Chapter 3
The World Upside Down
Callie blinked at the figure for a moment. “Alexis?”
The figure pushed back her hood, and a beautiful young woman with greenish-brown hair beamed back at her, her sparkling sapphire-green eyes reflecting the fire from the other side of the room. “Got it in one. Perfect body and brilliant mind—oh, but you are going to change things.”
Callie’s mouth hung open as she tried to figure out how to respond.
“I can see why he is going to such extreme lengths with you, and boy am I jealous.” She drew out the word almost like she was singing. “Mine was never that good. Or maybe I was just a little too much for him to handle.”
Shaking her head, Callie tried to take the conversation to ground that she could understand. “Do you need the book back?”
The gorgeous woman frowned for a brief second, then got a thoughtful look. “What was it—what was it?” She snapped her fingers. “Oh yes. Gods, no. I’m good. You bought it, so you get to deal with it.”
The innkeeper stepped over to them. He addressed Callie, but he was clearly unable to take his eyes off of Alexis. “And what will you and your lovely companion be having?”
“She’s just a traveler, Jacob, not my companion.” Something about the woman set Callie on edge, and she was beginning to remember why she had been so uneasy when she started working with the book. It had turned out to be a real boon, but that did not mean that Alexis was any less unnerving. Alexis kept the smile on her face, but tilted her head to the side as if her mind was working something out.
Callie tapped on the table as if she were thinking. Jacob took a step back, almost like he had been in a trance. Looking a little dazed, he turned and smiled at the apothecary. “Aren’t quite sure what it is you want?”
“Oh, you know me. Go ahead and pick my drink. And I would like a glass of water with it.”
“Of course. And you?” His eyes turned back to Alexis, and the dreamy smile crossed over his face again.
Alexis wiggled her shoulders like she was cold, sending her hair bouncing around her face. Callie couldn’t help but notice the way the woman’s breasts moved under the cloak, and she knew that was exactly the point. “I’ll have something to warm me up. Do you have Kindleton Stew?”
Jacob nodded.
“I will take one of those then, please. And whatever you bring for my companion.”
He nodded enthusiastically, then hurried away.
“I have to admit that was a little hurtful,” Alexis propped her face on a hand and gave Callie a wounded look. Pouting just a little, Alexis continued, “but I suppose growing up here would make you a good bit more guarded and suspicious of others. Even your own.”
“What?” Callie was completely off balance in the conversation. “I don’t—I don’t understand.”
“Oh, don’t worry, dear. I was passing through and knew that your birthday was coming up.”
“How did you know that?”
Alexis winked, “It’s right there.” She pointed to an area just over Callie’s head.
Unable to resist looking, Callie’s face turned up. Fully aware that she wasn’t going to see anything over her head, and feeling more than a little ridiculous, she turned her eyes back to Alexis. “Are you looking for a place to stay tonight? Because I can help.”
Alexis looked shocked for a moment, then she burst out in a refined laugh that sounded more like a musical instrument than a human voice. “Oh, you are too sweet. Even after everything, you want to help me. But, unfortunately, I’m going to have to pass. I don’t think he would be happy, even if there wasn’t the other reason to turn you down. And he’s far too delicious-looking for me to want to upset him again.”
“Who are you talking about?” Callie was finding herself far less patient than she usually was, and it made her feel more than a little unsettled. The events of the last day had been far too strange for her to be able to try to unravel whatever it was Alexis was trying to say. Nor could she recall their last encounter being nearly so confusing or Alexis being so intentionally difficult. Then again, the woman across from Callie had said she was in danger the last time they met. Perhaps fear had forced her to be more coherent?
Jacob placed the stew down in front of Alexis along with the drink. Alexis beamed up at him, “Could I get some water too, please?”
He nodded almost like his head was going to fall off his shoulders before he hurried off to fulfill her request.
“Hey!” Callie called after him, but Jacob didn’t respond.
“Here you go. It’s a very good choice, by the way.” Alexis slid the drink across the table. “I probably should have asked for two waters. Oh well.” She began to hungrily eat the stew.
Callie watched the traveler and wondered just what was going on. Finally deciding that there was no point in trying to make sense of anything happening that day, Callie picked up the drink and downed almost half of it. Immediately, she put the glass back on the table and started coughing. She turned to the side, trying to catch her breath, and a hand began to slap her back.
“Even I’m not that brave. That is some incredibly strong stuff. Very brave of you.”
Jacob returned and set the glass down in front of Alexis. It was only as Callie continued to cough that he finally took his eyes off of Alexis. “Oh, Callie! When did you get here? It has been forever since you were last here.”
“Water!” she coughed out.
“Are you getting sick? Should I go get Proseus to help you?” Jacob wiped his hands on his apron. “I think he’s at home.”
Callie vigorously shook her head. “Just. Water.”
