The Ether Witch

Tam noted that the rest of the men surrounding them all wore plain black with a half hearted attempt at finding some measure of hope. Perhaps they weren’t all witches…

“There seems to be a mistake,” he called back to the Zinferan who had addressed them. “I am not Satan, but, I confess, I am not Mister Joe Voll, either.”

One of the plainly dressed men behind Tam facing Jeong drew a bow out, and pulled out an arrow from a quiver.

Tam’s head jerked back to look over his shoulder at the sound of the creaking bow wood, and felt his blood fill with ice when he saw the arrow directed at Jeong who glared at the archer, his thick hands at his sides balling into fists.

Turning quickly back to the man who addressed them, Tam felt his magic seep forward… And a strange other knowingness started to overcome him. He wasn’t sure how, or why the idea occurred to him, and it required trusting the sudden instinct that sprouted from his magic in a way he never had allowed himself to before.

It’d be a blind leap into the darkness, and he’d be risking everyone’s lives.

He fought back against the urge, opted for the less riskier option, and instead continued talking.

“My name is Lord Tamlin Ashowan, I am traveling here in Zinfera with my assistant here, Eli, and a family friend.”

Barely anyone dared to breathe.

Tam watched the Zinferan who had spoken to him lower his brows, and vaguely noted that the fire witch’s eyes had grown round and his smile disappeared.

“If that is the case,” the man who appeared to be in charge strode forward confidently. “Then you are traveling without issuing proper notice to both the Coven of Giong, or to the Zinferan emperor.”

“That is because I am not traveling on official business,” Tam explained hastily, every muscle in his body taut. He noticed the way Eli shrunk back against the carriage, her attention fixed on the fire witch.

The man in charge had a short beard cropped close to his face, and an oval shaped face that he lifted imperiously to stare up at Tam as he approached calmly.

Pretty bold if he genuinely thought I was the devil… Tam thought to himself suspiciously.

“I see. And you are able to prove your identity?”

“Of course. I have papers that I’ve brought with me, as well as other tokens belonging to my family that should be recognizable.”

The man raised an eyebrow.

“Might I ask who I’m speaking to?” Tam ventured warily, while still well aware of the arrow still being primed for release behind him.

“You can ask.” The man said nothing more.

Tam continued staring down at the man for a breath of silence.

“Is there a reason there is still an arrow aimed at us?”

“Is there a reason your knives are still drawn?”

Tam felt aggravated anger start to burn in his being…

They were being mocked and toyed with.

“Put down the arrow,” Tam ordered, his voice soft as he felt his magic build from the soles of his feet, up his chest, down his arms, and was working its way to his head. He could tell any moment his eyes were about to blacken.

“I will once we are finished asking questions. It is highly suspicious that you travel with your identity hidden, and with a missing princess who belongs here in Zinfera, no less.”

Jeong stiffened and Eli froze.

Tam sensed the two reactions while his own heart skipped a beat.

This was bad.

Very bad.

“What do you want?” he asked while forcing his fingers holding the hilt of his blade not to flutter in preparation.

The man smiled, and the cold look in his eyes made Tam’s stomach churn.

“Lord Tamlin, we are happy to let you board your ship after you meet with one of our superiors, and the princess agrees to return to the palace. Her Highness Soo Hebin has been worried for her.”

“And you are aware that forcing someone who is working under the protection of my family to do something against her wishes will invoke consequences from Daxaria?”

That at least succeeded in making the man’s slyness dim, if only slightly.

“She does not have the emperor’s permission to leave the royal family.”

“She is not property. She is a person. Unless the laws have changed since I last checked. Princess Elisara Taejo left Zinfera nearly a decade ago and is now under the protection of Viscount House Jenoure, Duchy of Ashowan, the Daxarian king, and my father, the Coven of Wittica’s diplomat, and,” Tam cited his presence growing larger around him as the back of his neck prickled and his power pushed against the confines of his control.

“Tam–” Eli tried to insert herself between Tam and the representative who was holding his ground, though he was looking increasingly uncertain despite Tam not moving a muscle.

“--She is under my protection,” Tam’s voice came out a rasping growl thanks to the effort it was taking to fight off his magic.

The fire witch shifted closer, but a single flitting of Tam’s eyes in his direction had him stopping in place.

“You will be coming with us, Lord Tamlin, or you will be charged with espionage and aggressive acts against the emperor and our coven.”

Tam leaned forward slowly. “Are you going to put down that fucking arrow, or am I going to do it for you?”

The man’s eyebrows twitched, and his right heel slid backward half an inch. “This aggressiveness does not warrant peaceable treatment of–”

Tam let the power consume him, and unlike any time before in his life…

He chose to trust his magic.

In a rush of black and silvery smokey aura, Tam disappeared.

