The Witch's City

by M. Gregg Roe

  Audrey went into the kitchen and spied Wilawin through the window in the back door. She opened it and invited her in. Wilawin seated herself at the dining table and sighed. “I’m just glad that she’s taking a break. Guarding a little girl is not easy.”

  “Especially one with powers like hers,” added Audrey. “Would you like some apple juice?”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  Audrey quickly poured three cups of juice from a jug. After handing one to Wilawin, she took the other two to the front area and placed them on the table that was between the two chairs.

  “Thank you,” said Ermiana before picking hers up and taking a noisy sip. “I heard you two talking about me.”

  “I know you did,” said Audrey as she seated herself in the other chair. “There’s no door.”

  Ermiana giggled and took another sip of juice. “I know. I just enjoy playing with Wilawin.”

  “Ermiana, you asked me all kinds of questions about myself and where I’m from the first time we met. Can I ask you some questions about witches? I’ve read about the history of this city but I still have questions.”

  “You want to know how witches were able to conquer a city that had powerful spell-casters?” asked the girl.

  “Yes, and I want to know more about witches in general. About their powers.”

  Ermiana finished her juice with one last noisy slurp and then licked her lips. “Only females are known to possess what is known as witch power,” she began, sounding far more mature than her five years. “The power is usually passed on to any daughters they might have but the strength of the power varies considerably. The basic power is known as telekinesis—the ability to move things simply by thinking about it.”

  Audrey nodded. “Like what you used to float. Do you have to concentrate? Is it tiring?”

  “That depends. I can start some things moving and then stop paying attention and they will finish the motion I had in mind. That’s what I did with my shoes. How tiring it is depends on the weight and how fast I move it.” Ermiana frowned. “Moving myself is harder than moving the same weight of stone, for instance, but I don’t know why.”

  “Do you have to practice?” asked Audrey. She wanted to learn as much as she could.

  “That helps some, but a witch’s power increases as they age.”

  “I see. So that old witch that became the first High Witch—”

  “Was very, very powerful,” concluded Ermiana with a grin. “Her name was Haga, and no weapon could touch her. They say she could stop catapult stones and tear down thick walls. But there’s one thing more. Many witches, including my mother, can absorb a spell’s magical energy and then use it as a weapon or to increase their power. That’s how Haga was able to defeat a powerful wizard. Witches are pretty much the bane of spell-casters.”

  “I understand. That’s interesting. Can you absorb spells?”

  Ermiana scowled. “No. Not yet.” She suddenly yawned. “I’m sleepy. Can I lay down somewhere?”

  Now, Audrey thought, she sounds like a small child. That’s a relief. Aloud she said, “Of course. You can use my bed. I’ll show you.”

  “Okay.”

  Ermiana hopped down and followed Audrey into her bedroom. She crawled onto the bed, laid across it diagonally on her side, and then closed her eyes. Audrey closed the door most of the way and then went back to the kitchen with the empty cups.

  “I heard,” said Wilawin, looking relaxed. “She will probably sleep until lunch. She wore herself out running around, and using her power that way also tires her.”

  “I’m not surprised,” said Audrey as she seated herself across from the older woman. “I’m going to head to the mansion soon to help cook lunch. You can help yourself to any food or drink that’s here.”

  “Thank you.” Wilawin smiled slightly. “How is your Shorinken training going?”

  “Good. I’m in the advanced class now when I’m not receiving private instruction. And I’m helping teach to earn money.”

  “Grasapa speaks well of you. Maybe we could train together sometime?”

  “I’d like that, but I’m busy most of the time now.” Audrey pushed back her chair and stood. “Speaking of that, I’d better go. I’ll see you at lunch.”

  Wilawin nodded. “I’ll bring Ermiana there at noon.”

  It wasn’t until after lunch that Audrey realized something that surprised her. There had been something about the way that Saxloc had spoken about Rosalind. He really did like her now, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

  20

  ‡ Transition ‡

  Rosalind sat in the other chair and simply watched as Audrey ate. It was clear that she had something on her mind, and Audrey had a good idea of what it was. She finished her porridge and then drained the cup of milk before sitting back and giving Rosalind an expectant look.

  “I … uh … took Saxloc to dinner a few days ago and then we … slept together.” Rosalind was clearly embarrassed, looking off to her right as she spoke and rubbing her right wrist with her left hand.

  “Saxloc told me, Rosalind. It was the same night I went out with Erwin.”

  Rosalind gave her a startled look. “I didn’t think he would tell you. I’m not sure I should have done it, but it was nice. Comforting. I was planning to just leave him alone after I moved out, but now I’m not so sure. I think I want to date him, and I think he feels the same way.”

  Audrey shrugged. “Then date him. I’m dating both Saxloc and Erwin.”

  “That’s the problem; I don’t want him dating both of us. When we first started dating, you two had just broken up. But then you came back from that trip together again. And I was pursuing him for stupid reasons. Then everything changed.” She sighed. “It’s all very confusing now.”

  Audrey couldn’t help but smile in response. “It is, and you’ve been through a lot. I appreciate you telling me, but it’s really up to the two of you.”

