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sidhe_faerieDark Realms 7: Count Necroix’s Revenge (Part 2)
Word Count: 6021
Brought to you by puzzleprompts
Episode 7
A few hours later, Wincet called everyone into the Vision Cave for a meeting. “Isadora and I have been going over what she and Nellis learned on their trip back to Caspire.”
Jace looked around. “Speaking of Nellis, where is he?”
“He said he had a headache and he was going to take a nap. He must be still asleep.” Izzie said. “I should go get him.”
“No. I’ll get him.” Jace walked off before anyone could say anything. He walked down the corridor into the living quarters and knocked on Nellis’ door.
“Hey Nellis! We have a meeting.” Jace waited a few moments then opened the door. When he found Nellis on the floor unconscious, he knelt down and shook him gently. “Nellis! wake up! I better get help.”
Jace ran back into the meeting. “Wincet, you need to come quickly. Nellis is on the floor and he won’t wake up.”
“I can help get him into bed.” Borne said to Jace.
“Thanks Borne. He is a lot heavier than he looks.” Jace nodded.
Wincet turned to Izzie. “Did he eat or drink anything while you were on Caspire?”
“He was out with his friends. He drank a lot and probably ate all manner of things but he was fine most of the day. The poison acts quickly so nothing he did the night before would be the cause.” Izzie closed her eyes and took a breath. “The fire candy! He ate candy just before we came back. He put it in his pocket. It’s in a little silver tin.”
Wincet, Borne, and Jace rushed to Nellis’ room. They managed to get him on the bed with Borne’s help then Jace went through his pockets while Wincet examined him.
Jace found the tin and opened it. “Red Hots?”
“What?” Wincet asked. He had never heard of anything called that before especially not candy.
“On my world, we have something similar to this.” Jace showed him the candy. “They’re called Red Hots. Basically, they’re cinnamon and sugar.”
“Cinnamon?” Wincet glanced at Jace. “Is that like dragon’s breath?”
“I don’t know.” Jace shrugged. “It’s the bark from a tree and you grate it over hot chocolate and put it in pies. On my world, they sell it ground or in sticks.”
“That sounds like dragon’s breath. It’s toxic to most forms of shifters but harmless to other species.” Wincet took the tin and smelled the candy. “It’s dragon’s breath all right.”
“Why did he eat it if he knew it was toxic?” Jace asked.
“He may not have known.” Wincet looked down at Nellis. “The dragon tree has been eradicated from Caspire for generations. He may not have even been aware it was poison. I’d say that was what happened with the others as well. I will get Dallys to help me make a cure for him.”
“If you can’t get it on Caspire then where did this come from?” Jace asked.
Wincet looked at the tin. He frowned when he recognized the language written on the tin. “This is from Kless and there just happens to be a forest full of dragon trees there.”
Izzie came to the doorway. “Has he been poisoned?”
“Yes my dear, he has.” Wincet stood up. “We also identified the poison and I should be able to work up a cure. We need to get back to the meeting then I can get to work while you go to Kless to track down that Count the Grubhor told you about. “
Wincet waved the others out of the room and they went back to the Vision Cave.
“Nellis has been exposed to the poison. It’s dragon breath.” Wincet turned to Dallys. “Dallys, you and I will make the cure. The others will go to Kless and kidnap Count Necroix.”
“Then what do you want us to do with him?” Tona asked.
“You will take him to Caspire and give him to the council. He will be tried for murder and imprisoned.” Izzie looked around the room. “Every shifter that died was on one of the planets that Bronwer the shop keeper put on his list. The evidence is pointing straight to this Count Necroix. The frog man said he had been scammed by a shifter that must be the reason that he is seeking revenge.”
Tona nodded. “So we get the Count and take him to Caspire. What about the poison that’s still out there? We have to find the smuggler that distributed it.”
“The shopkeeper said that the smuggler’s name is Bex.” Izzie told her. “We shall have to get the council to issue a warning about the candy. Hopefully, we can stop any more from dying that way until the candy can be collected and destroyed.”
“Are we going to have to do that?” Tona asked.
“No. The council will send out agents, like me, to do it.” Izzie looked at everyone. “Nellis is … I can’t lose him.”
Dallys gave Izzie a hug. “We will do whatever we can. I’m going to get started now.” She left for the workroom.
“You can’t go to Kless like that.” Tona said to Izzie. “Can you take human form?”
