The Pearl Savage (14 page)

Where were her protectors? He looked
at the male…he would pay dearly. With a final look at the Princess,
he raced up the incline, bound for the stand of trees, his throat
slits pouring oxygen into his circulatory system. Bracus needed it,
he would run the entire way back to his clan, where he would alert
the Band to this change.

Charles
saw the
savage
look at
him with murderous intent and realized that he thought that Charles’
was responsible for the abuse he saw on Clara’s face. Not that it
mattered what a
savage
thought but it bothered Charles that another would think he could
harm Clara. He was a huge male, inches taller than Charles, with the
strange gills she spoke of, opening and closing with his breathing.
But it was his eyes that transfixed Charles, eyes which narrowed,
memorizing Charles’ face. He looked one
last
time at Clara then turned, flying up the incline to the Forest of
Trees Outside, his form slipping into the wood, disappearing from
sight.

Charles
stared for a moment after the
savage,
glad that the sphere protected him, as he had seen his beating upon
the
savage’s
face. His
fixation on Clara made Charles uneasy. The
savages’
existence was a problem. Surely Clara could see that? And what of his
plan to escape with her? To get her away from this abuse and safely
Outside, but the
savages
were
there.

Clara stirred in his arms and he
lifted her up easily, she weighed nothing. He lay her down gently, a
fragile burden, her face swollen and marked. His chest grew tight
again, thinking of Prince Frederick and what he was unable to stop
him from doing.

Clara
opened her eyes and saw Charles. She quickly looked at the window for
the
savage
.

“He is gone,” Charles said.

Clara sank back in her pillow and
Charles reached out to her face, gently running a finger over her
lip, picturing the Prince. “I could kill him, you know.”

Clara captured his finger. “Do
not,” as she lay his hand against her uninjured cheek.

“I do have a plan, dear Clara.”

“Is it the same one that Sarah
has?” Clara whispered.

“It is. We will reconvene later,
when you feel better and establish a time line.”

Charles looked at her face. “I am
so sorry. He beat you because of me and I could do nothing.”

“He needed no excuse, it would
have happened eventually.”

“Why do you say this?”

“He is of the Queen’s ilk. He
enjoys punishing for its own sake.”

They were silent for a moment.

Charles
looked off at the window, his face darkening. “Why does the
savage
return to you?”

“I do not know,” Clara said,
giving a small shrug, but added, “he does not mean me harm.”

“
He
looked like he meant
me
harm!”

Clara had a horrible thought. “I
fought you…”

“Yes, I am sorry I took you by
surprise, I thought that… I do not know what I thought. I saw him
looming over you and lost myself. After last night, I feel just a tad
bit more protective than before. It makes no sense, as he cannot
breach the sphere…”

“He thinks that you harmed me.”

Charles
nodded, remembering the
savage’s
eyes.

“It cannot be good, I feel there
is a purpose for these visits he makes. I do not know for what reason
but there is one.” Clara sat up in bed with a clear sense of
foreboding wrapping itself around her, stealing into her bones and
she grew cold. Charles folded her into his arms and she allowed
herself to be held. His strong arms tightened about her and Clara
could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady. The smell of his
maleness and the warmth of him a comfort she was used to.

****

Clara righted her appearance as much
as she was able but looked battered. Taking the back streets that the
street lights did not illuminate, she made haste to Sarah’s domicile.

Clara crossed the threshold of the
foyer that lay unlocked, always, the interior door barring intruders.
Guardian knew, there was always a faction of the People that busied
themselves with theft. She depressed a bell fashioned of a hammered
brass scroll, slightly warm from the steam which lit it softly. Clara
could see Sarah’s form through the warped glass, over one hundred
years old, distorting her image.

Sarah opened the door and gasped,
her hand flying to her mouth. “Good Guardian, it looks worse this
day than one day past.”

Clara nodded, she knew from
experience that it would not right itself for another week hence.

“It is bad, but has been worse.”
But she had never suffered such about her face.

Sarah stared hard at Clara, then,
saying nothing she stepped aside. “Please, come in, do not linger.
Charles will arrive momentarily.”

Clara passed into the beautifully
appointed interior, gazing upon all the things she had seen her whole
life during a friendship that spanned their lifetime.

The foyer was lit by a single
steam-chandelier. Its soft, apricot glow reflecting off the mercury
glass balls that Sarah collected, stacked haphazardly in a large bowl
inside the vestibule. Clara stood a little uncertainly, feeling the
weight of an unknown decision pressing down upon her. She felt
miserable at the thought of deserting her People, if even for an
indefinite period.

Sarah stared at Clara critically.
“Do not fret, you cannot help us if you are dead.” She made
direct eye contact. “And well you know that will be
the
terminus with that depraved man.”

Charles entered, hearing the last
comment. “I wouldn’t call that cad anything close to ‘man,’…
abomination
is more like it.”

He leaned down to Clara, giving her
a feathers kiss on her forehead, the only unmarred skin on her face.

Clara leaned gratefully into his
affection and Charles fought not to wrap her up into something more
intimate. Sarah watched them both with narrowed eyes, Charles meeting
hers over Clara’s head.

Clara thought she was protecting her
People, but it was her friends that were her protectors.

“Follow me,” Sarah said, moving
ahead of him. The bustle of her skirt made a soft rustling sound as
she entered the parlor, seating herself on a beautifully made
rosewood loveseat. Charles and Clara settled themselves in the
flanking chairs that matched the settee.

Charles began, “We will get Clara
out of this sphere, however, it may be best that she disappear, into
the Outside…”

“Are you mad?” Sarah asked.

Charles’ eyebrows drew up into an
offended scowl.

But it was Clara that answered, “We
do not know enough about Outside to know the outcome of such an
escape.”

