Sword Play (16 page)

We watched minstrels perform, a fire-breathing demonstration, jugglers, and an archery contest. White canvas tents covered outdoor booths and strolling performers in authentic clothes had loud discussions in Old English. It was surreal and loads of fun.

For lunch we ate meat pies, “ale” (lemonade) from a pewter mug, and fresh scones with strawberry cream. Manny even tasted haggis, which sounded worse than it looked.

A woman walked by carrying a tiny poodle wearing a cloth unicorn horn wrapped around its head. Manny joked that it was a new breed of dog. “A Uni-oodle.”

“A poodle-corn,” Thorn suggested.

“How about uni-poo?” I added.

Manny wrinkled his nose. “Sounds like something you don’t want to step in.”

Thorn groaned and rolled her kohl-painted eyes.

A herald came around, blowing a horn and announcing a joust. We all agreed this sounded cool, so went over to the arena and climbed up to the top of the bleachers for a good view of the show. A large man with a plumed hat and layers of period clothing stood on a pedestal and bellowed into a microphone, “Ladies and Gentleman, are we ready to see a joust?”

The bleachers rocked with foot stomping and shouts of “Aye!”

Belgium and draft horses draped in elaborate blankets and wearing suits of armor galloped onto the grassy field. The favorite jouster seemed to be a rider nicknamed “Sir Shiny Guy” and the crowd roared with applause as he waved.

The announcer explained the point system: one point for touch, three points for a broken tip, and four for a shattered tip. “The horses weigh approximately 1500 pounds and carry about 300 pounds of men and armor. And at impact they’re moving at twenty-five miles per hour,” the announcer added. “These knights put their health and lives on the line for your entertainment.”

The crowd stomped and cheered and shouted, “We want blood!”

Thorn was joining in this bloody chant while Manny was staring at a shapely woman selling refreshments in such a tight bodice that if her laces popped, someone could get hurt.

My gaze drifted around the audience, a rowdy bunch of spectators in jeans and T-shirts mixed with others in medieval costumes. One little girl was dressed with fairy wings, an entire family wore royal velvet and crowns, while a costumed dragon posed for pictures.

There was a squawk and I glanced down near the bottom of the bleachers. A large reddish brown bird fluttered to perch on the arm of a guy in a brown period cap, leather breeches, shiny boots, and a loose-sleeved linen tunic. The guy turned, tipping his cap and staring directly at me.

I covered my gasp.

It was Dominic.

I’m not sure what I said, but I was up and pushing my way through crowded bleachers. A chubby man wearing a green frog hat and holding a foaming beer blocked my way, and I had to climb down into the next row, cut over to an aisle, then hurry down the steps. Behind me I heard Manny’s voice, but I ignored it. I’d explain later—after I caught up with Dominic.

What was he doing here anyway? His clothes were those of a Renaissance peasant, and for all I knew he might be a regular at Renaissance Fairs. Or was he here to see me? This thought made my heart jump, and I realized that I was happy to see him. More than happy—I wanted to be
with
him. How was that possible? Was I on the rebound? Maybe because Josh stood me up twice and our only contact lately was on the phone or email. I was starting to forget what it was like to be together.

But it was more than that. I didn’t really care that Josh wasn’t here, not the way I found myself caring about Dominic, wanting to know if he felt anything for me. Maybe it was time to find out …

The announcer was shouting something about showing support for the jousters, and suddenly everyone in the bleachers stood up and chanted, “Knock him off! Knock him off!” I was swallowed in a sea of shouts and bodies, and by the time everyone sat down, Dominic was nowhere in sight.

Frustrated but not defeated, I left the arena and continued my search. The smart thing would have been to go back and ask Thorn, who had a psychic talent for finding things (and occasionally people), to help. But this didn’t occur to me until I was far from the arena and near a recreated village of canvas tents. But it was eerie and silent, empty of people since everyone was still cheering on the jousters. I walked to the remote Games of Sport area that was enclosed by a wooden rail fence, arranged with piles of haystacks and a display of historical weaponry; arrows, swords, knives, and staffs. Nearby a tent for changing clothes and stowing equipment billowed as a breeze sailed through the partly open flap. Inside, I saw a silver flash of movement.

The flap opened and out stepped Brianne.

She wore her Foils uniform and carried a cloth bag. When she noticed me, she dropped the bag, and it fell silently to the soft, grassy ground.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“I was looking for a friend … but I found you instead.”

