Notes: This story is set within the world of the second novel, Shadow of Night. It takes place in May of 1591 after the family returned from a trip to Prague. See the notes at the end of the story for more information.
"Man is a torch borne in the wind; a dream. But of a shadow, summed with all his substance."
—George Chapman
London. May 1591.
Diana awoke to the faint sound of sobs. It was pitch black in her bedchamber. She reached for Matthew but found only the depression he'd left in the feather mattress.
Wishing for her twenty-first-century bedside clock, she tossed off the linen sheet and tied a robe over her night-rail. When she opened the door, she saw a light streaming under the door to the parlor.
Matthew had lit a candle and was sitting on the settle, cradling Jack. The boy had buried his face into Matthew's shirt, his cries subsiding into sniffles as Matthew stroked his back.
Ever since they'd traveled to Prague, Jack had been afflicted with frequent nightmares. Matthew's servant Pierre first brought it to their attention when he and the children arrived in the imperial capital. Diana initially suspected that the trigger might have been the result of the children traveling separately to Prague and Jack missing the reassurance of Matthew's presence. But the nightmares continued after the family had been united and showed no signs of abating.
Matthew's gray eyes looked at her sympathetically as she joined him on the settle and wrapped her arms around the boy. Jack had managed to compress his limbs into a tight ball. The puppy Lobero was a white mop of fur at their feet. A gift from Emperor Rudolph, the Hungarian guard dog had quickly bonded with Jack and the two were now inseparable. But Lobero wasn't able to keep Jack's nightmares away.
"You need your rest," Matthew told her quietly, resting his chin on Jack's disheveled thatch of sandy-blond hair. "We'll stay up and draw." He'd discovered that if Jack drew the monsters he saw in his head, he was able to free himself, at least for a while, from the fear which wound him up tighter than a coiled spring.
Diana didn't attempt to argue with him. She was still healing from the gash in her side from where Louisa had attacked her a week earlier, and morning sickness had become an all-day misery. She'd discovered she was pregnant during their voyage home, and sometimes it seemed like the seasickness she'd experienced on the ship had never left. Kissing them both, she retreated to bed.
When next she awoke, Matthew was already dressed for court and reading in an oak chair by the mullioned window. Her husband had the ability to appear refreshed on no sleep. Diana had no desire to be a vampire, but that was one trait she wouldn't mind acquiring.
She rubbed her puffy eyelids. "Am I the last to wake up?"
He shook his head. "Jack's still asleep. I just checked on him." He added quickly before she could ask, "He's not being troubled by bad dreams. We stayed up for an hour and he fell asleep while working on a drawing. He didn't wake up when I carried him upstairs to bed. Gallowglass arrived shortly afterward. He apologized for not being here."
"It wasn't his fault." Matthew's nephew Gallowglass was currently staying in Pierre's room with Jack while Pierre was at Matthew's house in Woodstock. Gallowglass had undoubtedly gone out to hunt. "Does he have any idea why Jack's nightmares are growing worse?"
His face grew troubled. "He told me Pierre's convinced Jack is scared of something but he refuses to admit what it is."
"You don't think the attack is the cause?" Upon their return to London, Matthew's sister Louisa had ensnared Diana in a brutal trap. Jack had witnessed the aftermath. Louisa was mentally unstable. She feared Diana was the fulfillment of an old prophecy which foretold ruin on the de Clermonts. Filled with blood rage, Louisa had conspired with Christopher Marlowe to kill her. Jack had arrived on the scene shortly after Matthew. There was no question it was a horrific sight. Diana had grown increasingly concerned that the trauma of that event had left scars on the boy.
Matthew sat down on the edge of the bed. "No, ma lionne, I don't believe so. I discussed it with Jack and was able to reassure him. Jack knows that Louisa is back in France and Kit is no longer a threat. Whatever trauma is causing his nightmares is buried much deeper."
#
After Matthew left for court, Diana dressed in the voluminous layers which the Elizabethan woman wore for her everyday attire. She found Annie having breakfast at the large carved oak table in the parlor. Gallowglass was sitting at the other end, whittling a rune disk. Gallowglass was seldom without the small leather pouch of runes which he used for divination, a Norse-Gaelic tradition he'd acquired in the distant past.
"Is Jack still asleep?" Diana asked.
Annie shook her head and swallowed down a bite of meat pie. "He's upstairs drawing." She stood up. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Just a tisane, please, but it can wait."
