Chapter 15: Chapter Eleven : Encompassing

“This spellwork is an embarrassment, Hazel. If this was the battlefield, you’d get your whole platoon killed.”

~~~

The world was enveloped in golden light, wind whipping and swirling like a gale around her. Hazel held her breath, humming out her nose as she continued to force the Air to flow. She focused entirely on that flow. She didn’t even dare look around. The house could have fallen apart behind her. Taé and Aurelius could have been left behind. But if her concentration, if the flow of Air wavered, the entire spellweave could unravel.

And then she didn’t know what would happen. But she was convinced they’d all die.

She felt Edelweiss’ talons dig into her good shoulder, and she instinctively inhaled. But the spellweave was ravenous. Wind whipped into her lungs, stealing her very breath away. She screwed her face shut and focused harder. Her hands shivered as she held the staff erect. It wouldn’t be long. It was only a couple miles. It wouldn’t be long. Just a little longer. Just a little longer –

Suddenly the world jerked and thudded into place. The house creaked and settled behind her, the flowers falling to a hush as they landed in a windless pitch black. Hazel fell to her knees and gasped for breath, but the air was cold and thin, her lungs empty and feeling crushed in her chest.

But then there was a snap of fingers, flash of gold, and a warm, salty sea breeze flowed over them. A pleasant smell. Free from the filth and pollution of the city. Hazel gulped at it, coughing away the coppery feeling in her throat. Edelweiss shuddered and huffed from her shoulder, but relaxed his grip.

“Oof, Hayzee,” she heard Zinnia say. “Should’ve put more protections into the spellweave, huh? … wait what the fuck?”

The shadow of Taé rose before her eyes and groaned. Hazel closed her eyes as there was a wet ripping sound, and a clang. Hazel assumed the the spear was thrown to the ground.

“Wow, gross!” Zinnia cried. “Are you okay?!”

“Yeah. I’m fine. But don’t touch that!” Taé barked. “It’s got Fleshripping spellery. One prick will annihilate your arm.”

“Well. Good to know you’re immune?” Zinnia said. “What the hell happened?”

Zinnia’s mottled fingers floated in Hazel’s vision. After a few more gulps of air, Hazel took the hand. She was dragged up to her feet.

“Ares happened,” Aurelius said from somewhere. His voice already seemed to be echoing off the cave walls.

“Wait what the fuck?” Zinnia cried. “Why’d he show up?”

“Because Asphodel told them to, of course,” Aurelius snapped.

Zinnia whistled. “Hero of the city at his beck and call? Damn, Aurelius, your Grandpa’s got deep pockets.”

Hazel heard Aurelius scoff, but didn’t correct her.

Taé, still wincing as her wound slowly healed, walked right past Zinnia, the falls of her bare feet going from the soft padding of grass and earth to the hard slaps of damp stone. After huffing a few more times, Edelweiss jumped down from Hazel’s shoulder and began sniffing at the boundary. Hazel saw the yellow paint of Zinnia’s spell slowly burning away, a clear demarcation between new soil and old rock. Hazel looked up, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she gasped.

“Is that the sea?!” Hazel exclaimed.

Zinnia and Hazel’s spell had deposited the house in a seaside cave along the cliffs. Taé padded across the slightly sloping cave floor that steadily grew more and more peppered by soft patches of green and red seagrass, fluffy and soft as moss. Dozens of scattered tide pools were occasionally bursting with mats of the stuff. A swarm of red crabs fled before Taé, and an undulating gray mass that took Hazel a few more blinks to reconcile. Apparently, cat-sized lizards scuttled among the crabs, hiding in the tide pools or simply scampering out the cave mouth, diving into the rushing sea beyond. Edelweiss hopped forward, splashing in each matted puddle, sending smaller critters skittering. The black ocean glittered with moonlight, empty, save for a few distant boats, mere black specks with small pinpricks of light floating inside them. The cave mouth was littered with sharp jagged stones, vines and plant life hanging down like a beard, dead stems and a mat of leaves surging and heaving in place with every wave.

Hazel looked around for Aurelius, and saw that he had roamed around to the rear of the house, running his hands along the cave walls. He found a thin, narrow tunnel leading deeper and clicked his tongue.

“Where, exactly, are we?” he shouted to nobody in particular, his voice echoing off the walls.

Zinnia placed her hands on her hips and puffed up proudly. “We’re a couple miles north of the city — past the Burn line of course — on the eastern cliff face. Found it when I was out flying around. Sunrises are going to be spectacular don’t you think?”

