6 Chapter 6: Booooom (1/2)
SALEM: Others always told me that traveling with someone is a pleasure. You'd have someone to talk to at night, share your stories, your secrets, your regrets. There was something magical about being stuck on the road together, the tiny cart a boat among the ocean of trees and stars.
There was nothing magical about traveling with Elina. Which was ironic.
I've somehow managed to survive my first encounter with her. The gransia handcuffs are keeping her in check. But nothing kept her mouth shut. I could've gagged her, but the thought of getting physically close to a witch when she was awake irked me. What if she bit me? Maybe she could inject magic into my body? Would I blow up?
After I captured her, we didn't make much progress. I caught her in the late afternoon, so there wasn't any time for covering significant distance before sundown. And going after her in the forest was in the opposite direction of where Merkelborough was, so the rest of the day was spent backtracking my steps. But I had to make sure to make a wide berth around the village, lest I walk into one of the villagers and Elina calls for help.
In the end, I made a lot of detours and we ended up on a small path in the middle of the forest.
I said, ”We're far away from Altheim, so don't even think about calling for help.”
”Yes, yes....”
”If you do, I'll gag you.”
Elina scowled. ”I'm a lady, not a dog.”
”You're a witch.”
”Exactly.”
”Same thing.”
”NO.”
”...”
She huffed and puffed and wouldn't shut up. Eventually I mumbled something along the lines of an apology and that satisfied her.
By sundown I stopped the cart and made camp at the side of the road. With some leaves and branches I started a quick fire. I warmed my hands. Ten days on the road. Just ten days. Then I can go home.
A voice behind me: ”I'm cold.”
”What?”
I turned around. Elina sat on her pile of corn, shivering, her hands and feet tied. She wore only a grey dress and sandals. Her breath was visible. She had her knees against her chest.
”I'm cold.”
”I thought witches couldn't feel cold. Your bodies are resistant against the elements.”
”My body is only resistant if I have my magic.” She raised her handcuffed wrists.
I said, ”So you are just like a normal human.”
Heh, witches hated being compared to human beings. It felt like an insult to them. In all the witches I've killed, I've often used this line to anger them, have them lose their cool and eventually they'll make a mistake. And then I chopped their heads off.
Elina looked at me, her silver eyes glowing in the night. Then the corners of her eyes crinkled. A smile.