"It's no trouble, Mistress. I'm done, and soon it will be time to see Goody Alsop." She picked up her plate and left for the kitchen.
Diana had been spending her days with the witches of the St. James Garlickhythe gathering, absorbing every bit of knowledge she could about the art of weaving spells. In a few short weeks, she and Matthew planned to timewalk to the world they'd left behind. Now that she was pregnant, Matthew was especially anxious to return to what they hoped would be safer surroundings. And perhaps that was the cause of Jack's difficulties. He might have overheard one of their discussions. It didn't help that Pierre, whom he'd become attached to, had been away for over a week, helping Françoise with preparations at the Old Lodge, Matthew's country estate.
"How does Jack seem to you?" she asked.
Gallowglass didn't look up from his whittling. "The laddie is more withdrawn, that I can tell you. In Prague, he was forever giving me a merry chase."
That was putting it mildly. Jack had conducted a clandestine search of every nook and cranny of the Emperor's palace. How he'd managed to avoid being captured and thrown into the dungeon was a mystery.
"Now that we're back in London, it's hard to get him to go outside," Gallowglass added.
"Do you think he's afraid of something?"
"Him?" He snorted a laugh. "It's hard to believe. The way he was carrying on in Prague, he certainly wasn't concerned for his safety."
"He may know about our departure," she suggested, giving voice to her fear. "Perhaps he's worried we'll vanish while he's away."
He considered the idea for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't believe that's the cause. If it were, he'd likely ask me what my plans were." He put down his knife. "I might attribute his attitude to Louisa's actions, but you know the laddie is no stranger to violence. The life he led when he was a member of that gang . . ." His words trailed off as he ended the thought with shrugging one burly shoulder. "Jackie survived that. I doubt there's much of anything he could see on the streets which would scare him now." He smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry about him, Auntie. I'll try to draw him out. I'll take him along the quays later. He should like that."
And he certainly couldn't be afraid of anything when he was with Gallowglass. The blond giant was taller than Matthew. With tattoos which encircled his arms, he looked like a Viking warrior come to life.
#
"What should I do, Mop?" Jack asked, lowering his voice to the barest of whispers. He'd learned how sharp Master Gallowglass's hearing was.
The puppy cocked his head as if he was trying to figure out why Jack wasn't taking him for a walk. Mop didn't know about the danger lurking outside the inn. Jack put down his quill to study his drawing. He'd made an illustration of the constellation Leo for Master Harriot. The lion was growling ferociously. Jack wished he could sic him on Stidolph.
He thought he'd escaped when Mistress Roydon took him in. But three days before they left for Prague, Jack spotted his former boss when he was running errands with Pierre. Even from the back, there was no mistaking that rat's nest of greasy gray hair. Then Stidolph turned and stared straight at him. The punches, the kicks . . . the panic was overwhelming.
Jack had darted around to Pierre's other side, praying Stidolph hadn't seen him. But the next morning when he looked out the parlor window, his boss was lounging against a building on the opposite side of the street in plain sight. Stidolph was staring straight at him, a cruel sneer on his scarred face. Even now, just thinking about him, Jack's heart began beating faster. He could smell the stench of garlic and rotten meat on his breath.
Prague had seemed like the perfect escape. Then the nightmares began. It was like Stidolph was haunting him in his sleep. And once they returned to London, it didn't take long his tormentor to find him again. It was only a question of time till he'd drag Jack away.
His eyes swept over the familiar surroundings of Pierre's room. The trundle bed was the first bed Jack had ever slept in. The Roydons had always treated him with kindness. He wasn't their status and could never be considered their child, but he wished desperately they were his parents.
Stidolph would yank him away. He'd never see the Roydons again. Jack had thought about telling Master Roydon, but if he confronted Stidolph, he could be maimed or worse. The risk was too great. He'd have to find another solution.
Jack heard footsteps on the stairs and sprang up guiltily. He was late to start his chores.
"Hey, Jackie." There was a friendly smile on Master Gallowglass's face. With his mane of blond shaggy hair and beard, he looked a little like the lion Jack had drawn. "Lobero's telling you he'd like to go on a walk. It's a beautiful morning." His grin broadened and he gave a wink. "Chores can wait till later." He held out a hand to Jack.
Jack sprang up. Mop was already racing down the stairs. Stidolph wouldn't dare try anything now.
#
There was no sign of his old master on the walk. By the time they returned to the inn, Jack felt like his nightmare had been slaughtered by the lion beside him. Best of all, Master Gallowglass said that in the afternoon they could go to the quays to buy fish for supper. Jack loved the wharves along the Thames. He was most familiar with the markets of Billingsgate near the London Bridge. But that was also where Stidolph hung out. Jack hadn't been near the place in months.
