The Odin Inheritance (The Pessarine Chronicles Book 1) Page 25

  Lady Sato smiled as if she’d known I’d say that. “Quite.”

  “Why kidnap me?” I asked, mind reeling. “What use could he make of a child?”

  “Because you’re related to your Aunt Miranda, and your aunt thwarted Fate to ensure you were born,” she said. She dropped my hand. “Laufeson had no use for you as a child, Ariana. He had a use for an adult – you – with a connection to an ancient god, and he was willing to wait for you to grow up. Once you did, he’d take you back.”

  “Is this ancient god the All-Father?”

  “He is.” Sato looked at her feet for a moment and then met my eyes. “The All-Father is Odin, the chief god of the Norse pantheon. It’s him you feel on the edge of your thoughts.”

  Now I had a name to attach to the presence I’d felt, but I had no idea who Odin was or what he was capable of. Is he a good god? “But – “

  “Laufeson took you as a child because children are easy to grab, though even as a four-year-old you fought like a tiger.”

  I froze. Easy to grab? “Where is Mother?” I asked, the words coming out in a rush. I scanned the unmoving crowd to see if I could see her. “Is she in danger? And Father? He’s supposed to be meeting us. How will we keep them—“

  “Someone we trust is with your Father and bringing him, in safety, to Miranda’s estate at Brentwood Close. In fact,” she said, reaching into her sleeve, “he wanted you to have this.” She pulled down and out came a long gold watch chain with a gold fob I recognized.

  “Father gave you his watch chain with Old Tom?” I said, holding out my hand to accept it. It coiled up in my hand, warm and familiar. I remembered playing with the chain and fob when I was small, sitting on Father’s lap. The fob, called ‘Old Tom’ was an old Catholic saint’s medal, the face in profile nearly worn smooth. “Why?”

  “He wanted you to wear it for luck. If you wrap it around your wrist, I think you’ll find it’ll do well as a bracelet.”

  I wrapped it about my right wrist as Sato suggested and attached the clasp to the fob. It reminded me so much of Father I couldn’t help but smile, though it made me worry that I had Father’s good luck and he didn’t. “Thank you – but you’re sure he’s well? And Mother?”

  Sato nodded. “Yes. Your father is very well protected and your mother is safe,” she said. “As I told you before, I’m still with her.”

  “How is that—?”

  She stopped me. “No way to explain it in English, I’m afraid. Best if you just accept that I can be in several places at once, and try not to think about it too much.” She looked over my shoulder. “Oh, good. Your ride has arrived.”

  She turned me around to face a stocky gentleman who had kind eyes, a massive dark beard and a mantle of hair that surrounded his face like a lion’s mane. Unlike the static people around us, he moved and breathed as Lady Sato, Hugo and I did. Obviously, Lady Sato’s trick with time encompassed him just as it did us. Unsurprised by the vista of human statues, he approached us casually. He was in his shirtsleeves, and suspenders held up his brown trousers. I noted with some shock he stood barefooted. I shuddered to think what he’d walked through, knowing what sorts of muck ended up in the streets.

  “Lady Ariana,” he said in a thick Russian accent, “it is pleasure meet you. I am Gregor Datsik at your service.” He bowed and clicked his bare heels together though they didn’t make a sound. “I will take you from here to airship. Do you know horse riding?”

  I looked at Lady Sato, who nodded in encouragement at me, then turned my attention back to Mr. Datsik. “I beg your pardon?” I asked.

  Mr. Datsik smiled, and I saw his eyes were a deep, warm brown color. “Can you ride horse?” he asked again.

  I looked around in confusion. At that moment, there were no carts, carriages or horses in front of the hotel. “Yes, but… I don’t see a horse, Mr. Datsik.”

  “Ah,” Mr. Datsik said. “Please, calling me Gregor. I provide horse for you. I ask only you not pull mane too much.” He indicated the side of the hotel. “I will go there, and horse will come back. It will be dark, like me,” he indicated his beard, “but the left ear will be white. If you wish speaking, reach up and grasp white ear, and we speak.”

  That sounded completely bizarre. “Is the horse’s ear a telephone? Or detachable? Is it some sort of clockwork animal?”

  Gregor barked a laugh. “No,” he said. “I am real horse. You climb back, and we go to airship.”

