Doctor Who_ Wolfsbane - Jac Rayner [75]
Emmeline was too blind with pain to take much note of her surroundings, but after a minute or two she felt the tickle of the tall grass as they waded through somewhere overgrown.
She realised suddenly that there was no longer a pull on the chain, and looked around her where they‟d stopped - he had dragged her to the centre of the village green. There was an iron ring in the ground, and he attached the trailing chains to it. She glanced again to the sky - not that she needed to, her blood and the earth were telling her that the time was not yet right, that there were still minutes before she would gain the strength to break these ties and take her revenge. She knew she would lose all her humanity this night, and where normally she dreaded it, tonight she welcomed it, eagerly awaited it.
„Why?‟ she managed to gasp through the pain. „We are cousins, connected by blood. And you know I did not kill Lucinda.‟
For the first time he addressed her like a fellow human being, not an animal on the end of a leash. „No, Mother explained about Lucinda. It was a shame she had to die because she was really rather pretty, but you see she could never have been queen, so Mother decided to kill two birds with one stone, as it were. I have to marry someone of royal blood. Oh, and I‟m afraid we‟re not cousins, actually. Mother explained it.‟
She frowned. „But I know we are related. I remembered you...‟
„That was Mother‟s doing,‟ said George, examining her bonds. „One of her magical thingummybobs. Needed a werewolf to wake up the land, her spells and whatnot weren‟t managing it by themselves. I‟m afraid she played around with your mind somewhat. Fairly impressive, so I thought, doing it all the way over in Krautland, but then mother turns out to be really rather clever, all in all. Did you know I‟m going to be the new king?‟
She was able to get out a short laugh. „You? Still, it would not be the first time England has had a mad King George.‟
He yanked at the silver collar, and she whimpered in pain.
„I would not be going by my everyday name, but by my true name. Anyway, it is of no concern of yours. Your job - your very important job, it must be said - will be over by then. In fact -‟ He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at it - „it‟s due to start very soon indeed.‟
„And what is this job so important of mine? I will not help you in your mad, mad plans, that I can tell you now.‟
George grinned. „I‟m very much afraid you won‟t be able to help it. You don‟t have any control tonight, I know. And what Mother wants - and what Mother will get - is a massive final blood offering and a blooded and powerful werewolf calling to the land as she finally raises it. Mother really is awfully clever.‟
Emmeline wanted to deny it all, tell him that this was something she would never do. But the moon was inside her now, its call getting stronger by the second. She knew that if she had the chance, she would do exactly as he had said, and suddenly her normal dread of this change surged through her again, her terror of losing control. Her only hope lay in somehow staying away from people. Could she hold on to enough of herself not to fight the ropes and chains that bound her, to remain safely tethered until the morning light?
But George hadn‟t finished. He was walking away from her now, through the waist-high grass towards the village inn. He raised his voice. „Quickly! Everyone, get out here!‟ A curtain was pushed back, but no one appeared. He kept going. „You don‟t have to keep watch tonight! There won‟t be any more killings! I‟ve caught the werewolf!‟
At that, men began pouring from the pub. Emmeline recognised very few of them, but then she knew hardly any of the villagers. They had not struck her as being particularly desirable marriage material.
Somehow, pitchforks and scythes and even shotguns had appeared in the farmers‟ hands as they prowled