The Witch's City

by M. Gregg Roe

  Pairs of Witch’s City Guards began to arrive and keep spectators away as Alec and Gaston continued their grisly task. Relief filled him when they brought Natalia’s head, even if the only thing he could recognize was her blond hair. Now it was certain that she could be raised from the dead.

  “Is that Natalia?”

  Hankin flinched. His hearing still wasn’t good and he hadn’t heard her approach. It was Eomera. She wasn’t wearing her uniform, having presumably come directly from her house, which he knew was nearby. She looked both serious and concerned.

  “Yes,” he replied, ashamed that he was now crying.

  “I’ll find something to wrap her in. We’ll take her to the Temple of Arwon. That’s closest. She’ll be back before you know it.”

  Eomera’s attempt at smiling was far from reassuring, but Hankin appreciated her words. “Thank you,” he said, and she nodded and walked off.

  He went back to watching the building burn. The flames seemed to be consuming everything—wood, stone, even metal. He doubted even the steel safe he hadn’t been able to open would survive.

  “That’s all we’re going to get,” said Alec as he added a bloody thumb to the pile. “It’s too dangerous now. It’ll start collapsing soon.”

  “That’s fine,” Hankin told him. “Well done.” Parts of Natalia were still missing, but they had enough. The missing parts could be regenerated using magic once she had been brought back to life.

  Gaston walked up to them. “One of the guards says that a house is on fire just like this.”

  That had to be Buris’s house. “Go over and check,” ordered Hankin. “Three of our people were sent there.”

  The large man gave him a startled look before turning and running off. Hankin exchanged glances with Alec, noting the worried look on his face. Natalia wasn’t going to be the only victim, and if any of those in the house were burned up by the blue fire, they were probably beyond hope of recovery. That made Hankin even angrier. Buris needed to pay for what he had done.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Audrey watched Benson eat as she ate her own breakfast. His meal was pieces of leftover chicken served on a small plate sitting on the floor by the dining table. It was nice to have company. She had eaten both lunch and dinner alone the day before, and it had felt lonely. But that was part of having her own place.

  Benson had actually answered her call last night, soon sauntering in through the back door. He had slept with her in her bed again, and that had been nice. He would even allow her to pet him, provided she kept it brief and didn’t surprise him.

  She heard the sound of her front door opening, followed by rapid footsteps. Saxloc’s expression was grim as he walked through the kitchen. Benson’s ears flattened, but he didn’t budge from his meal.

  Audrey listened with growing concern as Saxloc told her about what had occurred overnight. It was unreal. After hearing the news, Rosalind was distraught and blaming herself.

  “Of course I’ll help,” Audrey told him. “I can skip my class this afternoon.”

  “Good. I want to see the sites for myself. Then I’m going to see Hankin. Do you want me to tell Grasapa that you won’t be in class?”

  “Yes. Please. Is Rosalind in any danger?”

  “It’s unlikely but possible,” admitted Saxloc as he frowned and unconsciously moved his right hand to his knife hilt. “We think Buris works for the Zardis Thieves’ Guild, and they may have others here in the city. It’s far more likely that they will blame Novox, but Rosalind shouldn’t go anywhere unescorted.”

  “Okay. I’ll go check on Rosalind.”

  Saxloc nodded and left. Audrey finished her breakfast, let Benson out, and then quickly cleaned up and dressed. She took the shortest route to the mansion and found Almera in the kitchen washing dishes.

  “We made a mistake,” Almera confessed. “Rosalind’s brother lives in Zardis with his family, and her parents are there visiting right now. Now she’s convinced that they are in danger.”

  “I see. I’ll try to reassure her.” But she really wasn’t sure how. She was worried for them now too.

  “Good. And see if you can get her dressed and down here to eat.”

  “I will.”

  Audrey walked to her old room and quietly entered. Carved figurines of cats were everywhere, including the desk, nightstand, and on top of the wardrobe. Also on the desk was a beautiful wood box that was obviously Rosalind’s Sparrow set, and that gave her an idea.