“If you are sure.” He turned and left to get another water.
“Here, take mine. I don’t have much longer anyway.” Alexis pushed the water glass across the table.
Callie turned and drank the whole thing without stopping to breathe. Panting, she patted her chest and looked at Alexis. “Thank you. You are a life-saver.”
“No, no, you have me confused with someone else.”
Jacob returned with the water, but as soon as his eyes landed on Alexis, he forgot about Callie. The goofy smile did not match the man’s large frame. “I could have sworn I got you a water. Here you go. You have already finished the stew?” He looked down at the bowl, then back up at Alexis.
“Yes. Unfortunately, I have to get going.” She picked up the glass and drank it in a few gulps. “Things to do, people to avoid.”
Callie frowned, “Do you need money again?”
“Yes, but I don’t have time to sell you anything. Don’t have anything to sell, either. Still, it’s very sweet of you to offer.”
“It has been a real pleasure to have you in my inn.” Jacob hung around the table almost as if he had nothing better to do.
“You are far too kind.” Alexis patted his arm. The man gave a little start, and whatever trance he had been under seemed broken. “Now, if you will excuse me…”
She rose and started to move toward the door. “Oh, and one more thing.” Alexis put her hands on her hood as she turned to look at Callie. “The chair. Both now and later.” With that she pulled her hood up and strode out of the door.
Callie had no idea what Alexis could possibly have meant. Turning to see if Jacob had any idea, she realized that Alexis had not paid for her meal.
“Hi, Callie. I am very glad you came, but I’m afraid I need to start closing up soon.”
“But it’s still early.”
“I know, and I apologize, but tomorrow Eston has his first day in the fields, and I need to make sure that I am there to help him in the morning. I’m not as young as I used to be, so I want to make sure I get enough sleep tonight.”
Callie wanted to argue—Jacob had three older sons who would be helping Eston, but she had the feeling that something Alexis had done had influenced him to shut down early.
It’s probably for the best anyway. Who knows what else will go wrong if I stay here? “I understand, Jacob.”
“Thank you, Callie. It’ll be 14 crimson for the stew and drink.”
Callie couldn’t hide the sigh. “Of course. I may need to pay you the rest tomorrow, since I hadn’t expected to eat dinner here.”
He smiled at her, “Well, I am very glad you did. It sounds like things are going well, especially with Proseus. I am still flattered that I am the first person you told, and I hope that you enjoy your trip. Seems difficult to believe you are leaving tomorrow morning—it seems so sudden.” He frowned and gave her an odd look. “I know that we said it was alright, but I can’t remember when that happened.” He scratched the side of his face.
Alarm bells were going off in her head, but Callie forced a thin smile, “Yes, I am sure it will be enjoyable. He has come an impossibly long way in a very short period of time to be able to take over already.”
“He always was a bright boy. I am most grateful that your fathers were able to get Proseus’ parents to see their folly before it was too late. Now he’s becoming quite useful to you too, giving you a chance to finally take that trip for your birthday. Maybe we will even start hearing wedding chimes in the near future.” He gave Callie a knowing wink, then headed to the back.
Callie’s hair was standing on end as she looked around the empty inn. It hadn’t dawned on her, but the place was far too empty for the time of day. It was never busy, but no one else was there. Feeling that she needed to leave quickly, she rose and placed a few crimson on the table. Something on the chair opposite her caught Callie’s eye as she was about to turn. Her head turned toward the kitchen to see if anyone was watching, then she walked around and saw a small pouch tucked between the chair and the wall. Callie’s hand reached out and picked it up. Tucking it into the pocket of her dress, the apothecary looked around to make sure no one was watching. Realizing just how silly the gesture was, Callie sighed and headed toward the door.
As soon as she was through the door, a small popping noise startled Callie. Putting a hand on her chest, Callie looked toward the door. Scrawled into the wood was the word “Run.”
Callie watched as the writing began to disappear. Leaning in closer, she stretched out a hand to touch it. As she did, an arrow struck the door behind her. Quickly turning to look at the arrow, Callie’s body reacted faster than her brain. Like the writing had said, her feet started to run as her brain realized that her horse was gone. She charged around the inn as another arrow sprang out of the building where the writing had been.
Her hands pulled up on her dress, giving her legs more room to run without the material getting in the way. Without having any idea who was firing at her or why, she ran headlong toward her home, praying that they wouldn’t beat her there.
Thousands of questions ran through her mind. Even though the archer was the most immediate problem, Callie was more bothered by what Jacob had said. She was supposed to be going somewhere tomorrow morning to celebrate her birthday? Her 20th birthday was still a full week away, yet it seemed like Jacob thought she would be gone for 10 full days to celebrate. With whom? Everyone she knew was in the village, and she had no idea where she was supposed to be going for a week. Any other time, she might have been ecstatic about the opportunity, even if it came out of nowhere, but there was no excitement under the current circumstances. Was what Jacob said a result of Alexis? Just what had happened to him while Alexis was around? Or was there something worse going on?
