Chapter 2 #2
Magda had been a close friend of my grandmother’s for as long as I could remember—so close that when my grandmother had passed away twelve years ago, Magda had taken me in and made sure that I was looked after.
She was an elderly woman from an island off the coast of the Southern Territory, who many years ago had made her way up to the North for a visit and never went back.
Within a year or so of relocating, she opened her apothecary and had remained a village mainstay ever since.
Given the growing influence of the Children of the Celestial Mothers over the years, her business was something that had become increasingly difficult for her to maintain.
She was just a little thing, with a dark tan face full of deep-set wrinkles and fiery dyed hair.
I liked to joke with her that she looked like my small, elderly child when we were standing next to each other—a joke she never really cared for.
Her eyelids were always lined with a thick layer of charcoal that made her ice-blue eyes pop even more.
No one aside from Magda knew exactly how old she was.
Regardless of her age, she was full of the kind of fire and spunk that people less than half her age wished they possessed.
She was also not someone that one should ever try to cross—I had seen her toss men who easily had two feet and a hundred pounds on her out of her shop for using the wrong tone with her.
She was tiny and terrifying. I loved her deeply.
“What do you mean, finally? I was just here last week.” I threw my arms up in a defeated gesture as I removed my soaking wet cloak and hung it on a rack at the door.
“You could come see me each day, and it would not be enough. You know that.” An exaggerated pout formed on her lips, really hitting the point home that I didn’t visit her enough.
“I’m sorry. It’s been a weird week. Too much is happening.” I approached the counter, looking around to see if anyone else was in the shop. “Is there anyone else here right now?” I whispered.
“No. It’s just us. All my shop staff are out making deliveries.” A mischievous look spread across her face, as if she knew the conversation was about to get far more interesting.
“How have things been here? Any movement?”
Magda reached down and dropped a small velvet pouch onto the counter. “Here is all the copper from the last two weeks.”
When I picked up the pouch, it felt noticeably lighter than in previous weeks. “I’m assuming things aren’t going well, then.” My brow furrowed.
As a way to make currency, I sold healing remedies in the guise of bottles of bathing oils and tea blends at Magda’s shop.
It was meant to be a way for the village folk to take care of themselves without risking suspicion from the Cult of Children.
It was a mutually beneficial relationship—one that seemed to have recently developed a complication.
“No. I meant to talk to you sooner about this.” Magda’s gaze hardened. “It would appear that someone has tipped off the Children of the Celestial Mothers about what we are doing. Their presence within the village has become … more forceful.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Villagers found in possession of your aids are being punished.” Sadness spread across Magda’s face.
My heart dropped. If they knew what was actually being sold in those bottles, then they must have a clue about everything else I had going on. “Do you know how they found out?”
“No. That is the part I can’t figure out.” Her hands clasped together as she took a deep breath before delivering another blow. “There is more.”
I stared at her, waiting impatiently for her to continue.
“Your last order, the one with the pennyroyal tea. It won’t be coming.” Magda’s eyes narrowed as she blew air through her lips.
“What do you mean? Has something happened to Wyatt?” Annoyance started to build within me.
“Aside from having his heart broken?” She grabbed her chest and made an exaggerated gesture of pain. “No. He is fine.” All humour drained from her face.
Wyatt had been importing goods to the Northern Territory from the South for years.
A few of the items I needed for my work had to come from either the South or the surrounding islands.
Wyatt and I had formed a casual intimate relationship over the years, which had recently ended, due to his need for more commitment from me.
“Are you serious?” My voice boomed through the quiet shop.
Magda eyed me with a disapproving look as I blushed from embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout,” I whispered. “It’s just that you know how important that is for me and what I do. I can’t believe he’s doing this to me.”
“What is it that you think he’s doing, child?” Magda chided.
“He’s clearly upset about our breakup still and is being petty about it.
There is no other reason for him to just stop bringing up the supplies I’ve ordered.
” I was beyond frustrated at the issues this now posed for me and my work.
