One moment!" Silvy called out. She looked around for me, but I was invisible. "Don't do anything!" she whispered.
"I'll do my best," I replied, just loud enough to be heard. I looked around her small house for a place to hide. Finding nothing, I finally decided to move to her table and crouched beneath it.
"Open the door!" the voice said again, knocking loudly.
"Just stay calm," Silvy said to the other two women. They nodded, but both of them looked worried.
Silvy walked to the door, took a deep breath, and pulled on the handle. It swung open and three armored men pushed their way in, practically running over her in the process.
"So, two of you in here with the crone," one of them said, slightly taller than the other two. The tone he used to address them made it clear he saw them as inferior. "She doesn't have anything to offer other than her filthy magicks, so why are you here?"
"We just wanted to talk with her," Zia said without hesitation. "She's lived a lot of life and has some interesting stories." She looked around the room. "Plus, I've heard she makes excellent tea. The rumors were true."
"I'll take some of that, then," the tall goblin man said. With his glaring face and growling voice, he made everything sound like a threat.
Silvy bowed her head slightly and went to her tea kettle. She filled a pierced metal sphere with fresh tea leaves and dropped it into her kettle, then used magic to heat the water.
While she did that, the three soldiers looked around the room, poking and prodding at everything. Zia and Tressi stood there meekly, hands folded at their waists.
"Trying to spread your filthy magic to these young women?" a shorter guard asked as Silvy approached with a tea kettle in hand and three cups in the other.
"No," Silvy said smoothly. She set the cups on the table right above me, then poured a bit of tea into each one. "Here is some tea for each of you. Now, may I ask why you've come to see me?"
The men waited a few moments as they sipped on their tea. One of them grunted in appreciation at the flavor.
"Yeah, it is pretty good," he said.
"Can't disagree," said the taller one. He then turned back to Silvy. "Someone has been attacking the tunnel guards," he said. "Someone, or something. We have multiple reports of men smelling and hearing someone walk by them, but they see nothing. And just today, someone killed one of us." He took another sip of his tea before continuing. "He had a wound to the side of his head, but it was not enough to kill him. We believe he was killed with magic."
"And so you came to me," Silvy said in a flat voice. "Do you think I killed him?"
"I don't know," he replied calmly. "Did you?"
"No," Silvy said. "Although gods know I wish I did. The lot of you aren't very nice to me."
"Why should we be?" he asked.
"Because I've done nothing wrong," Silvy said. "And because I still help you when you need it."
"Help," he said, and I could practically hear the sneer on his face. "You and your dirty magicks. I don't know if I would call that help."
"Well, remind me of that the next time you want me to heal one of you," Silvy said angrily. "Now, if there's nothing else, I would like the lot of you to leave."
"You're a pretty one," one of the other guards said. I saw Zia's feet shift nervously.
"You will not disrespect this woman in my house," Silvy said firmly.
"Then maybe I'll take her outside your house," the guard replied.
"No, hold one," the tall guard said, placing a hand on his comrade's shoulder to stop him. "We need information, witch. We need you to tell us if magic is being used against us, and we need you to help us catch whoever is doing this. Or, if it was you, then you need to fess up."
"No," Silvy said. "You treat me like an animal, and now you want my help?" She spat on the floor. "I have always used my magic for peace, but if you do not leave I might change that."
"I knew it," the short guard said.
"Maybe if Ralcor hadn't brainwashed you all into thinking magic was evil you'd be able to see this more clearly," Silvy said, anger creeping into her voice. "I stay in my house all day and night and only leave to fetch food. In fact, lately I've been having her do that for me. It would be awfully hard for me to attack someone in the hallway if I didn't leave my house, right?"
"There is no reason for you to treat her this way," Tressi said.
The shorter goblin man spoke up. "I don't recall asking you a thing. You will shut your mouth or I will shut it for you."
"We all know you pray for King Ralcor's death," the tall soldier said. "Everyone knows that. So, why should we believe a thing you say?"
"Then why did you even come here?" Silvy asked, throwing her arms in the air. "Look, if you think I'm hiding some magical creature in my house, feel free to look around. You won't find anything."
Two of the guards began looking around, but the taller man stayed in place. "So, what do you think it is, then?"
Silvy shrugged. "Ralcor has made enemies of many people."
"King Ralcor," the soldier corrected.
"He is not my king!" Silvy insisted.
The soldier threw his tea cup and it shattered against the wall. "He is your king and you will show him respect or I will drag you before him! Furthermore, you will help us find whoever is doing this, and you will help us capture him!" His shouting voice was loud in the small house. Zia covered her ears with her hands.
"And if I refuse?" Silvy asked.
I couldn't see it, but I clearly heard the sound of him slapping her across the face. Silvy fell back and Zia and Tressi rushed to her, helping her stand. Silvy couldn't see me, but she looked under the table and shook her head slightly, as if reminding me not to do anything.
Silvy shook the other two women off and pushed herself to her feet. "You can't handle a woman talking back to you, can you? I will wear this bruise as a badge of honor," she said coldly.
The tall goblin leaned forward, placing both fists on the table. "Then you had better cooperate, or I will give you another. We're coming back tomorrow morning, and we're going to take you to the tunnel so you can help us. Starting tomorrow, you will spend every day in the tunnel until we catch whoever is doing this."
"Are these Ralcor's orders?" Silvy asked.
"King Ralcor!" he shouted. And he slapped her again.
I had to close my eyes against the sheer rage bubbling up inside me. My heart pounded in my chest and I struggled to keep my breathing calm.
Silvy pushed herself to her feet again and stood before the tall goblin, completely fearless. "I will only say this once," she said in a hard voice. "If you do that again, you will regret it."
The tall soldier smirked. "Is that so? Maybe it was you in the tunnel, and you that killed one of us. I think if I slap you around a little more, your true nature will come out." I saw him ball up his fist.
I couldn't risk ruining everything, but I had to act. I couldn't just stay there and do nothing while my future wives, my future queens, were abused. I couldn't kill them though.
At least, not here.
Glancing at his boots, I noticed the leather looked relatively new. I didn't see lines where they had flexed over and over again. That gave me an idea. Using blood magic, I reached out and connected with the tall soldier's body. I could feel the flow of blood through his arteries and veins, and alter it at will. I decided to play things safe and stopped all blood flow to his right foot.
"She's done nothing wrong!" Zia said. "You three just barged in here and started accusing her of things, simply because you don't know who did it. Does King Ralcor know you treat innocent citizens this way? Is this what things have come to?"
The tall soldier chuckled softly under his breath. "So, she does have a spine," he said. I watched as he shifted his foot a bit and stamped his foot. "At least you know how to show respect for your king." He stamped his foot again.
"You okay over there, boss?" the shorter goblin asked.
"Yeah, it's these boots," he replied. "I thought they were broken in but it looks like I was wrong." He leaned over the table again. "We'll be back. Whether you like it or not, you're going to help us."
After that, he turned and limped towards the door. He pulled it open and the three soldiers left.
Silvy let out a heavy sigh and whispered my name, telling me I could come out.
I didn't hear her, as I had already left her house.