“I won’t stick around to see them,” Aurelius said flatly. “What I’m more concerned about is if it connects to the tunnels… and if anyone else knows about it.”

Zinnia deflated somewhat. “I’ve been here a bunch of times and I’ve seen nobody. And the entrance is way too rocky for smugglers.” She pointed at the jagged rocks just beyond the cave mouth, poking up pell mell like a discarded pile of glass. “You could barely get a dinghy through those rocks!”

“I can – ” Hazel started, then coughed again, the coppery feeling in her throat still lingering. “I can seal any cave entrances, if it helps you feel safer, Aurelius.”

Aurelius glanced her way, then his face fell into a softer expression. He walked over and stroked her hair.

“Please, don’t push yourself,” he said. “You’ve done so much already, my little angel…”

Zinnia cocked an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. Hazel averted her eyes.

“I’m fine,” Hazel said, stepping away from the both of them. “This is easy for me.”

Hazel followed Aurelius as he found every single crack in the wall that could possibly connect to the tunnel network. Taé insisted she climb up the cliff and go scout around, but Aurelius pushed her towards the house and said “In a moment! We have much to discuss!” Edelweiss, nobody could stop. With a few flaps of his wings he soared into the night, a white speck on the black before vanishing entirely. They collectively checked that the rats were all fine (Aurelius had moved them to a spare bedroom) and the basement was all there. Of course, the secret door now just led to an empty nook in the stones.

At last, Aurelius dragged all three women down to his basement lair. Zinnia brought down a few mana lamps and some snacks for her and Hazel. Zinnia said the oven and water taps would be “a pain” to get working again. So they just ate cold buttered tortillas with a side of olives and cheese. A very mild apple cider was dug out from the wine racks, which they split, passing the bottle back and forth and chugging between bites.

Aurelius clapped his hands and declared, “Okay, are we all settled? Good.” He approached Taé first. Hands still clasped tightly, he leaned forward, a malicious smile on his face. “Now, sister dearest. I need to know what you know, and in turn, exactly what Asphodel knows. Tell me exactly what has happened since last night.”

Taé nodded, but said, “You know I’m not much in the loop, Relly.”

Aurelius flicked his wrist dismissively. “It’s fine. Anything you can offer.”

“It was mid shift,” Taé said, frowning at the ceiling as she thought. “Was working Cliffside. Quiet. Thankfully. Because that old fucker—“ She cupped a fist next to her neck and jerked a few times. “— Yanked my chain. Yanked all us Thralls, I think. Just a vague tug at the brain. But I got the feeling he was looking for you, Relly.” She nodded to Hazel. “She busted your collar, right?”

“Precisely so,” Aurelius said, offering Hazel a small flourishing bow. “Please. Go on.”

“That’s all I got for a bit. Then I heard him whisper in my ear —“ She waved a hand over her shoulder “—‘Low Priority, Look for Aurelius, presumed dead.’”

Aurelius lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “I suppose… that tracks?” He looked questioningly around at group.

Zinnia leaned forward excitedly and asked, “Is the communication two ways?”

Aurelius looked taken aback. “Well… yes. But it costs a dram of blood for even a short message. So it’s used sparingly.”

“And can you talk to any of the other thralls?” Zinnia pressed.

“N… no,” he continued. “Just Thrall to Master. Any more foolish questions before we move on?” He turned back to Taé. “Is that all that happened, Taé?”

Taé shook her head. “Not even. A couple hours later, I got a new order ‘Low Priority, Locate Hazel Webb.’”

Hazel gulped down a mouthful of cheese and cried, “What?”

Taé shrugged. “I got an impression of your face, but it didn’t didn’t know who the fuck that was. Checked the wanted posters and what not, but I didn’t find anything, so I went to bed come sunrise. I was asleep when I got an Order — Go to this address —“ She jabbed a finger at the ground. “—and forcefully bring whoever was here back to Asphodel.”

Aurelius groaned. “Of course… He knew I was with Hazel and Zinnia last night. And even if he didn’t know where you were staying, Hazel, I bet Gene could find that out fast.”

Hazel remembered hearing that name before. So she asked, “Gene?”

“He’s Asphodel’s fingers in the Thieves’ Guild,” Aurelius said. “Just like Taé will become the next head of Watch in a few years. Or rather, would, current circumstances notwithstanding…”

Taé shifted uncomfortably, but Hazel just barked, “Thieves have a Guild?”

Aurelius burst out laughing. “Oh, they’ll insist to other, more flattering terms, but yes. The thieves of this city are managed by a gaggle of Thieftakers, in open dialogue with the courts…”

“What?!” Hazel cried, “That’s absurd!”

