Page 19 of Capricorn Blessed

The room appears to be a sitting room. Two couches face each other with pillows that look hand-sewn on them. One couch has a basket of fabrics near it and needlework displayed along it. The other has an autoharp and some sheet music. A few chairs are placed near the window, and a small table is laden with books, quills, and candles.

“I don’t think this room has jewelry,” I whisper. “Ready to check the next one?”

“Sure,” Kenric answers, moving out the door.

I enter the hallway, gently shutting the door behind me before joining Kenric at the next door down. At my nod, he opens the door, and we again scan the room for anyone waiting to attack us.

This room has a large canopy bed centered on the far wall. A chair sits near the window, and the curtains are drawn. Glass covers shelves of items lining the walls. Entering, I move toward the largest shelf. I see dolls, blocks, and balls. Not where jewelry would be kept. I turn and head to Kenric on the other side of the room.

“Any luck?” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “Next room?”

Before I can answer, a crash sounds across the hall, followed by a low growl. Kenric and I take off at a sprint.

A door farther up the hall is open, and the sounds coming from it make my heart stop. I push myself faster, grabbing the door frame, and spinning myself into the room.

A large tiger is facing off with a black panther. Both animals’ teeth are bared as they growl back and forth.

My eyes spin wide until they lock on Dennis standing in the corner. I let out a shaky breath and turn back to the threat in the room.

Lifting my sword, I creep up next to Izzy, facing the tiger. He’s crouched in front of a case, his tail slowly swishing back and forth as his eyes move between both of us. It’s almost like he’s trying to figure out who’s the bigger threat.

He locks on me, and the growl gets louder. I bend my knees, placing both hands on the hilt of my sword and preparing to fight a tiger.

He lunges forward. I angle the sword, hoping for a quick clean kill.

Before he reaches me, a white blur comes between us, knocking the tiger off course. They land with a thud, rolling across the floor and crashing into a glass display case by the window.

I look at Izzy, still crouched in front of Dennis. “Thanks, girl, but you two need to get out while he’s distracted. I’ll find what he’s guarding, then come meet you at the car.”

She dips her head before looking over her shoulder.

Dennis looks at me. “Sia, I don’t want to leave you here,” he says.

“I’ll be right behind you! Go! I’ll be fine, I promise!” I hope that’s a promise I can keep.

He slowly edges his way across the wall. Izzy keeps pace in front of him while the white blur, which I can now see is a white wolf, and the tiger continue to throw each other around the room.

Dennis reaches the door, and he and Izzy head into the hallway, their footsteps speeding up as they retreat downstairs.

I look around the room. The floor is littered with glass and paper from books that have been knocked from the shelves. The tiger and the wolf seem evenly matched, both dipping and dodging. Taking swipes at each other. The wolf’s back leg is scarlet where the tiger swiped him with his claws, but the tiger seems to be favoring his front leg and not wanting to put it down.

I sidle toward the case the tiger was originally standing in front of. I can see the glint of jewels as the sunlight hits them.

My hope soars as the feeling inside me pushes me forward. I reach the case and look down. There are multiple rings at the end of the case. I turn my head to look further into the case. Necklaces sit on the far side.

I look over my shoulder and see the wolf has moved to stand behind me as a guard, like Izzy was doing for Dennis earlier.

He’s got a pool of blood spreading below him, but the tiger seems to not be attacking and is instead arching and waiting.

I reach the far end and spot several lockets lying on the velvet inside. My eyes land on a silver locket in the middle with a large black stone glittering in the front. I grab the lid of the case and pull up.

Nothing happens.

I try again, bending and using my legs to try to get it to open, but it doesn’t budge.

Getting frustrated, I slam the handle of the sword into the case, shattering the top. As I reach inside, a growl rips through the air.

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