The Fire of Malice || The Witcher

Chapter Five

The sun peaked over the horizon just a few hours later. Neither Triss nor Shani had gotten much sleep that night and Shani was already up and ready to go by the time the birds had started singing. It would have been extremely risky for Shani to show her face in public were it not for the fact that low clouds were rolling in, bringing with them sheets of rain. A hood would serve the dual purpose of hiding her face and protecting her from the downpour. Not to mention a hood was a lot less suspicious during a storm.

Triss met Shani at the door. "Be careful out there. Try to stay out of sight as much as possible."

Shani nodded, slinging a small bag over her shoulder. "I will."

As Triss opened the door, the loud drumming of the rain hit them both. "I think it would be best if you didn't come back until after nightfall. There's too much of a chance of you being spotted coming back here in the daytime."

"Agreed. Geralt's bandages should hold until I get back. Just keep him in bed, he needs to rest and move as little as possible." Shani hunched herself against the wind and strode out into the storm.

Turning back from the door, Triss sent up a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening for Shani's safe return. For all of their sakes.

~~~

By dusk, Triss was a nervous wreck. She alternated between pacing the front room and sitting next to Geralt, just to make sure he was still alright. He hadn't woken all day, long past what her spell would have accounted for. His breathing was steady if a bit shallow. He just needed rest, she told herself. He had been through a lot.

It was during one of those quiet moments of watchful care that an enormous crash rang from the front door. Triss immediately jumped to her feet, spells already forming on the tip of her tongue. She flew to the front room, pulling the door to the bedroom closed behind her.

The front door had been battered open, the jamb splintered near the lock.

The witch hunters had found them, the rain covering their approach.

Two men charged through the opening, swords drawn, dimeritium shackles dangling from their belts. Before they knew what was happening, Triss had shot a fireball at them. It caught one head-on, sending him flying into the wall. He clattered to the floor, a shattered skull spilling blood while his clothes smoldered. His compatriot took less of a hit, but the side of his face instantly caught fire and he screamed, dropping his sword to bat at the flames and running from the room, seeking to quell the fire in the rain.

The next brave soul to enter the house was skewered by a giant shard of ice that pinned him to the wall. He grabbed at the icicle protruding from his chest for a few moments before he fell limp, a pool of blood and water collecting at his feet.

But they didn't stop coming.

After that, Triss didn't fare as well. The next two were smart enough to dodge her attack, ducking back behind the door frame as she launched a spell their way, then darting inside before she could summon up another one. She only just raised a shield in time to block their counterattack.

That's when Roth entered, a smug look plastered across his face.

Fury boiled inside Triss and she snarled a spell in his direction.

But it didn't come.

Triss held her hand out futilely in front of her as the magic died at her fingertips. She didn't understand what had happened. That spell had never failed her before.

Roth merely laughed. "Think I came unprepared, did you?" He held up a talisman hanging around his neck. "I had this made specially from one of my guests. You've felt the effects of his magic before, at my compound. A slightly different spell, that, but with somewhat of the same concept. It blocks higher magic. In the case of this talisman, it blocks it completely within a short range. You are powerless against me."