Michael

  In the kitchen, Michael glanced at the table near the entrance, expecting to see Agnes sitting there, but what he found was Natalia looking at him with a pipe in her mouth. The light from the wide windows surrounding the room mingled with the smoke around her, forming a cloud of rage. He could tell she was mad at him. The gleaming metallic spatula she held on the table was the sword she would use to strike him if he wasn't careful with what he said.

  Well, she's not wearing trousers today, so I think she’s not that mad, he thought, seeing the floral blouse and dark green skirt she wore.

  Like everything else in the Hunters' house, the kitchen enjoyed a vast space and luxurious decor. It featured a granite island with stools in the middle, dark wood cupboards, and three modern gas stoves, placed side by side on the wall opposite the backyard. Next to the table where Natalia sat was the pantry. Michael walked toward it to start making breakfast, but Natalia's voice stopped him.

  “But look who decided to grace us with their royal presence,” Natalia said, showing her teeth. “Good morning, my princess. I hope the sheets didn’t stick to your royal arse.”

  “Where is Agnes?” he turned to ask Esther, who stood behind him with Julie.

  “She is outside with Aunt Elsa working in the vegetable garden.”

  “Hey, look me in the face when I’m talking to you,” Natalia barked.

  Michael stared at her, obvious irritation in his eyes. “What do you want?” he asked rudely.

  Natalia smiled. It was the smile she wore when she was challenged. "I can see the child is feeling delicate today. Want me to fix that?" she said with a threatening voice.

  “Not today, Natalia. Forget it.”

  "What's wrong with you? You look like you're in a bad mood."

  “My head hurts... I had a bad dream.”

  Her smile suddenly vanished. She smoked her pipe as she watched his face. “Go and make me breakfast,” she said, easing her tone. “I’m hungry. If you only knew what that monster put us through. It was horrible.”

  “You’re talking about Agnes, right? Ale told me that she did cook for Grandpa and Elsa.”

  The sisters went ahead and joined Natalia.

  “She forced us to watch them eat,” Esther said. “It happened at this table.”

  “She was laughing,” Julie said. “She was making fun of us.”

  “She's mad, I tell you,” Natalia said. “It’s your fault she screwed up our breakfast. She won't let us eat or touch her bloody kitchen.”

  Michael smiled. “You sound like you were forced to watch a murder.”

  “And forced to clean after,” Esther said. “She made us wash the dishes.”

  “And the table, too,” Julie added.

  "Wow, that's cruel. She's getting creative with her punishments." Without another word, he walked toward the pantry.

  Michael's nose was assaulted by the aromas of spices and herbs coming from the shelves that lined the walls. They were packed with all sorts of ingredients, both locally sourced and from neighbouring and distant countries. For lovers of good food, like the Hunter Family, it was a room full of delicious wonders. Its large size, along with that of the kitchen, was one of the reasons they bought the property.

  His hand ran along the shelves until it stopped at a basket similar to the one Esther was carrying when he saw her through the window. It was full of eggs, and there were others like it. He had the idea to make egg omelettes with potatoes and cured ham for breakfast, along with bread or oatcakes on the side. He took the necessary ingredients from the shelves, put everything in an empty basket, and left the pantry.

  He placed the basket on the granite island and noticed that Helena had arrived while he was inside the pantry. She was chatting with the sisters and Natalia at the table.

  He searched the cupboards for knives and a chopping board to cut the ingredients, as well as pots and pans to cook the omelettes. Before he started cutting, he saw a shadow pass by the windows overlooking the backyard. The back door opened, drawing the attention of everyone in the kitchen.

  “Good morning,” Elsa said as she entered. “I can see you’ve all settled in nicely.”

  The women greeted her. Helena ran towards her to take the basket of fresh vegetables she was carrying.

  “Let me, Mom,” she said.

  Elsa gave her the basket and then went over to Michael. “So, how’s today’s protagonist?” she said sarcastically. “Agnes is running out of patience with you.”

  Michael started cutting the potatoes and onions into thin slices. “She may run out, but I have plenty,” he said.

  “I’m glad, then. I’ve told that woman a hundred times that we all have a right to privacy. But you know how much she loves gossip.”

