The Missing Link Read Online Free PDF Page A

can apply a soothing salve to help 'em heal, and hide most of the
bruising."
    "Is Mariat all right?"
    "She leaked a fair chunk of belly blood, but she'll be fine in a few days' time. What that
witchling needs now be healing sleep." Lucreta retrieved a jar from the counter and patted a stool.
"Be ye strong enough to sit here?"
    "Sure." Carole struggled to keep her knees from buckling as she stood.
    Lucreta smiled. "No wonder ye two be friends. Ye be jest as stubborn as Mariat." She
held the stool steady. "She be one troublesome witchling, that Mariat. Always trying to learn
witchish ways faster than a body has needs fer, and always getting into bigger trouble than the rest
of the coven put together. And that scamp be forever sneaking into my room, too."
    "You know?"
    Lucreta winked. "Between ye and me, Carole Sylphwood, I oft leave a spell or two out,
jest fer Mariat to find. Spells not likely to get her into heated water, but tough enough to keep her
busy fer a good long time. Of course that doesn't always work, eh? 'Specially if her friends give her
wicked spells to play with."
    Carole's eyes widened.
    "Strange thing that happened to ye two. Curious to have lightning so close that it whacks
two imps clear off the mill bridge and yet no others see it. Unusual also fer it to occur in the middle
of a bright, sunny day."
    "I uh....don't really know how the weather works around here."
    "Normally not like that. I wonder if any others heard the prettyish chime that came
along before the thunderish boom. Interesting that, thunder ringing out a warning before its
arrival."
    Carole coughed uncomfortably.
    "Not to worry, Carole Sylphwood." Lucreta grinned. "I be the only one close enough to
hear the chime, but I'll not tell. I think that perhaps Mariat learned a mighty big lesson this
time."
    Lucreta applied the salve expertly to Carole's bruises. As she did so, Carole got a good
look at her. She was extremely beautiful. "Lucreta, how come you're still living at the dorm with the
witchlings? When Brunstice called for help, she sent for you first, even ahead of Herling."
    "I be born with herbal knowledge already planted in my noggin, so I be apprenticed to
Brunstice right from the start of my witchling training, and be treated as a full-fledged witch in that
respects for many years now. So in some ways I be like a witchling, in others a witch."
    "Must be tough."
    "It be tiresome to be treated oldish one moment and youngish the next, though once the
head crones agree, I get to become a full witch on all accounts. Hopefully after this season of
snows."
    "Then what?"
    "Brunstice wants me to take over all of her duties, but some say life now be better in the
villages. Certainly less drudgery fer any witch who lives in a town, though it be lonelier without
sister witches to chat with. 'Tis no hurry to decide, though."
    Lucreta studied Carole's face. "Not too bad, Carole Sylphwood. Ye look like ye have
largish bags under yer eyes instead of nasty bruises. How does it feel?"
    "Soothing. Smells good, too."
    "I like my salves to smell nice. It be good fer relaxing the nerves too, and relaxation be
an important part of healing. Sorry about the whites of yer eyes. They be vampire red fer a few days
yet, I'm afraid."
    "Vampire red?"
    Lucreta handed over a small mirror.
    Carole gasped. Staring back at her was a blood-eyed ghoul. "What happened?"
    "Probably yer spell. The same thing happened to Mariat, though I not be sure if her belly
bleed also be from the spell, or the way she hit the water."
    Carole looked at Mariat's bruised face. "I don't imagine she'll be very pleased,
either."
    "'Bout time she gets to taste of her own spell medicine. Though I'd never want her to get
hurt like this," she added hastily.
    Lucreta went to the cot and ran her fingers over the witchling's brow before lifting back
the sheet to examine the poultice. Holding her hands above Mariat's belly, she closed her eyes.
Moments later she replaced the cover and scratched