Page 28 of Degradation

“Twenty-three. I married the first one at fourteen. He had a pretty face, and I thought I was in love…until he started hitting me for not sweeping the floor the way he liked.”

“What happened to him?” I asked.

She shrugged and set the stone and herbs she’d collected on her work table.

“He disappeared like men often do around here.”

She felt no distress over that statement, and I didn’t ask what happened with her last two husbands as she began mixing herbs together. She added water to the pot and set it on the holder above a candle that she lit. I recognized her hair wrapped around it.

“What spell are you casting?” I asked as she began to murmur.

She shushed me and continued.

Knowing I could erase her memory if she discovered what I was doing, I touched my energy to hers and felt for her intent. She was casting a spell for bad luck in marriage. It was the same spell she’d cast on herself when her first husband started hitting her.

I felt her pain and sorrow. Its weight pulled at me, and I found myself searching her memories to discover why. Adogen, the caster before me, had lost so many children due to the men she’d wed. Beaten out of her body before she could love them or sold once they’d arrived. And the root of it was the spell she’d buried deep in her bones due to that first man.

She scooped out a portion of the tea with a small wooden ladle and held it out to me.

“Drink it,” she said.

I looked at the steaming liquid and sensed the spell within.

“What will it do to me?”

“It will ensure you don’t have to live your life with a man who doesn’t love you.”

I nodded and took the ladle from her.

Remembering how the last spell had taken root, I partially opened my well and drank. Instead of settling into my bones, my well absorbed its energy and robbed it of its intent.

“There. It is done. That’ll be seven copper,” Adogen said.

I dug into the coin purse I’d hidden on my person. When I set the coins in her palm, I touched the spell binding her withmyintent.

“This blessing is old and passed from generation to generation, or so I am told. When you wish to find a love who will cherish you above all others, find a man supporting his mother. His heart will know how to give gentle care, and with him, a fruitful life you will bear.”

The spell lifted from her bones and entered my well.

“Guard yourself well, my friend. I hope you never again have to marry a man who doesn’t love you.”

She frowned at me. “You’re an odd one.”

I smiled. “Since I am wearing a soot mustache, I can understand your opinion of me.”

She chuckled and pocketed the coin. She felt lighter. Happier.

But most importantly, she hadn’t sensed I’d cast on her.

“Thank you for the spell,” I said, heading for the door.

“Wait,” she called before I reached it. “You’re not from here, are you? Turre, I mean.”

“I’m not.”

“A word of advice then,” she said. “Go back to wherever it is you came from. It’s not safe here.”

“You’re not the first person to say that. But no one will tell me why.”

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