  Elsa was a slender woman of brown hair and yellow eyes. She walked with a slight limp in her left leg, which she earned while working with her family as travelling merchants. Road bandits attacked their convoy while they were following mercenary companies during the Green Faction war. The family won the skirmish, barely, but it cost Elsa her leg. A bullet pierced her knee, leaving her with a bitter memory. Sometimes the pain made her yearn for those days of living on the road and the husband she would never see again. She managed the finances and business affairs of the Hunter family. And she was very good at it. If anyone in the family was foolish enough to disrespect her or make her angry, she would take revenge by cutting off their allowance.

  Michael noticed her hands and dress were stained with dirt. “Working in the garden?” he asked.

  “Yes, all that bending over has made my knee hurt. We need your help. You’re the only man left in the house.”

  "And grandpa? Where is he?"

  “Checking the business. He went to town to talk to our partners at the distillery. I plan to increase production for next year. My goal is to fully enter the Albian market.”

  “Aren't you moving too fast? It's only been two years since we partnered with the distillery.”

  “You’re wrong. We’re actually wasting market share by not expanding. The whisky the McGills make is of very high quality. I am sure that by taking our product to Alba, we will have no problem winning customers. We just need to convince the McGills of this plan.”

  “Do you think they will accept your proposal?”

  “They will. Julian is an ambitious young man, unlike his stubborn grandfather and father. I’m sure he’ll persuade his family to accept my proposal when Eric presents it.”

  "Did Grandpa offer to go, or did you force him?"

  Elsa snorted. “You know very well that your grandfather hates dealing with business. However, this time he offered to help me. Can you believe it? Well, I made the task easy for him. He just has to present the documents I gave him.”

  “I bet he wanted to go so he could avoid the meeting that will be held today at the shrine after Mass. He knows that if he goes, the discussions will revolve around what he decides.”

  “We know very well that he doesn’t like to draw attention to himself.” Elsa turned to look at Natalia and the others chatting at the table. "It's a shame Agnes only lets you touch her kitchen. Sometimes she can be very ill-mannered.”

  “I’ll survive. I’ll make omelettes with potatoes and ham. I hope that way the girls will stop blaming me for what happened with Agnes. And that Natalia will forget about hitting me. Do you want some?”

  “No, I’m fine, although you should save something for Agnes. I’ve got her sweating in the garden. She’ll probably come later to look for something to eat. That reminds me, I have to go back and take the girls with me.”

  Elsa walked over to the girls. Helena stood up when she saw her mother approaching.

  “Mom, would you like to sit down?” she asked.

  “No, my dear. In fact, I came for all of you. Don’t think you’re going to dump all the work in the garden on Agnes and me. Come on, we have to hurry up so we can go to Mass afterwards.”

  “But what about breakfast?” Esther asked.

  “Yes, I’m hungry,” Julie protested.

  “Michael is still raw. Instead of wasting time here, you can put it to work. Come on, we’re short of time.”

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  “Noooo!” the girls screamed.

  "Stop messing around and get moving. Come on, move those legs. You too, Junior."

  Natalia smirked and blew a puff of smoke toward Elsa. “I’m not moving from here. Can’t you see I’m supervising? I have to keep an eye on the fool over there.”

  “Whatever you want,” Elsa said. She turned to the girls. “You three, get moving.”

  “But, Mom! Why is Natalie allowed to stay?” Helena protested.

  "Because she's a grown woman. You all, on the other hand, still have the minds of little chicks. Stop crying and let's go."

  Elsa pointed to the door. The girls kept grumbling as they filed out. She waited until they were all left and then approached Natalia.

  “Listen, Junior, be very careful where you look and where you step. May the gods up above not make you stumble because you're careless.”

  Natalia smiled. “Are you threatening me?”

  “I am. I know where to hit you to make it hurt, so stop playing games.” Elsa didn't wait for a response. She turned around and left.

  “Since you decided to stay, can you give me a hand here?” Michael asked her.

  “Bah!”

  “I could finish faster.”

  Natalia grumbled, then got up. She searched for a knife and a cutting board and assisted Michael in preparing the ingredients. She was awful at cooking; however, she was talented with knives.

  ?With Natalia’s help, Michael quickly finished cutting the potatoes, onions, and ham. Next, he cracked and beat all the eggs he needed. He decided to make about fourteen omelettes in total: two per person, and some extra in case someone was unsatisfied or Agnes got hungry. He took the pots, poured plenty of olive oil and the pile of cut potatoes into them, and then headed to one of the gas stoves.

  As he stood stirring the potatoes in the boiling oil, hunger began to gnaw at him. He took a piece of the onions he had cut and started sucking on it, hoping it would stave off some of the hunger. He saw Natalia take a seat on one of the stools at the granite island. This way, she would be close to the stoves and the omelettes when they were ready.

