The Dark Witch

by Tabitha Scott

  That startles the Princess. “You have very strong magiks. I saw you glitz blue at Jonathon. You have wings, I thought only angels had wings. But your aura is very strange, there is much darkness for an angel.”

  Hmm, how do I answer this? But I don’t have to, because Pulania jumps to my rescue.

  “Amura, is a fury, or as close to one as there is.”

  “A fury?”

  But Pulania just nods in response.

  “You’re a very strange group. You,” and she’s addressing Pulania, “seem to be very dark, whereas your young friend,” she nods to Susan, “is light.” Susan’s white aura has strengthened over the last couple of days under Pulania’s tutelage.

  The Princess turns to Gil, “And you’re a familiar, if I’m not mistaken. That’s very unusual, too.”

  “Where are our manners?” Pulania replies. “This is Gil, and she is Amura’s familiar. Amura, I’ve already introduced. This is Susan, she’s a white witch. My name is Pulania, I’m from a dark coven.”

  The Princess shifts a little uneasily in her chair, and looks to each of her guards. She might be wondering whether she’s made a mistake in talking to us.

  “But what are you doing here?” she asks Pulania.

  Pulania just laughs, “it’s like Amura said, we’re here shopping for knickers.”

  But I can tell that the Princess isn’t convinced. “We’re all related,” I explain to her. “This is a girl’s shopping day out. We didn’t know we’d find you here.”

  “Oh, but, you’re all so different, you don’t seem related. And Pulania? I know that name.”

  I lean back. “It’s from the covenant.”

  The Princess just nods. “We have a copy.”

  “Yes, in the tower,” I reply.

  Pulania leans in to speak. “We’re a very different family. That name that you know from the covenant is mine.”

  “But that would make you hundreds of years old?”

  Pulania just nods.

  “You’re the Daughter of Dust?”

  Pulania nods again.

  “No witch can live that long.”

  “No, no witch,” Pulania replies.

  The Princess straightens on her stool. Her eyes have gone back to me, if she can see my wings, then she knows we are a bit different.

  “A very strange family indeed,” she concludes. “My grandmother has ordered that we are not to harm any Fae unless they should attack. The histories of times gone by are very disturbing to us, we have been cut off from the rest of our community for centuries now. You are the first Fae I’ve ever come across.”

  “You are shunned by the surviving Fae. There is no signature on the covenant from the House of Windsor, or any of your forebears.”

  Oo, that was kinda harsh from Pulania. But Pulania lived through the burnings. She may have some very personal memories of those times, so I can’t say I blame her. Hell, I might even have some memories of those times, if I could actually remember them.

  The young Royal has gone very red in the face. “Grandmother would change that if she could.”

  Pulania, pulls back on her snippiness. “It would only take a signature on the three original covenants.”

  “But the original witnesses must be present. Otherwise a new covenant would be needed.”

  “I’m still here,” Pulania replies. “Your Grandmother’s signatures would be welcome, and would mark a true ending to the Fae wars of so long ago.”

  The Princess nods her head, “I shall pass on details of this meeting to my Grandmother. She may be well pleased. But now,” and the Princess’ gaze passes to each of us in turn, “would you like to join me for the showing?”

  Chapter 32: Awkward meet

  Oh please! You’d think Pulania had never worn knickers before… oh yeah, she hasn’t. She’s walking around awkwardly, and keeps tugging at them through her dress. I don’t know what the big deal is, they fit her really well. I think the Princess was a bit surprised that we were only buying for Pulania, but we didn’t tell her that these were Pulania’s first ones, that was a family thing. I think the girl at the fitting room was a little surprised too when we asked if Pulania could wear a pair home… and there was no old pair to be disposed of. But she didn’t say anything, which was good, because I would have hexed the heck out of her if she had.

  Like, whatevs. We organised for Gil to meet with the Raven on a semi-regular basis to keep the contact going with the Royals. It was the type of thing familiars are really good at, and Gil was practically jumping out of her own pants to volunteer. The overly-suspicious nature of Raven-boy would have ticked me off to no end, but for Gil it was just water off her back, another bit of the adventure. She was thrilled.

