Chapter 20: Chapter Eight: The Testament of Shana MacArthur

“I’ve only seen the tanks once before,” I told Reli as we huddled down in that alley way, “but I will never forget the terror it brings with it.”

“Did you face one yourself?” Reli asked, situating herself so she could see down the alley. 

“No, not me, but some witches I knew as a child,” I explained to her. Sounds of cannon fire and screaming rang in the back of my mind, while the world had grown dark with ash. Clay walls were toppled as they were struck with mortar shells, children cried and men shouted while attempting to rescue them from the carnage. One by one the witches fell from inquisitor’s gun fire or cannon blasts, while others were trapped beneath the rubble. 

“Ms. Shana, are you alright?” Reli’s voice snapped me back from the waking nightmare. 

“Yeah, sorry,” I took off my hat and used it to fan myself, “just thinking.”

“I think they’re gone now,” Reli said, “you think we should head back?”

I nodded, still not fully present, as the sounds still echoed in the darkest corners of my head. I peeked around the corner of the alleyway. The tank was gone, probably turned down another street, perhaps towards the next city. We two witches came out into the main road, and began our walk back to the manor. 

“Dear Ms. Shana,” Michael spoke, “would you possibly have any information that could save Reli in the future, should we ever be so misfortunate to encounter these tank things?”

I shook my head furiously, “You see a tank, you run!” I instructed her. “Those witches, their spells just fizzled out. It was like the whole damn thing was made of malecite.” 

“So no discernible weakness huh?” Reli pondered, “If it’s a machine then it can break,” she confidently stated, “I bet I could find a way to crack it open, if I just got my hands on one.”

“It would be suicide to even try,” I objected, “I’m sure you’re good kiddo, but I don’t want you taking any risks.”

“It’s piloted, which means whoever is inside has to come out eventually,” Reli said.

“In full inquisitor garb, there’s no way they aren’t wearing anti magic armor, even driving that thing!” 

“I think they wouldn’t,” Reli argued, “think about it, those anti magic coats are real hot, and I bet ya a million Ylda it gets hot inside that tank thing. It’s a big rolling metal box, even the locomotive of a train gets hot, and they have windows and such.” 

“So you’re saying they are basically naked?” The mere thought of it made me snicker, forgetting the seriousness of the topic for that moment.

“Well, I’m sure they got some clothes on, but yeah. I’ve been in plenty of vehicles to know there’s really no way you’d survive the heat for longer than say a half hour, tops, if you were wearing armor in that thing.,” Reli said, “and there’s probably at least two people driving that.”

“How do you figure?” 

“One to drive, one to man the cannon, and that’s a minimum I’m sure, they might even have a third or fourth for reloading,” Reli made her point, “you put four people in a metal box and you’re going to get heat stroke eventually.”

“Even if that’s right, you still have to fight up to four inquisitors, and that’s assuming they all come out at one time,” I argued.

“Half the inquisitors are just men in armored coats. Their ability to kill witches is thanks to the gear, not their own skills.” On that point, she was way too confident. 

“Not if it’s the Inquisitorial Elites,” I stopped her, “You ever encounter a man named Salem, you get the hell out of there.”

“Salem? Okay, but that’s like ten people, maybe twelve? Why put your most skilled fighters in an armored vehicle when you could probably put any schmuck and be just as destructive?”

“Yeah, I guess you have me there,” I gave up.

“Thing is, do we know how many they even got? I've never seen one before, but I’ve only been a witch for three months,” Reli pondered, her finger placed to her lips.

I did a double take, “Three months!” I grabbed Reli by the shoulder and looked into her big doe eyes, “kid, you only been a witch for three months and you’re already a Witch Bride?”

“Some witches become witch brides quicker than others, I’d assume, but I knew Miki for longer than that. I just didn’t take the contract till then is all,” Reli shrugged, “that said, I’m not completely new to the whole witch thing.”

“Oh yeah, how so?”

“My papa was friends with a witch, she would visit us from time to time. In fact, she gave Michael’s carta to my father, who gave it to my mamma, and I took it from her,” Reli answered.

“You stole your carta?” I guess Gabby was right, you really can steal a familiar, “damn kid, just when I thought I was getting to know you, you surprised me further.” 

“Hey I didn’t steal Michael,” she turned her head down, “I took it from her when well, when my parents...”

I stood, dumbfounded, then pulled Reli into a tight embrace, “Oh I’m sorry Kid,” I squeezed her in my arms, nearly choking the life out of her with my hug.

“Hey,Ms. Shana it’s okay,” Reli squirmed, “You don’t have to worry, I’m fine.” 

