A Spell for Discord and Dishonesty
While I do strive to calm troubled waters, conflict isn’t always bad, my jewel.
When stress and tension build, sometimes there’s nothing for it but to vent it.
All the harsh words and recriminations need to be spoken and acknowledged before healing can begin.
When you pass the point of no return, there’s no remedy better than a proper row, a dustup to end all dusting.
Air those grievances. Don’t let them fester.
This also works if you have dear ones being stubborn, keeping feelings repressed.
This magic solicits the truth, regardless of how willing the speaker is to share their thoughts.
There’s an element of coercion to this charm, so don’t use it lightly.
Best be sure you’re ready to hear those home truths before you unleash them on the world.
Cast this spell at the hour of your greatest need, and leave no doubts in your spell work. You’ll require:
Iolite
Ginger, skullcap, and hops
A copper pot
Dank, smelly water
This spell will infuriate those you cast it on, so be ready for that.
Put the herbs in your pot, and burn them to bits with your magic.
Once you have the char, simply add the foulest water you can find.
The worse it smells, the angrier they will be, mind.
And that’s not only the magic. What a working!
The fastest way to start a fight indeed.
Now, then, you’ve got your terrible mixture, so take the iolite in your off hand and hold it close to your heart.
Now you can wield the pot in the other hand, for yes, ’tis a weapon of great power.
Now sling the concoction on those you want to quarrel with!
If you can bear to do it, it’s even more effective if you dash it in their faces.
And let the shouting start! You might want to run now, my gem.
Because furious fae tend to chase. Sometimes they also attack amid the screaming as well, but once the anger’s purged, it’ll be possible to come to accord once more.
You’ll know if you need to do this, judging each situation on its own terms. This is an extreme measure, and people seldom forget that you used this charm, even if they forgive you.
Thea
I don’t know where to start with any of this.
To say I’m stunned would be an understatement.
Alternating waves of fury and humiliation wash over me, until I can’t speak while I adapt to my new reality.
I’ve been traveling with my so-called spouse for a while, and based on their behavior, they’re most definitely an asshole.
I understand why they deceived Kerboros—he’s directly related to the Winter Court—but it was pretty clear I had been pressured into making this deal.
Yet Zeph chose to continue deceiving me as well.
I find that difficult to understand. Everyone seems unwilling to speak in light of this new development, and I know exactly what to do.
I’ve wanted to use this spell for ages, and if ever a group needed to get their crap out in the open, it’s this one.
Silently, I dig into my bag for the hocus pocus handbook Da wrote for me and race through the steps.
I take pure, unfiltered delight in gathering the disgusting gray water all around us.
The others watch me, each of them seeming puzzled.
You’ll find out very soon.
Once I have the warm, stinky brew, I dash around splashing it in everyone’s faces, laughing like a backward banshee.
The way they jerk and hiss, I can tell the magic’s taking hold.
Since pixies have a loose hold on their tempers at the best of times, which this isn’t, Rosa is the first to boil over.
But instead of screeching at me, to my utter astonishment, she whirls and takes aim at Zeph.
“You are”—she fires an arrow—“such”—fires arrow—“an irredeemable asshole! In the endless time I’ve known you, have you ever asked how you can help me?
Made anything up to me like you’re constantly saying you will?
No! It’s all empty smiles and pretty words with you, Devan J.
Fenelon, and I’m sick to death of defending you to people who rightfully think you’re a selfish stinkweed! ”
Zeph dodges and bristles. “You follow me like a pet, Rosa! Am I not supposed to treat you like one? Maybe if you respected yourself more, I would too!”
“I hate you,” the pixie shrieks. “Hate you for a million years plus ten!”
“And I have more important things to worry about,” Zeph snaps back.
Tara wades in, going at Zeph verbally without missing a beat. “People are important. But you don’t care about them, do you? Only Important Matters. If this is how you treat a loyal friend like Rosa, I’m glad we’re enemies.”
“I just met all of you, and I already wish I were back in my tree,” Govannon exclaims.
Everyone quiets at the sound of Kerboros unsheathing his weapon. “You must answer for this treachery,” he growls.
Oh crap. I didn’t mean for things to escalate this much.
Zeph lets out a mocking laugh. “Don’t pretend you’re challenging me to a duel. You can’t fight unless your cousin orders you to do so. Everyone knows—that’s the worst-kept secret in Winter.”
