Cira groaned, “Nobody’s going to care about a smuggler or two when the plague gets cured, now just let me work for once.”

Chip pat Lomp on the back to make him feel better and Cira walked around the room inspecting prisoners. Too large, I need someone faster. This one here just looks like a bad guy, he’ll run away for sure. This guy’s way too eager…

“Hey, you,” she called out to a young woman sitting in the back of her cell, “Not interested, or what?”

With a mean look, she spat at her heels, “I don’t want to work for some witch.”

“But I am a sorcerer,” Cira rebutted, “And you look just right for the job.”

This whole time Cira had seen her watching attentively, but subtly. The girl had receded to the back of her cell silently when she entered and had her guard up the entire time. The look in her eyes gave the impression that she didn’t have any openings.

“I don’t even know what that means,” She replied, “What kind of job would a witch want for a worthless thief like me? Do you mean to test your witchcraft on me? You’ve already taken our home and left us to die, so what else do you want from me?!”

Should’ve expected that much… If she used to live in Silver Lake, it would have been destroyed while she was still a child. A hatred for witches must have been deeply rooted in her.

“I’m trying to cure the plague, but I need able-bodied assistants to gather the ingredients.” Cira tried to explain in a way that appealed to her.

The girl looked suspicious at best, but something stopped her from saying anything yet. She growled for a moment, trying to choose her words, “If you can cure the plague, why isn’t it done yet?”

“Just figured it out this morning.”

The girl was still fuming with hate, but Cira saw a tear well up in her eye before she turned away, “Can… Can you really do it?”

“I can.” She was sure of it now. Her father’s research never lied. The only thing standing between her and the plague’s source was a few nooks and crannies to search.

“Fine.” The girl glared at Cira, “But I still don’t believe you. If you’re lying, I’ll just run away.”

“Fair enough.” Cira held up a hand and bent the bars. She was enjoying Conduit’s versatility and had taken to leaving It up despite the menagerie of hidden staves on her person.

“Hey!” The smuggler yelled from across the hall, “What about me?!”

Cira did the same to his cell before speaking to the wide-eyed girl in hers, “If you run away prematurely, there will be trouble.”, then turning back to the smuggler, “You are not permitted to run.”

The other prisoners started yelling and pounding on the bars. Their spit got deflected by her barrier—she’d really incited them. Lomp was furious.

“You can’t just do whatever you want! You’re going to leave us with heaps upon heaps of trouble when you leave, have you ever thought about that?!”

“Of course,” Cira shrugged, “That’s my entire point. I’ll be gone in a few days and all this weight will be resting squarely on your shoulders. Don’t even try to tell me Pappy will share it, it’s clear enough at this point you’re the guy. I bet he’s counting the days until he can sail away to the great beyond and leave you the rest. Earth Vein will be so dazzled by the time I’m done with this rock they’re not going to sweat the small stuff, probably.”

“Probably?!” Lomp turned red, “Why would you even say that if you’re trying to convince me?!”

“Because I am no liar,” The prisoners she’d taken into custody had left their cells but were standing there a little rattled at this exchange. She bent their cells back in place, “And aside from helping you out, the more important reason for what I’m doing is because two people just isn’t enough.”

She wordlessly led them out the door and down a different hallway than they entered. Lomp Was first behind, but her newly enlarged group had all taken on a similarly meek confusion as they followed the irate sorcerer to somewhere nobody knew. Except for Nanri, who excitedly tagged along.

“Then tell us what it is already!” Lomp shouted, “Don’t you have everybody here?”

Cira opened a door that led outside. The entire roof was a giant landing pad, and here they could see distant mountains of salt beyond the city. Of course, Cira had a destination in mind and led them straight to it.

“Yes, I’ll explain it all on our way back to Breeze Haven,” Cira stepped over the side and assumed her seat at the bow of her long-lost skiff. “Everybody hop in. I guess you’re okay too, Glasses.”

She counted her group at eight including herself. It would be pushing the seat and weight limit just a little and she’d have to dump some mana in to stay aloft, but that wasn’t a big deal for such a short trip.

“You can’t be serious!” Lomp threw his arms out in defeat.

Nanri was already on board, sitting cross-legged with a smile behind Cira. Throughout the last couple of days, she’d noticed the sorcerer was being a little harsh, but after seeing the infirmary, she realized that was just how it had to be. Cira could take her time, sure, but how many would die? A sorcerer must be decisive.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Soon everyone else had helplessly boarded, leaving Lomp to finally give in.

“Before we get into it,” Cira said, staring at the male prisoner, “tell me where to find smugglers in Fount Salt.”

The man choked, “Er, I guess it doesn’t matter at this point… I’ve had contacts in Uru, but clients pop up from time to time in Nymphus. If you’re lookin’ for guys like me, Uru’s your place though. It’s so close to the outside, there’s a hundred ways in. You’ll probably find ‘em at any pub down there.”

As Cira brought them up and over the edge of the building, she looked at her four confused candidates and nodded, “Okay, that’s good enough then. Here’s the deal. The cure has two ingredients. Prima salt works for one, but the other…” She paused to look between them all again, “You will have to harvest from ghosts…”

“What?!” Lomp was the first to explode, followed by the smuggler.

“The hell you talkin’ about?! What ghosts?!”

Then the young thief piped up, “Why can’t you do it? Aren’t you two witches capable enough?”

“I’m just passing through. I’ll be gone with the wind before you know it. My apprentice here will have her hands full quelling the nymphs and possibly more. Fount Salt needs the four of you to rise to the occasion or the people will never recover.”

She didn’t see the smile playing on Nanri’s lips, Did she call me her apprentice just now? Does this mean I can really be a sorcerer one day?