  “Omelettes with potatoes and cured ham, right?” she asked.

  “Together with bread or oatcakes. There are still some leftovers from what Agnes made yesterday.”

  “Good…” She went silent. He could feel her gaze on his back. He knew that she wanted to ask him about his dream, but was looking for the right moment to do it. That was why she rejected Elsa and stayed behind.

  “Did you dream about your mother?” she finally asked him after a while.

  "...Yes." He answered without turning around.

  “Did she try to kill you again?”

  He busied himself with the potatoes and the sizzling of the burning oil, hoping she would forget the question, but he could tell she was still watching him. “Yes… Again,” He replied.

  “I’m sorry,” she said in a whisper. Then he heard the stool scrape the floor and felt her hand stroke his hair. It made him laugh. They fell silent after that.

  There was nothing to say between them. They’d already had this conversation a hundred times, and she no longer had any words in her that could comfort him. Her feelings had worn thin over the years, fraying like old clothes against the rugged hills of his guilt until they became useless. Nothing would convince him that what had happened to his family was not his fault.

  She was the only one who knew about his dream. He felt ashamed to tell others and show his vulnerable side. The only reason he told her was because she reminded him of his mother, and because he needed someone to confide in, to share some of the burden. He didn't need her forgiveness or pity. It was enough for him that she knew.

  Once the potatoes were ready, he added the onions and the ham and waited for them to cook before removing them from the heat. He then combined all the ingredients in a large bowl on the granite island and mixed everything together, adding salt to taste. He removed the pots from the stove and replaced them with two frying pans smeared with olive oil. Then he poured some of the mixture into each pan.

  ?“I want to go to the village,” Michael said, as he cooked.

  Natalia didn't answer. He thought she hadn't heard him, so he turned to look at her. She was staring at the pans.

  “Did you hear me?” He raised his voice.

  "Why?"

  He shrugged his shoulders. “No reason. I just want to go.” There was no way he could tell her the truth. It would take too much explaining, and could ruin his plans.

  “Are you going to the shrine? Since when do you like going to Mass? You always find an excuse not to go.”

  “That’s none of your business,” he replied, annoyed by her questions. “Go and get me some plates, I'm almost done here.”

  Natalia grumbled, but got up anyway. She came back later with plates, cutlery, a pitcher of milk with glasses, and a stack of oatcakes.

  He removed the omelettes and placed them on a plate. Then pour more mixture into the pans.

  Natalia quickly snatched one, placing it on a separate plate. She filled a glass with milk, took an oatcake, and began to eat.

  “Aren’t you going to wait for the girls?” he asked.

  “I’m hungry… You haven’t told me why you want to go to the village.”

  “Do I need a reason?”

  “Bah! You always have a reason. You’re just like Jasna. Always with a plan up your sleeve. I warned you that if you tried another stupid thing like the other night, I’d give you a bloody beating. Dad won’t save you this time. You can bet on that. She raised her knife at him.”

  “So can I go?”

  “You know you’re grounded, right?”

  “I know; that’s why I’m asking you.”

  Natalia ate a piece of omelette, then another. “I'll let you off just because it turned out delicious. But I hope you don't do anything stupid again.”

  “Why are you complaining? I thought you enjoyed the trip with Denis. You were singing the whole way.”

  Natalia blushed slightly. “I was just trying to cheer up the daft you call friend. He looked so nervous that I thought he was about to faint.”

  During the trip, Denis told Michael that Luke continued to visit him regularly at the clinic in the days leading up to their escape. To avoid him, he had to cling to Emma's skirt like a bedbug. It was the only way he could find to get Luke to leave him alone. Luckily, Natalia never showed any interest in what they were talking about, or she would have found out.

  “The man has his problems,” Michael said. “Thank the gods we won’t see him again.”

  “What kind of trouble? And don't play dumb, 'cause I know you. I'm sure you know exactly what your friend was up to.”

  "What kind do you think? I found the man half-dead by the side of the road. It's obvious he has people after him. That's why he wanted to get out of the village as soon as possible. He never confirmed my suspicions, but it was obvious what was going on."

  Natalia nodded. “I thought the same thing when I met him. But I didn’t say anything so as to not upset Ale and Esther. They seemed to have taken a liking to him. They’re both like your mother. They like scoundrels and scammers.”

  He took out the omelettes and placed more mixture in the pans. “Are you talking about Dad?” he asked.

