Читать книгу The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf - Martin Millar - Страница 29
ОглавлениеDominil hurried back down the hill toward Kalix.
“Now we’re in for a troublesome time,” she muttered. Dominil could quite clearly foresee the consequences of Minerva’s murder. Her cousin Thrix revered her old teacher in a way she didn’t revere anyone else. Thrix was going to explode when she learned what had happened. So would the MacRinnalch Clan. That a hunter should penetrate so far into the Scottish Highlands and actually kill Minerva was extremely shocking.
Kalix didn’t wake as Dominil picked her up and headed for the car. She knew she’d have to explain what they were doing on the mountain. That was going to be awkward. Dominil didn’t look forward to telling the Great Council of the MacRinnalchs that she’d gone there to receive treatment for her laudanum addiction. She could imagine the reaction of her father, the Mistress of the Werewolves, and the barons.
Dominil threw Kalix into the car, no longer bothering to be gentle. She took out her phone, hesitated for only a second, then called Thrix in London.
“Thrix? This is Dominil. I’m on the mountainside below Minerva’s retreat. Minerva is nearby. She’s been shot and killed. A silver bullet, I’m sure.”
Thrix gasped, and then fell silent. A few seconds later, Dominil heard voices on the other end of the line as Thrix talked to her assistant Ann. Thrix came back on the line.
“I’ll be there soon.”
Thrix rang off. Dominil knew that the Enchantress could use her sorcery to travel through space, though she wasn’t sure how long it would take her to reach Scotland. The white-haired werewolf made another phone call, this time to the castle. The Mistress of the Werewolves was shocked at the news.
“Minerva is dead? How could anyone kill Minerva?”
Dominil couldn’t say. Minerva’s powers of sorcery were legendary. It seemed unlikely that anyone could simply have sneaked up on her. But they had, and she was dead.
“Thrix is coming,” Dominil told her. “I’ll be at the castle as soon as possible.”
The rain poured down. Dominil remained by the car. It took a half-hour or so for Thrix to arrive. She materialized with a wild expression on her face.
“Where’s Minerva?”
“Behind that tree.” Dominil pointed. Thrix ran up the hill. After a few steps she halted, kicked off her shoes, then carried on running. Dominil walked slowly up the hill after her. By the time she reached the pine tree, Thrix was on her knees beside Minerva’s body, crying. Her tears mingled with the rain as she leaned over her old teacher’s body. It seemed to Dominil that Thrix was going to examine Minerva’s wound, but instead she part collapsed, part embraced Minerva, and broke down in sobs.
Dominil watched impassively. The rain swept down, running through her white hair onto her long leather coat. The heather was sodden under her boots. Eventually, Thrix looked up. It took her several attempts before she could speak.
“What happened?”
“I found her here, like this. I called you immediately. I saw no one else in the vicinity.”
The Enchantress levered herself to her feet, slowly and awkwardly. “What were you doing here?”
“We had arranged to meet Minerva. I regret to say we arrived late.”
Thrix stared at Dominil, and then past her, down the hill to the car, and Kalix. “Why were you meeting Minerva?”
“For treatment for laudanum addiction. For both of us.”
Thrix’s tears were drying. The expression on her face changed from agitation to bewilderment. “Laudanum addiction? You?”
“Yes.”
It took Thrix a few seconds to digest the news. “So Minerva was waiting here on her own? Why were you late?”
Dominil hesitated to answer. At that moment the front door of Dominil’s car opened and Kalix spilled out. She sank to her knees and was sick on the grass.
“Is that why?” demanded Thrix, gesturing toward Kalix. Dominil didn’t answer. Suddenly, Thrix rushed past her and ran toward the car. Dominil pursued her, but by the time Dominil caught up Thrix had grabbed Kalix and dragged her to her feet.
“You got Minerva killed!” screamed Thrix.
Kalix was still drowsy. Her eyes were unfocused and she didn’t reply. Thrix drew back her right hand and dealt Kalix a brutal slap in the face. The young werewolf slammed into the side of the car then slumped once more to the ground where she lay in the wet heather.
Before Dominil could say anything, Thrix had run off again, back up the mountain toward Minerva. She picked Minerva up and struggled for a few moments to carry her up the hill. Then she put Minerva down, and shouted some words that were incomprehensible to the watching Dominil. To Dominil’s great surprise, Thrix transformed into her golden werewolf shape, though it was daytime. Thrix, now stronger, picked up Minerva with ease and marched away up the hill.
Dominil watched her go. She hadn’t known that Thrix’s sorcery allowed her to make the change in daylight.
Kalix still lay on the ground, wet and dirty. An ugly bruise was forming on her cheek where Thrix had slapped her. Dominil shook her head, helped Kalix back into the car, then drove toward the main road.
