Fog rolled along the moist ground making the pungent aroma of the swamp even more intolerable. The marshlands were home to all kinds of interesting creatures, but all of them paled in comparison to the bogwitch. She was known as many things, a seer, fortuneteller, gude, witch, magician, but to Erys she was an oracle.
It had been years since she visited, but the smell seemed exactly the same. The rickety hut which was nothing more than a makeshift shelter was exactly where she remembered it, and the bone chime hanging from the door rang the same dull tune as the wind blew through it. She was close, but stopped. Erys tried to clear her mind of her last encounter with Irik, but his betrayal had wounded her more than the passing of her mother. It had not been expected.
Blue eyes stayed fixed on the hut, watching for any sign that the witch was home. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as Erys calmed her breathing. The loss had not been expected, but if Irik was only after power and control then she was better off without him.
“Are you going to wait all day, child?”
The voice danced in the wind, though she could not see the woman. A light chuckle followed as the door opened and a petite woman hobbled out. She was bent over with age, a whittled can supported each step as she moved into view.
“I have been expecting you, come.”
Erys smiled. She could smell soup. There was a sudden hunger that had not been there before, or one the she-wolf had been ignoring. Determined steps carried her into the hut where she instinctively dished herself a bowl of the rabbit stew.
“You wolves are all the same. Thinking with your stomachs.”
“I am sorry, my manners. Thank you for the stew.”
“But that is not why you came.”
Erys shook her head as she quickly ate the dish she had served herself. Even the stew tasted the way she remembered it. She enjoyed larger kills, gamier hunts, but the flavor of the rabbit was one the young woman craved on occasion. There was a little spice, something that Erys was unfamiliar with, but she did not mind it. Despite her carnivorous nature, even the vegetables seemed to hit the spot. All in all, Erys was happy, likely for the first time since her mother passed.
“She had a vision before she passed.”
The witch nodded.
“Glenda was known for them. You would not be here if you did not need some help deciphering it.”
Again Erys shook her head.
“No, the meaning was straight forward. She instructed me to find someone. Gerwald Lechner.”
“Lechners on Islimore. Interesting.”
Erys nodded and set the bowl on the small wooden table nearby.
“I need help locating him. I thought about looking for him at Bloodraven, but rumors are the Fayth have made one of their strongholds.”
“They are looking for the vault, and if there is a Lechner on Islimore that could be a bad thing. He should not have returned. If they manage to find it, all they would need is his blood.”
“I don’t understand.”
The witch shook her head. “Of course you don’t, child.” A wrinkled hand waved about in the air as an old tome floated into Erys’ lap. “I want you to have this. What you need to know is in here. Gerwald is important. His pack is important. Keep him safe and you keep his secret safe.”
“But where is he?”
“Find the old temple. He is closer to Bloodraven than he should be. Now go.”
It had been years since she visited, but the smell seemed exactly the same. The rickety hut which was nothing more than a makeshift shelter was exactly where she remembered it, and the bone chime hanging from the door rang the same dull tune as the wind blew through it. She was close, but stopped. Erys tried to clear her mind of her last encounter with Irik, but his betrayal had wounded her more than the passing of her mother. It had not been expected.
Blue eyes stayed fixed on the hut, watching for any sign that the witch was home. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as Erys calmed her breathing. The loss had not been expected, but if Irik was only after power and control then she was better off without him.
“Are you going to wait all day, child?”
The voice danced in the wind, though she could not see the woman. A light chuckle followed as the door opened and a petite woman hobbled out. She was bent over with age, a whittled can supported each step as she moved into view.
“I have been expecting you, come.”
Erys smiled. She could smell soup. There was a sudden hunger that had not been there before, or one the she-wolf had been ignoring. Determined steps carried her into the hut where she instinctively dished herself a bowl of the rabbit stew.
“You wolves are all the same. Thinking with your stomachs.”
“I am sorry, my manners. Thank you for the stew.”
“But that is not why you came.”
Erys shook her head as she quickly ate the dish she had served herself. Even the stew tasted the way she remembered it. She enjoyed larger kills, gamier hunts, but the flavor of the rabbit was one the young woman craved on occasion. There was a little spice, something that Erys was unfamiliar with, but she did not mind it. Despite her carnivorous nature, even the vegetables seemed to hit the spot. All in all, Erys was happy, likely for the first time since her mother passed.
“She had a vision before she passed.”
The witch nodded.
“Glenda was known for them. You would not be here if you did not need some help deciphering it.”
Again Erys shook her head.
“No, the meaning was straight forward. She instructed me to find someone. Gerwald Lechner.”
“Lechners on Islimore. Interesting.”
Erys nodded and set the bowl on the small wooden table nearby.
“I need help locating him. I thought about looking for him at Bloodraven, but rumors are the Fayth have made one of their strongholds.”
“They are looking for the vault, and if there is a Lechner on Islimore that could be a bad thing. He should not have returned. If they manage to find it, all they would need is his blood.”
“I don’t understand.”
The witch shook her head. “Of course you don’t, child.” A wrinkled hand waved about in the air as an old tome floated into Erys’ lap. “I want you to have this. What you need to know is in here. Gerwald is important. His pack is important. Keep him safe and you keep his secret safe.”
“But where is he?”
“Find the old temple. He is closer to Bloodraven than he should be. Now go.”
