Journeyman Cat: Malkins & Mages, #2

By Virginia Ripple

He'll protect his partners dream--until someone he loves is murdered...

Despite the war, despite that everyone else says he's dead, Journeyman Toby continues to search for his father with the help of his human partner. When what promised to be another dead-end lead turns into something more, Toby pounces on the possibility like only a talking magical cat can. However, his questions regarding the secret goings-on of a local temple catches the attention of a mysterious cat whose sole ambition is to enslave the human race.

His supervisor orders the young tom to leave his informal investigation alone or be dismissed from the Office of Kingdom Guardianship. Even though he yearns to find his father, Toby obeys because it would mean taking away the one thing his partner cherishes: his position in the OKG. He follows orders, that is, until someone connected with the temple kills someone he loves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Virginia Ripple
• Release date: Aug 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781497777538

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Journeyman Cat

Malkins & Mages Book 2

Chapter 1

The cacophony of voices was deafening in the small room as each of the council members shouted to be heard. Adele flattened her ears to her sleek black head. She scanned the room, trying to gauge who was shouting in favor of the proposal, who was against and who was just screaming to have a say in the matter. Her piercing yellow gaze landed on the enormous black tom sitting on a stool beside Councilman Damon. There was no mistaking the gleam in his green eyes, nor the ever-so-slight splaying of his whiskers. He was enjoying this.

Adele glanced at the tom's human partner. The man reclined in his chair, his plump fingers steepled over his ample belly. For all intents the man looked as if he were seriously contemplating the High Temple Priest's absurd proposal. The queen had no doubts that the man's furrowed brow and frown would convince the other humans in the room.

Most of them, anyway. Adele turned to watch her partner. Clarence O'dorn was the opposite of Damon in nearly every way. Clarence leaned forward with his elbow on the table, his chin cupped in the hollow between thumb and index finger. Wrinkles had etched pathways from his eyes and across his forehead. They were a leftover from the battle they had fought together six years ago against this ever-increasing terror brought on by a power hungry monster.

The black queen looked down at her own sleek body, at the wheeled contraption that allowed her freedom of movement. A wave of self-pity crashed through her. She stubbornly pushed it aside. At least she had survived, which was more than many could say. Her gaze drifted back up to her partner. The comparison between him and the councilman went beyond just their physical appearance. While both men were mages, Damon had never risen to the rank of master. Damon was, in Adele's opinion, nothing more than a spoon-fed pig, a puppet in the hands of a master manipulator.

The sound of a banging gavel could be heard over the shouting. Adele’s attention swiveled toward the haggard looking man at the front of the room.

Ladies and gentlemen, called the interim grand master mage. "I understand that you each want a say in what we decide to do regarding the High Temple Priest’s proposal, but can we please have some decorum?"

Council members took their seats, still grumbling. The squeak of a chair drew Adele’s attention toward Councilman Damon. The man had leaned forward and placed his palms on the table. Looking like an actor about to give an award-winning monologue, he turned his gaze onto each of the council members. He opened his arms wide, encompassing the entire assembly, his eyebrows knitting together in a look of concern.

Colleagues… friends…. It seems we have come to an impasse. I’m sure, should our esteemed grand master mage call a vote this moment, we would find ourselves evenly divided.

He paused, giving each council member another compassionate look. Adele glanced around the room to see many humans nodding in agreement. She looked up at her partner. He had leaned back in his chair and was absently rubbing an index finger across his chin. The queen returned her scrutiny to the councilman. He had grasped his embroidered vest with one hand and had the other out as if weighing an invisible object.

On the one hand, he said, closing the public schools and making all children attend the various remaining temples for education seems absurd, if not downright impossible to implement. Many towns no longer have temples, let alone the simple churches they once had. How would we transport so many children to other areas? And what about the cost of such a venture? Can our devastated economy handle just one more expense? Who will foot the bill?