Jack flew through his chores with a speed which left Mistress Roydon dazzled. He'd never been so attentive to Master Chapman's lessons and even earned praise for his French. While they were in Prague, Pierre had helped him and Annie with their assignments. Pierre was no good at Greek, but his French was better than Master Chapman's.
When the Gael appeared at the entrance to the parlor, he didn't have to wait on Jack. Even Mop seemed to know there was an adventure ahead and barked happily at the sight of him. Mistress Roydon and Annie had already left to visit Mistress Norman.
Jack skipped along to match his companion's wide strides as they headed down to the Thames. Master Gallowglass was full of stories. He'd lived in Scotland and countries far to the north which Jack knew nothing about.
"Do you have lions in Norway?" Jack asked.
He chuckled, tousling Jack's hair. "Lions are for warmer climates, laddie. But there are wolves and bears and reindeer. Hawks so large you could almost fly on one."
"Is that where you learned about runes?"
He nodded. "They're an old Norse tradition."
"What do you use them for?"
"They help me solve problems."
"How?" If he figured out how they worked, maybe they could help him.
"You cast the runes and see what pattern forms."
"Can you teach me?"
Master Gallowglass stopped to look at him. "What would you ask them?"
Jack didn't say anything. How could he explain someone as evil as Stidolph?
"The runes aren't easy to interpret," Master Gallowglass continued after a moment. "They only give you choices, different approaches to take. They don't provide a simple answer."
In other words, not very helpful. Jack's head was already filled with ideas. But none of them felt like the right one.
When they arrived at the markets, they shopped for fish. Master Gallowglass showed him what to look for and how to sniff for freshness. There were so many different smells, it was hard to differentiate among them. His instructor appeared to have an amazingly sensitive nose. They eventually settled on a large pike. They'd have enough for supper and Françoise would use the rest to make a pie.
While Master Gallowglass haggled with the vendor inside the stall over the price, Jack stayed on the street with Mop. The puppy had already snagged several food scraps and was longing to play with the other dogs roaming the market.
"Caught you at last!" With one snarl, Stidolph grabbed his shirt and yanked Jack away, clamping his hand over his mouth. Jack just managed to loosen his hold on Mop's leash before Stidolph slung him under one powerful arm.
"Let me go!" Jack yelled but all that came out was a muffled squeak.
"Don't you dare give me lip, boy," he snarled, slamming his fist so hard into Jack's belly, stars erupted. "You give another cry, it will be your last." Dropping him on the ground, Stidolph raised his boot. Jack knew what was coming. He shielded his face with his hands . . .
When he came to, he was being shaken. "Wake up or you'll feel the full force of me wrath." Stidolph's breath was as hot as hellfire on his face. "I ain't marked that pretty face yet but you know I can."
"I'm awake," Jack mumbled, cowering.
"Good." His lips twisted upward into a leer which was scarier than his scowl. "No need to be scared, me little cur. You and me are going to be best pals, just like before."
#
"Jack! Enough of your games. It's time to go home!" Gallowglass scanned the quay in front of him. Despite his roars, Jack was nowhere to be seen. Damn the laddie for running off. At least that answered Auntie's question. He wasn't scared of anything.
Under normal circumstances, Gallowglass would have been able to track him by his scent. That blend of figs, caramel, and Lobero was unmistakable. But in the midst of all the market smells, Jack's remained hidden.
He made his way through the packed stalls and crowds of shoppers, calling out Jack's name while from every direction vendors hawked their wares in a din which made him miss the peaceful fjords of Norway. Where was the laddie? His annoyance turned to concern. What mischief had he gotten into now? If he'd been caught stealing something, he could have run off to escape punishment . . . or been knifed on the spot.
Gallowglass spun around when he heard a bark he recognized. Lobero raced toward him, his long leather leash trailing behind him. "Here, boy!" he called out, his unease increasing. Jackie loved that dog. He wouldn't have let it wander off without him.
With Lobero in tow, he continued his search even as he puzzled over how he could possibly explain to Auntie he'd lost the lad. He didn't need to use his runes to know the answer. He couldn't. He'd keep looking till he found him, no matter how long it took.
Gallowglass tried a new tack. Retracing his steps to the fish vendor, he stopped everyone to ask them if they'd seen the whelp. A wee bairn, though, was easily missed, especially if he didn't want to be caught.