“Yes. That’s how I’ve been getting around on other planets.” Izzie smiled. “They are more likely to talk to a human than a shifter.”
“You had better get going. I will meet on the Traveler’s Bridge in a few moments.” Wincet said. “I need to get something first.”
Everyone assembled on the Traveler’s Bridge to wait for Wincet. They only had to wait a few minutes.
Wincet handed something to Tona. “That is a whistle that will help you subdue any dog soldier still on Kless. I had heard that there were a few that survived the purging spell. They are actually hybrids but they will still be affected by that whistle.”
“Only the dog soldiers will hear it?” Tona asked as she turned it over in her hand.
Wincet scrunched up his nose. “Maybe bats and possibly shifters. I’m not sure about the shifters though.” He patted Izzie on the shoulder. “Good luck Isadora.”
“Thank you all for everything.” Izzie had changed clothes and was carrying the modesty veil that Nellis had bought for her.
“We don’t have him yet.” Tona looked at Jace. “Are you armed?”
“Two blades and you?” Jace answered.
“Four.” Tona looked at Borne. “Borne, you better stay here. It will be hard to explain you. The Metalis Alliance is not very popular on Kless Maybe, you can keep an eye on Nellis for Izzie so that she doesn’t worry.”
“I can do that.” Borne looked at Izzie and nodded. “I will help dallys and wincet nurse him back to health.”
“Thank you Borne. I'm sure you will make a very good nurse.” Izzie pulled the scarf around her head and she tucked the ends. “Let’s get this done so I can be the one nursing Nellis.”
Wincet opened the portal and they stepped through into a forest.
“Why is it that we always end up in the middle of nowhere when we go to another planet?” Jace complained as he stepped out of a mud puddle.
“Do you want to be caught? That’s what will happen if we are seen going in and out of portals.” Tona asked.
“I would just like to be near a road for a change.” Jace said as he started walking.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Tona said.
“There is a road in this direction I can smell animal dung.” Jace didn’t turn around to see if they were following or not. He just kept walking.
“Jace isn’t usually this rude.” Tona said to Izzie. “He’s just worried about Nellis. He, Borne, and Nellis spend a lot of time together.”
“I’m glad he has friends.” Izzie smiled under the veil. “I better make myself into a human.” She took a deep breath and transformed into a slight woman with short dark hair and big eyes.
“That’s impressive.” Tona blinked. “I can glamour but not as well as you can transform.”
“I’m a shifter.” Izzie shrugged. It’s what we do. We had better catch up to Jace.”
“Yeah. He’s going to get himself in trouble without us.” Tona laughed and she and Izzie took the same path through the forest that Jace had just taken.
They reached the edge of the forest and found Jace standing with a man. The man was covered in dirt and dressed in overalls. He was carrying a shovel.
Jace turned to the women. “This is Simon. He’s a grave digger in that cemetery over there. He says the Count lives just at the end of that road over there.”
“He walks down here sometimes at night. His wife is buried over there by that tree. He is still in mourning.” Simon told them. “Some vile being killed his wife and left her to rot in the root cellar while it stole from the Count. When he found her, all he had left to bury was her bones. What manner of creature would do such a thing?” Simon just shook his head. “Shameful!”
Izzie bit her lip to keep from telling the grave digger that the count was responsible for nearly thirty deaths.
“That is shameful.” Jace glanced at Izzie. “This is his cousin from out of town. We should get her up to the house.”
“I have another grave to dig. The fever has taken quite a few this year but not as many as last year. We had to add a whole new section last year.” Simon nodded goodbye and went back to the grave he had been digging.
Tona waited until Simon was out of hearing before she spoke up. “Why do I get the feeling that the Counts dead wife may not have been murdered but succumbed to last year’s fever outbreak? The shifter may have just took advantage of the situation. I can imagine Nellis ever killing anyone.”
Jace shrugged. “I have only met two shifters. I can’t make a judgement on how they all behave with so little evidence.”
“We aren’t usually a violent race.” Izzie defended. “Murder is almost unheard of on Caspire. That was why the deaths from the poison were noticed, This shifter must have been a woman. The only way that a shifter can transform into a female is because it is a female.”
“How many of the victims were female?” Tona asked.
“Four.” Izzie took a breath. “Most were male. Must be because we tend to be more careful about how much we eat then males.”
“For your girlish figure?” Jace smirked.
