Agatha H and the Voice of the Castle

Gil stared at them. He shook his head. “Oh, no. No! This is just too ridiculous! There’s got to be something more to this. I’m just not buying it, otherwise.”

A richly amused voice rolled out from the doorway, “Vell lucky for hyu, dollink, dis iz on de howze.”

There was no question that the figure filling the doorway was a genuine Jäger. She was also, unmistakably, female. Well over two meters tall, the smiling Jäger had a head of brilliant aquamarine hair piled up in a complicated chignon held in place with a slim stiletto. Her face was broad, which accommodated the large, sharp-toothed grin spread across it. Her eyes had a touch of the Far East and her ears were long and pointed.

She was dressed with a voluptuous elegance that announced both her profession and her demeanor with exquisite clarity. When she moved, it was with a sensual grace that was completely unexpected because of her size, and thus even more effective. She came over to Gil’s bedside and looked him over with a wicked smile that had him repeatedly checking to make sure that his blankets were still covering him.

“So hyu iz avake now. Goot.” She graciously extended a hand. “Velcome to mine howze. Hy iz Mamma Gkika.”

Gil automatically took her hand, and as he did so, he was engulfed in a delicate cloud of spicy perfume that caused him to shiver in anticipation. Of what, he wasn’t sure. “Charmed, Madam.”

Mamma smiled even wider and leaned down to examine his face, exposing an amazing décolletage. This was a test Gil had learned to pass in Paris, and he kept his eyes locked with Mamma’s. The Jäger raised an eyebrow approvingly.

Gil then examined the hand he held, noting the demurely trimmed claws. “You’re a genuine Jäger, but you’re—are we still inside Mechanicsburg?”

Mamma nodded. “Hyu iz a schmott vun.” She indicated the other girls. “Ven pipple see lots of false Jägers, dey dun look so hard at real vuns.”

“I see.”

“So—” Mamma turned to Zeetha. “How’z he been?”

“Noisy. Suspicious. Cranky.”

Mamma waved her hand. “Dot means nottink, he iz Klaus’s boy.” She turned back to Gil. “Hyu vas vun chopped op kid ven my boyz bring hyu in. Lets see how hyu iz doink now, hey?” She reached for his sheet.

Gil edged backwards. “Madam! Please!”

Mamma rolled her eyes. “Don be han eediot, keedo, Hy needs to see dose vounds, and de gorls heve seen better, hy’m sure.”

The three glanced at each other and the short one piped up. “Not many, I’ll give him that.”

Gil sighed. He’d gotten worse from Bangladesh. It was Mamma’s expression that brought him back into the moment. Her look of surprise caused him to glance down, which was when he became aware of the device attached to his thigh.

“What the devil is that?” he exclaimed.

“Iz a leedle monitor patch vun of de Masters cobbled togedder avile ago,” Mamma replied. “End accordink to dis, hyu iz hokay.” She looked up at him and there was a look to her eyes that revealed the steel beneath the harlot. “If Hy had to guess, hy’d say dot hyu poppa has deduced a few more uf de Jägerkin’s secrets den he lets on. Dis leedle ting is ready to come out.”

“‘Come out?’” Gil asked. “How deep is it? That’s right atop the Profunda femoris artery. You can’t just rip it—yaAAAAAH!”

“Sure hy ken.” She frowned at Gil. “Ho, don’t be soch a beeg baby. A leedle pain iz goot for hyu.”

“I’m probably bleeding to death!” Gil pressed down on the wound. “You shouldn’t just…” His breath caught. He moistened a thumb and wiped the blood away. When he looked up, there was a growing confusion on his face. “This is almost completely healed. But—the size of the wound…” A new thought struck him. “I must have been out for days! Agatha! My father! What’s been happening?” He leapt to his feet in a panic.

Zeetha grabbed one of his arms while the tallest of the girls grabbed the other. Gil gave a shrug and they went spinning off to crash against the walls. He stood there breathing heavily. “I’ve had enough of this! I’m leaving now!”

Mamma stepped up to him. “Not like dis, hyu ain’t. Hyu gots to—”

Gil lashed out—his hands striking Mamma’s shoulders, sending the large woman reeling back, a look of astonishment on her face.

Gil gave an inarticulate roar of fury. Then Mamma’s fist slammed into his jaw, lifting him off his feet and sending him flying back. He flattened against the wall and then dropped back onto his bed. Everyone waited. One of Gil’s hands moved slightly and everyone tensed. “What just happened to me?” Gil asked.

Mamma gave a snort and with a ripple, was once again the relaxed chanteuse. “Goot boy. We giff hyu some Battle Draught. Iz strong schtuff. Close op hyu vounds fast!”

Gil sat up and gingerly peeled back a bandage on his arm. The skin underneath was slightly red but otherwise unmarked. He looked up. “But this is amazing! Why isn’t this being used in the hospital?”

Mamma looked distressed. “Battle draught iz brewed for Jägers. Iz not always… so goot for normal pipples.”

Gil looked at her. “But you gave it to me.”