My human hearing really was terrible. I should have heard her coming. I retrieved my manners and returned her smile.
“I was miles away. My name is Mallt.”
She bowed towards me. “Vatta. What are you doing in my woods?”
“Your woods!” I exclaimed. “Well, I like that, what a foolishly human turn of phrase! I didn’t realise these woods were owned by anyone. We’re on the run from the Romans, heading out to Caer Sidi. That’s Belis over there, she’s the one who the Romans are after. We’re trying to go and get her sister’s soul back from Arawn, as well as my powers.” I clapped my hands over my mouth before I could say more.
“Wait, I didn’t mean to say all that.” I looked Vatta up and down, my eyes narrowing. “You put a compulsion of truth on me. How dare you!”
She looked unrepentant. “I find it saves a lot of time. I’ll admit I was expecting something more along the lines of taking a shortcut to mushrooms rather than a tale of desperate fugitives from Roman justice.”
“Well, I don’t appreciate it at all.” I nudged Belis with my toe. “Wake up, I need you to kill this witch.”
Belis yawned, opened her eyes, saw Vatta and scrambled for her knife, almost slashing her hand open as she fumbled the blade from its hilt. She held it out in front of her, moving between us.
“A witch?” she said, looking frantically from me to Vatta.
“Yes. I told her who we are and that the Romans are looking for us. You’ll have to kill her. Quick, before I say anything else.”
“What else would you say?” asked Vatta, interestedly. I stuffed one hand in my mouth to stop the words spilling out and pointed the other fist at the knife and then at Vatta, miming a stabbing motion.
Belis held out her knife but stayed where she was.
“You’re a witch?” she asked. I rolled my eyes. I had covered that already. Humans were so slow.
“Indeed I am,” Vatta said. “You can put that away, child, I’m no friend to the Romans. The Dobunni chiefs may have given over control of the villages and the roads to their allies, but these woods are still mine and I keep them.”
Belis sheathed her knife. I took my hand out of my mouth and wiped it on my tunic.
“Belis is a witch, too, you can talk about that. Teach her some spells to make her cooking taste better.”
Belis glared at me. “I can do some magic. Not enough for everyone’s liking.”
“What is enough?” Vatta said. “There are always more things that we wish we could do than we can. Who’s your angry friend with the bad hearing?”
“I’m not her friend. I’m Mallt Y Nos. That mortal somehow stole my power when I was trying to collect her sister’s soul. Now I’m trapped in a human form and… Stop that spell right now!”
Vatta raised her eyebrows and turned to look at me more closely.
“The Nightshade? I’m honoured, my lady. I have made many offerings to you over the years, even seen you run through the woods a time or two with your hounds. I thought you lookedfamiliar. Though you’re a great deal shorter than I remember.”
She bowed towards me. I made a great effort not to be soothed, but the bow was nice. Finally someone was treating me with proper respect. I patted my hair, wishing I didn’t look so messy. When she rose she flicked her fingers and I felt the compulsion release me.
“Come,” she said. “My home is not far from here. I can offer you a more comfortable place to rest and some supplies. You shall be safe there, I swear it on my power.”
Belis shifted awkwardly. “You’re very kind to offer that but we have a long way to go. We must cross the Severn and keep heading west. We have a Roman patrol out looking for us. I would not lead them your way.”
“Let me worry about the Romans. Besides, you’ll be slow on foot. I know someone who’ll sell you a pair of horses. You can make up the time you spend resting and more.” Vatta turned and began walking down the hill. “Come!”
I looked at Belis. She shrugged at me.
“Horses will be faster. And I’m sick of hearing you complain about your feet.” She grabbed her pack and followed Vatta, hurrying to catch up.
I sighed and trudged after her.
Belis Before
2