  “We need to get on to curing Susan’s clap,” Pulania comments. She doesn’t want to be here. She can see the white glow from the coffee shop as easily as I can, but it’s time she met Teddy.

  “I’m ignoring you, Pulania. We’re doing this.” As much because I’m in need of my caffeine fix as because it’s time I introduced my steady boyfriend to my mother. Humph, funny how that’s turned out, it’s like I really am sixteen and not a hundred and… oh, correction, hundreds of years old.

  He’s seen us coming. Hmm, he’s brought a cup of coffee to his lips, but I think it’s just to hide a sly smile. He’s not sipping. Bastard.

  “Stop smiling.” I order him when we join him at his table. Pulania is not impressed. She’s very dark and is refusing to look at Teddy.

  We wait for our coffees to come before anyone says anything. Even then it’s awkwardly silent, well, I’m not going to be the one to break this little standoff. I’m enjoying my coffee.

  “Humph, alright then, since you’re not going to say anything.” Pulania gives me the evil eye. “I’m Pulania.” And much to her credit Pulania puts out her hand to Teddy.

  Teddy spills his coffee, he’s so much taken by surprise. “I’m Theodore Master,” Teddy replies, after he’s wiped the coffee from his lap, and then he offers his hand to Pulania. And, oh my god, there was a nervous tremor in Teddy’s voice, isn’t that adorable?

  “Well there. That’s done.” Pulania says after shaking his hand, and she starts to get up to leave… the bitch.

  “Sit down. You don’t get out of this that easily.” I tell her as coldly as I can.

  “You’re a real angel?” Susan asks.

  Clearly Teddy is a bit uncomfortable about that question. But then he smirks. “Card carrying.”

  And he whips a card out from his shirt pocket and hands it to Susan. She takes it and seems very impressed. What the shizz has he got on that card? “Wait a second, let me see that.”

  Theodore Master, Angel extraordinaire, in charge of wayward daughters of Gaea, and Furies.

  “What the feck?” I hand the card to Pulania. Her eyes go wide.

  “The big guy has appointed me. It’s official.” And he’s pointing upward.

  Gil takes the card, and now she’s smiling. “Hang on, let me see that again.”

  Theodore Master, Angel extraordinaire, in charge of wayward daughters of Gaea, Furies and their familiars.

  “Oh, now you’re just making things up as you go.”

  Master shrugs.

  “So… you’ve been bonking my daughter.”

  The coffee I’d been sipping just snorts out through my nose. That’s it Pulania, straight to the point.

  “Still a grey area is it?” Pulania adds for good measure.

  “We have our own angel!” Susan expels enthusiastically to Gil. Gil seems just as excited.

  Theodore has chosen not to react to Pulania, and is smiling at Gil and Susan. Pulania isn’t letting it go though, she’s looking very darkly at Master, waiting for an answer.

  After a bit he sighs, I think he’s realised he can’t avoid it. “Well, neither Amura nor I are virgins exactly. We’ve both been with others.”

  “Yeah, I tried to kill him, but he wouldn’t stay dead.” It was true, I’d tried bla
sting him to pieces a few times, but to no obvious affect.

  He’s smiling at me as though my trying to kill him is endearing, or something. Ah, that’s so cute. Well, it’s not as though I can hurt him. He is an angel.

  “She’s also got an angel heritage, she’s part angel. So there’s a sort of logic to our relationship from that side of things.”

  “Humph, I guess so.” Pulania concedes. “How is Samael, anyway?”

  “Colder than even you in regards the situation between Amura and I.”

  “Really?” Pulania actually perks up at that. Bitch. “I always loved that dude, now I remember why. We think a lot alike.”

  “Yeah, a bit like Amura and I.” Teddy, needles. Oh, look I’ve just got to take his arm for that. He’s sitting beside me so I wrap my arm in his and we look adoringly in each other’s eyes. If it had been anyone other than us I would be gagging right now.

  “Oh please,” Pulania says.

  “I think they look really cute together,” Susan springs to our aid. Well there you go, even a lemon-sucking bitch can be useful sometimes.