“No. It’s because we usually have more self-control.” Izzie glared at him.
Tona laughed. “Come on Izzie. Let him think about that for a moment.”
Izzie and Tona started walking up the road to the Counts house. Jace stared after them for a moment then followed.
When they reached the house, Tona hid against the wall as Izzie knocked on the door. Jace went around to the back of the house to see if there was another way in.
“Yes what is it?” The Count asked impatiently when he opened the door. “Who are you?”
“My name is Isadora. I’m afaid that I’m lost. I was visiting my grandmother in the cemetery and I must have gone the wrong way when I left.” Izzie batted her eyelashes at the Count. “You’re Count Necroix, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I am.” The Count was growing impatient. “I am also very busy. What is it that you want again?”
“Please can you help me? Will you show me which way to go to town?” Izzie moved so that he could come out where Tona was waiting for him.
As soon as the Count stepped out on the porch, Tona grabbed him from behind. She twisted his arm behind him and shoved him to the ground in one fluid motion.
“Stay down, if you know what’s good for you.” Tona said as she waited for Jace to come help her.
Jace appeared in the door way. “Good you got him.” Jace took out a pair of handcuffs and put them on the Count. “We can get out of this creepy place now.”
“Wait! Where are you taking me?” The count asked.
“We are taking you to Caspire to be tried for the murder of twenty eight shifters.” Izzie told him.
“Please. can you get my pet bat?” The Count begged. “She will die if I leave her here with no one to feed her. Her name is Fickle.”
“I’ll get her.” Izzie went inside and looked around. She found the bat in a golden cage. “There you are. Come with me, Fickle.” She took the cage off the hanger and looked at the bat closely.
Fickle looked back at Izzie and blinked.
Izzie carried the cage out to the front porch. “I’ve got her. We should go now.”
As if Wincet was listening, a portal opened by the front porch.
“How does he do that?” Izzie looked at it with wonder.
Jace and Tona half dragged half carried Count Necroix through to the Travelers Bridge.
Wincet smiled when they came through the portal. “Count necroix, I assume. Stand back and I will send a portal to Caspire.”
“You aren’t going to put it in the middle of the woods again, are you?” Jace asked. “I’m getting tired of stepping in mud and dung.”
“How about I put you right in the council chambers? You can drop off your prize and Izzie can present the evidence all at the same time.” Wincet reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial and a piece of paper. “Here is a vial of the antidote to dragon’s breath. I included the recipe to make more. It must be administered within twenty four hours to be successful.”
“Thank you.” Izzie took the vial and the paper. “How is Nellis?”
“He’s on the mend.” Wincet smiled. “He told you to hurry back. He will be out of commission for a week or so.”
Izzie nodded. She took a breath then transformed back into a shifter. She pulled the scarf from her head and turned to the Count.
“You’re one of them!” Count Necroix exclaimed. He struggled against the hold that Jace and Tona had on him. “You are one of those filthy beasts that killed my wife.”
Jace and Tona tightened their grip on the prison.
“Count Necroix, I have a question for you. Where did you get this little bat?” Izzie held up the bat in the cage.
“My wife got it from a peddler. Why?” The Count looked at Fickle. “It isn’t illegal to have a pet.”
Izzie shook her head. “No it isn’t but this isn’t a pet. It’s not even a bat. It’s a shifter.”
Wincet hit the bat with a burst of magick and it fell asleep.
“Thank you Wincet.” Izzie grinned. “It’s the shifter that impersonated your wife, I would say. The thief has been under your nose the entire time.”
The count looked at the bat. No! I thought that the thief was long gone. Why would it stay after it stole from me?
“That is a question you will have to ask her when she wakes up.” Wincet waved them back so he could make the portal to Caspire. “For now, I need to get you on your way.”
“Do you need us to come with you?” Tona asked.
“No just heave him through the portal.” Izzie grinned. “There are always plenty of guards in the council chambers. Thank you so much for all your help. I will always be grateful for the help.”
“You are coming back, aren’t you?” Tona asked. “If you don’t we will have to deal with a love sick puppy.”
“You mean a love sick kitten boy.” Jace laughed. “He was miserable before you came back in his life. Now you are all that he talks about.”
“Tell Nellis I will be back as soon as I take care of this business.” Izzie handed the scarf to Jace. “Tell him to hold on to this for me.”
“I will.” Jace took the scarf. “Good luck Izzie.”
