On the Edge Part 12

Jack swallowed. This had to be done very carefully.

aSHOULDNaT you be out looking for my brother instead of sitting here eating lunch?a Rose pa.s.sed the potatoes to Declan.

aYouare supposed to want me to fail, remember?a Declan snagged two additional Edge burgers off the platter. He seemed to really like them. They werenat anything special. Shead seasoned the ground beef with garlic, salt, pepper, and a pinch of swamp spice, added an equal amount of cooked rice, shaped the mix into Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) oblong patties, rolled them in bread crumbs, and fried them.

The rice made the meat go twice as long, and n.o.body could taste it.

Declan ate like a horse. If he did manage to catch Jack, which she seriously doubted, Rose vowed to go down to Max Tayloras and exchange the two doubloons now in her possession for some money. She would need more groceries to feed him.

Having him in her kitchen was like trying to serve lunch to a deadly tiger. Declan was too large, his shoulders too broad, his eyes too predatory. His face was inscrutable. She wished she could search his head and find out what really went on in there.

He caught her looking and hit her with a direct stare. His gaze lingered on her face.

On the other hand, it probably was best she didnat know what he was thinking.

Declan sliced a piece of the burger, put it into his mouth, and chewed with an expression of complete happiness. aMy wife will never have to cook,a he said.

aWhy?a Georgie asked, imitating Declanas surgical precision with his own knife and fork.

aBecause I employ a cook. But I want you to promise me, Rose . . .a He put another piece of the burger into his mouth and paused.

aYou really should cut your food into pieces small enough so you donat have to swallow before you can talk,a she said. Take that, Mr. Manners.

aI wasnat busy chewing. I was savoring the taste. It might surprise you, but when I find something delicious, I take my time to enjoy it.a His gaze caught hers just in case she missed his innuendo.

aYou donat say,a she said dryly.

He ate another bite. aPromise me that when we marry, youall occasionally make these. As a special treat.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aYouare impossible,a she told him and slid the platter of burgers closer to him in spite of herself.

Georgie poked his burger with his fork and leaned over to Declan. aHer fried chicken is better,a he said.

aGeorgie!a She glared at him in outrage. aWhose side are you on? Youare not supposed to tell him my fried chicken is good.a Georgie blinked in confusion. aWhat am I supposed to say?a aYouare supposed to tell him Iam a horrible cook, so heall go away and leave us alone.a Declan made an odd noise that sounded somewhat like a strangled cough.

Georgie glanced at Declan. aHeall never believe me. He likes your burgers.a aYou have to convince him. Be charming. Use your Edger wiles.a Georgie furrowed his eyebrows in thought and looked at Declan. aDonat eat her fried chicken. It tastes good, but she puts rat poison in it.a The inscrutable mask on Declanas face shattered. He leaned forward and laughed.

KNIFE. Knife, knife, knife.

Jack crawled through the gra.s.s like a fluffy caterpillar. Head circled the clearing three times, studying the lure from all angles, until he finally determined the size of the loop. It lay in wait in the gra.s.s, ready to snag him the moment the knife was touched.

But the loop was long and narrow. He could jump over it. He knew he could.

Jack crouched in the gra.s.s, tight and ready from the ends of his white whiskers to the tip of his short tail.

Jump, bite the knife, and spring the trap.

Sure, the lure wouldave caught any other beast, but Jack wasnat a dumb beast. He was smart.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Jack exploded into flight. He sailed over the loop, air rus.h.i.+ng past him, everything crystal clear and slow around him. The handle of the knife loomed before him. He bit it, the feel of its treated wood handle like honey in his mouth, and flew by, free and clear. The sapling sprang upright. The loop whistled past him.

Safe!

A green net rushed at him from below. He tried to veer in midflight, but it caught him and clamped him tight. He scrambled in its soft folds, slicing at it with his claws. The knife slid from his mouth and fell through the mesh to the ground. A meow of despair broke from Jack. He bounced a couple of times in the knot of the net, suspended high above the ground like a kitten in a sack, and then the net was still.

THIRTEEN.

A whispery rustling of leaves made Jack open his eyes. He unsheathed his claws and hissed.

Declan emerged from the undergrowth. He moved quietly and his eyes were different now: focused and dark. Hunteras eyes. Jack tensed.

