Invisible Dawn Page 21

  Roger hated to admit it, but Jedd was right. The gambler looked into his hands, their knitted fingers resting on the table, and searched for what these medieval people might want.

  Before he got far, the veteran offered his own idea. “Why don’t you try this,” he said, pulling the hard metal lighter from his pocket. He slid it across the table.

  “Now, wait a second,” interrupted Jedd. “That’s our fire. What are we going to do when we get back out there?” His hitchhikers thumb pointed back over his shoulder, the way they had come.

  “If Roger thinks he can do it, I believe him,” Daniel muttered. “Anyways, if we don’t eat, we won’t be traveling far.”

  His haggard face had gotten worse as the day wore on. Even with the bullet gone, he would need medical help and soon. Jedd was astounded at the man’s resilience, but every man has his limits. Unable to argue with the statement without insulting Daniel, Jedd consented.

  Roger snatched the lighter with a confident smile and strutted over to the table. Although foreign and penniless, he struck up a conversation and the men found him a chair. He demonstrated the lighter’s capabilities. The metallic casing shone in the lamp light, entrancing them with its ease of use. Their eyes followed its flame as he brandished it aloft, telling a story of how he once used it to save him and his friends from an icy death in mountainous wilderness. Whether they understood the landscape he described was impossible to tell, but the table’s occupants watched the extravagant show with hearty chuckles. After a while, his lighthearted voice was heard laughing with the men, hands were dealt, and the lighter was placed in the center of the table. A multitude of stamped coins accompanied it.

  Roger’s assessment proved accurate after the first hand and in subsequent hands. Once he built up a respectable stack of coins, he flagged down a waitress in a low cut blouse and ordered her to bring his friends whatever they wanted, in addition to a round of drinks for the men whose money he was paying with. A few of the card players balked at Roger spending his winnings, but he smiled and hefted the silver lighter with the US Marine emblem embossed on its shell. Appeased, the men continued their banter and the waitress took the group’s orders. Soon, a meal of fresh cooked vegetables, steaming meatloaf, and ale sat before Madelin and her protectors. They stared at it as though presented with a King’s ransom. Daniel sniffed at his cup, longing to drain it.

  Today’s the first day these hands haven’t rattled, thought the veteran. No sense goin’ back to that. I can’t save Madelin if I’m twitchin’. It ain’t gotten bad enough to affect my aim yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

  He resisted the urge and just took a sip.

  While they ate, Jedd watched the variety of men and women occupying themselves within the confines of the tavern. The others joked as the night wore on, but he could feel something crawling up his back; a faint sensation that worked its way into his spine. While the regular clientele took little notice of the Jedd and his friends, those surrounded by glowing hues kept a subtle watch, eyeing the newcomers with sidelong glances that had so far gone unnoticed by all but Jedd. This constant surveillance was part, but not the entire cause of the sensation. Something still ate at him. He looked from one glowing individual to another. Then, while watching an elder farmer sitting next to a moderately affluent merchant, he hit upon the difference. The farmer’s skin had darkened with age, while every person blessed with an aura was pale and youthful, even those who were graying and past their prime. The class and fashion difference also seemed to separate the magical people from the mundane. These prosperous people also possessed a vigor that was uncharacteristic of so many people. They exuded a youthful exuberance that was almost childlike, but their eyes held knowledge far beyond their years.

  By the end of the night, the group was full and engrossed in conversation about the possibilities that lay ahead. Roger interrupted with a polite cough and introduced a pale gentleman whom he had been playing cards with, as “Alain”. The first thing Jedd noticed was the brown hue hovering around him. The tall gentleman’s mannerisms were unique to those of high breeding and education, an erect frame, respectable clothes, and smooth motions that seemed more accustomed to a swan than a human being.

  The second thing that became apparent, and the most troubling, was the intensity with which he watched Madelin. Alain’s desires were painted on his face for the world to see. Jedd’s blood found its boiling point, but he held his contempt under wraps and allowed Roger to continue the introductions.

  “Alain lives up the road a ways.”

  The pale man stood a hand taller than Roger, who was by no means short. His posture emanated self-confidence, and he greeted the group with a nod. His gaze hovered on each of them long enough to commit their images to memory. His hair flowed over his forehead and past his ears in waves that caressed his shoulders. They framed a face chiseled from stone as white as talc and hard as steel.

  Alain gave a formal bow, even extending his leg like in the courts of old, but his eyes never left Madelin’s. Her flushed cheeks revealed that she had noticed the grace with which he moved his slim, muscular body. Each motion was somehow accentuated by his well tailored pants, frilled yellow shirt, and dark overcoat. His attire was of a style long past its prime, but the flourish with which he ended his preamble was oddly appropriate. Madelin acknowledged the bow without a word.

  “Very nice to meet you, Mademoiselle. I am, as your friend said, Alain Traditor. It seems in the limited time I have spent with him, that he has somehow obtained both my purse and attention. But it is no surprise when he travels in the company of such beautiful people.” The men of the group were under no delusions about whom the articulate compliment was intended.