Lobero let out a frantic bark. Gallowglass spun around to see Jackie, pale as Odin's ghost, running toward him. He didn't stop till he bumped into Gallowglass's legs, clinging to them like they were a mast during a storm. Lobero was licking his face in between barks.
"What happened?" Gallowglass demanded. "I've spent the past hour searching for you."
Jackie looked up at him with a tear-streaked face. He was a filthy mess. He must have fallen on the street. Both he and his clothes were in need of scalding water. "Mop got loose. I tried to find him. I looked for him everywhere. I didn't know where you were. Where he was." His voice hitched as a flood of tears threatened.
"It's okay. No harm done." The lad had been given a bad scare. Gallowglass could smell the fear radiating off him. That dog meant the world to Jackie. He must have been heartbroken at the thought of losing him. What a trio they were. Jackie thought he'd lost Lobero. He'd thought he'd lost Jackie. Lobero had lost both of them. They'd all had a narrow escape.
The whelp was a changed boy on the return home. No tears, but he was plainly still traumatized by the incident. Gallowglass did his best to entertain him with tales of his travels. It was a safe subject, and Jackie seemed genuinely interested. He was particularly fascinated by Norway, asking about Oslo and Bergen, how long it took to sail to Norway, what the ships were like. Through the long centuries, Gallowglass had traveled the globe where his wanderlust took him. He sensed a kindred spirit in Jackie. Walter Raleigh's accounts of his adventures might also be sparking the boy's interest. The life of a sailor was tough, but in comparison with what he'd have in London, not that much worse.
Luckily Auntie hadn't yet returned when they arrived back at the Hart and Crown. For once, Jackie was conscious of the need not to track his grime into the Roydon quarters. He asked Gallowglass to bring him clean clothes while he cleaned up in the inn's scullery. The Hart and Crown was fortunate to have a well in the courtyard. He'd need several buckets. Gallowglass offered to help in the chore, but Jackie seemed sincerely abject over the bother he'd caused and didn't want to impose further. Gallowglass figured his presence was probably adding salt to the wound, so he busied himself helping the cook clean the pike while Jackie made himself presentable.
Gallowglass debated the necessity of telling Auntie about the mishap. She didn't need any additional stress. In the end, though, he went ahead. The walk had started off well. As for what happened afterward, it had been satisfactorily resolved.
#
Jack had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out when Gallowglass hugged him. He didn't need to see his chest to know it was covered in bruises. But this wasn't the first time he'd been injured. Eventually, the pain would ease. And the walk back to the inn had provided the information he needed. Stowing away on a ship bound for Norway was the best solution for everyone.
His lessons that day with Masters Chapman and Harriot took on extra meaning. This would be the last time he'd see them. He gave Master Harriot his drawing of the constellation Leo and tried to hold onto the glow he'd gotten from his teacher's praise. There'd be no more of that.
Annie probably thought he was sick. Usually, he loved to tease her, but not today. She probably wouldn't miss him. He'd spotted the mistress talking with Gallowglass after supper. They must have been talking about what happened on the quay as she cast worried looks his way. Jack put on an extra effort to appear as if nothing was wrong.
That evening when the others thought he was working on his lessons, he wrote a farewell letter to her and Master Roydon, thanking them for everything they'd done. He wished he could tell them why he had to leave, but then they might try to find him and bring him back. Once he was gone, they'd be safe.
His best chance to leave would be in the middle of the night when the others were asleep. Gallowglass had mentioned one of the docked ships was Norwegian. Jack planned to sneak aboard, figuring it would probably sail to either Bergen or Oslo.
He went to bed early. The soreness in his chest was growing worse, and it was becoming too difficult to pretend nothing was wrong. Mop jumped in bed with him and he snuggled next to the puppy. It would be their last night together.
Jack didn't attempt to sleep. He couldn't take a chance on having another nightmare. It took Gallowglass forever to come upstairs. Jack pretended to be asleep when he heard Gallowglass approach him. He must have stood over him a few minutes before going to bed. He was probably mad at Jack for running off even though he hadn't punished him.
When the bells at St. Paul's struck three o'clock, Jack got up. He kissed Mop goodbye and covered the puppy with his sheet, tucking him in for the night. He'd hidden his clothes under his pillow so they'd be easy to find.