  “Um … okay. I’ll talk to Saxloc about it.” But she still looked uncertain.

  “Rosalind, I’ve never really imagined myself marrying Saxloc. Because of the lifespan difference, I think he would be better off with a half-elf.”

  “But not me,” said Rosalind as her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t give him children, and I’m not going to live that long either.”

  “What?” Her attempt to reassure Rosalind was failing miserably.

  “You didn’t know? My ailment didn’t just make me short, it also reduced my lifespan. I looked it up. People in my family who have had this usually only live about fifty years. You’re going to outlive me. I just want to date Saxloc, not marry him.”

  Audrey was on the verge of tears herself now. “I’m sorry, Rosalind. I didn’t know. But maybe you won’t be like the others. You’re taking that supplement.”

  “That’s true. And I’m not going to stop looking for cures. My brother is going to do some research in Zardis.”

  “Good.” Audrey got up and took her bowl and cup over to the washbasin. When she finished, she went back over and sat at the table again.

  “I’m going to miss it here,” said Rosalind as she gazed out the window.

  That reminded Audrey that she needed to weed the vegetable garden behind the cottage. “You can still visit,” she pointed out.

  “I will, but it won’t be the same. This is like paradise.”

  Audrey knew exactly what Rosalind meant. She didn’t know what to say, so she simply stared out the window too. A squirrel ran past and then Benson, hot on its trail. As far as she knew he had never caught one, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The squirrel disappeared up a tree and Benson parked himself next to the trunk, staring upward.

  “I had been thinking of trying to hold a Sparrow party here,” said Rosalind. “In the parlor. But I’m not sure if I can now.”

  “I’m sure that Almera will let you. How does a Sparrow party work?”

  Rosalind smiled, clearly pleased by the question. “It’s more than one game
at once,” she explained. “For example, if we had eight people, then there would be two game tables.”

  “And you would swap around players after each game?”

  “Yes. Exactly. There’s a pattern to be followed, and we would keep track of each person’s total score. Whoever ends up with the highest score might get a prize or maybe money. It’s more fun that way.”

  Audrey laughed. “For you maybe. I’ll be finishing dead last.”

  “You’ll get better. You just need to practice.”

  It was going to take more than that. She was never going to be devoted to the game the way that Rosalind and Kora were. She hadn’t been at all surprised when the two of them instantly bonded over their love of the game. “Why don’t we plan something after you’ve gotten settled in your new place?”

  “Okay!” Rosalind looked incredibly happy. “We’ve already got four—you, me, Kora, and Cinda. I know Saxloc’s not really interested, and it might be more fun if it’s all women.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do,” said Audrey, returning Rosalind’s smile. It did sound like fun.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “I feel as if we have done this before,” stated Gabriel with a straight face, causing Saxloc to laugh. The two of them were packing up all of Rosalind’s possessions with the exception of the clothing she had set out for the next day. But several things had changed. Rosalind’s clothes were much nicer now and there were more of them. She had donated her old clothing, cookware, and bed linens to Draymund’s charity, whose thrift store she now worked in during the morning.

  Gabriel carefully wrapped one of Rosalind’s wooden cat carvings in a soft cloth before placing it in a wooden box with the others. He had already packed up Rosalind’s prize possession—her antique Sparrow set. And when Rosalind unpacked her carvings, she would find a surprise. He had purchased a small oak carving of a curled up and sleeping cat. The note with it stated that it was from his entire family, but it was really from him.

  Saxloc had said that Rosalind seemed like a different person now, and Gabriel had to agree. She had confronted her malady with courage that both surprised and pleased him. The revelation that she was a spell-caster had given her a new purpose and a different outlook. She was more confident now. He doubted that anyone would ever take advantage of her the way that Buris had.

  After wrapping the final carving, Gabriel placed the remaining pieces of cloth on top and then closed and latched the box. Saxloc had nearly finished folding Rosalind’s items of clothing and placing them in the trunk that Draymund had provided for that purpose. When Saxloc was through, the two of them carried the trunk down to the entryway. Then they carried down the other boxes as well. Transportation had already been arranged. Tomorrow was the first day of the final month of Spring, and it would be Rosalind’s first in her new home.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  The third item that Natalia ticked off on her fingers piqued Hankin’s interest. The Novox office in Zardis had discovered that Buris was alive, held in a prison below the Guild headquarters building there. It wasn’t clear if it was punishment or if he was simply waiting to be executed. Either way, there was little chance of getting to him.

  Hankin had hoped that the Zardis City Guard would be the ones to arrest Buris. Ermizad had written to them and requested that they not only arrest Buris but then extradite him to the Witch’s City. That would have been ideal because Celebern would probably have managed to persuade Ermizad to turn Buris over to Novox.

  “And now I suppose you’re planning to go to Zardis again,” sighed Natalia.

  “No. I have learned my lesson.” And besides, even with his magical talents, he had no chance of getting to Buris where he was now.

  “My personal goal,” stated Natalia with an intent look, “is to get ahold of Buris alive and then cut him into at least as many pieces as his trap blew me into.”

  “Without killing him, I presume?”