Jace and Tona shoved the Count through the portal when it opened and waved to Izzie as she stepped through with the sleeping shifter in the cage.
A week later, Izzie knocked on the door of Nellis’ room. She opened the door without waiting for him to answer.
“Hey. Are you feeling better?” Izzie asked as Nellis sat up on the bed.
“Yeah. I finally stopped throwing up.” Nellis grinned. “Whatever Wincet gave me made me sicker than I have ever been in my lifetime.”
“Sicker than you were after Coty threw that week long party?” Izzie asked as she sat on the bed.
“Yes! At least I could stand up without the room spinning and having the urge to vomit.” Nellis rubbed his chest. “I suppose I should be glad I’m alive, huh?”
“Yeah.” Izzie hesitated. “Nellis, the council has asked me to be an investigator full time. I decided to take them up on their offer but I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Why? You don’t need my permission.” Nellis shrugged. “We aren’t married and even if we were you wouldn’t listen to me anyway.”
Izzie laughed. “You are right about that. It’s just that I will be off world a lot and I may need a little back up from time to time. I already asked Wincet if it was okay with him and he was delighted. His reaction was not exactly what I expected.”
“These people…we are starting to feel like family.” Nellis pulled at the blanket. “You are family too, through me, of course.”
Izzie smiled. “That’s nice. For so long loving, you was like loving the dead. It was like I was loving just a memory of you. Now that you are in my life again, I’m not sure that I want us to be apart again.”
“It’s because I nearly died, isn’t it?” Nellis shook his head. “Look Izzie, I will always love you but I will never stand in your way where your happiness is concerned. I will always be here and you can always visit or whatever.”
“I just might take you up on that whatever.” Izzy leaned over and kissed him. “I better go. I have to find a kidnapped baby.”
“Sounds like fun.” Nellis pulled her back and kissed her again. “Be safe.”
“You too, Nellis.” Izzie got up from the bed and walked to the door. She looked back and waved before she walked through and closed the door.
“And there goes my heart.” Nellis whispered.
Word Count: 6021
Brought to you by puzzleprompts
Episode 7
A few hours later, Wincet called everyone into the Vision Cave for a meeting. “Isadora and I have been going over what she and Nellis learned on their trip back to Caspire.”
Jace looked around. “Speaking of Nellis, where is he?”
“He said he had a headache and he was going to take a nap. He must be still asleep.” Izzie said. “I should go get him.”
“No. I’ll get him.” Jace walked off before anyone could say anything. He walked down the corridor into the living quarters and knocked on Nellis’ door.
“Hey Nellis! We have a meeting.” Jace waited a few moments then opened the door. When he found Nellis on the floor unconscious, he knelt down and shook him gently. “Nellis! wake up! I better get help.”
Jace ran back into the meeting. “Wincet, you need to come quickly. Nellis is on the floor and he won’t wake up.”
“I can help get him into bed.” Borne said to Jace.
“Thanks Borne. He is a lot heavier than he looks.” Jace nodded.
Wincet turned to Izzie. “Did he eat or drink anything while you were on Caspire?”
“He was out with his friends. He drank a lot and probably ate all manner of things but he was fine most of the day. The poison acts quickly so nothing he did the night before would be the cause.” Izzie closed her eyes and took a breath. “The fire candy! He ate candy just before we came back. He put it in his pocket. It’s in a little silver tin.”
Wincet, Borne, and Jace rushed to Nellis’ room. They managed to get him on the bed with Borne’s help then Jace went through his pockets while Wincet examined him.
Jace found the tin and opened it. “Red Hots?”
“What?” Wincet asked. He had never heard of anything called that before especially not candy.
“On my world, we have something similar to this.” Jace showed him the candy. “They’re called Red Hots. Basically, they’re cinnamon and sugar.”
“Cinnamon?” Wincet glanced at Jace. “Is that like dragon’s breath?”
“I don’t know.” Jace shrugged. “It’s the bark from a tree and you grate it over hot chocolate and put it in pies. On my world, they sell it ground or in sticks.”
“That sounds like dragon’s breath. It’s toxic to most forms of shifters but harmless to other species.” Wincet took the tin and smelled the candy. “It’s dragon’s breath all right.”
“Why did he eat it if he knew it was toxic?” Jace asked.
