TUS NUA - ch 39

TUS NUA – ch 39

New Beginnings – Mia and Midnight

(*)(*)(*)

The wards that Finola placed on her home long ago were still in effect and once she brought Seth inside, although he had no magical abilities, was still rendered helpless until Finola or Alistar decided otherwise.

She closed the door with a gentle click and began to laugh. Alistar and Neil looked at her and wondered if she’d lost her mind.

“Oh! Alistar, Neil. I haven’t pulled a prank like that in more years than I can remember. What fun it was!!”

Neil still wore a puzzled look and asked, “Now that you’ve got him here, what do you intend to do with him?”

The question put a bit of fear in Seth’s eyes. He was beginning to awaken from the mild spell Finola used to get him to follow her out of the pub.

She pointed to a chair and said “Seth, sit. That’s not a request.”

He had no choice but to obey.

“Now, the fun starts!” she said to her cousin and their friend.

“Alistar,” she began, “I’m not going to ask what you have in mind, nor will I probe into it. I’ll leave our friend, here with you and Neil. Whatever you do, just don’t forget your oath to the God and Goddess of the Wiccan.”

Alistar smiled, “Don’t worry, dearest cousin. Not only to I swear my oath to them, but by the time I’m done, he’ll wish I had.”

“Then, I’ll leave him to you. I’ve work to do at Tus Nua.”

She walked to where Seth was sitting, wriggled her fingers to say goodbye, smiled, and said, “TaTa! Or as my niece would say, TTFN!”

She chuckled at the curious look on his face and explained, “I won’t go into detail about my niece. That’s not for you to know but I will say this: TTFN means “ta ta for now.”

With that, she turned, opened her portal, and disappeared.

Several times, Alistar circled the chair that held the thief captive. With each circle, he’d stop in front of Seth, stare, shake his head as if deep in thought, then continue circling.

He could see sweat building on the other man’s forehead. Alistar smiled.

Knowing that Neil couldn’t read the man’s mind, Alistar opted for the man to speak aloud.

Then he began:

“Seth, for us who want the truth revealed,

Your tongue will be active for secrets unsealed.

For us here, who are now in this house,

We’ll hear the truth from your very own mouth.

My finger on your lips we see,

Will have you tell us the truth! So, mote it be!”

Alistar whispered in Neil’s ear, “Let’s hope the spell works. I haven’t had to use this spell in quite a while. This is usually Finola’s forte.”

Neil almost gasped loudly. “You mean…” he never finished his sentence when he saw the smile on his friend’s face. “Oh, for the sake of the gods, my boy, you had me worried.”

Standing, now in front of Seth, Alistar asked, “So, tell me, Seth Stillman, where do you live? I mean exactly, not just the town.”

He gave them his complete address and Neil stared in surprise. Alistar read his mind and nodded. How long have you lived in the upper-class district of Kilmore?”

Seth looked smug and answered, “Goin’ on about fifteen years.”

“Ah!,” Alistar nodded. “So, let’s get this straight. I know you’ve been thieving for at least twenty years. Is that correct?”

“Yeah, what of it?”

“Why come here to Greenan?”

“You never contaminate the place where you live.” He sounded so matter of fact.

Neil’s eyes were beginning to show signs of temper, but Alistar put his hand on his friend’s arm and gently shook his head indicating, “Not now.”

“How long have you been recruiting young boys to do your dirty work for you?”

Seth shook his head in sadness and pride. “When my knees went bad, I thought I was done but then I saw a few ruffians in the street. I knew one or two wouldn’t be missed, so I took them home.”

“Okay, but so we’re all clear on this. You did not take them to Kilmore. Where did you take them?”

Seth sat a bit straighter in the chair as he answered, “I’ve a small shack on the edge of town. We stay there while I work.”

Alistar leaned against the wall and crossed his arms across his chest. “What do you do with them when you need to leave your, uh shack?”

“There are no windows and only one door. I leave them food and whiskey. They’re fine. They know by now that they’ll be fed upon my return.”

“Do you release any of them?”

“Naw, now and then, one wanders off but often enough, comes back. Well, so far, except for one.”

“So, in other words, you keep at least two boys at a time, locked up in a small and I presume filthy shack while you go back to your fancy apartment in Kilmore for days at a time?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business but yeah!”

Alistar smiled and asked, “And where exactly is this on-the-edge-of-town shack?”

Seth gave him the location and Alistar could feel Neil’s need to run out the door. He placed his hand, once again, on his friend’s arm, leaned closer and whispered, “Not now. We’ll need your wagon and Finola. Let’s finish this first.”

Neil understood and nodded in agreement.

Alistar pushed himself off the wall and placing his left hand on Seth’s shoulder, said:

“You were elated with fanciful joy

By corrupting the minds of many a boy.

Your days of thievery have come to an end.

We’ll find those boys and allow them to mend.

The wealth that you have taken from others,

You’ll now disperse far and large, without fanfare or colors.

You’ll know exactly what poverty means.

This is your fate. So, mote it be!”

“You can’t do that to me. You can’t take what’s mine!” Seth shouted.

Alistar finished with,

“The wealth you have is not yours to keep.

Your sins once rampant used to run deep.

You’ll work and you’ll hurt, but never with glee.

So, I command this. So, mote it be.”