“You’re so young though, no one should have to lose their parents like that,” I said, practically crying. I stroked Reli’s head, like Kara did to me, while still holding her close.

“Ms. Shana?”

I continued to squeeze her, humming softly, the song my mother once sang to me.

“Ms. Shana, you, you can let go now,” Reli said, pulling away slightly, “I appreciate it, but I’m not sad.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, probably stepping over some boundaries huh?”

Reli shook her head while looking up, “No it’s not that. I just don’t have time to be sad, you know? I have a job I got to do.”

“A job, are you out to avenge your mother’s death?” 

“I guess it’s something like that,” Reli answered hesitantly, “I don’t know, it’s complicated.” 

I let the girl go, and fixed her ruffled collar, “well, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m all ears.”

“Thank you, I’ll consider it,” Reli smiled, her gray eyes looking just a bit dim.

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***

I had been there a month, when I started having weird dreams. A woman clothed in darkness called to me, her voice was seductive, but frightening. She caressed me while speaking to me in words I didn’t understand. My skin crawled, and my heart ached at her touch. She laughed at my discomfort, thoroughly enjoying any pain she inflicted on me. Then, another woman would appear. I couldn’t see her well, it was like she was shining with all the light of the suns, but the other woman would recoil in her presence. She approached, and the woman wrapped in darkness would leave.

After having had that dream for the hundredth time, I woke up in a cold sweat as I often did, and always found Kara there in bed with me. I’d hold onto her for comfort, till I fell back to sleep.

And so another month went by since I had joined Kara’s coven, and she hadn’t had any new work for me to do since. I ignored the dreams and instead allowed my days to be filled with spending time getting to know the various people who worked at the manor. Lots of them lived there, like Reli and Josie, but others simply came to work, then went home to their families. I first saw the place, in all its pretty gaudiness, and passed it off as just a really nice looking brothel, but I was starting to see it wasn’t that at all. Well I mean, it was, but like Kara kept telling me it was more. And I guess she was right. To the outside world it was a home of prostitutes, but that wasn’t actually the truth. I’d go on to learn there wasn’t a single actual prostitute in the whole Manor. I guess though, that’s all just semantics. The place was a brothel, if only in name.

Anyways, one particular day that stood out was during that second month there. I was feeling hungry, and didn’t feel like ordering any kind of ‘room service’, so I went to the ‘Angel’s dining hall’. An eating area, duh, that was exclusively for us, that is, Kara’s family. Being for ‘staff’ and what, you’d think it had been less fancy than the Starlet Hall or other customer facilities, but nope, if anything it was nicer. The whole heaven gimmick was still visible there, but alot like the throne room, it was amped up by eleven. While the guests were treated as, well guests of course, but we ‘family members’ were treated like deities or somethin. A giant round table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by strangely shaped, yet super comfy seats. They were stuffed with the softest stuff you could possibly stuff a pillow with, and I had seen pillows stuffed with a lot of different stuff. Honestly I don’t know if it was feathers, wool, or what, all I know was it was nice. A fountain sat in the corner, its bubbling sound was pretty relaxing, and pretty to watch. And there was a fake pond with fish. I’d have said it was a waste of water, but I was told the fish had the ability to filter water, meaning it was dirty water that was now clean, I guess. There was also a speaker that played some relaxing music, adding to the ambience. Sometimes it would broadcast the performance from the Starlet room, and other times it would play the local radio transmissions. 

Then there was the table itself, made of stonewood, polished to shine, and set with shiney new silverware. Kara spared no expense in trying to make her family feel rich, though I sometimes wondered if that excess of wealth could have been put to better use. Either way, it was nice, and I’m sure it helped everyone feel appreciated.

I grabbed myself some food, cooked by a Golem of all things, and went over to the big ol’ table to find a seat. I spotted Josie, tinkering away with something, and my curiosity got the best of me so I sat next to her.

“What are you workin on there Joe?”

“Josie!” She slammed her fist on the table. “Not Joe, not Jay, and certainly never Jo...” She took a deep breath, and sat herself back down, “never mind.”

“Geeeze, okay, so what are you working on, Josie?” I made sure to put emphasis on ‘Josie’.

“I’m making a bomb,” she answered nonchalantly.

“The hell!” I shot up out of my seat, Is this bitch crazy?

“Calm down, it’s just the shell, I haven’t added a blasting agent yet.” She made no attempt to hide her snide grin. “I’m making it for a job.”

“Damn, so sleeping with men and building bombs. Aren’t you the jack of all trades.”

