Altina Hishgrow

Should I stay or should I go? Beatrice fought with her thoughts. They had known each other for more than twenty years and not even once would that stubborn wolf be late for work. Sick, hungry, overworked or dying. Altina would be in her office along with the first ray of the morning sun. Often, she had to force that workaholic to rest when her health demanded but either way, her master would sit behind her desk in her office going over the guild’s business hours before first maids would come into the main hall.

But not today. Today she found her office deserted. Devoid of presence. Not even her scent that always lingered in the air, graced the office this morning.

Fearing the worst, she rushed to her master’s private quarters and, froze. Her fist raised high in the air, stopped before her knuckles raked against the door. Dear lord.

Instead of knocking, her hand reached up for her glasses and commenced the ritual of carefully cleaning the spots that were not there. The main guild hall was a peculiar building. Made with a lot of thought put into ensuring privacy of its occupants. Double walls. Double doors. Sound dampening isolation. Numerous charms and barriers. And yet… She had to cleanse her glasses once more. Her face felt flushed, her legs wobbly.

More than twenty years they known each other, and she had no idea the woman could moan like that. These were no cries of pain. Whatever, no. Whoever occupied her master’s morning, she appeared to be enjoying it to the fullest.

Perhaps…

Beatrice put on her perfectly clean glasses then folded her handkerchief and put it back inside her sleeve. After all that happened recently, perhaps it was time for her master to enjoy a day off.

The queen of waters held a similar belief as she watched the maid through the wall and walked her away with her eyes until the woman disappeared on the staircase. The tiny spirit alerted her quite a while ago as to what has taken place but, in the end, she chose to observe rather than to meddle. Give the disarray of her bedchamber, the claw and bite marks all over the bed, walls and other furniture. The torn apart pillows and most of all, the cries she made. It was safe to say the mortal enjoyed herself. With that in mind she sat herself in the plush chair and watched the spectacle unfold, much to the horror of the little spirit.

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What bothered her, however, was the state of her sister. They’ve been going at it for the whole night in the mortal’s realm and half the time with her present. Yet, she had not noticed. Instead, her sisters face showed deep and thoughtful frown. Not at all befitting the task she busied herself with.

“Enough of this you pig, or you will damage my property.”

“I am but fulfilling her desire. It is not against the law.”

The queen of eternal flame answered as if only just registering her presence.

“You have done so many times over since the dusk. Enough of this or even I may not be able to recover her mind.”

To mark a point, the wolf’s body cried out, her tongue lolling, her eyes empty of presence. As if baffled by her own work, fire untangled herself from the mortal’s body. Only now water could see the fire’s arm.

“You are wounded. Who did that to you?”

What kind of being could resist the eternal flame? Fire’s right palm was black, extinguished. Her forearm bore similar black marks, those in the shape of hands.

“I have caught a thief.”

Fire studied her own palm. She forced her flames into it until that part of her being reignited again and the dark spot disappeared.

“But it escaped.”

“Does the wind know?”

“No.”

“Then, there was no thief.”

Fire said nothing to that. Her thoughts were racing. Water let herself flow to the bed and engulf the wolf. She had suffered some burns but nothing beyond that. Her sister been very gentle with this one.

“Why do you persist? She does not want your favor.”

“She annoys me. Her blood yearns yet she denies me. With her power I would gladly give her one of my daughters had she came to me, but instead she chose that inferior spirit of yours.”

“Mortals do what they choose. It is their freedom while we have our law.”

“Convince her.”

“And why would I do that?”

“I had reformed her core. She should be able to handle the four of us.”

Water gazed into the wolf. Indeed, fire had broken taboo and molded this mortal to her own will.

“There will be consequences.”

“That is your thing. Fix her.”