Her cheeks flamed and as she caught the implication of my words. She looked around the way a wild animal does when it’s trapped. “I—I have things to do, so if you’ll excuse me,” she said.

“No,” I spoke firmly. “I won’t excuse you because what you did was horrible, and don’t you dare walk away.”

“You can’t make me talk to you,” she snapped.

“Would you rather I talk to the police?”

Her skin blanched and a look of fear flickered in her eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

But she did know, and I wasn’t letting her off so easily. I’m not sure why it was so important to me to find out what really happened the night Kip died, maybe because Brianne made it personal. Our friendship had died that night, too.

“I don’t think you want anyone overhearing this,” I told her in a low, determined tone. “Let’s go inside the tent.”

She opened her mouth to protest, then looked closely at me. Her shoulders sagged, and she nodded, then followed me. I pushed aside the tent flaps and sat on a plastic chair beside Brianne. Being together like this in a private place made me think of all the sleepovers and wonderful secrets we shared in my tree house. This would be the last secret I ever asked of Brianne.

“You were with Kip the night he died,” I accused, my voice flat and without question.

“Did you see that in a vision?” she asked sarcastically. “Or was it your spirit guide who told you? How is old Opal these days?”

“It doesn’t matter. I just want to know exactly what happened.”
And how you could abandon our friendship,
I almost added.

“I’m not telling you anything.”

“You’d rather I go straight to the police? They’d be interested to know you’re a witness to Kip’s death.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I will unless you talk.” I folded my arms. “Now.”

“Fine!” she snapped ungraciously. “But you better not repeat this. Promise?”

“Why should I promise? I already know Kip went back to the prom for you.”

“He didn’t come back, he called me on my cell phone and I met him.”

“So you planned this all along?” I asked with a heavy heart.

Her eyes flashed. “Of course not! Sure, I’d noticed him around and maybe flirted a little, but it was just a kick. It was like a game, sneaking him my phone number and whispering that we should get together later. I didn’t expect him to actually call. I mean, he was so crazy about his preppy girlfriend.”

“Her name is Aileen.”

“Whatever.” Brianne scowled. “She could have had him, but she led him on like a tease. He was upset when he called me. All we were going to do was talk.”

I didn’t believe this, but I allowed her the lie.

“So you ditched your date and went off with Kip. What happened after that?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why didn’t you tell the police you were with him? Why keep it a secret? Unless his death wasn’t an accident.”

“It was! A terrible, awful accident! If only he hadn’t … ”

“Hadn’t what?”

She shook her head. “Please don’t ask. I can’t tell you or anyone.”

There was an odd fearful note in her voice, and she was glancing around as if expecting something dark and dangerous to appear from a shadowy corner. This wasn’t the brave Brianne I remembered.

“Tell me,” I insisted, leaning forward and grabbing her arm. She flinched and her sleeve pushed back to reveal dark marks on her arm. Deep purple bruises.

“Ohmygod, Brianne! Who did that to you?”

“He didn’t mean to.” She jumped to her feet and glared at me. “You can’t tell anyone. I mean it, because if you do, he’ll get mad and you couldn’t handle that.”

All the breath oozed out of me as I stared at her. “Tony? He hurts you?”

“It doesn’t really hurt,” she said hugging her thin arms to her chest. “He’s just like that, you know, kind of a hothead.”

“He beats you!”

“He gets mad and forgets himself, but he’s always sorry.”

“And you put up with it?” I just could not believe this.

“He loves me so much that he’s afraid of losing me. That’s why he came after me that night. He followed me from the prom and found me with Kip. He jerked open the door and yanked me out of Kip’s car and started hitting … ” She shuddered. “I kind of blacked out, I guess.”

I was too horrified to speak. Tony had been beating Brianne? And she allowed it? I couldn’t fathom this, and felt like I’d fallen in an alternate universe. Brianne was the brave one, the knight rescuing the princess.

“I wasn’t out long and when things cleared I knew I was in Tony’s car,” she went on in a shaky voice. “He was going so fast and I was afraid what he’d do when we stopped. I guess Kip worried about that, too, cause he was chasing us. And getting closer and closer. Tony was swearing and I was afraid he was going to hit me again … then I heard the most awful sound in the world.” She covered her ears, shuddering. “I still hear it in my dreams … a crash so loud and powerful it rocked everything. And when I looked in the back window, there were flames and … ”

“So he died trying to rescue you?” I asked in an awed breath.

