Page 10 of Dishonor Among Thieves
As I nudged the mare toward the exterior gates, I noticed something glowing off in the distance. Curious, and a bit concerned that I’d happened upon a fire, I dismounted the horse and led her gently toward the gate. I peeked over the chest-high stones, the top of the gate grown thick with winding vines of smilax. The long thorns looked mature, as though they’d been growing for decades. The plant’s purpose was neither flower nor food, but covering the top of the gate to prevent the admittance of any who weren’t welcome.
I climbed astride Sara and urged her closer to the gate, peering past the brambles to the unusual glow ahead. I lost my breath as I stared at the haunting aura around the property. While the stone wall itself was grown high with the distinctive heart-shaped leaves and jagged thorns of the smilax vine, behind the wall, the ground was grown over with a thick, dark reddish plant—a sedum, I believed.
But it looked like no sedum I’d seen before. Even more strange was the way the densely flowering plantsglowed. If it had been rainy or humid, I might have believed there was a dense fog that hovered over the hills of the Oderisi estate. But from here, the ground, thick and overgrown with plants, glowed with a mist as red as blood.
Sara whimpered slightly, as if to warn me away, but the plants had the opposite effect. I was transfixed. What kind of magical place was this, where the ground seeped blood and the walls were reinforced with natural weapons? I might not be able to get inside quickly or easily, but I was certain this had to be the right place. This would be my place of employment. My home. I just had to find a way inside.
The sun was setting, which meant I’d need a torch or would need to take shelter. Both Sara and I would be exposed if this really were the hunting ground of the vengersax, and I had no interest in losing my horse’s or my own eyes to the winged monsters. Large as geese, toxic saliva, and beaks so sharp they could slice through a man’s hand, the vengersax were like every other monster in the Realm—better avoided than confronted.
I calculated the distance between the gate and the front door of the manor and realized quickly that the gate might just be unlocked. I rattled the lever, and to my relief, the latch gave way and the gate freely opened.
Just as I was mounting Sara and preparing to ride past, a cart pulled by two horses emerged from the back side of the property. The horses were at a canter, a young man at the front urging the horses ahead. Torches hung from hooks mounted on top of the cart. As they passed quickly over the grounds toward the road, a woman with hair pale as moonlight stood and waved to the driver to stop.
“Hello, there!” she called, standing to greet me as the cart slowed. “Are you here for the healer? I’ve been called away to attend a fever in the village, but I expect to be back in a few hours.” Her face was lovely, but she looked over my scarred horse and my humble dress with concern. “My dear,” she said, “you have no torch. You mustn’t be out after dark.”
She motioned to the driver to wait as she leapt from the cart with one of the lamps in her hand and walked over to greet me.
“I’m Odile,” she said, looking over my face as though surprised that someone she did not know was calling for her services. “Take this lamp and go right up to the house. The vengersax won’t attack if there’s light, but still. I’d take no chances if I were a girl alone.” She held the lamp up to me, but I shook my head in refusal.
“I’m looking for Neoruzzi Oderisi,” I said. “And I’m quite well, thank you. I don’t need the services of a healer.”
“She might,” Odile said, nodding at Sara. “Go on inside. Neo will get you the help you need.” She gave me another strange look but then quickly softened to a smile. “Neo didn’t mention he was expecting anyone,” she said. “But you’re welcome here. I hope you’ll excuse my haste.”
She climbed back into the cart, looking very concerned at my lack of light.
“Are you sure I can’t offer you a lamp? You’ll go right to the house?” she asked, her pretty face pinched with worry.
“I’ll run her up that way,” the driver offered. He was a young man, likely no more than a teenager, with a flop of reddish-brown hair and an easy smile. “I’m Flynn,” he said, waving a hand at me. “I’ll grab a lamp and run ahead if you’d like me to show the way, miss.”
“No, please. You have a sick person waiting. Thank you for the hospitality. I’ll hurry inside.” I waved at them and urged Sara inside the stone wall. I peeked over my shoulder to see Flynn jump down from the cart, close the gate behind him, and then he and Odile took off, their lamps glowing orange as they bounced along the path toward the village.
Once the steps that led to the manor were in sight, I leapt from Sara’s back, ducked my head into my hood, and moved swiftly through the dark toward the door. Sara snuffled the air, stamping lightly on the ground as I knocked, keeping my ears tuned for wing beats overhead.
“Hello?” I called, knocking hard against the door again. My voice might have been a little shakier than I would have liked, but all this talk of vengersax was unnerving. I was growing cold and tired, the rumbling in my belly reminding me that I’d not eaten anything but a few wild carrots I’d shared with Sara. Just as I was about to pound a third time, I heard the click of the latch and the door slowly opened.
A small woman with a shock of white hair answered. “Hello, there. Can I help you? Are you here for the healer?”
I suddenly understood why the manor gate was unlocked. If Odile expected callers any time of the day or night, it would make sense to keep the gate unlocked but the manor itself locked and secure.
“Good evening, ma’am,” I said. “I’m sorry to intrude at this hour. I’m here to see Lord Oderisi. Neoruzzi Oderisi.”
The woman’s mouth fell open in surprise, but she quickly opened the door in welcome. “Of course, miss. Come in, come in. You must come out of the night.”
She didn’t even ask my name before she shouted into the darkness behind her. “Dale! Dale, come quick. Lord Oderisi has a visitor!”
I stayed outside with Sara until an elderly man came round to the front door, smoothing the long graying strands that fell over his forehead.
“A visitor at this hour! For Neo?” The man squinted at me but quickly broke into a smile. “That mare needs a nice quiet place to rest up while you visit. May I, dear?”
“Slow down, slow down, Dale. Don’t go running off into the night. Your eyes may not be what they once were, but those nasty vengersax will still take a bite of you if you give them half a chance.” The woman rolled her eyes and held out a lamp for the old man. “My husband,” she said with a cheeky grin. “I married him for his looks, not his wits.”
Dale shrugged and said, “And you were right lucky to land me! I’ll have you know, my hand was highly sought after back in the day…”
She sighed and nudged him through the door. “He may have a bit of a faulty memory, but he can be trusted with your mare. What’s her name, dear?”
“The horse is Sara,” I said, trying to keep up with the easy chatter and loving manner of these two. “And I’m Brex. Brexia Eloise.”
“I’ll take good care of her, miss,” Dale said, holding out a well-veined hand.