The blueblood approached the net and then stopped, looking up.

aAre you hurt?a Jack hissed and spat, growling fighting noises.

aIall take that as a no.a Declan bent down, picked up the knife, wiped the handle on his sleeve, and sat on a mossy log.

aThere is a great difference between a knife and a sword.a He unsheathed the smaller sword he carried at his waist. The afternoon sun caught it, turning the blade into a beautiful long claw bright with reflected light.

aSwords are long and c.u.mbersome. They are made to kill your opponent in battle from a distance.a He Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) glanced at Jack with his scary green eyes. aSwords are not for you.a He sheathed the sword and picked up the knife. aKnives are quick. Efficient. Quiet. Thereas no such thing as a knife battle. When a knifemaster pulls out his blade, he doesnat want to fight off his opponent. He means to kill him.a Declan leapt off the log and struck at the empty air so quickly he became a blur.

aRogues carry knives.a The knife sliced and stabbed unseen opponents in a s.h.i.+mmering dance of steel. Jack watched, mesmerized.

So quick.

aThieves. Spies. a.s.sa.s.sins. They carry knives.a Declan tossed the blade into the air, caught it by the tip, and flipped the knife so the handle landed into his palm. aA knifemaster armed with a blade like this can go through a room full of soldiers. Iave seen it happen.a Jack wanted the knife so badly, even his tail itched for it.

Declan examined the blade. aA fighting knife like this canat be stolen. But you could earn it.a Jack p.r.i.c.ked his ears.

aIf you prove to me that you can be quick, efficient, and quiet.a Declan sat back on the log. aTwo miles north from here, there is a trail of the beasts that chased you. They run fast along the ground and they can climb, but theyare slow in the trees. A forest cat can easily outrun them in the branches. If such a cat were to track them, quietly and patiently and find their lair . . .a Jack growled and spat. He would fight them, he would . . .

aNo fighting,a Declan said. aSleek, stealthy, and silent. Like a knife sliding into a man in the darkness. Track the beasts. Find their lair. Donat be seen. If you do this and show me where they are, youall earn the knife.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) He smiled. aBut thatas an adventure for tomorrow. Right now we have to decide what to do with you. I caught you fair and square. Are you going to come quietly like a wise and patient predator, or will I have to carry you in the net, like a wild beast?a ROSE sat in the attic, the enormous dusty Encyclopedia of the Weird spread open on her lap. The book was two feet tall, about a foot thick, and heavy as h.e.l.l, and her thighs were sweaty and rapidly going numb in her jeans.

She had gone through the Bestiary but found nothing that had to do with the hounds. The Encyclopedia was her next best bet.

She turned the big page and adjusted her posture a bit. Her b.u.t.t was going numb, too.

Adrianglia, Formal Forms of Address. She scanned down the ranks . . . Earl. Earl of aDomain Name.a Lord aName.a She yawned and flipped back a page.

Earla"derivative of the Northland jarl. Equivalent to Count in Gaulic Empire. Landed n.o.ble above viscount but below marquis.

What was his name . . . Earl Carmine? Carmaine? Camarine.

Yes, that was it. She turned the pages to the index and found Earl Camarine.

Earl Camarine: n.o.ble ruling Earldom of Camarine.

Traditional domain of the Duke of the Southern Provinces. Most frequently used as a courtesy t.i.tle.

aCourtesy t.i.tle.a She wasnat sure exactly what that meant, but she got the gist of it. For all of his la-di-da manners, Declan wasnat even a real earl. Rose snickered.

aRose!a Georgieas high-pitched voice shattered her thoughts.

aComing!a She pushed the book off her lap and went down the ladder, dusting off her jeans. aGeorgie, did you go outside?a She marched onto the porch. aDidnat I tell you to stay inside?a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Declan stood in the yard. In his arms curled Jack. His eyes were shut. He growled softly in his sleep and kneaded Declanas arm with his claws. Declan didnat even wince. aI think heas tuckered out. Where do you want him?a The world reared and kicked her in the teeth. She took a moment to recover, and when she spoke, her voice was almost normal. aIall take him.a Declan gently deposited Jack into her arms. aIam sure it would hurt his feelings, but he makes a handsome kit.a aYou shouldave seen him when he was a baby,a Rose said through her shock. aNothing but fuzz and ear tufts. Every minute was like a National Geographic Kodak moment.a She took Jack inside and gently put him in his bed.

