by Pam Uphoff
The Dark Side of the Moon
Pam Uphoff
Copyright © 2015 Pamela Uphoff
All Rights Reserved
ISBN
978-1-939746-14-6
This is a work of fiction.
All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional.
Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Books by Pam Uphoff
Except from "Beauty and the Thief"
Chapter One
Spring Equinox 1397
Karista, capital city of the Kingdom of the West
"I need an awesome haircut and style for a date tonight." Heliotrope eyed the blonde beautician hopefully. Where have I seen her before?
Beige looked over and laughed. "Are you still wasting your time chasing Xen?"
Heliotrope sent an annoyed glance her way. "No! I got over my stupid crush. I'm dating one of the guys in the computer lab."
"Oh you and your stupid machines!" Yoderite looked around at the beautician. "Tressa, try to make her look intelligent, I think half the men she works with barely notice she's female."
The Tressa person was a tall blonde beauty, herself. With glow.
Probably a poorly trained witch. Maybe she's a stray who's been to Ash for a few lessons. I probably saw her there.
"Of course." Tressa stepped back and eyed Heliotrope. "Hmm, you need a bit more thickness to your hair, and some judicious trimming, but really, you don't want to do too much with such lovely long hair. Let me show you."
Yoderite rolled her eyes. "So does this man have a name?"
"Asti Througus . . . Lord Asti, umm, Doctor Througus."
"Oh really! Helio, he'll drop you like a shot as soon as he realizes you have a baby. Not that you act like you do. I suppose you left that poor baby all bubbled up back on the island?"
"Yes, of course. Half the babies we've ever birthed or adopted are there. Now that Dad's calmed down, I suppose we could either go fetch them . . . or move back in. But I'm not going to think about that, right now." She leaned forward to let the beautician wrap her up in a sheet.
Beige sniffed. "Well, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet, myself. I can't understand the witches who actually adopt babies. Who wants more?"
Heliotrope ignored her and watched in the mirror as the beautician got to work with comb and scissors. An alarming amount of hair flew, before she was sent off for a shampoo.
Then Tressa summoned up a brisk wind and brushed her hair while it blew in the breeze and dried quickly. It settled into a shapely smooth shimmering fall of pale blonde.
"That is terrific."
A smug smile. "Thank you. Now really, you ought to run next door to your sister's dress store. But not her signature purple. Look for contrast, look at what flatters your complexion."
Tressa turned away to nod approvingly at the young man dealing with Beige's mop of curly strawberry blonde hair.
Beyond her, Yoderite was getting highlights, streaks of paler blonde through her dark blonde hair. "But don't worry, Helio, we won't tell his lordship you have a bastard daughter."
Heliotrope shrugged a shoulder. "By the local conventions--witches do not marry—she is legitimate. And anyway, it's not like I'm going to marry him. Azure has caused enough of a scandal as it is."
A servant stepped forward with a little candy and the bill on a silver salver. Heliotrope savored the bit of chocolate and reached for her purse.
"I think I will step over and see what Sandy is up to, this week. I doubt she's capable of sewing something I'd be caught dead in." Heliotrope added a generous tip and left her sisters still being beautified.
Sandy's shop was locked, so she just eyed dresses that . . . well, they were gorgeous. But totally wicked. She wandered further . . . the tea shop at the other end of the strip of shops was occupied by familiar faces.
"Emerald! I heard you'd moved to the city. I didn't know where, though."
Emerald was only a year older than her, an Ash witch she'd had occasional lessons with as a young child. But Emerald had never grasped power, and left Ash when she turned eighteen.
"Gosh! Has it really been six years?"
Her sister Sandy snorted. "You've been gone for most of the time Emerald's been here."
"I tried Rip Crossing, first." For once the witch naming scheme had gotten something right. Emerald's dark beauty was accented by brilliant green eyes. "Didn't suit, but I dug up enough gold to set up here in style and cover expenses until I was making enough money to live on."
Jani nodded. "And I was making jewelry out there, but, well, there's no market out there."
Jani was Blue Jay, by witch conventions. The result of a rape, just like my daughter. And even more rejected, adopted by a Rip Crossing farmer.
Heliotrope raised her eyebrows. "Is that your jewelry store next door?"
"Yep. Emerald hosts the young business women's business forum—just about every afternoon." Jani giggled. "This early in the day, there aren't many window shoppers to entice in to see the jewelry. "
Sandy nodded. "Weird or not, The Beautiful Woman does bring a whole bunch of women close enough that a few of them notice us."
Heliotrope blinked. "Weird? I thought they were a bit snooty, but . . ." She touched her hair.
Emerald crinkled her nose. "All the men who work there look alike, and the women are like a display of every kind of beauty, but they all act the same, say the same sorts of things. There's no real conversation there."
Heliotrope snickered. "You make them sound like trained circus animals."
Jani sniffed. "Maybe they are."
Emerald frowned and leaned closer to the window. "Sandy, this man just leaped out of his curricle and I think he may be kissing your window."
