The Ether Witch Volume 2

Tam watched his mother's profile as she stared thoughtfully at the wall opposite of herself.

She had been scheduled to leave for Austice after lunch, however, the incident with Penelope and Hamil had put a pause on her immediate travel plans.

Penelope had settled down with a warm cup of milk tea clasped in her hands, while Luca sat beside her and gently stroked the ends of her hair down her back. The fact that she allowed him to do this showed the extent of her distress.

Hamil stood in the doorway to the small cozy sitting room they had gathered in located at the back of the brothel, and gnawed on his thumbnail.

"So three images. Past, present, future, like what we've read about, and what Penelope has said she sees when she holds someone's hand," Tam began slowly from his seat on the fuschia couch across from Penelope.

Part of his hesitancy was due to the fact that his mother had had a… somewhat strong reaction to learn that Tam had indeed fathered an illegitimate child, and Rosaline had been forced to suffer because of him. A shoe may or may not have been wielded with more deadliness than a seasoned soldier with a sword. Though she had stopped when she realized the distressed state he was already in.

"It sounds like that is the case, but, Penelope, is it possible that those images were your own future? Have you ever been able to see your future?" Annika gently posed the question from the armchair between the two couches, as Penelope sniffled into her cup.

"I have… dreams… But it's hard to tell what are predictions and what are just my mind," she croaked.

"How can this be…?" Hamil whispered before dropping his hand from his mouth and doing a slow circle on the spot. "How can you all be so… so… much? A seer, a devil, a hybrid ancient beast… All that's missing is the first witch and we have some kind of, of a reckoning!"

"Don't forget the dragon," Tam couldn't help but prod at Hamil with a weak note of good humor.

Hamil shot him a look that communicated he did not appreciate it.

Smiling guiltily, Tam turned back to his mother, his elbows still braced on his knees.

Eli had not yet returned from her outing. She had gone out earlier with the madam of the brothel to arrange for their few belongings to be sent to the Ashowan keep in Austice, and for transportation for the rest of them. Tam had no doubt she would help give Penelope a better sense of security in that moment.

"Alright, Penelope, why don't you go back to yours and Luca's room and rest, hm?" Annika suggested with a kind smile.

The little girl gave another sniffle, then nodded. Sliding off of the chest she had seated herself on, she proceeded to set her teacup down, and, with her head lowered, exit the room.

"Luca," Tam called softly. "How about you go finish your math homework?"

"Awe!"

Tam shot his son a firm look that had the boy grimacing, but slowly following his sister out of the room with heavy footsteps.

Once the adults were alone, Tam turned to Hamil. "Have you ever heard about something like this before?"

Hamil shook his head. "Seers are incredibly rare, and after a few bad incidents with the other watches that had been used with stopping time, experimentation was banned."

"This doesn't change anything," Annika announced suddenly.

Both of the men looked at the duchess in confusion.

"We aren't going to make Penelope do anything with it again. We should destroy it and that will be the end of it." Her somber eyes cut from Hamil to Tam.

Hamil let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Your Grace. That is absolutely the wisest thing to do. I must say, I've been saying something similar for—"

"I disagree. I think we have to let Penelope decide what to do with it." Tam's interruption was followed by stunned silence. He met his mother's gaze head on. "As Hamil says, seers are rare, and the fact that the watch can only be used by Penelope, suggests that, somehow, it was meant to be hers. Maybe not now given the fright she just had, but eventually, she may wish to use it to help her understand or utilize her own abilities. I say that we keep it safe for her, and if when she is an adult she decides she wants to destroy it, she can, but… That's my opinion."

Annika pursed her lips.

Hamil spoke up first. "Lord Tamlin, this isn't—"

"You yourself said that seers are rare even in Lobahl. The watch can't be used by anyone else. So what's the harm?"

"Because we don't know that it can't do other things! Furthermore, what if Penelope shouldn't have that kind of powerful item?" Hamil exclaimed while moving farther into the room.

"Is everything alright in here?" Appearing in the doorway to the sitting room were Bes and Eli. The Lobahlan woman was staring at Hamil as though he were growing a tail, and Eli was shooting a questioning look in Tam's direction.

"Why is Hamil being serious? What's happened?" Bes asked, while pointing at her friend and fixing the duchess with a worried look.

Annika rose from her seat. "We discovered what the watch does. Hamil will share with you the details. For now, I'm afraid regardless of today's discovery, I better start my journey back to Austice. I'm worried about the princes, and that we have been in one place for so long. Bes, Hamil, please give my regards to Duke Cowan. He will host you and keep you safe until a vessel is available to take you back to Lobahl. He is a good friend of our family and will ensure no one knows that you are here."

Hamil's jaw clamped shut as he visibly struggled to give up his argument from earlier.

"Tam, Eli, you two come with me while I prepare my horse."

The duchess didn't wait for any arguments as she lifted her chin and briskly strode out of the room. Hamil and Bes shared another long look, but Tam knew whatever they would be discussing would be done only once they were alone, and they were not likely to share their thoughts with anyone else.

*

With her final saddle bag buckled on to her chestnut mare, Annika at last looked at Tam and Eli who stood in the middle of the stables waiting.

"Tam, I'm going to take the watch with me. I think you are right that it seems that it is fated to belong to Penelope, but right now, we cannot afford for it to be stolen or broken given what you two are going to set out to do."

