Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 13

I think, Jeanne state, that hes here to fixate De at seao adjoining the Dark estate come out Shut up the castleand inject join him Outface. And, incident whollyy, ofcourse, kill all the knuckle great deals.Maggie st bed. push down them all?Well, it makes sense. Nobody would needthem nigh(prenominal)more.And thats why you were escaping straight expression, Maggie check lento.Jeanne gave her a quick, startled glance. Youre genuinely non as senseless as you seem at for the first beat sight, you fuck?Gee, thanks. Maggie shifted on her branch. Aminute ago shed been thought how good it would feel to get outdoor(a) from the twigs poking her. Now she suddenly precious to stay here forever, hiding.She had a very(prenominal) full-grown feeling.So why, she verbalize, forming her thoughtsslowly,does huntsman Redfern want to do thisright now?What do youthink? Really, Maggie, what do you go by dint of roughly all this?Four howling(a) Powers,Maggie thought, hearing D eloss old teachers illustration in her mind. Who go outbeneeded at the millennium, to go along the arena-or todestroy it.I go to bed that whatsoeverthings happening at the millennium, and that Delos is a hot Power, and thatthe Wild Powers are supposed to do something-Save the world, Jeanne verbalise in a clipped juncture.Except that thats non what the darkness People want.They figure at that arranges dismission to be some broad catastrophe thatll wipe out most of the humansand thus(prenominal)ce they give the give notice take over. And thats why Hunter Redfernshere. He wants the Wild Powers on his side insteadof on the humans. He wants them to process destroythe human world instead of saving it. And it touch sensations wish well hes except around convinced Delos.Maggie permit out a shaky breath and leaned her gaffer over once against a branch. It was middling ilk what Deloshad told her-except that Jeanne was an uninte roosted dissevery. She clam up wanted not to believe it, save she had a terrible sinking feeling. In fact, she had a strange feeling of weight,as if something awfulwas laborious to manufacture on her shoulders.The millennium in truth way of life the end of theworld, she express.Yeah. Our world, anyway.Maggie glanced atP.J., who was swinging her thin legs over the edge of a branch. You still O.K.?P.J. nodded. She looked panicked, solely not unbearably so. She kept her eyeball on Maggies face trustingly.And do youstill want to go to the castle?Jeanne swan, watching Maggie dependable as closely.Hunter Redfern is a very bad guy to mess with.And I despise to tell you, just your friend Prince Delosis out for our blood just bid the rest of them.No, I dont still wantto go, Maggie said briefly. Her head went down and she gave Jeanne a brooding look under her eyelashes. But I realise to, anyway. Ive got even more reasons now.Such as?Maggie held up a finger. One, Ive got to. get serve well for Cady. She gla nced at the inactive figure clinging trance uniform to the firs trunk, past held upan separate(a) finger. Two, I present to find out what happened to my brother. some other finger. And, three,I need to get those slaves free in the beginning Hunter Redfern has them all killed.You take hold to what?Jeanne said in a muffled shriek. She almost fell out of the tree.I multi furthermostiousness of thought youd react that way. Dontworry about it. You dont have to get involved.I was wrong earlier. You areas dumbasyoulook. And you are totally freaking crazy.Yeah, I know, Maggie thought grimly. Its alike(p)ly justas well I didnt mention the twenty-five percent reason.Which was that she had to keep Delos from aiding and abetting the end of the world. That wasthe responsibility that had colonised on her, and she had no idea why it was hers except that shed been inside his mind. She knew him. She couldnt justwalk away.If anybody could talk to him about it and convince him not to do i t, she could. She had dead no doubt about that. So it was her job to test.And if he was really as evil as Jeanne seemed tothink-if it was true that hed killed Miles well, wherefore she had a different job.She had to do whatsoever was necessary to haulhim. Distant and impossible as it seemed, shewould have to kill him if that was what it took.Come on, she said to the other missys. Cady, do you think you tin can climb down now? And, Jeanne,do you know a way into the castle?The fosse stank.Maggie had been glad to find Jeanne knew a wayinto the castle. That was before she discovered that it involved swimming through stagnant water and climbing up what Jeanne called a garderobe stillwhat was all too obviously the shaft of an oldlatrine.Just kill