Werewolf Knight 3, page 10
“Holy crap,” I muttered. “Is that all…”
“All moon silver,” Imelda said. “Portimus was particularly fond of it.”
It was hard not to drool on the silver as I thought about the moon silver sword that I would someday forge. I didn’t know exactly how much Portimus had hidden in the column, but it sure was a lot, and my eyes sparkled with all the possibilities that amount of metal could buy me. I knew that I was growing closer and closer to being able to forge my moon sword, and then I would truly be a knight of the realm.
“Hank, snap out of it,” I heard Tabitha say, and my senses rushed back to me.
“Huh?” I asked.
“Let’s pile this into our bags and get out of here,” the noblewoman replied. “The smell is starting to really make me sick.”
“It is pretty gross,” I agreed as I started to dump handfuls of loot into my sack.
“I think we’ll all have to carry some,” Tabitha said as she started to add some silver to her bag. “Imelda, you really underplayed just how much moon silver this guy had.”
“I assumed Wenderoth was far more wealthy,” the priestess said with a shrug. “But as I said, Portimus was especially fond of moon silver. He’d take anything made of moon silver and leave behind gold and gems.”
“There are chains and bars in here with the coins,” I noted as I started to dig through the pile. “Like, actual bars of moon silver. That’s crazy.”
“I feel like some kind of thief,” Tabitha laughed. “A no good highwayman.”
“Don’t be silly,” I said. “We deserve this fair and square. And where did you even learn that term? I’m pretty sure you don’t have highways in Lupercalia.”
“Some black-and-white film,” she responded. “One of those… what are they called? Period romance or something. You know, where the ladies all wear those dresses with ridiculously large skirts.”
“What is a… film?” Imelda asked as she started to shove silver into my sack.
“A form of entertainment in my homeland of New Jersey,” I replied. “I think you’ll enjoy it.”
“Of course she will,” Tabitha agreed with a firm nod.
The giant pile of moon silver slowly shrank as we shoveled it into anything we could carry. My sack clanked every time I bumped against it, and it bulged so much that I was afraid the seams would give out. But we finally collected the last few bits, and when I slung the sack over my shoulder, it didn’t burst apart at the seams like I’d feared.
It was fucking heavy, but the weight let me know just how successful we’d been on this quest.
Just like always.
“Need me to carry that?” I asked Tabitha, who was struggling to lug her satchel full of moon silver.
“If you’re offering, big strong wolf,” she said and swung the satchel in my direction.
I caught it in my hand and slung it over my other shoulder.
“You know the route back, right?” I asked.
“You know I do,” she said and stretched out. “Imelda, I can’t wait to show you where you’ll be living now. Hank has built a really beautiful empire.”
“I can’t wait, either,” she said in a low voice, and her sapphire eyes sparkled.
“Then why are we hanging around here?” I asked as I started to walk toward the exit.
I kicked the door open and let the smell of fresh air wash over me. I didn’t realize how used to the stink I’d become until I could finally smell something else. The village was still quiet, but at least I could smell water, soil, and frost once I’d stepped outside.
“Goddess, that smells good,” Tabitha said happily.
“And the sunlight doesn’t burn,” Imelda said as she looked around. “It feels… pleasant.”
“Hey, guys,” Sybil shouted when she saw us. “Casanova’s been wondering when you were going to come back outside.”
I laughed as I bounded down the stairs, and the silver we’d collected jangled with each step. I was happier than ever to finally be out of the basilica, and I was so overjoyed with my success that the absurd amount of moon silver that I was carrying didn’t weigh me down at all. If anything, I felt like I could soar all the way back to the estate.
“Sounds like you found a lot of treasure,” Sybil noted when I stopped next to her and Casanova.
“We did,” I agreed.
“I’m exhausted,” Tabitha said as she joined us.
“Yeah,” Sybil said and rolled her eyes. “I bet that’s why Hank, who almost got his ear bitten off by a vampire, is carrying all your stuff.”