Adele watched as more heads began to nod in agreement. These were good questions, but she knew none of them were the real reason the idea of closing the schools was a bad one. As usual, Damon was evading the core issue. The queen looked back at her partner again, wondering why he had yet to say anything. Perhaps he was waiting for the councilman to make a mistake. She turned her attention back to the rotund man. He had swung his other hand out as if weighing another invisible object of equal importance.

On the other hand, our children need the best education we can give them. Is it not possible that, had we the knowledge before, Chivato would never have been able to murder so many humans with his infectious disease? While our nobles have the best education they can buy, do we not owe our lower classes the benefit of at least a rudimentary education? As it stands now, many of them will never receive instruction in even letters or numbers because there simply are not enough people in the smaller towns and provinces who have even that much education. Those that did are dead.

Damon paused again. If the situation wasn’t so unpredictable, Adele would have snickered. It was like watching a melodrama with a moderately talented actor who thinks he’s the kingdom’s best troubadour. The frightening part was that the council members were listening intently. Few faces reflected discernment. In fact, several of those who had been on opposing sides were now agreeing to everything Damon was saying. The queen’s eyes narrowed as she watched the man’s theatrics. Slowly he brought his hands together and clasped them, a slight smile on his lips as he nodded and looked around the room at the members.

We do not have to argue, friends, that we each want the best for our kingdom… for our people, he whispered into the silence. There is a way, if we are willing to listen and work together. I have seen the map the High Temple Priest has drawn up. His Order is ready to move several temples into areas where there is a vacancy left by the disease. All they need is for small plots of land to be redistributed for their use and donations to pay for construction of the temple schools.

Who’s going to decide how the land is redistributed? shouted someone. Damon’s face lit up as he stared in their general direction.

The king’s administrators can work out the details, but, as always, the provincial lords should have final say over the land.

So where’s the money going to come from? shouted someone on the other side of the room. The councilman swiveled to see the questioner.

Very good question. A tax can be levied on certain luxury items, nothing too severe. The rest can be taken from a small raise in taxes we already collect from the laborers in the kingdom. All the funds can be funneled through the treasury with clerks in charge of nothing but this endeavor overseeing the expenditures.

Murmuring amongst the council members grew as smiles replaced frowns and heads nodded in agreement. Councilman Damon grasped his vest with both hands and beamed. Adele sneaked a glance at the interim grand master mage. His shoulders slumped slightly as he seemed to relax into the idea. He lifted his gavel to signal a vote.

Councilman, Master O’dorn said, you seem to have thought of everything.

Damon’s smile twisted into a sneer. Adele wanted to slash her claws across his insolent face. She glanced at his feline partner, the black beast’s narrowed green eyes staring at them. She could almost feel the cat’s anger as her partner caused their happy little train to come to a screeching halt.

As you said, had we the knowledge earlier, we might have been able to stop Chivato before we lost so many lives. Our children need us to give them that head start. In that we are in complete agreement.

But? Damon growled.

Adele looked up at the man she had worked with for most of her life. He nodded, signaling she should have the honor of bursting the councilman’s bubble. She turned her piercing yellow gaze onto the black cat and his potbellied companion.

There is the little matter of separation of religion and rule, which, no doubt, you remember being written into our governing documents. How do we know these temple instructors won’t force their beliefs on our trusting children?

We have the word of the High Temple Priest that these schools will be separate from temple instruction, Damon said.

Forgive me, councilman, said Master O’dorn, but I think we all know that a person’s word is only as good as those who trust him give it credit.

The man’s face grew red, something Adele had become accustomed to. She wondered if this would be the time his head would explode. The queen leaned forward and waited. He was nearly bouncing on his toes when his monstrous black partner placed a paw on his arm. The man glanced down at the feline, then lowered himself into his chair. The beast looked back at Adele. Her skin shivered down her back.

Master Adele has a good point. We cannot be sure the temple schools will be free of doctrinal instruction, the cat’s voice rumbled across the small room. Perhaps we should investigate the proposal further before making any firm decisions. I move we send a set of partners to one of the larger temple schools. They can tour the school, sit in on a few classes, interview the students and teachers, then report back to the High Council on their findings in one month.