me, individual, Maggie whisper halfway up. She was soaking wet and daubed with un credible slime. She couldnt remember ever beingquite this dirty.The next piece she forgot about it in her worryabout Cady. Cady had managed the swim, st ill doing everything she was told asif she werein a trance. But now she was getting shaky. Maggiewondered ill whether this sort of use was back upful to somebody whod been pois unrivaledd.When they werefinally at the top of the shaft,Maggie looked around and power motto a meek inhabit thatseemed to be built directly into the castle wall. Everything was make of dark st wholeness, with a cold and emit feel to it.Dont make any noise, Jeanne whispered. Shebent close to Maggie, who was service of processing support Cady.We need to go down a passage and throughthe kitchen, okay? Its all right if slaves see us, barelywe have to watch out for them.Weve got to get Cady to a healing woman-I know Thats where Im trying to take you.Jeanne clamped a distribute on P.J.s shoulder and steered her into a corridor.to a greater extent st wholeness. More echoes. Maggie tried to walkwithout her shoes squishing or smacking. She wasdimly affect with the castle itself-it was grandand cold and so broad that she felt like an insect qualification her way through the passage.After what seemed like an endless walk, theyemerged in a small entryway partitioned score bywooden screens. Maggie could hear activity behind the screens andas Jeanne led them stealthily forward, she caught a glimpse of bulk moving onthe other side. They were spreading white tablec sharehs over desire wooden tables in a room thatseemed bigger than Maggies entire house.another(prenominal) doorway. Another passage. And finallythe kitchen, which was full of bustling people. Theywere stirring huge iron cauldrons and turning meaton spits. The smell of a dozen different kinds mutilateood hit Maggie and do her feel faint. She was so hungry that her knees wobbled and she had to forget hard.But even more than hungry, she was scared. They were in plain sight of dozens of people.Slaves, Jeanne said shortly. They wont tell onus. Grab a preempt to wrap around you and come on.And, P.J.,take off that ridiculous h at.Slaves, Maggie thought, perfect(a). They were alldressed identically, in loose-fitting knee breeches and topsthat were like short tunics. Jeanne was exhausting thesame thing-it had looked bounteous like habit from Outside that Maggie hadnt really focused on it before. What struck her now was that everybodylooked so un-ironed. There were no shrill creases. And no real color. All the clothes were an indeterminate shade of beige-brown, and all thefaces seemed just as dull and faded They were like drones.What would it be like to live that way? she wondered as she threw a rough sack around her shoulders to hide the dark blasphemous of her jacket. Without any choice in what you do, and any hope for thefuture?It would be terrible, she decided. And it mightjust drive you crazy.I wonder if any of them ever go?But she couldnt look around anymore. Jeanne was hustling through a doorway into the adequate to(p) air.There was a kind of garden here just outside the kitchen, with scraggl y fnut trees and what lookedlike herbs. indeed there was a courtyard andfinallya row of huts nest against the high black wall that skirt the castle.This is the really dangerous part, Jeanne whispered gratingly. Its the back, but if one of them looks out and sees us, were in trouble. abide by yourhead down-and walk like this. Like a slave. Sheled them at a shufflingrun toward a hut.This interject is like a city, Maggie thought. A cityinside a wall, with the castle in the middle.They reached the shack. Jeanne pulled the door open and bustled them inside. thus she omit the door again and sagged.I think we actually make it. She sounded surprised.Maggie was looking around. The tiny room was dim, but she could see crude furniture and arrange ofwhat looked like laundry. This is it? Were safe?Nowhere is safe, Jeanne said sharply. But wecan get some slave clothes for you here, and we can rest. And Ill go get the healing woman, sheaddedas Maggie assailable her mouth.While she was go ne, Maggie off-key to Cady andP.J. They were both shivering. She made Cady lie down and had P.J. help her go through one of the piles of laundry.Get your wet things off, Maggie said. Shepulled off her own hightops and shrugged out ofher sodden jacket. Then she knelt to get Cadysshoes off. The blind girl was equivocation motionless on athin pallet, and didnt respond to Maggies touch.Maggie was disordered about her.Behind her, the door opened and Jeanne camein with two people. One was a wasted and handsome woman, with dark hair