“Not my stuff,” Tabitha corrected her. “Hank’s reward. Our reward. Heaps of moon silver.”
“Moon silver?” Sybil asked, and her eyes widened. “Just like in the Obsidian Temple?”
“Portimus’ riches are pale in comparison to Wenderoth’s,” Imelda explained. “But it’s a good amount, nonetheless. Even so, it doesn’t begin to compensate you for what you have given me, which is a new and beautiful life as a human. Look at me. I’m here in the sunlight, and my skin is fine.”
We all looked at Imelda, and she was a true vision in white. Her skin was glowing more than ever, and I could understand why she had been a religious figure in a former life. She really looked like some kind of Goddess rather than just a priestess.
“It was our honor,” Sybil replied.
“But you haven’t met everyone on our team,” I said as I patted Casanova on the head. “Who’s the best direwolf ever? You are. Yes, you are.”
Casanova’s tail began to swish back and forth as he nuzzled my hand. He was so happy to see us that he barely even sniffed at Imelda, though his ruff stood up as he drank in her scent. He looked at me then, and I gave him another reassuring pat to let him know she was on our side. After that, the direwolf pup seemed only mildly interested in the one-time vampire.
I was happy with our successes, but the day had frazzled me, and I wanted to get home as soon as possible. When I looked up into the sky, I could see that the sun had sunk considerably and that we were moving into the early evening. If we didn’t get going soon, we’d have to travel in the dark, and Casanova definitely wasn’t used to that kind of thing yet.
“Sun’s getting a little lower in the sky,” Tabitha said, and she held her hand over her eyes as she stared into the sky. “It looks like we should leave.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I said. “It’s time to head back to the estate.”
Imelda’s eyes widened when I mentioned the estate, and Sybil took her by the arm and led her to Casanova.
“Do you feel strong enough to ride?” Sybil asked.
“Yes,” the ex-vampire replied with a nod. “As it turns out, I still have the physical strength from my vampire days, even though I no longer possess the desire to feast on blood. But If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t mind feasting on something a little less… sanguine, if you know what I mean.”
Sybil and Tabitha exchanged a worried glance.
“Hank, we have to feed her soon,” Sybil said. “She hasn’t had real human food in years, and if she doesn’t get some soon, she may go into shock.”
“I don’t think--” Imelda started to protest.
“Don’t argue with a witch,” Tabitha said and rolled her eyes. “Even if she’s wrong, you’ll never win.”
“Thanks,” Sybil said brightly and smiled at the noblewoman.
“Then let’s get home,” I laughed as I swung onto Casanova’s back.
I had to sit further forward than I usually did on the wolf just to be sure we would all fit, but the pup didn’t mind. I could feel he was ready to run again, so I patted him on the neck while the girls climbed up just to be sure he didn’t sprint away too quickly.
Tabitha climbed on behind me so she could make sure we were going the right way, and then Imelda climbed behind her since she wasn’t used to riding a wolf. Sybil formed the caboose, and once she was on, Casanova pawed at the ground.
I pulled right on the reins so that he was facing the abandoned town that surrounded the basilica. The whole place was pretty damn bleak, and I was looking forward to reporting to the King exactly where we had been and what we had accomplished. I was sure the King would send out a team to repair the place to its former glory as soon as he learned that the vampires were gone.
“You’ll be pleased to know that the journey back home is shorter,” Tabitha murmured into my ear. “We’re further east, but it’s a straight shot through the forest since we won’t have to stop at Lake Gomul. For now, just head west.”
“Is everyone ready to go?” I called over my shoulder.
“Ready,” Tabitha and Sybil both said in unison.
“Ready,” Imelda whispered.
It was time to show Imelda what home looked like for us.
Chapter 7
Casanova bolted through the barren town center past all the run-down houses and back into the low woodlands.
“Turn right about thirty degrees,” Tabitha said into my ear, and I steered accordingly.