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Tam agreed, and procured the watch he had taken from Penelope from his pocket, and handed it over to his mother, who slipped the chain over her head, and tucked it under her tunic.

"Do you two know how you are breaking into the Coven of Wittica's records?"

Tam nodded.

"Good. If any problems come up and you think you will be delayed longer than a month, I want you returning to Austice. The family needs to be united right now while we sort this out. It's been too much of a problem not having any means of communicating."

Again, Tam nodded.

In the hazy glow of the sunshine pouring in through the open barn doors illuminating the clouds of hay dust, Annika openly studied her son. Then, folding her gloved hands in front of herself she stepped forward.

"Protect my grandson and granddaughter. I believe in you, and love you. Be safe." A short, but meaningful farewell, and Tam could see the warmth in her eyes, conveying to him that regardless of recent events, she did not think less of him.

The duchess then turned to Eli. "You. Take care of yourself and my next grandchild. I know you are a sensible woman, and I already trust your judgment a great deal. I know Kraken annoys you, but do listen to him. As much as I loathe to admit it, he has been right more times than I care to count. Even when his opinions and suggestions seem outrageous. And, yes. Yes, I agree that he can be very vexing."

Eli inclined herself respectfully in response.

"Also. I understand that you want to carefully consider marrying my son before any sort of official betrothal…"

What? What? No! No, no, no! Tam widened his eyes, in an attempt to wordlessly communicate that she needed to stop. Talking. Now.

Annika Ashowan, predictably—much to Tam's chagrin—ignored her son and continued on to say, "I just want you to know that I think you would make an exemplary addition to the family if that is what you choose."

Tam calmed down fractionally.

"But if you prefer to remain single, you will also have my support. As much as I adore our family, I'm not oblivious to the fact that we are…" Annika trailed off as she peered at beams of the barn thoughtfully. "Busy? Complicated?"

"Nosey and intrusive more like," Tam muttered.

Annika's eyes narrowed on her son, but when she spoke again, she still addressed Eli. "And don't worry about the child. We will support the two of you in every possible way in either scenario."

Eli remained bowed as she responded. "I trust in the Ashowan duchy's reasonable handling of such an outcome."

Tam rounded on her. "You really know how to inspire confidence in our relationship."

Eli straightened and raised an eyebrow at him. "I was simply expressing my appreciation of the duchess's reasonable and generous sentiments. Why are you so insecure?"

Tam stared at her flatly. "I can't tell if you are seriously asking me that."

Surprisingly, after a beat of silence, a slow smile rose on Eli's face.

Tam folded his arms.

"My apologies," Eli said while barely stifling a chuckle. "I don't mean to continuously torture you like you think I do. I just don't know what other woman says she loves someone, raises his offspring he had with another woman, carries his next child, travels with him to other continents shares his bed—-"

"Where are you going with this?" Tam cut in loudly.

Eli sighed then laughed. "My point is, you know I'm not someone who is going to spout ballads about loving you. However, my actions should make my sincerity clear enough."

Tam pressed a hand to his chest. "And yet you haven't purchased a ring for my finger. Is this all I am to you? Someone who, in your words, is too handsome? Someone to bring you fine tea leaves and jam biscuits? Your human shield?"

A polite cough interrupted the couple, snapping their attention back to Annika who didn't mask her amusement. "Need I remind you both that we are in a rush?"

Eli blushed and Tam grinned before he turned his toes back toward his mother. "Sorry. I'll see you in a month or two at most."

Annika bobbed her head right before Tam leaned down and kissed her cheek.

When he'd finished, the duchess grasped the reins of her horse and began to lead the mare out of the stable, though she paused in front of Eli. She cast an appraising eye over the younger woman's body, and gave what sounded like an agitated huff. "You say you are two months into your pregnancy?"

Caught off guard by the nature of the question, Tam frowned while Eli blinked rapidly. "Yes."

Annika's mouth twisted, and Tam was about to indignantly ask just what in the world was she getting at when she revealed exactly what was irking her.

"And you haven't had any morning sickness? No sore back? Sore feet? Headaches?"

"No, I haven't." Eli shot a questioning look at Tam. "I believe I've put on a small amount of weight, but it's negligible."

"And we did confirm that she was pregnant with the brothel physician," Tam added, wondering if his mother was doubting Eli's condition.

"Yes, yes, I know that. I just…" Annika paused as she turned to her horse and mounted it gracefully. "I had a horrible time being pregnant. Your sister, Tam, as you know, also had a terrible time being pregnant. I think I'm jealous and annoyed." She sounded mildly surprised.

"I'm… sorry?" Eli did not hide her confusion over how to respond.

The duchess merely gave another long beleaguered breath. "I'm happy for you, Eli, that you don't have those symptoms. It just makes me wonder two things."

Tam and Eli glanced briefly at each other before looking back up at the duchess.

"The first, is why women have such varied experiences. The second," the duchess gave a half smile. "Is if it is indicative that you are carrying a witch, and whether or not this has something to do with their magic."

Eli shrugged. "No one but the Goddess can answer the first question, and regardless of the answer to the second, it changes nothing."

Annika tilted her head. "True. But it's fun to wonder."

Then with a wink, the duchess squeezed her horse's sides, and set off through the barn doors, leaving Tam and Eli behind to prepare for their own departure to Xava where they would go on to infiltrate the Isle of Wittica.