  He turned and ran around the side of the building. I turned back to Lady Sato, who wore the gold gown and her hair up once again, with Hugo pacing at her feet.

  “What the bloody hell is going on?” I hissed at Lady Sato. “Where did that Russian come from? He’s talking like he’s the horse, and your dress has changed.”

  Lady Sato smiled. “I’d forgotten how direct you were,” she said, “but I dare say your mother would disapprove of your choice of words. Bloody Hell? Hardly the discourse of a lady.”

  I expressed myself in several more choice epithets, which only made Lady Sato smile more broadly.“The Russian?” I spluttered, having reached the end of my colorful vocabulary. “Who is he?”

  “Ah. Yes. Gregor? Let’s call him an associate. He’s a recent addition to our group. His English does improve, but we’re in early days yet.”

  I couldn’t make sense of that comment. “What?” I asked.

  Hugo croaked and waved his beak in the direction of the side of the hotel to which the bearded Slav had retreated. I spun around to see a dark brown horse with a white left ear approach, devoid of saddle or bridle, but clutching a white shirt and a brown pair of trousers with suspenders still attached in his teeth.

  “Why is the horse carrying Mr. Datsik’s garments?” I asked Lady Sato, then twigged to what must have transpired. “Oh God,” I whispered. “He’s a Facti. He is the horse.” The horse whinnied and nodded, the clothes bobbing up and down as he did so.

  I brought my hand to my head and felt my body start to shake. “That’s it,” I muttered. “I’ve finally gone starkers. Equine transformations? Temporal stagnation? Odin the Norse god? Someone’s going to lock me in a madhouse and throw away the key.”

  Hugo squawked and in a couple wing flaps had perched himself on the horse’s head.

  “Ah, yes,” Lady Sato said, her tone business-like, “taking the clothes along is a capital plan. Well done, Gregor. ” She reached out and took the clothing from the horse, wadded it up into a ball and handed it to me. “Up you go,” she said, indicating the horse’s back.

  “There?” I said, appalled. “There’s no saddle or bridle. How will I get up there, and what will I hold on to once I do?”

  Lady Sato cupped her hands and bent over, providing a stirrup of sorts. I hesitantly put my booted foot in her grasp and before I knew it, I was on the horse’s back.

  “Put his clothes in front of you,” she suggested, “lean forward and wrap your arms around his neck. Move your skirts so your legs can grasp his back and sides without obstruction. That should keep you secure enough. I’ve created a time field around the two of you as an extra precaution. Don’t worry. Gregor knows the way. Don’t let the airship leave without your mother and me, or Gregor, once he’s changed back into his human form.”

  “All right,” I said uncertainly. “Which airship—“

  “Gregor, time to go,” Lady Sato said, interrupting me.

  Gregor lurched forward in response. I barely managed to wrap my arms far enough around his neck while I braced my legs and feet to keep myself on his back though his clothes were secure underneath my chest. Hugo took off from the Russian’s head and kept pace with us as Gregor careened through the streets of York at the fastest speed he could manage. It was more a game of dodging inanimate objects than anything else. True to Lady Sato’s word, we moved between moments, while everyone around us remained ignorant of our passing.

  Where is the airship depot? I wondered. How did Gregor become this horse? How does he know Lady Sato?

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sp; I scooted myself forward so that I could get a firmer grip on Gregor’s heaving neck with my right hand and arm while I tentatively reached my left hand up to grip the white left ear. I concentrated on timing my movements with those of the horse so that I could remain more securely on the bare back under me. Buildings flew past, as did other horses, carriages, lampposts and people on the street, and the only sounds were the rapid cracks of Gregor’s hooves on the brick pavement. I managed to touch his white left ear and hold on to it, but barely.

  Yes, Miss Trevelyan? came a voice in my mind. It was masculine, polite, and distinctly Russian.

  “My God,” I said, amazed. “I can hear you.”

  Yes, came the phlegmatic response. It is as I saying, yes?

  I smiled at the interesting turn of phrase. “How did you know to come to the Royal York Hotel?”

  Sato tell me. I come. You must be safe.

  “Are you only able to become a horse?”

  Nyet. I become all animal. Big, small… all animal. He grunted. We turn sharp. Hold hard.

