Healer (7 page)

CHAPTER
5

Jangus spent the
better part of his day memorizing Lexington’s layout.

Mark the locations,
he said
.
A cackle.
I’ll do better than that. I’ll taint them!
Taking a raven form, the
Healer soared over the open streets. Angling his tail feathers, a mix of black
and white dropped below. To his amusement, the dropping landed on some
unsuspecting forehead. Many others had met the same treatment, and still into
the night as the raven continued to scour Lexington for humans.

Height was his savior,
with the approach of night his camouflage. Even so, humans never seemed to stop
moving. Between merchants in the market area, thieves slipping in and out of
back alleyways, and close-knit buildings, humans had a wide range of places to
be found. Secretly, the Healer hoped this was the most he would encounter in
one area, and let loose another one of his liquefied droppings in protest.

How quickly this
whole place could be leveled! I would be more than honored if Chronicles let me
do so.
Delighting in those thoughts,
the raven turned toward the smell of fresh baked bread. With empty stomach, he
sought out the smell’s location.

A family of five was
just sitting down for their evening meal when the raven alighted on their windowsill.
He peered around the side of the curtain gently ruffling in the open breeze
where he spied a loaf of bread sitting on the table.

How convenient.
No one took notice until he hopped down on the counter
with a caw.

The littlest girl
pointed. “Look!
A bird!”

The mother turned in
her chair, a look of shock displayed upon her face to find it boldly perched so
close to the table. “Be quick!” She motioned to an older daughter. “Shoo it
back out the window!”

“Yes,
Mama.”
 

Jangus eyed the young
girl’s approach. He ignored her desperate waves in attempt to frighten him.
When she tried to pick him up, he merely pecked at one of her fingers.

“Ouch!” She stuck the
sore finger in her mouth,
then
shook it a few times.
“Did you see that? It bit me!”

“Someone must have
kept it as a pet.” A boy briskly walked over to the countertop. “No bird would
be so stubborn.” She peered down at the raven,
then
drew back in surprise. “No wonder they let it go. There’s something wrong with
its eyes. They’re white!”

“It might be blind.”
Their father rose from the table. “I’ll handle this.”

He proceeded to grab
the bird when Jangus launched into a wild flutter of feathers and cawing. The
youngest screamed when Jangus dived at the man’s face. Thrown off guard, the
tall man swatted dramatically around his head, but Jangus was too quick. With a
cackle, he avoided a toss of wooden spoon.

Ha! They couldn’t
catch me if I were in my true form!
He mused over their chaotic reactions,
then
decided it
was more fun to bump into overhanging pots and pans. An upset broom toppled
from its lone corner. The Healer felt the wind of their hands slapping at empty
air and continued cackling in laughter.

Having had enough, the
eldest daughter picked up the broom and slung it over a cupboard. Years of evading
other Healers in play brought out his evasive skills, and dishes clattered to
the floor instead. He laughed at their performance,
then
swooped down to grab the loaf of bread. He had just reached the windowsill when
the father managed a handful of tail feathers, stopping Jangus from clearing
the window.

“Come ‘ere, you!”

Jangus turned on his
captor. Opal eyes blazed in outrage. A silver-white glow enveloped his form. No
one moved while the glow expanded into his true form. When the glow had died,
the only thing the man held was the corner of his shirt. Stunned, the man stood
frozen in place until the young Healer grabbed the man’s hand.

“Who’s got who?” he
said coldly.

The man’s face paled
as Jangus released him just as quick. He spun, shifting in the process. White
merged with black. A furry tail rose over a striped back to expose his
hindquarters.

How ‘bout I mark
you like this?

The father could not
get
“skunk”
out fast enough before Jangus let loose a stink.

The women matched his
frightening screams with words of,
“Magic-user!”
That was quickly
replaced
by hacking and running for the nearest exit.

Jangus snickered upon
his departure.
Try explaining that one.
He noticed several men dressed
in black running swiftly toward the ruckus. They drew their swords as the
family darted into the street, but quickly recoiled at the smell permeating
their skin and clothing. Back in his raven form, Jangus was too far away for
pointing fingers to scope out in the night. Already out of sight, he savored
the still-warm bread in the comfort of an abandoned alley.
Wonder if it’s
easier to spot more human developments tonight?

*****

Twilight flexed his
fingers,
then
slowly turned his wrist to be sure it
was properly healed. Nature was scarce between the buildings of Lexington. The
few plant life Katherine had found for him had been a mix of weeds, from
dandelions thinly stretched in between street cracks to scraggly vines. With
daylight draining faster than the process of healing, it took nearly all
afternoon and into late evening to acquire the right number of greenery needed.

Withered, curled
leaves Twilight had needed to heal lay piled in small heaps around his feet.
Their life-given energy spent, the young Healer finally called upon his
shifting ability to see if he was able.

“Finally!”
He flexed his wrist again.

“I would have gone
outside the city to collect more,” Katherine said, “but with Jangus so
close....”

“Rather take him on
than those humans.”

“And you had wanted to
meet one so badly,” Katherine teased.

“I wanted to meet what
Keith saw, not these!”

