Helena

  Little Emmy suddenly got up and headed for the entrance, whimpering and shaking her tail. The front door opened, and Emma entered the room accompanied by bright morning sunlight. With a glance, she saw Esther and Helena sitting on the sofa and the tray with the steaming teapot and porcelain cups on the tea table.

  “I see that even intruders are taking liberties in my own home,” she said. “I hope one of the cups is mine.”

  “I made black tea with cinnamon and ginger,” Esther said.

  Emma petted Emmy, took off her enormous straw hat, and hung it on the coat rack near the entrance. She walked over to the sofas, Emmy following her, and sat down between the young women. She looked like a little girl sitting there among them.

  “I want it with two spoonfuls, please,” she said with a smile.

  Esther leaned over the small table and began preparing the tea, while Helena spoke to Emma. Emmy lay back down in her place.

  “I saw you standing outside. What were you looking at?” Helena asked.

  “The children playing among the birch trees. They looked so cute. Julie was with them.”

  “I thought she was with her mother in the library kitchen.”

  “Agnes is still there, chatting with her dear friends,” Emma said, pursing her lips. “Only the goddess Esliana will know what new gossip those women are up to. And what brought you to my humble abode?”

  “We’re hiding from Taylor and his gang,” Esther said, handing her the teacup.

  “Esther! Why do you say that?” Helena protested.

  “Because it’s the truth. We were minding our own business in the library, but you got upset when you saw Taylor and the others come inside.”

  “Are you still hiding from your problems, Helena?” Emma asked.

  “No, it’s just that I feel bad seeing Taylor and the others after what Victor and Michael did to them.”

  “You shouldn't keep racking your brains with those thoughts, my lass. Whatever is going on between your cousins and them, it has nothing to do with you anymore.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Emma drank her tea. “You saw them today, didn’t you? Didn’t they seem different?”

  “Some of them seemed injured,” Esther said. “From what little I could see, it looks like they were hurt in a fight.”

  “And who do you think was responsible?”

  “Michael!” Helena shouted.

  “The same one.”

  “But why? We’re forbidden to touch the villagers,” Esther said.

  “And do you think Michael cares what Grandpa says? He does whatever he wants. I’m sure he started the fight.”

  “That’s exactly what happened,” Emma said.

  “By the gods!” Esther cried. “Why would he do such a thing? Grandpa’s going to be furious if he finds out.”

  “Don’t worry about him,” Helena said, smirking. “Grandpa won’t do anything to him. He never does. That’s why he never listens to him.”

  “I would like you two not to mention any of this to Eric and Natalia. Let me speak with them first. And repeat this when you see the others.”

  “Why?” Helena asked.

  Emma drank her tea and placed the cup on the tray. “There are a few complications I’d like to smooth out before the matter reaches Eric and Natalia’s ears. I’m worried about how they might react. So please, don’t say anything.”

  “But what exactly happened to make you so worried?” Esther asked.

  ?“I'll let you know later. By the way, did you notice if Taylor and his mates went up to the clinic?”

  “They were upstairs when we left,” Helena said.

  “Do you know how many of them went up?”

  Helena shrugged. “I don’t know. I think they were all there.”

  “Why do you ask?’ Esther asked.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Because I only found two of them in the clinic. I asked them about their mates, but they said they had left and didn’t know where.”

  “Since you weren’t there, I tried to help them myself, but they chased me away,” Esther said. “They told me they didn’t want help from a Hunter. I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t know they fought with Michael.”

  Emma shook her head. "My girl, never give up on a patient who needs your help. I know it's difficult to reason with someone who shows hostility, but as a doctor, our duty is to overcome that obstacle and save the patient's life. And yes, I know it sounds counterproductive, but that's the reality of our profession. We're not gold coins. We won't appeal to everyone, and not everyone will appeal to us."

  “I’m sorry. I should have insisted.”

  Emma placed a hand on Esther’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. You did the right thing by trying.”

  “Thank you.”

  ?Emma picked up the teapot and poured herself another cup of tea. “You made a good blend, my dear. You know, when I saw you girls sitting here alone in my living room, I figured you had something up your sleeves.” She added two spoonfuls of sugar, stirred the mixture, and took a sip. “It's still warm. Aren't you going to have some more?”

  ”What are you talking about?” Helena asked. “It's not the first time we've come into your house when you're not here.”

  Emma tilted her head and looked at the wooden ceiling. One of the corners was covered in cobwebs. “Well, I confess I had that thought because of what Michael and I were discussing not long ago. He confronted me again about his great-great-grandfather’s book. I figured you came into my house looking for it.”

