Page 29 of The Piper's Pursuit

Hennek must want them to doubt their own judgment. He was playing some kind of game, almost as if he were being deceptive for no reason. But there must be a reason, and Steffan was more determined than ever to discover what it was.

Katerina’s eyes were narrowed and her chest was rising and falling, but she stayed still and quiet. She was staring hard at Hennek’s desk. Steffan followed her gaze and saw a large sheet of parchment, about ten hand-lengths long, lying across the surface.

An idea started forming in Steffan’s mind.

Hennek chuckled. “You two thought you killed the famed Beast of Hamlin.” He guffawed loud and long, his head thrown back.

Katerina took the chance to sidle closer to his desk.

Steffan started moving toward the door. As he’d hoped, Hennek stepped that way as well, Otto and the other guard following.

Steffan stood in front of Hennek and leaned toward him. “What is your theory about this Beast of Hamlin, Lord Mayor? What I mean is, do you think it is a real creature? Or perhaps some demon spirit that has descended on Hamlin? Is it killing some and spiriting others away?”

“A demon spirit, you say?” Hennek’s brows lowered, then raised. “I would not be surprised! But no, a demon spirit is not the culprit. These people are being taken and eaten by this enormous beast. There are witnesses. It is an accepted fact.”

Katerina was behind their backs, leaning over Hennek’s desk. When Otto turned to look behind him, Katerina quickly straightened and moved to follow. The guard looked askance at her but said nothing.

As Steffan and Hennek stepped outside the room, Hennek waited for everyone to leave. Just as he stuck his hand in his pocket, no doubt to retrieve his key so he could lock the door, Steffan put his arm around Hennek’s shoulders and said loudly, “How about that drink you promised me. I need something to soothe my disappointment.” He had to think of something quickly, and it was the only thing that came to his mind.

Hennek blinked, then said just as loudly, “Now you are talking sense! A little wine cheers the heart. How much more so the stronger spirits? Come! You will taste my ale man’s best drink.”

Hennek led the way toward the dining hall, forgetting all about locking the little door.

Steffan forced himself not to glance over his shoulder. He could only hope Katerina was taking advantage of this opportunity and that Otto and the other guard were not paying any attention to her.

***

Katerina went around the corner and backed into the shadows. Otto and Herman never looked her way as they made a few grunts and comments under their breath, then went out the front entryway.

Katerina hurried to the door of Hennek’s study. She opened it and slipped inside, closing it carefully behind her. She stepped to the large sheet of parchment. She’d seen Hennek peering down at it while he talked to Otto before, but he never left any of his papers out, and he also never left the door of his study unlocked.

Her eyes drank it in, trying to devour every detail, but it made no sense. It must be some kind of map, but there were no names, and nothing that looked familiar. There were several symbols, Xs and lines, tiny boxes with four sides and boxes with three sides, markers for something, but she didn’t know what. Some other symbols looked like trees, perhaps indicating a forest, and there was a drawing that looked like a pile of rocks, possibly signifying an outcropping of boulders.

If only there were some words to help her decipher what this was a map of.

At one end was what looked like a gate. Could that be one of Hamlin’s gates? She closed her eyes and imagined the east gate. Did it fit with this picture? There was the hill east of town, and yes, there was a rocky area just there. Perhaps this was a map of the area east of town. Yes, that was the very hill where the Beast of Hamlin had attacked her and Steffan, and that was the forest at the edge of which she found little Bridda.

She bent her head even closer to the map. What did these Xs and circles and boxes mean? There was a black space just behind the rock outcropping. Could that be a hole? Could the symbols indicate something underground? A tunnel? A mine?

Katerina’s heart pounded so hard it hurt her chest. This could be the place where Bridda had been for the last five months. Were the other children being held there? She stared at the map, trying to memorize every mark and detail, every symbol.

Her foot bumped into a long wooden box on the floor beside Hennek’s desk.

Katerina flipped open the lid. Inside were more pieces of parchment of various sizes, some folded and others rolled up like scrolls. She drew out the one on top, unfolded it, and laid it on the desk. It was also a map, only this appeared to be more detailed, and it seemed to show one long passageway, with side passages, as well as many Xs and the same symbols from the other map.

Where was this place?

Did she dare take this map with her? Would Hennek realize she was the one who had taken it? There would be terrible consequences if he caught her. It was likely he would kill her.

She glanced quickly at the other papers. They appeared to be ledgers, records of amounts of money. Perhaps they were proof of Hennek’s corruption. She would have to risk taking the map and some papers since she needed evidence she could show the Duke of Hagenheim.

Her hands shook as she grabbed a handful of rolled-up parchments, including the long, narrow piece of parchment that she had been studying. Her breath was shallow and her knees weak, but Bridda’s face rose into her mind’s eye. She stuffed the parchments up her sleeve and stepped toward the door.

Voices came from the dining hall. Hennek and Steffan were in there. Should she go into the hall so Steffan knew she was finished in Hennek’s study? Or would that look too suspicious?

She thought for a moment, then headed into the kitchen through the door down the corridor.

The cooks, Hilde and Grette, were standing at the door between the kitchen and the dining hall, peering through the crack.