Jack snuck outside so quietly that Gallowglass didn't stir. His muscles had stiffened up during the night. When he tried to strip off his nightshirt, he quickly realized that was a bad idea. Instead he simply put on his breeches. He was going to be hiding anyway so it didn't really matter what he wore. It was cold in the early morning, but maybe that would ease the burn from where Stidolph had struck him.
He was hungry. He hadn't eaten much last night because it was too painful. He hoped to find a roll in the larder on his way out. As Jack crept downstairs, he tried not to think about all he was leaving behind. He was doing this for the Roydons. He couldn't let his monster become theirs.
A soft patter of paws alerted him he couldn't escape quite that easily. Mop rushed down the steps and entwined around his feet at the entrance to the stairway to the ground floor. The puppy thought it was playtime and wasn't about to let Jack go out without his best friend.
He crouched next to Mop, unable to hold back the tears any longer. "Sorry, you can't go along. You need to be here to take care of Mistress Roydon." He sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "I don't want to leave, but this is the only way to keep them safe. Do you know she's pregnant? Maybe she'll have a little boy. You and he will be best friends. Just like we were." He buried his face in the puppy's soft fur.
"Neither one of us wants you to leave," a quiet voice said behind him.
Startled, Jack jumped up. Master Roydon was standing only steps away. Jack didn't know what to say. He just stared at him dumbly. His plan was ruined. The sob died in his throat.
Master Roydon crouched down and wrapped an arm around him. He squeezed the spot where Stidolph had kicked him and Jack involuntarily cried out, but it felt so good to be hugged, he didn't care.
#
Matthew relaxed his grip on Jack. Diana was right to be concerned. Gallowglass was sure that it was the thought of losing his dog which had made the boy so upset. No one had suspected that the cause of his unusual quietness was an injury. Matthew hadn't bothered going to sleep, fully expecting more nightmares. But if it hadn't been for Lobero, even with his acute hearing, he might have missed Jack's departure. As it was, he caught every word.
"Let's go into my study. It will be more comfortable there. Lobero can come with us."
Jack looked up at that. The dog wasn't normally allowed in the room, but Matthew sensed Jack needed the additional support. Lobero, in full guard dog mode, stuck next to Jack's legs as Matthew unlocked the door. Once they were inside, he closed the door and lit a couple of candles from the embers in the fireplace.
Jack stood quietly, not saying a word, eyes downcast.
"Whatever trouble you're in, it won't be as bad if you share it with me," Matthew said, "but first I need to see the extent of the damage."
He knelt to help Jack remove his shirt. Matthew tried to be as gentle as possible but the boy was biting his lip to stifle the cries. His lower chest was one large purple bruise. On his right side, the bruise was even uglier with abrasions of a boot imprint. God, who'd done this?
Matthew already knew there were no open wounds—he would have immediately smelled the blood. His initial thought was that Jack had been caught thieving, and the guilty look on his face appeared to confirm it. But what gave him pause was that Jack's face hadn't been marred. Was that intentional?
Jack didn't let out a whimper as Matthew gently pressed the discolorations. As far as he could tell, there was nothing broken, although he might have a cracked rib or two. Standing up, Matthew placed a couple of cushions on a side chair and set it next to his desk chair, angling them to be facing. He then lifted Jack on top of the cushions. Lobero instantly flopped next to the chair. The dog realized he better be on his best behavior.
Taking a seat opposite him, Matthew pressed his right index finger against his sharp eye tooth. "Open your mouth," he told Jack. "This will ease the pain."
Wide-eyed, Jack obeyed him without question, and Matthew squeezed out a few drops of blood onto his tongue. It would act as an anesthesia and help him heal. "Now swallow."
Jack gulped and instantly his face relaxed.
"Feel better?"
Jack nodded. "Thank you, Master Roydon." His voice was so quiet it could barely be heard.
"Stay put," he ordered. "I'll be right back." Matthew left the room to retrieve a damp cloth and one of his old shirts. When he returned, neither the child or the dog had budged an inch. Matthew used the cloth to wipe Jack's face and began tearing the cloth into strips to bind his chest.
"Who did this to you?" he asked while he worked, bracing himself not to overreact when he heard about the shopkeeper.
"Master Stidolph," he whispered.
Matthew stiffened at the name. Months ago, he'd persuaded Jack to name the ringleader of the thieves' gang. Matthew was convinced the brute had abused the boy, but Jack had never gone into the details. Whether it was caused by the anesthesia effect of Matthew's blood or because he was too worn out to resist, Jack could no longer hold back. Bit by bit, Matthew learned how Stidolph had been stalking him.