The queen scowled at the tom. She looked up at her partner to see if he had any better ideas. He shook his head.

The motion to send partners to a temple school to investigate the setting and curriculum of said school and report back to this council in one month is hereby called to vote. All those in favor say aye.

The council members voices rang in agreement.

Those opposed say nay.

Only the shuffling of feet could be heard.

Motion carried.

The sound of the gavel hitting the table reverberated off the walls, making Adele’s skin twitch.

***

Levah TAH teh, Adele murmured. She smoothly rose into the air. Concentrating on making a soft landing, the black queen maneuvered herself to the floor. It had taken a lot of practice to learn how to raise and lower both herself and the wheeled contraption, but it had been worth it. At least it was less humiliating than having to have her partner pick her up and carry her.

She rocked forward, pulling her back legs upright over the wheels. It took less effort now to pull her paralyzed legs along, thanks to Clarence’s clever invention. Actually it had been a combined effort between her partner and her son, a Solstice gift. In some ways it was a painful reminder of the past. However… Her whiskers splayed a she remembered the times her appearance had made some of her old classmates uncomfortable. Vindictive, Clarence would have told her, and he would have been right. Still, it felt good to have the upper hand for once.

The sight of massive black paws in front of her made her stop. She looked up into a set of baleful green eyes. Her skin shivered again.

It would seem you have won again, my dear.

"It’s not about winning. It’s never been about winning."

The black tom blinked.

Hasn’t it? Why else would you continue to put yourself through these torturous meetings, especially in your condition?

Adele flattened her ears and bared her teeth. "My condition does not affect my mind."

Indeed.

The two cats stared at each other. The tom’s tail thumped a slow rhythm on the wood floor. Adele wished she dared look anywhere but that beast’s piercing green eyes. She could stand it no longer.

What do you want, Adair?

The black tom hissed, leaning forward, inches away from Adele’s nose. The queen tried to jerk back, but was held in place by her wheeled contraption. She tried not to show her fear as his hot breath flowed over her face.

That is no longer my name.

Moments ticked by as she held her breath. Finally the tom sat back, raising a massive paw to his mouth. Adele exhaled silently as she watched him pull at his claw sheaths. He returned his gaze to her.

I have been reborn to deliver the prisoners of humanity. I am, he said, flashing a piercing green gaze at the trembling queen, K’dash Shyam.

Adele blinked. The black tom’s whiskers splayed wide and he narrowed his eyes.

That’s blasphemy, she hissed. That title belongs only to the one who brings us out of darkness into the light.

That is what I am trying to do, though you have consistently made it more difficult.

The black queen laid her ears back and bared her teeth. I will always stand in your way. You are not the Beloved.

I am what the world has made me, he said and yawned.

We choose what we become.

If that were true, then what does that say of you, dearling?

The black queen snarled. K’dash closed his eyes and chuckled, the warm sound so like another tom she once knew it made her heart ache. When he opened his eyes again the illusion shattered. There was nothing warm in those green eyes.

Tell me, did your mate teach your son how to win games of strategy?

Leave him out of this.

I would, except he’s already made himself a part of it. Perhaps the better question is, did Victor ever learn to win?

The hair along the ridge of Adele’s back rose. It was an old game, one she had yet to succeed at. Say anything and give everything away or say nothing and hope something remained unknown. K’dash cocked his head to the side at her silence.

No. I guess he didn’t.

If you weren’t—

But I am and that’s always been the problem, why you've never been able to do what needs to be done. I wonder if your son is like you.

Adele wanted to slash his nose, shred his ears to ribbon. She felt her claws unsheathe with the thought. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the lithe form of a sleek silver tabby sauntering their way. With great effort she forced her fur flat and sheathed her claws.

Master Shyam, said the silver tabby, dipping her head.

Master Natsumi, Adele said.

Master Adele, she said, turning to look at the black queen. The silver tabby sat down and curled her tail around her paws.

What brings you here? asked the queen.

Reporting to the Office of Loners.

Nothing serious, I hope.

Not at all. Just my annual review.

