Page 64 of Bewitched

“Yes, I know,” said Rhys. “Zoroct told me she’d have to pay for all of it, and she already has. She was unable to move or use her powers when leaving the pyramid. A sea serpent almost got her, but I took care of it.”

“Nay, nay, nay. That’s not what they mean.” The elf chuckled as if he were amused.

“That was only a sample of what’s to come.”

It sounded as if what Rhys feared would happen was going to transpire. “What are you saying? Are the gods going to punish Medea again?” asked Rhys, hoping it wasn’t so, but guessing it was probably true.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” said Elric. “The gods told me everything.”

“The gods don’t even like you, so why would they tell you a single thing?” asked Rhys. “Plus, they warned me not to trust you.”

“Naw, don’t believe that. They say that about everyone,” said Elric, swiping his hand through the air, making light of the situation. “Besides, I’m the official messenger of the gods.”

Darium was drinking and spit wine across the table when he heard that. The elf zipped away in time, and the liquid hit Zann in the face.

“Sorry, Brother,” said Darium, burying his nose in the goblet.

Zann groaned and wiped his face with his sleeve.

“The gods have to say things like that to sound important, but it’s just a lie,” said Elric as he kept changing his position in the room. He circled the table, his eyes staying focused on the food. “Don’t pay any mind to it, I tell you.”

“Nay?” asked Rhys. “Then why should I listen to this message you’re telling me now? I trust you about as much as I trust that a skunet won’t spray its stench. And I’d welcome a skunet into my home right now, over you.”

The elf scrunched up his nose and tapped his foot on the floor impatiently. “If the gods didn’t insist I tell you, I’d walk out right now without saying another word after that rude remark.”

“Believe me, you’ll get used to it,” mumbled Darium, having been called a skunet many times in his life because of his two-toned hair.

“Go ahead,” Zann challenged the little man. “Leave if you don’t like it. It won’t bother us a bit.”

“Nay, wait,” said Rhys, not wanting the elf to leave before he heard the message. If it was about Medea, he wanted to know. “What is the message? Tell me.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you. When the gods give a punishment, it is bigger than what already happened to Medea, I promise you. They do nothing in a small way. That was nothing, what already happened to her, I tell you. Nothing at all.”

“All right, we get it,” snarled Rhys. “Now out with the rest of it or I’ll choke it out of you if I have to.”

“Nasty, nasty,” said the elf in a sing-song voice. “You are almost starting to sound like you have a dark side now too, Rhys.”

“Keep stalling and you’ll find out for sure,” Rhys warned him.

“All right,” said the elf. “No need for demonstrations. The witch is about to have something horrible happen to her. Something so shocking, that even she will never believe it. All because she didn’t respect the gods.”

“Horrible? How horrible?” asked Zann, picking up a piece of bread. When he saw the elf eyeing it, he held it closer to his chest.

“If you want to know that, you’re going to have to give me something in exchange for the rest of the information.” Elric stretched out his arm with his palm up in the air.

Zann sighed and held out the bread.

“Not that, you fool. If I wanted that, I’d just take it.” The elf hit Zann’s hand, making him drop the bread.

“I’m tired of your games. I’ll give you something you won’t forget,” said Rhys, drawing his dagger from his waist belt and heading over to the table.

“All right,” said Elric, holding his hands out. “They are going to take something away from her that is important, and they’re going to give her a test.”

“A test? What kind of test?” asked Rhys.

“I don’t know. They didn’t tell me. Gotta go,” said the elf, still eyeing the blade in Rhys’ hand. He zipped over to the door in a blur, but stopped before leaving. “Talia-Glenn, what kind of pie was it you were offering?” he asked.

“Pazzleberry,” she told him.