“He may not have known.” Wincet looked down at Nellis. “The dragon tree has been eradicated from Caspire for generations. He may not have even been aware it was poison. I’d say that was what happened with the others as well. I will get Dallys to help me make a cure for him.”
“If you can’t get it on Caspire then where did this come from?” Jace asked.
Wincet looked at the tin. He frowned when he recognized the language written on the tin. “This is from Kless and there just happens to be a forest full of dragon trees there.”
Izzie came to the doorway. “Has he been poisoned?”
“Yes my dear, he has.” Wincet stood up. “We also identified the poison and I should be able to work up a cure. We need to get back to the meeting then I can get to work while you go to Kless to track down that Count the Grubhor told you about. “
Wincet waved the others out of the room and they went back to the Vision Cave.
“Nellis has been exposed to the poison. It’s dragon breath.” Wincet turned to Dallys. “Dallys, you and I will make the cure. The others will go to Kless and kidnap Count Necroix.”
“Then what do you want us to do with him?” Tona asked.
“You will take him to Caspire and give him to the council. He will be tried for murder and imprisoned.” Izzie looked around the room. “Every shifter that died was on one of the planets that Bronwer the shop keeper put on his list. The evidence is pointing straight to this Count Necroix. The frog man said he had been scammed by a shifter that must be the reason that he is seeking revenge.”
Tona nodded. “So we get the Count and take him to Caspire. What about the poison that’s still out there? We have to find the smuggler that distributed it.”
“The shopkeeper said that the smuggler’s name is Bex.” Izzie told her. “We shall have to get the council to issue a warning about the candy. Hopefully, we can stop any more from dying that way until the candy can be collected and destroyed.”
“Are we going to have to do that?” Tona asked.
“No. The council will send out agents, like me, to do it.” Izzie looked at everyone. “Nellis is … I can’t lose him.”
Dallys gave Izzie a hug. “We will do whatever we can. I’m going to get started now.” She left for the workroom.
“You can’t go to Kless like that.” Tona said to Izzie. “Can you take human form?”
“Yes. That’s how I’ve been getting around on other planets.” Izzie smiled. “They are more likely to talk to a human than a shifter.”
“You had better get going. I will meet on the Traveler’s Bridge in a few moments.” Wincet said. “I need to get something first.”
Everyone assembled on the Traveler’s Bridge to wait for Wincet. They only had to wait a few minutes.
Wincet handed something to Tona. “That is a whistle that will help you subdue any dog soldier still on Kless. I had heard that there were a few that survived the purging spell. They are actually hybrids but they will still be affected by that whistle.”
“Only the dog soldiers will hear it?” Tona asked as she turned it over in her hand.
Wincet scrunched up his nose. “Maybe bats and possibly shifters. I’m not sure about the shifters though.” He patted Izzie on the shoulder. “Good luck Isadora.”
“Thank you all for everything.” Izzie had changed clothes and was carrying the modesty veil that Nellis had bought for her.
“We don’t have him yet.” Tona looked at Jace. “Are you armed?”
“Two blades and you?” Jace answered.
“Four.” Tona looked at Borne. “Borne, you better stay here. It will be hard to explain you. The Metalis Alliance is not very popular on Kless Maybe, you can keep an eye on Nellis for Izzie so that she doesn’t worry.”
“I can do that.” Borne looked at Izzie and nodded. “I will help dallys and wincet nurse him back to health.”
“Thank you Borne. I'm sure you will make a very good nurse.” Izzie pulled the scarf around her head and she tucked the ends. “Let’s get this done so I can be the one nursing Nellis.”
Wincet opened the portal and they stepped through into a forest.
“Why is it that we always end up in the middle of nowhere when we go to another planet?” Jace complained as he stepped out of a mud puddle.
“Do you want to be caught? That’s what will happen if we are seen going in and out of portals.” Tona asked.
“I would just like to be near a road for a change.” Jace said as he started walking.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Tona said.
“There is a road in this direction I can smell animal dung.” Jace didn’t turn around to see if they were following or not. He just kept walking.
“Jace isn’t usually this rude.” Tona said to Izzie. “He’s just worried about Nellis. He, Borne, and Nellis spend a lot of time together.”
“I’m glad he has friends.” Izzie smiled under the veil. “I better make myself into a human.” She took a deep breath and transformed into a slight woman with short dark hair and big eyes.
“That’s impressive.” Tona blinked. “I can glamour but not as well as you can transform.”
