Killing the Werewolf

“Elara, how do I look?”

I turned to smile at Letitia. Her golden hair had been twisted up in an elegant updo, and her emerald gown brought out the green in her eyes. Even her perfect smattering of freckles hadn’t been entirely smothered by makeup. My own gown was midnight blue and equally beautiful, but it made me long for the days before I’d joined the nobility. No one in the Outer Circles was expected to wear corsets.

“Mother says I look perfect, but I can’t help wondering if it isn’t fancy enough for court,” she said anxiously.

“Of course, you look perfect,” I told her. “And you needn’t worry about looking good when you’re with me. You know how they love to compare us. Me, the illegitimate daughter, and you, the angel.”

Letitia waved my remark away. “You look lovely, Elara. No one could possibly find fault with you.”

She pulled me to the mirror so we could look at ourselves side by side. There was no question that we were only half-sisters. My hair was dark and my brows thick, and I had my mother’s deep blue eyes.

Letitia nodded approvingly at our reflections. “I’ll go see if mother is ready.”

She swept back out the door. I hated going to events at court. Whatever Letitia said, no one had forgotten the scandal between Lord Moriarty, my father, and my mother. Not surprising, given that it had resulted in my birth, and not two months after the birth of my half-brother Maxwell, no less.

As though my dark thoughts had summoned him, I heard a tap on my doorframe and turned to see my father lounging there. Lord Moriarty was every bit as handsome as he had been sixteen years ago, when I was born. The gray just touching his dark curls even added to the effect, and his smile was just as charming as ever, adding a mischievous glint to his black eyes.

“You look just like your mother,” he said warmly.

Even though I had been thinking the same thing, the sentiment still made me blush when he said it.

“We’d better be leaving soon,” father noted. “Go and let Eleanore look you over before we go.”

I followed Letitia to my stepmother’s room as father went to make sure the carriage was at the door. Max was already there having his cravat smoothed down and looking impatient. He was the perfect mix of both mother and father, with mother’s wavy golden curls, but father’s dark eyes and devious smile. He and I shared a look that allowed us to commiserate without words.

Eleanore was looking as beautiful as ever in a lilac gown. She kissed and praised Letitia and then turned to me. I stepped forward nervously. “You look lovely,” she said, and I felt my shoulders relax.

It had been hardest on her, I knew, when I had come to live here at the age of eight. My mother had been sick for weeks before she had finally succumbed to the mystery illness. To my surprise, Father had fetched me himself the next day.

If my stepmother had any qualms about letting me live in her house, being elevated to the status of her own children, she never said a word. Not even when all of her peers made it clear they would have sent me to an orphanage. She and I had settled into a silent truce. We were civil to each other, and I did my best to stay out of her way.

“We should be going,” Eleanore said after she had finished making sure we were presentable. “We don’t want Lettie to be late for her own party.”

Letitia blushed. “I’m not the only young Lady being presented tonight, mother.”

“Well, we don’t like any of the others, so we’re just going to pretend you are,” Max said. He offered me his arm as we made our way to the carriage.

“Ready for a night of humiliation?” He asked me quietly.

“As I can be,” I said dryly.

The carriage jolted into motion and began our journey from the Second Circle of Ravenhold, where we lived, to the First Circle where the Lower Court was held. I looked out the window as we trundled through the great, circular city. With a sense of foreboding, I saw that a full moon was rising.

“Don’t you think it’s dangerous to hold this party tonight?” I asked Max. “With all of the attacks, how can they dare?”

“The attacks haven’t come past the Fifth Circle,” he whispered back. “No Dark Creature could cross Everhold Bridge, could they?”

“There are secret ways into every part of this city,” I told him anxiously.

“Father says they have arranged for extra protection tonight,” Max said soothingly. “Besides, a witch or ogre attack might be the only thing to make this party interesting.”

I elbowed him as the carriage pulled to a stop before the ancient stone court building. We didn’t tarry outside. I felt the protection spells wash over me powerfully as we passed the threshold, and my fears eased a little. No Dark Thing would be able to pass through those doors.

A footman led us along a winding hall to the ballroom. We stood at the top of the grand staircase, waiting for the footman to announce us. The pleasure of hearing Letitia called Lady Moriarty was almost enough to make up for the buzz of gossip that always followed our announcement. As we descended the stairs I could hear them whispering.

“I always knew Lord Moriarty must be such a cad.”

“And bringing her with them, the nerve.”

“I mean, just look at him,” one woman said, half-approvingly. Even with all their talk through the years, my father was simply too handsome and charming to ever be cast out completely.

I hated all of them, because I knew it wasn’t really the affair they disapproved of. It was my mother, because she was from the Outer Circles. That was the real scandal; not that my father had an affair, but that he loved a woman who was beneath him.