"Stidolph ordered me to steal from the mistress. He told me to snatch one of her necklaces, but I know it won't stop there. If I don't, he said he'd hurt her, hurt you." Jack's bloodshot eyes looked pleadingly at Matthew for understanding. "I've seen what he's done. I can't let that happen to you. That's why I have to leave. If I'm not here, you'll be safe."
Matthew leaned forward till his face was directly in front of Jack's. "Your motivation does you credit. But you're a member of our family, and we defend each other. When someone threatens one of us, he threatens us all, and as a family we'll face down that threat."
"How?" Jack studied his face as if he could find the answer printed on it.
"When are you supposed to meet him?"
"Today. Stidolph knows that Mistress Roydon is gone every morning. I'm supposed to take Mop for a walk on Water Lane when the bells strike ten. He said he'll find me."
"What he'll find is his worst nightmare," Matthew said grimly. "Jack, I'll need your help. Will you do exactly as I say?"
He knew he didn't have to ask. It was obvious that he could do no wrong in Jack's eyes. He hoped that trust wouldn't be misplaced.
"Does the mistress have to know?" Jack asked nervously.
"Why do you want to hide it from her?"
"This is my mess. I don't want her to worry."
"This is not your fault. Stidolph is to blame, not you." Matthew considered for a moment. If he told Diana, she'd refuse to let him include Jack in his plan. "But I agree that Mistress Roydon doesn't need to know . . . for now." Matthew stood up. "You need to rest and regain your strength. I'll tell her you had a bad night and are sleeping in."
"I don't think I can sleep," he said with a shuddering breath.
"I'll be beside you," Matthew assured him. "You'll sleep." He'd also give him a few additional drops of blood. That amount would act as a soporific while speeding up the healing process. Jack needed to be in good shape for what was ahead.
Matthew guided him upstairs. Gallowglass awoke when they entered the room. "Another nightmare?"
Matthew nodded. "But this is one we can cure."
#
"Taking so young a laddie on a hunt?" Gallowglass frowned as he set down his tankard of ale on the table. "I still don't like it." Once Jack was asleep, Matthew had told Gallowglass about Stidolph. His nephew voiced strong opposition to Matthew's plan then, and by the next morning he'd only reluctantly agreed to go along with it. They were sorting out the details in the parlor while Jack walked Lobero in the courtyard.
"You think I do?" Matthew challenged from the opposite side of the table. "I checked his bruises when he awoke and they're much improved. Jack is eager to participate, and we shouldn't deny him his right."
Matthew's strategy was a simple one. When he'd encouraged the boy to draw his monsters to make them seem less dangerous, he hadn't suspected that one was a current threat. Now, thanks to those drawings, they knew what Stidolph looked like. By the time Jack left for the appointment, Matthew and Gallowglass would already be at designated spots on the street. Stidolph likely knew who they were since he'd been stalking Jack for a while, but two men wearing simple workers' clothes with broad-brimmed hats wouldn't attract his notice.
"If there were a way we didn't have to involve him, you know I would have," Matthew added.
"Aye." Gallowglass nodded gloomily. "Have you settled on a date for your departure?"
"No later than the end of June. Diana's pregnancy will likely be a difficult one. She needs to be able to consult with Marcus." Not for the first time, he counted himself fortunate that his son was such a skilled physician. Human doctors would be unable to deal with the complexities of Diana's pregnancy. There had only been a few rumors of cross-creature pregnancies and no documentation. Everything about Diana's situation was unprecedented and needed to be carefully monitored. But that didn't make him feel less responsible for Jack.
"What did Auntie say when you told her?" Gallowglass asked.
"She doesn't know yet," Matthew admitted. "Jack didn't want to tell her and in light of what we're planning, it's for the best."
"She'll have your head if anything goes wrong and Jack gets hurt."
An unnecessary reminder. Matthew sniffed Jack's fig and caramel scent outside the parlor. Seconds later he opened the door. There was no hint of stiffness in the boy's walk and his face looked brighter as well. Matthew's blood had performed its task. It was now up to them to finish the job. The bells had struck the quarter hour. Diana had already left for her morning lesson with Goody Alsop. It was time.
"Where's Lobero?" Matthew asked, beckoning Jack toward him.
"I left him upstairs, Master Roydon," Jack said, swallowing. "Mop's just a puppy. I don't want him to get hurt."
Matthew didn't need Gallowglass's arched eyebrows to appreciate the irony, but it was for Jack's sake that he had to go on the hunt with them, no matter that he was too young.