  “Emma, ??we would never do that to you,” Helena said, feeling somewhat hurt by the priestess’s distrust. “We are not thieves.”

  “Where did you hide it?” Esther asked with a coldness that surprised Helena.

  “Esthy!”

  “Judging by your face, I can tell you searched the whole house without success,” Emma said, with a smirk.

  “That book belongs to us.”

  “And I don’t deny it. However, I won’t return it no matter how much you and Michael cry. That book is far too dangerous for two novices to learn from. I don’t know what your great-great-grandfather was thinking, leaving something so dangerous to his descendants. That man was mad, completely mad.”

  “Hey, don't say that about him,” Helena protested. “He was a very kind man. Not as kind as his father, according to what Grandpa has told us, but he was a truly kind man. He helped many people, even the Temple of Idnus.”

  “If you had read what he recorded in that book, you would have a different opinion of him, my lass. His use of magic was more like that of a barbarian than of an invoker. You could compare him to a wild animal. But I suppose it fits with your family's fighting style.”

  “But I want to learn real magic. You only teach useless spells,” Esther said.

  “And haven’t I told you dozens of times that if you want to learn more, you just have to join the Temple of Idnus?”

  Esther glared at her, then turned away. “Forget it. And where did you see Michael?”

  “Sitting beneath the Wards’ zegoto.”

  Esther frowned. “Where is that?”

  Helena chuckled. “Emma, ??don’t give her any names ‘cause she doesn’t know anyone in the village. You know she only leaves the house when we have classes.”

  “I forgot.” Emma faced Esther. “It’s the house with the big tree at the entrance. Near Luke’s shop.”

  A look of surprise appeared on Esther's face, but then quickly faded. “Ah, yes, Luke's shop. I know where that is.”

  “Yes, my child. Luke’s shop.” Emma stared at her as she drank.

  “And what did you talk about?” Esther picked up the teapot and poured herself another cup of tea.

  “He told me what happened with Taylor and then confronted me about the book, as I already mentioned. I asked him why he came to the village if Natalia still has him grounded, but he wouldn't tell me.”

  “I asked him the same thing this morning before we left,” Helena said. “I thought it was strange that he wanted to come.”

  “Maybe he came for mass,” Esther said, as she added five heaping spoonfuls of sugar to her tea. Helena and Emma watched her.

  “We know our Michael isn’t a devout person, my dear,” Emma said. “He came for something else.”

  “That’s true,” Helena said.

  Esther nodded. She whisked the tea and sugar mixture and then tasted it. “It’s tasty,” she said, making a face.

  What's wrong with her? Helena thought.

  “Don’t you know why he came?” Emma asked. “I thought it was strange seeing him there, sitting alone. He usually comes to the library to read.”

  Helena shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Sometimes it’s hard to know what’s going on in his head.”

  Emma looked at Esther. “And you, my girl. Don't you know what…” Emma fell silent and looked towards the front door. Emmy leapt to her feet and stared at the door as well.

  ?“Emma! Emma!” someone shouted outside. Emmy began to growl and bark in response. The door opened, and a petite woman with short brown hair rushed inside. Her light eyes quickly focused on the priestess. Emmy followed her and continued barking behind her.

  “Oh, thank the gods you're here,” the woman said, panting.

  “Emmy, be quiet!” Emma shouted. “But what's wrong with you, Celeste? Why are you running around?”

  “Forget about me. Emma, we need your help. There's trouble.”

  “What's going on?”

  “There's a mob outside. They're heading for Luke's house.”

  “What?!” Esther cried, jumping to her feet. She nearly spilled her tea. "Why are they going to Luke's house? Did something happen?" she asked, alarmed.

  “They’re going to lynch Michael.”

  “What? This time it was Helena who screamed. “Why? What did he do?”

  “They’re going to lynch him for adultery. They caught him sleeping with Elisa at Luke’s house.”

  Helena and Esther were speechless. Emma frowned and looked at Celeste as if she were crazy. Emmy whined in the brief silence.

  “You’re talking about Michael, Michael Hunter, right?” Emma asked.

  “Yes, yes, I’m talking about him,” Celeste responded desperately. “Let’s not waste any more time. If you don’t do something, they might even kill the boy.”

  “And then his grandfather kills everyone,” Emma muttered. “I’m such a fool. I shouldn’t have canceled it.”

  “What are you talking about?” Helena asked.

  “Nothing,” Emma said, waving her hand. She walked to the door and took her large straw hat from the coat rack. “Let’s hurry before something tragic happens, and Rodford wakes up tomorrow in ruins.”