The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 36 - Underground

"Hello Simone. So nice of you to join us." Amira smirked down at her treading water. "Well go on Elizabeth. You'd better rescue your darling daughter, and my servant while you're at it. They're sullying all this precious water."

"My hands are tied."

Amira made a few sweeping motions with her hands and the bonds tying Elizabeth's wrists slipped off and dropped into the water next to Simone.

"Remember Diplomat, don't try anything. If my team doesn't hear from me regularly they'll start the next phase of Operation Dragon. I think diplomatic relations may be somewhat... strained after that."

Simone could just see her mother rubbing her wrists in the dim light. The bonds started to wriggle, like a dog wagging its tail. Then they lengthened and climbed up the rock face to where Elizabeth was kneeling.

"Simone. You're going to need to climb the rope. Just hold onto it and it'll pull you through the water till you get to the side. Then climb."

"What? Nothing flashy? No spinning tornadoes to suck them out? You disappoint me Diplomat."

Privately Simone though the same thing but she wasn't going to admit that to Amira. Setting her tired limbs, she followed her mother's instructions, dragging the crone behind her.

"I should let you drown," she muttered angrily.

"Don't do that young mistress. Didn't I bring you here?"

"Yeah but under whose instructions?"

Mother Mushroom pretended not to hear.

Simone flopped onto the rock floor of the cave, panting. Amanita Muscaria scuttled over to Amira who patted her head like a fawning dog.

"I have preparations to make," said Amira. Stay over there out of my way until I need you and again, don't do anything stupid. I'd hate for an accident to befall our young friend here." She smiled winningly at Simone.

After a while Amira seemed to forget all about them. She was squinting at the pages of an old book in the dim light, a book that looked suspiciously like the one Simone had defaced. In hindsight she wished she'd burned the stupid thing.

"Simone, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth looked glacial.

"Um, rescuing you."

"I don't need rescuing. I need you safe at Sanctuary. You've played right into her hands. Didn't I teach you better than that?"

"No Mother you didn't teach me anything at all." Simone was furious. How dare she? Staring at her mother's angry amber eyes, so like a cat's, the message from her dream floated to the surface of her mind: "Whatever you do, don't let her have the paidirean."

Oops. Simone put her hands behind her back so she didn't subconsciously start fingering the beads. Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"You didn't," she said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry Mum," said Simone miserably. "I didn't mean to mess up. I was just so worried and I couldn't remember what you said. I thought it was just a dream. She's really evil! Can't you just zap her or something."

Elizabeth let out a measured breath. Simone watched her nervously. It looked like her mother was gamely resisting the impulse to strangle her.

"No, I can't," she said evenly. "She drugged me and I am recovering more slowly than I anticipated. Give it here."

"I bet you wish you'd taught me how to use it now, huh." Simone reached for the paidirean.

"Slowly. You don't want her to see."