The werewolf collapsed and just as Juray was about to finish him off, the sister ran in.

"No!" she screamed. "Don't hurt him!"

"Are you insane!? Get out of here!"

"It's Neillen!"

"Lycanthropy can affect anyone. It's a curse, I can't..."

"You don't understand! I love him! He was near to being mine until you came along! Go away! Leave us be!"

"What the fuck kind of love triangle did I walk in on?"

"I love him, always have. Even after I learned his secret."

Neillen looked up at her. "You... you knew? Did you know I shut meself in here to wait out me change?"

"I knew and I didn't mind. But you chose Hanna. I wanted her to see you. I wanted her to fear you. She wouldn't have stayed. And we could be together."

"You brought her here? That night? 'Twas the reason I had the taste of blood in me mouth come morn."

"I did it for us!"

"She was your sister, Margot! You killed my Hanna!"

"She was to see you turn, naught more. I didn't want her death, you've got to believe me!"

"I don't. And I'll kill you willingly. First time for that, in fact."

"I'm done with this lover's spat." Juray sheathed her silver sword and turned. "But if I see you again, I'll kill you, Neillen. Keep your coin." Juray walked away.

"No! Mercy!"

"You had no mercy for your sister. I have none for you."

Juray reached the cellar door as Margot's bloodcurdling screams were cut off. She was heading back to the village when she felt Neillen behind her. She drew her silver sword and spun around, thinking he was coming after her. But instead, he only crouched several feet away.

"I told you I'd kill you if I saw you again."

"I know. I want you to do it."

This took Juray by surprise. "Suicide by Witcher? That's a first."

"Tried it by my own hand. Couldn't do it. Please, kill me. I tried to protect my Hanna from my curse, but Margot's jealousy made sure I didn't. I'm a monster. And Witchers kill monsters. Do it."

"As you wish."

