Chapter 34

“Excuse me?” asked Kowalski, clearly flabbergasted.

“You heard me,” I said. “Buddy attacked Viktor not an hour ago. Nearly tore his leg off.”

We had all assembled at the scene of the attack, save Bryndísar. Heida had insisted on sorting things out before bringing the farmer the bad news. I wasn’t sure that was the smartest move, but Heida was technically in charge. Besides, Heida’s still rather dolled up for a night at home, and neither of us want to explain ourselves to him.

The others must have noticed, but they had more pressing concerns. They had rushed out in their pajamas to deal with the crisis. Viktor’s head lay in my lap as Lilja and Mariko tended to him. The disinfectant packed a powerful stench, and the mackie’s trunk was wrapped around my wrist hard enough that I felt pins and needles. It was disheartening to see the proud creature in such a sorry state.

“It wasn’t me!” said Kowalski, hovering near the downed ungulate.

“You poor thing,” cooed Mariko. “Do not worry, it will all be okay.”

“I hope so,” said Lilja. “I know how to treat a sheep, but nobody knows much about Macrauchenia. He might be allergic to antibiotics, even if they work. Heck, he might react to these bandages.”

Mariko’s face lit up. “Soren, you helped the Horde care for mackies! What medicines work well?”

“I can’t be much help there; the Horde doesn’t know much about medicine besides throwing magic at the problem, and a few herbal remedies.”

Mariko’s brow knit. “Wait, healing magic only works on wizards. What happens to mackies who are injured?”

“Orcs love a good barbeque,” I replied.

“How awful,” said the Japanese girl.

I shrugged. “As far as they were concerned, there was always more where that came from.” It was a tad gamey for my tastes, but once you acquired the taste…

A sad bleat from Viktor reminded me that it wasn’t as tasty when you knew the beast. I scratched him behind the ears again. “You’ll be fine.”

Lilja cursed under her breath. “Then we’re flying blind.” She stroked an uninjured portion of Viktor’s flank. “I don’t want to lose the last Macrauchenia! Not when he’s finally behaving.”

“It’s why until further notice, Rafal is wearing his disruptor,” said Heida, pointing at Kowalski. She stood well back from the rest of us, out of fear of either Kowalski or Viktor. “That thing inside you is a menace!”

“B-but…” Kowalski turned to me. “Magpie, you know it can’t be Buddy, right?”

The poor boy seemed to believe in me. He’s in for a rude awakening. “Kowalski, it was a shadowy creature with brilliant white eyes. Those aren’t exactly common. If it wasn’t Buddy, that’s a heck of a coincidence.”

His face fell, before rebounding. “Wait, you said it was an hour ago, right? I was asleep!”

“What’s your point?” spat Heida.

“Me and Buddy are linked,” he said. “When I’m unconscious, so is he. It couldn’t have been Buddy!”

Lilja looked up. “He definitely was asleep at that point.”

“How do you know that?” asked Heida.

“I went in to wish him good night, but he was already snoring,” said Lilja, rising to her full height. “Viktor’s in as good of shape as we can manage. We’ll have to call in a vet, but I think he’s stable.”

“You hear that?” I stroked him behind the ears. “Now let’s release my hand before it goes completely asleep, alright?”

Viktor followed my orders and rolled over to lay on his stomach. He didn’t warn Mariko, who was nearly pinned under his bulk. I didn’t like the look in his eyes, so I ushered Mariko away and closed off the pen.

“Wait, you were in my r-room?” stammered Kowalski, turning beet red despite the serious situation.

Lilja reddened too. “Nothing weird about saying good night to a guest. It’s good manners.”

Heida’s lips curled back. “Sure, that’s why you were there.”

“Get off it,” snarled Lilja. “You’ve got no place to criticize me, with what you two were up to.” Mariko’s face fell.

“Good thing we were, or who knows what Buddy would have done!” countered Heida.

“You said you put him out,” said Mariko. Here face fell and she pretended to be entranced by an empty section of floor. “It seems to me you put him in danger.”

“Like I could have known Buddy would be on the warpath!” shouted Heida.

“We have more important concerns than assigning blame,” I said. “Let’s stop this bickering, shall we?”

I was treated to glares from Heida, Lilja, and Mariko, reminding me that it’s never wise to get in the middle of a catfight.

“A-anyway,” said Kowalski, drawing their attention away. He’s a better wingman than I deserve. “L-like Lilja said, I was asleep. It couldn’t have been Buddy.”

I stroked my chin. “That’s how it’s always worked before, hasn’t it?”

“If Buddy has really turned on us, who’s to say it wasn’t a ruse?” said Heida. “Or who’s to say Kowalski wasn’t faking? Buddy’s just him, right?”

“That theory is no longer supported by the facts,” I replied. I couldn’t exactly use the word golem without risking my cover, but I could hint at it. “Mimics tell me he’s a separate being. A manifestation of his magical ability It explains why K… why Rafal’s always had such a hard time reigning Buddy in.”

“Besides, Buddy’s been so happy since he came here,” so Kowalski. “He spends all day running around and helping us with the chores. It’s kinda tiring, actually. It eats up my magic reserves.”

“Then what did we see?” asked Heida. “Soren, you were so sure it was Buddy.”

“That would make the most sense, honestly,” I said. Kowalski must have been on an emotional roller coaster as I sat on the metaphorical fence. It wasn’t much easier on me. Being fair is rough. “Perhaps we should ask the accused ourselves?”

