by Jim Proctor
With difficulty, Angus nodded.
The witch leaned down, her face close to Angus’. “If you tell me what you were taking, I’ll procure some for you,” she said sweetly.
Angus’ eyes opened wide. “Really? You will?”
“Of course, my dear. I don’t want you to suffer needlessly. What do you need?”
“Back home, it’s called Blue Heaven. It may have a different name here,” he managed to say with some difficulty.
“I know that one. I’ll send out for some immediately.” Walking to the door, she yelled, “Eric!”
The young man ran along the hallway and stopped before her. “Yes, mistress?”
“I need you to call the High Flyer Bar and asked for Ketto. Tell him you work for me. He needs to send over a bottle of Blue Heaven right away. He’ll name his price. Whatever it is, pay him when he arrives,” Venefica said. “There’s a cash box in my lower desk drawer.”
“Yes, mistress,” Eric said. He turned and ran back up the hallway.
“He’s such an enthusiastic boy,” she said as she turned around. “Much like his father when he first arrived here, though he was much older.”
“I noticed the resemblance. So he’s Emmett’s son?” Venandi said.
“Yes, he is, though he does not know it. If would be most unfortunate if you told him,” she said.
Venandi nodded. “I’m not interested in him or his father. If I may be so bold, my lady, my only interest is in being paid for my labors so I can be on my way. I’m sure you have… things you would like to do with your new guest.”
Venefica laughed. “Oh, yes. I have plans for poor Angus, here. Very well. If you will help me take him to the dungeon, you’ll get your reward.”
Something in the tone of her voice made the little hairs on the back of his neck stand out straight.
“Yes, my lady,” he said hesitantly as he walked to the chair and helped Angus to stand.
The pair followed the witch along the hallway and through a door into a stone staircase. Venandi recognized this from his last visit. He had only gone up, then, but now the witch was descending.
“Normally, I would have changed boots before coming down here, but Eric is busy at the moment, and there is only Emmett in the cells right now. It would be a waste of effort, really,” Venefica said.
“Yes, my lady,” Venandi said, not knowing what else to say.
Angus struggled on the stairs, and Venandi helped him along, bearing most of his weight and keeping him from falling.
Reaching the dungeon, Venandi saw Emmett resting on the bed of the first cell. As she had indicated, the other cells were empty.
“Put Angus in the last cell,” she said.
Emmett stirred and then looked around. “Is that Angus Beaph?”
Venefica walked to Emmett’s cell door. “Yes, it is. Are you surprised?”
“No, I’m not. You always get what you want, eventually,” Emmett said.
“Yes, I do, don’t I?”
Venandi walked to the last cell and helped Angus onto the bed. Unfolding a blanket, he draped it over the shaking wizard. As he looked at Angus, he realized he had made a mistake. Chasing criminal fugitives, that was just and right. This… this was wrong. Angus Beaph had done no wrong that he was aware of. Tracking him down just so the Black Witch could torment him and kill him was something different. Despite his remorse, it was too late to change things now. He still wasn’t certain he would leave here alive. Patting Angus on the shoulder, he moved out of the cell and closed the door.
Venefica approached and began pulling on a chain necklace until a key emerged from between her breasts. Slipping the chain over her head, she handed it to Venandi. “Lock the door.”
The bounty hunter took the key and locked the door. Then, holding it out toward her, he waited for her to take it.
“Put it back where it came from,” she said. She stepped so close in front of him that he could feel her breath on his neck. He looked into her upturned eyes and then dipped his gaze lower. Hesitantly, he slipped the chain over her head and let the key fall.
“That’s not where it was, Venandi,” she said.
The tall man carefully grasped the key. He slipped it into the open neck of her dress and watched as the key slipped out of sight.
“Now, if you will follow me upstairs, I’ll pay you,” she said.
As they stepped out of the stairwell, the witch closed the door. Venandi was relieved. He had been afraid that the trip to the dungeon might have ended one floor above for him.
Eric ran around the corner, but he stopped short when he saw them.
“Have you performed your task, Eric?” she asked.
“Yes, mistress. He said it would be here within the hour,” Eric replied.
“Excellent. Pay him when he arrives, and then bring the package to me immediately.”
“Yes, mistress,” he said.
“And now, Venandi, if you will follow me to my office, I’ll pay you,” she said. She walked briskly down the hallway, and Venandi followed.
In her office, she opened a bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a metal box. Opening the lid, she retrieved a leather bag with a drawstring and held it out toward Venandi.
“Thank you, my lady,” he said as he took the bag. It was rather heavy.
“It’s all in gold coins,” she said.
“Thank you, my lady,” he replied.
A smile spread slowly across her face. “If you will come with me, I have a bonus for you.”
Venefica stood and walked out of the room.
Venandi followed, realizing his legs were no longer under his control. Had he wanted to dash to the door, he couldn’t have. His legs walked on, following the witch. When they reached the dining room, she turned left into another hallway. Venandi’s legs followed.
The witch opened a door and stepped into a large bedroom. The bounty hunter entered. With a wave of her hand, the door slammed shut behind him.
