The Curse of the Wolf Girl (50 page)

* * *

Downstairs, Moonglow was troubled. She knew Kalix didn’t tell them everything that went on in her life as a werewolf. “I don’t think Kalix would have kissed Decembrius without some powerful outside stimulation. Like a fight or something.”

“Who would she be fighting?”

“I’m sure there are still werewolves who are out to get her.”

“Can I kiss you?” said Daniel.

“How did that follow on from what I just said?”

“We were talking about kissing.”

“No, we weren’t. Anyway, you’d get sick.”

“What if I wouldn’t?”

“But you would.”

“You’re avoiding giving me a proper answer,” complained Daniel. He slumped into the couch. “How did we get cursed anyway? It’s uncalled for, in this day and age. I’m going to listen to music.”

“Don’t play it too loud.”

“And you keep complaining about my music. Life is hell.” Daniel went upstairs to sulk and to listen to music through his headphones.

Decembrius hurried to the twins’ house in Camden, looking for Dominil. He told her about events in the park, including the notable piece of news that Red Ruraich had been shot. Decembrius didn’t know if he’d been killed or not. It was grave news anyway. Ruraich was head of the MacAndrises, and though they were small in numbers, they were an ancient werewolf clan. Ruraich was known to everybody.

“We seem to be losing to the guild,” said Dominil.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Decembrius grinned. “They don’t have as many hunters as they used to. Thanks mainly to Kalix.”

“She killed a hunter?”

“Three, I think. She’s quite a savage when she gets going.”

From Decembrius’s tone, Dominil sensed he rather admired Kalix’s display of savagery. That wasn’t unusual for a MacRinnalch. No werewolf would ever be unpopular among the clan for killing the hated hunters.

Dominil called Thrix, who called the castle, spreading the news. The Mistress of the Werewolves was deeply shocked. Once more she wished that the werewolves in London would return to the castle. At least they’d all be in Scotland in a fortnight, for her fundraising event or for the Yum Yum Sugary Snacks gig.

* * *

Markus was in Edinburgh, attending to the preparations at Andamair House. When he received a call from his mother, he immediately arranged to return to the castle. As Thane, he needed to be at Castle MacRinnalch to reassure the clan once news of Red Ruraich became known.

He felt sorry to be leaving Heather MacAllister. She was a designer, not long out of Edinburgh University, a member of the MacAllister werewolf clan, currently employed on the renovations. She was a pretty werewolf, dark-haired, quite petite. Markus had begun an affair with her a week or so ago. He hadn’t really intended to but had fallen into it after they’d both been working late. They’d planned to drive back to Edinburgh separately but had been delayed by a thick fog rolling in from the sea. The fog, called
haar
by the local inhabitants and not uncommon in the area, blanketed the region, making driving impossible. Finding themselves stranded in Andamair House for the night, it hadn’t taken much for Markus and Heather to get together.

Possibly it hadn’t been the wisest thing to do. The Mistress of the Werewolves would not be pleased to find her son dating two werewolves at the same time. Baron MacAllister might be offended too, if he learned of it. Heather was his grandniece, and he took an interest in her career.

Before returning to the castle, Markus posted money to Dominil for the hunters she’d killed as arranged. While his mother and the barons’ natural reaction was to withdraw from the south altogether, Markus rather wished that he could go there himself. Markus wasn’t the strongest werewolf in the clan, but he was a spirited fighter and hated the hunters as much as anyone. He’d welcome the opportunity to fight them. But the Thane couldn’t just abandon his duties to fight on the streets of London.

He wondered why more werewolves around the castle didn’t do just that. Those without family or work responsibilities could go to London and help fight the guild. Few did so. The clan had grown used to keeping its true nature quiet. Most MacRinnalchs wanted nothing more than to grow up and live near their place of birth and be left alone. Perhaps that was a failing, mused Markus. No MacRinnalch believed that the Avenaris Guild could ever trouble them in their Scottish stronghold, but what if they were wrong? If the guild were to grow in strength and gain confidence through victories in London, who knew what might happen? Perhaps one day, the MacRinnalchs would find the guild on their doorstep.