“W-What is– Where’d he go?” The man demanded turning to Eli, whose wide eyes were shining in the light.

The archer turned his sights to her out of sheer panic as the rest of the men couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise and nervousness.

Before Eli could even think of some kind of response, Tam reappeared…

Behind the archer.

He wrapped the man’s head and shoulder in a hold that forced the arrow to be redirected to the ground in a flash, and with a quick jolt, he pulled the shoulder out of its socket, making the archer shout in pain.

The other assailants instinctively began to retreat as Tam jerked the archer’s head, and then released the body onto the ground, but that was all they had time to do, because Tam disappeared again.

And just as the fire witch started to square himself to Eli, Tam reappeared behind him and slid a dagger into his back.

Before the fire witch’s body had even hit the ground, Tam disappeared, and reappeared behind another man… And another… And another, until in a rush of smoke and fog, every single one that had encircled them lay lifeless on the ground.

The one who had cockily taunted Tam stumbled back, his voice caught in his throat before his eyes darted desperately toward Eli.

As though sensing the line of his thoughts, Jeong’s hand shot out and he grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him against the carriage to stop him from acting on any unsavory ideas about grabbing Eli and using her as a shield to escape.

Tam reappeared in front of him, standing beside Jeong who jolted at his reappearance.

The future duke bore down on the man, his eyes filled with black, pooling magic…

“Who sent you?” Tam asked, his voice seeming to echo from everywhere.

“T-t-t-the first witch! S-She is who you will answer to! She is–”

“Soo Hebin didn’t order you to take Eli? She just wants me?”

“S-she wants the devil.”

“And who are you?” Tam persisted, his eyes gradually returning to normal.

“Garam. I serve Her Highness.”

“So concubine Soo Hebin is aiding the fugitive, the first witch, and the coven knows about it. Does everyone in the coven know?” Tam demanded while leaning forward, his breath coming out as vapor in the chilly morning air.

“M-most. Not all.” Garam swallowed. “You can’t leave. The coven will come after you. They’ll sink your ship. You have no choice but to come to the palace, and–”

“No. I have a choice. And that is to leave no witnesses and find a different way home. Though I appreciate the input and information.”

Tam lifted his blade.

“You cannot possibly be an A-Ashowan! The family represents goodness and-”

“Goodness has a cost, and I happen to be the outlier who pays it.” With a short jab, Tam ended Garam’s life, and Jeong held him until the last wisps of strength left his being, then released Garam to fall to the ground in a heap.

Tam turned to look at Eli.

She flinched.

He recoiled at her fearful response, his grip on his blade tightening before he busied himself wiping them clean and sheathing them.

Jeong stared for a long while at Tam, then he looked at Eli, his thoughts indiscernible. Tam could tell he was trying to process everything he had just learned about them.

Tam could disappear and reappear… and he had no qualms about killing very quickly and efficiently.

Not to mention Eli was a princess.

“Luca? Close your eyes and crawl out okay?” Tam called while crouching down.

“What are we going to do now, my lord? Garam was right. They can sink our ship if we try to leave from this port. The coven resides on an island nearby. If we take a ship we only have half a day before they come looking for us,” Eli implored, a barrier forming behind her eyes and tone as Tam lifted Luca into his arms before gently setting his son back in the carriage and closing the door.

“I killed these men so that they can’t reveal my identity. That will keep my family, Jeong’s family, and Daxaria safe from any accusations of espionage or treason. It was the only way to stop a war breaking out, but we do need to get back… Right now they will just assume it’s the devil who did this. You will also be kept out of this better than if they learn you are serving my household.” Tam thought out loud as Jeong retrieved his coat from the carriage and tied it back on.

“That doesn’t answer the question, what now? They know where to look for Mister Voll. We can’t go back to the house or use that name.”

Tam nodded wearily and reached up to rub the back of his neck.

“We could go to my brother,” Eli said suddenly.

Tam’s eyes snapped up. “No.”

Eli blinked then stood taller. “Why not? And how did you know about him planning to leave the title to any son I bear?”

“He told me when we had tea today.”

“What?”

Tam watched anger spark in Eli’s face.

“Your brother’s assistant was obviously using him and I just wanted to warn him about it. I was going to tell you about it after I went to Lord Guk’s, but things got–”

“Tam, Eli, we need to leave. It’ll be daylight soon,” Jeong interrupted softly.

Tam sighed then held open the carriage door for Eli.

She gave him one last steely look, then climbed into the vehicle and sat beside Luca.

Tam closed the door, and then went to join Jeong on the bench.

Once the two men were ready, Jeong slapped the reins gently onto the horses’ backs and set them into motion once more, right as heavy rain drops started to drop from the sky as they navigated their way out of the harbor in silence.

