Part 12 (1/2)

”It's me, Sam,” came the cat's voice again. It was strange to understand his meowing, but its meaning was crystal clear. ”Pepper is keeping an eye on Grayson. It's all clear for you to come out.”

I opened the trapdoor toward me, blew out the lamp, hung it on a rung, and then pushed the chair out of the way. The light was bright at first and I saw only the silhouette of Sam looking down at me from his roost on the back of the chair. I smiled and said, ”Hey, Sam! How are you doing?”

”Alexa, answer me. Can you understand what I'm saying, Alexa?” Sam demanded, his dark outline held motionless against the dusty light streaming in behind him.

I pretended not to hear him, which aggravated him more.

”Come on, Alexa, let's have it!” he shouted. ”I know 141.

you can understand me. I want to hear the latest from Ander.”

Sam jumped down and leaned against my legs, staring up at me with his penetrating gray eyes. Time seemed to stand still as he purred and paced back and forth. He took a long, final look at me and then jumped back up on the chair.

”Stupid girl,” he said. ”As useless as ever. All you hear is purring and meowing all the livelong day. I should have expected as much.” I turned away from Sam toward the bookshelf and fanned my hands over the rows of books to hide the shock on my face.

As I stood and thought nervously about what to do next, a flash of shadows moved about the room and the sound of beating wings filled the small s.p.a.ce. I had not noticed the perfectly still hawk sitting in the sill, waiting for information. As I turned to look I saw the bird flying off into the bright morning sun.

”Off to tell Sebastian of Alexa's return, no doubt,” said Sam.

I tried desperately to remember all the things Sam and Pepper would have seen me doing or heard me saying. How many times had hawks watched me? Were they watching when Warvold died and I took the key? I absentmindedly ran my hand along my forearm, feeling the wicked scratch Pepper had given me when I'd tried to take his amulet in my hands. Traitors, both of them. I could hardly believe it. And the hawk it was also a traitor. I had to get a message to Ander.

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”No more time for petting right now, Sam, I've got lots to do,” I said with false cheer. Then I moved the chair back into its proper place and dusted myself off as best I could. I was dirty, so sneaking up to my room for a quick cleanup before anyone saw me was essential. I quietly wound my way through the corridors of books, creaking the floorboards here and there as I continued cautiously in the direction of Grayson's office. I peeked around the last corner and saw that his door was ajar, Pepper's long tail flicking up and down at the floor. I had a momentary feeling of fear as Sam purred up against my leg unexpectedly.

”Pepper!” Sam said. ”She's as dumb as a post, not a word out of her.” Pepper's head came whipping around in the doorjamb.

”That you, Sam?” came Grayson's voice. Things were getting complicated in a hurry and I'd been back in Bridewell for only a few minutes.

I crept down the hallway as quietly as I could while Sam held back in front of Grayson's door.

”That's it, slink off to your room for a nice long nap,” Sam jeered.

The floorboards creaked a few paces from the library door, and I froze for a brief moment.

”Who's there? . . . Alexa, is that you?” It was Grayson, but I was safely on the other side of the door and out of sight a second later.

My room had never looked so wonderful. I hid my 143.

stone, the tube Yipes had given me, and the other trinkets I had been carrying around. I put on a fresh set of clothes and performed a healthy bit of primping on myself, then flopped down on my bed and felt as though I could sleep for a month. I thought of all the events of the past three days and drifted off into dreams of talking animals and men with brands on their faces.

I awoke at midday, sweaty and hot. I had been dreaming of a hawk at my window. It was scratching and clawing to get inside, and in my dream I let the bird in and it chased me around my room, landed on my head, and ripped chunks of my hair out with its monstrous claws. As I sat up in my bed, all wet and clammy from the heat and the awful dream, I heard sc.r.a.ping at the shutter. Was I still dreaming or had I actually awoke? I cautiously got out of bed.

Everything hurt, and my feet felt as though they were walking on a bed of nails. As I hobbled over to the window, I realized that whatever was banging and scratching to get in was much smaller than a hawk, and it was scampering around from side to side outside the shutter. It could be only one animal: Murphy, the hyperactive squirrel from the grove. I swung the shutters open and he spilled into the room, bouncing from place to place, sniffing everything and whipping his tail from side to side.

”This is an unexpected surprise,” I said.

He was behind my bed between the bathroom and the nightstand, and I had to walk around the room to find him. ”I think it would be best if we stayed away from the 144.

window,” he said. ”You never know who might be watching us.”

I lay down on my stomach and propped myself up at the elbows. It felt good to be off my feet. Murphy remained lively, darting under the bed, flying out with a leap, and landing on my back then running down my legs and circling back.

”Murphy, if you can calm down a minute, I have news.”

”What sort of news? Is it good or bad?”

”Well, to be honest, I think it's mostly bad,” I said.

Murphy's cavorting turned to twitching and quick jerks from side to side. Given his nature, I think it took more effort for him to stay still than to scuttle half crazed around the room.

”Let's have it then no point putting off the inevitable.”

He closed his eyes tightly and turned his head slightly to the left, as if this would somehow soften the blow of whatever I was about to say.

I was getting sore on my elbows so I dropped down with my chin on my hands. I was eye to eye with him, only a few inches between us, and for no apparent reason I whispered when I spoke. ”Sam and Pepper are traitors. On top of that, I think some of the birds might be against us. I know for sure of at least one hawk who's working for Sebastian. I haven't had time to find out much else. Just getting to my room was an adventure in itself, and I've been sleeping most of the day.”

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Murphy looked stunned as his eyes squeaked back open. He was still for the first time since I'd met him. ”That is bad news now, isn't it? We've had our suspicions about the birds, but Sam and Pepper? I can hardly believe it.”

”Believe it,” I a.s.sured him.

”Ander will want to know about this right away,” said Murphy. ”I suppose I should go and tell him.”

He started to leave, then stopped. ”Oh, I almost forgot it was Yipes who sent me. He said to tell you he was sorry for slamming the door on your head. It made rather a loud noise when it came down, and he ran off into the trees to hide, afraid someone or something might have heard. By the time he came back to check, you were gone. He will be pleased to hear that you're not injured in any way.”

Murphy bolted for the window. He was sitting in the sill by the time I had my wretched, sore body up to its knees, leaning over my bed.

”How's the stone looking?” he asked.

”I haven't looked, but we're talking, so I guess it must still be all right.”

”Best to keep an eye on it every few hours if you can,” said Murphy He was fidgeting back and forth, looking out the window and then back at me. ”It will be a shame to lose you. Maybe we'll get lucky and it won't wear out.” And then, with a final flip of his tail, he was gone.

Just as well I had a busy afternoon planned.

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CHAPTER 16.

Pervis Cotcher on HOLIDAY My first encounter with just about everyone occurred in the main dining area. I arrived shortly before dinner, and it was bustling as usual with activity. Servants were bringing out food for the buffet meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, and vegetables, most imported from Ainsworth and all on gorgeous white china. My father was the first to greet me as I pranced into the room.

”Alexa! How's my girl? We arrived only a few minutes ago.” He embraced me, lifted me high off the floor, and whispered in my ear, ”Let's have a little talk after dinner.”

I gave him a rea.s.suring nod and straightened my s.h.i.+rt when he put me down. ”You must go to Turlock more often. It brings out your sentimental side.”