The Last Witch

Hadley Derrian vanished without a trace a year ago. Asher struggled to connect the information in the envelope to the woman in the Underlands with the crows. A human being who had lived in this Kingdom, the same as any other, and not some strange ghostly witch that had pulled Asher back from the brink of death. She had run a dovecot, even though no-one really used carrier pigeons anymore, and she had a husband who still lived on the edge of Dalvany.

Things were calming down throughout the manor. People still came in and out, and activity upstairs told him there were more than a few people staying in the makeshift hostel, but he could move around without getting in peoples way. As he went through more notes, searching for the reason for the missing record – a thorn wedged into his brain that he couldn’t pull free – he exercised his ankle as the doctor ordered, easing his foot back and forth to work the joint. He found it ached just as much when he stood on it as it did when he lifted it, so he decided to try leaning on it just a little.

There was nothing on the missing parts of the first King. Nothing on what was erased, or how long that section of history was. Nothing on how him being a witch reflected on his reign, or what it changed.

Nothing to go on.

The lie he had given to Evelyn did have weight though. He needed to look into any other strange phenomena connected to this at some point, and find out if it started with Hadley, or went back further. The case listed her as missing – not dead like the doctor had described – and she was in the Underlands, so it was a place to start. At some point he had to go back to town hall and look at older cases.

The First King wasn’t the only empty record though. He tried to break the tedium by looking into the other famous cases of witchcraft. The Third King had been the one to bar future executions for Witchcraft, but Asher found the same gaps, the same lack of information. He thought he had found a stroke of luck when he discovered a book specifically on the Third King and the “Quiet Era.” When he opened it, he noted that entire pages had been torn out.

Had witchcraft become so taboo that even history was being censored?

Were they really doomed without it?

He made for the front of the manor to see if anyone was heading back into town so he could check the Town Hall himself, when the booming voice of Magnus Barque pulled him from his train of thought. The man’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was forceful, pulling at the gravity. He sat in the drawing room by the fire, balancing a chalice of wine in his hand. Norrah stood on the other side of the fireplace, standing straight with her hands locked behind her back as she gazed at the fire.

‘… I’m not sure if you’re a natural pessimist or being realistic,’ Norrah was saying. ‘Though I am concerned. I know you are the next available option.’

‘You are exhausted,’ Lord Barque said. ‘I see what you have been doing for this town, and that is why I come to you first. I thought out of anyone, you would understand most of all how much things have changed.’

‘No, I understand perfectly,’ Norrah said. ‘Though I won’t dismiss the Lady Tremboui and all she’s done here.’

‘Of course not,’ Lord Barque said. ‘But Lady Tremboui has already renounced her position, which is why I come to you. More than anything we need to re-establish a status quo. It’s been a month; Even if the King were to return, we’re seeing a future where it might be a while yet.’

‘I have my suspicions about the missing returning at all,’ Norrah said. ‘My main worry is whether or not we can handle the social strain of crowning a new King. There are people who are still holding out hope that the time before would return, and some of them are only holding on because of it.’

Magnus leaned back in his chair. ‘If Lord Tremboui would return, would you go back to Euthria?’

‘Yes,’ Norrah said. ‘I did have correspondents down there before I left.’ She turned to stare at Magnus. ‘I am not suggesting that we never install a new system of leadership, only that it’s not the time. Things are beginning to calm down, and once that becomes constant, I will be behind— Hello, Lieutenant.’

Asher’s face flushed with heat as both of them turned to him, and he gave a quick salute. ‘I don’t mean to intrude,’ he said. ‘I heard a noise.’

‘We’re alright in here,’ Lord Barque said. ‘You’re standing.’

Asher gestured to the crutches still hooked under his arms. ‘Slow progress, sir.’

‘I hope you’re not listening in on anything, Lord Barque said. ‘Though you’ve come here for something. What is it?’

Asher shifted. Under the Lord’s cold gaze, he felt almost as though it was an interrogation. He wondered if Norrah’s suspicions had been voiced to anyone else. ‘Nothing immediate, sir. I plan to head back into Dalvany town to follow up a few things is all.’

‘Evelyn said you were asking after old cases,’ Norrah said. ‘Have you made progress in anything?’

Asher shook his head. ‘I’ve got a few personal threads to chase up, but otherwise I need to get back out with the people.’

‘I hope these threads are not more important than the situation at hand,’ Lord Barque said.

Asher bit down on his lip. The lie wasn’t completely a lie anymore, but it still felt weird to bring it up. ‘I’m searching to see if this started with Valenda,’ he said. ‘Missing persons, strange happenings. I think if we can trace it back to a point of origin, then maybe we can figure out how it happened at all.’

‘Interesting theory,’ Lord Barque said. ‘How far back have you gone?’

Asher held up the envelope still hooked under his arm. ‘About a year so far.’

‘If you could take some time to help with the census, I’d appreciate it,’ Norrah said. ‘We don’t have exact numbers still, and the volunteers are struggling.’

Asher nodded. ‘I’d like to talk to a few as well, since I’ve missed quite a bit.’

‘I’d prefer you didn’t,’ Magnus Barque said.

Asher flinched.

‘Don’t take my words wrong, Lieutenant,’ Lord Barque said. ‘You’re still working hard, and I appreciate your efforts. I cannot imagine the stress you’ve been under, but that stress is why I want you only helping the volunteers for the moment.’

Asher nodded, though the words stung. This was how it started. If his leg didn’t heal properly, then he would never go back to being a Lieutenant.

‘This isn’t permanent,’ Lord Barque continued. ‘But you’ve been on orders to rest, and we still need hands in town. I think it best that you step away from our end until you heal. There’s also—’

Norrah made a noise, cutting off the words, and Lord Barque threw a hard look at her. He got to his feet and rested his chalice on the fireplace.