* * *

In London, at the twins’ house, Decembrius felt suddenly weary as his exertions caught up with him. Dominil offered him the use of one of the spare rooms. Before retiring, he asked her about Kalix.

“What about her?”

“She isn’t getting anywhere with Gawain. Finding his killer, I mean.”

“So?”

“I thought you might have a suggestion.”

“I suggest you help her to pass her exam,” said Dominil. “That would be a more worthwhile way of spending your time.”

“I don’t think Kalix would see it like that.”

“Probably not.” Dominil stared at Decembrius with her deep black eyes. It was unsettling. “Do you care who killed Gawain? Or are you just trying to impress Kalix?”

Decembrius didn’t reply.

“I take it your powers of perception haven’t returned?”

“How did you know they’d gone?”

“It was obvious.”

Decembrius felt deflated and abandoned the conversation. He didn’t like Dominil and couldn’t imagine why he’d thought it worthwhile to ask her anything about Kalix.

Dominil left him to sleep, feeling slightly relieved that Decembrius’s powers of seeing showed no sign of returning. If he learned about Gawain’s death and told Kalix, there would be trouble.

Isn’t this fun?” enthused Vex.

Kalix didn’t reply. They were on their way to college to take a test in preparation for the upcoming exam. The young werewolf couldn’t imagine anything less fun. Moonglow kept insisting there was nothing to worry about. Kalix gritted her teeth and swore that if Moonglow tried to reassure her one more time, she’d leap out of the car and walk there herself. When Daniel pulled up at the curb, she fled the vehicle as quickly as she could. Behind her, Vex was assuring Daniel and Moonglow that everything was going to go well.

“I have new pencils and everything!” she said cheerfully, “and a new yellow marker and a
Tokyo Top Pop Boom-Boom Girl
mouse pad!”

“Good luck,” said Daniel and Moonglow.

Vex hurried after Kalix, but as she rounded the old stone gate at the front of the college, she almost ran into two girls who were finishing off their cigarettes before going inside. Vex tried to duck past them unnoticed. She was unsuccessful. The larger of the two grabbed her arm. “Look. It’s Spiky Hair.”

Vex’s spiky bleached hair had already elicited disparaging comments from the pair. Vex didn’t know what they did at the college, but for some reason, they didn’t seem to take to her.

“What’s this?” demanded the smaller of the two, who wore a tracksuit and some pieces of gold jewelry. She grabbed the music player that dangled from Vex’s neck. It was a cheap player, very out of date. The girls laughed.

“Let go of it,” said Vex.

“Didn’t we tell you not to bother us again?”

“I wasn’t bothering you.”

“Yes, you were.”

Vex tried to pull away, but she lacked the strength, and the two girls held her tight while removing her music player. Vex, having no idea why she was being bullied, didn’t know what to do. She asked the girls to let go of her again, but they just laughed.

“I don’t like your hair.”

Vex started to choke as the larger girl increased the pressure of her grip. They were interrupted by a menacing growl, a sound that didn’t seem like it should have come from the lips of the skinny girl who appeared beside them.

“Let her go,” said Kalix.

The girls laughed. The larger one swung a lazy slap at her, which Kalix nimbly avoided. She looked at Vex. “Has this happened before?”

Vex looked uncomfortable. “A few times. It’s okay.”

Kalix grabbed the larger girl’s wrist and twisted it. The girl yelped in pain. Kalix let go and then slapped the girl hard across the face. The force of the blow sent her crashing to the ground.

Her friend looked on in alarm and took a step back. “Don’t hit me.”

Kalix hit her as hard as she’d hit her friend. The girl tumbled to the ground with blood coming from her lip. Kalix reached down and retrieved Vex’s music player. Not yet satisfied, she tore the large girl’s own music player from her neck. She dropped it on the ground and stamped on it. The player shattered into small pieces under her boot. Kalix seemed to enjoy the destruction and aimed a kick into the smaller girl’s ribs. This time she screamed in pain. Kalix raised her foot again.

“Okay, let’s go,” said Vex, and she grabbed hold of Kalix to drag her away before she did anything worse.

