All The Kinds Of Love

•2•

Dot watched her friends cackle together as they walked ahead, striding in perfect time to each other. Dot knew things about them nobody else knew, maybe not even Hester and Anadil.

She knew that Hester's fingerglow and the streak in her hair were the exact same shade of red as Anadil's eyes.

She knew that when Anadil's rats had died, Hester had been the only one who could console her.

She knew that Ani was the only person Hester had ever hugged.

She knew that Anadil was on track to be Leader of her own quest until she decided she'd rather be with Hester.

"You can't deny he deserved it!" Hester smirked as Anadil chuckled.

"I guess not." She cracked a grin. "It was very entertaining, nonetheless."

"Hey, are we nearly at the border?" Dot puffed. "My feet are killing me."

"Yeah, yeah, quit your yapping." Hester rolled her eyes. "C'mon, we should make it to Crossmaw by sunset, but only-" she glared at Dot- "if we hurry."

"I still don't understand why we're going to Crossmaw. Why can't we stay in Mahadeva?"

"Because that's not where our mission is, dung beetle." Anadil spat.

"We've been summoned by the Queen. I can only assume there've been Nevers being, well... worse than usual." Hester explained impatiently. "We're here to assess the threat and, if necessary, sort them out."

She flexed her fingers, and her demon bulged.

"Riiight." Dot said. "And then what?"

"We travel until we find more trouble." Anadil replied.

"Hope we don't have to travel far. If I have to turn rocks into energy bars again, I'm gonna hurt someone." Dot muttered.

Hester and Anadil cackled.

"What's so funny?" Dot demanded. "I learnt all the same spells as you, you know."

"Dot, darling, your talent is making things edible. It's not exactly a demon or some monster rats, is it?" Hester drawled.

Anadil shook her boy-bone bracelet to emphasise the point. Her rats bared their teeth.

"Can't believe after all I've done you still don't take me seriously!" Dot complained.

"Aw, dear Dotty, it's ok." Anadil taunted, pulling a face. "We'll be nice."

"What's gotten into you lately?" Dot asked incredously. "What happened to being a coven?"

"Well, we're not at school anymore."

"So there's a limit to the people we can tease."

"And you're such a nice target."

"No offense."

"We just need someone to be mean to."

"And I'm not gonna taunt Ani, am I?"

"And I wouldn't dream of making fun of Hester."

The two witched fixed Dot with evil grins, before quickening their steps.

●●●

"Names, reason for entering, and declaration of weapons, please." A bored-looking guard monotoned.

"Hester of Ravenbow, Anadil of Bloodbrook, and Dot of Nottingham." Hester told him.

"Also known as the Three Witches of Room 66!" Dot piped up.