The Ether Witch Volume 2

Smoothing the brilliant red silk of her skirt, Bes held her shoulders back. She lifted her chin and took deep, steadying breaths.

Tam watched her do all this from his discreet corner.

He fought back a smile as he watched her scan the ship's soaked deck as the occasional splatter of rain broke free of the sky.

"Why are you looking at her like that?" Eli asked pointedly at his side.

Tam turned a wry look down at Eli. "Because I can tell Hamil told her about our conversation and she's coming to confront us. She's trying to bolster her confidence."

Eli's brows twitched as she looked over at the Lobahlan woman whose gaze swept over the sailors. "But why did you smile?"

Tam barely stifled a snort. "Eli… Are you being jealous?"

She growled in response.

Tam moved his grin back to Bes, and waited until the young woman noticed that she was being stared at. When that did in fact happen, she gave a small jolt.

"Eli… I smiled because I'm anticipating her coming over here and telling us something useful. I was also thinking how young she and Hamil seem despite only being eight or so years younger than me."

Despite his gaze never leaving Bes as she made her way over to them, Tam listened to Eli's grumble of annoyance.

He glanced at her again, his smile turning cheeky. "Do I need to take you back to our cabin and show you that you have my complete attention?"

Her cheeks flamed. "Lusting after someone is—"

"Are you seriously saying I don't love you now?" Tam rounded on her so quickly he startled her into silence.

It took Eli a moment to collect herself. "Well, you left Luca's mother when she was pregnant, how can I—"

"Oh, we are most definitely talking about this later," Tam murmured seriously as Bes reached them.

"Pardon me, Lord Tamlin, Lady Eli," the Lobahlan woman smiled congenially.

Eli made a threatening noise in the back of her throat.

Tam felt a tiny bit flattered—especially as he knew much of Eli's sudden insecurity didn't run particularly deep. He wondered if it had to do with the mood fluctuations she had described having when they had been waiting for confirmation of her pregnancy.

"Bes. It's good to see you. Hopefully the storm this morning didn't frighten you." Tam tilted his head

Bes nodded vaguely. "What are you and your wife doing up on deck, Lord Tam?"

"Oh, just getting a breath of fresh air and checking to see if the kids can come up to play," Tam returned evenly.

"I see, I see…" Bes cleared her throat. "Lord Tam, yesterday, Hamil came to see me after you and Lady Eli spoke with him. He seemed rather… alarmed."

"Did he now?" Tam feigned innocence.

Bes blinked at him, her eyes seemed to twitch with suspicion. "Yes. Might I inquire what your magic is, Lord Tam? He seemed rather misguided in his interpretation of your power."

Tam arched an eyebrow and looked to the sky. "Odd. I didn't really use my ability around Hamil yesterday. What did he say he saw?"

Bes opened and closed her mouth before glancing at Eli. Which was a mistake. Eli looked like she was about to pounce on her. Tam tried to catch Eli's eye and wordlessly remind her they didn't want to terrify the Lobahlans, but she didn't spare him an instant of attention.

"Oh, he was saying something silly about you being the devil," Bes announced lightly.

A slow smile moved up Tam's face. "Did he now?"

Bes hesitated. "Well… Yes. Yes, he did… But I assured him it was most likely your magic that made him see things and that it was a misunderstanding."

"Hm. Eli?" He looked down at his side. "Did I tell Hamil I was a witch or did I say he owed me a favor and that I was the devil?"

"That he owed you a favor and that you are the devil."

"Right. I thought so, too." Tam turned back to Bes who had turned rigid.

"You can't be the devil," she said with a breathy laugh of disbelief. There was a shiftiness in her eyes that betrayed her nervousness.

"And why is that?" Eli bit out.

