Clockwork Goddess (The Lesbia Chronicles) (17 page)

"Witches do. But Liz doesn't."

"If Liz is a witch, then she is one of Ariadne's chosen," Moon pointed out. "Which means we are not to harm her."

Liz smirked around her gag and nodded agreement with Moon. She had been watching the goings on with keen, interested eyes and seemed pleased with the turn the conversation was taking.

Kira bent down and swept the gag out of her mouth. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I am a witch," Liz declared proudly. "But I am not a healer like your precious Ayla. I am a bad witch."

"A bad witch?"

"I do bad things. To good people," Liz said proudly. "I do as I please, when I please. I am favored of Ariadne. And I am going to make you all pay. I... mpfh!"

Her threats were cut off as Kira stuffed the gag back into her mouth.

"We really need to find Ariadne. Or Ayla. Ayla would know how to deal with a bad witch," Kira mused aloud.

"But Ayla's run away," Trebuchet pointed out. "Can't say I'm that impressed with your Ayla. Seems like about as much of a spoiled brat as Liz."

"If you knew Ayla as I knew her, you would not say that."

"I know her only as I know her," Trebuchet replied simply, rubbing her palms together in a slow, thoughtful motion. "And if I were to find her, I would soon give her a taste of my lash."

Moon giggled, a high pitched sound of genuine amusement.

"Ayla's not here," Kira said. "And we have to find a way to keep this one contained. A bad witch is more trouble than a missing witch."

"Maybe I should become a witch," Moon said thoughtfully between puffs. "I think I have the hair for it."

"You will do no such thing," Trebuchet replied, plucking the rolled herbs from Moon's fingers and putting them to her own lips. She drew deeply, then exhaled slowly. "What we need to do is regroup. Rethink."

"Relax," Moon agreed. "Things will probably take care of themselves."

"What we need to do," Kira replied, removing the herbs from Trebuchet's grasp. "Is to put the herbs down and set a watch schedule for Liz. She cannot be allowed to go free again. She's a danger to herself and everyone around her. She really needs to be in prison, or in the care of another witch."

"Our other witch is gone," Trebuchet mused. "And frankly, a stint in prison might do the brat some good. Bad witch indeed."

"The queen is coming after us anyway," Moon said. "Maybe we could just give Liz to the queen. The queen will definitely put her in prison."

There was a moment of silence as that notion was considered. It was an outrageous notion for a rebel group to turn a witch over to the queen. It could never happen. It was unthinkable.

"You know," Kira said. "That's not the worst idea."

Trebuchet was not so sure. "You want to go to Queen Cadentis, hand over Liz and hope that she doesn't have you thrown into a dungeon for being a magical creature yourself?"

"Liz could be a peace offering," Moon suggested, snagging the herbs from Kira's fingers. She danced away to a safe distance and put them to her lips only to find the roll confiscated and stomped out by Aeron whose crystal gaze dared her to complain.

Chapter Twenty Four

As Ayla and Vix traveled onwards, Vix's excitement began to turn to something like guilt. She was quiet as a matter of habit, but she eventually fell completely silent in such a heavy fashion that Ayla stopped walking and turned to her companion.

"What is troubling you?"

"It's nothing," Vix said hurriedly, fiddling with her satchel. Nothing at all."

"Something is worrying you," Ayla said perceptively. "Tell me."

Vix chewed her lower lip for a moment, then glanced up at the witch who was waiting patiently for her to speak. "Should we... do you think we should really have left the others? I mean, should you have?"

Ayla's expression was inscrutable. "What makes you worry about the others?"

"Well there's Liz and Aeron, for starters," Vix said. "They might kill each other. And then there's the queen, what if she captures them?"

"Kira is more than capable of eluding a whelp of a queen," Ayla replied calmly. "What truly makes you worry about them?"

"I don't know," Vix said. "It's just a gut feeling I suppose."

"You care about them," Ayla observed. "Arguably more than they care about you."

"You don't care about them?"

"Yes, I care for Kira. And I am sure Liz will be in trouble soon enough, but the others seem equal to the task of handling her. You and I are walking our own path now. You should be thinking of yourself, an innocent in the company of a wanted woman roaming through a forest where very few have ever set foot."