It wasn’t until they had found a suitable, quiet side road that conversation started.

“Eli’s a princess?” Jeong ventured quietly.

“Yes.”

Jeong’s eyes lowered thoughtfully, then lifted once more.

“Where are we going?”

Tam leaned his head back against the carriage and pinched the bridge of his nose as the way Eli flinched under his stare replayed in his mind.

“I think I know someone whom we can stay with while we reorganize. We’ll go there, and then you’ll go get Bong. We’re going to have to leave from some other port, or find some safe way to send the message.”

Jeong nodded in assent, though he did shoot a look of surprise and uncertainty at Tam when he said who they were going to go to.

Tam sighed and closed his eyes to try and sort through his thoughts.

The way he had used his magic when fighting… It had been…

Exhilarating.

Freeing even

It had felt so effortless weaving in and out of the void like a needle and thread between places, and directing where he wanted to be.

He also realized there was a difference from all of the times he wanted to disappear into the void, and the times when he’d be fighting under duress where he’d felt his magic, and he realized his magic had been beckoning him to trust in it… To trust in himself…

“Eli has probably seen worse things than what happened back there,” Jeong started to say carefully. “And I’m sure she’ll forgive you eventually for having tea with her brother.”

Tam sighed as he faced this new issue. “She has definitely seen worse, but betraying her trust…? She doesn’t take that lightly. And I think while she’s seen more gore, seeing my magic was–”

“That was incredible,” Jeong shook his head, awe in his voice. “Terrifying… but… As soon as you disappeared I knew we’d be fine. I had this sense that you became… bigger than the situation, and that you controlled it.”

Tam allowed himself a half smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It’s funny, I’ve been terrified of my magic for years, but I never thought it’d terrify other people the same way.”

Jeong didn’t say anything to this.

Instead they continued through the quiet streets of Junya, as the cloudy sky above held darkness over them, preventing the light of dawn from reaching them.

Which was probably a blessing.

“What happens if the covens discover what you did?”

“I’d be on trial,” Tam answered easily, even though his mind was starting to feel like it was turning to stone and exhaustion was starting to make itself at home in his limbs. “I’ll argue it was in self defense, but honestly until things get sorted with the concubine, I don’t think it’ll go over well.”

Jeong winced.

“I’m sorry. I’ve gotten you involved in a lot more than just touring me around Zinfera and drinking with nobles…” Tam said sincerely while turning toward the Zinferan he had come to think of so highly.

Jeong smiled. “My father did warn Bong and I that things get messy when the Ashowans are involved. But he did also say everything will turn out for the better, and that your bloodline has a way of making everything work out.”

Guiltily, Tam winced and looked ahead of himself. “I’m sorry to say, Jeong, but… I don’t know that I inherited that ability. If I had, I probably wouldn’t be the one in the family who creeps around in the shadows and occasionally kills people.”

Leaning to the side, Jeong bumped his shoulder into Tam. “Time will tell.”

Tam would’ve argued, but he didn’t have the heart to in that moment, and so he simply allowed Jeong’s comforting sentiment to rest between them.

“I hope Luca didn’t see any of it,” Tam lamented next.

At this Jeong grimaced. “I hope that, too.”

The two men fell into pensive silence as they continued to ride through the streets, though the were becoming increasingly soaked from the rain.

Tam didn’t mind, though. If anything, it helped him stay grounded and not spiral as his energy was focused on not shivering… Until they pulled up to their destination.

Jumping down from the driver’s seat, both Jeong and Tam approached the two guards who stood at the doors.

“I’m here to see Lord Kim,” Tam called out. “Please tell him that his scholarly foreign friend is here to see him.”

One of the men bowed, and opened the door to call out to a steward to inform their master as Jeong and Tam stood out in the rain in front of the grand wooden doors with large, brass ring handles that blocked the way into Lord Kim’s home.

The world started to spin in Tam’s vision, and his right knee trembled.

“Are you alright?” Jeong asked, noticing that his companion was looking quite pale.

“Fine… Just tired.” Tam grit his teeth as he battled against the lightness in his head.

Perhaps between spending three days in the void, dragging Lord Kim there, and then fighting using his abilities when he had barely ever used his power before was too much.

Despite his efforts, a particularly violent spin sent Tam down to his left knee on the hard cobblestones, his left hand catching him in time so that he didn’t bash his nose.

He could distantly hear people’s voices calling around him as colored spots closed around his vision, but he couldn’t tell who they belonged to as unconsciousness seized him against his will. The draining of his energy happened to be so thorough that as it happened, that Tam couldn’t even think of anything other than how he hoped he was right, and that Lord Kim would be willing to host and protect them for a few more days…

At least until he could formulate a new plan that would keep everyone he cared about as safe as possible.