I hope it went well. The One knows how hard those reviews can be, especially for cats with so few successful missions, like yourself.

The look in the she-cat’s eyes was cold. Her tail lashed once, then stilled.

The board found my performance quite satisfactory. Thank you for your concern. I understand young Toby was appointed to the Office of Kingdom Guardianship. That is quite an honor for one so impulsive and with so little experience.

Thank you, Master Natsumi. I’m sure Toby’s skills are of great use to the OKG. He is, after all, the son of the best loner this council has known.

The silver tabby lashed her tail again. Adele smiled at the effect the insult had. Yes, she thought, Clarence is right. Vindictive. The silver tabby turned her attention to K’dash.

Master Shyam, your presence is requested in Councilman Damon’s office. It seems one of the king’s officials has stopped by to discuss the impending yes vote on the High Temple Priest’s proposal.

The black tom looked back at Adele and sighed.

Never an end to my duties, it seems. I’m afraid we will have to continue this conversation another time. Stay safe, my dear. Next time the monsters out there might succeed.

The two cats turned and left the council chambers without a glance back. The black queen growled at their retreating tails.

***

So let me make sure I have this correct, said Lorn, using what Toby had come to think of as his I-don’t-believe-a-thing-you’re-saying-but-I’m-your-best-friend voice. You’re dog brought you a dead rabbit, a rabbit you believe he personally killed, and you’re sure he is working with your neighbor’s cat to kill you so they can have all your money.

The toothless old woman nodded. Toby stifled another yawn. Lorn glanced at Toby, then down at the papers on the table in front of him.

And tell me again why you think the two are working together?

The woman frowned, her mouth drawing in over her gums. She glanced behind herself toward the closed door, then back at the partners as she leaned forward.

The cat sat in the tree and watched the whole thing, she rasped. She narrowed one eye and nodded at them as she sat back in her chair, wrapping her tattered shawl closer around her narrow shoulders.

They’re in cahoots, I tell ya. No doubtin’ that old miser’s been bewitched by his devil cat and now they’s comin’ after me using my own dog. T’ain’t right usin’ man’s best friend like that.

Ma’am, exactly what do you think the cat is after? asked Toby.

Why my money, of course. I done told you that. She looked at the orange tom as if he were addled. Turning back to Lorn, the old woman leaned close again. She cast a side-long glance at Toby and placed her hand next to her mouth.

They’ll never find it, she whispered. I buried it after the plague, when the rioting began.

Lorn leaned forward, too. Toby wondered how he could stand the woman’s rancid breath.

And how much did you bury?

Five coppers.

She winked at the young man, then turned a glare on the cat. Toby wanted to howl with laughter. This interview was turning out to be one for the records. Not so unusual for a human to accuse a local feline of plotting something terrible, but planning an assassination to gain a few coppers was possibly the best story yet. The young tom wondered if the woman had always been this paranoid.

I see, Lorn replied. He slowly sat back in his chair, rubbing his newly grown beard and frowning. He stared at a spot over the door frame behind the old woman for several moments. When he turned his gaze on Toby, the tom could see the crinkle of smile lines around the man’s eyes, though he was still frowning.

Madam, he said, turning his attention back to the woman, I believe you’re money is safe -- for the moment. In situations like this we advise vigilance. Do you grow your own food?

Yes, of course.

Good, good. Have you planted a ring of garlic around your garden?

The old woman’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open.

Why no. Should I?

Oh, it may not be necessary, but one can never be too cautious, wouldn’t you say, Journeyman Toby?

Indeed. It is well known that devil cats are allergic to garlic, Toby said, forcing his whiskers to stay closed. That is why members of the OKG wear the herb concealed within our medallions.

The woman glanced at the orange tom’s collar, the flat round disk of the Office of Kingdom Guardianship dangling from it. She clutched her shawl closer to her neck.

Is there anything else I should do?

The usual, of course, Lorn said, waving a dismissive hand. Don’t dance under a full moon, never look a devil cat in the eye, boil your water before using it for cooking or drinking, those sort of things.

She squinted at the partners, puckering her mouth. Boil my water?