  “Of course. And he needs to be conscious. I’ll just cut off small pieces. Non-vital pieces. Slowly.” She had a dreamy look now.

  “Then let’s hope that he’s just been given prison time as punishment. Is there anything else?” As usual, she had interrupted him.

  Natalia grinned and held up four fingers on her left hand. “Fourth and last. Your punishment is over. Kerwyn says you are back to your usual duties starting tomorrow.”

  Hankin returned her grin. Supervising trainees hadn’t been all that bad, but it wasn’t his preference. “In that case, let’s go out tonight. Somewhere nice.”

  “Perfect. I just bought a new dress. If you’re good, I’ll let you take it off me later tonight.”

  “Then I will definitely be good. Now get out. I’ve got work to do.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Saxloc watched as Rosalind examined the carving she was holding in her right hand. Five inches tall, it depicted a cat sitting on its haunches and looking to the left. He had hired a local craftsman to make if after seeing the wares she sold at the market. But that hadn’t been the difficult part.

  “Is this the same wood my Sparrow tiles are made of?” she asked with a look of wonder.

  “Yes. It’s called black alder.” He had actually taken one of her tiles to show around. It had taken the better part of a day to locate some of the uncommon wood.

  “Thank you!” She carefully placed the carving on the table between them in the sitting area of her room. “This is a wonderful gift.”

  “You’re welcome. If you don’t mind, why do you have so many cat carvings?”

  “I’ve always liked cats,” she explained. “There were several around when I was growing up. But if I got too near them, I would start sneezing and my nose would run. So I just watched them. My brother Marcel got me my first cat carving on my twelfth birthday. And he gives me a new one every year. I’ve also gotten them from my parents and other relatives.”

  “I see. Now I understand.”

  “My new room has shelves I can use to display them,” she said happily.

  Wanda’s Boarding House was fairly new and more modern than he had expected. It was far better than the apartment where Rosalind had lived before. Dinners were provided, and Wanda—the older woman that ran the place—had agreed to cater to Rosalind’s special dietary needs.

  “Saxloc, are you interested in dating me?” Her expression was serious as she leaned toward him.

  “Yes,” he replied, equally serious as he gazed into her eyes. “I liked you when you were just a shop clerk. Then I disliked you after we dated and you started pressuring me. And now that you have changed, I like you again,” he concluded with a smile.

  Rosalind burst out laughing. “Well, that was honest. I like you too, and now it’s for the right reason. But I have one condition.”

  “Yes?” He couldn’t imagine what it was.

  “It has to be just the two of us. Exclusive.”

  He could tell that she was serious. She wanted him to stop seeing Audrey, at least as long as the two of them were dating. He really wasn’t sure what to do. He and Audrey had been getting along well lately, but they hadn’t been on a real date for a while. Her last date had been with Erwin and his with Rosalind. But this didn’t necessarily mean that it was over between the two of them. And once before, a break in their relationship had been beneficial.

  “All right. I’m willing. But I’m still going to run into Audrey frequently because she lives here.”

  Rosalind rolled her eyes. “I know that. I didn’t say you couldn’t remain friends. Just no dates. Or intimacy.”

  “Fine. I agree.”

  Rosalind stood up. “Now I need to freshen up before my farewell dinner. And if you want to spend the night here, you are welcome. It will be my last time with a bed this big and comfortable.”

  “I think I will take you up on that,” replied Saxloc, trying not to look too eager. There were interesting times ahead.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “Did I hear you two correctly?” asked Almera as she an
d Audrey cleaned up after Rosalind’s farewell dinner party.

  “Don’t you mean overhear?” said Audrey with an amused expression. “That was supposed to be a private conversation.”

  “I only heard a bit of it,” lied Almera, trying to appear innocent.

  “Saxloc and Rosalind will be dating each other exclusively,” said Audrey with no visible sign of disappointment. “Rosalind and I talked about it this morning.”

  “And you are all right with that?”

  “Yes. At the moment I think that Rosalind needs someone, and Saxloc says he’s interested in her. And it will give me more time to agonize over Erwin’s marriage proposal,” she concluded with a sad look.

  Almera finished putting the dry cups back on the proper shelf before turning to face her. “Just turn Erwin down. And then find another boyfriend here. How about Gabriel?”

  Her suggestion had the desired effect, causing Audrey to smile. “He is handsome, but no. I’m not interested in him that way.”

  Almera suspected that it had more to do with Gabriel being Saxloc’s best friend and that Audrey hadn’t really given up on Saxloc. “Why not go to see Erwin then?” she suggested. “Discuss things with him and take a break.”

  “Maybe. I’ll think about it. Why don’t you ever go to Rohoville? You know lots of people there.”

  Almera sighed. “Because I get seasick. Boats, ships, rafts—they all make me deathly ill if there’s even the slightest motion. I get airsick too. Draymund flew me around one time with his magic and it wasn’t pretty.”

  “I didn’t know that. There isn’t any magic or alchemy that can help?”

  “Not enough. It wasn’t that bad when I was younger, but it’s terrible now. That’s one reason I wanted to have a place that was not only nice but had plenty of room for guests.”