you can throw me if you want

[truthwright]

It turns out that there was really not much point to making a schedule. Kas and Helen visit the witch clan whenever Helen feels like it, and stay as long as she wants, and go when she wants to be somewhere else, and it all adds up to plenty more time spent with the clan than away.

After the aquarium jaunt with Ranata, it's a little more than a month before they visit the clan again.

Comments

[carillons]

Kalavar turns into a flea and hops away, and turns into a dragon and launches herself into the air, flying after Ranata. She can't get very far, but she pulls as hard as she can, even though Helen is now crying hysterically.

[alicornucopia]

"Helen, honey," says Charlie. "Looking won't help. Kalavar, come back - sit down - just wait. It'll be over soon."

[carillons]

"Let us go," wails Helen.

And she listens to Ranata.

[alicornucopia]

"We said no, Helen," Charlie says.

Ranata is producing footsteps.

And the sound of a dagger unsheathing.

And an apprehensive sigh -

And the sound of ice shattering.

[carillons]

"Mommydaddyspinaaaaaaach!"

[truthwright]

The crackle of flames.

"—Button? What the hell—"

[alicornucopia]

"Oh, thank goddesses all," says Ranata, sitting heavily down on the ground.

[truthwright]

"Did you just—? What happened? And where is my daughter?"

[carillons]

"They wouldn't let me see!" says Helen, the words inaudible to Charlie, unless he can hear her all the way from where Kas and Ranata are. "I'm with Charlie—Granatee, bring him here!"

[alicornucopia]

"This way," says Ranata, getting up again and leading Kas Helenward. "The witches who took Helen cursed you, and it wasn't looking breakable - I was betting on your extra immortality. Isabella's afterlife if it didn't work; it let Charlie out quick enough."

[truthwright]

"Thank you," says Kas, and he hugs Ranata. Petaal bounds along beside them as a doe.

As soon as they're in sight of Charlie, Kas rushes forward and scoops Helen out of her grandpa's arms.

"Button, I'm here, I'm okay, see?" he says.

[carillons]

Kalavar dives onto Petaal's back and clings.

Helen clings likewise to Kas, still crying.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata sits down again. She puts her dagger in its sheath, and leans her head on Charlie's shoulder, looking drained.

[truthwright]

"It's okay," Kas murmurs into Helen's hair. "I'm right here, I'm fine."

[carillons]

"Are - you - sure?" she sobs.

[truthwright]

"Sure as sure," he says, hugging her tight. "I promise."

[carillons]

In half an hour or so, Helen is calmed down enough to say,

"I wanna see Shura."

[alicornucopia]

"I'll go find her," says Ranata, and she gets up and flies away.

A while later, Castarilan leads Shura to where they've all been sitting; Ranata returns a minute later.

"Helen, what's wrong?" Shura asks.

[carillons]

"I got kidnapped by some scary witches from another clan and they froze Kas into ice and Ranata had to stab him to make him better!"

[alicornucopia]

"How does stabbing make somebody better?" asks Shura, peering at Kas, who doesn't look very stabbed.

[carillons]

"I dunno," says Helen, "but she did it and it worked." She hugs Kas tightly.

[truthwright]

Kas pets Helen's hair.

"It's 'cause I'm so peculiar," he says to Shura. "If somebody tries to kill me, I get better from things instead."

[alicornucopia]

"Wow," says Shura, "I bet that comes in useful. And now you are all okay?"

[truthwright]

"Yeah," says Kas.

[carillons]

"I'm still scared, though," sniffles Helen.