Ottilie Colter and the Master of Monsters by Rhiannon Williams

Author:Rhiannon Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Published: 2019-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

23

Witch Hunt

Ottilie and Gully were on the path through the lavender fields when the bells rang out in an unfamiliar tune.

‘Which one is that?’ said Gully, reaching for his knife.

‘I’ve never heard it before,’ said Ottilie, looking around frantically. Not a wyler, not again, but … ‘Those aren’t the alarm bells?’ It was a small comfort, just enough to keep her going.

The bells were ringing from the watchtower above the main gate. She grabbed her bow and together they ran towards the source of the sound.

Ottilie could never have imagined the scene they stumbled into. Countless huntsmen were gathered around. The air was alive with hisses and whispers. Through the crowd, she could see the gates had been raised and, walking between them, Igor Thrike was dragging someone in by the hair.

Maeve Moth was covered in mud, with leaves, twigs and feathers sticking out of her hair and clothing. Ottilie didn’t know what to think.

‘Thrike, what are you … who have you got?’ said Wrangler Furdles, hobbling down from the wall.

‘We found her out there,’ said Igor, raising his voice above the gibbering crowd.

His fledge, Dimitri Vosvolder, was following behind, his pointed face flushed.

‘What d’you mean, out there?’ said Furdles.

‘Look where I’m coming from!’ Igor barked.

Ottilie frowned. Maeve had been beyond the walls, the very day that Bayo had been attacked. Had Ottilie been right? Was Maeve really involved? But seeing her like that, dishevelled, being dragged by the hair, her icy resolve melted … It didn’t feel right.

Ramona stalked through the crowd, her face thunderous. ‘Igor, let go of her!’ It wasn’t a shout, or even a snarl, but it was powerful, like the crack of burning wood.

The crowd fell silent, but Igor was unmoved.

‘No!’ said Igor, bright with righteousness. ‘Bayo Amadory was murdered this morning. Someone set the wylers on him, and here, look! A girl! Out there alone. She’s a witch!’

This was what Whistler had been talking about. Igor had no reason to believe Maeve was a witch, but a girl alone, in a place she was not meant to be – that was enough for him.

There were gasps and several people backed away. Wrangler Furdles spat on the ground.

‘Where is your proof?’ said Ramona firmly.

‘Proof!’ said a shrill voice from behind Ottilie. ‘That girl set the tapestry on fire, right above my head!’

‘Tudor, you don’t know that!’ said Ramona, raising her voice again.

‘She was in the room!’ cried Wrangler Voilies. ‘She’s a rebel! She signed that … that insidious petition. And now here, look at her, a sculkie beyond the walls. An elite dead! You want more proof than that!’

‘Yes, I do,’ said Ramona, staring him down.

Ottilie was dizzy. She had fixated on Maeve as a distraction, because getting answers was something useful, something to help. But Ramona was right. There was not enough proof, and Ottilie remembered again that she had a very good reason to believe that Maeve was innocent. Maeve had wanted to learn to defend herself. She had wanted it badly enough that she had risked being caught conspiring with Ottilie.

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