“I’m not a prostitute,” it seemed I angered her again, “I told you, I’m a cabaret girl. I’m not a whore, a call girl, or whatever it is you think I am.”

“So then what’s the difference?” I honestly meant no offense, I never heard of a ‘cabaret girl’ before.

“It’s kind of like a hostess. I entertain men in the Starlet room, or sometimes elsewhere. I coddle them, butter them up, make them feel special. It’s like a date, only I absolutely hate them.”

“Damn bit of honesty at the end there,” I chuckled. 

“I take on some of the highest paying clients, pigs whose wallets rival their own bodies girth,.” she sighed, “To them, I’m a fetish. A toy to satisfy their twisted little pleasures” her fist was clenched, jaw tight and brows furrowed, but then she cracked a sly smile, “but what they don’t know is I’m the one with the real power.” 

I raised a brow, and sat back down next to her, “Oh, what do you mean by that now?”

“They think I’m there to serve them, to stroke their ego, to make them feel ‘nice. They pay for my company, I’m working for them, right? So clearly they hold power over me?” She shook her head, “I flutter my lashes, I smile at them sweetly, laugh at their terrible jokes, and that’s all it takes to bend them to my will. My affection is a drug to them, they need it. I fill that soulless void in them. Whatever I want, they’ll give to me, or else they’ll lose me. Truly anything, including information.”

“Damn, I don’t know, it sounds kinda messed up when you put it like that. Dating men just to get things from them?”

“Our relationship is disingenuous from the start and they know that. I am not their ‘girlfriend, their ‘lover’, they know the terms of our relationship. They’re just so desperate for the affection of a young lady like me that it doesn’t matter to them. That said, this is empowering for me, but there are others who don’t feel the same. Were men to treat them in the same manner, I’d make them regret it.” She defended herself, “and besides, aren’t you a thief? At least the men I take money from get something back.”

“Yeah, I guess you got me there.” People were always reminding me of that, though hey, it’s not like I cared. I guess we both took from the rich, who am I to judge her methods.

“I doubt you could understand, you have certain privileges I’ve never known.”

Oh hell no! I slammed my fists this time. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? That’s pretty rich coming from a Goldie! I bet you were living it up with your rich parents in the inner circles your whole life!”

She fumed, then took a breath and spoke sternly yet calm, “The man who calls himself my father hurt me in ways a father should never hurt their child. My mother was powerless to stop him. Powerless, until she learned she was a witch. She killed him, and then she was executed for it. Do you know what happens to the children of condemned witches?” 

I did know, everyone did. “Yeah. I do.”

“If it wasn’t for Lady Kara, and the orphanage she built, I wouldn’t be alive right now. My childhood was in the streets till she saved me.” So Kara did run an orphanage. I guess that’s what she meant when she said she ‘takes from the rich and gives it to the truly needy’? It might sound odd, but I kinda wanted to see the orphanage. If she treated us like this, I wondered how she would treat them.

“You see me and you assume things, you don’t know my story, and I guess I don’t know yours. I’m sorry. I’ve been on edge, I shouldn’t have said what I said.” She looked at me, and smiled. “So how about we just put it all behind us?”

I nodded, and returned a smile, “okay, sure. Sorry.” Like I said before, it’s never a good idea to start making enemies in your new home, especially not with girls who make bombs and poison. Kara would go on to say something similar, she’d say ‘Don’t be divided in the places where you should come together.’ or somethin like that… Anyways, Josie went back to fiddling away with her bomb and I had to ask, “Hey so what’s with the bomb thing anyways?”

“You got your magic, I’ve got this. Well this and sedatives. Those come in handy when my clients get..too handsy.”

“Oh...” her job was more dangerous than I had thought, though I guess that makes sense. Prostitute or not, perverts could be less than agreeable, and hard to deal with. “So you can’t hear familiars?”

She smiled a surprisingly bright and happy smile, “Thank you, I’m glad you think I could be a witch.” She pursed her lips and looked me over, “Oh, though I guess you really don’t know? Then good, I like it better that way.” Yeah she lost me. But she did seem genuinely pleased, for some reason. 

“She has a surprisingly high level of eros, for someone who isn’t a witch.” Gabby said to me. “I don’t think I’ve come across a person quite like her.” And yeah, she was different for sure.

“I want to help Lady Kara any way I can,” she said with such an earnest gleam in her eyes. It was a sentiment I could understand. I was starting to think the same thing, honestly. “Hey Shana!” She quickly snapped her attention to me, beaming her big blue eyes at me.

“Huh, what’s up?”

“How are you at more discreet methods of robbing people?”

“You talkin about pickpocketing?” I asked, and she gave a devilish grin.

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