Foxheart

Chapter Sixty-Eight

'A Witch?'

The old woman's smile deepened. 'Aye, a Witch.' She said, her voice thick with the gruff accent of these lands.

'Fox, this is Madama Effie McGill. The Mother Witch of the Mossy Glen Coven.'

Fox didn't know what a mossy glen coven was but he knew what a Mother Witch was. A witch on par with the Grand Wizard; a very powerful, unpredictable and flighty leader. 'How's she meant to help Dupont?' Fox hissed at him irritably.

'You need a Spirit, don't you lad? Well, I know where all the Spirits are around these parts and are on good terms with them. I know a couple who would happily lend their judgement.' She said, her voice oddly powerful in comparison to her age. She smiled at his suspicious stare. 'Normally I don't get myself involved in Tower affairs, lad, but I was contacted by other members of my coven. You know the witches Glenna and Catriona?'

Fox froze, remembering Catriona's easy smile and hulking shape of Glenna. Those two witches, the ones guarding the plague Spirit. 'Yeah.'

'They told me of your plight and a little tid-bit of information. Glenna had a run in with your Sodden, you see. First he tried to pummel information out of her about where you had gone then tried to get her on side when he realised she was too strong.'

Fox felt alarm spread through him. 'They're okay right?'

Effie laughed. 'Of course. Glenna is experienced and Catriona is a very good healer. He also upset Spirit Nightshade and you don't want to fight a raw plague Spirit so their bought was cut short. She was only sorry she didn't break the law and end up killing him, especially when I informed her he found you after all. If he hadn't known your destination, Sodden may have never found you again. Catriona and Glenna had done too good a job erasing your scent in the area.'

Fox instantly felt a swell of gratitude and mentally noted he had to get Esme to send a letter of thanks to them; he'd force her if he had to. Her Wizard pride had caused her to be rude too many times to those two and they had done way more than they needed to help them out.

'Glenna did manage to get some information about who Sodden was as he tried to get her on side. He is a witch of a rogue coven. A druid collective. It seems his Druids are helping a Wizard called Denver, who seems to be enforcing her righteous ideology quite violently and forcefully. They want the Towers destroyed to protect Spirits like Glenna's Nightshade.'

Fox frowned. 'Protect them? But it's a Wizard's job to destroy Spirits that are dangerous, ain't it?' He said, glancing at Lithgow for confirmation. He was nodding. 'Then why? She's a Wizard.'

'That's what Grand Wizard Lithgow and I need to find out. We can't have the Towers being destroyed willy-nilly. I'm hoping it's nothing more sinister than misguided sense of righteousness.' Effie said, waving her hand.

Fox pressed his lips together, remembering the anger Denver had shown when he told her she was a Wizard. She really did hate Wizards.

'But wouldn't you want the Towers gone?' Fox asked curiously. 'It'll keep the Spirits safe.'

Effie just smiled a wide knowing smile and didn't utter a word.

Abruptly, Bulwark returned, his body twirling in the air with ease. 'This one has returned. The Wizard is moving. This one estimates that Spirits McGill and Lithgow have less than two hours to act. The little Bloxham Sprite will be taken into the skies soon.'

Effie's mouth drooped. 'It seems we're running out of time.'

Lithgow folded his arms and turned to the cat slipping through the air. 'Lord Bulwark, you're certain Esme is being deported within the next couple of hours?'