Chapter 9
Anora
I walked across the courtyard hoping no guards stopped me for not having an escort. My heart was heavy. I expected to see Kari and get answers. I knew the witch was real and that I was closer to finding her, and I fully believed she could heal my father. I had taken a risk asking Kari about the subject, but I wouldn't be so foolish to do that again. At least not in the market like that. But if the woman who just spoke to Winter had a better knowledge of things, she was the one I needed to speak to. In private.
The crowd was rowdy, pushing and shouting, but I made my way past the merchant carts and stalls, and then down the cobbled street. Glances over my shoulder revealed I wasn't being followed, which relieved me. The last thing I wanted was for one of my brother's guards to see me and punish me for walking through the city alone. I passed the tavern, then the bakery where the scent of freshly baked bread almost distracted me.
But when I saw the sign dangling above the door of the Dirty Fox--the haphazardly painted fox on a wooden oval with the letters scrawled in black stain--my focus was renewed. I watched a drunken man stagger out, his shirt half-tucked, his hair disheveled. He stumbled into the street and turned toward the tavern, where he would like go to pass out. I paused a moment, wondering if I really wanted to enter such a vile establishment alone, but I had no choice.
If I was going to find the witch and make her heal my father, I had to speak to anyone who may have answers. I steeled myself, standing straighter, and moved toward the door. Temperance owned this place. I'd seen her speaking with Winter about the soaps, heard her use words that indicated maybe she knew something. She was my best bet, so clutching my basket of goods against my side, I stepped into the dark building.
Instantly my ears were assaulted with sounds no lady should ever hear. I swallowed hard when I realized this entire building was one lust-infested orgy. Though out of sight right now, it was plainly audible. I cringed as I moved farther into the room, past a few chairs situated next to the door. The fireplace at the far end of the room was cold, no need for fire under Sturgeon moon.
The wood floor beneath my feet creaked, and seconds later a busty woman with a big smile walked around the corner and pushed her hair out of her face. The long, curly strands fell behind her back, revealing even more cleavage up front. It was indecent, but I knew what this place was before I came in. Her dress was cinched tightly too; I didn't know how she could breathe in that thing. My gowns weren't even that tight.
"I think you're in the wrong place, honey." She planted a hand on her hip and snickered at me. "Better scurry along before the guards catch you out alone."
I took a timid step forward and cleared my throat. "I need to see Temperance." Even my voice was tiny, mostly because I was very intimidated to be out alone. If they knew I was Lady Anora, I wasn't sure what they'd say. If my father learned I was in this filthy establishment, he'd have me quartered.
"Ah..." She clicked her tongue. "I see... Well, Temperance is a busy woman these days. Very popular."
"I can pay." I reached for my money purse, realizing I'd given my coppers to Winter for the soaps. All I had was a gold coin. I had no clue how much a conversation with Temperance would cost but I had to speak to her. I pulled out a gold coin and held it out to her and her eyes got wide. She clamped her hand over mine and curled my fingers up.
"Woah, don't be showin' that much coin around here, young lady. You'll likely be robbed. A few coppers will do." She released my hand and I pulled it back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know..." My cheeks felt hot, but even though I wanted to walk away right then, I knew if I did my father would grow sicker and die. "Please, I just need Temperance now."
The woman sighed hard and shrugged her shoulders. "Follow me then. You can work out payment with her later." She started toward the hallway, and I trailed behind her. The building, which seemed small from the outside, was cavernous inside. Each door we walked past, she opened and looked in, assumingly looking for Temperance.
I peered into one as she did so and got a shock. A man, fully nude, had his erection in hand staring at a voluptuous woman whose back was to the door. She was on her knees, ready to take him into her mouth. A gasp escaped my lips and the woman leading me shut the door. "Sorry, that one's full."
When she finished talking, I heard the man in that room groan and couldn't get the mental picture of the woman on her knees sucking him out of my head. I thought it would make me vomit, but instead it made things happen in my body. My groin began to ache, and I felt hot, like I was going to sweat myself out of my gown.
"Maybe this one is empty," she mumbled, pulling open the door to reveal something even more shocking--and arousing. Two women sat on a bed facing each other. One straddled the other, hands on breasts, lips interlocked. They were beautiful, one a redhead, one whose hair was dark brown.
The redhead looked up at the open door and winked. "Want to join us, Serah?" she mewled, grinding her hips against the woman she was fondling.
I thought my lady parts were melting, a moist feeling between my legs growing now. The woman leading me--Serah?--chuckled. "Enjoy," she said, then backed out of the room. My eyes lingered on the sapphists until the door was shut. I had no clue others like me really existed in this city, and the fact that they were so open here, not ashamed or hiding it--William would burn this place to the ground. "Sorry about that. I'm sure you understand if you share what you've seen, we'll all be hanged. Better to keep that to yourself, honey."
I nodded and bit my lip. I thought Isabel and one of her friends and myself were the only sapphists left. I'd pinned all my affection on her thinking she was the only one who might ever satisfy that ache in my heart to love and be loved. But I was wrong. The thought both grieved and excited me as I followed Serah into an empty room. It was nice, plainly decorated with a solid-colored bed spread on the thin mattress of the wooden-framed bed. A table sat beneath the shuttered window, covered in small bottles of lotions and soaps. I recognized a few of the soap packages as those coming from the market stall where I purchased mine and glanced into my basket.
"Will she come here?"
"We leave that part to you, honey," she said, winking, and I didn't know what she meant, but I nodded.
"I'll just wait then." I sat my basket on the table and since there was no chair, I perched on the corner of the bed, resting my arm on the corner post. "How long will it be? I really need her."
"Oh, don't you worry. We'll take good care of you. I'll send someone in now." Serah retreated from the room after winking at me and I knew she had the wrong idea about why I was here, but I didn't care. Father was dying, and I needed to find the witch and learn more about how she could heal him. Even being seen in a place like this would tarnish our family name but it was a risk I had to take.
