Chapter Text
Nothing but the murmur of wind could be heard in the void of the night air as the horses plodded along far to noisily for Janes’ liking, their hooves echoing on the ill-used pathway of loose sand and stones between that eerie silence that had surrounded them as soon as they entered the heat of the desert.
Now even though that heat was long gone the lack of life persisted.
“Korsak.” Her voice barely above a hum quickly caught the older gents’ ear in the surrounding silence. He steadied his surprise and looked back at her, slowing his chestnut mare to match her pace.
Bobbing his head instead of speaking he waited for her to continue.
“Why the hell did you say yes to old man Willey?”
“What was I meant to do Rizzoli?” He huffed his quiet response back at her.
“Maybe say no so we don’t end up getting eaten or haunted for the rest of our natural lives.” She indicated to the vast nothing that surrounded them beneath the partially hidden stars. “Or even worse we get lost and you’re all I ever see for the next forever.”
Janes’ attempt at a light hearted diversion was met with a quick smile from Korsak. This place sacred him as much as it scared her.
“Jane.” His voice pleaded for her to understand. “You know Willey ain’t got long left, and he wants to see his kids before he goes. It’s a simple wish from a dying man, and I’m not one to deny something like that. Besides…” He paused and gave her a hard stare. “You didn’t have to come with.”
She scoffed loudly enough to offend her horse.
“You really think I’m gonna let you go through here by your lonesome? You may be a tough old man to most, capable of riding through fire and storm like those old stories Ma’s always going on about, but I know.” she gazed back at him, “I’ve seen the trouble you’ve been having when you think no one’s looking. I’ve seen the pain in your eyes Korsak. You’re hurting and you’re too damn stubborn to ask for help.”
Korsak frowned and stared ahead.
“Oh sure, get all grumpy and prove my point. See how that pans out for you.”
“Jane.” A warning etched behind her name as he said it.
“What? Are you really gonna get prissy over a helping hand?”
“JANE.” Korsak all but shouted.
“Geeze, okay. I’m dropping the damn subject.” She slouched in her saddle; her mood even more sour than when the heat had turned to ice as day turned to night. She grumbled. “Just how long we got till we’re though this hellscape anyway?”
Korsak glanced at her sullen expression, relieved she wasn’t pressing the matter further and took out his trusty pocket watch, squinting at the face and using the limited light available to them. The big hand ticked forward inching closer to the witching hour.
“Hmmm… about… another four hours or so… without stops.” He slipped the watch back and took to watching the smattering of lifeless trees they were approaching.
Both horses whinnied in unison, their discomfort for this place only growing with each step they took closer to midnight.
“Fry likes this place less than I do.” She sighed and straightened out as best she could with all her saddle aches.
“We should of left earlier, you know what my ma and everyone else says about this place.” Jane reached forward and stroked her own brown spotted Appaloosa mare.
A small grin appeared on his face as he listened to her.
“Aww, Janey, don’t tell me you’re afraid of some silly tales your ma told you and your brothers when you was little?”
She gave him an affronted look.
“Well how do you know they’re just stories hmm? How many folks travel through here at night like us two idiots? And how many always come out spooked beyond forming sentences about demons and witches?” Watching him she continued. “We should of left earlier or just waited till the next day. But you… you insisted cause of Willey.”
Korsak remained quiet, keeping pace and watching his surroundings.
Janes eyes left Korsaks bulky form and nervously skimmed along the outline of trees as they neared them, wondering how anything managed to grow here, no matter how crooked and beaten they may look. One of the trunks shifted and somehow got smaller as Jane nervously watched. Although in her mind she hoped she was just so scared her sight was playing tricks on her, her insides screamed no.
“Korsak…” He turned to look at her as she pulled her horse to a halt, copying her with tired and worried eyes. “I think we may have a bit of a problem.” She thrust her chin out towards the trees hoping he could see the something to confirm she wasn’t crazy.
The horses whickered and began to shift about becoming harder to control. Jane reached out in an attempt to sooth her mare with little to no avail because Fry was not having it, and Korsaks own mare stomped and bobbed more violently with each second that passed.
Inside of Korsaks pocket, the arms of his watch struck twelve and if they had thought it had been quiet before they were horribly mistaken.
It was as if the silence had held its breath. Even the panicked horses stilled and waited.
Janes’ hand moved to her gun, a hand me down from a father that never returned, she barely used it but she was a half decent shot, better than Tommy or Frankie she mused, hoping that whatever was about to happen wouldn’t lead to her ultimate demise.
Korsak pulled his own rifle and waited, both dared not speak as something shifted and glistened in the air before them close to the decrepit trees. The shimmering transformed into two figures, one smaller than the other but both shrouded in cloaks.
The larger of the two forms had a long-gated step that was slow and sluggish in comparison to the smaller. Out of the two Jane worried the larger might be more trouble, but the smaller one had the air of danger and power.
Her hand tightened its grip on the gun, Korsak moved to aim.