“This was a pirate port once upon a time, darling,” Aurelius said. “Old criminal habits die hard.”

“So….” Taé hesitantly asked. “Do we have a plan?”

Aurelius folded his arms and exhaled out his nose. “No… give me a few days, and I’ll come up with one. But I did compile all my notes for those not in the know.”

He grabbed the lip of the board he had pulled down when Taé had turned up. He flipped it back up against the wall, and heaved the awkward thing up to a hook so it was at eye level. Papers had been roughly nailed to the wide flat surface, covered in pencil sketches of faces, partial maps, and lists written in small cramped handwriting. After making sure the board was stable and level, he stepped aside and began to recite.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Asphodel has made nine thralls in all, but two never leave his side. That would be Eburnae and Dian.” He tapped a collection of three pictures. One Hazel clearly recognized to be Asphodel.

“You’re really good at drawing, Aurelius,” Hazel commented.

“What, these chicken scratches?” he said, frowning at the picture. “No, no, I’m horribly out of practice. These are grotesque is what they are.” Then, after a pause, he said, “But thank you for the compliment, my dearest angel.”

Hazel exhaled out her nose and couldn't help but stare at a grinning Zinnia, Aurelius gave a sweeping bow, then snapped back up, a look of disgust falling over his face as he regarded the drawings once more.

“Eburnae, Dian, and I rotate who stays by Asphodel’s side,” he continued. “And who goes out to play with the wealthy and the powerful. Dian’s an idiot, but Eburnae is vicious and cruel, and a powerful witch.” He turned to Hazel. “You met her. She was the bitch hanging off Asphodel’s arm at the party.”

Hazel cast her mind back to the black haired woman that acted as his assistant, Asphodel leaning heavily on her arm.

She asked, “He doesn't actually have that limp does he?”

“Oh he plays it up nicely doesn't he?” Aurelius said with a wicked smile. “He claims he had the limp before he was turned, but that begs the question. Why doesn't he fix it? I’m convinced it's all an act, one that he uses to fool the populace and his thralls both.

“But back to Eburnae,” he continued, tapping her picture. “She’ll likely be Asphodel’s last defense… and I have no idea what she’d do when freed. Eburnae and I were ah…” He casts his eyes about. “Turned, at the same time. Around a century ago. But she is cruel. Vicious. If we free her, she may very well take Asphodel’s place.”

“So,” Taé said. “We get to kill her?”

“If we can…. That would be the wise decision, yes,” Aurelius concluded with a nod. He gave a shaky breath then moved to the next section of the board.

“Anyway. Setting her aside. There are four Thralls that deal with keeping the populace under his thumb. Myself for noble folk, obviously.” He splayed a hand across his chest. Then, he motioned to his sister. “Taé for the Watch. Lexander for the Courts. And Gene, the Thieves Guild’s Spymaster. Technically he’s just another kingpin among the dozens this city has, but he’s currently head of the largest and most diffuse gang. They barely commit crimes at all, just scrape information off the undersides of the city like barnacles off a ship.” He frowned back at the board. He tapped a picture of a chubby-cheeked man under a messy mop of greasy hair. “Honestly with Taé and the Watch taken care of, I’m most worried about what Gene’s capable of.”

“Of Gene?!” Taé snorted. “He’s just a fat little snake!”

Aurelius’ face twitched with a grin. “Yes, he is. But his men are a persistent thorn, and all information they trade is leaked back into Asphodel’s ear. Cut Gene off, and we have a better chance at manipulating the fabric of lies that hold this city together.”

“So… are we killing Gene then?” Taé asked.

“Just obsessed with murder, this one…” Aurelius said, grinning conspiratorially at Hazel and Zinnia.

“I am not!” Taé shot, offended. “In the Watch, it’s important to ask what level of force is necessary. Not like we go after pickpockets with Fleshrippery!”

“Point. Anyway,” Aurelius continued. “Gene is… well, I peg him as ultimately loyal to himself above all. If we do free him, we need to give him a better deal than what Asphodel’s giving.”

“Well that shouldn’t be hard,” Hazel said.

“And if it comes to it, I could totally beat that snake in a fight,” Taé said, pounding one fist into an open palm. “Even Sloth’s got nothing on me. The one I’m worried about is Ares.”

Zinnia chimed in, “If we just tell Ares that Asphodel is a vampire, he’ll join our side, won’t he?”

“Unfortunately,” Aurelius said. “Ares is a thrall of Asphodel’s as well.”