  Pulania just slapped my other arm for that thought. “Be nice, Amura.”

  “Ouch. Thanks, Susan.”

  “Does this mean there might be little angels running around at some stage.” And that’s just ruined everything. Well done, Susan. I pull my arm away from Teddy.

  “Have you checked?” Master asks me in a whisper from the side of his mouth.

  “Not yet,” I whisper back, “no time.”

  Gil and Susan both look really disappointed by my reaction. I think Pulania actually perked up a bit.

  “I was pregnant with Amura for about five decades.”

  “Holy shit, you’re kidding?” I say.

  Oh crap, the look of panic I just gave has given the game away.

  “Ooooh.” Is Pulania’s only reaction, but a second later she breaks the awkward moment that’s just occurred. “Hmmm, imagine giving birth to a baby who already knew two languages, and had a grasp of sarcasm.”

  “Does this mean wedding bells?”

  Gil. Thank you, Gil. Like I really need that put out there.

  “No.” Both Teddy and I answer in unison, and then we actually look at each other in surprise.

  “Like what the feck, dude! Aren’t I good enough for you?”

  “Relax Amura, Samael couldn’t marry me either, it’s an angel thing. They’re all having a semi-incestuous relationship with God. They’re not able to marry.” Pulania puts in.

  “Sorry Amura, and it’s not semi-incestuous, but we’ve passed the veil. We’re technically dead. Marriage in this world is only condoned for the living. But what the hey! Aren’t I good enough for you?”

  “Oh don’t get all uppty on me. You know it’s the good versus evil thing. It’d cramp my evil reputation big time having an angel husband.”

  “Well, I’m glad you have a ‘good’ reason.” Did he just roll his eyes at me?

  “Hey, that’s a perfectly good reason. Every bit as good as ‘I’m dead’. You didn’t seem so dead the other day when you were at my place.”

  “Awkward,” Gil intones.

  “Lovers tif. Happens all the time in real life. Get used to it Gil, your time will come,” Pulania advises.

  But I’ve had enough. “I’m still really pissed off at you for Mrs. Lesley. And for how I found out about Pulania.” I’m getting up, it’s time to leave.

  “I’m sorry, Amura. What happened with Mrs. Lesley?”

  “She’s dead, you little shit.” I could be knocked up with his kid and the bugger won’t even marry me. I don’t need this.

  I’m all in tears and I’m outta here.

  Chapter 33: The lab

  I just left them all. I would have gone back to my home, but I don’t have one any more. The old garden was burned worse than I’d hoped for, there really isn’t anything left. Even my weeping willows are gone. I sat myself down under an old oak that had been a ways back from the house, at the entrance to the magikal path. I used to climb it from time to time when I was younger. It was an old familiar friend.

  It was Gil that found me. She just sat beside me and gave me a hug. We didn’t say anything for ages.

  There’s a few rooms in the basement of the school where they keep the pregnant girls. “I guess I’ll probably be spending the next 50 years in the school basement.”

  “Yeah. But if you study hard you can still graduate and go on to college.”

  I give Gil, a swift swipe to her arm. She knows I’ve already got several ‘college’ degrees. That’s University degrees, to me. I love Gil. Despite being American, she’s got a very British sense of humor.

  “Are you done feeling sorry for yourself yet?”

  “Yeah, I guess so. It’d be hard to be depressed for the next 50 years.” Though I might still give that a try.

  “He loves you, you know. We could all tell.”

  The bastard.

  “Pulania wants you to help her with Susan. She’s gone to your lab with her.”

  “My lab? What’s wrong with hers?”

  “Well, apparently, her labs financials weren’t too good. Her university closed things down two days ago. She’s locked out.”

  “Holy crap!” I hadn’t realised things were that bad. I’m on my feet like a shot.

  “Yeah, I think she’s been pretty down about it. Two or three of Stirling University’s administrators have apparently gone missing. I don’t think they’re coming back, though she’s ‘saying’ she just sent them to some South American slum somewhere. If it weren’t for some of the other stuff that’s been happening, I think she would have lost it totally.”

  “Oh, that explains some of the bitchiness.”