Kerboros smiles grimly in response. “The best-kept secret in Winter is that I broke that tether long ago. I maintain my own secrets, traitor. Defend yourself.”
“Yet you continued to serve? Spineless.” A dagger appears in Zeph’s hand.
They circle, eyeing each other’s stances. If I had to guess, I’d say they’re searching for a weakness. Kerboros has reach on Zeph, but Zeph…I don’t know what they’re capable of. Right now, I feel like I don’t know them at all.
“Stop this!” Tara has a knife at Zeph’s back. That’s my best friend, and nobody saw her coming. She seems harmless, until she isn’t.
Rosa has her bow trained on Kerboros. “Stand down. If anyone’s killing them, it’ll be me. Get in line.”
“Your poison won’t end me,” Kerboros says.
“Maybe not. But it’ll make you wish you were dead.”
Kerboros and Zeph lock eyes. Then, coming to some silent consensus, they lower their weapons at the same moment.
In response, Rosa slackens her hand on her bow, and Tara lets Zeph back up a step.
I observe, unable to believe how well that spell worked.
The air feels lighter now. My dad was right. Sometimes truths need to be spoken.
“Apologize,” Kerboros demands.
Zeph affects a bored aspect. “For what? I already apologized to Tara for hurting her feelings. Isn’t that enough?”
“For tricking us. For lying to Thea, especially. And for stranding us here.”
“I can’t say I disagree with any of that,” Tara says. “An apology is the least of what you owe us, if you’re the reason we’re stuck in this awful place.”
Govannon shudders, visibly horrified. “Did you really do this on purpose?”
Zeph doesn’t answer.
Rosa says, “For the record, I’m with Tara. I’m done pretending I don’t find this shit troubling. I knew about Zeph’s plans to delay the group, but they didn’t mention anything about the In-Between.”
All at once, their bravado drains away, leaving a different Zeph.
Their face is wan and worried, past the uncaring glamour they’ve maintained.
“I don’t know if I’ve done the best thing.
At the time, it felt like the only thing.
If you had all the details about my background and the situation, if you understood my—”
“We need to talk,” I cut in. “Now.”
Narrowing my eyes, I glare to stress how much I don’t care about their problems.
Zeph replies, “It’s not that I disagree, but we’re short on privacy, and I don’t have the hound’s facility for tracking. If we wander off, we might not see the others again.”
“Then we step to the other side of the rock and whisper.” I stomp over to where I’ve pointed, though standing water turns my angry footfalls into splashes instead of the thunderous pronouncement I’d prefer.
Somewhat to my surprise, Zeph follows. “Go ahead. I suspect you’d like to call me a few choice names before we get to the real issue.”
They’re right, dammit. And by saying that, they’ve made it impossible for me to do it without seeming predictable. “Which is?”
“How we’re avoiding this marital alliance.”
I stare at them silently, not giving any sign of my thoughts. Zeph deserves to sweat over what they’ve done. And now, put in context, I recall how they said it would be convenient to seduce me. Is that why…? It’s not that I’m interested in them, but it stings how quickly they dismissed me.
For the first time, their eyes widen as they evince surprise at my reaction. “Don’t tell me you’re in favor of this charade? We don’t have an ounce of chemistry.”
Unlike Zeph, however, I can’t lie even to make them uncomfortable. The truth spills out. “You’re more like an annoying sibling than someone I can imagine myself marrying.”
“We have that much in common,” Zeph exclaims, beaming.
I scowl at them. “I’m not the liar, though. Or the saboteur.”
“Right, I should have clarified, you’re not annoying in the slightest. But you’re not the sort of person who could move me to romantic interest either.”
It’s hard not to feel vaguely offended. “Agreed, we have all the spark of wet kindling.” Sighing, I add, “I feel like such a soft touch. You must’ve realized that I’d agree to any plan to get me out of our contract marriage. Why didn’t you tell me a long time ago?”
“At first, I wanted to take your measure. And then I became wary of your bond with Kerboros. I did think you would cooperate, but I also suspected you’d share anything I told you with Winter’s hound.
And I believed he was still compelled to report everything he learned to his cousin.
No one has any notion that he’s managed to break his geas. ”
I grimace. Unfortunately, that makes sense, not that I think logical explanations justify our current predicament. “So secrets got us here. Yours. His. Well, no more of that. It’s time to reveal your genius scheme.”