“Magda, I need that tea, or I …” I lowered my voice and leaned in closer.
“Or I can’t help women in this village. You know that. ”
“I know, but it is out of Wyatt’s hands. Things down south have tightened up. The Children appear to have gained some further insight and found out what other purposes that tea has. They’ve banned it from the continent entirely. With the king’s backing.”
I wanted to scream. “These fools are getting on my last nerve. They are making this so difficult for me!” I cried out, frustrated.
“I believe that is the point, child,” Magda responded with a tight, forced chuckle.
“It’s not funny, Magda!” I shot back. The Cult of Children could not continue to get away with this. I had to do something.
Magda’s expression turned to indifference as she raised her eyebrows at me, unimpressed by my outburst. “Can’t you just …” Magda wiggled her fingers at me—her unspoken way of referencing my abilities. Magda was the only person I trusted to share my secret with.
“If I could do that, then I wouldn’t need to risk getting the tea.
” To be honest, I had never tried using my healing abilities to end a pregnancy; they had always been to save or fix things.
It wasn’t like I was able to practise that freely to figure out if I could even do it.
So I stuck with what my grandmother had taught me.
Magda scribbled something down on a scrap piece of paper. She folded it up and slid it over to me. “You can use any black tea to make it as long as you add these few extra herbs and say these words as it brews.”
I unfolded the paper and read the recipe and incantation. “Where did you get this from?” My brows furrowed in confusion as I quickly placed it inside my blouse. I’d known Magda my entire life, but I had never known her to work with spells or incantations.
“That is unimportant.” The response was quick and clipped. Her unmoving face told me she had no more to say on the subject.
Before I had a chance to question her further, our conversation was interrupted by a raucous commotion out in the village square.
“What is going on out there?” I ran to the front window to take a look.
I couldn’t see anyone immediately, but I could hear a man angrily shouting.
The hair on my arms stood on end, and the frustration that had been building within me about the tea situation needed an outlet. I moved to the rack to grab my cloak.
“I promise you it’s nothing good. Just stay inside, child,” Magda called out sternly, her palms placed on the edge of the countertop.
If Magda thought that was going to keep me inside, she clearly didn’t know me as well as she thought she did. I could hear the small woman cursing me as I hastily exited the apothecary.
Running into the village square, I looked around to see where the commotion was and found a large crowd gathering near the Children of the Celestial Mothers’ sanctuary.
I forced myself through the crowd, elbowing and pushing people away so I could get a closer look at what was happening.
Once I broke through, I was shocked at what I saw.
In front of the sanctuary, on the wet cobbles, in the pouring rain, a woman was curled up, shaking and covering her face.
Standing over her was Maxx, the leader of the Cult of Children—so righteously named after the goddess of strength, wisdom, and virtue, Maxxis.
“You’re nothing but a murderer!” he screeched at the woman.
“Vikteriya herself shall descend from her throne and do away with you for good. You dare oppose her will? Do you think you know better than the Celestial Mothers?” He pulled her up by the hair and slapped her viciously across the face.
“You deserve to spend the rest of your miserable existence suffering in the lowest depths of the Eternal Night!”
Everyone in the village square stood around and watched in hushed silence as this poor woman lay on the ground while he kicked her repeatedly in the ribs, shrieking that she was a “Murderer!” and “Blasphemous whore!” Mothers Above only knew what she could possibly have done to deserve this.
Knowing the Cult of Children, it wouldn’t have been much.
I ran over to check on the woman, placing myself between her and Maxx. “That’s enough!” I screamed at Maxx, shoving him away. “Get away from her! Now!”
Maxx took a few shaky steps back toward the sanctuary and stared at me in stunned silence.
Looking down at the woman, I recognized her immediately.
She was the woman I had seen leaving Magda’s apothecary earlier.
Her left cheek was red and swollen, and her bottom lip had split open.
Her entire body was trembling as she fought off tears.
I reached down and gently touched her face, wiping away one of the tears that managed to escape.