"That was a wise decision," Matthew said. "It shouldn't raise an issue." He held out the small leather pouch. "This is for you. There's no jewelry inside but there are several shillings. We hope to corner Stidolph before you need to give him anything, but in case we're delayed, this will demonstrate your good intentions."
Looking as if Matthew was entrusting him with the Crown Jewels, Jack secreted the pouch inside his jacket. "I'll keep this safe for you."
"I know you will, but don't hesitate to give it to Stidolph. We'll get it back. Do you understand?"
Jack nodded. His eyes were enormous in his face, reminding Matthew of a young owlet he'd seen in the forests of Auvergne. Matthew wished more than ever he could leave him in the nest with Lobero while he and Gallowglass took care of his foe.
"Do you have any questions?" he asked, smoothing down Jack's forelock. "You know you can ask anything."
"How will you be able to find me?"
Matthew had never discussed vampires with Jack, but he wouldn't be surprised if Jack had found out he was one. Somehow he'd discovered Diana was pregnant even though they'd never told him. But this was not the time to go into how they'd be able to track his scent. Instead, Matthew kept it simple. "Thanks to your excellent drawings, we'll be able to spot Stidolph even before he approaches you. You don't have to worry. I promise, we'll find you."
"I'm not afraid," he said, his brown eyes not flinching from Matthew's gaze.
"We're proud to have you join us, Jackie," Gallowglass added, his confident voice containing no hint of the inner doubts he had. "Against the three of us, Stidolph doesn't stand a chance."
But as they set out from the inn, Matthew's doubts resurfaced. Jack's former boss was a devious brute who'd managed to rule a gang of thieves with an iron fist. He could be an elusive foe.
He and Gallowglass left from a back exit. In an ideal world, they'd be able to capture Stidolph and charge him with the theft as soon as he approached Jack. The punishment for stealing that amount of money could easily result in a hanging, provided they could find a watchman to arrest him. But that was a major sticking point. Watchmen were few and difficult to locate.
A surer punishment—and likely more humane—would be to kill Stidolph on the spot, but Matthew didn't want Jack to have to witness it. Matthew served as assassin for the de Clermonts, something Diana was unaware of. He'd killed many a man and vampire for offenses less than what Jack's boss had committed. Matthew would have preferred to seek out Stidolph without involving anyone else. It was bitterly ironic that for a vampire who had lived over a thousand years, he was constricted by a lack of time.
Matthew took his position, leaning against the corner of the musicians' guildhall, and waited. He detected Jack's scent when he left the Hart and Crown. So far Matthew had spotted no one bearing any resemblance to Stidolph.
The lane was bustling with shoppers, farmers carrying baskets of produce, and tradespeople pushing carts laden with wares of everything under the sun. The tumult made it easier to follow Jack without being observed. Matthew and Gallowglass had agreed to stay on opposite sides of the lane. Matthew relied almost exclusively on his nose as Jack's short figure was often impossible to spot. As they approached the Thames, he caught a fleeting glimpse of two youths of about sixteen who'd grabbed Jack's hands.
Matthew let out a soft whistle. The short tune was a code for Gallowglass. The chase was on. Stidolph was relying on others to help with the dirty work, but it wouldn't save him.
The boys hustled the boy into a side lane with Matthew following closely behind. Stidolph had yet to appear so Jack would have to remain on his own, but Stidolph wasn't about to let anyone harm what he considered to be his golden goose. Gallowglass was walking on the opposite side of the lane and an equal distance from Jack.
When they came to the back door of a pub, one of the teenagers shoved Jack inside. The other remained outside to guard the entrance. A futile gesture.
Matthew uttered a low whistle then sprinted to the guard with a speed which kept his approach invisible to humans. The youth's first warning of the danger he was in was when he was face to face with two angry vampires. Matthew doubted he noticed their drawn daggers. One look at their faces sent him bolting in terror.
Matthew thrust the door open to find his quarry. Jack was standing in front of Stidolph, pouch in hand and his back to the doorway. Stidolph was holding a knife pressed to Jack's side. The room was a storeroom of sorts. The walls were lined with casks and baskets of provisions. It was the last room Stidolph would ever see.
Matthew delivered a smashing blow to the youth standing guard inside the door which left him unconscious in a heap on the floor. Before the others knew what was happening, Gallowglass leaped behind Stidolph, twisting the thug's arms behind his back in a lock grip and forcing him to release the blade.
"That pouch belongs to me," Matthew said evenly. "So does Jack. I'm claiming them now."
