A Witch's Word

OFF LIMITS

Cadmus and Dex were soaring through the sky. Sunrise was their favourite time of the day. Watching the light pierce the darkness and spread like a translucent watercolour splashing over Dex’s wings was a privilege that Cadmus had always appreciated. How many people could imagine the freedom of being a human with the power of a dragon who chose you and was loyal to you?

“You’re sentimental this morning,” Dex mentioned, concerned for his rider, who was smothered by his father’s ruthlessness.

“If it weren’t for you, Dex, I would leave this damned empire and live in a cave where I could see the sunrise every morning and never have to go back to the castle where I live in darkness. You were born to be the King’s dragon, and I was born to be the disappointing prince. I am sorry, my friend.”

Dex didn’t try to dissuade his rider. He disagreed with him, but there were some twisted roots that even a dragon’s wisdom couldn’t untangle. Since Kaiza had been taken, Nokon had taken his fear and warped it into the force needed to protect his son, but the outcome had been suffocating and repressive. There was a great king to be found in Cadmus, but the weight of Nokon’s crown would forever make him doubt himself. Edith was a force who hadn’t been hindered by expectation but rather nurtured for it. Dex hoped that her influence would break the hold Nokon had over Cadmus. The prince didn’t know why he thought of his sister so keenly that morning. He felt her absence every day, but sometimes he wondered what would have happened if they had taken the heir they wanted.

Unusually, Dex disturbed the peace with a roar of warning, allowing Cadmus to compose himself as Sidnax and Reid approached.

“You had better return home, my prince, there has been an incident and emperor Nokon is beyond reason.”

Cadmus felt no urgency. Unfortunately, this description of his father wasn’t a rarity. Rolling his eyes in a gesture that Reid understood all too well, he realised that more information was needed.

“It seems that Princess Edith went into the royal nursery last night and has disturbed the room. Your father is threatening to send her back to her mother skinned. I do not doubt your father, but for a witch with middling ability, your wife has been nothing but impressive so far. I wouldn’t like to see her put to the test.”

Cadmus had already climbed upon Dex and was urging him to flight. He had no idea what could have possessed her to enter what was known by all to be a sacred space, even if not explicit, the sacredness of the place was a hollow hymn that couldn’t be ignored. He knew that he had to intervene before his father did something he would regret.

Yelling could be heard before the prince and the General landed on Edith’s balcony. By the time they entered the room, Edith was wiping the spittle from her face, remaining composed, contrasting the rubicund glow of Nokon’s skin as he continuously screamed without taking breath.

“You had no right to enter that room. What made you think it was your place when it was so obviously untouched? Her blankets still smell of her, and her toys were exactly how she left them. Her hair is still in the brush that was left on the dresser. These are the things that have been preserved for her return so that she knows we never forgot about her. In one night, you have ruined twenty-three years of memory.”

His eyes darted to a knitted blanket on the bedsheet. Small enough to cover a baby and obviously too small to be anything other than a comfort for Edith. Suddenly he strutted towards it.

“I’ll show you…”

Cadmus and Reid both saw how Edith lifted her hand wearing an expression of hatred as if she could blast Nokon into the next kingdom. Cadmus reached his father first, pulling him back from the treasured item, while Reid stood between the emperor and the witch, giving her time to restore her calm.

Edith moved towards the fireplace, keeping a healthy distance between them while Nokon decided on his next tirade. Lightly, she ran her hands over the blanket that she had rescued from her bed and took a deep breath in her body.

“I went to that room because I wanted to know what happened. Despite the murder of my grandma, we, the witches, have always known that we were not responsible for what happened to your daughter. The room called to me as magic, however ancient, that is left behind can sometimes do when it has a secret to tell.”

Nokon paused. He never thought that there could be a way of discovering more about that night. When peace had been declared, he had asked Maggie for her help, but he was always told no. He had assumed it was not possible, rather than an unwillingness to aid him. Raising his eyebrow, he waited for her to continue.

“I cannot tell you all yet, because a lot of it was unclear, as visions often are. The first thing I can tell you is that the magical signature in that room did not belong to anyone in my homeland. The second is that the vision would not have come to me if the subject of it had died.”

Nokon seemed unable to catch his breath as he choked on a cough he couldn’t expel. Perching on the edge of the bed, he looked at Edith once more.

“You will help?” Nokon asked her.

Edith shook her head.

“I will treat you the same way you treated my grandma. I will refuse to help you and let you suffer because my need for vengeance outweighs my disposition for compassion. Is that what you would do? Haven’t you done worse?” She hadn’t realised she was shaking her baby blanket at him, as it trembled in her hand.

The truth of her words revealed the hostility between them all. There was no effort to hide the hatred between them and none of them could look each other in the face. She had revealed too much but couldn’t find it within herself to be annoyed about it.

“You will talk, witch.” Nokon spat at her.

“Perhaps, but never to you!” She returned.

Nokon turned on his heel. The door slammed, and servants who had been listening in suddenly scurried away. Reid shook his head in disappointment and took Sidnax to begin his day.

“I’m sorry you feel this way, Edith. I’d hoped you would learn to call this place home,” Cadmus began.

Edith laughed loudly, instantly putting Cadmus on the defensive as she was able to do with such ease.

“All I see is unfairness in this land. It is unfair that some eat their fill while others starve, and it is unfair that those who can do something choose to do nothing. However, the unfairness that I am unable to do anything about it that your sister is alive somewhere and the prospect of seeing her again is possible, whereas I will never see Grandma Joyce again. How can we balance those scales, husband?”

There was no answer to that question. Instead, they sat in misery.