We mingled politely, each pretending in our own way that we didn’t know what everyone was whispering. Letitia joined the other young ladies being presented that night. Mother and father wandered around the room together, never letting go of each other’s arms. Max and I stood against the far wall, where we could laugh at the guests and stuffy courtiers. Around midnight, I noticed something strange. An elderly gentleman in a threadbare suite was standing in the corner, watching the comings and goings intently. He had a bag slung over his shoulder.

“Who do you suppose that is?” Max asked.

“I have no idea,” I murmured back. “Look.”

Someone else was approaching the old man, a red-haired youth about Letitia’s age. Shortly, a third boy with dark hair joined them. His clothes were simple, which meant he must be from the Outer Circles. When he moved, something heavy bulged under his overcoat. The three couldn’t have looked more out of place, especially the dark haired young man. I heard the red haired boy tell him, “It’s impolite to scowl, Oren.”

“I wonder if they’re the extra protection father mentioned?” I mused.

“We should go and ask them,” Max said eagerly.

I stopped him. “Maybe we shouldn’t. They seem…agitated.”

They were whispering urgently. A moment later, an unearthly howl rose above the party chatter. Those nearest the windows fell silent and the hush spread slowly through the room. Screams began to filter through the glass from the street. I reached for Max’s hand. My muscles tensed to run, and not a moment too soon. With an earsplitting crash something enormous smashed through the glass windows. Max raised an arm to shield me as shards rained down.

I had a moment to take in the huge mass of fur and rent clothing before the werewolf stood tall and howled again and the party guests began to scream. The trio immediately scattered to hem it in. I saw Oren throw back his coat and draw a sword before Max dragged me away. The crowd was swarming toward the only exit, up the staircase. We were being pummeled on every side, and Max put his arm around my waist to keep us from being pulled apart.

So many people were trying to squeeze through the doors at once that they were trampling each other. There was a moment of scrambling and shoving, and then we were through. Halfway up the hallway, a familiar scream made me freeze.

“Letitia!” I cried.

In that instant someone crashed into us and Max was gone from my side. I began struggling back toward the ballroom. Please don’t let it be her, I thought wildly.

By the time I reached the door the last of the guests had fled. I ran flat out into the ballroom. The werewolf was snarling and swiping viciously at the three men, trying to pursue the screaming guests into the hallway. The three of them were holding it off, but only just.

As I watched, the old man warded it back with a silver weapon.

“Rueben, the bullets!” He roared.

“I have them here!” Yelled the red haired boy. He held up a black velvet pouch and scrabbled in his pocket, retrieving a revolver. Before he could load it, the werewolf leaped forward, and he was forced backward.

“Reuben, here!” Cried Oren.

Rueben threw the pistol and bullets, but his aim was poor. Oren managed to catch the pistol, but the pouch skidded across the floor and came to rest in the middle of the ballroom.

Rueben threw up his hands and made a gesture. With a zap, his attack spell knocked the wolf back. I had never seen anyone use magic defensively. Nobles like my father could use a little magic, and the members of the High Courts were rumored to be utterly consumed by it. For a moment I stared in awe, before a small whimper recalled me to my purpose. Against the far wall, Letitia was crouched behind a liquor chest, pale as death.

Hoping the wolf was sufficiently distracted, I ran to her. When I ducked down beside her she screamed in surprise. I covered her mouth, but it was too late. The monster reared its head in our direction.

“Elara!” Letitia gasped. “I couldn’t get through the doors, and there was nowhere else to hide...”

Her eyes became unfocused as though she were about to faint. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I gave her a good hard shake.

“Get a hold on yourself Lettie!” I urged. “We must run for the doors!”

“No!” she gasped. “It will see us!”

“It already has,” I said grimly. “Besides, the men have it in hand!”

At that moment the beast swiped viciously at the old man, sending him crashing into the wall a few feet from our hiding place. He slumped to the floor, motionless. Oren gave a cry of fury and charged. He too was flung across the room. With a clatter, the pistol Rueben had thrown him skidded to a halt before us. Oren regained his feet and charged back into the fight without realizing what had happened. After a moment’s hesitation I darted forward and snatched it up.

“Elara, no!” Letitia shrieked.

“It’s the only way to kill the creature. Run for the stairs!” I urged her. Then I turned and ran to the old man’s side. He was stirring, but he didn’t yet seem able to stand. I dropped to my knees and shoved the pistol into his hands.

“Here!”

He looked down at it in surprise.

“Aha! Now we can kill the beast. But…” he opened the revolving chamber and cursed. “It is useless without the silver bullets!”

Remembering the pouch, I looked around. It was still lying there, now about halfway between us and the werewolf.