Bes recoiled ever so slightly. "Th-The devil he… Uh. He has never been happy. He walks a lonely—"

"I think we're sailing right now. No walking required," Tam interrupted good naturedly as he drew himself up to his full height. "Listen, Bes. Hamil wasn't being dramatic or making things up. Everything he told you is more than likely true. We will be arriving in Daxarian waters over the next few days, and I'm going to be honest, there may be a lot of dangerous people waiting to intercept us. Part of the reason I told Hamil what I did was so that you both could mentally prepare. I also did it to let you know that you both might be in danger now that you've traveled with us. I can try reaching out to some of my contacts in Rollom to find you a place to stay or connect you with the magistrate, but even so there might be some who want to… question you two."

Bes shrank back, her fragile confidence cracking.

Tam held up his hands. "I'm not trying to put you in danger. But you should know what's going on."

"And you should be as forthcoming as possible about the watch," Eli added coolly. "There is enough going on without throwing in a magical device that could be dangerous."

"Hamil already told you it needs a crystal!" Bes pinched her lips shut again after her outburst and took a step backward.

Sighing, Tam uncrossed his arms and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "We'll talk about the watch later. But for now, Bes, I'd like to know how you want to proceed."

The young woman's eyes darted between Tam and Eli. Her throat bobbed.

It was at this moment he found that he was rather glad that Eli had changed their plan and instead targeted Hamil to interrogate. He felt bad enough making the young woman this fearful already… And they hadn't even reached Daxaria yet.

***

Henrietta shivered.

She was there.

She didn't even need to look to know.

The sickening flush through her stomach told her.

"Bok."

Henrietta whimpered. Tightening her shut eyes, she hollered out, "Y-You're only making me think that I'm right for turning you into a chicken in the first place!"

"I think she might be a little justified in her feathers being a bit ruffled."

Henrietta's eyes snapped open.

She hadn't even heard the approach of Tamlin Ashowan.

But there he was, staring at her through the cell bars, the pale daylight from outside illuminating his face just enough for her to make out his handsome features.

"Buka."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"I can't speak chicken, but I imagine you didn't like the pun?" Tam asked his mother lazily.

"Bok."

"S-She said you're just like your father," Henrietta managed.

Tam's gaze softened, and despite herself, Henrietta felt her heart skip a beat.

"So you can understand her?" he asked.

"I can… Though I kind of wish I couldn't…" Henrietta added as she pressed herself against the damp planks at the back of her cell.

"Henrietta… Regardless of who wins this war, you assaulted my mother with magic. When she was already injured. And was not attacking you."

"She is not a helpless victim!" Henrietta exploded, pointing at the chicken whose beady eyes would forever haunt her dreams. "The things she's said! The things she has described doing…"

Tam cast a very flat look down at his mother. "Did you really have to go that far?"

"Buka!"

"She says you try being a chicken," Henrietta relayed with a croak.

"Look," Tam dropped his head for a moment. "We will be docking in Daxaria in two days. I've no doubt the Coven of Wittica is going to attack us before or after. I do not want my mother defenseless in her chicken form when that happens."

Henrietta swallowed. "I won't change her back."

"So if she accidentally dies, you will be fine with that?"

Henrietta fell silent and her gut roiled.

This had gotten beyond out of hand.

She had always loved her ability. She used to have a blast playing with her brothers and sisters, turning them into chickens and racing each other… How did it become a weapon?

"I don't want anyone to get hurt," she whispered. "This was all supposed to be a point of discussion. A peaceful parting from the monarchy."

"That might have been what they told you it would be. Or maybe it's true for some of the coven elders who agreed to this, but that has not been how either coven has handled this." Tam crouched until he was closer to Henrietta's eye level. "Henrietta, please turn my mother back into herself. We will release you once we are on Daxarian shores and you can choose what you would like to do from there."

"If you let me go she'll hunt me down." Henrietta nodded toward the duchess

This time the nobleman didn't spare his mother a glance. "I won't let her. But Henrietta, you need to turn her back before something happens, if you don't, then I'm afraid we won't be able to let you go."

"I-I would just be a dead weight to you! You can't just take me… with… you…" Understanding flooded Henrietta, and with it came tears. "Oh. You'd kill me."

Tam shook his head, holding her gaze. "I wouldn't do that. I'd tie you up somewhere and have you remain imprisoned, yes, but I'm not going to have you killed."

