to speak. I put the ring in my coat pocket, rubbing my hands for warmth. Finally, Will cleared his throat. "Well, I knew we might get in trouble going up there. But I was thinking of the digging latrines kind of trouble, not the losing-limbs kind."
Mira turned to me, her face ashen. "You said he . . . it . . . was an Angel?"
"Yes. Jans is an Angel. And he's trying to kill us."
Will nodded. "And you fight them by turning into . . . Lightning Girl?"
"Yeah."
He shrugged. "Never thought I'd actually see an Angel," he said, walking over and closing the curtains. He lit a candle on the torch outside and shut the door, lighting one of the room's table lamps. "From what people were saying, it was about what I'd expect. But without the wings."
Mira smiled. "Yeah, no wings. He jumped really far, though."
I didn't care. Wings or no wings, these Angels were dangerous. But it encouraged me that Will and Mira were taking it so well. I huddled in my coat, now slick with the trickles of blood from my wounds. My body was so numb that I barely noticed the little throbs down my back and shoulders. "I'm still not sure what's going on," I said. "But I don't think I'm dead yet, so that's something. Are you two all right?"
Mira patted my shoulder. "We're fine. Thanks to you." She bit her lip. "But this is . . . I don't know. I don't know what to think. Is this all real?"
"Yeah. It is." Not much could be said after that, and we returned to our melancholy silence. We stared at the flickering flame of the candles, lost in thought. The Angels were real, and were trying to destroy us. And now my friends knew it, just like me.