From the Ashes (A School for Good and Evil Fanfic)

Part 11: The Society

"They're here!" Ash gasped, glancing around frantically. "They've come for me, and now you're all in danger!"

"Calm down," Anadil said. "We can handle this. Chances are they only know what direction you went, not necessarily exactly where you are."

"Anadil's right," Hester agreed begrudgingly. "We'll go speak to them, play dumb if we have to. And who's to say it really is the Society, and not some rogue bear or something?"

"I know that roar," Ash whispered. "It's the roar of the Axomian."

"Just stay here," Anadil ordered, stepping toward the door. Ash nodded, his face as white as a sheet.

The streets were crowded as Hester and Anadil stalked into town, every person trying to get a glimpse of what was causing the commotion.

"Let us through, let us through," Hester commanded. "Hello, people, we're the sheriffs!"

They were still a few blocks away when they saw it. A huge obsidian carriage was parked near the Nottingham jail, the flag above it waving in the evening breeze. The flag was black, with a green snake wrapped around a crescent moon in the center. Tethered to the front of the carriage were two menacing beasts. They resembled horses, but possessed spiked, curved ram's horns and leathery wings. One of the creatures let out a blood curdling roar, causing every person in the vicinity to scramble away, whimpering in fear. Just as Hester and Anadil reached the carriage, the door opened, and its owners stepped out in perfect unison. One was a middle-aged man, the smug look on his face suggesting that he was not a pleasant person in the least. The other was a young woman not much older than themselves, her long, black and purple braids swinging as she walked toward them.

Hester let out a strangled gasp, stumbling backwards and almost falling to the ground. Anadil caught her, shooting her a perplexed glance. But Hester wasn't looking at her. She was looking at one of the carriage's owners; the supposed leaders of the Society. Anadil looked closer and could have sworn she saw a flicker of recognition in the woman's dark eyes.

The man cleared his throat. "Are you the leaders of this, well," he smirked, turning up his nose at the old wooden cottages, "quaint kingdom?"

Anadil glanced toward Hester, as she was usually the one to speak first. But her friend said nothing, staring with barely concealed horror at the woman. Behind her back, Anadil took Hester's hand and squeezed it tightly. "You've got to be strong," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth. "We don't want to make the wrong impression."

"Well?" The man asked, twirling his top hat between his long fingers.

Hester steeled her gaze. "We are the co-sheriffs of Nottingham, yes. What do you want with us?"

"You see, my dear," the man said slowly, seemingly disinterested by the conversation, "We come from a far-off kingdom called Ingerthorn, somewhere between Putsi and Oz. And in our little kingdom, something terrible has happened. A horrible criminal has escaped our dungeons and is running amok through the Woods. Isn't that right, Lilith?" He motioned toward the woman, who drew a paper from her jacket.

"His name is Ash," she explained, unrolling the paper and revealing the image within. "And our scouts have revealed that he was last seen near here."

Anadil shrugged. "I haven't seen him. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell liars like you."

"Anadil," Hester hissed in warning. Anadil ignored her.

"Just like I said to who I presume was your little spy," she spat, "Ingerthorn is not a kingdom, and it certainly isn't between Putsi and Oz."

The man began to laugh, the woman joining in rather hesitantly. "You foolish girl, imagining you know everything about the Endless Woods? They are endless, after all. Even Merlin didn't obtain all that is to be known."

Anadil glared, but a flicker of doubt had passed into her brain. What if she was wrong, and there was a country called Ingerthorn? What if Ash was a dangerous criminal and they should bring him to see justice, or perhaps just kill him as soon as they reached the house? Anadil glanced toward Hester and knew she was thinking the same thing, her face screwed up in concentration. But something still felt wrong...

Slowly, she looked toward the man who stared back as if this was all very amusing. Anadil shook her head, clearing away the remaining effects of whatever spell he had cast on her. His face hardened.

"Sorry I'm late!" Dot ran up behind them, still wearing her silky blue dress. She narrowed her eyes. "What's going on?" Her gaze landed on the carriage, her mouth falling open.

"Farewell, Sheriffs of Nottingham," the man spat. "And remember, no one wrongs Norman Greene and escapes unscathed."