The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf (51 page)

“Hello, Sarapen,” said Dominil.

CHAPTER 97

Mr. Eggers contacted the Guild as quickly as he could. Reception for mobile phones in the hotel was unstable, so he used the line in Distikka's room to call Mr. Carmichael at home. Carmichael was as agitated as Eggers to learn there were werewolves at the ball.

“Kalix MacRinnalch is there?”

It was an astonishing piece of news. The Avenaris Guild had invested a huge amount of time and manpower searching for Kalix, without success. Now she'd turned up at an event organized by their ally, the Empress.

“What's Kabachetka doing, letting werewolves in?”

Mr. Eggers found it difficult to answer. Distikka had explained it to him but, as always, anything concerning Thrix was confusing for the hunters. Her spells of concealment were so strong that it was hard for an enemy even to remember her name.

“I don't know why Kalix is here, but she is. And another werewolf, the one with white hair.” Mr. Eggers had some concerns for his own safety. He was a senior member of the Guild but had given up hunting many years ago. It was years since he'd shot a silver bullet. He didn't even have his gun with him.

“You said the Empress doesn't want trouble at her ball. Is she going to refuse entry to our men?” asked Mr. Carmichael.

Mr. Eggers wasn't certain. “Distikka insisted there couldn't be any trouble inside. But there are a lot of gardens between the hotel and the river. That's a possible entry point.”

Mr. Carmichael rang off and began the process of deploying hunters. At short notice, this wasn't so easy. The Guild did maintain a round-the-clock presence at its headquarters, but the night commander told Mr. Carmichael that Group Sixteen wasn't in London, having gone off for a weekend of training in the countryside. Group Twelve, containing several senior hunters, wasn't available either.

“They're in Serbia for International Werewolf-Hunter Cooperation Week.”

“Well, who is available?”

“Group Fifteen is on duty. But two of them have never been in action before.”

Mr. Carmichael hesitated. Group Fifteen contained two newcomers and another hunter with limited experience. They did have an experienced leader, and he'd expressed optimism about his charges.

“We can't miss this opportunity. Send them to the hotel. Perhaps they can find an opening to attack. But emphasize it's a dangerous mission. They're not to take any chances.”

The night commander acknowledged Mr. Carmichael's orders, and alerted Group Fifteen. There was a very hurried visit to the storerooms to stock up on silver bullets, while a logistics officer studied maps and looked for the best way to get the hunters close to their targets.

Mr. Eggers was reassured as he left Distikka's hotel room. Hunters were on their way. He wondered what he could do to help. Could he somehow lure Kalix outside? If he could isolate her in the gardens, Group Fifteen would have a good chance of killing her. He hurried along to the lift. There he met a blonde-haired woman in a red evening gown. He was surprised to find that she was weeping. Mr. Eggers stood uncomfortably beside her as they waited for the lift. She turned toward him. Tears ran down her face from her beautiful blue eyes.

“My husband's gone off with that woman again!” she sobbed. Then, as if all her strength had gone, she leaned against Mr. Eggers, taking his arm for support. Mr. Eggers was nonplussed. Though he was busy with other matters, he felt a gallant desire to comfort her.

“I'm sure it will be all right,” he said.

The woman cried even more. The lift arrived and she stumbled in. “I'm going to throw myself in the river,” she wailed.

“You really mustn't do that,” said Mr. Eggers anxiously. “These
things generally sort themselves out, you know.”

The blonde-haired woman sobbed and leaned against Mr. Eggers for support. She cried all the way to the ground floor, so that as the lift doors opened, Mr. Eggers wondered what he could possibly do to prevent her from throwing herself in the river, something he feared that she might really do, so upset did she seem.

CHAPTER 98

Moonglow had not been expecting to dance. She only faintly remembered the basic steps of the waltz, which, for some reason, mysterious to her at the time, she'd learned at school. William, however, was in high spirits, partly because he liked being in the grand hotel, and partly because he was having such an enjoyable time with Moonglow.

“You're a really great date,” he told her. “Let's dance.”

“I'm not sure I can.”

“Look, it's crowded on the dance floor. Half these people are just shuffling round. We can do that.”

It was true that many couples were not exhibiting a great deal of skill. Some of the young debutantes and their partners moved gracefully in time with the music, but there were others who seemed fairly inept. Young lovers, content just to hold on to each other, did no more than slowly rotate while resting their heads on each other's shoulder. While not exactly chaotic, it was all less formal than Moonglow had expected, and more cheerful. There were a lot of happy-looking people in evening dress on the dance floor.

“All right,” said Moonglow. “Let's dance.”

She followed William into the throng and put an arm round his waist and the other on his shoulder. She noticed that the muscles on his arms felt hard and strong. They danced easily together. Though they didn't know it, William's prediction that no one would notice them wasn't quite accurate. William was the son of a duke and heir to a large fortune, and several young women in the room wondered who the young woman in the black dress might be, because they'd never seen her before at any of their events. A few of their mothers asked William's mother about her. She told them truthfully that she didn't know the girl well, but had spoken to her, and liked her very much, and wouldn't mind at all if the romance was to flourish.