  Rosalind lay on her right side on top of the dark blue quilt. The flannel nightgown she was wearing reminded Audrey of the one she used to have. Rosalind’s hair was a mess, and she had clearly been crying. Now she was sleeping peacefully, breathing slowly in and out, her short stature making her look more like a child than an adult.

  Audrey sat down on the bed, leaned over, and began to slowly stroke the young woman’s back. Rosalind murmured something unintelligible and her legs twitched briefly. “Wake up, Rosalind,” said Audrey softly. Rosalind’s eyes snapped opened, and she looked at Audrey with surprise. She began to cry as she lunged into Audrey’s arms. Audrey held her tenderly while stroking the back of her head with her right hand. “It’s going to be all right, Rosalind,” she said in a gentle voice.

  “No, it’s not,” she protested, her voice sounding weak. “Three people are dead. It’s my fault.”

  “It is not your fault. If anything, you were a victim. This is really a feud between Novox and the Zardis Thieves’ Guild.”

  “But I caused this!” she sobbed, rapidly wetting Audrey’s left shoulder with her tears. “I’m stupid. I just let Buris take advantage of me. Everyone takes advantage of me!”

  “You’re not stupid, Rosalind. You’re just too timid and insecure. You are a victim, not the one responsible. We’ll get through this.”

  Audrey felt Rosalind’s grip loosen, and she let go as Rosalind sat back and wiped her face with her sleeve. “Okay. Can I send a letter to my brother to warn him?”

  “Of course. Why don’t you get cleaned up? Then get dressed and come down for some breakfast. I’ll fix you whatever you like.”

  “Can I have rice porridge? And bread with strawberry jam? And apple juice?”

  Audrey smiled as she stood up and stepped back. “Yes. I think I can manage that.”

  Rosalind scooted to the edge of the bed and slowly got to her feet, looking unsteady. She looked up at Audrey and said, “Can you help me? I have trouble getting the temperature right in the bath. I don’t really understand what all those things in the jars next to the tub are for.”

  Audrey took Rosalind’s left hand in her right. “I’ll help you. This used to be my room, and I had the same problems at first. I’ll run your bath for you and explain what everything is for.”

  “Okay. Thank you, Audrey.” Rosalind squeezed her hand tightly as Audrey led her into the bathroom.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Almera found herself marveling at how her attempt to help her son had led to such unexpected events. Now two buildings were destroyed, three people were dead, and Rosalind was living in the mansion. It wasn’t guilt she felt, but concern for her son. Saxloc was taking it personally, and she feared for his safety.

  Audrey’s return to the kitchen was a welcome interruption. “How is Rosalind?” Almera asked her.

  “She is finishing up her bath and should be down before long. She wants rice porridge for breakfast.”

  “There’s some in a pot in the cold room. It just needs to be heated.”

  “Okay. I’ll fetch it.”

  While Audrey retrieved the porridge, Almera got up and set out a ceramic bowl, a spoon, and a cup. She found that the alchemy-powered stove was still sufficiently hot. Audrey soon returned carrying the large pot and placed it on the stove. Almera handed her a long wooden spoon that she stuck into the thick porridge after removing the cover.

  Audrey put her left hand on her hip and gestured with her right. “I helped Rosalind with her bath. You’re right about her bein
g too thin. You can see her ribs.”

  Almera nodded. “She ate well yesterday, but it’s going to take some time. I just hope what happened doesn’t affect her appetite.”

  “I’ll work on getting her to eat more too.” Audrey stirred the porridge, leaned over the pot and sniffed. “That smells good. I’m going to have some too.”

  Almera quickly put out another bowl and spoon. Audrey tilted her head, saying, “Rosalind also requested apple juice and bread with strawberry jam.” Almera soon put the jam and a plate of bread slices on the table along with a cup of apple juice.

  A few minutes later, Rosalind walked into the kitchen wearing a beige shirt and long blue skirt. Almera had taken her shopping the day before and was quite amused that most of the clothes Rosalind picked out were identical to what Audrey owned.

