The girl’s accent is at least a century older than her looks, maybe two. Dark magiks for a dark coven.
“Where is your coven head?” Pulania is straight to the point.
The girl shifts uneasily, she must suspect a showdown, any merger of two dark covens is sure to result in a few deaths.
“She be here shortly so,” is all she offers as she turns toward the pubs back room.
“Should we have let her go?” I ask, as the girl disappears. “I mean, she could get some of her cronies. We could end up fighting more than we counted on.”
“No, there’s etiquette in such things. She’ll warn her coven head, but it should be her versus me, nothing more. If there are any others, they’re yours to handle, that’s your role as my number two.”
“Oh, so we’re going for duelling protocol?”
“Pretty much.”
“That’s a bit medieval, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
We wait another while, the same girl delivers our fish and chips.
“She’ll be here soon.” She lets us know, but instead of retreating to the back room, she props herself up at the end of the almost empty bar, watching us. I guess she’ll have a front row seat.
I take note of the old hardwood, and the crumpled cable to the music speakers that would have worked a few years or more ago. I need to be aware of all that surrounds me, the dark corners and old wooden booths. There’s only Pulania and I, the barkeep whose slowly drying a set of glasses while watching us, and the young thing staring at us from behind the bar. Looking at their auras the girl is of medium power, and the barkeep has a bit of power too. Not surprising, magiks attract magiks.
The moment of peace we have to finish our meal and order a second pint (which both Pulania and I surreptitiously check for poison) is only an illusion. It doesn’t take long for it to all go sideways. A haggard old women, she looks like she’d been living rough on the streets, enters the bar. The bar tender has a Guinness ready for her. She sits on a stool watching us.
Taking my queue, I move to a seat at the back of the pub where I can see everything and everyone. This is between Pulania and the old hag. I just need to kill anyone who interferes. Oh, and everyone, if Pulania should actually lose.
When the old woman downs her Guinness she slams the glass down. “Let’s do this!”
Blasts scream out from both sides of the match. The old woman goes to ground behind the end of the bar farthest from the young dark witch. Pulania sends out a hell storm of lightning bolts, one after another, as she stands and walks her way toward where the old coven head has taken cover. There, rounding the corner, her finger tips filled with power, Pulania hesitates as she looks down at her rival.
“Well, that’s not right,” Pulania comments.
Curiosity gets the better of me. Keeping an eye on the smirk that has erupted on the young witch across from me, I move to Pulania’s side so that I can see what she can.
There on the floor is the old coven head, her eyes wide open, a white drool down the side of her mouth. Not one of the lightning bolts had hit her, but she was already dead.
“I guess we’ll be able to go join the hop on bus in a few minutes,” Pulania deadpans.
Chapter 6: Undue considerations
Pulania and I are both staring suspiciously down the end of the bar, toward the barkeep and the young witch beside him. But like, whatever.
“How often does the hop on bus come near here?” My eyes don’t distract from the couple while I ask Pulania.
“Leaves every ten minutes.” Pulania’s eyes don’t stray either.
“How long should it take for Samael to arrive?” I ask Pulania.
She looks around, and I can see there’s question in her eyes. “He should already be here, can’t you see him?”
I shake my head, I’m still watching the witch down the end.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Pulania.”
“You’re not even looking.”
“No, I’m watching the witch and the barkeep, but if he were here I’d feel him. He’s not here.”
“That can’t be right, whenever a soul dies Samael must be there.”
“Maybe he’s busy with someone else’s death.”
“There’s always multiple deaths. Dozens of people die every second, that doesn’t mean a thing to Samael. If a soul has died he must come, where is he?”
The young witch down the end giggles at that.
“What’s so funny?” I snarl at her. I can tell she just gulped. Her aura is radiating fear now too. “What’s so funny?” I repeat.
“Samara didn’t have a soul, she sold her soul long ago, bargained it away for magikal power and extended life,” the young witch blurts.