“Don’t move another inch or I swear I’ll blow you and your friend to Kingdom come.” He shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of the gun, the butt digging hard into his shoulder as he inhaled a steadying breath.
Luckily the two individuals stopped before Korsak could make good on his threat. The horses seemed on edge, but slightly calmer. Jane mentally prepared herself to either run or fight, she was praying for run.
“-kingdom…” the smaller one spoke, Korsak looked at Jane then back at the potential danger. They repeated, clearer this time. “Which kingdom would you blow me too? Galavancy is nice this time of year I believe. Does that black powder stick have enough magic in it to do so though? Would you be willing to trade for it if it does? I’d love to study it.” A voice as sweet as honeyed milk lilted from beneath the covers throwing both riders for a loop.
Korsak lowered his weapon and sought out Janes’ gaze which he quickly found reflecting back just as much misunderstanding and distress as he felt.
Their confusion worried the slighter one.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry. Is this not the correct dialect of language? Perhaps you require another linguistic form?” The hidden woman turned back to her companion who shrugged in turn. “¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Вы говорите по-русски? Parli italiano?”
Jane lifted her hand unexpectedly as if back in school, her mouth followed suite just as quickly.
“Parlo italiano ma questa è solo la mia famiglia, per lo più parliamo inglese qui.”
She got the stink eye from Korsak as she lowered her arm. She shrugged and mumbled sorry and internally berated herself for being so excited to hear the language from anyone other than her family. This anyone else who appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the night smack bang deep in the desert. Boy was she an idiot sometimes.
“Ah, so I did have the correct information.” The voice sounded pleased. “I apologies for frightening you and your horses. My name is Maura and I wish to explore this world with my familiar.” She removed her hood to reveal brown blonde tresses and an excited smile illuminated by the sudden appearance of the moon and twinkling stars. “Although I must say I’m truly excited to have stumbled across two local inhabitants, it will make for a much more studious journey.”
Korsak lifted his weapon as she allowed the torrent of excited words to flow.
“What do you mean when you say familiar? You a witch or something?”
“Why yes.” She smiled brightly again, eager to show appreciation for his knowledge. “I’m the top most academically passing witch of the past three decades. My parents are most likely very proud.”
His rifle cocked loudly beneath the night sky. The imposing form behind the woman stepped forward with a throaty grunt, but Maura held her hand against them, bringing them to a halt.
“Are you about to gust me to a kingdom?” Her head tilted, innocently menacing.
“It’s blow.” Jane stared with bug eyes at Maura. Her gut screaming at her that it was better to back off than aggravate her… this witch… this very not green skinned crooked nosed wart covered pretty woman. She made a mental note to tell her ma to describe witches better in the future if she was gonna carrying on telling those stories.
“I’m sorry?” Maura turned her eyes to Jane.
“It’s blow to Kingdom come. Not gust… cause of the gunpowder…. It goes… you know….uhh… makes like a boom blow up noise and blows stuff up?”
“Jane shut your yap and get ready to ride like the wind!”
“Korsak… don’t.”
“What the heck you mean don’t! There’s a witch and… and some sort of demon and you’re telling me to not defend myself and potentially save your life!”
A crack of the air and sizzle of powder caught their attention. Korsak threw the rifle to the ground just as the small explosion ripped the gun apart. His mare jumped a little but settled quickly.
“Mmm… a bit disappointing but it does seem to have that boom blow up noise like you said.” She eyed Jane. “You don’t seem to be as troubled as your friend. Which is good because Bas is no demon and to make such a claim is a heinous oversight of his delicate nature. Isn’t it Bas?” She pet Bas quietly. “Familiars are beings bound by spirit to a witch at a very young age. We form close bonds of friendship and trust with one another as we grow. They are a reflection of our inner strength and any form can be given to them. Although not to brag but Bas here can turn into multiple different forms, its actually very fascinate-” She cut herself off. “Apologies, I’ve been told I ramble.”
“Jane run I’ll hold her here. You find help-”
A horselaugh erupted from Janes chest, she inhaled a big gulp of frigid air and prepared herself for what came next.
“What you gonna do Korsak? Throw dirt in her eyes and insult her…” She stiffly swung her leg over and got off of Friday, leaving Korsak to gape at an empty saddle. Her knees popped as she stretched hoping to rid herself of the stiff ride.
“She blew up your gun without breaking a sweat all while talking in somewhat round about pleasant terms. Also why on earth do you think I’d abandon you. Geeze.” She shook her jacket at its ends and hugged it closer to her body, shrugging as she glanced back at him. “Besides you know how good I am at getting the lay of a person. Witch or not this lady seems like someone I don’t want to and shouldn’t pass off. Besides my guts tell me she’s okay.”
She slowly approached Maura on rather unbending legs extending her left hand towards her in greeting.
“Hey there Maura. I’m Jane Rizzoli.”
Maura frowned and Bas huffed.
“You talk to your guts?”