Wardens of Elysia

Chapter 9 • Danger in the Streets

Squawk! Squawk!

A tin cup was thrown to a metal cage, "Shut it, Kerrald, yer' wretched bird!"

A saggy old woman spat. Her gangly arms in the air, fists curled. She coughed a little,

"Now wur' wur' we..."

The elder lady peered at the teenagers through big black eyes and parched tresses that sat on her shoulder. She was sporting a printed cloth on her forehead to push back her oily hair. But it was her dark eye circles that taunted Tierra's uneasiness.

"You were telling us about the wolves, Madame," Eros said.

"Oh yes, yes, ther' wolves," her voice became low, and then her eyes widened again, "AWOO! AWOOO!"

Tierra was so startled, she gripped Eros's arm. He gave her a reassuring hand rub.

Eros opened his mouth to interrupt when the witch continued, "Ther' fierce! Ther' bite! Ther' plunty! Don' rest when yer see them. Run! Run far far 'way!" She shook too much saying this that the many ornaments on her necklace made clinking noises. Tierra realized they weren't just bones, they were fingernails, long and slightly coiled. She felt suddenly sick to her stomach.

"Thank you for the warning, Madame Woglia. We will be careful..." Eros said looking at Tierra, "For now, I guess we should be going. The weather doesn't seem too friendly."

Tierra wasn't sure, but she started to smell a dulling medicinal aroma, it made her head ache. She paced the room to find the source. It was a little bottle that fell on the floor, a violet fluid leaking.

Madame Woglia frowned. She squinted her eyes.

Squawk! Squawk!

The woman went shaking again, "Ye thur! I r'member ye..." she mumbled and hissed, as froths of spit collected at the tip of her mouth.

But she wasn't looking at the crow. Eros could see her staring straight at Tierra, who was now closing her eyes and holding her head.

Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!

"Thank you, Madame. We wish you well!" Eros said quickly standing up. He pulled Tierra outside and heard another clash of metal ware thrown amidst curses.

Out of the shop, the streets were starting to get deserted. The tournament must have ended. Tierra breathed a little, relieved of the fresh air.

"Are you alright?" Eros said worry climbing his throat, "We sure wasted one silver coin."

Tierra was murmuring something.

"What?"

He gulped, leading Tierra to a log bench a few meters away from the fortuneteller's shop.

"Fingernails. Her necklace is made out of fthw..." Tierra felt a little light headed again, and then slightly better. She gave a thumbs-up to Eros.

He sat beside Tierra, "I smelled something in there. Was that...I don't even want to think about it."

"Balm for the Dead," Tierra managed.

Eros shivered at this.

"At least we know we no longer need to see this Servius."

Tierra felt alarmed, "What? No!"

"What do you mean no? Tierra, you heard her. It's beyond the gates. And wolves!"

"I've been to the forest just this morning, nothing happened. No wild animals or whatnot."

"Right. You mean you went to the forest inside the city walls."