“Oh damn,” Pulania ejaculates. “I should have thought of that. Well, this was a waste.” She stands above the body than blasts it several times so that it’s only body parts that are left.
“Hatchesput wanted a horrible death. There’s that, at least.”
We’re back to staring at the two down the end of the bar. Did they both just kill the Irish coven head? We need this to look like a horrible death. “Maybe we should off them. If they blab people will know it wasn’t a horrible death. That poison was pretty quick.”
Pulania folds her arms. “Yeah, what was the point of that? The old biddy didn’t stand a chance against me anyway.”
“I… I didn’t know that. I thought you’d be grateful.” The little witch is shrinking back from us.
“Humph, your lack of confidence isn’t exactly endearing. What about the barkeep? He must of helped you.”
I stare at the barkeep for a second, his aura has been surprisingly mute, and he has a faraway look in his eyes. “He’s under compulsion. He probably has no idea what he’s doing.” I’m actually a little surprised at that, this little witch must have more power than I thought, the barkeep has magik of his own and should have been able to fight off a normal compulsion.
Pulania steps toward the young witch. “Well, that leaves only you then.”
“I… I won’t say anything. I just wanted her dead. A soulless leader isn’t much chop for anything, I was her administrator, it was a horrible job under her. I just thought…”
“That the change in management might result in some advancement for yourself?” Pulania finishes for her.
Pulania and I look at each other with raised eyebrows.
“What do you think?” Pulania asks.
“Your call, but we do need to replenish our numbers, offing members of the Irish coven before we even start doesn’t really help with that.”
“I suppose you’re right about that,” Pulania answers. “Do you still have a soul?” she asks the little witch.
There’s a nod in reply.
“Well then, if things don’t turn out, you might be useful for something.” Oh, Pulania, that’s an evil thought. She means that we can kill her to call Samael if needed.
“Is it time for the hop on bus?” I ask.
“Give me a minute.”
A sly smile has come across Pulania’s face, as she goes down to the end of the bar, pulling the much surprised dark witch into a booth, and ordering a beer for each of them.
Okay, I can see where this going. Well, maybe not, but I may as well order another beer as well. Hmm, actually, the poison that took out the coven head was served by the barkeep. I’ll just help myself.
“Move over,” I order him as my eyes glitz to emphasize that I’m not in the mood for argument. There’s trepidation behind those glazed eyes as he backs away from me. After pulling myself another pint of Kilkenny, I set myself up at a booth near the door, I have a solid stone wall at my back, so I’m comfortable with that.
Pulania and the little witch are doing all sorts of smiling and conniving. I’m not jealous, honest I’m not, but ficketty feck they’re taking their time. Oh, this is so boring. Maybe I can turn Dublin around by releasing a new virus here. I mean, it’s just goi
ng the wrong way. Too much prosperity. Maybe I can use Guinness as a delivery system. It would go international, the possibilities are mind boggling, but just as my little day-dream gets some serious consideration, Pulania finishes up with the little Irish bitch. Humph, bout time.
“We can go now,” Pulania comments as she brushes past me toward the door.
I scoff the last of my beer. Like really? “What was all that about?”
“I’m taking a leaf out of Hatchesput’s book. Guinness tour?”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” It might give me some ideas about my new plan.
Chapter 7: Evil doing: unlimited
We’re about to go out from the pub, when I pull Pulania back. I can feel that something is wrong on the other side of the door.
“Someone’s waiting for us,” I tell her.
“Not someone good, I take it?”
“Is there a backdoor to this place?” I ask the little witch, but before she can answer Pulania pulls me back.
“It’ll be fun.” The look on Pulania’s face is vaguely manic.
“Yeah, so why do I want to risk my life on whatever’s out there?”
“Hmm, killjoy.”
“is there a backdoor?” I ask the girl again, but she’s shaking her head. “What sort of witch hang out doesn’t have a backdoor? This is bullshit.” And then it occurs to me, it actually is.
