Xavior
Gregor slept as I flew us to my grandmother’s house. When we landed in her nearby field, we used my flask and a cloth to wipe at our faces and bodies before we dressed.
“Do you not have any shoes?”
“Why would I wear shoes?”
“Sandals are quite comfortable, and it keeps you from stepping in shit.”
“Or you could avoid the shit.” As I watched, he stepped over a pile of droppings without looking down.
“Okay, point taken.” I laughed. I saw my grandmother’s cottage barely lit up with a hearth fire. It was pre-dawn. The sky was crusted pink as we approached the door.
Usually, she would know I was here before I knocked. We approached the door, and no one stirred. Gregor glanced at me and I at him as I reached out to knock. It took time, but I heard shuffling, and eventually, the door opened.
The stench that met us was unreal. I looked at the dragon in front of me, and I recognized her, but everything seemed off.
“Xavior! Come in, darling, come in.” She turned away from the door and moved toward the hearth. I couldn’t bring myself to step over the threshold. I grabbed Gregor’s arm.
“What’s wrong?” Gregor whispered. Even though he asked, I could see the realization cross his face.
“That’s not my grandmother.”
“Why are you two waiting? Come inside, darlings. I’m starting breakfast.”
“Are you?” I asked. I moved to step inside and kept my hand on Gregor’s arm. It could be that my grandmother was coming to her final moments, but I doubted it. Everything smelled wrong. “What’s for breakfast then?”
“Stew. Doesn’t it smell wonderful?” The thing playing my grandmother walked toward the cauldron over the fire and stirred it, which only made the stench in the house worse.
“When did you start eating meat?” My grandmother had eaten meat when she had to, but mostly fish. She preferred vegetables and fruits along with whatever cheese she made. And honey. She loved honey. I glanced around her home. The crock of honey was spilled on the table, left to ooze its way onto the floor. “You’ve split your honey as well.”
“Oh my, I should probably right that. Could you be a dear and come inside and help me, Xavior?”
I did not go inside, and I kept Gregor from entering the place as well. If they wanted us inside, they’d have to do more than tempt me with honey.
“Maybe you should come outside with us and take the morning air. The sun is coming up,” I offered.
“But what about breakfast? Isn’t Gregor hungry?”
I glanced at Gregor then back at the impostor. “How did you know his name? I didn’t tell you.”
“Clever, Xavior. Your grandmother loved you best. I know more about you than any other in your family. When she died, she trapped me in this hovel. I think she did it to starve me. She didn’t realize that I would be delighted eating her carcass after I skinned her.”
I felt Gregor tense next to me. “You’re the witch!”
“Yes. Foolish wolf. Your mate, Keith, was no match for me. Now I have two skins. Easy enough to travel once Xavior releases me.”
Gregor tore out of my hand and launched himself at the witch. I yelled to stop him, but he grabbed Gregor out of midair and tossed him toward a wall without any care whatsoever.
“You hurt him; I won’t help you. We can all die in here.” I took a step inside. I wouldn’t leave Gregor alone inside of the barrier. I’d figure out how we’d get out of it after we dealt with the witch.
“You don’t have any leverage here, welp. You’ll do as you’re told, or I’ll kill you both and eat you like I ate your grandmother.”
I moved toward Gregor and checked to see if he was breathing. Once I knew that he was alright but unconscious, I turned toward the witch.
“You can drop the illusion.”
The witch did so, and the stench of him was worse than what was already in the house. He wore skins wrapped around himself. Maggots covered him. As if the sight of it wasn’t bad enough, I gagged from the smell.
“Release me from this hovel, now. Or I’ll make sure you’re both cursed to bring me fresh skins for the rest of your days.”
I’d die first. I was pretty sure Gregor would too. “I’m not removing the magic. You’re a corrupted creature, and you deserve to rot in this place.”
The witch cackled. “Brave words from someone trapped as much as I am.”
“Oh? You think so?” I picked up Gregor and walked toward the door. I had to trust that my grandmother had known what she was doing when she trapped the creature in her house.
I stepped over the threshold.
Comments (9)
See all