Chapter 19:
Luciana, Harisen Warrior
THE CARRIAGE STOPPED. THE HORSES stamped and snorted, and while someone usually might manage to calm the animals, the driver had passed out from fear. The four remaining stalker wolves kept a wary distance, sizing up this new threat.
“Rook!” Melody shouted, leaping from the carriage.
The valet ran over. “Mel—Madam Cecilia, Lady Luciana, are you okay?”
“Thanks to you, but what are you doing here?”
They were still a ways from the Rudleberg estate. What reason could Rook have for being out at this time of night?
Rook removed the pup from his back and held him out. “He started to howl like the sky was falling, then slipped out of the manor. Micah told me to go after him, and he led me here.”
“So that was the howl we heard!”
“Do you think he knew we were in danger and came to our rescue?” Luciana said. “Yeah, right, but thanks anyway, boy. You saved us.” She patted the pup on the head.
He squirmed indignantly. Don’t push your luck!
“You get cuter every day. But anyway, there’s still four of those wolves left. That’s better than five, at least.” Luciana let herself relax a little.
Rook’s eyebrow twitched. “Five. Still five, my Lady.”
“Five? But you skewered that—”
Before the words could leave her lips, the incapacitated stalker wolf shambled to its feet, then regrouped with its pack. The beasts eyed the group, wary and patient.
“But you stabbed it straight through the heart! I saw!” Luciana cried. “Were you not using mana?”
All monsters were impervious to non-magical damage. Only spells or mana-infused weapons could slay them for good. No amount of bludgeoning, slashing, goring, maiming, or even blasting could stop the mysterious beasts. Not for long anyway.
“I most certainly was, but I could feel it as my blade entered its body. I struck nothing.”
“What? But how?”
“The sensation was familiar. It brought to mind it.”
“‘It’?” Luciana gaped at the monsters, the black, seemingly invincible wolves. The resemblance was obvious. “The wolf! The big one!” She swiveled to Melody.
The maid concentrated mana in her eyes as she nodded. “I see it. The same dark mana.”
“So it’s the thing with the thing all over again?!”
“What ‘thing,’ my lady?” Rook asked.
“P-point being, this isn’t good. Neither of us could even scratch it. The only thing that worked was when Melody did the, um…”
“Laundry m—”
“Housemaid!” Luciana interjected, shoving her hand over his mouth. Couldn’t forget the death glare. “The housemaid thing! And what a powerful technique it was!”
They would have to rely on that power again, surely, but Melody sadly shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t managed to replicate the spell.”
“Th-that’s not good. Now what?” Luciana blanched. They were powerless.
Just then, a horse neighed, slipped from its harness, and darted into the night.
“Oh, come on! What now?!”
Lect and Maxwell rushed to join them.
“I let it go,” Maxwell said. “They’re trained to return to their stable when spooked, so if luck is on our side, someone will notice and send help.”
“The coachman is safe inside the carriage,” said Lect. “That aside, Rook—I believe that was your name—why are you here?”
“You saved our coachman, and I extend my thanks to you on behalf of my house, but I do believe an explanation is in order,” Maxwell said.
Melody, Rook, and Luciana provided one, leaving out the parts about their previous encounter with a black wolf.
“So not even magic will avail us,” Maxwell said. “Still, I see no peaceful way out of this situation. Rook, you can fight?”
“I can.”
“I’ll certainly take five-on-three to five-on-two, but this darkness puts us at a severe disadvantage.”
The only light came from Melody’s Luce spell. This wasn’t modern-day Earth, where street lights punctuated the streets at regular intervals, and night lay thick over the city. The driver had illuminated the way with a directional light spell, but he was unconscious. They had to squint and strain simply to confirm the wolves still circled them.
“Allow me. Luce.” More orbs of light sprang from Melody’s hand. Ten in total drifted into place, creating a perimeter of light around the group and the threats. “That should do it.”
“And how. Madam Cecilia, you are truly a prodigy,” Maxwell said.
“I’m what?”
“Simple as the spell is, to maintain ten of them at once is no mean feat. It’s a shame your talents aren’t being polished at the academy.”
Even that’s too much?!
Melody easily could have produced a hundred or even two hundred of the things. She’d never paused to consider a paltry ten impressing anyone.
“I-I’m flattered, my lord,” she stammered, wincing.
“Now we have a chance,” Rook said.
“There’s a reason stalker wolves are also known as night-hounds. Without cover of darkness, we’ve robbed them of their preferred hunting style. The scales tip ever so slightly in our favor,” Maxwell said. “If only we could hurt them.”
The valet and the lord readied their swords.
Lect braced. “If it’s possible to hurt them, rest assured, we will,” he said.
“Take shelter in the carriage. They won’t get past us.” Maxwell offered a reassuring smile to the ladies.
For once, it did not faze Luciana. “No, thank you.”
“What?”
She stepped forward and flicked her wrist. The fan in her hand transformed into a harisen.
“And what in the world is that?” an incredulous Maxwell asked.
“My weapon of choice. The harisen!” She whipped it through the air, and it let out a satisfying thwack.
“A hari-what?” Maxwell said. “Begging your pardon, Lady Luciana, but we cannot allow a woman to put herself in harm’s way with that for a weapon. Please, stand back.”
Luciana sneered at the lord. “Your suggestion has been noted and will be considered at my next convenience. Cecilia, you retreat to the carriage and focus on maintaining the light spell. If something happens to that light, we’re as good as dead.”
“But my…! Lady Luciana!” Melody protested.
The lady turned and lowered her voice. “I want you to watch and try to think of a backup plan. It’ll come down to you if we can’t pull through on our own. Please, Melody. For me.”
Melody swallowed her misgivings. “Yes, my lady. Your dress is charmed, so you ought to be safe, but please, be careful.”
“Knew I could count on you! Be back soon. Promise.” Leaving Melody at the carriage, Luciana trotted back to Maxwell, Lect, and Rook.
“I never approved of you joining us,” Maxwell said.
“I never asked,” she countered. “This is my fight just as much as yours.”
Maxwell had no reply. Where did the young lady hide all that dauntless bravery?
The stalker wolves took this as their cue, and one of them charged for the lord. Maxwell fumbled with his sword, only for Luciana to beat him to the defense.
“The only way I’m leaving is if you slay these mutts before I do,” she said.
The lady danced. Exactly as Melody had taught her, she danced. She knew these steps from more than ballroom experience now. They’d even bested Garmr. With those same, lithe movements, she pirouetted around the attacking wolf.
“That’s enough!” she cried.
Her harisen slammed squarely into the beast’s side, a beautiful swing like a tennis stroke. The wolf howled in pain and went flying to the edge of the street.
Lect’s jaw dropped. Maxwell’s jaw dropped. The wolves’ jaws dropped. The afflicted stalker had no visible wound and yet lay there on the ground spasming in pain.
“Come on!” Luciana said. “Who wants to die next?! There’s plenty more where that came from!”
“Lady Luciana, would you please mind what you say?!” pleaded a voice from behind, the only voice that could manage words after that display.
Luciana staked her claim. This fight belonged to a girl in a ballgown, and she didn’t feel like sharing.