SNOWKITTEN BOOK ONE
Chapter Five - January 2028
Story and characters copyright © Nicky "Eliki" Rowe
Except Maltrayfox who is copyright © Paul "Maltrayfox" McDonnell.
"We buy and sell! Anything considered and good prices always offered. No matter what subject you are interested in or how rare it may be, come in and ask - chances are we'll have it, and if not, we'll do our best to track it down. We have an array of old and diverse magazines and books on many specialist subjects, including a wealth of rare books about Phoenixbrook history."
**********
A little under an hour later, Ailee and Eliki left the Bridge café. Ailee looked up at the sky, which was beginning to turn cloudy again, and shivered a little.
Eliki closed the café door, standing by her side, shuffling a clump of snow with his feet. "That coat really doesn't look warm enough. Are you sure you don't want to borrow my scarf?"
Ailee shook her head. "No, I'll manage."
Luckily Eliki was used to her occasional blunt retorts. Ailee gazed across towards the bridge, before continuing.
"Keryan asked me to give you this. With the shock of hearing about the Elysia, it completely went out my mind." She reached into her black handbag, taking out a piece of paper from between the pages of a book - used to protect it and keep it flat.
"Awwww." Eliki grinned ear to ear as he admired the painting of a snowkitten, drawn entirely in chunky blue crayon. Overhead on the picture, in similar thick crayon, glowed a bright yellow sun with red and orange lines radiating from the center. From the crayon snowkitten's paw wobbled several purple bubbles, floating skywards, and at the bottom of the paper, in large capital letters, was the word "Daddy." To emphasise the point, an arrow pointed up at the stick-thin snowkitten.
Eliki pointed at the mad scrawl of blue, intended to represent the snowkitten's hair. "She got the details right there."
Ailee ruffled Eliki's spiky, blue, slightly scruffy hair. "No kidding. She takes after her dad. Forever sitting there with that pack of crayons or the poster paints."
Eliki tucked the picture away safely. "Well, tell Keryan thanks, and that it's a beautiful picture."
Ailee nodded. "Sure, I will do, but you'll be able to tell her face to face in two weeks."
Eliki smiled. "Yeah, my turn again already. That'll be my cue to stock up on jellybean icecream." He sighed wistfully. "Scary to think she'll be six years old in a month or so."
Ailee stared at the ground. "Scarier to think she was born during the last Elysia invasion…" They both went silent for a time, before she spoke again, more quietly. "You're sure there are no doubts? Leana isn't completely infallible, whatever you may think."
Ordinarily such a comment might have tempted Eliki to bowl a snowball at Ailee's head, but this somehow just didn't seem the right time. "Leana's sources wouldn't make a mistake about something so important. We knew it would happen one day. Jarret may have torn a hulking great hole in the Elysia last time around, but they still have Alder. They still have two of their officers. You know as well as I do that they'll make their way here eventually. Except this time, Alder plans to be with them."
Ailee turned to Eliki with a look that could have been worry or sarcasm. "Alder of the Elysia. Head scumbag. I suppose we should be feeling honoured."
Eliki smiled a little at that. "You can, if you want. Whatever the case, you need to let Jarret know as soon as possible. They know what he is capable of now so he'll be in line as their main target, you can guarantee that."
Ailee looked up again at the cloudy sky. "I can well imagine. But then they're also likely to be extremely interested in the ever-elusive Vardenai family. They may not be snowkittens but if the rumour is true and Ayla did genuinely cross paths with the Vardenai before he met his end, they'll have just as much reason to watch their backs."
Ailee checked her watch, deciding it was time to head back to the club. She said farewell, giving Eliki a quick tail hug, before heading off through the almost deserted Market Square, then along Timeless Street. It was only then she realised Eliki had somehow sneaked his scarf around her neck.
"Damn it, how the heck did he manage that?" She rolled her eyes, and then pulled it around her neck a little more, deciding she was glad of the extra warmth after all. He knew her too well, or at least as well as anyone could ever know Ailee's fractured logic and carefully hidden true feelings.
The reason for that was a little complex and another unexplained side effect from two sets of snowkitten twins having been born within a matter of months. It seemed almost as though there were some form of link between all four of them - a link that meant they could vaguely pick up what the others were feeling emotionally at the time, and even receive a shadowy insight into what they were thinking. The link between Eliki and Ailee was stronger, and though it was never mentioned, Eliki believed there was a stronger link between Leana and Jarret. The link he had with Ailee was almost certainly the reason why she had felt edgy and nervous the night before, even though she had not been able to figure out why. Eliki's worries about the Elysia had filtered through to her in the form of an emotion.
