The gate lowered behind us. Three men pushed spokes on a large wheel that slowly lowered the chains that held the gate in place.
I squinted at Benedict suspiciously. “You aren’t afraid to have another witch in your fair city? That doesn’t seem very smart.”
Benedict shook his head. “We understand that not every witch is like the Ember King. Especially a witch bearing gifts.”
“But why are you still here at all, when you could have left ages ago, before it got so bad?”
Benedict sighed, turning to face me. “You have to understand that we did lose most of the residents of Kingsbury when the Ember King established himself. But we also had the sick and elderly who couldn’t be moved. We had women close to labor, babies, small children … many families stayed because this was their home. But most of us … we stayed because our entire livelihoods were here. Everything we learned from the visions God has passed down to us through dreams. The inventions, the knowledge, the experiments. We pray and He answers.”
“He didn’t give you salt,” I pointed out.
“Didn’t He?” Benedict chuckled. “You are here, aren’t you? Did I imagine the salt you brought with you?”
That was … true. But God certainly hadn’t compelled me to come. Auggie had. Even now he was leaning over one of the glass bulbs, a yellow glow bathing his face.
“Father says prayer is a sort of magic itself,” Therese spoke up.
Benedict stared at her frog body for a moment, then nodded.
Auggie straightened. “Didn’t Kingsbury have a saint once?”
“Oh, yes. Over a decade ago. She could perform … well, I suppose you would call themmiracles.She was interred in the church. I can show you if you’d like.”
If demons were the children of fallen angels and humans, then saints were the children of God’s angels and humans. Allegedly. No one had ever seen an angel, and many of these saints were supposedly conceived immaculately. But I had heard tell of saints’ powers, and they were on par with demons’. There was only one saint I knew of alive today, Saint Akilah, and she was in New York City, coincidentally. She could burn demons from the possessed with a touch and protect entire households from demonic influence with charms. Lucifer no doubt loathed her.
“I know you think that it would be crazy for anyone to live like this, behind these walls,” Benedict continued, “but aside from the howls outside these gates at night, and admittedly limited supplies, we are happy here. We are a community. And we won’t be driven out by an evil witch.”
I nodded slowly. I hadn’t considered that some of the people couldn’t be moved, but still … the ones who could move should have made haste. They could have renewed their experiments elsewhere. Of course, someone like Auggie wouldn’t have. He would have wanted to ensure that people were all right and to protect the records of their hard work. I suppose I could understand that desire, even if it was foolish.
We sat at a lavish table in Benedict’s home. The dinner was simple, but delicious, with pheasant, potato soup, and one of the most delicious salads I’d ever tasted, with candied walnuts. Narcissa had dropped any façade of keeping her wings hidden. She was enjoying a pheasant of her own and kept making murmuring comments, like “I’ve never eaten so well,” and “I could get used to this.” Even though I had fed Narcissa plenty of game birds over the years.
“Why haven’t you established a portal to Bristol or some other place to replenish your supplies before?” I asked.
Benedict waved to the windows, as if to indicate the town. “They don’t trust that a portal wouldn’t bring more grief to us. These walls have kept us safe all these years, and the idea of a door that could open to anyone gives them pause. It givesmepause. Just because there are good witches such as yourselves doesn’t mean there aren’t more bad ones out there.”
“Humans as well,” I muttered.
“Humans as well,” Benedict agreed, smiling. “Also, no witches have visited us until now.” He paused. “For a long time, I think this town believed itself capable of being completely self-sufficient. But as our stores have dwindled, it’s become apparent that we’re more reliant on our neighbors than we suspected. We could use such a portal. If The Butcher is capable of creating one … it really would be a godsend.”
“She will do it,” I said.
He nodded. “Then she has my thanks.”
I refrained from snorting at that. “I’ll send that along to her. I’m sure it will be some comfort.”
“Can I see your invention archives?” Auggie asked suddenly, then looked down at his plate. “I mean, if you would want to share. I know some alchemists, you see. I’ve learned a lot from them, but it’s mostly limited to botany. I’ve aided them in their research. Perhaps you would find our discoveries useful?”
Benedict smiled. “Kingsbury was once a great city. Perhaps it can be that again. It would be our absolute pleasure to share what we have learned, young man.”
Auggie smiled. “Thank you.”
Benedict lifted a glass to him and Auggie lifted his in response before they both took a drink. Then Benedict turned to me. “There is going to be a celebration in the town square, in your honor. Please, enjoy yourselves tonight. Tomorrow, I will give you a tour of our accomplishments. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I would like to check on The Butcher’s progress.”
“Freya,” I corrected him with a smile, to which he nodded before leaving us.
“A tour of Kingsbury,” Auggie sighed, nearly melting into his chair. “It’s like a dream.”
I snorted. “Your alchemists are certainly strange.” I made to stand. “I guess we should go and enjoy this celebration. You’re the reason we’re here at all.”
