Chapter 8
Catherine arrived at the shop just before noon. After giving her the herbs she wanted Morgan asked, "Sandra and I wanted to go out to check on something. Um, I was wondering if you'd mind looking after the shop while we're gone."
Catherine glanced out at the sun dial which was standing in the town square, "Well, I don't know. How long do you think you'll be?"
"We should be gone an hour or so."
"Oh well okay then. There's nothing where I have to go urgently. If you don't mind me asking, where are you going?"
"We were going to go to Linacre. We had an idea about what happened."
"Oh well then go, certainly. Everyone lost a lot of friends there. If you can give us some answers, well everyone will be very grateful."
***
After finishing her morning shift Hannah went to Morgan's shop. Going in she was dismayed to see Catherine there. "I take it that they've left already."
"Oh yes, they left some time ago. They'll probably have arrived at Linacre by now."
Hannah nodded, telling herself that she should have expected this, "Okay, thanks."
***
Sandra, Morgan and Milicent came into sight of the small paddock as they crested the top of a hill.
"Was this where the first attack was?" Sandra asked.
"Yes." It was Milicent who answered. "First they attacked the live stock, then they killed the farmer, before moving towards the town."
"I've never heard of Wraith Wolves attacking animals before." Morgan got off of her horse and moved towards the the pen, "Though there's a lot that I don't know about them."
Moving up to the fence Milicent asked, "What exactly are you looking for?"
"Evidence of what brought the wraith wolves here," Sandra answered in a condescending tone, "Not that you'd understand that sort of thing." Sandra dismounted and went to join Morgan, while Milicent stayed on her horse.
"Have you got anything?"
Morgan shook her head, "To be honest I'm not certain what we're looking for."
"Me neither."
Milicent watched them as they worked for a while, "You think that someone summoned the wraith wolves."
"Obviously," Sandra answered.
"It just seems odd that the wraith wolves would travel this far," Morgan explained, "So we're looking for signs that someone summoned them."
"But would these signs be in plain sight? I'd imagine they'd be hidden."
"So where do you suggest, oh wise one?" Sandra asked.
"There are some caves nearby."
"We'd better go look."
Milicent lead them round the hillside, where there was an opening.
"Oh," Morgan whispered as they approached, swaying slightly.
"Are you okay?"
Morgan raised her hand to her forehead, "This is definitely it."
looking in the cave Sandra muttered, "I can't see anything in there."
Milicent sighed and got a torch out of her pack and lit it. She took a couple of steps into the cave and stopped, "I take it this is what you meant by signs." In the middle of the cave there was a large pole, which had a sheep nailed to it. There was a small pool of blood round the base. In the flickering torchlight they could just make out symbols painted on the walls. "So this is what witches do for fun."
"No witch did this," Morgan's voice was firm.
"These symbols look demonic," Sandra added.
Morgan, who had been approaching the pole stopped suddenly and ran out of the cave.
"And that confirms it." Seeing that Milicent didn't understand she added, "Morgan's very sensitive to demonic stuff."
"But you're not."
"I'd better go check on her." Leaving the cave Sandra found Morgan sitting on the ground, wiping her mouth. Sitting down next to her, and putting her arm round her back Sandra asked, "Are you okay?"
Morgan nodded, "It was just a shock. I wonder why it affects me like this."
"You're just sensitive."
Leaving the cave Milicent put the torch out asking, "So I take it we can go back now?"
***
When they had gotten back to the shop Catherine asked, "so did you find anything out?"
Morgan nodded. She thought about it a moment, "Actually I'd better see the mayor about it, that is if you don't mind waiting a bit longer."
"Not at all."
"I'll come with you," Milicent said.
"You don't have to."
"I think I do. The mayor made it clear I wouldn't like it if anything happened to you."
Morgan shrugged, "Well okay then."
A short while after they'd gone Catherine was just sorting a shelf out when she stopped suddenly and turned to the door, "Oh dear."
"What's up?"
"I meant to tell her that Hannah came by earlier."
"Oh well I'll tell her," Sandra offered in a reassuring tone.
***
When Morgan got to the mayor's office she instead found the deputy mayor there. "Can I help you?"
"I was looking for the mayor."
"Oh well I believe she was visiting some of the outlying farms."
"Oh."
"You'll probably find her at the Mckensie farm."
Morgan nodded, "Thanks."
***
"So who do you think did this?"
"What?" They had been walking in silence and Morgan was rather surprised by the sudden question.
"Well if the wolves were summoned then someone must have done it."
"Yeah I... I just don't know who."
"Of course they must have known it would be found sooner or later."
"So?"
"So maybe they wanted it to be found."
"So I'd be blamed. Do you really think they wiped out a village just to get at me?"
"See this is what happens if you consort with witches. The queen has brought death to this kingdom through her actions."
Morgan turned to Milicent in shock as she realised what the other woman was suggesting, "So you think it's to discredit the queen."
"It's possible."
"You know I didn't think that you liked me."
"I don't but I lost some good friends when Linacre was attacked. I'd like to see the people responsible get what's coming to them.
