“What do you mean you want to dispel the fog?”
President Coralla laughs on the other end of the phone.
“No-no, Viola, you're making me die. It goes on for miles and miles. Do you know how much it would cost you?”
“I imagine not much. It's just fog.”
“Ah, sure, but think of all the humidity you would make disappear or move. It would be a drastic alteration of the local ecosystem.”
Delphine twists the handset cord between her fingers.
“President, I understand. But I would only make the fog on the railway disappear.”
“No way. Viola, how would we look? We proposed these environmental laws, remember? We didn't want some two-bit witch making it rain in our house, unleashing hurricanes on the port cities, or causing the mountain of some tunnel to collapse with earthquakes and who knows what else.”
“So, to prevent a few witches from causing chaos, we banned everyone from manipulating the climate?”
Coralla laughs again.
“Of course, remember when the Eleven Thousand-something-th Witch caused the earth beneath Duine to erupt? All out of spite towards the Thirty-seventh Witch. I lost two steel mills and a warehouse that day.”
Delphine has no idea what the President is telling her, but it is clear that these are well-known events. She feels like she is in those periodic board meetings. There was always a guy in the company, the name escaped her, who had something to say about everything. ‘This violates norms x and y,’ ‘This is terrible, it would pollute the river waters,’ ‘Colleagues, that area is a reserve,’ and so on. Delphine did not listen to him much. She was not interested in him and was not the person in charge of deciding. She only had to handle the accounting: finding funds, inflating them, escaping taxes, deciding how to redistribute the shares, and other similar things.
The environment is something that has never affected her much. As long as there was a park near her house where she could hole up and read, what is concern about distant places where the company operated?
The fact is, no one cared, not even that guy. All he cared about was the company didn't get into trouble with some flower-loving minister.
It's no different here.
“I don't remember well. Did many die?”
“Well, I think so. Frankly, I was busier, counting my losses. A local judge had dealt with the report.”
“Okay, I don't have to do anything like that anyway. I'll clear the fog off the tracks. I would use magic just the time to cross a difficult stretch. I would be in debt if you would help me to—”
“No, and don't insist. Parliament is absolute. Stay in your place, Third Witch. If you don't like the law you voted for, send a counter-law to the Ministry. I hope you have loose purse strings because I will spend all three hundred and twenty million only to see your proposal fail.”
Silence.
Delphine observes the gendarmerie gathered in the carriage. They can only hear half the call. But they do not give away any expressions.
Who knows what they think of me? That I'm a selfish monster? That I pay them so much? Little?
Maybe they don't think about anything. Like me, then, they have no ideas on topics that are distant from them. They probably think about relatives and friends, about returning home.
But what do I know?
“Viola, sorry. Maybe I was a little harsh. What I mean is: where do you have to go?”
“Here, I must reach the Second Witch.” Delphine is in trouble. Revealing the truth to the President is not wise. But hiding something from her could turn out to be worse.
“Ah!” A sigh of relief from the receiver. "Now I understand. Yes, indeed, the Second Witch had those hateful barriers. You don't need the train. Manifest yourself directly there.”
“Can I do this thing!?”
“Sure. If you are afraid that the interference barrier will block you, do not worry. I destroyed it two weeks ago. It is unacceptable for someone to try to keep me out of their home. Everything is the property of Parliament, and I am its voice.”
Delphine almost drops the phone. Can she manifest herself where she wants her? Of course, obviously, why not?
“Listen, Viola. I'm serious. The Second has not been in Parliament for at least six months. It was my duty to show up for a formal warning. That's such a dodge. I had to waste a lot of money to be able to talk to her.”
“Uh, clear… I can manifest… thanks, I guess?”
“Ho-ho, you're welcome, you're welcome. Happy to have gotten you out of a sticky situation.”
“Very sticky.”
“Ha, Viola dear.”
“Yes?”
“You come by too. We haven't seen you for two weeks now. I know you had to host my son and that you are organizing the party… it wouldn't be bad to see you. Think you missed a Witch who proposed—” uncontrolled laughter, “who proposed… ho god… she proposed reducing the maximum working hours of humans from twelve to seven hours!” Uncontrolled laughter.
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“To burst out laughing, yeah.”
“Ho, you're always so serious. But do you think about it? Seven hours!? All because one of her lovers works in the factory. Let him be noble if she wants to see him more often.”
Delphine sighs.
“Yes, let him make it noble.”
“Don't you understand who I'm talking about? Come on, if you try, you'll get it! She is still the one who, some time ago, proposed introducing compulsory primary education.” More laughter.
“Funny… President, I won't take up any more of your time. Thanks for everything.”
“You're welcome whenever you want! And remember, stop by the courtroom sometimes. I wouldn't want to have to shatter your barriers too. Ah, the periodic reports on the population have arrived. Have you seen them yet? We're up three percent. Too many were born this year… how about anticipating the viral outbreak?”
“I'll come by, bye.”
“Viola, did you listen to me? …oh well, I guess you're busy now. C—”
Delphine hangs up. She stares at the iron handset, the handle, and the opal cover.
“Your Holiness, did the call satisfy you?”
Delphine looks at Grullo. As usual, his expression betrays no trace of irony.
But not even satisfaction.
“Grullo, what would you do if a Witch appeared at the palace?”
“Your Holiness, are you saying: in case it was not expected or accompanied by your permission?”