The trees slowly started to become taller and taller until we were back in the main woodland. By now, it was significantly colder, and I felt the wind whip against my cheeks and bite at them.
“What a fast wolf,” Imelda said. “This is only the second time in my life I’ve ever been on a direwolf. The first time was when I was a child, and the petty noble for the village of the Obsidian Temple put me atop his wolf. But it was nowhere near as fast as this.”
“I wouldn’t want to put a child on any animal running this fast,” Tabitha said. “But did you know that this is Casanova’s first official quest?”
“Who’s?” Imelda asked with a giggle.
“Casanova,” Tabitha shouted back. “That’s the name of the direwolf.”
“I’ve never heard a name like that before,” the ex-vampire replied in her soft, soothing voice.
I smiled at the thought of telling her where it came from, but we had to get back to the estate first. She knew that I was from a different world, but she sure as hell didn’t know what that world looked like at all. I honestly couldn’t decide if I was more excited to show her my luxurious Lupercalian estate or my beautiful, secluded mansion in the woodlands of New Jersey.
I just hoped that both locations would offer her a place to recover since it seemed like her time with the vampires had been harrowing. Aside from being kidnapped and changed into a vampire, I knew that she must’ve seen a lot of murder and death in her time as well as the obliteration of her entire village.
Of course, I also wanted to ask Imelda about the vampires. All the vampires I’d met had been total arrogant assholes, except for Imelda, but they were also a lot more clever than the nobles believed. I knew that the Lupercalian nobility talked about the undead like they were thicker than shit, but that didn’t match with what I’d seen. I didn’t know what it was like to be a vampire underling, but the ones who led the packs seemed to be manipulative and cruel as well as smart.
And Imelda was an enigma that I wanted to understand. She seemed so fragile and delicate despite the fact that she’d been a killing machine for a number of years, and despite her strength, I felt an urge to protect her from the world, just like any true knight.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely registered when the wintery forest began to glow with an orange tinge. The sun was beginning to set, and I knew we were in a race against nature to see if we could get to the estate before the sun set.
Fortunately, Casanova was running so fast that it wasn’t much of a race. He was moving so smoothly that it barely felt like he was moving, and he had become such a steady runner that I no longer worried about any of us toppling off or having to grip too hard on his fur. I couldn’t believe that Jacob had trained him this well in only a few weeks of contact. He was truly a genius, and I was going to repay him handsomely for everything that he had done for me.
“Just a bit more to the right,” Tabitha murmured into my ear.
I followed her instructions and led Casanova to the side. I realized that I was familiar with the Lupercalian landscape we were racing across. Even though everything was covered in frost, this part of the forest smelled more familiar, and I knew that we were back in Yarikh.
I nudged Casanova with my feet so that he would kick it up a notch just until we got out of the forest. He obediently burst forward a few times before returning to his regular pace. But at that point, I could already see green in the distance through the spindly trees.
“That’s insane,” Sybil shouted from the back of the direwolf. “I can’t believe that we’re almost in Stock already.”
“I haven’t heard about Stock in years,” Imelda said.
The orange light started to fade and the sky began to darken. The cold air seemed to be a shade of blue against the frosty ground, and the wind blew a few flakes of snow into my face.
I couldn’t wait to get back to the estate so I could curl up in front of a toasty fire and drink a warm cup of moon bean brew. In fact, we could all use a power up and fast. I reminded myself that Casanova had run more in that one day than he had in his entire life, and he’d done it on just a bag of treats. Likewise, I hadn’t consumed anything since breakfast, and neither had the girls.
But most of all, I couldn’t wait to see the look on Imelda’s face when she got to eat some real food after so many years of craving nothing but blood. I had a feeling that eating human food would really seal the deal, even if she still had vampire teeth.
We finally broke out of the last of the forest, and Casanova trotted onto the grass and despite the extra weight of our loot, he started to run even faster since he no longer had to dodge trees and rocks. I wasn’t the only one who could sense how close we were to home, and the pup was determined to get there quickly.
