The Last Witch

The wolf-man introduced himself as Teka. He said little else as they struggled through a back door to the inn, and Asher was glad. The inn itself was different to the crowded, chaotic mess he’d been met with the first time he’d come here. Gone was the crowd and the groups of sad and scared people, and instead the chairs had been turned up onto their tables, and a weighted, dusty silence filled the space. Temperence pointed them upstairs, and the commons of the lodging was the same story. No cots lined the walls, no tables, no people. Even the smell of blood was replaced with the must of wood and dust.

Asher stayed with her for a while, explaining everything he could and everything that had been explained to him. Each question Temperence asked, he admitted he had been asking the same thing, but she accepted that. By the time he made it up the stairs, Teka had let himself into a side space, an opening into a room that held only a rickety bed and support beams, and he crashed onto the mattress with a force that made the room bounce. His expression was vacant, and his breathing was sharp.

‘I don’t think a human doctor is going to help,’ Asher mumbled.

‘He will rest, then return to Nakati alone,’ Penn said. ‘He is not the one in danger.’

‘Not without you,’ Teka muttered. ‘Not without Nadu.’

Penn hissed, prompting a mumbled protest from Teka. His eyes rolled back in his head.

Asher stumbled forward, though he didn’t know what he could do, or if he could do anything. Instead, he awkwardly fumbled over to the window, noting the town square below with it’s makeshift tents and sandy ground. He pulled the curtains closed, then dropped into a little wooden chair in the corner. The room itself was dark and particles of dust hung in the air. The smell of must and wet wood was stronger here.

‘The Fienta are in your world the same way they’re here, aren’t they?’ Asher asked. When Penn didn’t answer, he added. ‘Those monsters took prisoners. Like they took people here, didn’t they?’

Penn didn’t answer, and Asher was convinced the man was ignoring him when he nodded. ‘Nadu is my father.’

Asher’s stomach churned. ‘I’m sorry.’

Penn lifted his gaze from the now sleeping Teka and stared at him. ‘Why do you want to know so much?’

‘I… I don’t know,’ Asher admitted. I’m just trying to help.’

‘Why?’ Penn asked. ‘Why do you help me? You made the noise that scared the hunters away, you gave up your search to help mine. You do what I say. Why?’

‘That’s a complicated question,’ Asher said.

‘You are nice to me,’ Penn said. ‘I have not been nice to you.’

‘It wasn’t personal though, was it?’ Asher asked.

Penn’s brow furrowed. ‘I don’t know what that means.’

‘You weren’t mean because you hated me,’ Asher said. ‘Were you?’

‘No,’ Penn said.

‘You’re alone. You’ve been alone for a long time. That’s why you’ve been so desperate.’

Penn stiffened, then nodded. ‘You helped though. I’ve never seen someone help because they can before.’

‘That sounds horrible,’ Asher said. ‘But it’s not true now, right? It sounds like Teka doesn’t want to leave you either.’

‘Teka is my father,’ Penn said. ‘He does this.’

Asher stammered, before realising he had nothing to say to that. Instead, he eased the chair forward until he was sitting next to where Penn was standing. ‘You have two dads?’ he felt stupid asking it.

‘Yes,’ Penn said. ‘Why?’

‘No reason,’ Asher said. ‘It’s not something you see here often.’

‘Is there a rule about how many kinds of parents a human can have?’ Penn asked.

Touche. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘I will help you,’ Penn said. ‘You have helped me, and I will help you. You are looking for the witch from inside Le Torkani. We will find her.’

‘You don’t have to,’ Asher mumbled, though he hated the idea of continuing the search alone. ‘Ultimately I want to rescue all the people trapped in there. Or as many as I can. We can try and save your father too.’

Penn flinched. ‘Why?’

‘I don’t know,’ Asher said. ‘Maybe I just need an ally. I’m losing so many lately, and you’re a good one.’

‘Al-eye,’ Penn traced the word across his tongue. ‘I don’t remember that one. Friend?’

‘I’d consider you a friend,’ Asher said. ‘If that’s alright.’

The corner of Penn’s mouth twitched, betraying a small smile. ‘Friends is good.’ He turned his attention back to Teka. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘For how I have been. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s alright,’ Asher said. ‘I don’t blame you.’

‘You should,’ Penn said. ‘This started because of me.’

Asher flinched. ‘You said before that the spirits were supposed to tell you when the Gate was opening, and they didn’t.’

Penn nodded. ‘They were supposed to. They do because they are made to. It’s their only role. If I had known. If I had listened, the Gate would be closed. Everyone would be safe.’

There was more to this. There had to be. Navarre knew something before he disappeared. The thought still didn’t connect to anything real. Navarre knew. Did he know the full story? Perhaps he only knew the supernatural was at play somehow. The other option was that he had seen Asher freaking out over the strangeness of the market, and had known all along that other worlds were at play.

When Asher pulled him out of there, he was going to throttle the man.

Still, Olive and Navarre knowing – even if Olive only told him to get a reaction – meant that there was more to this than a force of nature. A force of un-nature? There was more to the story either way. If Penn had played a part, he wasn’t wholly responsible.

‘Is it possible that the spirits didn’t know?’ Asher asked him.

Penn’s brow furrowed again. ‘They always know. They do not think. They just do.’

‘But if it was sudden,’ Asher said. ‘Like an ambush. If they only told you as soon as it happened, that might be why you didn’t know. Is it possible?’

‘Possible,’ Penn echoed. ‘But never before.’

‘There’s a first for everything,’ Asher muttered. When Penn glared at him, he added, ‘Hadley – the witch in Le Torkani – she went through the Gate around the same time your home was attacked, and the people here who’ve been attacking everyone, they are organised under someone who knows about it.’

‘About why the spirits didn’t know?’ Penn asked.

‘No, about the Gate,’ Asher said. ‘Human’s don’t know about the Gate, or about spirits or witches.’

‘So you are not the only one.’

Asher laughed despite himself. ‘No, I’m not the only one.’

‘Is it true they are all dead?’ Penn asked. ‘Witches. They’ve been killed.’

Asher nodded. ‘As far as I can tell.’

‘Then I am glad you are here,’ Penn said. ‘You should rest. I will stay up. I want to keep watch.’