Elina

I said, "Elina, huh."

"You've heard of her?"

"I've heard of a witch called Elina, I've heard of a contract with that name on it, but I didn't know that she was to be brought in alive."

"What's it to you?"

The guy looked at me. His body language was vague. Probably because he wasn't sure what to make of me. A friend or rival?

I shrugged. "It's nothing to me. It just sounds odd, that's all."

Kept drinking. Looking disinterested.

The guy took his own drink. Kept drinking.

He seemed to relax. Then he said, "What are you in Larose for?"

So I told him a nice story. Half truths and lies make the best kind of lie. Said that I needed to make money for my sister. Who was sick. Doctors weren't cheap. Medicine wasn't cheap. There was a witch needing hunting, and I decided to do it.

The guy looked at me. Looked at his drink. Seemed to think of something.

He said, "You think you can take her on?"

"I survived so far."

"Your sister is sick. You need the money."

"I need the money."

"But money is never guaranteed in a witch hunt because you might not come out alive. But you need money badly. How about I help you kill her. Two witch hunters make it easier. I'll take a quarter of the reward, you keep the rest. For your sister."

I glanced at him, then looked away. Was he a kind soul or a viper? Hard to tell. I was never good at judging people. I was only good at killing them.

He could easily leave me for dead in the middle of the fight, let the witch and I kill each other and then he takes the full reward. Then he'd go on to find Elina.

Of course there is no witch I had to kill and Elina was my captive. Or rather I was her captive. Either way.

But let's say he was a good soul. That he really wanted to help me. Which meant that he trusted me. To an extent at least. Which meant that I could get some more information out of him.

I said, "It's just a black eyed witch. I don't think it'll take two of us."

"Oh."

I said, "Maybe I can help you capture this Elina. It must be hard to capture a witch alive."

He said nothing.

"What's her eye color?" I asked.

He said nothing.

I guess he was just interested in the story I made up. Maybe he wanted earn some easy money on the side. But he had already told me something important. He was after a witch called Elina. And she was wanted alive.

There were two explanations for that. First, the Church of Deliverance must think that I had a high chance of failure in capturing Elina and decided to send another hunter. Just in case.

Either way, it was troublesome.

I said, "It's alright if you don't want to tell me."

I finished my drink. Got up to leave.

He said, "Silver eyes. She has silver eyes."

I said nothing and left.

---------------------------

ELINA: I always enjoyed the look of despair. When the hope you had just given them vanishes from their eyes and leaves nothing behind. There was just something about it.

I said, "Now why would I do that?"

The witches looked at me. Their eyes blank. Their faces in shock.

Svenja said, "You are not here to rescue us?"

"I never said I was here to rescue you lot. I'm just here to take a look. To find out why they want witches alive. And now that I got what I came for, it is time for me to leave."

"At least take us with you!"

I smiled. Shook my head.

I said, "That would cause an uproar with the local church and army, no? And that would ruin my day." I licked my lips. "After all, I still have something planned for tomorrow."

Svenja looked at me, her golden eyes pulsing. But she couldn't release her magic. I guess the prison cell doors were cast using gransia. The entire cell sucked her magic away.

She spoke. Her voice was surprisingly calm.

"Why won't you help us?"

"Why should I?"

I left. Slammed the door shut, with extra force for good measure. Marched out of the building, saluted the guards, told them they were doing an excellent job and that I was going away for a bit to make a report. They saluted and didn't ask questions. I liked soldiers who didn't ask questions.

Made my way back to the King's Lodge. Went up the stairs. Into the room.

The room was empty. Looked around. No Salem.

Hmmm~

I guess I wasn't the only one who went on a little solo excursion tonight.

Salem must've known that I snuck out. So he used that chance to go somewhere himself.

He must've assumed that I would come back. He assumed correct. Which also meant that he was going to come back.