"Business! Money!" Sandy hustled out.
Jani caught the door and held it open so they could hear.
Heliotrope leaned against the window and peered. Sandy had paused, and if the man wasn't kissing her window, he certainly seemed entranced by it.
Sandy's shoulders straightened. "Good afternoon, sir. May I help you?" Very businesslike tones.
The man stepped back from the window, blushing a bit, and stiffening.
"Could I interest you in a present for your wife?"
Heliotrope frowned. Where have I seen him before?
"If I had a wife, you would be her dressmaker, I assure you!" The man relaxed a bit, and the excellent tailoring of his suit finally registered. The dignified lines were ruined by the overly lacy shirt and the pink lace hanky in the breast pocket. "Please, that beautiful brocade, tell me you have enough left for a vest." He looked wistful and harmless.
Sandy beamed at him. "Let me check my cloth room. I'm Sandy Hell, owner of the Wicked Witch."
"Call me Franki."
Of course. Prince Franki Negue. I think Sandy is about to add men's vests to her product line.
The three eavesdroppers exchanged grins and slid out to sneak peeks
at Sandy bringing out all of her brocades, taking commissions for three vests and selling Prince Franki three pairs of gloves and every purple hanky in the store.
Chapter Two
Spring 1397
Karista, Kingdom of the West
Sister of the Halfmoon Teri Zenithdaut—not that she'd ever actually used the name of the mother who'd given her away at birth— was fast approaching something that could only be called filthy rich. As "Lady Tressa" she ran this single establishment personally, and made all the various elixirs herself. They didn't spread like the Wine did. She was missing something, but once she'd thought about it, she realized that was a good thing. No one could steal her elixirs and set themselves up in business. They had to come to her for the creams and potions. They had to kiss her feet, or depending on how handsome they were, other parts of her anatomy. It was fun, in a tepid way. She rather missed the New Lands where she'd been free to experiment.
Here in Karista, she'd been living in a tiny little house, but she had just bought—under a different false name—a larger place. A place she could . . . do things she didn't want to have associated with the beauty shop.
Not that I'm going to keep this up too much longer. Too much work, even for the fun of being snooty to the sorts of people who used to look down on me. I've got enough money now to do anything I want. She eyed the staff, but she had them perfectly trained. She really ought not play with them.
Perhaps she should work over some horses. She'd made a lot of money with her last batch of improved horses. Would people pay for really fancy effects? Unusual colors? Horses were so constraining, though. They had to be able to move well and carry weight. Not like a dog. A fancy dog didn't have to do anything but charm his owners. She eyed Lady Howar's two quivering hair balls.
She needed to get some and start experimenting.
She stepped out of the shop and walked down to the dress store. That Sandy had some odd ideas about beauty . . .
"Sandy, dear? Did I hear you say you needed a home for some puppies? I have four clients who need dogs, and I said I'd ask. Are they very big?"
"Oh, they'll probably be fairly big when they grow up. It's hard to say, the father is sort of medium, and really _cute_. He does tricks and things."
"Perfect! Do you think you could bring some by tomorrow?"
"Heavens, if you'll actually take them, I'll run home and get them now. Males or females?"
"Oh dear. How about three of each?"
"Deal!" The little witch was turning her 'open' sign around as she spoke.
Excellent. She could experiment and make the cutest little dogs imaginable. It would be fun.
She strolled back through the salon. Tressa smiled at a long time client. Pathetic woman, one of the middle class ones.
"Leanna, you look spectacular! Your hair has responded to the treatment superbly, it's coming in thick. Your skin is looking so young!"
The woman smiled wistfully, "I could lose a few more pounds, though, don't you think?"
"Umm, do you know, I'm trying a new energizing elixir. I suspect that your muscles will firm right up and that little extra will just disappear. Let me check the price list. This is so new." She made a play of flipping to the end of her little book. She'd gotten a dose of this new stuff from the Temple of Love. The fools were giving it away free, and if she didn't hustle, they'd undercut her business horribly. "The ingredients aren't too expensive. A thousand royals will cover the three doses."
One advantage of being a witch with no scruples at all was knowledge of how much money the clients could lay their hands on.
Leanna Janic winced. "My husband complains about how much I spend." She looked in the mirror. Tressa had delivered everything she'd said she would. "But Lester was so complimentary . . . "
Stupid, stupid woman. She'd dump her husband anytime now, and quickly discover that the boyfriend wouldn't marry her, and had no means to support her. But deep down the woman knew her husband didn't love her, didn't trust her. Stayed with her for the children. Pathetic.
"Why don't I pencil you in tentatively for next week? A complimentary massage with the first dose."
That perked her up. All the girls knew how to chat up the clients. They had wonderful long chats, just us girls, and all the secrets they spilled! And they never, ever, leaked. Not the way Tressa controlled her staff. Sometimes she wondered if this sort of thing was all the social life these women had.
Sandy popped in with a big box, waved and ran away.
