“No, If you must know, it is for someone with a god-like constitution. It will only make him sick. No poison is strong enough to kill him. He will live on after the effects wear off.”
“Well, I suppose it would do no harm but no, I will not make you a poison no matter what your intentions may be or for any price. I want you to turn around and leave this place, now!”
“Are you certain? You may come to regret this decision.”
“Will you leave on your own or do I have to force you out?” The plants began to move in again.
“I will go, green witch, but know that you have made an enemy of the winged goddess this day.”
“I think she is already my enemy, but I will keep in mind how not making you a poison might have made her more of an enemy then she is already.”
“Sarcasm?”
“You are brilliant. Now leave this place, strange elf, and don’t return or it will not be pleasant for you. In fact, if I see you come back, I will have my plants use you as fertilizer.”
Tanyth bowed, “As you wish.” He eyed her with a gaze that made her blood run cold before he turned and left.
Chapter 8: Dark Mistress
Thessa awoke from deep slumber by the sound of metallic jiggling and whispers. It was subtle, but still fairly noisy. Someone was trying to get into her room by picking the lock under her doorknob.
“You imbeciles.” She heard a voice whisper. “Stand aside, did you forget I have the key?”
By the light of the moon pouring in through her window, she searched for the pouch of gold. The whispered voice sounded like the innkeeper. He had eyed her gold. She quickly rushed to the chest of drawers and retrieved the pouch; her slight weight was not enough to make any sound upon the polished wooden floors. She waited in the pallid moonlight as the door creaked open. At the last moment, Thessa hid the gold pouch under her pillow and pulled the dagger of the Black Mage she still carried from its hiding place.
“Stop, I’m armed.” She said as the door revealed the innkeeper and two very large individuals.
“Armed?” The innkeeper held out the lantern before him to reveal Thessa and her dagger. “With a small dagger?” The man looked at each of the two brawny men amusingly then laughed; the two men followed suit.
A fourth man made his way into the room and motioned for the door to be closed. It was the numismatist. “I’ll be needing that gold back, miss.”
Thessa was surprised but kept her composure. “I am afraid not. You paid me fairly for my coin with it, remember.”
“You should have just taken the two gold magi I offered. I would have let those go without incident.”
It will happen innocently at first. Something small will set you off and you will be on your way. Sarren’s words reverberated in her head. “I.. I sold my coin to you.” It was all she could think to say.
“Well,” the numismatist said, “perhaps we could negotiate. I will allow you three gold magi and you return the rest to me now and these fine fellows will leave you the way we have found you,” he looked her up and down, “as a pathetic, skinny sot.”
“A sot? But, I don’t drink.” Thessa replied.
“Humph, I have seen it before. A sunken-eyed sot selling the family heirlooms for a few gold to buy more drink. You show all the signs. Now, give me what I came for so I can send these men home.”
Thessa moved forward with dagger in hand. The men moved back slightly. “Let me keep four.”
“I grow wary. I will allow you four if you hand over the rest now.”
Thessa reached under her pillow and produced the pouch. She took out three gold magi, one she had already spent on the room and clothes, and handed over the gold.
The numismatist weighed out the bag on his hand and then poured some out to look at them. “It seems to all be here.” He moved behind the men and opened the door. “Good work, men. She has your gold pieces.” With that, he closed the door. The big men brushed aside the dagger she had pointed at them again and pried the gold pieces from her hand. They each took a piece.
“I’ll tell Sienna!” Thessa said.
The innkeeper smiled back at her, “You do that. I’m sure she will be most displeased with me. Only, a few silver crowns from this gold magi will speak louder than you, I’m sure of it.”
“You won’t get away with this!” Thessa said as they exited the room.
“It seems we already have.” Came the reply.
Thessa sat on the bed and sighed.
After the door closed, something stirred in the room and Thessa shifted her weight in a startled twitch.
Oh, come now, came a familiar voice, are you going to just let them walk away?
Thessa stood up to see the cat Sarren appear at the window. I see the coin master walking and whistling down the street.
“You can hear him whistling?”
Well, yes. I can. Are you going to do something? Anything? They just cheated you out of eighty gold magi!
“I heard your evil words as they flooded into my mind while they were here, and I held back. I am resolved not to be the Black Mage! With the tournament coming, Cassany will be forced to bestow it upon someone else. If I hold out long enough, she will run short of training time and I will be freed.”
You stupid simpleton. She will never let you go. You are cursed with this now. The only way out is to die.
A third voice suddenly rang out in a command, “Do it! Be done with it!”
Thessa looked around and then focused on Sarren. She was no longer a cat, but instead a ghostly apparition floating just above the floor.