Neillen didn't move as Juray took his head.

~~~

Arriving back at the swamp orphanage, Johnny looked around. The kids were nowhere in sight and Gran was outside, sweeping off the porch and muttering to herself.

"Good, it's clear," the godling said. "Not a Crone in sight. I need to sing for Gran, that oughta calm her." Johnny walked over to a boulder in the middle of the clearing the huts surrounded and sat in the grass next to it. "Little Johnny softly gazing, fire waning, pale."

Gran stopped sweeping and froze.

"Pop! A spark jumped out and whispered," Gran turned and saw Johnny. "Listen, I've a tale."

Gran walked over to Johnny and he looked up at her. "You... got your voice back?"

Johnny stood. "I did! Though I seem to have lost an octave somewhere in the process. I shall look for it when I get home."

"You're not allowed here, Johnny. You shouldn't have come."

"Calm down, Gran. Don't get angry, it's not good for you."

She finally noticed Geralt standing nearby and gave him a hard look.

"The woman I asked about earlier...," he said.

"Forgive me, Gran, but this fellow absolutely must speak to the Ladies."

"No," Gran said. "'Tis not allowed." She turned away.

"Please," Geralt hoped manners would convince her. "It's important."

"The fellow will be quiet," Johnny said, giving Geralt a look. "Just hear me out, Gran. I found little Yagna when she got lost, did I not? Did I break Genny's fever too? I did. I ask anything in return? No. Didn't even fuss about my stolen voice. Well, now I want something. Gran, help this fellow. Because otherwise, he'll pester me day and night, even durin' potty time."

Gran turned back towards them.

"His lass is missing, mayhap the Ladies can help find her, eh?"

Gran sighed, then looked at Johnny. "Well, since you put it that way, Johnny, I'll help him." She looked at Geralt. "Come with me." She turned and headed towards one of the huts.

Geralt looked down at Johnny and nodded his head in thanks. Johnny smiled up at him before turning and running off into the swamp.

As they walked into the hut, Gran chatted with Geralt.

"Johnny's a good, good lad," she said as Geralt took in his surroundings. "Though the Ladies don't like him. 'Foul creature,' they say. Don't like him."

They stopped in front of a tapestry of three beautiful women.

"Who are the women in the tapestry?" Geralt asked.

"Those're the Ladies." Gran stepped towards the tapestry. "Ladies lovely, with power o'er all. Beseech I thee, answer my call. Before you a worm crawls, wretched and small." Gran placed a hand on the tapestry. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, a voice not her own passing through her lips. "How dare you disturb our rest, woman?"

Geralt stepped forward. "I'm looking for the woman with ashen hair," he said. "I know you met her. Where is she?"

"Ooooh, he's impatient," a second voice said. "Perhaps he only likes ashen-haired girls?"

"The young woman... she is my daughter by choice. I raised her."

The second voice laughed. "If she's shapely, what does it matter?"

"Matters to me."

"I believe we've hit a nerve," a third more muffled voice said. "He's bubbling like well-fed yeast." It was true. They had hit a nerve.

"Oooh," the second said. "That's how I likes them."

"It's clear you've met her," Geralt said. "Tell me everything."

"That was blunt," the first voice said. "Well, it's perhaps for the best. Tell me, have you got bollocks? Do you fear woodland beasts?"

"Oh, hard times are upon us, White Haired One," the second said. "Brother has turned against brother, the land soaked in blood. Evil reigns stronger than before."

"A dark power has surfaced near Downwarren," the third voice said. "It feeds on hatred and disdain. Destroy the beast, and we will be grateful, tell you all we know about this ashen-haired maid."

"Dark power?" Geralt asked, crossing his arms. "You need a knight-errant, or a witch hunter, not a Witcher."

"The ealdorman of Downwarren will tell you all," the first voice said. "Remember to collect payment from him after you've completed your task. And now our servant will bring you the dagger."

"I'll talk to the ealdorman, but I'll promise nothing."

"Move, woman!" the second shouted. "Give the young man the dagger."

"And you, White One," the first said. "Return only when you've completed your task."

Gran stepped back and shook her head. "Aye, mistress. Right. On my way." She turned away and stepped towards a nearby shelf. "Dagger. Gotta bring the dagger." She found what she was looking for. "The dagger." She walked over to Geralt and held it out to him. It was a simple dagger and to the naked eye didn't look special, but the Witcher could feel the magic in it. "For you. Ladies told me to give it to you. Here it is. The dagger."

Geralt took it and slipped it into the pack at his hip.

"Place the ealdorman's payment on the stone." She turned away. "Stone bare, stone shear." She shuffled away. "Stone knows, stone hears."

If Geralt had doubted before, he now knew for a fact that Gran was batshit crazy. He left the hut and the village.

Geralt arrived at the village of Downwarren and looked around for anyone that could be the ealdorman. A young woman pointed him out for him and Geralt approached a middle-aged man with a receding hairline.

"Nice village," he said.

"Aye."

"Real pearl of the swamps."

"If you say so."

"You get by all right?"

"Aye, winter to winter, we survive somehow."

Geralt pulled the dagger from his side pack. "Recognize this?"

"Aye, master." Geralt replaced it into the pack. "I didn't know you belonged to them."

