A gust of sea breeze sauntered across the streets of Novigrad, blowing into the potion shop. The shop's entrance was framed with a set of blue curtains. Standing underneath it was the Zerrikanian shopkeeper. She stretched her arms, her mohican hair swaying with the breeze. Golden sunshine shone on her long, beautiful legs, her bountiful chest and tanned, slender waist covered by a striped leather shirt. The shopkeeper glimmered like a panther ready to hunt.
She put her hand to the scimitar hanging from her waist, staring sharply at the port, a hint of longing flitting through her eyes. Before she knew it, it had been a year since she left the troupe and started working for the shop. Now she had about six hundred crowns stashed away. Her hands that used to swing her scimitar around were getting used to handling the vials, vessels, and tools involved in alchemy.
She shook her head, her eyes glinting. "You're a child of the dragon, Kantilla. Do not lose yourself in this life, no matter how peaceful it is. Never abandon the tradition of seeking a challenge and a hunt. Yes, I should go out and hunt to my heart's content tonight."
"Kantilla!" an adorable voice called out to her. A young, beautiful girl with a golden ponytail approached the Zerrikanian woman, a sweet smile hanging on her lips. The orange potion pouch hanging around her waist was bouncing around like a ball.
"Vicki!" Kantilla patted Vicki's head and took the pouch. She checked the contents of the pouch. Aside from a row of neatly wrapped spirit potions, which was their bestseller, there were also two tomatoes, plump and glistening. She felt like taking a bite.
She's so lovely. Kantilla smiled, her eyes twinkling with delight. "You're early today. Wait, no. Your apprenticeship is tomorrow, not today!"
Vicki pursed her lips and shook her head sadly. "I don't think I can come over after today. Not for a long time."
"What? Why?"
"We'll take this inside, Kantilla." A cloaked man with a mask approached the shop. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, and they were crimson. His face was filled with hideous burn scars, but he was a lot better compared to how he was before. Evelyn's herbs helped his condition.
***
"Something's afoot in Novigrad." Kiyan took a seat on the stool before the counter, scanning the herbs and potions on the shelves. He was happy with how things turned out, and that was all the more reason he was reluctant to leave. "About three weeks ago, a sorcerer tried to abduct Dandelion, but we managed to severely injure him before he made his escape. Last week, we managed to capture three suspicious individuals. Strangers from the looks of it. Mercenaries from Rinbe. Experienced too. Been in their line of work for more than ten years."
He looked into Kantilla's eyes and told her without reservations, "They were paid handsomely to look into our business, contacts, and network. And they did a thorough job with it."
"So you're saying someone's trying to attack you guys?" Kantiall cocked her eyebrow, her hand slowly reaching for her scimitar, a glint of excitement flaring in her eyes. "But who in their right mind would do that? This is your turf."
"No answers to that question, I'm afraid. Their employer made sure we couldn't find any clues, but we bet it's related to Rience, the sorcerer who tried to kidnap Dandelion."
"So where are the bastards now?"
"Gone. Their souls returned to the seas, their flesh nourishment for the fish," Kiyan answered, his face deadpan. "I can't guarantee this is the furthest Rience would go to get what he wants. He might go lower. There are hundreds of people coming in and out of Novigrad every day, and we can't keep an eye on everyone. For your own safety, today's the potion shop's last day of operation. At least until this blows over."
"If it were up to me, Kiyan, I would say we take them head on." Kantilla shook her head, an icy smile curling her lips. She unsheathed her scimitar, its edge glinting under the light. "They try to attack us, I'll lop their heads off with this. It's been a while since my blade has tasted blood."
Kantilla touched the wyvern fang necklace hanging from her neck, grumbling, "Roy promised he'd take me on a hunt, but then he goes missing for months on end. I only stayed because of him. Boys are the same, no matter the age. Liars, all of them."
"If it's a challenge you need, the House of Gawain might be the best place you can hope for." Kiyan scratched his nose. I won't lie. "The kids have too much energy to spend. They'd love to spar with you. Just close up shop for now and move in with us. It's quick and easy. And Vicki's there too."
Vicki held Kantilla's callused hand, her eyes filled with the light of anticipation.
"You mean the little ones who just passed your Trial?" Kantilla looked a little apprehensive. The oldest of the kids were but thirteen years old, and yet they were a lot fitter and faster than she was. They would make for a good challenge. She pursed her lips and looked around the shop, reluctant to leave, but eventually, she nodded. "What about everyone else? Dandelion, Priscilla, Moore, and Susie?"
