In the Open Cage

Chapter 24

A golden layer of sunshine coated the late afternoon streets of Harthem in a thin film as Misa walked the usual path that led to Sha'ka's business. Torren trailed behind her, still stiff and rigid even without the uniform he always wore. Misa refrained from asking him to relax for the fifth time, knowing Torren would revert back to his posture even if he chose to listen to her.

Without Misa having to ask, Torren fell back and loitered at the front of the store, watching the entrance like a guard. Misa brushed past the soft trails of cloth displaying their vibrant colour and slipped through the small entrance that led to the dark room filled with ancient faces.

As Sha'ka had promised, Brin sat at the round table, resting her round chin on a hand and rapping her fingers against the clothed surface.

"Brin?"

The witch ceased her tapping and raised her chin to meet Misa. Her eyes were narrowed with distrust. "You. You're with Nisha, aren't you? Why did you want to see me? To gloat? To convince me to join your cause in exchange for getting out of this?"

Misa shielded herself with steel from Brin's accusations. She had to remain coolheaded. It was the only way she could take a step back and analyse the situation.

"I'm not with Nisha," Misa said, taking a seat in front of Brin. Her eyes flickered to a deep corner of the room, where she glimpsed Sha'ka watching them like a hawk. "And I'm only here because I want to hear the details of what happened that day in Giligha."

Brin shifted on her seat, dropping her hand from her chin to the table. The small bottle of colored water jittered and shook. "And why should I tell you anything? I'm not giving Nisha any more to twist around and pin the blame on me."

"Like I said," Misa clasped her hands together beneath the table, not allowing any of the tension to seep through her façade. "I'm not with Nisha. I want nothing to do with her."

"You expect me to believe you?" Brin snorted, her expression appearing fiercer with shadows contouring half her face. "I saw you with her that night. I saw how Nisha kept you close to her. Even if you don't accept that you're with her, she'll make sure you stay by her side. A new witch in Harthem is the perfect target to increase the numbers of her supporters."

Misa took in a breath. This was going to be harder than she'd thought. Brin was fierce, closed off. Perhaps it was a result of her small stature. Misa imagined Brin would have had to work twice as hard to appear as intimidating as any other witch.

"I will never support Nisha." Misa didn't know how else to convince Brin. "I seek to...bring her down. I have heard that she is planning something. A war between witches and the commonfolk."

Brin shot a quick, discreet glance at Sha'ka, but Misa saw their exchange. "And how do I know you're not just lying to test if we would go against Nisha? It's not a coincidence that Nisha is trying to strip my position from the ordain after I convinced more than a few witches to keep away from her."

"Look," Misa said, with a slight sigh. "I am here for personal reasons. There is nothing I would tell Nisha. All I want to know is why you caused that accident, and what you did with the...witch you tried to save."

"Why?" Brin's hand curled into a small tight fist. "What would you do with the information?"

"Giligha is my city," Misa pressed, a hint of anger seeping through. "I think I deserve to know why you decided to wreak such havoc in my city."

Brin huffed. "Giligha is your city? Who do you think you are, girl? Giligha is Tika's city, and it's been that way for decades."

Misa slammed her hands against the table and leaned forward. She caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of her eye, but Sha'ka didn't come any closer.