Forever Green

~48~ The Witch's Insight

When the last vestiges of the memory had faded from the teacup, Theiden looked up and exchanged a glance with the older witch beside him. Kivirra's eyes were wide and solemn, and her lips pressed in a firm, thin line.

Theiden searched for words in the silence that followed their revelation, but found he didn't know where to begin. Finally, Kivirra stirred, taking in a deep, raspy breath before speaking.

"I found her like that, in the woods, hunched over Mona's body," she whispered. Her gaze drifted to Lenesa's still form on the bed. "My visions had been warning me of something ominous for weeks, but it was only afterwards that I received the signs that led me to her. She didn't tell me. I had no idea...I thought..."

She trailed off again, swallowing hard.

"She took her great aunt's darkness in, when she was trying to heal her," Theiden said slowly. "She didn't realize what she was doing."

Kivirra nodded once, slowly. "It would explain why the destruction she's been causing has been elemental," she said. "It's not her magic. But if she's not careful, Mona's Turned magic will soon leach into her own."

Theiden's jaw tightened. "How can we fix it?" he said. "There must be a way to reverse it."

The corners of Kivirra's mouth twitched, jittery and unsure. "Lenesa's specialty is healing," she said. "If anyone would know a cure, it would be her."

"But she's only getting worse!" Theiden countered.

Kivirra just shook her head. "There's nothing I can do about it."

The creak of a door sounded out in the hallway, and both Theiden and Kivirra froze.

Theiden's gaze flicked down to Lenesa, then back up to the older witch. She can't stay here, he mouthed. It's not safe.

Kivirra crossed her arms. "Where else can she go? she mimed back, just as a floorboard creaked outside the door.

Theiden gestured. Anywhere!

She's unconscious! Kivirra's glare was unforgiving.

Thieden hissed a frustrated breath through his teeth. His family was sure to find out he was harboring a witch if Lenesa stayed in the house for much longer.

"Theiden?" It was his mother's voice, cautious in tone from the other side of his bedroom door.

"Just a minute," Theiden replied. He moved to leave, but Kivirra lunged forward, latching her gold-tipped fingers around his arm in a vicelike grip and shaking her head.

Please, she mouthed.

He felt a muscle twitch in his jaw as he thought over his options. Finally, Theiden gave a single nod and shook Kivirra off.

Don't leave this room, he ordered, giving a last warning look before turning and opening the door enough to poke his head into the hall.

"Yes?"

His mother's eyes narrowed, gaze darting to a space that seconds earlier had been blocked by Theiden's shoulder. "Do you have work today?"

Theiden forced a smile. "Ah. Yes. Work." Did Kivirra know he was working for the witch hunters? Would she curse him on the spot if she found out? Theiden prayed his mother wouldn't mention them by name.

"Let me just, uh, get a few things, and then I'll be on my way."

"Hm." Her reply was disinterested at best, suspicious at worst. Theiden hoped it was the former. At last, she turned away. He waited until his mother had gone downstairs before stepping back in his room and shutting the door.

Kivirra was staring at him, or rather, staring through him, perhaps at something hidden on a different plane of existence, if there was such a thing. It reminded Theiden of the unnerving way cats stared at nothing, as if captivated by something human eyes couldn't see.

After a long moment, the witch blinked, and her gaze sharpened. Theiden raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Theiden frowned. "Tell you what?"

"That you've seen him! The bookkeeper!"

"Did you just have a—a vision, or whatever?"

"Theiden!" Kivirra's violet gaze was fiery with impatience. "Answer the question!"

"I—well, there's been a lot happening lately," Theiden said. "Anyway, he's not a witch. How do you even know him?"

"Our opponents are making their next move," Kivirra rushed, not bothering to answer. "If they succeed, Mr. Eltwen dies. That would surely push Lenesa over the edge, once she finds out."

Theiden held up his hands. "Wait. What are you talking about?"

"Turning!" Kivirra's eyes were wide, her brow creased with worry. "If the bookkeeper dies, Lenesa is lost. She'll start killing, not just for defense with Mona's magic but with her own, out of rage. So many innocent people will die. And the witch hunters will catch her. Tie her up for everyone to see, torture her, and then burn her in the central plaza, to show off their defeat of a plague witch. And the fear and anger of our kind will continue."

Theiden swallowed the lump in his throat. All because of the death of one man? "Who is Mr. Eltwen, to you and Lenesa?" he asked.

Kivirra shook her head. "He is the light that Lenesa needs right now. I don't know how to cure this darkness ravaging inside her, but I do know that the bookkeeper is a strong line of defense against Lenesa giving in completely to the Turning."

"But why?" Theiden pressed.

Kivirra's lips parted, a soundless moment passing between them as she considered her next words.

"You might as well just tell me," Theiden reasoned. "I know too much about you both as it is."

Kivirra sighed, then nodded. "Fine, I'll tell you." But again, she paused, and looked back at Lenesa's still form on the bed.

"Well?" Theiden tried to tamp down his impatience.

Kivirra wetted her lips and turned back to face him. "The bookkeeper is Lenesa's father. If she loses him, in addition to what else she's been through, I don't think she'll survive the darkness that she's cursed herself with."

Theiden sucked in a breath as the puzzle pieces of Kivirra's worried ranting finally fell into place. "We need to rescue him, then."

Kivirra gave a single, firm nod.

"Indeed, we do."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I am so, so sorry for the late update!  I know November is supposed to be NaNoWriMo and the time when everyone writes the most, but despite my best intentions it always seems to be the exact opposite for me.  D:  And now the holidays are upon us, which is nice...but also not good for writing haha.