In an hour she served dinner. Jack slept through it.

Afterward Georgie curled up to reread InuYasha, yet again, and Rose brewed a cup of tea and escaped onto the porch. Her solitude didnat last.

Declan sat next to her on the steps. aDisappointed?a His voice held no mocking, and she shrugged. aYes. How did you do it?a aI set four traps and baited the most obvious one with a knife he drooled over in my room.a What did she expect? After all, Jack was only eight. It was a huge burden to put on him. She shouldnat have done it in the first place. When she had pictured Declan tracking Jack through the woods, the idea of him setting traps and lures had never entered her mind. aBoys and knives,a Rose murmured. aIrresistible attraction.a aWe never grow out of it.a He certainly didnat, considering how many swords and knives he dragged around with him. Dadas entire Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) room was full of blades.

In the soft light of the afternoon, Declanas features gained a new tint. His eyes looked into the distance. He seemed to be wrestling with his thoughts. The harsh line of his mouth relaxed. His gaze lost its aggression.

Sitting like this, he seemed almost approachable. The urge to touch him returned. It was natural, she told herself. He was so handsome, and she had no life. But just because she felt the irrational desire to kiss him didnat mean she had to follow through with it.

The last time he let the blueblood persona slip, he was reasonable. Maybe if she told him a little more about them, he would understand and leave them in peace.

aYou seem to like Jack,a she said carefully, testing the waters.

aHe tried his best,a he said. aTell me, why didnat he change shapes when the hounds were after him on the lawn? The survival instinct shouldave driven him to become a lynx in the face of danger.a Rose looked into her cup. aIt might be different in the Weird, but when changelings s.h.i.+ft in the Edge, itas almost like a seizure. They fall down and convulse. Itas frightening, and it can last up to a minute. If he had changed shapes, the creatures wouldave torn him apart before he had a chance to finish. It took us a long time to teach him not to go cat every time he got scared. Did you see the bracelet he wears?a aYes.a aI taught him that so long as the bracelet stays on, he knows not to change shapes. Itas not actually magic, or anything. Just conditioning.a aThat mustave taken a lot of work.a His voice betrayed respect.

aIt did.a Declan hesitated, mulling something over. Something was clearly eating at him.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aIn the Weird, the changeling children are segregated and taken to special schools until they become adults,a he said finally.

She glanced at him. aYou exile children?a Declan grimaced. aItas not exactly like that. There are specialized trainers, who oversee their education . . .a He fell silent. aYes,a he said with a measure of resignation.

aWe exile changeling children. Itas common wisdom that itas better for them.a aI can see how people would think that.a His thick eyebrows crept up. aI didnat expect you to agree with that.a aSome changelings are born human. Jack was born a kitten.

We knew something was wrong when he was in the womb, because my mother felt claws, and when Grandma did her spells, all the tests kept pointing to the forest. We couldnat take my mother to the hospital, because my parents were afraid Jack would die without magic, and my dad had to pay a huge bribe to the midwife from the Broken, so we could get him the proper doc.u.ments. When Jack was born, he wouldnat nurse.

My mother would pump her breast milk, and we had to feed it to him out of a bottle. It took him three days to change into a human, and when he finally did, he was still blind for almost a month. He looked odd as a baby. I thought he was deformed.a She swallowed the last of her tea. aEven now, with Jack, itas .

. . itas hard. He has moments when he stops understanding whatas being said. He hears the words and knows what they mean, but they just donat penetrate. He doesnat always comprehend why people react the way they do. And he fights like a maniac.