  “Roger has brokered a place for you to stay the night in my quaint hovel,” Alain continued. “I hope you find the lodgings to your liking. If you would please follow me?” Although voiced as a question, Alain walked out the door without a backward glance, accustomed to his requests being followed without demur.

  How small of a house does this egocentric guy live in? Jedd wondered as they followed behind.

  Roger slapped a few coins onto the table before trailing in the wake of his friends. The waitress eyed him from the bar and he gave her his best smile before exiting the building. He was jubilant with the night’s success and satisfied with a full stomach. His luck had turned.

  Once back on the tree lined road they kept to Alain’s coat heels, consumed with the satisfaction of a full stomach and warm place to stay. They passed a small market closing up for the night and moved further through the town. Their presence was strange enough that the people in view stopped to stare like the peasants from earlier that evening. The smell of caged animals and manure permeated the street. The buildings here were more compact and looked as though people lived in tighter quarters, their livestock bedding down nearby.

  Ahead stood an even larger structure, much like the big colonial home Jedd had visited as a kid, back in the eastern states. The columns were somewhat different, almost Romanesque in their detail. Eyes wide, the group trudged up the long path leading to the entryway.

  If this was Alain’s ‘hovel’, thought Jedd, then he wouldn’t concern himself with a few coins lost in a game of cards.

  The group crossed the groomed lawn and proceeded up the stone path to the crowned double door. Alain knocked with a confident ratta-tat-tat-tat and a pale man dressed in servant livery answered. His jacket was short and black, but stood on his shoulders, stiff and unruffled. He wore matching dress pants with a deep purple bow atop his pleated white shirt. He was an iconic representation of a house servant, although the color of his tie, which Jedd assumed was dictated by the lord of the manor, gave him the odd appearance of a stand up comic. For Alain to knock on his own door astounded Jedd, but the appearance of the servant thrust the oddity from his mind.

  “Welcome home, my lord,” greeted the man as he pulled the door open and allowed them to enter. His eyes were downcast, focusing on
the worn hardwood floorboards as must have been proper for his station. Closing the door after them, Alain introduced his servant before directing Farlin to show them to their rooms.

  “Please follow me,” ordered the servant with a self-assurance bred over many years of service. He then turned and strode up the long flight of steps.

  Alain raised his voice in an appeal as they made their way up the stairs, “When you are situated, please join me in the study.” The request for their company echoed through the open foyer.

  Although Jedd did not know where the study was, he nodded and thanked their host as he stepped onto the top floor and out of sight. The others followed him without missing a step. Alain had enough rooms that each of them was given a separate quarters, although he soon found that the idea of using a communal bathroom had not faded from architectural fashion.

  At least there’s running water, thought Jedd, if not plumbing.

  A short while later, feeling refreshed, Jedd made his way down the stairs and into what Farlin indicated as the study. The candle lit room was unoccupied, and he took a seat, admiring the walls of books surrounding him.

  How is it that such a poor world, with no real technology, can produce so many books?

  Giving in to his curiosity, Jedd hopped out of the crushed velvet chair to admire the spines of each one. The script was not dissimilar from his own, although the flourishes with which the penman created his personalized calligraphy were quite impressive. Much more elaborate than that of a normal printing press. Jedd moved down the wall, perusing the library more for curiosity’s sake than true interest, until he came across a book titled A Labyrinth of Elemental Curiosities: The Development of Rare and Unexplainable Human Traits. Jedd dislodged the book from the shelf and backed into the seat he had vacated.

  He opened the handmade book and used the flickering glow of a nearby candle to read the contents. Within seconds, he was engrossed in the author’s thoughts on human evolution and spiritual augmentations. Its perspectives were far different from the accepted sciences of his world. He soon found himself drowning in a series of arguments and justifications, founded upon the author’s fundamental belief in spiritual energy and alterations due to the necessity for change within the species itself. This allowed him to extrapolate on potential similarities to their own current developmental state. He was so focused on the book that he was unaware of Daniel and Roger’s arrival.

  The two men marveled at the collection that Jedd now ignored, having planted his nose within his book of choice. Madelin soon joined them, followed by Alain. When they had all found a seat in the luxurious room, their host stoked the fire back to life.

  He spoke while prodding the fireplace with a black iron poker. “So how do you like our little town?” Without waiting for an answer, he supplied it for them. “It’s a great place to live. I have lived here for dozens of years and it never gets old.”

  “What’s so exciting about it?” Madelin asked, seeing little of interest to her.

  “You can’t beat the superb weather here; never too cold or too hot. The large shade trees throughout the town help keep it the perfect temperature, shadowing every inch of our small village. Plus the farmers are able to grow just about anything you could want, and without a doubt, it will be more delicious than anything you have ever tasted. I believe you sampled a small portion this evening.”

  They nodded in unison, remembering the commonplace meal that had somehow tantalized every taste bud; all but Jedd, who was still engrossed in his book.

  Alain took note of the title he chose before moving on. “So far as entertainment goes, we make do and are proud of the traditions that have developed over the years.”

  “What kind of traditions?” asked Madelin.

  “My, my, aren’t we the curious one,” commented Alain with a chuckle. “Well, there may not be too much you outsiders find of interest; however, the sense of family fostered within our small town is something I relish.”