But it was colder out in the open field than it was in the forest, and I felt the chill rush through my body. I had no idea what it was like for Imelda, who was just getting used to having a corporeal form that pumped blood and generated heat and energy once again.
“How’s it going back there?” I asked the girls.
“Cold but good,” I heard Sybil’s voice say from behind me. “Look, there’s my house on the right.”
I looked right, but all I could see was the blur of Stock beside me. We raced past it just as she mentioned it.
Casanova moved even faster than before over the dark, misty fields, and I had no doubt he knew we were close to home. The direwolf no longer needed any guidance from me, and he quivered with excitement as the faint glow of lanterns appeared in the distance.
The tiny bead glows of the orange lanterns turned larger and larger until I could see the estate in the distance. The servants had wisely left the gate open, and as we neared it, I could see the beautiful house in the distance.
A feeling of extreme gratitude for my estate and my position in Lupercalia washed over me. The lives of the vampires were dire and disgusting, and Imelda had gone years without being able to make real friends or think about anything other than where her next blood fix would come from. If the Goddess hadn’t protected me, I could have ended up the same way. After all, I hadn’t believed in werewolves or vampires when I first arrived in the Kingdom. From the moon bean farm that we’d started, to the friends I’d made here in Lupercalia, I had a lot to be thankful for.
I pulled back on Casanova’s reins, and he slowed down at the entry to the estate. The lights cast a cozy glow over the fields and the house, and all I wanted was to be inside with a warm cup of something.
It looked like I wasn’t the only one with that thought since I couldn’t see anyone moving around the grounds. The peasants who worked the fields were probably already tucked away in their homes, and while a few servants were probably still in the main house, I knew they’d probably be leaving soon as well. But as Casanova slowed to a walk, I heard someone running toward us.
A young boy appeared from the shadows and stepped onto the staircase, and I saw that it was Jacob.
“Jacob,” I said as I waved to the talented trainer. “Jacob, you’re a marvel. A magic worker. I can’t believe you got Casanova to run that smoothly. This journey wouldn’t have been the same without your help.”
Casanova came to a stop in front of the house, and Jacob came up to take the reins.
“Thank you so much, Hank,” he said as his head bobbed up and down. “Thank you for trusting me, most of all. It’s been such an honor to be able to train a direwolf with a pedigree like Casanova’s. I know I’m pretty young, but I want to be the best wolf trainer in all of Lupercalia.”
I swung my heavy sack around and reached inside. The whole thing was stuffed to the brim, and I’d have to get the servants to put all of my shining loot away when I got in. But first of all, I wanted to give the young peasant boy a token of my appreciation. I pulled out a moon silver coin and tossed it over to Jacob, whose eyes widened with wonder before he caught it and brought it up to his face.
“Have fun with that,” I said. “You’ve earned it after all your hard work.”
“Hank,” the young boy gasped as he stared at the coin. “Thank you… thank you so much. I’ll take Casanova back right now while you and the ladies get comfortable inside.”
“Thanks,” I said as I started to dismount. The weight of the bags of moon silver was beginning to make my shoulders hurt, and I couldn’t wait to drop them on the floor.
“That was a really smooth journey,” Tabitha said as she hopped down.
“Yeah,” Sybil added as she slid to the ground. “The best ride of my life.”
The witch assisted Imelda in sliding off of Casanova’s back.
“Thanks, Sybil,” Imelda said in her high, breathy voice. “But I do still have vampire strength. I’m a lot stronger than I was feeling before.”
“You’ve had an exceptionally long day,” Sybil said and patted Imelda on the arm. “If you need anything, you just say the word.”
“I think we could all do with a cup of moon bean brew,” Tabitha said. “And whatever they’ve cooked today by the fire.”
The servants must’ve gotten wind of our arrival, because as soon as Jacob scurried off with Casanova, the housekeeper, Matilda, swung the front door open and greeted us with a large smile.