Vix frowned at the witch's words. "I think a lot of people have been here," she said. "These woods aren't that remote."

"Aren't they?" Ayla's cheeks dimpled with restrained amusement.

Vix looked around herself, seeing green stuff and brown stuff and the occasional bit of gray stuff. All pretty standard for a forest. "I don't think so."

Ayla nodded slowly, spun gold hair caught in a light breeze. "I think you should pay more attention to your surroundings," she said. "We may not be where you think we are."

"I don't understand. It's just the woods."

"Is it?"

Vix frowned. The enigmatic act was tedious already. "Well is it? If you've got something to tell me, tell me."

Ayla shook her head. "Some things you need to discover for yourself. Keep your eyes open, Vix. And keep your mind on the present moment. You will need your wits about you."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"To find Ariadne."

"I know that much," Vix replied. "I mean, where, physically, are we going?"

"You don't know?"

Vix looked around herself once again, wondering if she was missing something. She didn't think she was. She thought Ayla was being a significant pain in the posterior though. "I don't know anything," she said. "I'm a dull witted hengineer. Could you perhaps just tell me?"

"We're going to Ariadne's house," Ayla said simply. "It's not far off. We should be there soon."

"What use would a goddess have for a house?"

"What use would a goddess have for a half-blood?"

The second question was not asked by Ayla. It emerged from the woods themselves in deep tones which made Vix let out a little yip of surprise. Ayla reached out and drew Vix close, winding a protective arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry," she whispered to Vix. "Just pay attention."

"Is that Ariadne?" Vix hated how tremulous and timid her voice sounded. She didn't believe in goddesses. There was certainly no point in being afraid of one.

"No," Ayla replied in hushed tones. She reached out with one hand and made a swirling motion. The air shimmered around them, as if something very hot were surrounding them in a dome.

"What did you do?"

"It's a protective ward," Ayla explained. "None shall cross."

"Cute," the forest said. "But ineffective against anything besides flying insects. You have forgotten the power of your people, Ayla."

Something moved deep in the woods and then someone emerged from a tree. Not from behind the tree, or near the tree, but actually from the tree itself. It was a woman with long hair the color of bracken. She was naked, but she didn't seem to notice that. She was very tall, taller than Ayla, her wide dark green eyes narrowed, her great ears pricked at the tips. She had a cruel sort of beauty, the harsh lines of her face made her intimidating and the energy she projected made Vix feel like prey.

"Elf," Vix breathed. "That's an elf."

Ayla's grip tightened on Vix and the barrier shimmered again, growing in intensity so much that little leaves near it began to curl up and blacken and the blades of grass on the forest floor caught aflame.

"Do not be afraid, Ayla," the elf-woman said in a voice which was resonant with the forest. "I mean you no harm."

"If you mean me no harm, then begone," Ayla replied. Vix could feel how stiff she was. In spite of her calm words there was no doubt that Ayla was afraid.

"Stop this silliness," the elf woman replied. "You will tire yourself out. Your powers are not as strong as ours and there is no need for you to use them. You will not be harmed."

"You keep saying that," Ayla said. "But I do not believe you. Leave us. We are merely passing by this way. We will be gone in less than an hour."

"Yes," the woman smiled. "You are trying to use the old paths to sneak through. But you have been caught, Ayla. Come with me."

"No."

"It is not a request. You will come with me. Now."

The elf was speaking to Ayla with the calm tones of a shepherd coaxing a sheep back to the fold. There was a certain condescension in the tone which made Vix bristle on Ayla's behalf.

"She said no," Vix said, finding her voice. "No means no."

The elf ignored her entirely. "Ayla," she said, her tone becoming chiding. "If you resist, you will be punished."

"Only if you can catch me and I promise you, you won't be able to. Now leave me," Ayla said, her voice lowering to something like a growl. "Or I will burn this forest to a cinder."

The elf seemed shocked at the threat. "Your days among the mortals have made you barbaric. These trees are your ancestors."

"I don't care," Ayla replied. "Leave us be and let us pass or they will be but a memory."