This link could also have been why Eliki had got on with Ailee so well when they had been in a loving relationship. (Though in contrast it didn't explain why any relationship between Leana and Jarret was strained to put it mildly.) Knowing what each other happened to be feeling emotionally at any time certainly had its advantages in that situation, but ultimately it had been a stepping stone towards the relationship falling apart.
The news about the Elysia had truly shaken Ailee. Sure, they had all know it would happen one day, but like with so many things, it was a thought they had pushed to the back of their minds in the hope they were mistaken and that it would never really happen again. It could be months, even years, before the Elysia would make their move, but there was no denying that it would happen eventually. And it was not something she particularly wanted hanging over her or anyone else for however long it took.
Ailee shook her head to dislodge the thoughts form her mind, though it didn't work entirely. At least it partially explained the incident at The Burrow last night. Fennerton and the other two would-be gangsters weren't part of the Elysia, she knew that much. The Elysia would have been far too cunning for such an approach. But she felt certain that they were at least put up to it by the Elysia, possibly on some sort of scouting mission or to test the waters. She didn't know what their real purpose could have been - maybe Jarret would know by now if his research had gone according to plan - but it seemed doubtful the events were just a coincidence.
**********
Eliki had more or less headed straight back home after Ailee left. He'd stopped briefly on the edge of the river to take a few photos of the icy water and the snow covered bridge, with the dramatic sky behind it, using his camera pen. It was too cold to wait around so he spent the morning tidying up and unpacking what he could of Leana's assorted luggage. He transferred the photos from the camera pen onto his computer, checked them briefly on the large projector hooked up to the computer - used to paint from now and again - then had a quick sandwich before heading back out into the snow.
The journey to The Bookshelf - the second hand bookshop that Leana worked at - took about the same length of time as the morning's journey to the café. It was a slightly trickier destination to reach because the shop was located in Elmbrook Street, which was not one of the main streets and the snow hadn't been flattened down as much by walking feet to the same extent as it had been on the main high street and across the Market Square.
Elmbrook was one of Phoenixbrook's oldest streets, although the old cobbled path and road weren't evident under the thick snow. All the shops looked especially antiquated in the wintry setting with their black and white timberwork and tiles dating back hundreds of years, in many cases with the original wood still around the windows and doorframes.
Eliki passed the familiar little antiques shop with its assorted range of thimbles and old clockwork toys, picture frames and strange unidentifiable oddities in the window. Next door was a shop that restored old paintings - Eliki often idly wondered if any of his own paintings would one day make their way there, though it seemed doubtful - and the next shop along was named The Spin Doctor. It was a terrible pun considering it was not only a second-hand record shop, but also a place where old records could be taken for restoration.
Finally the feline reached The Bookshelf, peering briefly at the window display, which hadn't changed much since the last time he had been here. He then entered the shop, listening once again to the familiar sound of a tiny bell, something that so many of the shops in the city seemed to have. There was a soft click as the door closed behind him. A faded poster sat in the glass of the door, mentioning how the shop sold and bought a huge range of books and magazines. That was certainly true - there were other old bookshops within Phoenixbrook, but this shop was the biggest and had the most diverse selection, not to mention some of the most rare books in all of Aredria.
Its owner, a snow leopard male called Kalia, was out this afternoon as he so often was, picking up a pile of books from the other end of the city. Eliki took off his "emergency" scarf (since Ailee had his usual one) and looked around.
"Leana? Where are you hiding?"
Leana called in from the backroom. "I'm in here. Just trying to get this kettle working. I don't know what's happened to it - I've treated it like a baby."
Her comment conjured up some very odd images. Eliki shrugged, then leafed through a magazine on the counter until Leana finally emerged from the backroom, clattering the kettle onto the nearby worktop.
"Oh Elodo to it, I give up. I'll just have to get a new one from petty cash later." She went behind the counter, leaning on it with both arms. "So… how did things go with Ailee? She wasn't too much trouble this time I hope?"
Eliki sat in one of the chairs usually reserved for customers who wanted to examine their potential purchases more closely. "Put it this way, she wasn't exactly thrilled at walking all the way there in this weather. I thought I was going out the window at first! I'll be honest, she took some convincing. Ailee didn't want to believe the Elysia were really back any more than the rest of us wanted to. At least Jarret will be forewarned anyway."
He went on to explain about The Burrow's uninvited guests from the previous night, how Ailee believed they were somehow tied in with the Elysia, and that Jarret was out there somewhere attempting to dig up information about just who Fennerton was.
"I'd love to know just where Jarret gets this kind of information from and who his contacts are."
Leana grinned. "Oh, believe me, you wouldn't. Trust me on that."
