Wyatt had been importing goods to the Northern Territory from the South for years. A few of the items I needed for my work hadto come from either the South or the surrounding islands. Wyatt and I had formed a casual intimate relationship over the years, which had recently ended, due to his need for more commitment from me.
“Are you serious?” My voice boomed through the quiet shop.
Magda eyed me with a disapproving look as I blushed from embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout,” I whispered. “It’s just that you know how important that is for me and what I do. I can’t believe he’s doing this to me.”
“What is it that you think he’s doing, child?” Magda chided.
“He’s clearly upset about our breakup still and is being petty about it. There is no other reason for him to just stop bringing up the supplies I’ve ordered.” I was beyond frustrated at the issues this now posed for me and my work. “Magda, I need that tea, or I…” I lowered my voice and leaned in closer. “Or I can’t help women in this village. You know that.”
“I know, but it is out of Wyatt’s hands. Things down south have tightened up. The Children appear to have gained some further insight and found out what other purposes that tea has. They’ve banned it from the continent entirely. With the king’s backing.”
I wanted to scream. “These fools are getting on my last nerve. They are making this so difficult for me!” I cried out, frustrated.
“I believe that is the point, child,” Magda responded with a tight, forced chuckle.
“It’s not funny, Magda!” I shot back. The Cult of Children could not continue to get away with this. I had to do something.
Magda’s expression turned to indifference as she raised her eyebrows at me, unimpressed by my outburst. “Can’t you just…” Magda wiggled her fingers at me—her unspoken way of referencing my abilities. Magda was the only person I trusted to share my secret with.
“If I could do that, then I wouldn’t need to risk getting the tea.” To be honest, I had never tried using my healing abilities to end apregnancy; they had always been to save or fix things. It wasn’t like I was able to practise that freely to figure out if I could even do it. So I stuck with what my grandmother had taught me.
Magda scribbled something down on a scrap piece of paper. She folded it up and slid it over to me. “You can use any black tea to make it as long as you add these few extra herbs and say these words as it brews.”
I unfolded the paper and read the recipe and incantation. “Where did you get this from?” My brows furrowed in confusion as I quickly placed it inside my blouse. I’d known Magda my entire life, but I had never known her to work with spells or incantations.
“That is unimportant.” The response was quick and clipped. Her unmoving face told me she had no more to say on the subject.
Before I had a chance to question her further, our conversation was interrupted by a raucous commotion out in the village square.
“What is going on out there?” I ran to the front window to take a look. I couldn’t see anyone immediately, but I could hear a man angrily shouting. The hair on my arms stood on end, and the frustration that had been building within me about the tea situation needed an outlet. I moved to the rack to grab my cloak.
“I promise you it’s nothing good. Just stay inside, child,” Magda called out sternly, her palms placed on the edge of the countertop.
If Magda thought that was going to keep me inside, she clearly didn’t know me as well as she thought she did. I could hear the small woman cursing me as I hastily exited the apothecary.
Running into the village square, I looked around to see where the commotion was and found a large crowd gathering near the Children of the Celestial Mothers’ sanctuary. I forced myself through the crowd, elbowing and pushing people away so I could get a closer look at what was happening. Once I broke through, I was shocked at what I saw. In front of the sanctuary, on the wet cobbles, in the pouring rain, a woman was curled up, shaking and covering herface. Standing over her was Maxx, the leader of the Cult of Children—so righteously named after the goddess of strength, wisdom, and virtue, Maxxis.
“You’re nothing but a murderer!” he screeched at the woman. “Vikteriya herself shall descend from her throne and do away with you for good. You dare oppose her will? Do you think you know better than the Celestial Mothers?” He pulled her up by the hair and slapped her viciously across the face. “You deserve to spend the rest of your miserable existence suffering in the lowest depths of the Eternal Night!”
Everyone in the village square stood around and watched in hushed silence as this poor woman lay on the ground while he kicked her repeatedly in the ribs, shrieking that she was a “Murderer!” and “Blasphemous whore!” Mothers Above only knew what she could possibly have done to deserve this. Knowing the Cult of Children, it wouldn’t have been much.
I ran over to check on the woman, placing myself between her and Maxx. “That’s enough!” I screamed at Maxx, shoving him away. “Get away from her! Now!”
Maxx took a few shaky steps back toward the sanctuary and stared at me in stunned silence.
Looking down at the woman, I recognized her immediately. She was the woman I had seen leaving Magda’s apothecary earlier. Her left cheek was red and swollen, and her bottom lip had split open. Her entire body was trembling as she fought off tears. I reached down and gently touched her face, wiping away one of the tears that managed to escape.
“Do not give that asshole the pleasure of seeing you cry,” I hurriedly whispered to the woman. “He does not deserve the air he breathes, never mind your tears. Aside from the obvious, are you all right?”
The woman sniffled and nodded at me. “He caught me coming out of Magda’s shop with a bottle of your bathing oil. He justhollered and attacked me for no reason. He won’t listen.” Sobs started to rack the terrified woman. “And… and everybody is just standing around and watching. No one will help me!” she yelled toward the crowd. She sat there isolated and in pain while others looked on without the smallest bit of sympathy.
“It’s all right. I’m going to help you. Let’s get you up off the wet ground,” I proclaimed, loud enough for the gathering mass to hear. I leaned in closer, gently helping her up off the slickened cobbles, and whispered into her ear, “You go over to Magda and get another bottle. Tell her it’s on me. If you need anything else in the future, and I mean anything, just come to me directly.”
Once the woman was upright and stable on her feet, she nodded at me and ran in the direction of Magda’s apothecary. Standing her ground outside the shop door was Magda, watching closely.
As I turned back toward Maxx, my temper flared. My magic, which normally only became excitable when I willed it, stirred and roiled within me. Every part of me wanted a fight. I had already been pissed off and frustrated with the Cult of Children and the way they influenced this continent. This needless public display of humiliation was the catalyst that pushed me over the edge.
