Thomelisa Taken, Pt VIII

Escaped.

At that word a great wave of relief flooded through me, although I allowed none of it to show on my face.  All I’d have to do would be to go home, and await my daughter’s return.  Perhaps a scrying spell to see where grass was moving unnaturally- since it wouldn’t show me Elisa herself ( NOTE TO SELF: SCRY FOR WALNUT BED EARLIER!  SEE ONLY DARKNESS SINCE IT’S UNDERGROUND)- so that I could meet her along the way.

But first to deal with these two.

“Why did you take her?”  I asked.  I needed to understand if this went any further, what sort of threats might still be out there, waiting to collect my daughter as their own.

“I already told you,” Mother Toad said impatiently.  “My son is under a curse!”

I glanced down at the pallid creature in my hand.  He had gone limp again, eyes half-closed and a look of pure misery on his amphibious face.

“You said he’s not speaking because he’s curse.  What does that have to do with my daughter?”  I would not speak her name to these two- although… “And how did you know my name?”

Mother Toad shifted anxiously again.  “I really would feel much better if you’d take theknife away from him,” she said.  “Now that you know your own child isn’t in immediate danger.”

“There’s no guarantee she’s not,” I snapped.  “It’s a long way back to the cabin on tiny legs.”

“Still.  It would help me think more clearly if I wasn’t so worried about my boy.”

I narrowed my eyes, but gave a small nod, and withdrew the knife.  I didn’t release my hostage, however; I could destroy him with a word, if she tried to cast the spell she’d been readying.  A small, detached part of my brain wondered about toad magic, and how it might be different from Witch of Elf magic, but I shoved it down: now was decidedly not the time for idle curiosity.

Toad Mother’s aura dimmed further still, and she gave a great sigh of relief.

“Answer my questions,” I demanded, lest she get too comfortable.

“If I’d known it was you, Skovy, I’d never have taken the girl,” she shook her head.  “I remember the potential you showed, all those years ago.  But I didn’t know- I swear I didn’t know, not until I saw your face.”

I tilted my head sideways, mind racing.  “Do I know you?”

Mother Toad gave a snort.  “We studied together for three years.”

That brought my mind to a screeching halt.  Surely I’d remember if I’d spent time studying with a toad.  Wouldn’t I?  But Mother Toad was continuing on as though this was something I should know already.

“Back when Old Tarrow was still teaching?  We were his final students.”