"Everyone's going to be together."
***
Lambert belched and picked at his teeth with a finger. He smacked Dandelion's shoulder, ogling Priscilla, who was playing her lute on the stage. Beautiful Priscilla. Priscilla, who had a great voice; Priscilla, whose body was to die for; Priscilla, who was, most importantly, scantily clad. He also looked at pretty Igsena with interest. That lady was tap dancing with the crowd on the dance floor.
"You, Priscilla, and Igsena are moving to the House of Gawain starting tomorrow. Leave the day-to-day business to your men."
"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Dandelion was playing with the feather on his hat, but his hand froze, and he almost yanked the feather off. "Things have been going swimmingly, haven't they? With you and Aiden around, no one is stirring up any trouble. There is no need to move, is there?" Dandelion shook his head furiously. How am I supposed to look for inspiration if I'm expected to live in the woods?
"It's just for the time being. Don't tell me you want to be a permanent resident." Lambert gave him a side-eyed glance. "I'd rather not run into a cheating manwhore like you all the time."
"A tad bit hypocritical, I daresay." Dandelion shook his head and scanned the gallivanting witcher. He questioned, "Have you ever not slept with anyone besides your romantic partner?"
Lambert chortled and blew his bangs. He promptly answered, "I do not have any regular partners. To a degree, every woman in this world is my partner. Which means I have never cheated on anyone before. Oh, but Priscilla still doesn't know of your affair, does she? If you do not hold a woman like her dear, someone will eventually steal her from right under your nose."
"Please don't." Dandelion relented. He then turned to his wits to extricate himself from this sticky situation. "They do say that life is like a ball. Refusing to drink at all is nothing but spurning a good time; drink too much, and you make a buffoon out of yourself. Please put your faith in my self-control. I will never go too far. To be too invested in my affairs is disastrous. They are nothing but a mingling of the flesh. I would never surrender my heart or soul to them. As long as I do not cross that line, I will never hurt Priscilla."
"And now you're making a buffoon out of yourself, Dandelion. It's just a yes or no question. You didn't have to buffet me with a whole saga."
"But if I were to move, how should I express my skills and talents?"
"Perform for the children, then. You'd be a fine relief from all the boredom. We have more than sixty adoring viewers there."
"Fine. I'll explain it to them later." Dandelion sighed like he just lost all sources of inspiration.
"Don't give me that face. This is for your own good," said Lambert solemnly. "Didn't Rience's attack teach you enough? Novigrad's a big city, and we're spread too thin as it is. If he kidnaps you again, you might lose more than your hands. Maybe he'll cut your tongue off. Or probably your member down there."
"Alright, I get it." Dandelion nodded, his face somber, his mustache trembling.
"And tell your bards to stop any plays concerning witchers." Lambert raised his voice, "Or they might get dragged into this mess."
"Not even if it's the audience's request?"
"Not even if it's the audience's request."
***
Crippled Kate's, a brothel tucked away in a dark alleyway nestled within the slums of Novigrad. Eskel was in the third room, half naked. The room was filled with warm, pink light, and the witcher was lying on a red, heart-shaped rug with a towel on it, his head resting on his right hand, and a sigh left his lips.
Within his arm was a woman. She had eyes black as night, staring at his profile, and she gently touched the witcher's impressive pecs. Instead of regular human legs, she had a pair of goat hooves covered in grey fur. Her skin was a healthy mocha, her looks mesmerizing, her eyes amber like a cat's, a pair of curled black horns jutting from her lustrous hair. She was uncanny and exotic at the same time.
Any experienced witcher would know who, or what, this woman was: a succubus.
Succubi were new creatures introduced by the Conjunction of the Spheres. They were born with incredible charm, looks, and bodies. These creatures could easily turn the hardiest of men into their playthings, sucking them dry of life and vitality.
Some did stay in line, but those were rare.
"Have you been busy with your requests, my love?" Pashia purred, her voice nasal, and it made Eskel's heart flutter. "You've only come once in three weeks. I thought you'd gotten tired of me and found yourself a new lover."
She plucked at the witcher's chest hair with her perfectly manicured crimson nails.
"I would never." Eskel wrapped his arms around Pashia's waist, staring into her eyes. There was love and a bit of resignation in his gaze. Even a sturdily-built witcher would find it hard to satisfy a succubus for a prolonged period of time, but it was Eskel's burden to bear. He loved succubi.