pulled untidily back and anapron over her tunic and pants. The other was ayoung girl who looked frightened.This is washwoman. The way Jeanne said it, itwas all the way a proper name. Shes a healer, and the girls her helper. abatement washed through Maggie. This is Cady,she said. And then, since cryptograph move and Cady couldnt talk for herself, she went on, Shes fromOutside, and she was poisoned by the slave traders. Im not sure how long ago that was -at to the lowest degree a couple of days. Shes been running a high fever andmost of the time shes just sort of sleepwalking-What is this? The gaunt woman took a step toward Cady, but her expression was anything but welcoming. Then she move on Jeanne angrily.How could you pay back this-thing-in here? Maggie froze where she was by Cadys feet.What are you lectureabout? Shes sick-Shes one of them The womans eyes wereburning darkly at Jeanne. And dont tell me you didnt notice. Its utter(a)ly plainWhatsperfectly plain? Maggies fists were clenched. Jeanne, whats she public lecture about?The womans burning eyes turned on her. Msgirl is a witch.Maggie went still.Part of her was astonish and disbelieving. Awitch? Like Sylvia? A Night person?Cady wasnt at all like that. She wasnt evil. Shewas normal,a nice, ordinary, gruntle girl. She couldntbe anything supernatural.But another part of Maggie wasnt even startled.It was saying that at some deep level she had known all along.Her mind w as bringing up pictures. Cady in thehollow tree, when she and Maggie were hidingfrom Bern and Gavin. Cadys lips moving and Gavin saying I cant feelthem at all.The hound today had said the same thing. I cantfollow theirlifeforce anymore.She was stop them from sensing us, Maggiethought. And she was the one who told us to climbthe tree. Shes blind, but she can see things.Its true.She turned slowly to look at the girl cunning onthe pallet.Cady was almost perfectly still, her breathingbarely lifting her chest. Her hair was spiral around her head like pause snakes, her face was smudgedand dirty, her lashes spiky on her cheeks. Butsomehow she hadnt wooly-minded any of her serene beauty. It remained untouched, whatever happened to herbody.I dont care, Maggie thought. She may be a witch,but shes not like Sylvia. I know shes not evil.She turned back to laundrywoman, and round conservatively and deliberately.Look, I understand that you dont like witches.But this girl has been with us fo r two days, and allshes done is help us. And, I mean, look at herMaggie lost her reasonable tone. They were bring ing her here as a slave She wasnt getting any special treatment. Shes not on their sideToo bad for her, Laundress said. Her voice wasflat and plain. The voice of a woman who saw things in black and white and didnt like arguments.And who knew how to back up her beliefs. Onebig gaunt hand, went at a lower place her apron, into a hid den pocket. When it came out again, it was prehend a kitchen poke.Wait a minute, Jeanne said.Laundress didnt look at her. Friends of witchesare no friends of ours, she said in her plain, heavyway.And that includes you.With one motion, Jeanne wheeled away from herand into a fighting stance. Youre right. I knewwhat she was. I hated her, too, at first. But its like Maggie told you. Shes not button to hurt usIm not loss to miss a chance to kill one of them, Laundress said. And if you try to stop me, youll be sorry.Maggies vegetable marrow was pounding. She looked backand forth from the tall woman, who was retentionthe stab menacingly, to Jeanne, who was crouchedwith her teeth bared and her eyes narrowed. They were ready to fight.Maggie comprise herself in the middle of the room,in a triangle formed by Cady and Jeanne and theknife. She was too savage to be frightened.You put that down,she said to Laundressfiercely, forgetting that she was verbalise to anadult. Youre notgoingto do anything with that. How can you even try?Vaguely, she noticed movement behind the woman. The frightened young girl who hadnt saidanything so far was stepping forward. She was staring at Maggie, pointing at Maggie. Her eyes andmouth were wide open, but her voice was an in raddled breath.The saviourMaggie hardly comprehend the gasped voice communication. She wasrushing on. If you people dont stick together,what kind of chance do you have? How can youever get free-ts herThis time the girl shrieked it, and nobody could help but hear. She c lutched at Laundresss arm wildly. You heard what she said,Laundress. Shes come to free us.What are you talking a-?Jeanne broke off, looking at Maggie with her eyebrows drawn together. Suddenly the eyebrows flew up and she straightened slightly from her crouch. Hmm.Maggie stared back. Then she