The Case of the Sea Bug (The Wolflock Cases Book 3) Page 5

  Hours passed with him standing as still as stone. His eyes fixed on the rippling past that the ship was leaving behind. The Autumn blend of coloured leaves cascaded into the water from the trees as they shed for the coming months. Wolflock pondered their strange behaviour. He knew that it was so their leaves didn’t hold the snow and break the branches, as well as the tree itself storing what it needed to survive the cold Winter, but how opposite it was from living things, they continued to bundle and store food, bedding, and other things to make sure they could still consume. It was similar, but different. His mind remained unfocused but clear as it went from thoughts of trees, to Winter, to Mystentine, to their journey, to Mothy, to how he acted around different people, to a comparison of how Wolflock, himself, acted around different people, and so on and so forth. Even though he knew now that Mothy would recover, he couldn’t feel grateful for Nü’s deception when he knew the truth. Surely if her father knew of her brilliance he would accept her and acknowledge her. Wouldn’t any father do that?

  As his thoughts progressed the landscape changed. His thoughts had captured him and he missed lunch (not that he was aware that he may be hungry), but felt the changing sensations of the sun as it began to sink into the distant forest. They had moved from open plains, to woodlands, to forest and now to boulders that grew in size as they approached the huge mountains that often prevented access to the Northern province Shiriling.

  The marmuti had begun to thin as the overhanging trees did the same, but a few still lingered. One came and sat right next to Wolflock on the railing, examining him curiously. It tugged at his sleeve and sniffed him before he even realised it was there.

  “Oh! Hello,” he said a little automatically as his broke out of this intense train of thought.

  The creature purred in response and used its powerful little hands to groom through his hair. Its arms and legs were twice the length of its little body and its tail was one half longer than its legs. The marmuti found a louse in his hair and yipped excitedly before munching on it.

  “Ew!” Wolflock grimaced in disgusted, “Umm... you can have it. I don’t mind.”

  The marmuti reached into a hidden pouch on its stomach and pulled out a particularly thick sea bug that was still wriggling. Wolflock jumped back as it smacked the slug on the railing four times quickly, killing it and then placing it on Wolflock’s hand.

  “Umm... really... there’s no need. I didn’t want the louse anyway!” he tried to explain, revolted by the slimy, squishy dead slug on his hand.

  The marmuti looked at him with its big round eyes expectantly, from the slug to Wolflock, clearly not seeing his discomfort.

  “Uh...” he groaned in confusion, but finally accepted and pinched the slug with his index finger and thumb, “Thanks?” he offered tentatively and put the slug in his pants pocket, feeling it squish wetly.

  The marmuti seemed satisfied and leaped from the railing to the roof of the dining hall and then to an overhanging branch, dashing out of sight.

  Wolflock watched after it with a look mixed with appreciation and impatience. As soon as it was out of sight he took the slug from his pocket and examined it, ready to throw it overboard.

  “When dried they can become a lethal poison or be great for stomach upsets,” came a soft shy voice from behind him.

  Nü had been watching him for the last half an hour, trying to muster the courage to speak. He could tell she didn’t want him to waste the slug by throwing it back into the water, but he was so mad at her that he had half a mind to do it.

  “From what I’ve seen they’re pretty lethal fresh,” he said coldly, still thinking of throwing the Seabug into the water.

  “They’ll kill a lot faster and in less quantity is what I meant to say,” she sighed and approached him.

  “You would have let Mothy die to keep your secret safe. I’d say you’re as bad as a dried slug,” he snarled, not wanting her near him.

  Nü’s eyes filled with tears, but he ignored them.

  “No. I would not,” she whispered with her hands balled into little shaking fists, “Mothy has shown me the most kindness I have ever been given and I cherish him. When you spoke to me this morning I had a plan to knock my father’s drink from his hands and make it look like an accident, and then reveal Gege as the one who changed the herbal concoction. His anger would only be directed at me. It’s something I’m used to. I would not let Mothy die. He brings a light to my life that cannot be compared to, even by the sun.”

  Wolflock heard her words and they soothed his rage. Something about her voice was lulling. But he still felt displeased with her status in her father’s eyes.

  “But why don’t you let your knowledge be known? How could you live with your own father disrespecting you as he does?”

  Nü smiled sadly. “You do not understand. I do not seek acknowledgement. I do not seek to be known. I want to remain secret. I feel I do more good this way. My father would feel dishonoured by his children for this deceit. He would be shamed. It is easier for my brother’s and myself if he remains unaware. As long as I work alongside my brother our patients will recover. My father respects me enough to not try to make me marry against my wishes, so I shall be able to live in peace.”

  Wolflock was still dissatisfied, but not as much.

  He didn’t speak, and neither did Nü. They just watched the sun setting over the trees quietly, observing the water and the enveloping mountains with the slug between them.

  “You can have that if you like,” he shrugged and turned around.

  “Why thank you. You should go and see Mothy. He may be awake now. I’m sure he’s starving.”

  “Aye... but not for Tuiti fruit stew!”

  Thank you so much for reading Wolflock’s third case. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing this story. Please remember to always go to a qualified health professional for your ailments. Make sure that they have the correct qualification for what they are performing on you.

  Please leave a nice review on Amazon and Goodreads or email it to me at rhiannonelton@gmail.com