  I looked ahead, noted the corner approaching, let go of Gregor’s ear and held on tight as he bolted around the tight turn. I heard Hugo squawk in alarm behind us. Once past the turn, I reached up to clasp the ear again.

  Ha! Hugo not liking the streets, I think, Gregor said, and I could feel the smile in his thoughts though he could not express it on his equine face.

  “How are you able to become these animals?” I asked.

  I am of Thetis. She change, so I change.

  “Thetis?”

  Goddess of Greek, yes? I am inheritor of her. It is much honor, and unexpected for you, I am thinking. I am horse with secret, like at Troy.

  He whinnied at his own joke.

  So Gregor’s abilities meant he could shapeshift, as Lady Sato manipulated time and Hypatia manipulated the rain. The tale of the Trojan Horse was one of the few I knew, and I couldn’t help but think Gregor wasn’t the only person I’d met recently with hidden secrets, though for my sake I hoped they were happier ones than the Trojans had experienced.

  We arrive depot soon. You will like, I think. Is nice ship. Hold hard. I go faster. Is better we speaking later.

  “Thank you, Gregor,” I said and slid back so I could get a better grip with arms and legs. Once Gregor sensed I was ready, he increased his speed. I closed my eyes and concentrated on holding on, feeling only the movement of Gregor’s equine body underneath me, letting the shock and sadness of the day’s events and revelations wash over me as I did so. Luckily, between Gregor’s speed and Lady Sato’s time tricks, no one saw the struggle to accept what I’d done on my face.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  When Gregor finally slowed and stopped, my hair was free of half of its pins and hanging about my shoulders in a tangled mess of up and down curls. Gregor’s flanks, flecked with foam, heaved underneath me. I opened my eyes, wiped my cheeks, sat up and discovered we stood in some sort of large staging area with three walls made of wooden slats nailed to large wooden beams which in turn held up a tin roof. Hugo flew up to perch on one of the rafters above us. The place smelled of new wood. Blazing torches in metal holders provided a flickering, but surprisingly bright light, and the floor beneath us was brick. Clearly, the depot was very new and intended for cargo rather than passengers. I couldn’t see the airship that was meant to be our transport to Scotland. Presumably it was out in the dark, tethered, fueled and ready to leave. I couldn’t see anyone in the building. Perhaps the crew is on board the ship?

  “This the place?” I asked Gregor and sniffled. I tried to wipe my nose discreetly but had limited success. I doubted Gregor had a kerchief I could borrow. He whinnied and nodded his big head up and down.

  I heard steps on the brick floor heading toward us, and the protective presence of Odin sparked in my mind, anticipating trouble. I was a target on Gregor’s back, he indicated. I needed to get on the ground and get a weapon ready. I tried to get off Gregor in a way that would allow me to defend myself, but the day’s exertions and the pell-mell trip through York had taken their toll on my body. My muscles quivered from holding on so tightly, and I slid from Gregor’s back in a limp-noodle sort of flop, dragging the shirt and trousers with me as I landed in a heap on the brick pavement.

  Gregor looked over at me and neighed in what I took to be an expression of concern. I tried to stand up but found my legs trembled so much I couldn’t. My vision swam and I couldn’t seem to focus on anything. The steps I’d heard drew closer, and I tried to toggle my bracelet to use as a weapon, but failed. Before I could make another move, huge hands grabbed my upper arms, lifted me up off the bricks and enveloped me in a big bear hug, pressing my face into the shoulder of a well-worn leather jacket. Gregor’s clothes dropped to the ground.

  “Ari!” Max cried, squeezing the air from my lungs in his enthusiasm to greet me properly. “You made it! Thank the stars and my dear Aunt Fanny!”

  “Urgh,” I gasped in response.

  “Don’t you worry—we’ll get you safe to Scotland with no trouble at all,” he continued, spinning me around in his embrace like I was a child’s doll.

  “Max,” I croaked, head spinning, “please – “

  He pulled me out of the embrace and placed my feet on the bricks, holding me at arms length to look me up and down. I was grateful for that, since I was quite sure if he let go I’d drop to the ground again.

  “Are you all right, my girl?” Max asked. “You look dirty, bloody, windblown, exhausted and,” he wrinkled his nose, “you smell of horse.”