Older kids are terrified of him. Every time my phone rings and itas the school, I get panicky, because I Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) always think he mustave hurt someone. So yes, I can see how some people might find it too much. Ordinary human kids are hard enough as it is. Donat get me wrong, I would never give Jack up. Never. Theyad have to pry him from my dead fingers. But I always wonder, what if Iam doing things wrong?a aHeas one of the most socialized changelings I have ever seen,a Declan said. aHe goes to a regular school. He plays. Heas smart and can be reasoned with, and he shows empathy for other people. He talked about protecting George. I donat think you understand how remarkable that is.a She glanced at him. aHeas just a little boy, Declan. You talk like he isnat human.a Declanas face looked haunted. aI have a friend,a he said. aWe were soldiers together.a Not only was he a blueblood, but he was also a soldier. An officer, no doubt. No wonder he thought ordering people around was the only way to communicate. aHow long were you in the military?a aTen years,a Declan said.

aThatas a long time,a she said.

aI thought it was better suited to me than being a peer,a he said.

aWhy?a she wondered.

aI wasnat responsible for anyone but myself,a he said. aIt was simple that way.a So not an officer then. aWere you happy?a aI was content,a Declan said. aI was good at killing, and I was praised and rewarded for doing it well. It felt like the right place for me at the time.a aI thought you were all about b.a.l.l.s and etiquette and womanizing,a she needled him.

The look she got back was deadly serious. aYou have an odd view of the life of a peer. Mostly itas work. Lots Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) and lots of work and lots of responsibility. At that time in my life, I didnat want it. I still donat, but now I have no choice.a His voice was bitter and hollow. Rose looked away, not sure what to do with herself. aTell me about your friend.a aHeas a changeling,a Declan said. aA predator like Jack.

There are few paths a changeling can take in our society, especially if they arenat born into a family of means.

My friend was born poor. He was abandoned by his mother at birth and given to the Citadel, Adriangliaas premier military school. Changelings born into wealthy families are taught a certain way so one day they can reenter society.a aAnd your friend wasnat?a she guessed.

Declan shook his head. aHe was a ward of the realm, and the realm never meant for him to live with other people. They made him into a killer. He was raised to have no emotions, only strict control and strict punishment when he failed. He told me that he grew up in a bare room, twelve feet by ten feet, which he shared with another boy. He was allowed no personal possessions except his clothes, a toothbrush, a comb, and a towel.a aThatas awful,a she said. aYou canat lock children up like that.

Any children. Jack has to be able to run in the Wood, to play. Without it, he woulda"a aGo insane,a Declan finished. aOr learn to survive and carry a lot of hate.a aHow could your friend become a soldier after this? He had to have beenaa"she searched for a right word and couldnat find ita"anot okay.a aHe fit right in,a Declan said. aWe were in the Red Legion.

We did the necessary things people donat want to know about.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aBlack ops?a she asked. What do you know, Latoya proved righta"he was one of those bug-eating, wilderness-surviving, take-out-terrorists-with-a-pinecone-and-bubble-gum types.

aBlack sounds about right. We went where n.o.body else could go, and we were very good at killing everything we found there. We werenat bound by treaties or conventions. In that type of unit, few things are certain. You rely on yourself and, if youare lucky, on a man or woman next to you. I watched out for my friend, and he watched out for me. He saved my life a few times, and I repaid the favor. Neither of us counted who owed what to whom. I wouldave died for him if needed.a aWhy?a aBecause he wouldave done the same for me,a Declan said.

aWho did you fight?a Declan shrugged. aThe Kingdom of Gaul. The Spanish Empire. The FOGL.a aWhat is the FOGL?a Declan dragged his hand across his face as if trying to peel the memories off. aItas a religious sect. Forces of Great Lucifer. Their prime directive is to establish dominion over the entire world, and they go about it in pretty terrible ways. Adrianglia is full of refugees, from past conflicts and present. Some of them commit heinous crimes and require extraordinary measures to be neutralized. During one of these missions, things went wrong and my friend made the mistake of behaving like a human.a aWhat happened?a aThere was a dam. A small band of criminals held it and its workers for ransom. They had attached a device to the dam supports and threatened to set off an explosion and drown the town below it. The dam was very Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) old, almost labyrinthine, and everyone who knew its layout was inside, being held hostage. My friend went in because he was a changeling. He could rely on his sense of smell, and our superiors counted on his logic prevailing if he had to make a morally difficult choice. He was told that if the situation put the lives of the hostages against the security of the dam, he was to place greater importance on keeping the dam intact. If the dam had failed, the potential loss of life would be much greater than the deaths of the six people trapped inside.

