Threatened [W&W Book 2]

Chapter 27

Anya stuffed her letter into her sleeve.  She pulled out the potion that she hoped would make her fly and decided also to take along the immobilizing potion she should have used on Thorne.  She did not want to be caught with either of them, but at the same time she did not want to be caught without them.

They were likely her two most suspicious possessions and she did not feel that it was particularly safe to leave them in her room now that the witch hunt was on.

She almost wished to abandon them in the forest, but she was too frugal to waste them in such a way.  She would regret abandoning them if she needed them later.

So she would have to take her chances with carrying them upon her person from this time forward.  It was probably less risky.

There was also the issue about the potion that was still in the half full decanter of brandy.  She could not very well pour it out because the empty decanter would be too suspicious.  She did not know where to get more to replace it.  She would have to leave it in Lady Theresa's sitting room and hope no one drank it before it lost its efficacy.  At least it was not a long lived potion.  Likely it would only make someone terribly miserable at this point, unless the properties of the liquid increased the potion's longevity.  She could only hope they would not.

But that was not her current problem.  She needed to get rid of the incriminating letter that she had just written.  Even though she had not been specific in the letter, now that people were becoming suspicious they might just be able to read between the lines.

Anya walked outside without meeting anyone.  She moved across the lawn as quickly as she could without looking like she was hiding something.  If someone asked her what she was doing out she would just explain that she needed some time in the trees to feel better after her trying night.  She would be the only one who would know how trying it really was.

Once she had gone a sufficient distance into the trees, Anya began to call for her crow.  He was quick to answer her summons.

"Oh, Sabin.  I missed you.  Look, I brought you something."

Anya pulled a loaf of bread from her pocket. Sabin cawed appreciatively.

"I'm afraid that I have another letter for you today, sweetie.  I know it's hard, but I also know that you are my most loyal friend.  You're a good boy.  I just hope that this will be over soon."

Sabin cawed as he ate the bread without any apparent haste.  Anya just sank down onto the ground.  If she looked up at the sky and cleared her mind, it was almost as if she was back at home in the woods, just enjoying a morning stroll with Sabin.

Sabin cawed.  He had finished and was looking at her expectantly.  It angered Anya that along with everything else Thorne had done, he had managed to turn her precious familiar into a carrier pigeon.  She held out the letter to Sabin and he flew off quickly.

Anya walked back to the castle slowly.  She was not challenged by anyone as she moved through and she could not help but feel a bit optimistic.  Maybe everything would work out.

Anya made her way over to Lady Theresa's sitting room and found it quite empty.  She then checked Lady Theresa's bedroom.  Hanna was puttering around.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," Anya agreed in her most neutral tone.

"Last night was something, wasn't it?" Hanna asked.

"Yes, it was quite terrible," Anya agreed.

Hanna's eyes opened wide with her recollections.  "I've never been so afraid."