I,” he said wildly, “and for a cat-caught mouse there can be only one outcome.” I loosed my grip and turned an amused glance on him, but he seized his chance and fled. A second later, as he ran, I watched him shudder at my sudden laugh. The mouse had met its fate.
“My lord,” Jehan spoke softly from the shadows. “Prince Geofri wishes that you return to Blackavar at once.” I nodded, and went for my cloak, but I was no sooner inside than Ambrose Willoughby, her majesty’s Squire of the Body, pounced on me, saying that the Queen wished to speak with me at once. I followed the callow young man back into the hall, and approached the elderly woman under the canopy. “God’s Blood, cousin! An unfaithful Shadow you are, to so wander away; I vow I sent the man after you fully half an hour ago. Now, come sit here, that we may converse.” She nudged a cushion at her feet, seemingly unaware of the glares many in the crowd were turning on me. I bowed low then went down on one knee. “How now, you do not sit, my lord?”
“I fear I must ask your leave to attend upon my brother, who has summoned me to him, Majesty,” I began, but she interrupted me. “You must call me cousin, my Shadow, as I instructed you. And if your brother, your sovereign lord, as we are well aware, requires your presence, well, then you must away, and our discourse must wait for another time. I would that all my subjects showed such devotion to their sovereign as you to yours.”
“Maj—cousin,” I smiled at the shrewd old woman before me with an affection as genuine as it had been unexpected, “no people love their sovereign as your people love you.”
“Flatterer! Be off with you!” She smacked me with her fan again; I caught her hand and pressed my lips briefly to her slender fingers, heavy with jewels, then swept to my feet and backed away.
The hostile stares had not abated as I took my leave, and so I was not as surprised as some might have wished when I found the road blocked against me about a half-mile from the palace; they had easily got ahead of me by crossing the fields while I had kept to the road. There were four or five mounted young gallants and maybe twice as many bravos and underlings afoot. They had their faces covered, but not their clothing. I laughed aloud as I recognized Tom among them.
“I fear this is no laughing matter for you, my lord,” the foremost sneered.” Now, dismount.” The gallants slid off their horses, standing ready.
“I think not,” I said, noting the wooden clubs that many of them held, and belatedly realizing that I could be badly, maybe fatally, hurt. “Jehan!” I called, and the big wolf sprang from nowhere, causing the horses to rear in panic. I spurred my own horse through the confusion, the war-trained stallion lashing out with teeth and hooves at anything in range, while I sat the plunging back like the shadow Elizabeth named me. Within seconds we were free of the press and I kneed the stallion, causing him to half turn and rear, slashing the air with his hooves. As coolly as if I were sitting on a garden bench, reveling in my vampire prowess, I drew a brace of long barreled pistols from the saddle holsters, and discharged one into the air. The night erupted with a deafening clap and sudden glare; immediately I rested the left-hand pistol upon my right forearm, sighted down the barrel, and fired at the leader, noting with satisfaction my target’s dropped sword and crumpling form. Before the wounded man could even scream, I had wheeled the horse and was flying down the road away from my would-be assailants.
I heard Tom cry out just as a burning agony lanced through me, and I looked down to see an arrowhead protruding wetly from my left shoulder. The wooden shaft felt like a fire in my flesh, running along my nerves and through my veins, the pain eating away at my consciousness until I felt myself swaying in the saddle. I dared not stop, and fought against the faintness threatening to overwhelm me. Carefully sheathing the pistols first, I gave the horse his head. I know not how long I rode, but finally I became aware of the wolf running beside me and reined in the