Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON TWO (Ongoing)

Part 1.9

The blade burns at my throat. I reach for the witch magic inside me, keeping my breath steady. I don't see the ice appear around the hilt of the dagger, I only hear it crack into existence.

The boy yelps and leaps back. The blade lands in a pile of fish.

"What did you do?" he demands.

"Why did you try to kill me?" I demand back.

Ruby snatches the dagger before the boy can get it back. She turns it over in her hands, scrutinising the cuboid stones set into its hilt. That's where the glow in the boy's tunic was coming from. It's the same material as the stone on Talia's ring.

"Are you Owen?" I ask.

He's backed up against a branch, with the octopus creature clinging to his feet and looking up at me with big googly eyes.

"I don't need to tell you anything."

I sigh. "Your sister's worried about you. She sent us to speak to you." I reach into my pocket and pull out my official Witch Doctors Inc badge.

The boy's shoulders relax slightly. "Talia sent you?"

"That's right. She hasn't seen you in a while, and she's worried. "

He hesitates. "If I find out you're working for them, I won't hesitate to kill you," he warns.

Me and Ruby exchange a glance.

"We're Witch Doctors," Ruby assures him. "We were hired by your sister. We work at the headquarters in Zilitron." She flashes her own badge.

I try to make my voice as gentle as I can. "I promise, Owen. We're only here to help."

He looks from me to Ruby, then sighs. "Fine. Yes, I'm Owen. Why is Talia worried? I told her she could come visit."

"She thinks Naemar is cursed," I tell him.

He scoffs. "That old story. We can leave if we want. We just like it here."

I think of the voice I heard before. "Have you tried leaving?"

"Why would I try leaving?" Owen replies, irritated. The family resemblance between he and Talia is unmistakeable. "This is my home. I belong here."

"When you first came here, you didn't mean to stay."

"That's true. I didn't. But there's something about this place. It feels like I'm supposed to be here. Like this is the home I was always searching for."

"Have you heard any voices?"

Owen rolls his eyes. "No, I haven't. That myth is untrue. Plenty of people come to Naemar and leave."

"Not after two days," Ruby points out.

Owen looks exasperated. His dagger is still in Ruby's hands, which can't be helping. Squares of blue and green light dance into the air over Ruby's arms. I frown. I've seen this material somewhere, but I can't place it.

"Will you allow us to take a sample of your blood for testing?" I ask. "We'll check for curses, hexes or charms. It's part of our investigation procedure."

"If it convinces Talia there's nothing wrong, then fine."

Ruby pokes around while I take his blood. "How does that octopus breathe above water?'

Owen doesn't answer her. His gaze is fixed on me. "He wouldn't do it," he says, when I pocket the vial.

"Who wouldn't do what?"

"Ignatius. He wouldn't trap people like that. He served the Light. He's only ever helped people."

I look aside at the branches clasping each other like desperate arms. They call to me voicelessly, gentle as milk. A part of me, the part that walks in dreams, reaches out to them. It soothes them.

"Little moon," it whispers. "I will never leave you."