Kalix looked back as she was being led away and shouted at the girls on the ground, “If you bother Vex again, I’ll kill you.”

Vex hurried them into the building.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were being bullied?”

“I didn’t want to worry anyone.”

“It’s not a worry. If anyone picks on you again, tell me. I’ll sort it out.”

They walked into their exam. The physical confrontation, though minor by Kalix’s standards, had a beneficial effect on her mental state, calming her down. When the papers arrived on her desk, she wasn’t quite as agitated as she might have been.

“I’m not going to fail this test,” thought Kalix, logging on to her personal page on the computer. “I’m going to think positively like Moonglow suggested, and I’m going to pass.”

She clicked the mouse, bringing up the first question.

“To be answered in ten seconds: Add £1.20 to £2.78.”

Kalix’s palms began to sweat. “I was wrong,” she thought. “I’m not going to answer a single question, and I’m going to fail.” She nervously reached beneath her sleeve to scratch her arm, irritating the wound, and making a little blood flow.

The Fire Queen had not anticipated enjoying her evening’s entertainment, and her judgment proved to be sound. Young Countess Rechen-Gaval, who had only just inherited her title, was far too full of herself for the queen’s liking and was dangerously well dressed. Her cocktail dress was a vibrant red, sculpted quite simply, and it reminded Malveria of something she’d admired in this month’s issue of
Elle
. The countess had accessorized it with a pair of shoes by Missoni and a silk belt. The whole outfit was extremely stylish. Malveria recalled with regret that Thrix had advised her that belts were being worn with cocktail dresses this season. Malveria had rejected Thrix’s advice. Gazing at the countess, she realized she’d made a mistake.

It quite put Malveria off the refreshments. Her mood brightened a little when Beau DeMortalis appeared and complimented her clothes and beauty, but before the queen could fully appreciate it, the countess appeared. She somehow managed to drape herself over the duke, and she led him away on the pretense of needing advice at the card table.

“As I suspected,” said Malveria to her friend Duchess Gargamond, “the new countess is a shameless trollop, much as her mother was.”

Gargamond was eager to play whist at the card tables in the next room.

“Must we?” sighed the queen. “Kabachetka will be there. I can feel a headache coming on already.”

“Come on, Malveria,” said the duchess, and she actually clapped Malveria on the shoulder, something that very few Elementals would have been allowed to do. “We’ll show these youngsters what we’re made of.”

Malveria winced, not liking the implication that she herself might be anything but young. She followed the duchess into the card room, fearing the worst. Her spies had told her that Kabachetka had been studying assiduously with a new card master, and while the princess was undoubtedly a stupid woman, there was no telling how her game might have improved.

The queen settled down reasonably comfortably with her partner for a game of whist with the Sorceress Livia and Lady Esuvius, neither of whom were likely to do anything to upset her. She noticed Distikka sitting with Princess Kabachetka at the far end of the room and was pleased. She’d asked Distikka to keep Kabachetka away from her for as long as possible, and her personal advisor, efficient as always, was doing just that.

Kalix stood outside her front door in the rain, gloomily reflecting on her latest failure at college. The drain at the side of the road was blocked, as it often was, causing a pool of water to lap onto the pavement. The pavement itself was cracked and broken, with some of the old paving stones starting to sink, producing uneven ridges that could trip an unwary pedestrian. Along with the boarded-up shop front, it all made for a depressing sight. Kalix sighed as the rain flattened her hair, allowing her odd, wolf-like ears to show through. After a long delay, she slid her key into the lock, desperately hoping there was no one home. She didn’t want to talk about her test. She crept quietly upstairs and sneaked into the living room.

“Kalix! How did the test go?”

“Daniel!” cried Moonglow. “I told you not to ask Kalix about it.”

“Sorry.”

“You’re so tactless. Kalix won’t want to talk about it in case it went badly. Though I’m sure it went well. How did it go?”

“Badly,” said Kalix.

“Oh.”

“I failed.”

“You got the results already?”

“No. But I know I failed anyway.”

Moonglow tried to be reassuring. “You probably did better than you imagine.”

“I failed.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I panicked and ran out of the room again.”