Charles waved the comment away
dismissively. “
They
live
Outside. And might I add, seem to be of robust composition!”

Sarah scowled,
males
, she
thought with irritation, never thinking about danger, but embracing
it. “You must know that they have physical attributes which make
the Outside tolerable,” she said with thinly veiled scorn. “Another
sphere is the practical choice.” She leaned back, satisfied with
her answer’s truth.

Charles’ eyes narrowed. “It is
where
they
will not look.”

Clara could see where this was
headed, the two of them fought like feral cats. “Stop this.” They
looked at her, mouths open in preparation for rebutting each other.“I
have decided what must be done.”

The silence stretched out, Clara
could hear the steam rising from the small clock on the wall, the
ticking loud in the silence.

“I will do as Charles suggests…”

Sarah opened her mouth in protest
but Clara held a hand up to silence her. “Look upon my face.”

They looked.

“He will not let me live. He will
chase me wheresoever I go
and will
not think that I would breach the sphere.”

Sarah made a last attempt to stymie
what she thought was a dangerous plan, “You will compromise the
sphere.” The comment fell as a stone in a shallow pond.

Charles glared at Sarah, who knew
very well how closely Clara guarded the safety of her People. Sarah
glared right back, she cared not, she wished for Clara’s safety above
her own.

Clara rolled her lower lip between
her teeth, forgetting her injuries and wincing at the contact.
Charles laid his hand on top of Clara’s, his finger absently stroking
circles.

“Dear Guardian, do you think I
would endanger her?” he asked, aghast,
insulted
.

“Not intentionally.”

“I would not endanger her
accidentally either.”

“It is unknown and there are the
savages
to consider.”

“They mean no harm. I do not care
what the Record Keeper reports,” Clara said.

“Some mean harm, obviously,”
Sarah said, giving Clara the full measure of her stare.

“What say you, Sarah?” Charles
looked from one to the other of them, knowing they had a shred of
secrecy tethered between them.

Clara looked down at her hands,
tightly clasped in her lap, having let go of his hand.

“Clara?” he asked softly,
prompting her.

Clara sighed heavily. “A
savage
appeared at the window…”

“I am aware…”

“No, not the one that you saw
today…
another
,” Clara
said quietly.

“You did not speak of this, why?”

“I know that you worry,” she
twisted her hands mercilessly, “and it means nothing… as they
cannot breach the sphere.”

“But they can,” Sarah said,
looking at them significantly.

Charles looked back at her. “They
may not know the peril of salt.”

“Why does everyone believe that
they are not intelligent beings? Mayhap they understand us as well as
we understand them. Possibly more,” Clara said.

She thought of the reaction of the
savage
and how it quickened her blood that he responded to her
battery so passionately. She was resolute. She would not be
reacquired in a neighboring kingdom. Charles was right, she needed to
get away somewhere that she could not be easily found. Escaping her
mistreatment loomed large for Clara. She was a coward to think of
herself foremost. But her face hurt and her spirit wilted at the
prospect of more savagery at the hands of Prince Frederic, who did
not even have wine as an excuse.

****

It was decided after much
discussion, their eyes growing grainy from tiredness, that after the
monarchs’ departure one day hence at midday, Clara and Charles would
go on a trade to the Kingdom of West Virginia, the Queen’s home
sphere. Where Clara would breach the sphere tunnel walls, and slip
through. The details mired down with the inclusion of the guard.
Clara paced as she and Charles thought of what they could do so the
guard would not prevent her escape but neither would they be blamed
for allowing it. “We must use the sleeping potion that The Doctor
uses for the twilight sleep,” Clara said.

“That is measured, what if we
murder them by accident?” Charles asked in a flat voice.

“You are still contrary because of
their indecision?”

“I am afraid it will remain thus,
as it was
they
who saw fit to
not
aid you while they
had me bound as well.”

Sarah broke in, “Charles, would
you be at the mercy of the Queen if you could prevent it?”

Charles’ scowled. “I would not
choose it but I would have suffered much to help Clara out of that
most dire circumstance.”

They were silent for a few moments
then Sarah said, “How will you manage to accompany her then? I do
not envision the Queen will allow you that
reward.
”

Sarah had hit at the bottom of it.
Charles was not Ada’s favorite because he was
Clara’s.
She
could do nothing about that. But she would endeavor to think up a
scheme. Which she told the two of them, adding that Charles should
procure the twilight drug that would make the guard fall into false
sleep.

“Clarence is the guard at the
start of the trade tunnel, he will let us through?” Clara
clarified.

“The one you spar with, Charles?”
Sarah asked.

“Yes, it is he,” Charles
replied.

“Will he suffer at the Queen’s
hand?” Clara asked.

“I think not, he can blame the
twilight sleep and she will have to be content with that,” he said.

Clara stood, every bone in her body
weary, her conscience assailing her at every turn. She knew she was
abandoning her People to save her wretched, royal skin. She had never
felt less
royal
in her life.

Sarah knew she needed to say what
she had before, “He will kill you.”

Charles nodded.

“I know,” Clara whispered.

She walked out into a night lit by
lamps that illuminated cobblestones, their hissing the symphony by
which she made her way home.

CHAPTER 16

Bracus’ lungs were on fire, his
throats slits hot slashes at his neck, overworked and begging for
cessation. He ignored his body’s demands to stop, as he saw the
clan’s fence come into view, the points on the top mimicking spears.
He slowed to a jog and made the birdlike sound that alerted the guard
that it was a warrior of the Band who approached.

Two guards were needed to open the
gate. It was laborious and Bracus waited, taking great inhalations of
sweet air, his hands planted on his hips. He hopped from one foot to
the other, not wanting to be stiff. He needed to make a small team
ready for the journey back to the sphere.

The Princess was in imminent danger.