aHe tracked down the hostages, but the criminals had quarreled, and one of them set off the charges. My friend had a choice: he could go after the charges or he could save the hostages. He had what he called an attack of humanity and rescued the hostages. The dam burst, flooding the town. The flood didnat result in any deaths, but the financial damages were staggering. He was court-martialed.a aWhy? For saving people?a aFor disobeying an order. He was sentenced to death.a aBut n.o.body was hurt!a aIt didnat matter.a Declanas face was merciless. aYou see, they wanted to kill him not because he disobeyed the order but because he was a changeling who was judged unstable. They had turned him into a lethal killer, and they were happy to use him as long as he did exactly as told. But now they could no longer predict his actions.a aThey were going to put him down like an animal? What kind of country would do that?a aHe was a ward of the realm, and the realm was afraid of what he might do next. They didnat want the responsibility of keeping the public safe from him.a aDid you try to help him?a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aYes. I left the military and a.s.sumed the t.i.tle, because my status as a peer would give my words greater weight. I pet.i.tioned, I lobbied, I argued that if an ordinary soldier were in his place, he wouldnat have received the death penalty.a Head abandoned his career to rescue his friend, and he said it without any bravado, like it was the obvious logical thing to do, not even deserving a second thought. Ten years of his life, and head turned his back on it for the sake of another person. Not many people would do that. She wasnat sure she couldave done it. That was admirable.

Rose bit her lip. aDid you save him?a aNo. I failed.a Head said it with such bitterness. His eyes had turned distant and mournful, as if dusted with ash. She wanted to reach out and touch him. To somehow make it better.

aAt the last moment, Ca.s.shorn, the brother of the Duke of the Southern Provinces, adopted my friend, a.s.suming complete responsibility for his actions. Because Ca.s.shorn was childless, and a high peer, he claimed the bloodline privilege. Basically, my friend was his only heir, and as such, the realm couldnat kill him. Ca.s.shorn paid an exorbitant sum for his release.a aThat was very kind,a Rose said.

Declan gave her a flat look.

aWhat did I say?a aCa.s.shorn is a brigand. Heas a slimy stain upon the honor of the Dukeas house. He didnat adopt my friend out of kindness. He adopted him because that was the only way he couldave saved him from execution. See, my friend is lethal with a blade, and he hatesa"a A clammy touch of foul magic brushed her. Rose froze. She didnat really believe they had killed all the Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) beasts, but she had hoped. Apparently, she was wrong.

aKeep talking,a Declan said. aI doubt the creature understands whatas being said, but itas likely sensitive to the tone of our voices.a aWhere is it?a she asked lightly.

aOn the left, near a small shed. Letas get up and stroll a bit.a He rose and offered her his hand. She took it mechanically, before realizing she had done it, and they walked side by side, wandering toward the road. Her hand rested in Declanas calloused fingers, as if they were a couple of teenagers going steady. He was building his magic for one h.e.l.l of a flash, his whole body wound tight, full of barely contained violence. It was like walking next to a tiger who decided that he liked you: Declan held her hand lightly, but he wasnat about to let her get away.

He squeezed her fingers. In that moment Rose felt a connection between them, an alarmingly intimate bond. She glanced at him to rea.s.sure herself she was imagining this and saw the same thought mirrored on his face: he had her hand and he liked it.

She turned away.

aA little closer.a Declan applied subtle pressure to her arm, but didnat let go of her hand.

The creature crouched in the myrtle by the shed. To see it out like this, unafraid in full daylight, was eerie.

Declanas voice was steady. aWhen I say duck, youa"a aNo.a aWhat do you mean, no?a aI donat want you to kill it. Youall do your big kaboom thing and blow my shed to smithereens.a And Grandpa Cletus with it. She didnat even want to think what it would do to Georgie.

He glanced at her, indignant. aI donat go kaboom.a aTell it to Amyas roof.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aThat kaboom is the reason all of us are still breathing.a The creature watched them, making no move to advance.

aIam not saying it wasnat necessary. But that was her house.

She isnat a n.o.ble swimming in money. She canat just wave her hand and get another roof. You didnat even warn her first. People need to have a moment to prepare for that kind of shock.a Declan halted, and so did she. They stood entirely too close.

Her back was to the creature. Its magic dripped onto her skin, squirming along her spine in a slippery trickle.

Declan locked his teeth. It made his jaw even squarer. aThat hound is less than two feet away from the shed.