“Okay bitch, until the count of five to spill the beans on whose payroll you’re on. One… two… three…” My humour is gone, and the little witch better cough up an answer or she’s history. There’s no way this place doesn’t have another way out, the reason she’s lying to us is obvious.
“Seelies!” she yells out.
“What?” Pulania and I intone.
“Seelies,” she repeats.
We look at each other. “Oh, no problem then.”
I think about it for all of a second before I have to agree. “No, no problem at all.”
We both head out the door, we’re ready for an initial attack, but we know it’s likely to turn our way.
“Pulania, Amura. What are my two favourite ladies doing here?”
It’s Jimmy, the head of the Seelie army, and Pulania’s sometime boyfriend. I look back and watch the jaw of the little Irish dark witch drop open before the door closes behind us. Explanations will be needed later… from her.
“Oh, you know, killing some of our own, the usual,” Pulania answers. There’s a teasing lilt to her voice, she’s flirting with him.
I think there are about a dozen Seelie soldiers hanging back from us. If need be, I think I can take them all out. I have my obsidian blade already in hand, it’s one of only a couple of magikal relics that can actually kill a Seelie… and they know it. I can see the fear in their eyes.
“Magikal killing in this city is something we frown upon, Pulania.”
“Dear, dear. I was wondering why things seemed so good here, especially with a dark coven calling this home. Is this some sort of deal struck?”
Jimmy has gone very quiet. He need not answer, Pulania has hit the nail on the head.
“And who would this little deal have been with?”
“Ahh, Lassie, that need not concern you,” Jimmy answers.
“No, it doesn’t.” Pulania’s eyes have narrowed and her voice is almost threatening. “Any evil doing we do here is not part of whatever deals you’ve done, Jimmy.”
The Seelie army leader is looking very uncomfortable. He knows he hasn’t got nearly enough men to enforce us to do anything we don’t want to do.
“Ah, let’s go inside, and have a wee beer, lassie, afternoon discussions are always better when allies sit down across from each other with a friendly drink between them.”
“Oh, we’re allies now, are we? That’s very formal of you, Jimmy.”
I’ll say, they’ve shared a bed together. This whole conversation is a bit stilted. Weren’t we the darlings of the Seelie court just a few weeks ago when we recovered the ruby slippers and brought back their Ruby Queen? Short memories.
Jimmy has pushed the door open and is beckoning us in. His soldiers are staying well clear, which is just as well.
“Mind the body parts,” I tell Jimmy as he almost slips in a pool of blood.
“Yes, well, about this little incident, that might be what we have to talk about. And who might this have been, anyway?”
“Ex-head of the local dark coven,” Pulania smiles.
“Bit of a mess,” he comments.
“She had to die horribly,” I reply. “That equates to mess.”
We take a booth in the back. Jimmy indicates beers all around to the barkeep, but I still don’t trust the two on the other side of the room, so despite feeling a bit lightheaded from the beer I’ve already had I pop up to act as barmaid.
“I’ll get those for us.” I can tell that Jimmy is a little surprised, but he doesn’t comment.
“We had an agreement with the woman you just killed,” he pipes up instead. Neither Pulania nor I comment. We don’t say anything until I’ve brought back the beers and we’ve all taken a sip.
Then, finally, Pulania answers, “That’s rather inconvenient for you.”
“Aye, it would appear so,” he eyes Pulania from above the pint he had drawn to his lips.
“This town should be a bit more decrepit looking with a dark coven operating in its midst. So would this agreement have something to do with not casting dark magiks in Dublin?”
“Aye, it would.”
“And did our little duel tick over some indicators that dark magiks were being used?”
“Aye, it did.”
“Pity that,” I add, as we all take another sip. “One of those indicators wouldn’t be the little witch across the way, would it?”