“Hang on just a minute,” Chip cut in, “You’re tellin’ me you’ve been dragging us around all afternoon just to make me fight ghosts?!”

Rosalie took his hand and shot him a concerned look, “Honey…”

Cira turned back from the wheel, “I guess it doesn’t have to be you, but I’m short on reliable manpower to leave behind. I just hope there’s enough ghosts to cure everybody three times.”

“Um, Lady Cira—”

“Don’t start getting stiff with me, Rosie.”

“Right…” Chip’s dear wife continued, “Cira, what does any of this have to do with ghosts? What is the ingredient?”

“Aetherium. In a nutshell, they’ll be exorcising ancient spirits. Good news is, the older the better, so hopefully it will all work out better than I anticipate. I guess that could go either way.”

Worry struck Cira’s face again, and Nanri leaned in, whispering to her, “You know, your persuasion might need a little work.”

Cira shot her a frown, “Show me how it’s done, then.”

Her eyes went wide for a moment, and she lit up. Nanri was always excited for a chance to help, “Okay everybody, let me put it this way!”

Everybody looked at her with uncertainty, except for one girl who bored through her with hatred. Nanri gulped at the sudden pressure, “The great Sorcerer Cira has decided to take a break in her journey to help the people of this island, but she can’t do it all on her own! She wants the people to be able to help themselves once she’s gone.”

“Not so great,” the thief said, “If she’s not even going to stick around to see it through.”

This made Cira wince, but Nanri had something ready, “The treatment will take three years. How many more out there are struggling like you?” She gestured to the open sky, “How many more will die because you selfishly wanted to hold her here?”

The girl opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat.

“Well, uh,” the smuggler cut in, “I never lived here to begin with—”

“And that is exactly why you’ll pay for your crimes by saving this island. Who’s next?” She realized she’d won two out of four. She was on fire and locked eyes with Lomp next, “At this point I doubt you’re actually Cira’s servant, but I don’t know what you’ve been following her around for this whole time if you’re not committed to saving your home.”

Crap! Cira kept her eyes forward, seeing the colors of Breeze Haven’s garden come into view. It was a pretty bad lie, but how long ago did she figure it out?! If she knows I’m lying about that, what else? Why hasn’t she said anything?

“I’m here to make sure she doesn’t cause trouble,” Lomp replied, “Something I’m woefully unqualified for, as it turns out.”

“You’ve known since the beginning that she is a sorcerer. What good do the rules do if they prevent her from saving people? The overseer will doubtless take the blame to the grave, so you should seize this opportunity to finally rid Fount Salt of the plague.”

Lomp’s mouth hung open. Even Cira had spun around at the ruthless assessment. She got unlikely support from another corner.

“She’s right ya’ know,” Chip put a hand on Lomp’s shoulder, “That old bastard will take all the blame, but they can’t remove him. You’ll probably end up overseer when he dies too after savin’ the island. You’re practically runnin’ the place already.”

“How can you say that?!” Lomp was baffled, “And… and why would I want to be overseer?!”

Cira looked him in the eyes, “I’ve never seen anyone more fit for the job.”

He hung his head low. “Fine… I’ll deal with it later. Just do whatever you want.”

Then Lomp looked up at Chip who just shrugged.

“And you!” Nanri looked at him, but Cira cut in.

“Go easy on Chip, Earth Vein has really thrown his family around.” She turned back to the wheel and brought the skiff toward the barrier.

“Oh, okay…” Nanri thought about it for a minute and then looked troubled, “I’m sorry about what Earth Vein and the witches have done to you… Nobody told me about it until I met Cira, but what happened was unforgivable…”

Chip and his wife both looked conflicted, but she continued, “Cira needs your help to save this island. It’s probably dangerous, but she’s going to prepare everything so that it will be safe. That’s part of the reason she’s assembled a team, I’m sure. Cira’s not the kind of person that would send her friend to die!”

Cira was touched that she thought so highly of her. My friend, huh? Do I have any, really? Chip is just a guy I saved and he’s nice, but I’ll never see him again before long. I’ve enjoyed spending time with Nanri, so does that make us friends? I’ve been lying to her this entire time, and she probably won’t be too happy once I leave. I wouldn’t blame her for hating me once everything settles.

“Fine…” Chip said, squeezing his wife’s hand, “I wasn’t really plannin’ on refusing anyway.”

“Hey,” The thief timidly spoke up, “Where are we?”

They were floating in front of Breeze Haven. Cira proudly stood up and threw her arms out, “Welcome to my home! I just have to run inside to get your passes.”

She jumped over and ran inside, leaving the confused group for just a minute. When she came back, she threw amulets at everybody and pulled the boat in, parking on the lawn.

“Alright, we’ll be setting out in the morning,” Cira hopped off, “so tonight will be for preparations. I’ll explain everything in detail once we’re inside, but first… Some of you smell terrible. Nanri.”

The witch jumped hearing her name, pulling her robes out and smelling them, “Yes…?” She asked nervously.

“No, not you. You know where the baths are. You saw that room on the left?”

She let out a breath of relief, “Yes, I remember that.”

“Great, that’s the men’s bath. Show the guys where to go then take Rosalie and our little thief here to bathe. I’ll be setting up.”

“Don’t call me a little thief!” She was of short stature after all, and her cheeks turned red in frustration.

“You introduced yourself as a worthless thief. I think it’s a step up. If you don’t want me to call you that, tell me your name.”

“It’s Kate, Witch.” She glared.

“Can’t say I’ve met a Katewich before, but who am I to judge?” The glare intensified, “Just behave yourself for a little while. And this house will let me know if you take anything, so don’t try it.”