The little bell tinkled again. Whatever was attempting to enter was having a little difficulty manoeuvring their way through the fairly small doorframe. Eliki soon realised why, as the visitor finally managed to ease their way into the shop - it was a tall, white and blue furred fox. The colouring itself was unusual, but the cause of the doorway problems had been the large white-feathered wings that spread out behind him.
"Hiya trouble. Wait a second… Two lots of trouble! I don't see you in here much, Eliki."
Eliki lifted a paw to wave. "Hiya, Maltray. Yeah, I had some stuff to discuss with Leana. That, and I wasn't working this afternoon so I decided she could do with the company. I'd get you a cup of tea, but Leana broke the kettle."
Leana just stuck her tongue out. "Anything specific you were after, Maltray?"
Maltray was busy prodding the kettle. "It's a bit of a long shot. Remember the Jakra Hemingworth books I bought from here last time? I found the third part at the smaller shop across the river and…"
Leana snapped, "Traitor!" It was Maltray's turn to stick his tongue out.
"Anyway, it was an amazing series. Really well written and all. What I didn't realize though, is that in the back of the third book it mentions another book as forthcoming. That was a book from over twelve years ago so I figured that this 'forthcoming' book must have been published by now. It was called 'Lightspeed and Shadows.'"
Leana rubbed her chin. "That doesn't sound familiar. Sci-fi?" Maltray nodded. Leana headed to the science fiction section and began shuffling through the many different books. "Eliki? Could you look through the box near the door? That's new stuff Kalia bought in here this morning which I haven't had time to go through yet."
Eliki rummaged dutifully in the box until Leana called out, "Never mind, I've found it. In the wrong section as usual, but nonetheless. Not in great condition, mind you."
Maltray headed over to the counter and examined the book. "No, but as long as I can read it, I don't mind. Thanks! That's fantastic! I really didn't expect to have any luck finding it. It isn't worth much but its still not an easy one to track down." He fumbled for his cash card; it seemed the card would prove just as tricky to track down. "Ahhh, here we go. By the way, I fixed your kettle."
Leana blinked. "You're kidding." She took the payment form the card, before handing it back with the book in a bag far too big for its contents.
Maltray nodded. "Nope, it's fixed. Might not last long though. It's a bit of a temporary repair but it should be okay for a day or two."
Leana gave him a hug of gratitude. "Thank you very much, you mechanical wizard, you. Now with a bit of luck it'll break when Kalia is using it and I won't get the blame. Then he'll definitely have to dig deep and buy a new one. You're sure you won't stop for a drink?"
Maltray opened the door. "Tempting offer, Miss Kitty, considering how nippy this wind is becoming, and I'd normally say yes. But I really need to get back home before it starts getting dark."
Eliki stood up from the box, holding a few books he'd found that had caught his own interest. "Well, take care, yeah? Especially if you're flying over that river. By the way, if you see anything suspicious or weird at any time, could you let us know? We don't often travel to your end of the city."
Maltray opened the shop door and looked up and down the street. "Weird? In Phoenixbrook? I'd be phoning you up every five minutes. I know what you mean though. Sure, I can do that. Is there anything I should know about…?"
Leana came out from behind the counter. "Just some rumours, that's all. We really can't say much more than that at the moment."
He nodded. "No problem. I understand. As I said, I'll let you know if anything does happen." They said goodbye, and Maltray stretched his powerful wings before soaring off across the rooftops.
**********
Maltray was a bit of an enigma. He had arrived in Phoenixbrook over three years ago and yet, in all that time, nobody had ever really found out just where he had come from. Although a very open and friendly fox, he had been unable to reveal anything much about his past life and where he had lived previously. He claimed that it was utterly necessary that nobody knew. Many of the people in Phoenixbrook wondered about his past and why it had to remain such a mystery, but for the most part they accepted that it was how things had to be, and they left the subject alone.
What was known is that Maltray was an obsessive reader of science fiction (and one day hoped to become an author himself) and it was this that made him a regular visitor to The Bookshelf as well as the city's other bookshops. His first encounter with the snowkittens had not gone very well - he had stopped off at the Bridge Café upon arriving in the city, mainly to ask for directions.
At some point he had commented, "Well, it certainly seems a very friendly town, that's all I can say."
Sat nearby, Ailee had muttered without looking around, "You must have a seriously limited vocabulary then."
Bemused, Maltray had picked up his drink and strolled over to her table, asking, "Mind if I sit here? Is anyone else sitting here?"
Ailee had squinted at the empty chair. "Yes. My invisible friend! What does it look like?"
Their conversations since then, rare as they were, had often been along the same lines, though Maltray always gave as good as he got. He felt that for whatever reason, Ailee secretly enjoyed the little sparring sessions. Luckily he was met with a much more friendly approach when he chanced upon Leana and Eliki later that week, and had got on very well with them since.