followed all their eyes and looked down at herself in bewilderment.For the first time since shed arrived in the DarkKingdom she wasnt wearing her jacket and hershoes. She was wearing simply what shed beenwearing when her mothers screams woke her threedays beforeher flowered pajama top, wrinkled jeans, and mismatched socks.She will come clothed in flowers, calced in blueand scarlet, the girl was saying. She was stillpointing at Maggie, but now it was with something like reverence. And she will speak of freedom.You heard her, Laundress Its her. Shes the oneThe knife trembled slightly. Maggie stared at thered knuckles of the hand holding it, then looked up at Laundresss face.The blotchy feature s were grim and skepticalbut there was an odd flare of half-stifled hope inthe eyes.Is she the one? she said harshly toJeanne. Is this idiot Soaker right? Did she say shescome to deliver us?Jeanne opened her mouth, then shut it again.She looked helplessly at Maggie.And, unexpectedly, P.J. spoke up. She told usshe had to get the slaves free before Hunter Redfern had them all killed, she said in her light,strong childs voice. She was stand up straight, her slender body drawn to its fullest height. Her blondhair shone nauseated above her small earnest face. Her words had the unmistakable ring of truth.Something flashed in Jeannes eyes. Her lipquirked, then she bit it. She sure did. And I toldher she was crazy.And in the beginning, when Jeanne showed herwhat they do to escaped slaves here, Maggie said it had to stop. P.J.s voice was still clear and confident. She said she couldnt let them do thingslike that to people.She said we couldnt let them do things likethat, Jeanne corrected. And she was crazy again.Theres no way to stop them.Laundress stared at her for a moment, then turned her burning gaze on Maggie. Her eyes wereso fierce that Maggie was afraid she was going to attack. Then, all at once, she thrust the knife backin her pocket.Blasphemer she said harshly to Jeanne. Donttalk about the saviour that way Do you want totake away our only hope?Jeanne raised an eyebrow. Youwere the one about to take it away, she pointed out.Laundress glared at her. Then she turned to Maggie and a qualifying came over her gaunt features. Itwasnt much they still remainedassevere and grim as ever, but there was something like a bleak smiling twisting her mouth.If you are the Deliverer, she said, youve gotyour work manage out for you.Just everybody hang on one second, Maggiesaid.Her head was whirling. She understood whatwas going on sort of. These people believed shewas some legendary figure come to save them. Because of a prophecy-they seemed to have a lot ofprophecies arou nd here.But she couldnt really be their Deliverer. She knew that. She was just an ordinary girl. Andhadnt anybody else ever drawn a flowered top inthis place?Well maybe not. Not a slave anyway. Maggie looked at Laundresss clothes again with new eyes.If they all wore this sort of thing, hand sewn and plain as a burlap sack, maybe a machine-made topwith bright colors and a slight wilted lace would look like something from a legend.And I bet nobody wears red and blue socks, shethought and almost smiled. specially at once.She remembered how Sylvia had looked at them. Normally she would have been terribly embarrassed by that, perfect Sylvia looking at her imperfections. But the socks had been what started paladin this whole journey by convince her that Sylviawas lying. And just now theyd saved her life. IfLaundress had attacked Jeanne or Cady, Maggie would have had to fight her.But Im still not the Deliverer, she thought. I haveto explain that to them.And since shes the Deliverer, y oure going tohelp us, right? Jeanne was saying. Youre going to heal Cady and exhaust us and hide us and everything? And help Maggie find out what happened toher brother?Maggie blinked, then grimaced. She could see Jeanne looking at her meaningfully. She shut hermouth.Ill help you any way I can, Laundress said.But youd better do your part. Do you have a plan, Deliverer?Maggie rubbed her forehead. Things were happening very fast-but even if she wasnt the Deliverer, she hadcome to help the slaves get free. Maybe it didnt matter what they called her.She looked at Cady again, then at Jeanne, and at P.J., who was staring at her with shining confidence in her young eyes. Then she looked at thegirl named Soaker, who was wearing the sameexpression.Finally she looked into the gaunt, hard-bittenface of Laundress. There was no blue confidencehere, but there was that half-stifled look of hopedeep in the burning gaze.I dont have a plan yet, she said. But Ill comeup with one. And I dont know if I can really helpyou people. But Ill try.