“My Lady, you must flee,” the old man said. “We will deal with the beast.”

With a great effort he attempted to lift himself off the floor, but sank back down with a moan. For a moment I hesitated, then I snatched the pistol from his hand.

“My Lady!”

I raced for the center of the room, keeping my eyes fixed on the pouch. I heard another bone-shaking roar, and in my panic I slid the last few feet on the polished marble. My skirts hit the pouch before I did, and I had to dive to keep it from skidding away. All three men were now yelling at me to run, but I ignored them as I opened the pouch with shaking hands. Three silver bullets clattered to the floor.

There was a great crash, and I looked up. The werewolf had thrown both its attackers aside and charged at me. Scooping up the bullets I snapped the revolving chamber open. My hands were shaking so hard that only one of the bullets made it into its slot. With no time to correct my blunder I snapped the chamber shut and spun it till I heard it click. I dared not look up again, but I could hear the werewolf’s claws on the marble. Now almost faint with panic I tried to draw back the hammer, only to find it stuck. Holding the pistol in both hands I exerted as much force as I could and finally felt it click. I looked up, only to see the beast mere feet from me, ready to cover the distance in a leap. With no time to take aim I raised the pistol and fired.

A terrible roar, a weight driving into me, my head cracking upon the ballroom floor—

“Get it off her quickly! The weight will crush her.”

“That was some shot, I can’t believe she killed it…”

I felt a great weight being rolled off me and my lungs expanded, making me cough. My head was throbbing terribly, and I couldn’t open my eyes. I sensed people crouching down beside me.

“My Lady?” came a gentle voice. Someone gave my shoulder a little shake. “My Lady, can you hear me?”

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my back in the middle of the ballroom floor. Rueben and the old man were leaning over me, and Oren was standing behind them. The front of my dress was stained black with blood. Looking to my left I saw the werewolf lying there, stone dead.

“You killed it,” Rueben said in an awed voice. “You shot it right through the heart. It was easily the finest bit of marksmanship I’ve ever seen!”

“It was practically on top of her,” Oren growled.

“What a shot indeed,” said the old man, ignoring him. “May I enquire your name, My Lady?”

“Elara Moriarty,” I rasped.

“My name is Sir Elbert Hansen,” the man said. “Unless I am mistaken, your mother’s surname was Rosewine?”

“Yes,” I said wonderingly. “Have we met before? Who are you?”

“Elara!”

A small group of people had come back to the ballroom, my father in the lead. He ran to me, the attack spell between his hands disappearing with a fizz. I saw that some of the others had conjured defensive spells as well, and the rest had taken silver sconces off the walls to use as weapons. I felt a strange swelling in my chest at the thought that they had been coming to rescue me.

“Are you hurt?” father asked urgently, his face going pale as he spotted the blood all down my front.

“I’m alright, just a little winded and sore,” I said.

More faces appeared around the stairs, and seeing that it was clear, the rest of my family hurried to my side. To my surprise, Eleanore took the place on my left and tenderly lifted me to my feet. Letitia quickly attended my other side.

“What happened here?” One of the Lords asked sharply. “How did the young lady come to be in this state?”

An uncomfortable silence followed. Elbert seemed reluctant to answer, and the other two men followed his lead and remained silent. It was Letitia who finally broke the silence.

“She returned to the ballroom to rescue me,” she said, giving my arm a little squeeze. “I was unable to flee with the other guests.”

“That does not explain how she came to be found mere feet from the monster’s carcass, covered in its blood,” he said coldly.

I turned my head to see the Lord staring at me intently. I felt Letitia shrink back at my side, but Eleanore straightened.

“My Lord, surely you cannot expect the young lady to answer any questions now!” Her tone was severe, and though she was several inches shorter than him, I noticed that she radiated her own kind of power, one that had nothing to do with Dark Magic.

“She has been seriously injured and distressed. She needs to rest!”

The Lord took in Eleanore’s indignant expression and bowed his head in a show of deference. “Of course, my Lady. I beg forgiveness for my…over eagerness.” His eyes flashed to mine again. “I’m sure there will be time enough for inquiries when the girl has recovered her strength.”

Eleanore nodded her head regally and began ushering us toward the door. I took one last look at the three men as we swept toward the staircase. I wanted to run back and question Elbert about my mother, but I didn’t dare.

Once we had gained the peace of the hallway the pain in my head redoubled, and suddenly the walls were tilting before my eyes. My legs gave out beneath me.

“Elara, are you alright?” Father asked anxiously.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes, I’m alright, just a little shaken up, that’s all.”

It was the last thing I remembered before the blackness at the edges of my vision swooped in to engulf me, and I fainted.