Page 37 of The Lost Child

“GOOD MORNING!”

I flinched as Alkdama’s voice shot through the thin fabric that served as the door to our hut, startling me from my naughty thoughts as effectively as a bucket of cold water dumped on my head.

Canavar jerked as well, waking in a split second and rearing his head and fangs up and away from me, and towards the new threat while pushing me down into the furs. He was up on all fours as he protectively stood over my body, wings flared high and growling.

Alkdama didn’t enter, which was probably for the best. “I’ll give you all a few minutes! Come on out by the fire for some breakfast!”

I turned over, shoving at Canavar’s arms to get him to move. Not expecting an attack from below, his arm buckled and he fell flat on his face as I quickly rolled out from under him.

“You’ve got to relax. No one will hurt us here. Do you want something to eat?”

I kept my eyes purposefully off his naked waist. I had to get this guy a loincloth or something. The sudden thought of all the other witches outside staring at the length between his legs had me red and bothered, and most curiously of all, pissed.

I glanced around the hut, noticing a small pile of clothing hanging in a corner. I crossed the distance, thumbing the rough, hemp material in between my fingers. I dismissed it quickly.

Canavar wouldn’t wear anything that was scratchy or irritating.

Buried further in the pile I found a leather skirt that tied in the back. It was laughable to think it would fit Canavar properly, but on a guy his size it might serve as a loincloth.

I snatched it and went over to Canavar, holding it out.

He took it from me and sniffed it once, brows furrowing. He made a snort of disgust and flung it to the ground. No doubt it smelled like witches.

I rolled my eyes and picked it up off the ground. “No, you doofus. Put it around your hips.” I mimed placing it across my hips, and pretending to tie it in the back. I held it out to him again.

His eyes narrowed, and he looked at me like I was making the weirdest request he’d ever heard. Ironic coming from a large dragon man with wings, wasn’t it?

“Please,” I insisted, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.

His gaze flicked back and forth from me to the skirt a few times before he huffed in annoyance, and grabbed it from me.

Already embarrassed, I flung the fabric of the door over my shoulder and stepped out into the morning sun.

It was brighter than I thought.

The island was always a bit dark and gritty, with a thin layer of mist that blocked the sun day and night. There were no such protections here on solid land where the sun had no screen and shined brilliantly. After a few blinks, I made out a group of witches around a large fire in the middle of the village.

As I made my way over, I noted everything I saw. Mostly it seemed that two witches were sharing a hut, though I spied a few houses that were stuffed to the brim with daughters and an entire little family. Some of the children ducked between the hide and leather structures, playing a game of tag. Other witches sat outside their homes, working on menial tasks such as weaving or washing. Others still chanted rhythmically, their eyes closed as they offered a bit of food or flowers to some unnamed deity.

Pirates were superstitious, but they had no gods or goddesses. I found this new open worship fascinating.

A girl around my age sat next to a wrinkled crone of a woman, writing furiously on a bit of parchment before offering it up to the elder. The older woman put it directly in front of her eyes, then gave it back with an irritated grumble.

“You can’t put the sigilthere. You want to spontaneously explode? And the cuts need to beshallow! Young ones these days,” she muttered darkly at me as I passed, her eyes sizing me up and down.

Six women mingled around the fire, waiting their turns while one cooked a paste of some kind into little cakes. Another witch monitored them closely, picking them up with two flat stones and flopping them onto ceramic plates when they were done.

“Here. You’re lucky it’s a sweet cake day! Vivica found an entire cache of sweet nuts traveling back from the north. The dark ones must not have eaten them all.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I smiled all the same and accepted the small cakes. The women seemed happy enough to stand and eat, wiping the crumbs from their mouths as they chattered and exchanged gossip, all the while sneaking glances at me.

I was a pirate, but I wasn’t blind or deaf.

A few women simply sat on the ground, tucking their legs underneath them as their skirts flared around their bodies. None of them openly shunned me, but neither did anyone ask me to join them.

“You’re a blood witch just as much as they are. Forgive their skittishness. We’ve simply had a … trying few weeks.”

I managed not to flinch as Alkdama came up behind me, gnawing on what looked like a touch piece of jerky.

---