“I’m a shifter.” Izzie shrugged. It’s what we do. We had better catch up to Jace.”
“Yeah. He’s going to get himself in trouble without us.” Tona laughed and she and Izzie took the same path through the forest that Jace had just taken.
They reached the edge of the forest and found Jace standing with a man. The man was covered in dirt and dressed in overalls. He was carrying a shovel.
Jace turned to the women. “This is Simon. He’s a grave digger in that cemetery over there. He says the Count lives just at the end of that road over there.”
“He walks down here sometimes at night. His wife is buried over there by that tree. He is still in mourning.” Simon told them. “Some vile being killed his wife and left her to rot in the root cellar while it stole from the Count. When he found her, all he had left to bury was her bones. What manner of creature would do such a thing?” Simon just shook his head. “Shameful!”
Izzie bit her lip to keep from telling the grave digger that the count was responsible for nearly thirty deaths.
“That is shameful.” Jace glanced at Izzie. “This is his cousin from out of town. We should get her up to the house.”
“I have another grave to dig. The fever has taken quite a few this year but not as many as last year. We had to add a whole new section last year.” Simon nodded goodbye and went back to the grave he had been digging.
Tona waited until Simon was out of hearing before she spoke up. “Why do I get the feeling that the Counts dead wife may not have been murdered but succumbed to last year’s fever outbreak? The shifter may have just took advantage of the situation. I can imagine Nellis ever killing anyone.”
Jace shrugged. “I have only met two shifters. I can’t make a judgement on how they all behave with so little evidence.”
“We aren’t usually a violent race.” Izzie defended. “Murder is almost unheard of on Caspire. That was why the deaths from the poison were noticed, This shifter must have been a woman. The only way that a shifter can transform into a female is because it is a female.”
“How many of the victims were female?” Tona asked.
“Four.” Izzie took a breath. “Most were male. Must be because we tend to be more careful about how much we eat then males.”
“For your girlish figure?” Jace smirked.
“No. It’s because we usually have more self-control.” Izzie glared at him.
Tona laughed. “Come on Izzie. Let him think about that for a moment.”
Izzie and Tona started walking up the road to the Counts house. Jace stared after them for a moment then followed.
When they reached the house, Tona hid against the wall as Izzie knocked on the door. Jace went around to the back of the house to see if there was another way in.
“Yes what is it?” The Count asked impatiently when he opened the door. “Who are you?”
“My name is Isadora. I’m afaid that I’m lost. I was visiting my grandmother in the cemetery and I must have gone the wrong way when I left.” Izzie batted her eyelashes at the Count. “You’re Count Necroix, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I am.” The Count was growing impatient. “I am also very busy. What is it that you want again?”
“Please can you help me? Will you show me which way to go to town?” Izzie moved so that he could come out where Tona was waiting for him.
As soon as the Count stepped out on the porch, Tona grabbed him from behind. She twisted his arm behind him and shoved him to the ground in one fluid motion.
“Stay down, if you know what’s good for you.” Tona said as she waited for Jace to come help her.
Jace appeared in the door way. “Good you got him.” Jace took out a pair of handcuffs and put them on the Count. “We can get out of this creepy place now.”
“Wait! Where are you taking me?” The count asked.
“We are taking you to Caspire to be tried for the murder of twenty eight shifters.” Izzie told him.
“Please. can you get my pet bat?” The Count begged. “She will die if I leave her here with no one to feed her. Her name is Fickle.”
“I’ll get her.” Izzie went inside and looked around. She found the bat in a golden cage. “There you are. Come with me, Fickle.” She took the cage off the hanger and looked at the bat closely.
Fickle looked back at Izzie and blinked.
Izzie carried the cage out to the front porch. “I’ve got her. We should go now.”
As if Wincet was listening, a portal opened by the front porch.
“How does he do that?” Izzie looked at it with wonder.
Jace and Tona half dragged half carried Count Necroix through to the Travelers Bridge.
Wincet smiled when they came through the portal. “Count necroix, I assume. Stand back and I will send a portal to Caspire.”
“You aren’t going to put it in the middle of the woods again, are you?” Jace asked. “I’m getting tired of stepping in mud and dung.”
“How about I put you right in the council chambers? You can drop off your prize and Izzie can present the evidence all at the same time.” Wincet reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial and a piece of paper. “Here is a vial of the antidote to dragon’s breath. I included the recipe to make more. It must be administered within twenty four hours to be successful.”