The elf's lips twisted in a wry, humorless smile. "Your threats are obscene. You have forgotten our ways."

"I never knew them," Ayla replied. "And I am glad for it. Now let me pass or feel my flames."

"Your threats are impetuous and impertinent," the elf said. "And you would be punished beyond imagination if you were to carry them out."

"I can very well imagine the punishment," Ayla replied in a hiss. "I was born into one of your punishments. You do not frighten me." She squeezed Vix a little and urged her forward. Together they began walking slowly, the ward of flame moving with them and leaving a scorched trail in their wake.

"I knew your mother," the elf said. "I hoped you would not take after her, but I suppose there was never much hope for you."

Vix felt Ayla bristle.

"You most certainly did not know my mother," Ayla replied. "If you had, you would not be standing here today."

The elf lifted her voice in curt censure. "Spoken like the spawn of Erwydden. If you will not come willingly, you will come in chains."

Vix became aware that they were no longer alone. That was to say, they were no longer three. There were half a dozen other elves standing around them, some female, some male, all impossibly tall with crystalline features, wide disproving eyes angled toward their ears and expressions ranging from intense curiosity to outright outrage.

Vix turned her head and whispered over her shoulder. "Was this part of your plan?"

"Not entirely," Ayla admitted. "Stay calm, we will make our way through them without... oh dear."

The elves were exercising their powers to dampen her ward, the shimmering was fading slowly before their eyes.

"Ayla..."

"Don't worry," Ayla said. "We may be slightly captured."

"Slightly captured?" Vix found herself pressing back against the witch as the elves drew in close and the tall dark haired elf smirked unpleasantly. Before she could reach them, someone else stepped between her and Vix and Ayla.

"Come with us please." A female with long straight dark golden hair spoke in resonant tones, her green eyes filled with warmth. "You will not be harmed." She was handsome as they all were but she seemed to be of far greater age. She was not wrinkled or bent in the way aging humans were, but there was something in her gaze which made Vix feel as though the elf had seen the passing of eons.

"She should be restrained, Soren," the dark haired elf spoke.

"Silence, Alise. You have frightened our guests more than enough." Soren did not smile, but she emanated a warmth which made Vix feel as though everything would be alright. Ayla was not so affected.

"We will not," she said. "We are going on our way."

"You have been walking for such a long time," Soren replied. "Will you not rest your feet, take a little water?"

"No." Ayla's reply was firm and defensive.

"Bring the chains!" Alise called the order.

Soren's brow flickered upwards and she turned toward the dark haired elf with restrained annoyance. "If I have said this once, I have said it many times. We have no need of chains."

"But these are such fine chains," Alise said. "Made of the best obsidian..."

FWOMP! A fireball jetted across the distance from Ayla to Alise.

There was screaming then, a great deal of it coming from Alise, whose hair had turned to a ball of fire sweeping back and forth on the path as the elf ran in circles, squealing like a suckling pig. Ayla stood with her jaw clenched, her lower lip showing signs of a tremor as she held her hand extended toward Alise, her palm glowing where the fire had boiled out of the ether.

"Put her out, would you?" Soren spoke to her companions, apparently unmoved by the drama of the situation. "If you wouldn't mind refraining from the use of fire," she said to Ayla. "That would be nice."

"I will refrain if you take your people and let us pass," Ayla said. "I have not come here to harm you."

There was a long pause, then Soren nodded. "Very well," she said. "We were eager to greet you, but if you must pass on there will no doubt be another time. Go well, Ayla."

Moving almost as one the elves retreated back into the trees, even Alise and her singed locks soon disappeared into the forest.

"Are they gone?" Vix whispered the question to Ayla.

"I very much doubt it," Ayla said. She was composed as usual, but there were little tell-tale signs about her eyes and lips which spoke to great internal strain. "Let us move, and quickly."

"That Soren seemed nice," Vix said as they began striding through the forest with greater purpose.

"She is the worst among them," Ayla replied briefly. "Let us not speak again until we are clear of this place."

Making all due haste, Vix and Ayla walked and walked but the forest seemed to have no end, and after three hours, Ayla called a halt.