The area around the Princess was a little less congested than the rest of the room. There the editor of
Vogue
and several other fashion luminaries sat with Empress Kabachetka. As sponsor of the ball, she was as important as she'd hoped she'd be. It would have been a great triumph, had the Fire Queen not been doing her best to ruin it. Not that Malveria was doing anything untoward. Her manners were perfect. She'd congratulated the Empress warmly on the success of the ball. She'd been a little pushy in introducing herself to the organizers as Thrix's assistant for the evening, but Thrix's clothes had been very well received, and it wasn't strange that one of her staff might want to introduce herself.

“Assistant indeed,” hissed Kabachetka, turning to Distikka, who sat quietly at her side. “The Fire Queen could not assist in anything. Look at how ridiculous she appears on the dance floor.”

Distikka didn't reply. The Fire Queen danced beautifully, even in her very high heels. Her evening gown clung to her lithe figure, and her long hair seemed to somehow glow under the chandeliers. Several men, previously arrested by the site of Kabachetka, now seemed more interested in observing Malveria.

“Have you noticed how she is flinging herself at poor Mr. Dewar?” said the Empress. “One trembles at the thought of her stepping on his foot and crippling him. Distikka, prepare to distract the Fire Queen.”

“Pardon?” said Distikka.

“I must rescue Mr. Dewar from her clutches. There is no time to lose.”

“I really don't think I know how to distract her,” said Distikka.

“You will just have to do your best!” said the Empress sharply. “As no one else seems to be around. Where is the rest of my staff? I shall have harsh words for Bakmer and Gezinka.”

The music ended with a flourish.

“Now is your chance,” said the Empress. “Distract Malveria and be quick about it.”

Distikka shook her head, but rose to her feet. She had not expected to enjoy the ball, and her expectations had proved accurate. She hated her ball gown, the ballroom and everyone in it. Apart from Dominil, whom she had rather liked.

I wonder what Dominil is doing now? she thought as she approached the Fire Queen.

CHAPTER 99

“Dominil!” Sarapen cried out in surprise. He walked toward the portal, but it wouldn't let him through. He took a step back. “Where are you?”

“I'm in a hotel in London,” sad Dominil. “Where are you?”

“At the Empress Kabachetka's palace.”

“Ah.” Dominil nodded. “So the Empress took you there and revived you. I never considered that possibility.”

“Why not?” demanded Sarapen.

“I believed you were dead.”

“Why?”

“Because I went to your funeral.”

Sarapen found this difficult to take in. He was already shocked by the sudden encounter with Dominil. The last time he'd seen her she was passing the Begravar knife to Kalix, just before his sister stabbed him.

“How could there be a funeral?”

“The Empress handed back your body. Which, I now perceive, was a fake. The Empress's sorcery has grown stronger since she ascended to the throne.”

Sarapen growled. “It has.” He tried to pass through the portal again but again it resisted him. “Is the Empress there?”

“She is,” said Dominil. “But I don't have time to talk. I'm here on a mission.”

“You don't have time to talk!” roared Sarapen. “If I could get through this portal I'd have some things to say to you! Like thanking you for the mortal wound!”

Sarapen abruptly changed into his werewolf form: huge, dark and terrifying.

“We were engaged in combat,” said Dominil. “One of us was going to get a mortal wound. It happened to be you.”

“If I could get back I'd repay the favor.” Sarapen paused and suddenly changed back into his human form. He lowered his voice. “Would it be too much to expect you to express some emotion at finding me alive?”

“I admit to some surprise.”

“That's it?”

“I'm really in too much of a hurry for anything else.”

“Damn you, Dominil, I need your help.”

“Why?”

“I'm trapped here. The Empress says I'll die if I return to Earth. I don't believe her, but I can't get back. There's no way for me to travel through dimensions.”

“Why would I help you?”

“Because we used to be lovers. And I'm a MacRinnalch.”

Dominil nodded. “That's a reasonable point. At least about you being a MacRinnalch. I would help you return if I could. When I'm finished here, I'll ask Thrix if she knows how it might be done.”

“No!” roared Sarapen. “I refuse to take help from her. I'd rather die here. Let her think I'm still dead.”

“I could consult the Fire Queen, though it may take longer. If I succeed in returning you, do you still plan on attacking me?”

Sarapen smiled grimly. “That would hardly be reasonable. I won't.”

“You'll need to promise to leave Kalix alone too.”

“What? She stabbed me. I'll kill her like she deserves.”

“You'll leave her alone or I won't help you.”

“You mean you'd leave me here, stuck in another dimension?”

“Yes.”

Sarapen laughed. His mood seemed to have improved since encountering Dominil. “Very well. I'll leave Kalix alone too. But that's the last promise I'll make.”

Dominil leaned toward the portal, testing it. She was unable to pass through. “How are your relations with the Empress?”

“Not good,” said Sarapen. “I think she plans to get rid of me.”

“I'm sure you can improve matters, at least for a while.”

“You don't know what that would entail,” said Sarapen.

“I can imagine exactly what it would entail. And I'd advise you to do it until I can find a way of rescuing you. Meanwhile, I wonder if you might be able to help me.”

Dominil succinctly explained her current situation to her old adversary.