Hounded

get her a shot at Radomila so she can get the necklace back. «
    » If you live below Radomila, why can’t she just take a shot any night of the week? «
    » Radomila’s condo is highly protected, the same as your home is probably protected. Laksha needs you to get Radomila out of her safety zone and keep her distracted for about five minutes. «
    » That’s it? «
    » And maybe get something of Radomila’s. «
    » Ah, I see. How about a drop of her blood? «
    » That will do, « Granuaile said.
    » Does Laksha realize that besides the two you saw here, Radomila has eleven other witches in her coven, all of them magically accomplished? She’s picking a pretty big fight. «
    » Laksha can take them all once she has her necklace back. «
    » Really? « If that wasn’t overconfidence, then it was pretty scary. I’d be able to hold off a coven like theirs long enough to run away. Take them out all by myself? Not so much. » What’s so special about the necklace? «
    » I’ll let her tell you soon. « Granuaile waved away the question. » Don’t get distracted. Laksha says that she is already grateful to you for rescuing her from the sea, but if you help her earn true freedom again, she will grant you any boon that is in her power to give. «
    » And how do I earn her true freedom? «
    » Distract Radomila so that she can get the necklace back. «
    » There has to be more to it than that. For example, where is she going to go? Into Radomila, or back into the necklace? She’s not staying in your head, is she? «
    » No. « Granuaile shook her head. » She’s been a wonderful guest, but we are both ready to be alone with our thoughts again. I will let her explain that. Last but not least, you will have my gratitude. I’m not able to grant you magical favors, but considering that apprentices in the old days were worked pretty hard, I’m sure I’ll be working off my debt to you. «
    » What if I don’t want an apprentice? « I asked. » I’ve been doing just fine without one. «
    » Oh, I see. Getting shot is doing just fine, is it? «
    » Why can’t I help you get Laksha out of your head and call it a day? «
    » No deal. Laksha won’t go unless you agree to my apprenticeship. «
    » What? « I furrowed my brow. This was wholly unexpected. Typically, any being capable of possessing another cares very little about the wants and needs of those it possesses. » Why does she care? «
    » She knows that I don’t want to be pulling draughts all day for every Mike and Tom who comes in here. I want to do something fantastic with my life. I’m only twenty-two, you know, « she said. » I want to learn. «
    » That’s good, because there’s not much else to being a Druid’s apprentice than learning. But if I don’t agree, then what happens? Laksha stays in your head forever? «
    Granuaile shrugged. » No, we’ll figure out something else. Eventually we’ll try to get the necklace back without your help. See if someone else in town would like to earn the gratitude of a sorceress. «
    » And what of you, then? Will you try to become something else? «
    Granuaile nodded and held my eyes. Hers were emerald dappled with light, and they reminded me of home. » If you leave me no other option, I will become a witch like Laksha. But it’s not my first choice. «
    » Oh? And why is that? « I asked the question casually, but it was a deadly serious one—perhaps the most serious question of all. If she took this opening to make a joke or to flirt or kiss my ass, I would tell her no right then. But she paused before answering—perhaps getting coached by Laksha?
    » There are several reasons, actually, « she began in a low voice. » Laksha knows a great deal about magic, because she has been around for a long time. But she knows you are older than she is. Much older than any other being she has ever met, aside from gods. If that is true, then it follows you would know even more than she does and would have seen things the rest of us can only read about—and that is why I want you to teach me. I want to know what truly happened in history from someone who was there. I want to know the things you know, especially the things humanity has forgotten or never knew in the first place. It’s just the general principle that knowing is better than not knowing, knowledge is power, and so on. «
    I’ve heard worse. She walked up to the precipice of brownnosing, took a good look, but stepped back at the last moment.
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