***
Elizabeth wasn't someone who got nervous easily. When she had been at Mithrar she had at first been spoke down to and patronised then, when that didn't work, she had been cajoled and threatened. Yet despite this experience she was finding the way that the old woman was looking at her rather unnerving. She was visiting Mr Mckensie along with some of the other farmers. She was finding Mr Mckensie easy enough to get along with, the problem was his mother was there. She hadn't said anything, just sat watching as she did her knitting.
"Well I think that's about everything," Elizabeth said.
"Oh yes," Mr Mckensie said as he rose, "You know I'd been sorry to hear the old guy was retiring, but I guess that you'll do as a replacement."
"Well I appreciate your..."
"What about the witch." The old woman said, speaking for the first time, her knitting frozen in her hands.
Elizabeth sighed inwardly, she had been expecting this to be brought up on her trip. She should have known it'd be this old battle axe to do it. Elizabeth turned to her, "What do you mean?"
"How long is she going to be allowed to stay here?"
"As long as she wants to."
"So we can expect more attacks like Linacre."
"Morgan had nothing to do with that."
"Don't give me that rubbish. Everyone knows she was behind it."
"It's you who's talking rubbish. Morgan is a good person, I guess you're just too hateful to see that." Elizabeth stopped, shocked at what she had just said. She had learnt at an early age that it was best to keep her thoughts to herself and to watch what she said. There was just something about this woman that made that difficult.
"Edward are you going to let her talk to me like that?"
"Now I think that you should..." He stopped as there was a knock at the door. Clearly relieved to be getting away from this tense situation he went to answer. "Hello Milicent, Ma'am. What can I do for you both?"
Elizabeth turned to the door as she heard Milicent's name, thinking 'It couldn't be could it? That would be too much of a coincidence.'
"I was looking for the mayor."
Elizabeth groaned inwardly, as she heard Morgan's voice. She had a feeling that this would go badly.
"Edward, why don't you show the ladies in?" A gleam in her eyes suggested that she had recognised Morgan as well.
Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably, wondering how she cold avoid a confrontation. Finally she decided to take the cowards way, she glance out the window and made a tutting sound. "I've got a couple more farms I need to go to. I'm going to have to get going if I'm going to get back in time."
"Such a shame." It was obvious that the old woman didn't believe her, but Elizabeth didn't particularly care.
Elizabeth made her way out, intercepting Morgan and Milicent on the way.
As they were leaving Morgan asked, "Why do I get the feeling you didn't want me to meet that lady?"
"Because you are entirely too observant." Smiling Elizabeth went on, "She has taken rather a disliking to you."
Morgan looked sad at this, "And we haven't even met."
"She suggested that you might be responsible for what happened at Linacre."
Milicent gave Morgan a Knowing look.
Morgan said, "We've been looking into that."
"Oh yes? Well you'd better tell me on the way."
Morgan explained what they had found. When she had finished Elizabeth frowned, "So not only is someone attacking me, they're also attacking the town." She sighed, "Okay Morgan you better get back to your shop, Milicent if you could show me where this cave is." With that they both set off in their respective directions.
***
The next night as they were eating dinner Hannah asked, in an offhand tone, "So how long were you thinking about staying?"
"Hannah!" Morgan sounded shocked.
Sandra smiled, "Are you getting fed up of me already?"
"Oh." Hannah blushed, "I didn't mean it to sound like that. Sorry, I was just wondering."
"Oh well I had only been planning to stay a week or so, but it seems like you've got a mystery here. I'd like to stay to help you sort it out."
"And we appreciate that," Morgan said, "Don't we Hannah?"
Hannah nodded, trying to look convincing. "Oh yeah, definitely."
***
"Has Sandra done something to offend you?" Morgan asked, trying to keep any traces of accusation out of her voice.
"Oh, no, Really. I didn't mean it to sound like I didn't want her to stay. I was just curious about her plans."
"Okay then," Morgan nodded.
"It's just..." Hannah hesitated, "It doesn't matter."
"No, what is it?" When Hannah didn't answer Morgan went round to kneel in front of Hannah and took her hands, "We shouldn't have any secrets."
"Well you're spending a lot of time with her."
"Well Sandra doesn't know anyone here, and being a witch makes it harder for her. I guess she just finds it easier to relate to me."
"Yeah, I noticed." Hannah couldn't keep a trace of jealousy out of her voice.
"You're jealous."
"No, I'm not. It's just like you have something, because you're both witches, and it's something that I'm excluded from."
Morgan stared at Hannah, not sure what to say, "You're right Sandra and I do have something, and you're not a part of that. But I thought that You and I had something, which she wasn't a part of. I though that we loved each other."
Hannah looked away, avoiding Morgan's eyes. "Morgan, I..."
Standing Morgan said, "I'm going to bed."
***
The next morning Elizabeth was woken up by a bird arriving at her window. Opening the window she quickly caught hold of it. There was a small note on it's leg. Setting the pigeon down on a perch she removed the note and unrolled it. After reading it she said, "Oh dear."
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