Kowalski looked down at his shadow, which obeyed the laws of physics for once. “Hey, Buddy? Come on out.” It didn’t so much as twitch. “Buddy, come on. You’re just making it worse for both of us.” Still nothing, and he was starting to sweat. “Buddy I swear to God, get out here!”

“Rafal?” Lilja’s voice rang with concern.

Kowalski didn’t notice, squatting down and striking his own shadow. “Don’t you do this to us! To me! I’m starting to think you are guilty, you stupid piece of garbage!”

Two white eyes snapped open, and Kowalski withdrew his hand an instant before jaws like a bear trap formed and snapped shut. Buddy rose out of the shadow in a mostly human form, save the teeth.

For once, Kowalski didn’t back down. Brave, but perhaps not the wisest move. I readied my fingers for a Magic Bolt, just in case Buddy needed a reminder. Still, we were all under a spell as we watched the confrontation. We all sensed that we’d be unwelcome, and possibly prompt another attack.

“I-I’m not afraid of you,” stammered Kowalski. He swallowed and tried again. “You let me dodge because you know what’d happen if you did kill me. So cut the bull…” He glanced over at Lilja. “I mean, cut the nonsense. You look me in the eyes right this instant and tell me you didn’t attack Viktor.”

Buddy flinched, glancing at the wounded mackie. He didn’t turn his head; instead, one of his eyes flowed across inky skin so he could still keep Kowalski in his field of vision. After studying Viktor a moment, his errant eye slid back into place and he shook his head.

“You promise?” Buddy nodded. “Did you see who did it?” He shook his head that time.

The tension broke in an instant, and Kowalski actually embraced his shadow, which was a first. “Thank God. You had me worried there, Buddy.”

I think Buddy was as startled as any of us.

“Of course he didn’t admit to it,” said Heida. “He wouldn’t if he’s guilty.”

“Has Buddy ever lied to you before, Rafal?” asked Mariko.

Kowalski rose, shaking his head. “Not once.”

“Let’s test that,” I said. “Buddy, did you ruin that container of dirt at the greenhouse?” A nod. “Did you steal Mariko’s bra?”

“Kasasagi!”

Ignoring Mariko’s scandalized tone, Buddy nodded again. “Are you proud of your little pranks?” Nod. “And did you attack Viktor?” He shook his head, though his eyes narrowed; Buddy seemed to tire of this line of questioning. “Ko… Rafal, has Buddy ever actually hurt anybody before?”

Some of the tension flowed out of Kowalski’s shoulders, as if his first name was a spell. “Outside of training fights and stuff? Not really. He snaps and threatens, but he doesn’t try to draw blood. Well, except that time he almost took your eye out.”

“At the firing range, yes,” I said, quaking a little at the memory.

“He did what?” asked Lilja, taking a step back from Kowalski. The boy deflated visibly as she did.

“You held back, didn’t you?” I asked, crouching down to the golem’s level. “I doubt those flimsy glasses really stopped you. You held back.”

Buddy’s jagged mouth curved downwards.

“What, you don’t like being exposed as a big softie? Too bad.” Welcome to the club. I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t take a chance like that again, hm? Pranks are all well and good, but I don’t fancy wearing an eyepatch. Besides, Rafal’s the one who would really suffer.”

Buddy scuttled back. He shook all over, and if he could speak, I’m sure I’d be getting an earful. Thank Our Father Below for small favors. After moment’s internal debate, he nodded.

I rose to my feet, unsettled despite what ought to have been good news.

“Magpie!” Heida stomped over, jabbing her finger at Buddy. “He’s clearly lying! You saw him right there! What are the odds of there being another black monster with glowing white eyes on the loose?”

“Admittedly low,” I said. Still, with what I knew about Buddy’s behavior, and his nature as a golem, it tracked. “Still, there are a few discrepancies. Buddy is weak to magic, but whatever attacked us shrugged off a Magic Bolt like it was nothing. Plus, he’s mute, but that wasn’t Viktor screeching out there.”

“As far as we know he’s mute,” said Heida. “He can shapeshift. What’s to stop him from making vocal cords if he wanted to, or making his chest more durable?”

Buddy’s response was to flip Heida the bird.

“Heida, come on,” said Lilja. “You have to be careful. If they decide it’s Rafal, they might throw him in an asylum or… what happens to rogue wizards?”

“Nothing good,” said Mariko.

“We need to call Asahi and Henrik,” said Heida, whipping out her phone. “This is above our pay grade.”

Mariko stepped forward, grabbing at Heida’s phone. “You cannot! They will not listen to him!”

“Let go, you cow!” They wrestled over it, but Mariko’s compromised grip lost out.

“Heida, we shouldn’t get them involved right away,” I said, stepping between the fuming women. “Even if we do, it will be hours before they could get here. If there is another shadowy beast on the loose, we’re in the best position to deal with it.”

“What if you’re wrong?” Her blue eyes shone with defiance. “What if we turn around and Buddy tries to slice out our throats?”

I shot her a cocky grin. “He’d probably only slash mine; he’s always been partial to the ladies.”

“I’m serious,” she snapped. “Just because Rafal is a pushover doesn’t mean we can trust his shadow.”

Buddy’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but he seemed to realize that force wasn’t the way to go. For once.

“Then it seems we have a monster to hunt,” I said, trying to sound jovial. “Though… did they let your father keep any of his weapons after they discharged him?”