There was a clatter as Zinnia’s plate tumbled to the floor, olives and cheese rolling lamely across the carpet. Zinnia made no move to clean it up.

“Ares??” Zinnia cried at Aurelius, leaning forward in her chair. “Him?! He can’t be a vampire! He’s like… the hero of the city! The head of the local chapter of the Explorer’s Club!”

“Wait…” Hazel said, a revelation striking her like a boot from the blue. “That wierdo with the weird house? The one surrounded by marble statues??”

Taé laughed. “You saw his house? Yeah, ‘weird’ is the least of the words I could use…”

“How does that work?!” Zinnia cried. “I saw him out and about during the day! Or. I thought I saw him….” She cast her eyes about. “Ooh, does he have a body double??”

“I also entered your home during the day, via yonder door,” Aurelius said, waving towards the now-useless secret door. “It’s not hard to fake. Indirect sunlight merely…” He rolled his shoulders. “Itches.”

“I saw his Fabric,” Hazel said. “He looked uh… well fed? But it wasn’t a normal person’s. It was red, not white.”

To Hazel’s surprise, not only Zinnia frowned, but Aurelius as well. But he quickly shook it off, continuing, “Anyway, Ares and Eburnae are last. We need as much help as we can get to deal with those two monsters.”

Taé nodded sullenly. “I was absolutely useless against him… little more than a meat sponge. So that just leaves… Sloth…” Taé said with a growl. “And Sister Temperance?”

“Yes. Anyway,” Aurelius said. “I haven't the foggiest idea how much help they’d be against that behemoth. They’re both just useful tools to collect the washed-up and infirm. Probably just help hold them down while Hazel breaks Asphodel’s Grip.”

Hazel asked, “Would Ares still work with us after freeing him? He seemed… rather loyal.”

Aurelius shifted uncomfortably. “I’d probably be spewing that same kind of garbage, before you freed me. It’s… Well it’s just easier to play along…” He rolled his shoulders, hiding a nervous twitch. “Frankly, I don’t know what Ares will do when freed. If we’re lucky, we’ll get them on our side to fight Eburnae.”

“If we kill Asphodel…” Hazel said slowly. “Will the rest of the thralls release automatically?”

“Hm,” Aurelius paused, scrunching up his face in thought. “I don’t know. More likely than not.”

“And… you know where to find Asphodel, right?” Hazel insisted.

“We all know exactly where his secret grotto is,” Aurelius said. “You’re about to suggest we go and assault him without bothering with Ares?”

Hazel replied, “At least tell me why we can't just do that.”

“Well. This is what I predict will happen.” He clapped his hands and began pacing, pressing his fingers together tightly as he talked. “We get to his grotto. We get pulled into a nasty fight with Eburnae. Then, while we fight her, Asphodel uses his connection —“ He made a yanking motion. “— to Ares and Gene to get some Thieves and some dimwitted Explorers to flood the grotto. Then after we’re all messily slain, he uses Ares to kill everyone who came to rescue him, and instates them as new thralls. With Taé here—“ He waved at Taé. “— his quick and easy access to The Watch is severed. So at least the bloody watchmen will be spared the slaughter.”

“So if nothing else,” Aurelius insisted, spinning on Hazel to address her directly. “We need to cut off those two. It’ll be harder for him to call for help, and we’ll only have to deal with him, and with Eburnae.”

Hazel nodded up at Aurelius. “Thank you.”

He gave a flourishing bow. “You’re very welcome, my dearest angel.”

“So,” Zinnia said, setting aside her retrieved plate and fallen lunch items. “What kind of powers does Asphodel have?”

“Besides clutching our minds with an iron grip?” Aurelius said. “He’ll likely be faster and stronger than any of us.”

“Even with these??” Taé lifted both her arms and flexed her biceps. Hazel felt her face flush and looked away.

“It goes beyond mere muscle mass, dearest sister,” Aurelius said. “He’s fed on people for centuries, and I’ve had the near and dear pleasure of draining a single Weaver. So yes, while I fear Eburnae and Ares, I don’t presume Asphodel will actually pop like an overripe grape under our boots.”

“And what are a vampire’s weaknesses?” Zinnia pressed. “Stuff like silver, and garlic, and running water?”

Aurelius huffed a breath out of his nose and shrugged. “Sunlight. Being stabbed in the heart. The rest feels… inconsistent. Silver tarnishes like a beast here, I can’t stand the smell of most foods, and I’ve never been forced to cross any stream stronger than runoff from a gutter so I couldn’t say anything about that.”