‘Your cousin wants to be gentle, but I will put it to you plainly,’ Lord Barque said. ‘The others that came back have not been of clear mind. I need to know you’re sane if you’re going to continue.’

‘I understand, sir,’ Asher said. That part at least, he couldn’t complain about. ‘I don’t entirely trust myself either.’

There were other things he could do still, on that front. He could still try to find the missing information from the library, and he had Penn. He could track down Hadley’s husband, if she was still around.

That was the positive aspect to all of this at least. He had no intention of stopping, and as long as he kept going, it probably didn’t matter if he was working with the Guard or with the nobles.

‘Take care of yourself, Lieutenant,’ Lord Barque said. ‘You have a lot of potential in you. I won’t see it wasted by such chaos.’

Asher nodded, his mind blanking at the words. The compliment seemed more out of place than anything Evelyn had done since he’d gotten back. He remembered what Navarre had told him, that Lord Barque saw his history in Beau Jordeaux and his father’s legacy more than anything. He wondered how much he would ruin that by working against this man’s orders.

‘Thank you, sir.’ Asher gave another quick salute. ‘I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll leave you to it.’

He hobbled back down the hall, barely making it past the foyer stairs before footsteps echoed out behind him. He suspected it was Norrah, and turned to see her rushing to catch up with him. Asher dropped down onto the stairs, thankful for an excuse to sit for a minute.

‘Was there something else?’ he asked her.

‘I suppose that depends on whether you’re open to a conversation,’ Norrah said. ‘What Lord Barque was trying to say is that he is re-establishing the Royal Court, and you won’t be on it.’

‘I got that,’ Asher said. He wondered if she expected him to be upset about it. It probably hadn’t come up as a point of conversation.

‘Though if I’m establishing my own advisors, I would very much consider you, Lieutenant,’ Norrah said. ‘I would. Just to emphasise that point.’

‘I’m not really any good at all the politics stuff,’ Asher mumbled.

‘I’m not suggesting you be my right hand,’ Norrah said. ‘Only that I want to consider your opinions, to have you act as a confidant. Lord Barque wants to dismiss you, and I believe you’re one of the only people I can trust in this place.’

‘Oh.’ Asher felt a pang of guilt, though it was nice to know that he hadn’t completely destroyed his credibility in the madness.

‘I want to trust you, Asher,’ Norrah said. ‘I need a reason to trust you. You were lying when you said you were looking into missing persons, weren’t you? You said it the same way you told me you remember nothing.’

Asher flinched. ‘It wasn’t a lie,’ he pressed. He passed her the envelope. ‘I am looking into missing persons.’ He sighed. ‘I just have a few other threads to follow as well.’

Norrah flipped the folder open and frowned.

‘The name came up as a weird case while I was recovering, so I asked for that specifically. I need to go to the Town Hall for more recent records. I swear, I’m not being dishonest.’

Norrah didn’t glance up from the papers, staring at them intently. ‘There was an investigation on this one,’ she said.

Asher had noticed that, but it was hard to care when he knew exactly where she was. ‘All I can say is that she disappeared without a trace, and it was over a year ago. It might be nothing, but I do want to check in with the husband to see if it means anything.’

‘Alright, I stand corrected,’ Norrah said. She handed the folder back to him. Asher fiddled with the tie that would seal the clasp. He knew what she would ask next, and she straightened, as if censing it. ‘What else are you looking into exactly.’

She stared at him, and Asher wondered just how dishonest he could be before she really began to call him out on it. The fact that she had already showed she could read him easier then she had claimed to back in the market. Maybe that had been the plan. ‘Honestly?’ he asked her. ‘Witchcraft.’

‘I’m going to need you to elaborate,’ Norrah said.

‘I know magic isn’t real,’ Asher said. ‘You know magic isn’t real, but these stories came from somewhere. If I can connect something that was waved away as magic to whatever is happening here… I don’t know, I thought it might lead to something.’

Norrah blinked. ‘I hadn’t considered that. Why is it such a secret?’

‘Because witchcraft is still taboo here,’ Asher pointed out. ‘If people don’t point fingers at me, they’re going to point them at someone, and people around here are too happy to see others hang.’

Norrah’s face tightened.

‘There’s something else too,’ Asher said. ‘Some of the records are missing. Entire pages.’

‘I see,’ Norrah said. ‘Do you think it’s foul play?’

‘I don’t know enough to say,’ Asher said. ‘Like I said, it’s a taboo. It could be that people are just afraid.’

Norrah shifted, glancing back towards the drawing room. ‘Thank you for telling me,’ she said. ‘But I have my doubts about the connections to old stories. If I need you, I will pull you away.’

‘I’m okay with that,’ Asher said. He gestured to his leg, turning his crutch around in his hand. ‘As long as I’m not running and jumping.’

Norrah’s stare could cut glass. ‘I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.’

She turned and moved back into the drawing room, leaving Asher mulling over the whole thing. He didn’t know Norrah well enough to know if she’d keep it all to herself, but at least if she did talk to anyone, he had enough ground in the story to cover up what he did know. If Lord Barque doubted his sanity, him revealing that he could see spirits and that magic was real wasn’t going to help his case.

The spirits were still everywhere, of course. They weren’t as frequent as they were outside, but they caught his eye all the same. A cobweb in the corner that seemed to move and reach for new places to grab with the softest touches. Lines of light traced through the lines if the floor. The garden outside was more alive, the bushes and the trees and the grass all caught in their own silent symphony, so blended with the bizarre that Asher couldn’t tell the real from the invisible.