Lorn’s eyes widened. He turned to stare at Toby, who returned his fake shock look. They both turned serious gazes on the old woman.

They didn’t tell you?

She shook her head slowly as she placed her gnarled fingers to her sunken lips. Lorn clucked his tongue and turned a frown on Toby who also shook his head, eyes narrowed in a scowl. The orange tom turned his stern gaze back on the woman.

The apothecaries in every province were instructed to tell everyone they see to boil their water before using even a drop. May I have the name of your local herbalist?

Jensen’s the ‘pothecary, but ain’t no one goes t’ him. Charges ya twice for herbs that ain’t no good. No, Lucinda be the one we be trustin’. But how’s cum she didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout boilin’ our water?

Is Lucinda a member of the apothecary guild? asked Lorn.

Nah. She just be the local healer.

I see. That is probably why she didn’t know about the boil order.

We will be sure she learns of it and any other orders the Office of Healers and Apothecaries deem necessary. Thank you for your time, madam. We will be sure to file this report with the OKG.

That’s it? You ain’t gonna haul that cat away?

Toby sighed inwardly. It had been nearly six years and still the majority of humans distrusted their feline counterparts. They’d interviewed several that wanted cats exterminated. Those were the ones that refused to say anything until Toby left the room. At least this woman just wanted her neighbor’s cat arrested. Lorn tapped the small pile of papers on the table.

When we file this report, you can rest assured that the OKG will keep a close eye on both your neighbor and his cat.

She frowned at them. The man leaned closer, motioning the old woman to do the same. As she did, Lorn glanced around the empty room as if looking for spies.

Mind you, he whispered, you won’t know who is watching. They could look like anyone, so if someone new should suddenly show up in the village be sure to ignore them. We wouldn’t want to blow their cover, am I right?

The woman grinned, showing a gaping whole where there should have been teeth, and winked. Lorn smiled in return.

Good evening, madam.

As the elder shuffled out the door, Toby washed a paw. His fur rippled with suppressed laughter as the door closed.

I do believe you missed your calling. You should have been a troubadour.

I thought about it for a while our last year at the academy. Problem was I seemed to be saddled with a certain orange tom who thought we should finish our studies first.

Toby swiped the air in Lorn’s direction. Good thing one of us wanted to graduate. If I hadn’t been looking out for you we’d never have been appointed to the OKG.

And it’s been an honor and privilege, hasn’t it. One exciting assignment after another.

Well there was that one interview with the old farmer and the pitchfork.

Lorn chuckled. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you move that fast.

There are a lot of ways I wouldn’t mind dying, but shish ka-kitty is not one of them.

A soft knock at the door interrupted them. The door opened a few inches and a young woman with wild red hair peeked around it at them. She smiled shyly at Lorn.

Beggin’ yer pardon, good sirs, but Lars is here. He says he has infermashun ‘bout some goin’s on up north near the hills.

Lorn glanced at Toby and smirked. Does he have a pitchfork?

Toby studiously ignored his partner, watching the young woman instead. The girl blinked a couple times, looking confused.

Not with him, sir. I s’pose he could git it if’n you wanted.

The young man waved the idea away as he looked back at the young lady and grinned.

Send him in.

The woman disappeared behind the door. A moment later she was ushering a burly, gray bearded mountain into the room. Toby was struck by the similarities between Lars and Lorn, when he’d been transformed into an Outer Reaches trapper during their first year at the academy. That little reconnaissance mission to the White Dog Pub had helped them solve part of the mystery to Toby’s father’s disappearance long ago. It had also been the beginning of figuring out how to end the plague released by Chivato. The tom glanced at his partner to find the memory had occurred to him as well.

Lars? the young man asked, standing up to shake the mountain’s hand. The man looked at Lorn’s hand and scowled, then sat down across the table.

You the guardian? the man rumbled. Lorn nodded and sat back down.

I understand you have some information for us.

The man grunted, nodding once. He put his beefy hands on his knees and leaned forward.

"There’s a temple up yonder in the hills. Been there since I were a kid.