Jimmy doesn’t answer my question, but we already knew the answer to that one, I just wanted to make sure he knew that we knew, or something like that.
“Care to share why this little agreement has been put in place?” Pulania asks. “I don’t remember the Seelies being so particular about who does what-how in the past. You’re virtually acting as magikal police. That’s not something you’ve ever done before.”
I guess Pulania would know, she has centuries of magikal knowledge behind her. Jimmy is moving uncomfortably in his seat.
“Pluses and minuses, lassie. Balances must be kept.”
“Balances? It’s a big world Jimmy, it balances itself out pretty well as far as I can tell. Why do you need to keep this little corner clean?”
But Jimmy is clamming up on us. He’s not going to tell us, I can see that.
“It would be best for all if the agreement were maintained,” he says sullenly. There’s a level of seriousness to his voice. I look over at the little witch whose watching from over near the bar, but she just shrugs her shoulders at me, she doesn’t know anything useful either. I can see curiosity in her aura.
Pulania puts her hand over his. “But we have no reason to do that, Jimmy. We’re not bound by whatever deals you’ve made here, and you have no real way of policing us like you did this coven, we’re not pushovers like they are. There’s no real limit to what evil doing we may do here.”
Jimmy’s face is going red. “What do you want, Pulania?”
“The Unseelie King.”
Chapter 8: Dublin Castle
“Absolutely not. Think of something else.”
“But, Jimmy, there’s nothing else I need.” Pulania is drawing her hand down the side of his face. “I already have you when I need you, what else could a magikly inclined girl want?”
“It’s impossible, Pulania. Think of something else.”
Pulania is getting up. I guess it’s time to go. “The hop on bus is waiting, Amura. Let’s go.” Ooo, there’s frost in her tone! If I were Jimmy, I’d think twice.
Then she turns back to him. “Talk to your cousin, Áine. See what she thinks, but I want the Unseelie King. He can chill in my dungeon where I know he won’t cause any trouble.”
Jimmy’s face is much redder now than it was a moment before, but there’s not much he can do to stop us.
“I have an idea about some more evil doing,” I tell Pulania. “I’m thinking that Guinness might be a good delivery spectrum for a new virus.” I’m talking loud enough to make sure that Jimmy can hear. If he wants to protect this town, then I can put a lot of pressure on him. “We should do the Guinness tour so that we can sort out the details.”
We’re almost to the door, before he collapses.
“Wait!”
We turn toward him.
“I’ll talk to Áine, I can’t make any promises, but will you stay out of trouble until you hear back from me?”
Pulania narrows her eyes. “Sneaky Seelie, I’m not making that deal, Jimmy. I might never see you again, and then I’d have to stay out of trouble forever. No, talk to your cousin quickly, and hope that we don’t create too much trouble in the meantime.”
Turning to me, she says, “The Guinness tours are pretty regular, we can make that our first stop.”
It’s a ten minute walk to O’Connell street, where the tourist bus stops. When we arrive we only have to wait a couple of minutes and a yellow double decker tour bus appears. It’s the beginning of summer too, so the crowds haven’t really started yet. There are only a few others on the bus. We go to the open top because it has the views. I’m wearing sun glasses to ward off the light, though really, it’s a pretty dreary day, gray and miserable. At least it’s not raining.
“What was with that little dark witch you sat down with?” I ask Pulania. “You were getting pretty chummy with her, what was that about?” I mean, I’m not jealous, not really. Well, maybe.
“Just business. You know how it is.” Pulania has her sunnies on too. She’s got a big smile on her face, she’s enjoying my torment.
“Spill, what was it about?” I’ve lost my patience with this.
“Well, dear, I’ve found a way to off load some of my load.” She pats me on the thigh, all excited like. “Bríghe, that’s her name, has administrative qualifications that can lighten my work with Hatchesput, she will be my much valued subordinate. So don’t kill her.” There’s an air of warning to those words.
The Dark Witch and the Elemental Page 3