Not waiting for an answer, he lifted Jack out of harm's way and held him in his arms. The boy clung to Matthew, the pouch still firmly gripped in his hand. There were no injuries—no smell of blood—but the stench of Stidolph was nauseating.
"Fancy the boy, too, do you?" Stidolph sneered, his bluster apparently not diminished by the peril he faced.
Matthew cut him off with a hard blow to the face before he could spit out any more curses. Gallowglass would dispose of Stidolph. Matthew carried Jack out of the dingy room into the light.
Once they were outside, Jack relaxed his hold on the pouch and gave it to him. "I kept it safe for you."
Matthew kissed him on the forehead. "Much more important is that you're safe."
"We fought my monster and won!"
#
"How could you?" Diana lowered her voice to an angry whisper as she challenged Matthew.
When she arrived home with Annie, no one said a word about the events of the morning. George Chapman was already working with Jack on his lesson. She'd brought home a stew to have for their dinner. It was only during the afternoon tutoring session that Matthew pulled her aside to tell her.
The fact that Jack appeared well and happy was beside the point. Going behind her back—keeping her unaware of what they were facing—was inexcusable. Diana had Matthew meet her upstairs in Françoise's room so they wouldn't be overheard. He liked to call her his lioness. He was now going to face her wrath.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.
Matthew's gray eyes looked at her calmly. "Because you'd likely deny permission. It was for his sake that Jack had to be included."
"How can you possibly justify letting a boy his age get close to that brute? He could have been knifed in an instant."
"That's why he needed to help us. Without Jack, it could have taken weeks for Gallowglass and me to find Stidolph—that's more time than we have. But how could I return to the present day, knowing Jack's monster had his eyes set on him once more?"
Matthew's anguished look stilled her outrage. She slipped an arm around his waist and drew him next to her.
"Stidolph's abuse had been physical as well as emotional," Matthew said in a low voice, stroking her hair. "Jack confided a few of the details when I checked him over upon our return."
Diana was sickened at his words and he quickly added, "He'll never harm anyone again. Gallowglass made certain of it. Jack's bruises are all from the previous day. Stidolph didn't injure him further."
"Does Jack know you're a vampire?"
He was silent for a long moment. "He may suspect it, but I don't think there was anything which gave us away this morning. Jack's back was to us when we entered the room. By the time he turned around, Gallowglass had already leaped behind Stidolph. Jack may wonder why my blood was able to ease the pain." He chuckled softly. "Perhaps he thinks I'm a witch."
"A few months ago you warned me that getting close to Jack would make leaving even more difficult." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I now realize how painful it's been for you to leave behind the ones you care about."
"I've grown to love Jack as one of my own," Matthew admitted. "The three of us on a hunt . . . I was proud of the way he conducted himself. He was fearless—like you, mon coeur. He was also prepared to run away to protect us." He hesitated. "Jack knows you're pregnant. That may make our departure a little more understandable."
"We can tell him we're going back to our home, but eventually he'll wonder why we don't return. I'm glad he has Lobero."
If she could, she'd take Jack with them, but it wasn't possible. The cords which she'd need to follow to find their way back to the present didn't exist for him. Matthew had told her a child needed love, someone to take responsibility for them, and a soft place to land. It was up to her and Matthew to somehow secure Jack's future before they left.
Notes: Jack's nightmares are discussed in the second novel, Shadow of Night. They started in Prague and continued through the rest of the novel. Stidolph is an OC I created to explain why they became so much worse. In my next fic, I'll explore Diana's efforts to provide Jack that safe place to land before they leave. I plan to post Unpathed Waters on January 23.
Thanks for reading and hugs to all of you who review or favorite the story! In case you're interested in the other fics I write, here's my upcoming lineup:
The Red Chamber (Tales from the Library series in the Invisible Library fandom): December 5
Lion's Lair (Arkham Files): December 12 – January 16. The Arkham Files stories feature the characters of White Collar in the world of the Cthulhu Mythos.
Background information and story summaries for all the series are on the blog I co-write with Penna Nomen: Penna Nomen & Silbrith Conversation. See the Six-Crossed Knot page for background information on the series and an introduction to the world of All Souls Trilogy.
Story visuals are on the Six-Crossed Knot board of my Pinterest website: Silbrith's Stories
Disclaimers: This story is for fun. The world of All Souls Trilogy and its characters are not mine. I'm grateful to Deborah Harkness for allowing fanfic writers to play in her sandbox.