“Thank you.” Izzie took the vial and the paper. “How is Nellis?”
“He’s on the mend.” Wincet smiled. “He told you to hurry back. He will be out of commission for a week or so.”
Izzie nodded. She took a breath then transformed back into a shifter. She pulled the scarf from her head and turned to the Count.
“You’re one of them!” Count Necroix exclaimed. He struggled against the hold that Jace and Tona had on him. “You are one of those filthy beasts that killed my wife.”
Jace and Tona tightened their grip on the prison.
“Count Necroix, I have a question for you. Where did you get this little bat?” Izzie held up the bat in the cage.
“My wife got it from a peddler. Why?” The Count looked at Fickle. “It isn’t illegal to have a pet.”
Izzie shook her head. “No it isn’t but this isn’t a pet. It’s not even a bat. It’s a shifter.”
Wincet hit the bat with a burst of magick and it fell asleep.
“Thank you Wincet.” Izzie grinned. “It’s the shifter that impersonated your wife, I would say. The thief has been under your nose the entire time.”
The count looked at the bat. No! I thought that the thief was long gone. Why would it stay after it stole from me?
“That is a question you will have to ask her when she wakes up.” Wincet waved them back so he could make the portal to Caspire. “For now, I need to get you on your way.”
“Do you need us to come with you?” Tona asked.
“No just heave him through the portal.” Izzie grinned. “There are always plenty of guards in the council chambers. Thank you so much for all your help. I will always be grateful for the help.”
“You are coming back, aren’t you?” Tona asked. “If you don’t we will have to deal with a love sick puppy.”
“You mean a love sick kitten boy.” Jace laughed. “He was miserable before you came back in his life. Now you are all that he talks about.”
“Tell Nellis I will be back as soon as I take care of this business.” Izzie handed the scarf to Jace. “Tell him to hold on to this for me.”
“I will.” Jace took the scarf. “Good luck Izzie.”
Jace and Tona shoved the Count through the portal when it opened and waved to Izzie as she stepped through with the sleeping shifter in the cage.
A week later, Izzie knocked on the door of Nellis’ room. She opened the door without waiting for him to answer.
“Hey. Are you feeling better?” Izzie asked as Nellis sat up on the bed.
“Yeah. I finally stopped throwing up.” Nellis grinned. “Whatever Wincet gave me made me sicker than I have ever been in my lifetime.”
“Sicker than you were after Coty threw that week long party?” Izzie asked as she sat on the bed.
“Yes! At least I could stand up without the room spinning and having the urge to vomit.” Nellis rubbed his chest. “I suppose I should be glad I’m alive, huh?”
“Yeah.” Izzie hesitated. “Nellis, the council has asked me to be an investigator full time. I decided to take them up on their offer but I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Why? You don’t need my permission.” Nellis shrugged. “We aren’t married and even if we were you wouldn’t listen to me anyway.”
Izzie laughed. “You are right about that. It’s just that I will be off world a lot and I may need a little back up from time to time. I already asked Wincet if it was okay with him and he was delighted. His reaction was not exactly what I expected.”
“These people…we are starting to feel like family.” Nellis pulled at the blanket. “You are family too, through me, of course.”
Izzie smiled. “That’s nice. For so long loving, you was like loving the dead. It was like I was loving just a memory of you. Now that you are in my life again, I’m not sure that I want us to be apart again.”
“It’s because I nearly died, isn’t it?” Nellis shook his head. “Look Izzie, I will always love you but I will never stand in your way where your happiness is concerned. I will always be here and you can always visit or whatever.”
“I just might take you up on that whatever.” Izzy leaned over and kissed him. “I better go. I have to find a kidnapped baby.”
“Sounds like fun.” Nellis pulled her back and kissed her again. “Be safe.”
“You too, Nellis.” Izzie got up from the bed and walked to the door. She looked back and waved before she walked through and closed the door.
“And there goes my heart.” Nellis whispered.
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on 2017-03-30 08:16 pm (UTC)I loved how you began this fic, with the sad Count. I hope we see more of him. Big surprise about the bat! Can the Count be my new woobie bad guy?
I really liked the pacing of this episode, and you did a great job of adding in bits of character/relationship development and reminding us of characters like Tona that we haven't seen in a while.
Also, I loved that the poison dragon's breath was cinnamon, ha!
(So sorry it's taken me so long to leave a comment!)