Patrol 4: Storm & Calm

Chapter 2

The hut nestled in the trees almost seemed to be part of the forest. Moss hung like curtains over the windows. A large oak tree made up one corner of the building, the branches overhead making shade speckled with dim light on the roof, making the shack seem darker. Grasses grew on the roof, the occasional vine dangling from the eaves to snake along the ground. Various shades of lichen, from orange, to green, to teal, to grey, mottled the walls.

Vania numbly let Eddin help her down from Tarva's back. Far off, the sea beyond the city behind them was tossed by wind and waves as storm clouds grew. Lightning flashed as Eddin knocked on the lichen-encrusted door.

Thunder grumbled lowly as the door opened without a sound. The denizen of the hut took one look at them and ushered them inside, slamming the door and dropping the bar into place behind them.

"Um. You're... Ab'bashura, right?" Eddin asked, one arm protectively around Vania's shoulders as he eyed the crone.

Bright silver and black eyes looked at him from under countless wrinkles, brown spots spattered across her face. Her robe was a faded and thinning purple, the fraying edges still a silver-streaked blue. Thin, straggly hair stood in wisps and random tufts on her scalp in a variety of colors, though the majority of them were a deep green.

"Yes," she said simply, running her tongue over her few remaining teeth. "That is what I'm called here, child." She pointed one gnarled hand to a pair of wooden chairs, the seats woven from grasses and vines. "Sit."

Ab'bashura threw some logs into the flickering embers of the fireplace, causing sparks to fly. As the flames began eagerly lapping at the wood offering, she hung a battered and tarnished metal kettle on a hook set into the fireplace.

Snagging a chair from beside the hearth, she turned it to face them. Gripping the armrests as she lowered herself into the chair, she looked from one to the other. She pushed her sleeves up to her elbows and leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees.

The silver in her eyes seemed to fade, making her eyes look almost entirely black as she fixed her gaze on Vania and asked, "So. A descendant of the child of the dragon has come to see me. What brings you here, girl child?"

Vania glanced wildly over to Eddin, fidgeting under the hag's intense gaze. "Um... I... have a... magical problem. That no one in the city can solve."

The voice in her head laughed scornfully. "No one can solve? Don't be a fool. You don't need solving, you just need help opening your mind!"

Vania winced, once hand going to her forehead. She forced herself to say, "I thought... you helped with those?"

"Vania?" Eddin put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch her!" Ab'bashura jumped to her feet.

Eddin slowly pulled his hand back and looked up to watch the hag walk closer to stand over Vania.

Gnarled hands on Vania's shoulders, Ab'bashura leaned close, peering at Vania's face. "I see. You've gone and picked up one of the lessers. A fresh one, by the feel of it. And pathetically parasitic."

"What do you mean by that?" Eddin asked. "Is it feeding off her? How do we get rid of it?"

Ab'bashura ignored him, staring hard at Vania.

When Vania jerked backward with a soft cry, Eddin demanded, "What are you doing to her?"

Ab'bashura didn't even blink as Eddin stood and towered over her. "Shush, child. This takes a lot of concentration. I'm not hurting her."