Midnight approached and Phillip led the two Witchers to where he buried his miscarried daughter.
"Did you give her a name?" Juray asked.
"No, why would we?" Phillip asked.
"Mistake," Geralt said. He'd spent the entire time they were waiting trying to figure out what Juray had meant about caring for a child. "Names are powerful seals."
They traveled a little longer in silence.
"Here's the spot."
It was a deserted area past the gates. The ruins suggested that no one had disturbed the area in years until Phillip buried his child here.
"Chose a lovely spot," Geralt smarted off.
"Damn it, will you relent?" Phillip asked. "I ploughin' know I done wrong."
"At least you admit to it," Juray said. "She's already prowling."
The grave was empty.
"What?"
Juray turned her head as raindrops touched her cheek. "She's nearby." She stepped past the men, her golden cat-like eyes on a gap in the nearby fence.
"Where is it?" Geralt asked.
"Coming this way."
Through the gap in the fence came a creature that looked like a deformed newborn infant, crawling towards them. But unlike a newborn, its mouth was full of two rows of razor-sharp teeth and a long tongue whipped about, tasting the air. Phillip backed away and Juray turned her head when she heard Geralt draw his silver sword.
"Phillip, pick her up. Quick."
"And if it goes garrity!? It'll bite us in the arse before we know it."
"Stop yelling. She's calm right now, but if you keep that shit up she'll turn rabid."
"Bloody hell! What happens if it gets ploughin' restless?"
"It'll tear out your jugular," Geralt said, matter-of-factly.
"If she starts wriggling, tell us and we'll calm her. Take your daughter into your arms. Now."
Phillip looked at Juray like she'd lost her mind before approaching the botchling.
"And put that fucking sword away, Geralt."
Geralt huffed, before sheathing the sword as Phillip picked up the botchling.
"Let's go."
"Geralt!" Juray warned, right as the botchling started snarling. "Wraiths!"
Three of the specters appeared and Geralt drew his sword.
"Calm the botchling!"
Juray drew her own sword and turned to Phillip as a wraith came at his back. Juray cast Yrden, trapping and solidifying it in a circle of purple light. Juray killed it and then quickly cast Axii to calm the botchling. It calmed, cooing like a child.
"That was close," Phillip said.
"We need to hurry," Geralt said.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Juray asked as they passed the gates.
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Something Wild (Child of the Winter Moon Book 1)
FanfictionJuray of Riverdell isn't your typical woman. Born under the first full moon of winter and named a curse upon her village for her white hair, Juray finds herself under the tutelage of Witchers of the Wolf School, becoming one of the few female Witche...