At a sound from an
adjoining alley, Delexi rounded a corner in his wolf form.
You may have to
deal with them yet,
the two heard.
Looks like your
friend has stirred up the town guards.
They’re hot on anyone’s
trail resembling or mentioning ‘magic-user’.

The wolf gave a low
growl at nearing footsteps. Quickly, the three hid behind some empty wooden
crates. Happy to shift again, Twilight mimicked Katherine’s form as a weasel and
kept to the shadows. Beside him, Delexi crouched low to peer between the wooden
slats.

The golden glow of
torchlight slid across the buildings as a passing patrol drew close. Long
swords at their sides were held ready to pull at the slightest find.

The three held their
breaths while one seemed to take interest near the crates; however, a command
pulled him back to the current search. Losing interest, they soon made off to a
more promising destination.

Delexi took a long
whiff,
then
snorted in protest. He shook his mane of
neck fur before slinking out.

They’d rather not
discover the true cause,
he growled.
Guards
know the risks of dealing with magic-users, if there be one.
He glanced at
the Healers.
Then again, some of them will be more agitated, due to our
earlier ordeal.

“No thanks to Jangus.”
Katherine took a seat on one of the barrels. “I can still smell him.”

“Smell him?” Twilight
examined a bird dropping on the ground. “His doings are everywhere! How can you
tell whether he’s still here or not?”

Likely, he’s
probably gone by now,
Delexi snorted.

“You’re probably
right,” Katherine said. “I can’t see him tangling with those people. He’s had
his fun, so we should get moving as well.”

“How are you going to
get out without getting noticed?” Twilight eyed the wolf. “Even your human
form’s a bit...suspicious.”

The three hushed a
moment while listening to voices drawing near,
then
faded down another alley.

“They’re everywhere!”
Katherine kept her voice low. “Chronicles should have given you a bird form as
well.”

Delexi grunted,
nostrils enlarging to smell the air.
This way!
He darted down a side
passage.

“Maybe I should have
kept that traveling crystal.” Twilight felt around his neck where the necklace
he had given Keith used to hang.
“Would have come in handy
right about now.
Just stuff you inside and we’d do all the rest!”

“Twilight,
hush!”
Katherine warned when the
wolf abruptly halted. They pressed their backs to the wall to avoid a brief
group of passing guards.

You two should
shift!
Delexi snarled.
I can
handle myself.

“You
sure about that?”
Twilight started
when the wolf darted behind some passing troops and into the next alley.

“He’s right,”
Katherine said. “We should go. All three of us here is silly. He got in. He’ll
get out.” Without waiting for his consent, she shifted into a sparrow and flew
to the rooftop.
We can track him from up here,
she thought back to him.
Hurry!

Twilight did not
hesitate, for the next
set of troops were
already
assembling down the way they had come. After joining her on the roof, they
began to scout out Delexi’s position.

What if Jangus
hasn’t left yet?
Twilight pondered.
He
might catch us up here.

No, I think he’s
gone by now.
As
Katherine
flitted from rooftop to rooftop, she could just make out the shadow of the wolf
slinking between the buildings.

These alleys are a
maze, and guards are everywhere!
Twilight flanked her every move.

Then let’s guide
him!
Katherine then sent a mental
message to the wolf.
We’ll guide you out! It’s not too far from the gates.
Then we’ll make a run for it!

Whether the wolf
agreed to it or not, the Healers did not wait for confirmation. While Twilight
scouted along one alley, Katherine kept an eye on the other side. Most guards
clumped together in groups of five. There were others in the alley, either
thieves or civilians, who ducked down hidden passages or scrambled inside after
inquisitive threats. Thus far, Delexi was able to dodge between buildings
without detection.

You’re so close!
Twilight thought to the wolf as they neared the last
opening that would bring Delexi out near the main gates.

No, wait!
Katherine shouted to both minds.
They’re coming in
that way!

Go back!
Twilight flitted to the next building.
They’re
coming down the other side!

The wolf darted back
down the alley as a lone guard approached. The guard halted at the entrance to
a side passage.

What’s he doing?
A series of broken boards covering one section of
alley obstructed Twilight’s view.
Is he waiting for the others?

Katherine fluttered to
anther rooftop for a better view. A black blur disappeared behind the man, with
the only sound being a muffled cry.

What’s happening?
Twilight joined Katherine as a figure dressed in
guard’s outfit stepped from the side passage. He made a final adjustment to his
long sword,
then
gave a small wave to the two birds
perched above.

Clever!
Katherine thought.
But is it convincing enough?

Hope so.

“Captain.”
A guard saluted Delexi, who mimicked the motion.

“You should check the
side passage,” the wolf said in a gruff voice, then proceeded from the alley
toward the main gate. He kept his head down while the guards just looked at
each other in puzzlement.

It’s your voice!
Twilight’s sight-reading examined the men’s thought
patterns.
They know you’re a fake!

“Halt!” a guard
commanded, but Delexi had already pushed past a second group.
 

“There’s a body here!”
A troop of guards coming from the opposite direction joined the current party.
Their shouts drew guards from other locations,
who
began flooding the streets where the impostor was wildly running for the gate.

A fresh batch of
guards standing outside the gates suddenly entered to block the exit. Having no
choice, Delexi skidded to a halt with guards closing in from behind. Drawing
swords, they surrounded the wolf.