  Almera smiled and gestured at the table. “You look nice, Rosalind. Please take a seat. The porridge will be ready shortly.”

  “It’s ready now,” said Audrey as Rosalind quickly seated herself, picked up a piece of bread, and began to spread jam on it. Audrey walked over with two bowls of porridge, each with a spoon sticking out. She placed one in front of Rosalind and then sat down opposite her with the other. Rosalind ate a bite of the porridge and looked over at Almera. “This is wonderful. What do you put in it?”

  “Many things—cream, butter, honey, sugar, even a little rice wine.”

  Rosalind paused with a spoonful halfway to her mouth. “It’s delicious. I could eat this every day.”

  “Thank you. Maybe you can help me cook it next time?” Rosalind nodded in response, her mouth full of porridge.

  Almera simply watched the two of them eat. She hadn’t eaten much of her own breakfast and still didn’t feel hungry. When Rosalind finished her porridge, Audrey instantly asked, “Do you want some more?” Rosalind nodded and held out her bowl.

  “Rosalind,” said Audrey when she returned. “I want to learn to play Sparrow. I have a rulebook but no tiles. Would you be interested in coming to my cottage this evening and teaching me?”

  Almera was amused by how Rosalind’s face lit up with joy. “Yes! Let’s do that. I’ll bring my tiles. Do you have a square table?”

  “We have some in storage downstairs,” Almera told them. “You can borrow one.”

  “Good,” said Audrey with a big smile. “I’ll get a table later. I’m looking forward to tonight.”

  “Me too!”

  Almera smiled at the now overexcited young woman. “Rosalind, would you care to help me in the greenhouse when you are through with breakfast?”

  “Okay. I can do that.”

  “And I will return to my endless sewing,” announced Audrey with a silly smile that made Rosalind giggle. “I’ll be back for lunch.”

  Almera was pleased. Audrey had developed into a fine young woman under her tutelage. And together, they would help Rosalind through her difficulties.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Gabriel found Captain Hagen staring at what was left of Sharp Edges, which wasn’t much other than ashes. Several of his guards were searching through the ash while others kept spectators away. They recognized Gabriel and allowed him to walk past.

  Despite being in his forties, Hagen still looked formidable. Five silver slashes marked his black surcoat, signifying his rank. His posture was stiff as he stood with his arms crossed in front of him. He looked over as Gabriel approached, his face giving away nothing.

  “Did you see it burn?” he asked as Gabriel came to a stop next to him.

  “No. I did not find out until this morning.”

  Hagen turned his attention back to the searchers. “I didn’t see this, but I saw the house. Blue flames that consumed everything. Water just spread them farther. Only dirt piled on top could extinguish them. They used it to destroy any evidence, but it would make a powerful weapon.”

  “I agree,” stated Gabriel. “It is a concern.”

  “The only good thing is that the traps they left seemed to have killed their victims instantly. The lookout at the house got a quick look inside before the flames had spread too far. She said both of them had been torn to pieces by the blast. I hate to say it, but I’m glad that Novox broke into both places. Otherwise, it would be my people dead.”

  Gabriel understood Hagen’s feelings and couldn’t blame him. “My father said that the council meeting was quite lively this morning.”

  Hagen smiled slightly. “Ermizad tore into Celebern about the unauthorized break-ins. Your father seemed to enjoy that part. She ordered Celebern to have all of his employees submit to questioning by clerics to see if they are spies. Celebern agreed, but I suspect he is worried about the clerics asking about more than just that. I was charged with rounding up anyone suspicious and submitting them. The clerics are going to be busy for a while.”

  “Is there any word on the woman who was at Novox?”

  Hagen’s smile faded. “No. She has probably changed her appearance, although she can’t change the fact that she is unusually tall. We’ve had reported sightings, but none have panned out. Novox probably has a better chance of catching her, assuming she hasn’t already left the city.”