  “Yes, I talkin’ ‘bout him,” she replied with her mouth full. She drank some milk and continued talking. “I remember when he and Frederick tried to recruit us into their mercenary company. The Blue Feather. They bowed so low every time they greeted us that I thought they were going to lick the floor with their tongues. They looked like a pair of bloody crooks with their smiling faces.”

  “It was my mother who finally convinced everyone to join, wasn’t it?” Natalia had already told him about his mother and uncles’ adventures dozens of times. She loved to talk about them.

  “Yes, it was your mother’s idea. We were exploring the world, getting to know the cities of the southern kingdoms. Your mother, your two uncles, and I. It was a good time. We were finally free from Dad and the others, free to do whatever we wanted, however we wanted. I miss those days.”

  “Grandpa told me that at first he and his brothers accompanied you.”

  "Well, yes, yes, I won't deny that. But understand that it was only for a short time, nothing more. After that, they left us alone. We travelled a lot. We set ourselves the goal of visiting all the free cities in western Vestrica. Your mother, of course, wanted to go further. She also wanted to see the kingdoms of the center and east of the continent. Her ambition was to follow the same route our ancestor walked from the east and have the same adventures he had. She longed to travel to the Madlands and hunt Horrshars in the desert and the tundra, just as he did.” Natalia smiled. She looked melancholic. “The only thing that held her back was that she didn’t realise how vast Vestrica really is.

  “Every now and then, we'd play at being mercenaries when the money ran out. Thankfully, Dad and my uncles put us in touch with the Demon Hunters of Ignus. With how well they paid us, we didn't have to worry about money for weeks or months. But of course, your mother got bored with that and got it into her head to join a mercenary company."

  “The Blue Feather,” he said.

  “The company your father belonged to. You know, though your mother never wanted to admit it, the real reason she wanted to join was because of him. Your father was after us for days after he saw how we dealt with some cunts who tried to rob us. He had a good eye for talent. He saw a group of beautiful and powerful people, and bam! He was charmed. But what really blew him away was your mother. Even after we joined his company, the man kept pursuing her. And your mother loved the attention and pampering he gave her. I could see it on her face, though the proud woman never admitted it.

  “If it weren’t for my mother, you wouldn’t have met Elsa and Agnes. And let’s not forget your friend, Frederick.”

  “Yes, that’s right. Everyone ended up with a partner except Frederick and me.” Natalia finished eating and placed her plate on the granite island. She poured herself more milk, but didn’t drink it. Her gaze wandered between Michael and the glass of milk in her hands.

  ?While he cooked, Michael thought about Esther and her problem with Luke and how likely her suspicions might be. There could be a simple and logical explanations for the boxes and the strange men she saw that day, far from the conspiracies she believed. Then he began to wonder if she could be right after all, and Luke was indeed involved in something illegal.

  What should I do next if I find something? What is the right course of action? Should I tell Grandfather, Natalia, or the police everything I knew, even about Denis? And what evidence do I have? I need to have something solid if I decide to seek help. But all I have are Esther's suspicions and whatever I might find at Luke's house, which I’m going to break into illegally. In the end, I will only get myself into trouble if I open my mouth. Trouble that isn't worth it. There’s no reason to seek conflict with Luke and his people. Their problem is with Denis, not with us.

  But… What if it's already too late?

  He touched his trousers, feeling the necklace Denis had entrusted to him. The piece of onion rolled around in his mouth. It helped him think more than it helped him stave off hunger.

  “Will you finally tell me the truth about why you want to go to the village?” Natalia's voice came, pulling him out of his thoughts.

  “Why do you want to know?” He asked her.

  “‘Cause I know you’re up to something,” she said, looking at the piece of onion in his mouth. “I can read you as well as I used to read your mother. She always thought she was smarter than me, but she was wrong. You’re just like her. You think I’m stupid, but let me tell you, you’re wrong. I know you, Michael Hunter. Remember, I wiped your arse when you were just a baby.”

  Why is she so perceptive in situations like this, but not when it's really necessary? he thought. He looked her in the eye and put on his best face. "I swear, Auntie, I'm not up to anything. I just want to go."

  "Bah! Forget it. I see you still think I'm stupid." She got up and went towards the back door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I'm going to get the others to come and eat. Hurry up and finish cooking.” She opened the door, but stopped. She turned to look at him. She was going to say something, but then shook her head and left.

  She hasn’t changed her mind about letting me go to the village, has she? He wondered as he watched her leave.