Witch Bewitched (COMPLETE)

Chapter 20

Royle raised his lantern, studying the stony structure of the bell tower. It hadn't changed since the last time he'd come to look at it, though there was certainly something eerie about it in the dark of night. He pondered over the riddle. He was certain it was a bell they were supposed to be looking for. He just couldn't figure out what it meant by the door in the sky.

At first, he'd taken it to be a bell that was at a high place. The obvious choice was this bell tower, which was why he had come back to it. It would be useful if there was a way to get up there and examine the bell a little closer. Rational thought, however, dismissed it. The very idea that a bell strung up more than ten meters above the ground was the door to the witch market didn't make sense. Even witches weren't that ludicrous.

He stepped closer to the tower, switching strategies. Perhaps the riddle was talking about the general location. Perhaps the door was hidden within the bell tower and not on top of it.

Royle reached out his hand to touch the rough stone of the tower but grabbed something much softer instead. A sudden tug that followed had him stumbling from the momentum. Locking his knees, Royle halted. The girl's hand tightly gripped his, and he glimpsed a flash of terror in her eyes.

"What are you—"

"Shh!" She clamped a hand over his mouth, stealing a fearful glance at the city square. The warmth of her body pressed against his chest. "Shut up!"

Royle moved to follow her gaze, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the other side of the bell tower. He didn't resist only because of the sheer terror he'd seen in her, though he intended to ask what had spooked her. His questions were answered when they made it behind the tower, however, as a bright light—brighter than any lantern—spilled on either side of them.

Royle tensed. Witches.

The tower's shadow stretched before them, elongating as the witches approached. The lantern's fire was so pathetic compared to the witches' light that turning it off didn't cross Royle's mind. Neither did it cross Misa's, it seemed, as she stood frozen in place.

"I swear, I felt it somewhere around here," a soft lilting voice said.

"I sensed it too," replied a deeper voice. "A call for help. Odd at this time of night in Central Square."

Royle shot a glance at Misa. He recalled the way he'd found her, backed onto the wall, squeezing her cat as though relieved. A call for help. Had she really been so scared?

"Do you think she got caught?" The first witch. Soft-spoken, though Royle sensed a sharpness that indicated she was not a child. "It was a desperate plea. The witch felt true danger."

A meow interrupted the conversation. The girl tensed and squeezed his hand in a tight grip. Well, that explained how they hadn't been discovered. The cat must have worked to distract the witches while they hid. Royle remembered its intelligence and was, for once, glad it had come along.

"Maybe she got spooked by the little one," the second witch suggested. Slightly accented. "Yawo, where is the witch in need?" Definitely not Plathean.

"What if she's at the purgehouse?"

"There are no officers this early out. She must have run off." If only they knew.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be fine. She can just use her magic if she needs to."

"Doubtful." Footsteps approached the bell tower. Royle held his breath. The accented witch spoke, her voice not three steps away. "The magic was familiar to me. I sensed it in a young witch who did not know how to use it. Her magic is out of her control. If she truly is in danger, then I pray that her magic does not act out on its own."

A gasp from the shrill one. "A witch who can't control her powers? But that's against Fariki's Ordain!"

"She is looking for the market to find a witch who can teach her control."

Royle immediately deduced her identity. She must have been the fortune teller Ramor had made contact with when he was first deployed to Harthem. A good thing, too. It had been much easier than anticipated to have her meet Misa. Royle didn't know her name, having Ramor keep details as vague as possible to reduce the risks. Not that it did much for the informant.

"Can't you teach her?"

The foreign witch sighed, and their footsteps retreated. "The power within her is something I have never encountered before. There was something else inside her, another consciousness. Either the magic is not her own or something resides within her."

"What?"

"Either way, her power is too close to mine. She will need someone more powerful to teach her. That way, if her magic goes out of control, she will have some..."

Their words faded with the light. When darkness remained, and only the slight orange glimmer escaped the lantern, Misa let out a breath. Royle relaxed, then thought over the situation. It was no surprise that the girl would bring trouble once again.

"That was reckless," he said, keeping his voice just above a whisper.

Instead of snapping, she let out a sad sort of sigh. "I didn't mean to release a call for help. I didn't even know that's what it was. I just...back there, alone, I was...I thought..."

Royle observed her, at the way she rested her head against the stone tower, her eyes welling with tears, though she did not cry. A sudden pang of guilt cinched his heart. He had to remind himself that she had rarely left her home, and perhaps he'd been a little too harsh on her. He squeezed her hand, if only to comfort her. He found that it was oddly pleasant to hold, soft and warm and...small.

She pulled her hand away as if she'd just noticed. Royle paid no mind. He hadn't meant anything by it, and she had been the one to grab him in the first place. She cleared her throat, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. Royle had to avert his eyes from her neck. She hadn't triggered her spell, he sensed, so why was it that he couldn't concentrate? Ever since she bewitched him at the tavern, he found himself thinking about her in ways that weren't appropriate.