"I do not have the strength to deal with any other woman with you by my side. My absence is caused by the recent change in Novigrad's activities. I have to be careful."
"Someone is trying to attack witchers? In Novigrad? Didn't you sign a peace treaty with the ganglords and the church?" Pashia only submitted to Eskel because of the brotherhood's influence in the city. The monster hunter's skills and abilities also helped as well.
Fate was a mischievous mistress at times. Pashia had been seeing this scarred, burly man for more than six months, and she felt some feelings stirring for him. For a long time, she'd been only sleeping with him. She was a saint among succubi.
"These are no ordinary people. They are spellcasters, and more than one of them is out for us."
Pashia bit her lip and twirled her icy fingers on Eskel's chest. "Do you need my help? I can charm some intelligence out of them. No one can keep any secrets from me."
Eskel frowned. "Don't do that." There was anger flowing in his voice. If the brotherhood knew he sold his lover out to deal with his enemies, he'd be stripped of his membership. "I am no pimp or cuckold. We'll deal with the sorcerers ourselves. Still, thank you for your offer."
Touched, Eskel held Pashia in his embrace. "Once we get over this, let's find someplace to stay."
"Really? But you're a witcher. Won't your mentor and colleagues laugh at you for staying with a succubus?"
Eskel harrumphed. "They'll understand. They did more egregious acts before."
Delighted, Pashia gave Eskel a kiss.
"And you be careful too, Pashia. Stay in the brothel as much as you can."
"Of course."
***
"Moore! Susie!"
"Ah, Letho!"
The vendors quickly waved at the bald witcher coming through the throng. "What brings you here today?" Moore grabbed Letho's hand. He asked, his voice tinted with anticipation, "Any news of Roy?"
Susie was patting the infant in her arms. The baby boy was fiddling with a turnip.
"Kid's still out for a request. It's going to take some time before he comes back." Letho shook his head regrettably and straightened out his collar. He was in modified Bear School armor. Scaled tonlet, plate spaulders, plate vambraces, rows of knives and potions hanging from his belt…
A few black, diamond-shaped scales covered his chest. Dragon scales. The Tordarroch blacksmiths and Vesemir's research were not progressing at a great rate. They could only make rudimentary protective armor with the dragon scales. Viper School's silver and steel weapons were strapped to his back.
With the blacksmiths' unrelenting hard work, all the witchers in the House of Gawain had gained new armor, including the apprentices who just passed their Trial.
The light in Moore and Susie's eyes dimmed.
"Hello, Mino. Oh, you've grown a little since I last saw you." Letho poked the infant's chubby cheeks.
Mino stared at the poker-faced witcher and gurgled, his laughter echoing in the air. That cheered his parents up a little. Well, at least we still have Mino around.
"It's not every day you show up, Letho. Why dontcha come over tonight?" Moore patted Letho's incredibly big hands, a big smile wrinkling his face. "We'll make stew for you. Taking care of the kids must be hard work. You should eat more."
"What?" Letho looked flummoxed. I could eat a horse every meal, and they want me to eat more? And why do I get the feeling they're treating me like their son? I'm old enough to be their grandfather.
"Later, perhaps. I have a proposition for you. Why don't you move in with us at the House of Gawain?"
"Ah, thanks for the offer, Letho, but…" Moore scratched the back of his head and sheepishly answered, "We still have to run this business. There's really not much time."
"Put aside the business for a while." Letho's eyes roved the couple's faces. The solemnity on his face made the couple stand up straighter. "Mino's about one year old, isn't he? It's the best time to start his early education. I would like for you to take him to the orphanage so he can join the classes as well."
Letho raised his hand, stopping the couple from interrupting. "If you seize this chance, it is not impossible for Mino to enroll into Oxenfurt Academy."
"An academy?" Moore's jaw dropped, and he stammered, "A-An educated man i-instead o-of a peasant?"
"Roy is a genius. I'm sure his brother is a bright child as well, but Mino's still young, and he needs his parents. You'll have to go with him as well. We have some fields around the orphanage. You can tend to them if you need anything to pass the time."
"But we'll lose our customers if we take a long leave of absence…" Susie said, a little reluctant to leave.
"Which is more important: your business, or Mino's future?"
That struck the couple where it mattered the most. Mino mattered to them, and they nodded.
Letho heaved a sigh of relief. You owe me one, kid. A big one. And it's almost time. Everyone else should be done with their assignments as well. We've made sure to hide all our loved ones. Now let's see what the sorcerers are up to.
***
***
