The Shadow Gate

Chapter 4

Madame Cavaleur, Eclipse Island's pastry chef – and resident wolf – suddenly appeared in front of Madeline. She was wearing an apron and held a full basket. The handle rested in the crook of her furry elbow.Madeline slipped the stone O'Day had given her before she left the cemetery into her pocket, hiding it away like the secret it was."_Bonjour_, Madame." She tried to make her voice loud and strong, but it came out shaky and unsure. She'd been out of the Shadow Gate for a few minutes, yet the strangeness of it all still stuck to her, like sand to wet feet."You're so pale! What in the world happened to you? Do you need to sit?" Madame Cavaleur helped Madeline down to the curb before lifting the pink cloth that covered her basket. "You are in need of sustenance!"Known as one of the kindest souls on Eclipse Island, Madame Cavaleur sent fresh croissants to the sniffly (colds did exist on the island, but residents could only catch one every five years), and pastel macarons to the pensive. Her kitchen was always filled with smells of delicious things: fruit tarts topped with fleur de lis, lacy Florentine wafers, crème brulee ... Madeline's mouth watered. She could do with some comfort food.Madame Cavaleur removed a still-warm pain au chocolat from the basket and gave it to Madeline, who didn't hesitate to take it. She sunk her teeth into the flaky layers and the chocolate exploded in her mouth. Her blood grew warm again. Her trembling ceased."Thank you," Madeline said, between bites. "I forgot to eat lunch." This was a lie, but she wasn't ready to tell her Auntie about the Shadow Gate, much less a lupine pastry chef. "I'm sorry I was late.""Do not worry about that! I finished my baking early. I decided to take a walk, enjoy some fresh air along the way, and meet up with you. When I reached the corner of Harrods and BonBons and didn't see you, I started home. How did I pass you without noticing?"The rock pulsed in Madeline's pocket.She shrugged. "Maybe I passed your gate before you left? I got ... lost." The taste of Madeline's lies mingled with the sweetness on her tongue, turning everything sour."These streets can be tricky." Madame Cavaleur looked at the ground rather than at Madeline. Like the maps they couldn't make, the streets that rearranged themselves were not something one discussed in polite society."I'm sorry you had to come out." Madeline tucked what was left of the pastry into her pocket and looked up. The horizon held a tinge of pink, and the white clouds were beginning to turn purple."Don't apologize. Your aunt does me the favor by selling my goods at market. It doesn't matter how they get there, as long as I don't have to take them!"While Madame Cavaleur's kindness was legendary, so was her shyness. She and her husband used to have a stall in the town market, but when he made his Final Journey off the island, she closed it up and began to outsource her goods. She'd once told Madeline that she preferred her kitchen to anywhere, because it held all the memories of the love between her and her husband. Since he left, she was the only wolf on Eclipse Island. Madeline had always felt a special kinship with her.She, too, knew what it was to be lone, singular, different from everyone else."Oh, dear." Madame Cavaleur gazed up at the sky and bit her bottom lip. She held out a paw and helped Madeline up from the curb. "The sun is setting. I'd be happy to give you a ride if you like."Madeline had never been comfortable seeing Madame Cavaleur with all four paws on the ground."No, thank you. I'll be fine," Madeline said, politely, brushing away the crumbs that had landed on her skirt. "If I walk fast I'll make it.""All right, dear, if you're certain. Have a lovely evening." Madame Cavaleur gave her the basket of pastries and leaned over to kiss Madeline on each cheek, as was her custom. This time, she lingered a little bit longer than usual.When Madame pulled away, time slowed down. The wolf's yellow eyes were dilated, her nostrils flared. She stared at Madeline too hard, and for too long.And then she licked her lips."Madame?" Madeline whispered. The sun wasn't bright enough to make a shadow, nor was the moon. So why could Madeline see Madame Cavaleur's on the ground?The wolf's breathing had quickened, so much so that when she spoke, her words were no more than gasps. "Hurry. Hurry home, Madeline. Now!""Yes, ma'am," she mumbled, and backed away, clutching the basket.Then, for primitive reasons Madeline didn't understand, she turned and ran.