The Midnight Moon [ONC 2024]

Chapter 6: A Former Flame

As soon as I left the agency, feeling somewhat uncomfortable at leaving three strangers, two of whom were magical creatures, there unchaperoned, I walked across town to the West Gate. Work days were drawing to a close and as dusk began to fall, lights started to spark to life in the windows of the buildings I passed.

At the Gate, which was still open and would be for another couple of hours yet, I nodded at the watchmen, and followed the road out beyond the walls. A little way along, I left the main thoroughfare and followed the forest road.

It wasn't long before I reached my destination. In the gloom of the trees, the soft amber light of the lamps around Vanteray's caravan looked cosy and inviting. But I knew better than to approach the fortune-teller's abode without invitation. It was likely she was reading inside with a searcher for knowledge like myself, and she would be less disposed to help me if I interrupted.

I went over to a bench nestled beneath the tree canopy and sat down to wait. I knew what was expected of me.

It had been almost a year since I had made the short journey to see Vanteray. That had been at Annie's request, who had known I had once been very close to the fortune teller. Even though Annie understood how useful a fortune teller could be in my line of work, she freely admitted she was too jealous of the bright blue eyed beauty to be comfortable with me visiting her in her secluded home, unescorted. So, whenever Vanteray needed to be consulted on a case, Annie had gone. Alone.

It wasn't until a few weeks previously, that I had learned that Annie had consulted the fortune teller about where her life was heading and what was in her future. The answer: she was heading away from me and into the arms of a silversmith in Duskford. This revelation had stung, more so, I believed, as Vanteray was supposed to be my friend. Yet she was complicit in Annie's leaving.

I sighed. There was no point dwelling on it. Nothing could be changed. Annie was happy to go. It would have been wrong to try to keep her.

To take my mind off my melancholy, I studied the garden and the caravan from my seat in the gathering darkness. No matter the time of year, Vanteray - and her garden - was surrounded by flowers in bloom. The caravan was large and did not move any longer (it had been some fifteen years since Vanterary had travelled the roads of the kingdom), and she expected not to move it again, for off to one side was a cabin-like extension. Rocks painted white, were dotted all over the place, catching the light from the lamps and the sky, glowing softly.

Although the forest road was not far away, the fortune teller's place was quiet and calm. It felt like I was sitting a hundred miles from Morteton rather than a short walk away.

The door to the cabin opened and out stepped a cloaked figure, their hood drawn to conceal their identity. Vanteray followed close behind, her long dark hair flowing around her as the gentle breeze lifted it. Her eyes flicked over in my direction; it was as if she'd had some prior warning of my arrival. Perhaps she had. However, she ignored me for the present, her full attention returning to the person who had consulted her. They made to leave but she prevented them from going by laying a hand on their forearm. I looked away tactfully as they kissed.

It was some moments before Vanteray was alone. She walked over slowly. I did not get up to meet her. Maybe I should have. It would have been less rude. Yet there was a part of me wondering if that parting kiss had been for my benefit. If it was, I was in no mood to play games.

'Good Evening, my former lover,' she said, seductively. She was an extraordinarily seductive, sensual person. She had told me once it was what made her a very good fortune teller as it showed she was emotionally connected to everyone and everything.

'Good Evening, Vanteray,' I replied, forcing my voice to remain cool and detached. It wasn't easy. The ruby red of her skirts, like her dark tresses, all the darker for the falling night, swished about her gently. Glimpses of a black bodice could be seen underneath a purple lace shawl.

'Tut, tut. You know better than that. Others may call me Vanteray, but not you, my sweet. We will always remain closer than that.'

I could have said that I had wanted to remain closer but she had pushed me away, not long after we had first met, but there would have been little use in going over old ground. She knew how I had felt back then, though she hadn't, and probably still didn't understand it. It wasn't in her nature to limit her emotions and connections; she was a free spirit, a wild woman of the forest, she had said. So many years had passed since then, and though I could understand her better now and see this wildness, this freedom, in her, I could not really forget, so hadn't been able to forgive, the broken heart she'd caused.

I wanted to move our conversation away from our more intimate past, and bring the subject round to my current case, but it seemed Vanteray wasn't in a particularly forgiving mood either. She was going to stretch out the torture.

She sat down on the bench beside me, her knee touching mine. I forced myself not to react. Instead, I concentrated on the soft sound of chiming coming from the bangles going up her arms, and the bells sewn onto her clothes.

'My cards said you would come back to me.' Her voice was low, barely a whisper. 'And then this morning they told me of an old lover's return. I had hoped with all my heart it was you they spoke of.'

I looked away and sighed. It was true Vanteray was an alluring temptress, but she was also honest. She would not - could not - lie. Which was another reason she was a good fortune teller. Her words could be trusted.

Yet truth or not, I did not want to hear it. 'The town's witch is missing,' I said abruptly.

Again she tutted. 'And what business is that of mine? Unless you think I had something to do with it?' She laughed, before resting her hand on my leg. I gently removed it.

'Your cards did not tell you I would be coming in a professional capacity,' I stated.

'Are you rejecting me, my former lover? Or are you still angry with me for bruising your heart?'

I said nothing.

'Annie is gone. You must be lonely.'

'I'm managing.'

'Is it enough?'

'For now.'

'Do you blame me for her leaving?'

'No. But you were angry I stopped coming by.'

'Yes. You hurt me like I hurt you.'

'No. I did it for Annie.'

'And now she's gone.'

'She is.'

We fell into an almost companionable silence now we had aired what was between us. Stars were just becoming visible through the patchwork of branches above, when Vanteray next spoke.

'So Mistaria Heath has misplaced herself.'

'Yes.'

'And?'

'I was wondering if you might help me find a clue to her disappearance...like you used to.'

I looked up to find Vanteray was staring at me intently through narrowed eyes. 'If I help you, there will be a price to pay. Things aren't what they were between us, Hereward. You turned aside my friendship. I cannot overlook that.'

I sighed. 'What price?'

'A kiss. When the witch is found. Do you agree?'

It didn't sound like too high a price to pay, and I would have been lying if I had said I didn't want to kiss her. I very much did. Yet, at the same time, I very much didn't. I didn't want to get that close again. I didn't want to fall under her spell. The fortune teller was hard to resist.

'Hereward?' she prompted. 'Do you agree?'

At that point in the case I felt like I didn't have much choice. Time was ticking away, and Mistaria needed to be found so that her familiars could be released from their spell. It wasn't the first occasion that day that I had wished Tomasina hadn't walked into my agency, and involved me in this.

I sighed again. Then I agreed to Vanteray's terms.

* * *

Chapter word count: 1404

Story word count: 7370