"Why not? You've killed other people before!"

"I have, but they were maliciously trying to attack or imprison myself or my loved ones. You… have turned my mother into a chicken. While not the best first impression to make with my family, I'm relatively confident we can look back at this and laugh. A lot. Assuming she gets turned back, and nothing serious happens to her as a result."

Henrietta didn't look convinced. She shifted, her eyes lowering to the floor, her head began to pulse with a headache.

Tam waved his hand, drawing her attention back to him. "I have to ask… What is it exactly that has made the first witch so convincing to all of you? What did the monarchy not do to support the Coven of Wittica?"

Henrietta shifted on her spot on the ground. "Lord Tamlin, you know that witches are supposed to help maintain balance in the world, right?"

"Of course."

"But… that isn't what we do anymore, is it?" she began to say hesitantly.

Tam paused, then slowly seated himself on the ground. "It isn't?"

"Look at your own father," Henrietta continued, her voice steadying. "He should be in a kitchen, cooking food and making a home for people to find rest in. To feel safe in. He is supposed to represent a simple way of life. A balance in a home. He could teach so many people what that looks and feels like… Instead he's been shoved into the role of a political advisor. He's been tasked with the safety of all of Daxaria! Pushing the interpretation of his magic to mean all of Daxara is his home…" Henrietta trailed off. "Your father isn't meant to be a soldier. He is meant to be salvation. But since he has become a diplomat he can't fulfill his calling."

Tam listened seriously. "Isn't what he does with his magic his choice?"

"Can you honestly say that he is happiest acting as a duke? Attending council meetings? When is he happiest? Where is his magic thriving?"

*

The truth of her words wedged a very rough weight into Tam's chest.

His father had always hated politics. Had always slogged through his work at the behest of his wife…

He felt Henrietta watch him steal a glance at his mother.

Compared to earlier the chicken didn't look frightening… Rather there was a bit of a sad droop in her head.

"I grant you, your sister seems perfectly fit to be a soldier. A warrior. But I don't know that she should be queen." At this Tam started to open his mouth but Henrietta plundered on. "I don't mean that she isn't a good person, or that she doesn't want to protect Daxaria, but… even from my brief interaction with the queen, she doesn't seem like the type to patiently make decisions. Her power seems to lie in moving, and doing physically heroic tasks."

"There is next to no one who is an absolutely perfect fit to be a king or queen, or in any position of power," Tam argued softly.

"No… But witches are here to do specific things. We have great power for a reason. To do great good with it, but we can't do our best with our power if we are shoehorned into roles that don't fit us." Henrietta paused, a smile subtly pulling at her lips. "I actually met your father when I was a child once. He came to the coven school in Xava… I remembered thinking he seemed so tired, and stern. Until he started making us all lunch outside. I'll never forget that day. We all went for a picnic, and he made our lemonade glasses chase us. Kraken was with him… We all got to pet him, and he even played hide and seek with us."

Tam watched the way Henrietta's eyes softened and warmed at the memory.

"I think, Lord Tam, that witches should have an organization that supports them to best explore their powers, and support them when they decide what is the best way to use the magic that the Goddess gifted us. I think the monarchy should stay human, and that the covens should work closely with them. The majority of the world doesn't understand witches. It'd be nice if witches didn't force themselves into a role because they had no other options."

Tam didn't say anything for a while when she finished speaking.

Henrietta stole a glance at the duchess, but the chicken wasn't looking at her, and she had turned quite still.

"Can I ask… Is turning people into chickens really the best power to have in a war?"

The question was a little teasing, and despite the situation, Henrietta couldn't seem to help but smile. "No one knows exactly what I'm supposed to do with this. I do think I'd like to get back to my papa's farm one day."

"I hope you return home one day, too," Tam said softly.

Henrietta nodded in acknowledgment.

Silently, Tam found he couldn't deny the valid points she had made regarding his father's magic and where his powers were best suited. Nor could he bring himself to entirely disagree with her reasoning.

However, these points brought forth a different question for him… couldn't help but wonder as a result: What exactly was his peculiar magic meant to do?