Day 4: Walk in the Cemetery

Teantry heard the light pattering steps over stone beside her and paused. Glancing right, the tall headstone gleamed nearly as bright as the silver-gray cat perched on it. He had come again. He came every year as drawn to the place as herself. She raised an eyebrow at the cat. “Did you want something?”

Rising from the stone it stretched languidly. “You’re back again.” Teantry never understood how he put so much surprise into so few words.

Teantry reached over and ran her hand along his soft fur. He leaned into her touch. She smiled and snorted softly before turning away. Dropping her hand back to her side she turned away and began walking through the cemetery again. “You needn’t sound so surprised. You know I come every year.”

“Do I?” Teantry heard the nearly imperceptible patter of the cat dropping from the headstone to grass. “Oh yes, you do. But why?”

“Many come here regularly. Annually. Monthly.” Teantry gazed at fresh flowers beside a low headstone. Those were always fresh. “Some daily.” Teantry wrapped her arms about herself trying not to imagine that person’s pain. She carried enough herself. Ahead, she caught sight of a stone crypt, one among many, in the middle of the field.

“Yes, but the others come to visit their loved ones.” The cat paused. Teantry looked back at the creature. He darted forward and wound between her legs. If she hadn’t stopped, she might have tripped over him. “You don’t visit a loved one, and no one visits him.”

“No.” Teantry swallowed. “No, I do not visit my family here.” She stepped forward and felt the cat brush against her leg briefly before fleeing. Coward, invoking these thoughts again and fleeing. She’d been happily holding them at a distance.

No, Teantry did not visit loved ones. Her loved ones hadn’t been allowed the luxury of a grave. Thief lives had been robbed by him. Anger swelling in her, as it did every year staring at the stone crypt.

Him, Kamin the black wizard who’d bound countless souls to damnation, including her kin. His binding took their remains even leaving nothing but questions for most. To the police they’d been just more missing people.

Just more. And she was just another orphan.

Teantry knew better. Her mother had trained her to know better. Her mother’s knowledge and powers were what had caused Kamin to come after the entire family instead of an individual. He’d gotten the rest, but he’d missed her. Teantry had known then what she had needed to do.

She followed Kamin to this cemetery on a black, moonless night. Teantry followed and caught him at his moment of greatest weakness. When he worked to take another soul. She caught him, and she bound him to the crypt.

A binding which had stopped him, but which lasted a single year alone. She’d bound herself to the cemetery equally that night and knew she’d never move on from here. The silver-gray cat paused beside Teantry as she stopped on the steps of the crypt. He bumped his head against her leg. Teantry knelt and petted him again. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” He tilted his head to the side, and Teantry saw the curiosity trembling through his body. At least he didn’t recall and could live his bound life in a semblance of peace.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you,” she whispered.

The cat gave a quick twist of its body, as if shaking off something unpleasant. Teantry knew he shook off the human thoughts she’d almost triggered within it. Yes, Teantry had managed to snare the black wizard and bind him before he completed taking his victim. But not before he’d sundered the soul from the body.

An old silver-gray cat had been all she could anchor the soul to and return what life she could. Fortunately, he didn’t remember being human. Teantry bore that weight alone as well.

Rising, she scowled at herself. Another year ended tonight. No more time for sorrow. No more time for regret. She had work to do.

“I don’t visit a loved one, but I visit him to make sure he doesn’t take any others.” Teantry felt her muscles tighten as she reached for the handle of the crypt. He’d not break free of her bonds this night.