Maltray had settled on a nice, but run-down, house in Operinton Road, in the north west of the city. It took a long time to do the place up, but he enjoyed renovating the old building and improving it. This was one of his many skills - the other one that proved invaluable was an ability to mend just about anything mechanical or electrical. People brought their old computers, kettles, even old toys and he fixed them as best he could, usually with great success. It didn't earn him much, and he did a lot of the work for free, but it was enough to get by on.
Maltray also had the advantage of flight. His wings weren't powerful enough to lift anyone else, but he could reach considerable speeds in the right conditions. In weather such as snow, which blocked most of the traffic and made walking difficult, this ability had distinct advantages. It also gave him a unique vantage point from which to view the city and its many goings-on, something Eliki understood very well when he had asked Maltray to keep a check on anything suspicious in the north of Phoenixbrook.
After Maltray had left, Leana began sorting through the box of books while telling Eliki about her meeting with the mayor. Not that there was a great deal to tell. The mayor, a mouse called Temeret, had a good heart but then this stood to good reason. If he had not been right for the job, if he didn't have the town's best interests at heart always, the snowkittens would not have allowed him to remain as mayor. This was his sixteenth year as mayor of Phoenixbrook, undoubtedly proof enough of his popularity and the fact that he did the job exceptionally well.
The mayor held the snowkittens in very high regard, so he had taken Leana's word that there was danger on the horizon, however distant, knowing he could trust her, but unsurprisingly wishing somehow she could be mistaken. Equally, Leana had a lot of respect for the mayor and his opinions, and agreed when he said it was better to hold off from telling the rest of the city's inhabitants at this time. It made sense - at the moment nobody could possibly predict when or if the Elysia would make their move, and telling everyone at this point would merely cause panic and paranoia. It was far more sensible to wait until things were much clearer, though the mayor planned to inform other mayors and Aredria's police force about the potential threat. Basically, anyone that needed to know would be informed as quickly as possible. As Leana knew all too well, at the moment there was very little anyone could do until their enemy became more visible, frustrating though it was.
The phone by the till rang, and Leana almost pounced on it from the other side of the shop. While she spoke to whoever was on the other end, Eliki wandered over to a small pile of books on a wooden table, raising his paw above them. Sometimes, just occasionally, he could pick up feelings and emotions (using his powers combined with his snowkitten bracelet) from the books. Even old photos and paintings, or certain buildings, could have the same effect. Sometimes it would be a sense of whoever had owned the object or lived in the building. Sometimes it was even linked to who was in a photo or painting. Other times, such as now, there was nothing - clearly the book he had been concentrating on, about dragonflies, didn't have much of a history. Either that or it was a very long time since the book had an owner.
Leana whistled and Eliki turned around just in time to catch his coat as she threw it across. "What the…"
She was busy scrambling into her own coat. "We're outta here. That was Kalia on the phone. He said we may as well shut the shop early today, since there have been hardly any customers. Not surprising considering the weather. And I for one have no intention of passing up an opportunity to go early. Not when there is a risk of it snowing again. I'll just go and do the 'closed alert.'"
Leana headed for the computer terminal in the back room, using it to access the city's shopping network, then ticking the relevant button to indicate that The Bookshelf was now closed for the day. When the details had been submitted, they were passed to each and every one of the information screens around the city. These public access screens normally advertised various shops and services, but could also be used to find the location of any shop in Phoenixbrook, as well as the opening times and whether the shop in question was actually open. Many of the city's inhabitants, out of habit, checked the screens if they had a long journey to make to reach a shop, so this way they would be forewarned that the shop was closed.
The twins left the shop. Leana put her electronic keycard into the lock, pressing a small red button. Instantly the lights and heating switched off, and the shop's security system activated. A beep indicated that everything was secure and the door was locked.
"We're going home then?"
Leana took Eliki's paw in hers. "No, I thought we'd go to see Andrina for a little while. Poor kitty, she'll have been on her own all day. Plus she might have done some baking, and you know I can't resist her muffins."
Eliki pondered that comment for a while, before diplomatically asking, "Okay, let's see. Which is the quickest way from here?"
They headed down several back streets, heading for Andrina's home just south of the market. The light was already beginning to fade, but the back streets were usually safe in Phoenixbrook, and the snowkittens had less reason than most to be worried about traveling along them.
Usually they were safe to use. This time, just ahead, a figure stood in the shadows, bouncing a light blue ball of electricity from paw to paw. It felt as though the darkness all around was being drawn towards this figure almost as though he were a magnet.
Leana stopped instantly. "That's all we need. Jarret."
As if in answer, the black furred feline stepped out from the shadows. "Leana Snowkitten." The ball of energy hovered menacingly in front of him. "We've got some talking to do. Now."
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