  One of the searching guards called out, and Gabriel saw him holding up a two-handed sword. But even at that distance, he could see that holes had been eaten through it. The shop had been full of weapons, but he doubted if any had survived intact. Whatever its origin, the blue flame was a fearsome threat, one that he knew was now a major concern for both Captain Hagen and High Witch Ermizad. Gabriel took his leave and returned home.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “Dinner was really delicious,” said Rosalind as she walked next to Audrey sporting a happy smile. “It’s like eating in a restaurant!”

  Audrey smiled down at Rosalind. They were taking an evening stroll around the grounds that would eventually end at her cottage. She had offered to carry the box containing the Sparrow tiles because it looked heavy, but Rosalind refused and was now clutching it protectively to her chest with both arms.

  As promised, Audrey had gone to the mansion for lunch. Afterward, she took the letter Rosalind had written and sent it. And later that afternoon, she went over to make use of the practice area under the mansion to work on her Shorinken skills since she felt guilty about missing class. Saxloc was gone all day, returning just before dinner and saying that he hadn’t found out much new. But it sounded like things had calmed down, which was certainly good news.

  “Almera is an excellent cook,” said Audrey. “How was your afternoon working with her?”

  “Okay. She mostly had me redo some of the labels on the plants that were hard to read. That was fun and I learned some of the plant names.”

  Audrey sighed. “The labels that looked like a child made them?” she asked, knowing full well what Rosalind’s answer would be.

  “Yes. Who did those?”

  “I did. I learned to write less than a year ago.”

  “Sorry,” she said, clearly embarrassed. “They weren’t that bad.”

  “Yes, they were. I need to practice more.”

  They continued walking in silence until they reached the cottage. Once inside, Rosalind spotted the square table that Audrey had set up in the sitting area and carefully placed the box on it. She looked around and said, “This is nice.”

  “I like it.”

  Audrey gave Rosalind a quick tour, pointing out that the room Rosalind was staying in was even nicer. Their last stop was her sewing room, where Rosalind promptly went over to the pile on the table and picked up an item of clothing. It was a dress, but not one that Audrey would ever wear. It was nothing more than a short red skirt and a single strip of black fabric attached to the front of the waistband that was supposed to loop around the neck and cover the breasts—barely cover them because the material was only two inches wide and thin enough to see through.

  Rosalind held up the dress with a shocked expression. “Is this yours?”

  Audrey waved her hands. “No. I just repai
red it. I do sewing and mending for Desires.” But she knew exactly who the dress belonged to—her shameless friend Cinda.

  “So this is the kind of thing a courtesan wears?” asked Rosalind, still looking it over.

  “Sometimes. They wear a variety of different clothing. I get a lot of work because some of their clients like to tear the clothing off before …” Audrey waved her right hand vaguely.

  “Sex,” said Rosalind as she put the dress back onto the pile. “I know what courtesans do.”

  Audrey used to think that too, but Cinda kept telling her new things that shocked her. And a few that intrigued her. “Shall we start my lesson?” asked Audrey, trying to look hopeful. She had read the entire rulebook but found the complexity of the game daunting.

  “Yes!” said Rosalind as she shook her right fist. “Let’s do that.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  After spending an inordinate amount of time looking through his storage closet, Saxloc finally found what he had been searching for, something he hadn’t used since he was much younger. One item was missing, and he had no idea where it might be, but it was easily replaceable.

  Viewing both sites that morning, he had been amazed at the sheer magnitude of the destruction. A normal fire would have left far more behind. After going to Novox to see Hankin, he ended up staying for hours, trying to cheer up his friend and convince him not to do something stupid. It felt odd, because it was usually the other way round.

  Hankin blamed himself for Natalia’s death, and the wait until she would be raised from the dead was clearly torture for him. He was certain that he should have detected the trap, but Saxloc wasn’t so sure. The trap had been alchemic, not magic, but it may well have employed some type of magical masking to prevent detection. After all, the spell aptly named “Detect Traps” was well-known. But Hankin wouldn’t listen. He burned with rage and a fervent desire to take revenge on Buris and anyone else who might be responsible.