  Jedd nodded, overhearing their patron’s comment and understanding the desire for a safe place to raise a family. However, he could not set aside what had bothered him earlier. He closed the book, noting the page, and set it on the end table before asking what might end the cordial reception. “Alain, if you don’t mind, I’d like to pose a question about your fair town.”

  Seeing the polite necessity with which Jedd prefaced the question, Alain sat down in a worn but elegant chair, and propped his leg upon his knee before answering, “By all means.” He glared at Jedd while a smile lit his face, provoking Altran to say something uncouth.

  Jedd could see the certainty and confidence their host possessed and understood the likelihood of this man taking exception to his question. With careful phrasing, he continued. “Alain, I noticed a few small differences between some of the people at the tavern. I was curious whether there was a bit of history that might help me to understand the distinction?”

  “To what difference do you refer?” their host replied in a formal tone.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jedd watched Roger smirk at the pompous tone of Alain’s voice. Fortunately, the Cajun caught himself and covered his mouth with a childish hand.

  “Well,” Jedd began, attempting to keep their host’s attention, “the youthful appearance of the more wealthy inhabitants is striking, not unlike yourself. The farmers you spoke of earlier don’t possess those features.”

  “Oh, I see what troubles you,” Alain mumbled, as though reassuring himself that Jedd had no further questions. “That is something we have worked to fashion within our small school. It is the result of our local teacher, Mr. Paria. He has worked to develop the confidence within our young children for many years and, if I do say so myself, Juno has done a great job encouraging them to take hold of life with both hands. Over time, how we approach life has shown itself as we aged.”

  Jedd listened, but was troubled by the answer. It just seems too simple. Looking back at Alain’s quaint smile, he became certain that it was a lie. There’s more to it, but I doubt Alain is willing to confess. I can’t believe a word this man says. He’s like a snake hiding in the grass, looking for a weakness and waiting to strike. I’ll have to check out his story with Mr. Paria tomorrow.

  “And where might we find Mr. Paria?” he asked with a casualness he did not feel.

  “Tomorrow he’ll be at the school house, although he is somewhat disturbed, so you might choose your words with care.” After a moment of contemplation, Alain added, “In fact, you should think twice about anything he says, assuming he agrees to speak with you at all.”

  Jedd was caught off guard by the deterring comments after such a glowing recommendation. “I thought you said he was doing great things for the community?”

  “Of course he is,” Lord Alain explained, “however, even the lowest of people can perform admirable acts.”

  Although the explanation seemed flimsy, Jedd did not probe further, instead leaving his remaining questions for the following day.

  “We’ll find him tomorrow then.”

  “He should have little left to do after the children leave. Find him at the height of the day, although I wouldn’t hold out much hope of learning anything worthwhile,” finished Alain before asking, “So what brings you to our small town?”

  Jedd considered the question before answering. It’s obvious that Alain is trying to discredit the teacher, for fear of what he might say. It’s probably best not to reveal everything, but some things will become common knowledge soon enough.

  “We’ve been pursued by a group of men who’ve murdered people close to us. There’s nothing they won’t do to capture us.”

  Lord Alain nodded, but was not fazed by his answer. Then, he probed deeper. “I’m a trader by profession and have traveled all over. Where is it you come from?”

  Jedd was somewhat put off by the lack of reaction and replied with purposeful ambiguity, “Nowhere you know. As I said, we’ve traveled a great distance and as luck would have it, came
upon your prospering town.”

  Seeing their reluctance, Alain gave up on tact and went for the heart of the matter, “And why are they so adamant about capturing you?”

  Jedd was running out of answers. Giving in, he replied, “Because we took Madelin.” He gestured to her with a hand. “They work for a government department and killed her parents, my good friends, and abducted her when she was a child. Then, they tortured her so she would follow their orders.”

  The mention of her loss startled Madelin and a shudder coursed through her body, although no reaction registered on Alain’s face. It was as though Jedd had not answered the question. However, their host had heard and inquired further. “And why choose this petite flower?” He cast a feigned look of adoration and pity her way with his final words.

  “We aren’t sure why,” he lied.

  Some things need to stay secret, concluded Jedd, but I doubt Alain will buy it.

  Also seeing their host’s looming disbelief, Madelin elaborated. “I can see things, but they’re odd. I see ghostlike buildings that aren’t there. I thought for a long time that I was losing my mind, but there has to be a reason for why the department took such drastic measures. Maybe Jedd’s right. Maybe it means I’m not so crazy.”

  Jedd hoped the half-truth would be enough.

  “I see,” the well dressed man replied. The stoked fire illuminated his face in faint shadows. “Well, I can assure you that as long as you’re under my roof, no harm shall come to you.”

  Jedd heard the comforting statement of salvation, but the man’s eyes were devoid of emotion. A shiver ran down his back as he watched Alain’s brown gaze encompass them all.

  “Now that the formalities are out of the way, please feel free to peruse my library at your leisure. I see that some of you have already found books of interest. I obtained them over my many years of travel.” He stood up from his comfortable seat. “I must retire, for the morn comes soon and I have much to attend to.” He strode from the room, saying, “Sleep well.”