  “Well, yeah.” Gil just kicked me in the shin. “Get with the program. We’ve got to get back to saving the world. No time for self-pity here.”

  “Ow, yeah well, cut me some slack. Imagine a decade or more of morning sickness.”

  “Oh, yeah, bummer, and you do seem more emotional. You should really find out for sure.”

  Humph, that’s not likely right now, and it’s not as though I’ll be giving birth any time soon anyway.

  “Okay,” I stretch out from sitting against my tree. My tree. I don’t have a home anymore, but I have tree. That’s sort of comforting. I have a tree all to myself. “Thanks tree.” I’m not going to hug it… dark witch, remember. Or, whatever I am.

  I crack my knuckles, “Okay, clap, viruses, bacteria, some mother sucking bitch has taken over my lab. Got it.”

  ***

  I think Gil is a bit shocked. “What? Don’t you like my day time, nerdie lab person persona?”

  “Your cleavage is showing almost to your naval.” Americans are so conservative, it’s at least a couple of inches higher than my naval.

  “But it’s a really pretty print dress. See?” I pose for Gil. She’s never actually been with me to my day time job before, but I learnt a long time ago, that there are two things that really get you by when you want to be taken seriously as a female scientist. No safety pin piercings (or anything else too outlandish) and cleavage. Oh, cleavage and a coquettish smile, but that might actually be three things.

  We enter the front of the building. I’ve never really liked this building it’s a concrete monstrosity from the 1970s. One day it will get concrete cancer and die, and that will be a good thing. Oh, there’s that guard I hexed the other day! I wave to him, all enthusiastic like. I’ve got to talk to him.

  I go up to the front desk with Gil in tow, it’s protocol to sign in a visitor anyway. “Hey, Bernard. Gee, you’ve lost a bit of weight.” That was an understatement, the guy was a shadow of his former self. “You know, I don’t think anything slipped out from that little emergency we had the other day, but you can never be sure in a place like this. Better safe than sorry.”

  “Yeah, I’ve gotta agree with that, I don’t know what I had, but I never want to go through anything like that again. I’m sure
it was something from here.”

  Even on the tightest rung of his belt, Bernard still has to hold up his pants. He must have lost some fifty pounds. I quickly sign in Gil, and organise a long term pass to be put through the system, then we head for the under-bowels of the concrete castle.

  “Centre of Virus Manufacture, Hatchesput Coven.” Gil reads at the entrance to the labs. “Noice, but how do you get away with that?”

  “It’s magikal, Gil, ordinary people don’t see the sign.”

  “Ah.” Gil mouths, and we go in.

  “I hope you’ve been nice to my favourite lab tech, Pulania,” I yell out. “But not too nice,” I whisper to myself.

  “Josh and I have been getting along quite well, I’ll have you know.” Pulania emerges from the side lab that Josh likes to hide in, but she has a lab coat on and is all business.

  “Do you mind?” she asks.

  “No.” I know what she means, she’s taken over a bit until I reappeared. It’s a territory thing. But we’ll be fine so long as she doesn’t ruffle my feathers. Huh, that saying has a different meaning when you actually have wings.

  “Did you get the culture results from your lab?”

  She’s grimacing. “Yes, just. The results have been uploaded to your computer system, but we’ve started some more culture samples to work with the antigens.”

  That makes perfect sense to me. “Josh!”

  “Yes, Dr. Moore.”

  “Moore?” Pulania silently mouths at me. I shrug. Yeah well, Roger Moore, what can I say, I’m a big fan. OO7 and all.

  “How have you been holding up?”

  Oh my god he’s actually looking at me. “I’m fine Dr. Moore, thanks for sending me to that, err, ah, healer. It made a big difference to my life.”

  “Oh. Well, you’re welcome Josh, but I was talking about the cultures.”

  ***

  We pretty much lived in the labs thereafter. Susan and Arden were there as well, having samples taken etc. It was hard on us all. The two day time girls had left. I hadn’t realised the funding I’d used to pay them had run out. Josh was on a separate grant. So it was really only Pulania, myself and Josh doing the leg work. But after ten days of ignoring the rest of the world…