  “It’s been a very long day,” I said. Seeing Max in front of me in his aeronaut clothes was a balm to my mind and soul. I knew that where Max was, the Bosch had to be. I felt my eyes well with tears as I stammered out, “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you. People have tried to—” I gasped, “– and I had to use the knives and —“

  Max saw the emotion on my face and resorted to patting my head and shoulder with one hand in an awkward attempt to sooth me while he held me up with the other. “There, there, Ari,” he cooed. “Deep breath, now,” he urged. “You’re safe with us, and you’ll be safer once we’re aloft. We’re waiting on Lady Sato and her guest, and – “

  “The guest is my mother,” I said, wiping my eyes and nose with my hands and right sleeve. What was done was done. I had to get my emotions under control. “Have you received word on where they are? Are they all right?”

  “I’m sure your mother is very safe if she’s with Lady Sato. I promise we won’t leave without them.” He cupped a hand to his mouth and shouted into the darkness: “Griff! Can you come help Mr. Datsik? We need to get him airship ready toot-sweet!”

  I clenched my fists and focused on calming down. I found if I didn’t try to move, I could stay standing with relative success and Max’s help, though my legs trembled and I still felt the movement of the horse in my body, like the roll of the deck one feels on land after a long time on a boat.

  “Coming!” came Griff’s return shout.

  I looked around the hangar again. “What is this place? Are we safe here? There aren’t any Enhanced fellows nearby or hiding somewhere?”

  Max shook his head. “This is the private airfield we rented specifically to pick you up. Only been in use a couple months. For security’s sake, we did a complete search of the area. No evildoers about. Needle, Lizzie, and Andrew await us on the ship on standby – once we’re all present and accounted for, we’ll be off.”

  I looked up at Hugo in the rafters. “Hugo?” I called.

  Hugo flew down and landed on my shoulder, then snuggled up so his beak was near my ear. He nibbled a little of the hair close to my earlobe in a gentle tug and I felt some of the tension leave my body. He leaned against my head and cooed a little in an attempt to comfort me.

  Max eyed the raven on my shoulder. “Millie told me about your beastie,” he said, nodding toward Hugo, “but I must say, he’s even more impressive than I’ve heard.” He looked over my head. �
��I wish Griff would hurry up. If Gregor joins us as he is now, it’ll be hard to explain to your mother.”

  Gregor neighed. I turned to look at Gregor in his equine aspect and then looked back at Max. “Wait. You know he’s a man? How do you know he’s a man?”

  Max let go of me and watched to verify that I could stand on my own. I wobbled a little but stabilized. He nodded in approval.

  “We’ve been briefed on the Facti and the Obscurati.” He rubbed an earlobe thoughtfully. “Made for the strangest business meeting I’ve ever attended. We only knew we had the contract with something called the Pessarine Consortium until that meeting I told you about, which was moved up to this afternoon unexpectedly. Then Lady Sato, Andrew and Gregor showed up, told us some tall tales about these evil Obscurati blokes, wafted about terms like ‘artifacts’ and ‘magic’ and expected we’d just take their word for it.”

  I frowned. “I know what that’s like,” I said.

  Max shrugged. “We demanded proof, of course – we didn’t fall off the turnip cart yesterday, after all. To prove to us they spoke the truth about their unique abilities, we watched as Lady Sato stopped time, Mr. Datsik turned into various animals and Andrew showed us how he reads thoughts and heals wounds.”

  He cleared his throat. “That was plenty of proof for our piece of mind, but then they showed us how much the Pessarines intended to pay—a considerable sum—and we accepted the contract. Then Sato stuck us ‘between seconds,’ she said, to make the final changes to the Bosch in next to no time, which was handy, since Griff had one of the engines half in pieces.”

  “I can see how Lady Sato’s magic would help with that.”

  “Then came the call for us to meet you here, and here we are.” He shrugged. “We’ve yet to meet the chap with the gift with plants. Once we get to Brentwood Close, I should imagine we’ll meet up with your Great Aunt and the ‘flora’ fellow.”

  “The chap with a gift for plants?” I parroted. Apparently the Bosch crew knew more about what was going on than I did. That didn’t seem fair.