She nodded, trembling.

“And instead of telling anyone, you stayed with Tony?”

“I had to!” she shouted. “Don’t you see? They would have blamed me like they blamed you. I knew your predictions were real. Maybe that’s why I wanted to be with Tony, to challenge death and prove that I’m stronger than you. But you were right … and he died. Then Tony warned me not to say anything. He said they’d arrest us both and he’d be kicked out of sports and everyone would hate me.”

“Instead they hated me,” I said grimly.

“I’m so sorry.” She reached for me, but I backed away. “Sabine, I didn’t want to sign that petition. But when I refused, he hit me. I was so stunned, I just did what he wanted. I should have left him … yet I was afraid. It was easier to stay, to do what he wanted, and when he’s not angry, he can be really sweet. It’s not so bad … ”

“NOT BAD!” I was the one shaking, not with fear, but with outrage. “He’s a monster! And you’re a fool to let him hit you. If you don’t tell someone what he’s doing, I’m going to.”

“No, you can’t,” she begged.

“If I don’t it’ll get worse. I read about guys like him and he won’t change. He could end up killing you.”

“But he loves me,” she whispered sadly. “I can’t stop you from talking, but if our friendship ever mattered to you, at least wait until the exhibition is over to tell anyone. Please, Sabine!”

When I wouldn’t answer, she seemed to crumple. With a sob, she jumped up and ran through the tent flaps.

I sat there a few moments before getting up, too. But as I stepped outside, I saw Tony coming my way.

“Where’s Brianne?” he asked in this chummy nice-guy tone that made my skin crawl.”

I shook my head, not meeting his gaze. “Don’t know.”

“But she’s supposed to be here. I told her to wait here for me.”

“Well, she’s not here.”

“So where is she? Did she say anything to you?”

“Brianne and I don’t talk much these days,” I said with a shrug. My heart was hammering so fast I was sure he could hear it.

“That’s too bad about you and Brianne,” he said with a sympathetic look. “You used to be really close. Maybe I could talk to Brianne and patch things up between you.”

“Don’t bother,” I said in a tone sharper than I intended.

“What do you mean by that?” He was studying me now, suspicion creeping into his aura. “Are you sure you haven’t seen her?”

“No. I haven’t.”

“She didn’t tell you anything?”

“Nothing. I—I have to go.” Pushing past him, my fast walk became a run. I was just passing the row of weapons when I felt a firm grip on my wrist and I was thrown to the ground.

Tony, no longer hiding behind a fake smile, glared down at me. “What did that bitch tell you?” he demanded.

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

“Nothing I’d tell you.”

I started to get up, but he pushed me back to the ground.

“You asshole! Don’t you ever touch me again. I won’t put up with it like—”

“Like who?” He leaned closer. “She told you, didn’t she?”

“
No!” I looked around for help, but I didn’t see anyone close by.

“Stay away from Brianne,” he threatened. “She’ll only tell you lies anyway.”

“Lies like her boyfriend hits her?”

“I knew it! What else did she tell you?”

“Nothing!”

He kicked me in the side and I doubled in pain. He stood there, laughing.

“I won’t be quiet like her!” From the ground I glared at him.

“Say one word to anyone and you’re dead,” he threatened. “Want a sample?”

Then before I realized what he planned, he’d reached for one of the Claymore swords in the rack. The sharpened blade flashed like silver death as he waved it toward me.

I jumped to my feet and backed away from him. “Tony, don’t do anything dumb.”

“Like let you go and open your big mouth?” he said in a growl. “Accidents happen all the time. Like that little boy picking up the wrong sword.”

“Did you switch it?” I demanded, looking around for help. But we were in a remote area of the fair and I could still hear distant cheers from the jousting arena.

“What do you think?” There was a crazed look on his face and he lifted the sword. “Ready. Fence.”

He swung forward and I jumped sideways. He really was trying to kill me! This was insane!

While he lifted his sword again, I flung myself sideways and grabbed for the rack of weapons. I waved a cutlass at him. “Stay away, Tony!” I shouted.

He laughed again, then in one swing from his side sword he knocked the cutlass from my hands. I grabbed a wooden shield just as his sword came down again. There was a clunk sound as metal slammed into wood. And Tony swore, his anger growing to a frenzy.