“Interesting, interesting….” Zinnia mumbled, tapping her chin. “So a silver dagger is out of the question.”

Aurelius shrugged. “If it was at all effective it would be banned outright in White Cliffs. The old bastard would be sure of it.”

Taé suddenly asked. “What’s a Weaver?”

“Why, the illustrious Witch sitting right here,” Aurelius said with a dramatic wave of his hands. “Who, without her talents, we’d have to resort to murdering everyone, if you can believe it.”

Hazel smiled and laughed nervously.

“Oooh… kay!” Taé said, still confused. “So a kind of witch. Got it.”

“Speaking of my very good friend Hazel,” Zinnia said. She clapped her hands and grinned brightly up at the white-haired man. “Aurelius… we need to have a relationship talk~!”

Taé leapt to her feet. “Welp!” she shouted. “I am going scouting! Good luck with that!” She ran to the wall leading to the secret passageway before laughing at herself. She then spun and ran up the steps, bare feet pounding softly overhead as they ran for the door.

Zinnia bounced to her feet and slung an arm over Aurelius’ shoulder. The man, for his part, regarded her coolly, face as close to neutral as he could make it — so he looked a little annoyed. He let himself be shaken slightly by Zinnia as she started talking.

“I am annoyed at you, cheeky Aurelius!” she said. “Seducing Hazel while we were still an item? Naughty boy! But I’m not surprised.” Zinnia gave a catlike grin at Aurelius. “Isn’t Hazel such a sweetie?”

Aurelius took a tick too long to return the smile. “Isn’t she? My perfect guardian angel descended to this mortal realm.”

He made a sweeping motion with his upturned palm, curling up his fingers as they passed in front of Hazel. Not that Hazel could see. She kept her eyes down, hands curled in her lap.

“I’m not…” she started.

“No need to put yourself down, my darling,” Aurelius crooned. Then, leaning conspiratorially against Zinnia, he said, “Did you know? When I asked her for help, she asked for no compensation? She is helping me purely from the goodness of her own heart!”

Zinnia barked a laugh. “Yup, that’s Hazel! Had to set her straight in University, but I guess old habits die hard!”

‘That’s not something worth complimenting,’ Hazel thought, eyes still on her lap. ‘I know I’m acting foolishly.’

“So. I’m okay with sharing. Me and Hazel both get showered by your affections. I’m sure you’d love that,” Zinnia said, pushing her shoulder against his. “And of course I’d be really interested in a threesome… wouldn't you be?”

Aurelius clutched his hands over his heart, pretending to swoon. “So magnanimous! Zinnia, you are a delight! But Hazel…”

Hazel heard Aurelius pad towards her, and felt his lukewarm fingers brush under her chin. He lifted her head, and she saw that face. That half-lidded, demure smile that begged for her affections, and the affections of everyone around him.

It was unsettling, how quickly he switched gears.

She had just seen him pacing about. Heated, annoyed, determined. And while he never lost his posh affect, this felt like a mask he had just slipped on, just to toy with her. Even as her heart melted at the sight of that ‘pure love,’ she knew better than to trust it.

“My sweet angel,” Aurelius said, his voice low and sultry. “What is it that you desire?”

Hazel pulled away from his hand, sinking back into the plush of the armchair.

“Stop calling me that,” she mumbled.

His expression flickered, but he maintained his demure smile.

“Then… what do you wish to be called?” Aurelius’ asked.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just Hazel.”

“Hazel…” he breathed. Just her name rolling in his mouth was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

She closed her eyes, lifted her hands defensively, and said, “Enough. Please. Stop it.”

She gently placed her hands on his shoulders, and pushed him away. Unable to look him in the eye, she spoke to his chin.

“What we did… when we made love, it was a mistake,” she said.

She couldn’t help but remember that empty void when they made love. That spiking anxiety whenever he was complimenting her. For whatever reason, a part of him didn’t want this.

And if he didn’t, she didn’t.

“We’ve just met!” she insisted. “And yet you’re coming on to me. Acting sweet, acting like you love me… it’s creepy! I don’t want this!”

She flicked her eyes up. She saw Aurelius stare back at her. His demure expression was completely gone. Now he just looked dumbfounded.

“You don’t know me,” she mumbled, eyes flicking back down. She didn’t want to look. Not this time. Then, louder she said, “Have a… whatever with Zinnia. But count me out. Bye.”

Aurelius fell back on his butt as Hazel shot to her feet. She scooted around the chair and fled up the steps, just as fast as Taé had.