I stood and picked up a brick, then looked for an opening to throw it. Dang it! Why didn’t I wake up sooner?! I had the perfect opportunity only a second ago. It's not like I’ve never been in dangerous situations before!

I flinched as several somethings flew past me and shattered against the ground, liquid splashing over goblins and the combatants.

And abruptly the alley was filled with the most eye watering, revolting smell ever.

I knew immediately what it was.

I wasn't the only one choking and coughing on the smell as I dropped the brick and rushed at Agent Miller.

I'd barely tackled him, trying to push him down, when I heard another bottle shatter.

The first round of bottles was the fuel.

The last bottle was the light.

A fireball exploded wherever the smell was. I felt my skin singe and smelled burning hair.

Worse was the screams of the witch and the goblins, who'd had the most liquid on them.

Oh, goddess! Miller had been next to the witch.

He didn't scream but his clothes immediately caught fire.

Crap!

“Stop, drop, and roll!” I shouted at him, trying again to yank him to the ground.

There were more shattered bottles, filling the alley with more fire and multicolored smoke.

I finally got the stupid agent to the ground, and we beat at the fire.

Now I was on fire! Crap!

Miller grimly helped me beat my clothes, too.

“Retreat! Leave the girl for now. Go!”

The shadows of goblins rushed back to the hole in the wall. Just before disappearing inside, I saw the silhouette of the witch pause.

She laughed.

“Hansel!” Her voice was as silky as honey, very different from her command voice. “Don't get attached to this one. She'll make a better meal than your Gretal.”

She laughed again and disappeared.

I didn't have time to process anything before the alley was filled again.

This time with cops.

And a half hour, or maybe an hour later (I was a little bit dazed, so I’m not sure), Mr Abel showed up as well.

Mr Abel hadn't struck me as someone who got angry easily.

He was angry now.

Stomping around after Agent Miller while the other man dealt with the cops. Who were dealing with the mess. Putting out fires, setting up lights so we could still see, processing the crime scene, talking to frightened witnesses…

I casually made my way to the back door of the partially demolished wall.

House could move things at will within the perimeter of his area, but not outside it. And anything he tried to move from in to out just flopped to the ground the instant it was outside his area, no matter how fast it was going before.

So he must've gotten Ghana to throw my distraction bombs.

Making sure no one was looking, I patted the door. Then disconnected House by pulling out the key.

I'll thank them both properly later.

For now, I dropped the key into my shoe and wandered around.

I didn't get far before I came across the nearest goblin body.

She stared up at me and I felt myself grow cold.

The goblins had fought hard. Were they willing fighters, willing sacrifices for their witch master?

Or slaves?

Knowing how my goblins were, I knew it was possible they weren't brainwashed and happy with their situation. What was it like? To have to obey someone who valued your life the same way they valued a chicken?

Lay eggs for me until you can't. Then die so I can eat your corpse.

I didn't realize I'd knelt next to the poor creature until Mr Abel spoke.

“Disgusting, isn't it? Wherever witches are, there are always goblins.”

“Yes,” I whispered. Closing the goblin’s eyes. “Disgusting.”

I was tired.

I wanted to go home. Take a shower. And cry in the bathtub where only House would see me.

There should've been enough death in that alley to harvest a whole quartz. But the witch had left none of it behind.

Not that I wanted to harvest. I just knew it would be wise.

“Here, you should sit down.”

Mr Abel pulled me up, led me outside the immediate destruction zone, and had me sit on the back of a coach. Then hovered over me like a mama hen.

“You can go back to work.”

He gritted his teeth and glanced over at his partner 

“My orders are to watch you. But he’s almost done, so we can go back to the hotel soon.”

Ugh.

Whatever.

I leaned against the coach and closed my eyes.

What do I do now?

That, that… I didn't want to swear, but I was very close to calling that woman something that rhymes with her species.

She shattered my tracker.

I rubbed my forehead and grimaced.

I could make another. Or do a different kind of tracking spell.

But both would take some time… and the only ones that came to mind I either didn't have the ingredients for or they had requirements that were difficult to fulfill.

That's why I dug that stupid orb out of the ‘forbidden’ box in the first place!

Another tracker orb would be best. Since I haven’t never even seen some of the potion ingredients of the other option. Much less used them. Even if I found the ingredients, I could end up doing dozens of batches before getting it right.

But then… I refuse to make the tracking orb the way Gran had made it. So I’d have to modify the spell. Which could also take some time and experimentation.

There’s a reason why my specialties are illusions and plant growth.

I groaned and bounced my head against the coach.

“Miss Aka? Are you alright?”

I didn’t answer. Because it suddenly occurred to me, I might not need another tracking orb or stupid potion.

“Miss Aka? Miss Aka, where are you going?”

I ignored Mr Abel as I jumped up and hurried back down the alley. Dodging cops and ignoring people telling me to get out of there.

I planned to leave.

After I got into that building and looked for my kid.

Once inside, I kept having to duck people trying to get in my way. Including Mr Abel. I couldn’t stop moving or I’d get caught, and practically ran through each room.

Come on, baby goblin, I thought when I reached a fifth room.

Then I stopped cold, covering my nose.

I found the harvesting room.

They must’ve had a spell to hide the smell of rotting corpses and half dead animals before. Otherwise the neighbors would’ve noticed a long time ago.

I almost backed out of the room.

But I couldn’t do that.

If blood witches were hiding a captive goblin in hopes of making its tribe submit, wouldn’t a harvest room or an adjoining containment room be the best place?

I took one step forward when someone grabbed my arms from behind.

I was startled when it wasn't Mr Abel.

“Miss Aka,” said Agent Miller coldly. “You should not be in here.”

“My kid was in here,” I snapped. “I'm going to find him.”

I tried to twist out of his hold but he held my arms firmly. For someone who has an injured arm, he sure had a good grip.

“Let me go!”

“I will let you know if we find a goat. Please go-”

Like heck you will, I thought. And dropped. Using my limp body weight to slip out of his hold.

“Miss Aka!”

He sounded exasperated as I rolled out of his reach. When I faced him, he was holding his arm. So I hurt him. Oops. That wasn’t what I was trying to do.

“I don’t trust you,” I told him flatly. “Especially since you don’t know what my kid looks like.”

“This isn’t a sight for civilians.”

I threw up my hands. “I butcher my own food. Regularly. All this is is cruelty and rotten meat.”

“There could be curses left behind.”

“If you’re so worried, come with me.”

He took a deep breath and sighed.

“Fine. But if you throw up, I’m dragging you out.”

I’m not sure why he gave in so easily. Maybe he was just exhausted. In any case, I kept a wary eye on him while I searched the harvesting room.

It wasn’t the gore that bothered me. As I told him, I butcher my own food. What bothered me was the signs that each of these poor creatures had been tortured before dying…

And some of them weren’t dead yet.

There was a dog that was particularly bad. It couldn’t even whine as it looked at me with pleading in its eyes.

I turned away, fighting tears. By the time I looked back, ready to end its misery, Agent Miller had already knelt to do the job.

I felt its death. Could’ve reached out for the power that was released and taken it into myself.

There was no way in heck I was going to do that.