The display went its normal grey again.
“And I’ll be there,” Daniel announced to the silent box. He closed it and put it away. “This is going to be interesting.”
The day went by with jumps for Daniel. There were times he and Aldrick were very busy, hacking, cutting and grinding, there were also times he had to wait and at those moments the meeting with the cloaked person did not leave his thoughts for a moment.
Later that evening he told Sygra about the strange call.
“You have mentioned this cloaked figure before. Are you sure you want to go into that meeting alone, Daniel? I can arrange for some safety if you want.”
“Thank you, Sygra. I am sure I can deal with this person myself. I’ll take a good stick with me. That can come in handy.”
“You can take Kernak too,” Sygra offered. “She likes to be with you and is quite good at protecting someone.”
Daniel gave that a thought. “Might not even be wrong to do that. If you really believe it is safe to take her.”
“It would make me feel better, Daniel.”
60. A cloaked person
Daniel was awake very early the next morning. The one person who had been so mysteriously weaved through all that had happened was going to meet him today. Daniel had given up his attempts to contact the triangle; there never had been a response. But now things were different.
Sygra had once more insisted he should take Kernak along. “Don’t worry, Daniel, she won’t get hurt. It takes a lot to hurt a Kotrvayk.”
Daniel was convinced of that. He thought of it as he let Kernak out of the garden, through the small reception building. He had first worried about a leash or something, but Sygra had laughed at that idea.
“Where do you want her to take you, Daniel?” he had asked, which was where Daniel saw reason. “She likes you. She will stay with you and protect you. And Kernak will enjoy it, she does not go out very often.” That was obvious also.
Kernak was very easy going and followed along calmly as Daniel walked down the hill. The crossroad, he knew, was behind a long and slow bend, but he was very early and had plenty of time to enjoy the gentle breeze and the sunshine. As he walked along the deserted road, he was suddenly very aware of being there, in the land, the feel of the ground under his feet, the large Kotrvayk with him. It made him slow down and come to a halt.
Kernak turned her mighty head to looked at him, and walked back. She lay down at his feet. Daniel hardly noticed it, as he took in the scent of the area while the wind messed with his hair. He squatted down and stroked Kernak’s head. “This is an amazing place, girl,” he told her. Slowly he rose to his feet again, and as he made the next step, Kernak was up also and with him.
Daniel noticed it now and was stunned. What an amazing creature. They went on. It took them over a quarter of an hour to reach the crossroad.
“In the morning”, the cloaked voice had said. Well, there was plenty of morning to enjoy.
Daniel and Kernak waited. At times he took a short stroll, the animal on his heels. They lay on the ground, sat, and Daniel at times whistled a tune. Then he heard the familiar rattling of wheels on the hard road. A carriage worked itself towards the crossroad.
Daniel and Kernak stood again when the carriage reached them and came to a halt. Daniel’s hand was on Kernak’s back. “It’s okay, Kernak.”
The door of the carriage opened, and the cloaked figure came out of it. As soon as the entire person was with both feet on the ground, the cloak unfolded to its large size. Daniel heard the rush that the strange mask made of the breathing.
“I am here,” said the mysterious stranger. Behind him, the carriage slowly pulled away, en route for a new customer.
“Yes. And so am I,” Daniel said. “You need not fear the Kotrvayk as long as you do nothing strange or threatening.”
“I see. You said you want answers. Ask me your questions.”
Daniel grinned. “Let’s begin with a simple one. Who are you?”
The dark shape seemed to hesitate for a few moments. “I had expected that question, just later.” Slowly a hand was raised and the strange face filter was removed. The hood fell over the face hidden underneath it. The face filter was dropped to the ground and rolled away.
Kernak stood calmly. Daniel was tensing up.
The figure slowly pushed the hood back.
Daniel stared. “You?”
“Yes. Me.” Rayko looked him in the eye. “Who had you expected?”
“Beats me, but not you.”
Kernak slowly walked over to Rayko and nudged the woman’s hand with her head. Rayko didn’t even seem to notice, so focussed as she was on Daniel. Gently she scratched the head.
“I don’t get it,” Daniel said, truthfully. “You were the person who knocked me out with that stick in the park? You proposed getting in the way of your father?”
“Yes. And yes.” Rayko picked up the face filter. “Would you mind holding this while I take off this hot cloak?” She walked over to him, Kernak in her wake, and held up the filter.
Daniel took it from her hand and watched how she dropped the black cloak to the ground.
She stood on a very skilfully made construction that made her look taller, wearing her own shoes in it. She held on to Daniel’s arm as she unclipped the buckles that held her feet strapped onto the platforms. “Ahhh. That is so much better.” She rolled up the cloak and put the platforms in it. Clearly she had done that more often.
Daniel looked at Rayko, as she looked up at him. “It’s really you, right? The woman that kicked my shins at the party, and who was so stubborn on the ship?”
“I kicked your shins, yes, and I still don’t regret that. And I was not stubborn!”
“Yes, it’s you alright.”
“Arghh. You are still the same too. Now, when are you going to ask me to walk up to the house of the senator with you? This cloak is heavy.” She groped at the black mass that had started to slip from her hands. “Not much of a gentleman, are we…”
“By the winds, give that to me then.” Daniel lifted the cloak and the platforms from her hand. “And yes, let’s go to the senator’s house.” He remembered something. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “I’m sorry, Rayko. Would you please walk to the house with me?”
Rayko looked at Daniel. This time it was her turn to be surprised. “Yes. I’d love to, Daniel.”
They started walking, Kernak between them. They both rested a hand on the hard hairy fur of the animal’s back.
“So, why did you call me on that evening after I had left the party?” Daniel asked. “And how did you get the number of my hydger?”
“Getting your number was easy. I just copied it from my father’s device. And I have an unregistered hydger.” Rayko was silent for a moment. “I thought you would be the right person to help. Especially after what you said at the party.” She looked down at the ground, so Daniel could not see her red cheeks.
“What I said at the party? We were just trying to leave each other’s throat where it fit best, if I recall correctly.”
“I uhm… I did something rather unladylike, Daniel.” She looked at him, her cheeks still red. “When you were talking to the senator, I was sitting in a chair behind the conifers behind you. So I heard everything.” She blushed even deeper. “I’m sorry now, Daniel. I heard so much of you.”
Daniel grew more and more confused. This all was entirely not the way he had imagined the encounter with the cloaked person would unfold. “But why? I mean, eavesdropping is not a nice thing, but I can live with that. Why