Teri could see why. The pups were cute, but big and getting bigger. She patted Lady Howar's dogs, getting gene samples while she cooed over the cute little doggies. Then Duchess Jola Bois walked in with her poodles, and she got a sample from them as well. This should be fun!
She had one of the shop boys carry the box of puppies home.
She ushered Leanna out, personally, and turned happily back to survey the salon. Business was booming, but nothing that needed her special attention. She nodded in satisfaction and slipped out the little house, and up to the back room. Her little sanctum, with her shelves full of elixirs, carefully labeled for the intended recipient. Ah! The things she'd like to do to some people. . . She'd have to think up something appropriate for that pathetic Leanna one of these days. She'd been pretty pathetic herself, a long time ago. Maybe Leanna could have a similar transformation. She giggled at the thought. Turn her into me.
***
She stayed up late experimenting, making tiny changes to a huge number of spells.
She sighed. She'd probably never give this potion to the foolish Leanna . . . but it was fun to think about it.
She labeled it Leanna Janic, and set it on the shelf beside the other potions. "Some day, when I'm finally fed up, I'll give these people their potions." Her eyes drifted to the two bottles labeled Quicksilver and Xenotime. "And then I'll take a long vacation, a long way away from here. Away from them."
***
And back to the shop, midmorning. The usual routine. Nose in air, chatting to more stupid women. Pity the shop had started so low on the social pole. Now that I'm attracting the rich and the titled, I ought not let these merchant's wives be associated with The Beautiful Woman.
And here were some other people she didn't want associated with the shop, either. In fact, she had really hoped she'd never see them again.
"Jade! Old Gods, I thought I must be the only one who escaped." Tressa enjoyed the witch's expression as Jade took in the new Teri.
Rippling blonde hair, angelic face, clear fresh skin, unbelievable figure, long elegant legs.
"Teri?"
"I prefer . . . Oh, it doesn't matter, Teri is fine. Smokey, Sunset how good to see you again! And this young lady must be Betelgeuse." She smiled. You don't need to know much about me. She tsked over the trio's appearance. Definitely showing the wear and tear. "It looks like you three need the full treatment. But let's do this elsewhere." While I decide whether to stay in Karista and get rich . . . or go back to satisfying other desires.
She led them off through the city to the new house. Just in case I need to . . . get them out of my life forever. Still sparsely furnished. But she had enough of her chemicals and potions here for this.
Five hours later, Jade was a pale, pale blonde with green eyes. The Black Widow studied her figure—taller and less lush—in the mirror and nodded her satisfaction. "No one will recognize me. Excellent."
Smokey was living up to her name, with ash blonde hair and gray eyes. Sunset had deep red hair and amber eyes.
Even little Betelgeuse had gotten a few changes. Just hair and eye color, for now, as Jade had plans that involved the girl recruiting a couple of friends to plump out their pyramid.
"Wren, Xema and Zenaida must be ripe to advance. Wouldn't it be fun to have your friends here with you?" Jade asked her daughter.
"It makes practicing fun when you've got buddies to goof off with." Smokey told her, swapping grins with Sunset.
Teri hadn't had all that many friends—so
me of the other girls had tried to include her, though. Quicksilver and Ibis. But even Quicksilver had finally given up on her. And now nasty little Teri was rich and beautiful.
"I really ought to pick up my daughter. Whatever . . . oh yes, Wavelength, absurd name. She must be about four. Or five. And I've got a two year old boy bubbled up, until I have time for him. And a baby girl."
Smokey frowned. "Do you have any idea what they did with our daughters? They kidnapped them!"
Teri narrowed her eyes. "I have to be careful not to give myself away, when I chat with the Karista Bay witches. Beige and Yoderite did say something about babies abandoned in bubbles. Lord Hell is doing something strange and most of the witches have run away. I wonder if your babies are there? This might be the perfect time to slip in and find out. But how to check which babies are which?"
"We'll know, when we touch them." Sunset was looking hungry.
"Good thing I have a big house." Teri broke off as Jade shook her head.
"We have a corridor to our very own island in the South Cific. All we need is a safe place to open it."
I wonder if they can open gates? I haven't been able to alone, but with a triad . . .
"Let's put it in a back room. I don't have any servants yet, so it doesn't really matter. But it probably ought to be out of sight."
Jade removed an insubstantial something from her bag and pulled wide the opening of a corridor. She tacked it to the wall, and stepped through. Betelgeuse bounced through after her and Teri followed. She was standing on a smooth dark rock shelf with a view over a beach of black sand and white surf to the deep blue ocean. A few palm trees framed the scenery. Turning, she surveyed the volcanic peak of the island and the dense tropical forest beyond the rock shelf. By the sun it was mid-morning, not the late afternoon they'd left in Karista. They must be about a quarter of the way around the World.
"Nice. How did you get a corridor out here?"
"I compelled a fisherman to bring me out here." Jade frowned around the area. "We really do need to build a house. I don't suppose you know how to build?"