Callie’s legs pumped as she tried to work through everything that was going on. Her thoughts raced faster than her legs, but there was no solution to be found.
About 30 minutes later she could see her home, and Callie tried to breathe a sigh of relief as she slowed. Her lungs wouldn’t do what she wanted as she had trouble catching her breath.
“That’s far enough.” A commanding voice caused Callie to stop in her tracks.
It was like a bad dream. Her head slowly turned until she was looking into the dark eyes of a man on horseback. Her horse. In his hands were a bow and arrow, and she knew that he planned to kill her.
“Why?” It was all she could think to say.
“It took so long to find you, but once Caden found you it was only a matter of time before we did.”
Callie frowned, “I think you have me confused with someone else. I don’t know anyone named Caden.”
The man smirked, “Of course you don’t. If you knew about him, you would know about yourself, and then it would have been impossible to hide you. As it was, it still took us four years since we felt that you were still alive to track you down. Now, I will take care of what should have—”
A white streak came out of nowhere and knocked the man off of her horse. Callie took a moment to fully comprehend what had happened because none of it made any sense. She did nothing as her horse whinnied and ran off toward the inn. The man who had been riding her horse was screaming as he struck the ground. A huge white and black animal landed on top of him, holding the man’s dominant arm in its mouth. She could hear the crack as the animal bit down. The man screamed again, but his other arm reached for a dagger hung on his side. The creature jumped off of him, landing a few feet from his head. The man struggled to get into a defensive position, but without the use of his now broken arm, he didn’t have a chance.
Seconds later it was over. Callie watched the white and black animal turn its attention to her. Realizing too late that she should have run home, Callie watched as it ran at her. Just as she expected it to pound on her, it grabbed her dress in its mouth and slowed. It turned and looked at her, the lower part of her dress held firmly in its jaws. Up close, her mind was completely detached as it analyzed the new creature. It was half as tall as the horse, its head about to her waist. It was as long as a horse with an impressive tail, and the way it moved was reminiscent of a cat—an unbelievably large cat. Thinking back to her childhood, she remembered seeing something like it in one of the fairytales that the troupe had given her. In the book, the creature was called a tiger, but this one had different coloring. Instead of orange and black, it was white and black. The thoughts fired through her mind for a second or two.
The white tiger gave a pull on her dress. Callie nodded and started to run back to her home. The creature dropped her dress and pounded along beside her, and if Callie had any breath left, she would have taken offense at how the cat seemed to be barely jogging next to her. She had come a long way in four years, now being one of the best runners in the village. Beside this tiger, she was like a baby trying to move faster than a horse.
Callie slammed into the door, her hand twisting the knob and pushing it open. The tiger entered just behind her before she could slam the door closed. She leaned against the door, her head resting against it with her eyes closed, her hand on the lock.
“What in the good grace of Gandromea is going on?”
“With your birthday only a week away, it has become increasingly more difficult to mask you.”
Callie spun around. Her back against the door, she found herself looking at a tall man with short, white hair. His muscles weren’t too big, but his clothes clung to his body as if to emphasis them. He watched her with his yellow eyes, and Callie felt like a mouse trapped by a cat.
But for some reason she wasn’t afraid.
“I take it you are… um…” Her mind tried to latch onto the name that the man on her horse had used.
“Caden. It is an honor to finally get to talk to you, but unfortunately, you cannot stay here any longer. The fact that,” his thin lips seemed to disappear as an unpleasant look passed over his handsome features, “that woman found you, I knew that I should have taken you away. But you were so….” He watched her for a moment longer. “I am sorry. It would have been easier if I had taken you out of here last year. And I definitely should have taken you away yesterday after the nobleman.” The detail in her mind clicked. The exotic male voice from the day before belonged to the man in front of her, and it was clear that he had known her for a lot longer than just a day. His eyes watched every little reaction that passed over her face, but he continued, “I am sorry that you won’t get to say good-bye, but the town’s people know that you are leaving in the morning. You do have time to write a note, and then—”
Callie stepped forward, all questions going out of her mind at the idea of leaving the village without an apothecary. “I’m not leaving.”
Caden blinked. “I can no longer protect you from what is coming.”
“I don’t care. I don’t know you and I don’t need protection. I’ve made it this long on my own—” She noticed that his eyebrow rose at the words, but he didn’t say a word. With impossibly smooth strides, he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the door. In a single fluid motion he pulled the door open. There was a sound like thunder, and he pointed toward a small line of torches that were visible in the distance.
“They are coming for you. If you still want to stay, I will do my best, but I can tell you now that neither of us will make it out alive. And death is not what they have in mind for you.”