Chapter 43: Chapter 43
Sandy’s POV
It didn’t seem like that witchy girl would wake up any time soon. It was better to continue my search for Evaan. If I did find him before waking up, I wouldn’t have to take her help.
I made my way to the nearest bar. It was nothing grand; just a shack located close to the boundary with some tables and chairs. It was funny how nothing about Halaterland seemed magical in the least. The inn, market, pub, everything looked like they belonged to a run-down human settlement.
This was probably because I hadn’t ventured deeper into the Halterland. I shrugged off those thoughts and focused on the chatter that drifted in the room. Most of the conversations centered around some stupid duel or fight. After listening to them for a while, I zoned them out. There was nothing useful here.
I was about to leave when a sudden hush fell over the room. A man in about his fifties, dressed in somewhat flashy robes had entered. The silence lasted only for a moment but it was enough to signify that this man was someone important.
He sauntered to the bar and gave a curt nod. The bartender instantly handed him a blue colored drink. He was probably a regular. It might be a good idea to talk to him.
I walked up to the bar and said, “Give me one of what he is having.”
The bartender’s eyebrows furrowed and he looked into my eyes; as if trying to see something. My face flushed by the sudden scrutiny, “Is something wrong?”
“He is just shocked by your order,” the man standing next to me spoke up before the bartender could respond. His lips curved in a light smile, “I am Daniel by the way.”
“Sandy…” I replied stretching my hand towards him; then dropping it awkwardly when he didn’t make a move to shake it.
“I just wanted to try that drink out of curiosity. I apologize if I have offended you in any way.”
“Nah, that is fine.” He drawled with carefree nonchalance. “However, I wouldn’t advise that you try this. It is too strong for humans to handle.”
“Oh… I didn’t know that…”
He swirled his drink as he nodded again, “What is a human like you doing here anyway?”
I blanked out for a moment. I had forgotten to think of a scripted response to this question. Drawing in a deep breath, I said the first thing that came to my mind, “You can say that I came here out of morbid curiosity. I have heard and read so much about witches and magic that I had to come and see for myself.”
Something flashed in his eyes and his expression hardened, “You better leave as soon as possible. The Halterland isn’t safe for humans anymore….”
He placed the glass on the counter and walked away before I could ask him what he meant. I followed him out of the bar but there was nobody. He had already teleported to some other place.
Over the past few days, I had caught several snippets of conversation regarding humans. The witch community was definitely planning something huge involving them.
Another long, deep sigh escaped my lips as I started walking back towards the inn. Seems like I would have to convince that witchy girl to help me. I had barely walked half a mile when the hair on my back bristled and a deep sense of panic took root in my heart. Someone from my pack was close by and probably in danger.
I let my werewolf senses take over and tracked the sensation. It led me to a large meadow behind the inn, surrounded by a dense overgrowth of brambles. My nose twitched as I caught the scent of pine and orange.
I narrowed my eyes but the maze of brambles made it difficult to see clearly. All I could make out was the outline of two people; one of them was probably a werewolf.
My pace quickened as the faint sound of incantation fell in my ears. A few of the jutting thorns pierced through my skin as I forced them apart. Blood trickled down my palms but I didn’t have time to think about that. Struggling through the overgrowth, I managed to emerge into the open grassland.
The sight that met my eyes chilled me to the core. The girl I had saved was seated in a circle of candles with Evaan. Their hands were linked and the girl’s lips moved rapidly as she chanted the incantation.
I wanted to stop her but I didn’t know how. I wasn’t stupid enough to kill the girl or drag Evaan away. It would do more harm than good. I had no choice but to stand there and watch them helplessly.
After a few minutes, her eyes snapped open. Her lips curved in a smile and she said, “Are you happy now, Evaan? The magical pact is completed. I can’t go back on my words even if I want to. Soon, we will link our life forces and you will be able to do magic.”
“What exactly have you done to him?” I roared as I dragged Evaan behind my back. Glaring at her with utter disdain, I spat, “I should have never saved you!”
“You are misunderstanding me. I wasn’t the one who kidnapped him. I saved him from the grand magus.”
Evaan extracted his hand from mine and ran over to the girl. Holding her hand, he said in a firm voice, “She is a nice witch, Uncle Sandy.”
I snorted and shook my head, “Nice witch, My foot! Do you even know what she has done? She made a magical pact to link your life force to hers. Do you know what will happen if she does that?” My voice grew louder as I stepped closer to the girl, “You will become her puppet!”
I picked Evaan up in my arms, “I won’t let you take advantage of Evaan….”
The girl’s face turned pale. Licking her lips, she stuttered, “I wasn’t trying to take advantage of him, Sandy. He was the one who requested me to link his life force to mine.” She gulped and shook her head vigorously, “I would never hurt him.”
My jaws clenched and my grip around Evaan tightened, “So, you want to say that all this is not your fault? You apparently did it at the request of a five-year-old boy.”
Her face blanched further and she tore her hair, “I… I guess I wasn’t thinking straight…” She looked into my eyes and said in a regretful voice, “I really didn’t want to hurt him….”
“I don’t want to hear anything….I will take him and leave this very moment!”
The moment I said those words Evaan started wiggling in my arms. He managed to slide down from my lap with a bit of struggle. Looking at me with a cold expression, he stated in a firm voice, “I can’t come with you Uncle. I have to stay back and look for my father.”
“Don’t be silly, Evaan. This place is way too dangerous.” I made a move to hold him again but he pointed his ring at me, “I can’t come with you. If you try to compel me, I will have to use force.”
“You…” I was so dumbfounded that I was rendered speechless. For a moment, I was glad that I had no children. Kneeling in front of me, I tried to change my approach, “Do you know how worried your mother will be if I return without you?”
“Mommy….” He whispered in such a shaky voice that I almost regretted mentioning her. He closed his eyes for a moment. His chest rose and fell as he took deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, they were brimming with determination, “Tell her that I stayed back to look for father.” His voice got a bit choked. “She will understand.”
“You came here to look for your father?” The witchy girl spoke up before me. She picked him up in her arms and rocked him. For a moment, I thought that I saw tears in her eyes. Holding him close to her bosom, she continued, “If I help you find your father within a week, will you agree to break the magical pact?”
“He is not staying here for another day let alone a week,” I retorted; feeling the need to show some assertion. She didn’t really think she could make Evaan stay longer just because she wanted, did she?”
She let out a frustrated grunt before snapping, “Why don’t you understand, Sandy? You can’t take him away until the pact is broken.”
“Then break the pact immediately, what is stopping you?”
“Aunty, let us go… He won’t understand,” Evaan said as he cast me a discerning look. “You don’t need to worry about mommy. I will talk to her after I return.”
“You little rascal! How can you talk to me like that?” I narrowed my eyes, “I came all this way to look for you and this is how you treat me!”
I don’t know why but I felt this sudden surge of anger bubble through me. My expression grew colder, “Fine! Stay here and get yourself killed….” I shrugged my shoulders. “What do I care?”
With those words, I turned and stomped away. I know I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up by a child’s words but I just couldn’t bear his insolence…