"Well, nevermind," Misa said. Royle assessed her, seeing for the first time how out of place she was. He had been so focused on her magic, so eager to continue with his plan, that he hadn't considered the dangers she'd be facing. At least, he hadn't considered the dangers of her inexperience. How could he trust her to play such an important role? More importantly, how could he expect so much of her? Was he sending her to her death by imposing this mission on her? No. That much he would prevent. He didn't want to lose another informant, and this one was far more valuable. So he really shouldn't be thinking about the smooth skin of her legs.

Shìt. He really should have looked away that day at the shed no matter how irritated he was.

"We should continue the search," she said. "Have you found what you were looking for?"

A small breath escaped his lips. It was too late to back out now. He was getting too close to quit, and as unfortunate as it was, he had no choice but to push through no matter the dangers. Whatever odd attraction he felt towards her was nothing more than the side effects of her spell. It would wear off soon enough.

He hoped.

Royle crossed his arms, balancing the lantern on his index finger. "No. There wasn't anything different here. A wasted trip, perhaps, but it was worth looking into."

"I very much doubt the riddle would require us to look for bells hours before dawn. Maybe we could ask around. There's bound to be someone who knows what it means."

Royle rubbed his eyes, a wave of exhaustion coming over him. She had one good point, but only the one. "I wanted to avoid asking around if necessary. It'd be best if we kept our investigation away from as many ears and eyes as possible."

"It would be faster," Misa insisted. "And if we're careful, we might not even have to reveal why or what we're looking for."

"It also poses a greater risk." Royle shot her a sharp look, which only served to anger her. He couldn't put her in more danger than necessary, or everything would be ruined. Yes, that was the reason. The plan. Follow the plan. "If those witches saw you in a purgehouse uniform, everything you have worked for would have crumbled within seconds."

"I know." Irritation seeped into her voice, though Royle could tell she was trying to reel it in. "You've been telling me that since you took me from my home. Why can't you just listen to me without treating me like I'm a spoiled child screaming for a toy? I never said we parade the streets to look for anyone who can solve the riddle. I was merely suggesting that perhaps a resident in Harthem would be more familiar with what landmark the riddle could be referring to."

"And how would you go about it?" Royle's own annoyance began to rise. The girl was impossible to reason with. "Where would you even start? Should this information get into the hands of the wrong people, you will have nowhere to run."

"Stop being so cautious about everything! If we continue on like this, we'll never solve the riddle. You said so yourself: the words could mean something completely different than what they say. What if the 'bell' isn't even a bell at all, and we've been on a wild goose chase this whole time?"

Royle shook his head. "It's not part of the plan. We aren't supposed to let anyone know what we're up to."

"If you stick to every letter of your plan, things are bound to go wrong." Her temper was rising again, her voice clipped and blunt. "You can't possibly plan for every single mishap. You have to change things around when necessary."

She had no idea what she was talking about. Royle hadn't put so much effort into his life's goal for a random girl to ruin it all with her impulsive nature. "Are you lecturing me on how I should do my job?"

"Forget it!" She threw her arms up in frustration. "Go do your own search. Spend the next three weeks looking for all the bells in Harthem. It's still only the first part of the riddle, and we've still yet to figure out where there's a door in the sky. I'm going to do it my way, and when I find the answer first, remember what I told you."

She was going to get into trouble, but Royle had heard enough. She was stubborn beyond belief. He was too tired to argue, and he couldn't afford to expend so much energy fighting her. He thought through his plans. He'd tried to fit the riddle into them as soon as he heard it, but it was impossible to gauge how long it would take to solve it. Still, they did have a good amount of time. Fine then. He'd give her a few days to figure it out on her own. He wagered she would come back with no results and they'd have to follow his plans anyway. Otherwise, she would have the answer, and they could proceed to the next stage.

"Very well." He held up his lamp, illuminating her face, and saw a fire that was already lit in her eyes. Her determination struck him, but he wasn't going to give in so easily. "We'll go our separate ways in solving this ridiculous problem. But, know this, Miss Carpenter: the moment you reveal yourself to the world because of a stupid decision, I will not be there pull you out of it." He hoped it was a good enough warning for her to keep a low profile.

She rested a fist on her hip in defiance, the fire burning ever brighter with his challenge. "I never expected you to and never will. If I find myself in trouble by my own hands, it's on me, and I'm not going to ask you of all people for help."

She turned the knob of her lantern, and a small flame flickered to life. "Let's part ways here, then," she said, holding it in front of her. She raised her chin and stalked away, angry and confident. He watched her leave, sceptical of her success but thoughtful. His previous doubts eased. Perhaps, he'd been too hasty in deciding if she could achieve their goal.

As irritating and immature as she could be, Royle had to admit that she wasn't helpless. There was something within her, a fire, an iron determination that lent her a strength Royle hadn't noticed before. She had potential. The challenge was to nurture it.