“That's right. If the Witch appeared out of nowhere, suddenly.”
“It depends on the type of Witch. Number permitting, they would be stopped. Perhaps temporarily arrested pending your instructions.”
The other gendarmes remain still and silent.
“Number permitting, huh? What if the Sixteenth Witch manifested?”
“We'd fold. Some, I bet, would run away.” Grullo casts a stern look at his men. “We are not Archdevils, Your Holiness.”
“Very well. This is what I wanted to hear. Orders coming in.”
“Command, Your Holiness”
“You will all return immediately. I'll reach the Second Witch's tower, and then, I will be back to the palace.”
Leaving no time to reply, Delphine disappears.
The mountain breeze is a blessing. Pungent, under the sun that floods the body. It takes Delphine a few moments to realize she has arrived. Instantaneously. It is something hard to conceive.
There is no particular smell. The thin air and the clouds of breath are what the Third Witch notices.
There is a lawn and a tall and ruined brick tower. Turning, Delphine notices the chasm of fog and clouds into which the black rocks sink. There is a staircase in the bare rock. It leads to a bridge with an iron arch frame, the railway ending in a dark station carved into the back of the mountain.
Would I have come from there by train?
Returning to study the ruined tower, Delphine is overcome by an alien sensation. Bizarre.
She walked along the tiled path. There are some streetlights turned off on the side of the road and a bench every two streetlights. Delphine sits down to observe the landscape. The area is a small plateau between three distant peaks.
Who knows how long until the tops? At what altitude will I be?
Better stop. Even if there is no rush, I don't like something about this place.
Maybe it is the silence or the suggestive landscape. Delphine cannot reorder her mind, but she is sure something right is not.
After the President's words... the idea of destroying the barriers…
Maybe I was expecting something different and less peaceful.
But what is less peaceful than ruins? The death? Ho, what sad thoughts. Delphine got up and saw a shadow near the tower.
“Who is there? I am the Third Witch Delphine, Duchess of Ampra, and the highest authority in the East of the Empire of Ialtia. Come forward, servant.”
The parade of titles seems to have an effect, and a figure limps closer. No, not limping. Delphine watches him stagger out of the porch at the tower base.
The individual, a man with a thick black beard, has one knee backward like one elbow. It makes his gait arched. One healthy knee, one reverse. One healthy elbow, one reverse.
Archdevil.
Delphine takes a step forward. The individual stops. He wears a suit with two thin tails in gold and black checks. Over a fur coat of peacock feathers, it descends to the feet. A sickle nose emerges from his beard, his face elderly. A long sword hangs from his belt, the sheath of which does not touch the ground only because he held it by the hand of the twisted elbow.
The emblems of the imperial ‘I’ surrounded by solar rays and the peacock-killer whale appear on the sword sheath and ascot, respectively.
The Archdevil bows.
“Archdevil Executor, Chief Peer of the Empire, and protector of Your Holiness the Second Witch Alexandra-Manticore Peacock. To serve you, Your Holiness.”
Although Delphine does not recognize his appearance—not described in the book—Archdevil Executioner is famous. He is mentioned several times as Clea's possible end if captured. He is the executioner of the Empire, the one who removes the heads of the few witches condemned to this punishment.
The title of ‘Peer of the Empire’ is a formal honor. He indicates that he should be considered a Parliament Witch, the first and only honor in the history of Ialtia.
The peacock-killer whale is the aegis of the Second Witch, I understand.
“I'm afraid I don't understand, Holy Executor. I do not require any service but to speak to Your Holiness Peacock.”
“Sorry, Your Holiness. My Holy Owner has withdrawn so as not to be disturbed. You will not find her here.”
“I imagine you withdrew after the meeting with the President.”
“Right, that is it. I am left alone to watch over what remains, to prevent bad hands from taking bad things.” Archdevil Executor takes a new bow. “I am sorry you showed up for nothing, Your Holiness.”
Delphine waves her hand.
“No, no, it's not necessary. Holy Executor, where can I find her? I understand my request may seem rude, but it is a matter of vital importance. Only the Second Witch can give me an answer.”
“Desolate, Your Holiness. My owner trusted that she would take advantage of this unusually long period of fog. I do not know anything else. But maybe I can help you if you will let me. For many years, I have had the opportunity to read several books from the tower's library. Ho,” the Executor lowers his eyes. “Of the now destroyed tower library.”
Delphine only then realizes that she has left her suitcase on the train. How stupid. In the rush, in the agitation given by the circumstances, she forgot the most important thing. She could always invite him to the palace.
I doubt he shall accept if he protects this place.
“I thank you, Holy Executor. But I need to keep the matter secret. I hope this doesn't offend you.”
The man makes a third bow.
“No offense. Moreover, it is not among my duties to interfere. If nothing else you wish, I ask permission to take my leave.”
Delphine nods. She looks around.
“Yes, I think I'm good. I will return.”
“As you wish, Your Holiness.”
“Ha, one last thing. You are invited to the engagement party between my daughter, Princess Viola-Maria, and the Presidential Prince, son of President Coralla.”
“Honored. Please, why even bother inviting me?”
Archdevil's expression betrays surprise. Delphine cannot say whether it is positive or negative. But one thing is sure.
“You may be of service, Peer of the Empire, Archdevil Executor. Should she return, please extend the invitation to Your Holiness.”
“As you wish, Your Holiness.”