Chapter 28
Eric walked quietly along the hallway and stopped outside his mistress’ bedroom. Pressing an ear to the oak door, he barely dared to breathe. He heard only hints of words as the pair spoke softly, but then he heard his mistress gasp.
He listened as the sounds beyond grew in intensity. Soon, the bounty hunter was grunting with exertion and the witch’s moans were becoming screams. Eric wanted to throw the door open and drag the man off his mistress. Rage burned inside him, yet still he listened, unable to pull away from the door. Eric’s legs trembled as his anger grew. The sounds from the bedroom grew louder and more frenzied, echoing inside his head, taunting him. Night after night, alone in bed, he'd thought about her, desperate to take her as this man now did. Eric knew she wanted him. She would have been his, soon. And now, this man was ruining everything.
Suddenly, Eric found he could move again. Turning, he ran down the hallway, away from the sounds that pained his heart. As he reached the dining room, there was a knock at the front door. Calming himself, he went and opened it.
“Four hundred,” the man said as he held out a small bag.
“Just a moment,” Eric said. Running to his mistress’ office, he counted out four hundred dollars and returned to the door.
“Thank you,” the man said. He took the money, handed Eric the bag, then turned and ran away.
Staring at the bag, Eric wasn’t sure what to do. She had said to bring it to her immediately. Under the circumstances, he doubted she wanted to be disturbed… but she had said immediately. Closing the door, Eric ran back to his mistress’ bedroom door and knocked loudly.
“Come in, Eric,” she said.
Opening the door, he saw them. His mistress and the bounty hunter were lying on the bed, their bare bodies glistening with sweat, breathing heavily… especially the bounty hunter. Venefica smiled at Eric.
“I see the package has arrived. Just put it on my dresser, Eric. And then, be a good little boy and fetch this man a glass of ice water,” she said.
When Eric returned, the bed was empty. The bathroom door was ajar, and he heard the shower running. Setting the glass on the dresser, he turned to leave when the moaning and grunting began. Slowly, he moved closer to the bathroom door. Hesitantly, he pushed the door open a bit farther. He could see shadowy shapes through the steam.
“Go away, boy!” the bounty hunter yelled.
Eric ran from the room.
* * * *
Eric sat at the kitchen table looking out across the dunes. They reminded him of something… some memory that he was sure was just on the edge of recall. Each time he thought he would remember, the thought slipped away. Memories of his life before entering his mistress’ service had been slipping away since coming here. It made no sense. He remembered arriving here. That meant he came from somewhere. But where?
He heard footsteps in the hallway and rushed into the dining room.
“Ah, there you are, Eric,” Venefica said. “Venandi is leaving us. Please, show him to the door.”
“I know the way, my lady,” Venandi said with a bow.
Eric watched in silence as the bounty hunter hurried along the hallway to the left. He heard the door open and then close again. He sighed with relief.
“You seem relieved to see him go. You aren’t jealous, are you, boy?” she asked.
“I don’t know what you mean, mistress,” he replied.
Venefica chuckled. Then, with a bottle of pills in her hand, she went to the door Eric had come to call the secret door and went through. He had been through it just once when she had taken him upstairs to paint a door. He went back into the kitchen and sat at the table, hoping to recall some fragment of the elusive memory.
There was a knock at the front door. Eric hurried to open it.
Chapter 29
“Angus, dear,” Venefica said as she reached the dungeon. “I have something for you.”
“He’s been asleep the whole time,” Emmett said without looking at her.
Venefica walked to the last cell and peered at Angus. Then, unlocking the door, she crossed the cell and sat on the edge of the bed. Angus stirred and murmured something unintelligible. Resting a hand on his forehead, she closed her eyes. A moment later, Angus opened his eyes and looked up at her.
“How many pills do you need?” she asked.
“All of them,” he said faintly.
Venefica chuckled. “No, Angus dear, you don’t get away that easily. How many do you normally take?”
“Two,” he whispered.
Shaking out two pills, she put them between Angus’ lips. He swallowed quickly.
“I’ll come back to check on you soon. Maybe you’ll feel a bit better after those get into your bloodstream. There’s a sink in the corner if you’re thirsty.”
Locking the door, she walked to the first cell and looked in at Emmett.
“I don’t think your son liked Venandi,” she said.
“What makes you say that?” Emmett asked.
“He listened at my bedroom door while Venandi and I did the things he could only dream of doing,” she said. “He’s been sulking ever since, though he did seem to relax a bit when the bounty hunter left.”
“You’re an evil bitch,” he said.
Venefica laughed. “Thank you, Emmett. Oh, but you dreamed of doing those things with me, too. How thoughtless of me to forget.”
Her laughter echoed throughout the dungeon as she climbed the stairs.
“Emmett… is that your name?” Angus asked.
“Yes. And you are Angus Beaph,” Emmett said.
“I take it the young man in her service now is your son,” Angus said.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. If I can free him, I will,” Angus said.
“What are you going to do? You’re a strung-out drug addict. I doubt you can free yourself, much less my son.”
After a moment, Angus said, “You may be right.” He rolled over and pulled up the blanket.
“Yes, go back to sleep little junkie.” Emmett stood and paced around his cell for several minutes. The door upstairs opened and soft footsteps descended. He moved to the cell door and watched, hoping it was Eric.
Venefica came around the corner, followed by a young woman.
“Angus, this nice young lady has come to rescue you,” Venefica said.
There was no reply. Going to his cell door, the witch looked in. Angus appeared to be sound asleep.
“Oh, what a shame. Well, we’ll just put you in the center cell. Angus is in for a surprise when he wakes up,” Venefica said.
“Please, I’ll tell you where the cumulus is if you’ll just let Angus go,” Jazeen said.
The witch smiled. “I know exactly where it is. I can see the fear and uncertainty in your face. You brought it with you. Give me your backpack.”
“No!” Jazeen said.
Venefica stepped behind her and pulled the backpack off her unresisting arms. With a push, she led Jazeen into a cell, then closed and locked the door.
“You can wait for your dear Angus to wake up again. In the meantime, perhaps Emmett can tell you what you can look forward to,” Venefica said. She turned and headed for the stairs carrying Jazeen’s backpack.
* * * *
“Do you know what’s wrong with my friend?” Jazeen asked after the witch had gone.
Emmett cleared his throat. “Yes… he’s a drug addict going through withdrawal. Venefica gave him some of the drug a few minutes ago. She’s probably hoping it will ease his symptoms. You never can tell how the body will react, having been off the drug for a while, and then having it again. He may be worse off when he wakes up.”
“What do you mean, a drug addict?” she asked.
“You don’t know what that is?” Emmett asked sarcastically.
“Well, yes, I do. Angus can’t be a drug addict,” she insisted.
“Yes, I can,” Angus said. “Are you really here, or am I hallucinating again?”
“Angus… are you okay?” Jazeen asked.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I came to rescue you,” she said.
“I can take care of myself,” he said.
Emmett chuckled.
“Really?” Jazeen asked. “You can’t even sit up by yourself.”
Angus struggled, eventually pushing himself upright on the bed.
“How long have you been taking drugs?” she asked.
“Six months. A year. Two years. I don’t know. I can’t remember when I started,” he said.
“The whole time I’ve known you, you’ve been taking drugs?” she said. “Why didn’t I know?”
“You did,” he said.
“I did not!” she insisted.
“You found my bottle in the kitchen. You knew, deep down inside, but you wouldn’t admit it to yourself.”
She glared at him for a moment, and then her features softened. “You’re right. I suspected,” she said.
“Then why didn’t you say something? What happened to no secrets between friends?” he asked.
“What?” she yelled. “You kept your drug problem secret from me! Don’t put that on my shoulders!”
“Shut up, both of you!” Emmett yelled. “I don’t care about your problems. I’ve got plenty of my own to think about.”
“We all do,” Jazeen said. “It looks like we’re all in the same predicament.”
“Really? Did you meet a nice, young man upstairs?” Emmett asked.
“Yes, I did,” she said.
“He’s my son. He was only a child, maybe nine or ten, the last time I saw him! I’ve been her slave for more than a decade, and now he’s my replacement. And you know what else? It’s my fault. I helped some of her prisoners escape. Taking my son is how she’s punishing me!”
“I’m sorry,” Jazeen said softly.
“She locked me away before she sent for him, and he’s not allowed down here. Is he okay?” Emmett asked.
“He looked as though he had been crying,” she said.
Emmett nodded. “I’m not surprised.”
Angus pushed himself upright. He took a few cautious steps across the cell to the sink and splashed some water on his face. Cupping a hand, he drank.
“Jaz… I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I never wanted you to get mixed up in this. That’s why I came here. I wanted to settle things with her, so I could move forward with my life without having to hide anymore,” Angus said.
“You should have told me. Did you really think I would stay at home, hoping you would return?” she asked.
“I did, until now,” he said.
“I came to rescue you, but that didn’t turn out so well,” she said.
“It isn’t your fault. The only thing you might have been able to trade for me would be my… oh, Jaz, you didn’t bring my cumulus here, did you?”
“I might have,” she said sheepishly.
“She did. And now Venefica has it,” Emmett said.
“I’m sorry, Angus,” Jazeen said.
“What’s done is done,” Angus said.
“Yes, but now she has it and we’re all going to die, I think,” Jazeen said.
“I don’t know, maybe not,” Angus said.
“Yes, we’re all going to die,” Emmett said. “Including me.”
“There’s always hope,” Angus said.
“Not here, there isn’t,” Emmett said.
Angus had another drink of water, and then went back to the bed.
“Can’t you magic the cell doors open?” Jazeen asked.
“Yes, I probably could,” he said. “Then what?”
“Then we can escape!”
“She would stop us, and I’m too weak to counter her spells right now,” Angus said.
“Then why did you come here?” she asked.
“First of all, I didn’t plan very well. Running out of my drug was an oversight. Second, the drugs probably contributed to my decision. Finally, I didn’t come here so I could escape. I came here to end this battle between us.”
“What about me?” Jazeen asked.