"Don't belong to anyone. Down to business, I want to get this done quickly."

"Ah, so that's how it's to be."

"I'm supposed to help solve your problem. Tell me what it is, just the essentials."

"The war awoke an ancient power. An evil one that feeds on bloodshed. Nightmares haunt our nights and days. Folk sleepwalk from their homes, never to return." The ealdorman turned and motioned to a tree on the nearby hill. "Under the tree on the Whispering Hillock, they lie, unburied all. Fathers, sons, mothers, daughters. Folk're afeared to move them." He turned back to Geralt. "You must go there. The dark powers must be cast off."

"When did all this start?"

"Three years back. I remember, 'twas a warm day, went to check the snares for game. Pulled a hare from me trap. It grew dark all of a sudden, though it was nigh on noontime. Thought it was a storm at first. A squeal pierced the air, near burst me ears. The hare rotted in me hands and the leaves shriveled and yellowed, though it were yet the start of summer. Times've been ill ever since. Folk's teeth turn black as charcoal. Womenfolk fight like polecats, bawlin' and brawlin' o'er nothin'. The young 'uns... born crippled, lame. Fear and cursing... Long have we pled for the Ladies' help."

"Ladies of the Wood don't know what this power is?"

"They know all. Old Thecla claimed they be punishin' us. Folk stopped respectin' 'em. Some even call 'em witches. But must not be they, for they sent you."

"I'll look around the Whispering Hillock."

"You be careful, Master Witcher. Don't you treat this evil light."

"Treating anything light can get you killed in my line of work." Geralt turned and went back to Roach, heading to the hillock.

As Geralt approached the hillock, he saw how many villagers had been lured to the area.

"Begone!" A voice echoed around him, causing him to rein in Roach. "Come no closer. I know whence you come."

Geralt dismounted and headed to the tree itself.

"The powers that protect me," the voice seemed to be coming from the tree itself. "They sense whence you come."

"A voice... from within the tree." Geralt examined the tree, hearing a faint heartbeat. "It's coming from below..." He headed to the base of the hill.

"Begone... Begone... Begone! The powers will not relent!" The heartbeat was louder and Geralt found a cave in the side of the hill and went inside. "Turn back... Turn back... Turn back... Turn back..." The voice sounded almost afraid.

"Who are you?"

"Begone!"

Geralt found his way through the cave, following the sound of the heartbeat until he found the source. Before him was a living and pulsating red mass with yellow spikes, caged within the roots of the tree.

"Why have you come?" the voice seemed to be coming from the mass. "Why spill this blood?"

Geralt walked towards it.

"Are you here to grant me death? Or is it my freedom you wish?"

"Who are you?" Geralt demanded.

"I abandoned my Circle where I'd kept the balance. The Crones killed me and cursed my ghost."

"Never heard of a druid's circle in Velen."

"I wonder eternally through a maze of boughs, hopelessly sliding o'er rustling leaves."

"Must know the Crones pretty well."

"They are Velen's curse. They hear all through severed ears. They weave hair and twist lives. They take their strength from a broth of human flesh."

"Why did they kill you?"

"The Crones want this land. They'd rule the wood alone. I stood in their way. I had to die. This is my prison, a fortress besieged. Murderers I await and my forest protects me."

"Murderers?"

"Murderous sisters. Killed my body, now my soul they hunt, for I defy them."

"You claim to be imprisoned. How so?"

"I am bound here, in fetters of magic. I wander endlessly, a labyrinth of leaves. The children... I know all. I know what awaits them. Free me, please. I must help."

"If something threatens the orphans, I'll help them myself."

"The children have been taken. Free me... Please. I can be a gale, a gallop unchained. I shall save them. Only I can."

Geralt's instincts were telling him not to trust this spirit, he'd seen the bodies around the hillock. His gut was telling him that many more would die if he let this spirit roam the land. "I don't believe you, spirit," he said. "Too many have called you evil and I have seen the bodies of the innocents you have drawn here. Your words alone are not enough to convince me you are an innocent victim of murder."

This agitated the spirit and it pulled roots closer around the pulsating mass. "Dare harm me and against you will rise all the powers of nature!"

It summoned endrega, large bug-like creatures that spit poison, to attack. Geralt used Igni against them before turning his attention to the tree's heart, cutting through the roots and shoving his sword through the mass. The spirit screeched as the heart slowly stopped pulsating. The air seemed to feel lighter when it died and Geralt turned and made his way out of the cave.

When Geralt emerged, he found the ealdorman and three villagers waiting for him.

"Solved your problem," Geralt said. "Just in case, though, I'd avoid the Whispering Hillock for a while."

"Cannot be... Were something lurkin' in there?"

"An evil spirit had possessed the tree on the hill. It was responsible for the killings."

"How'd you dispel this evil?"

"Some being had come to possess the tree's heart. I destroyed the heart and its inhabitant."

"So it were a ghost. Will it be back?"

"No."

The ealdorman gave a sigh of relief.

"The Crones, or the Ladies of the Wood as you call them, said to remind you about payment. Take it you know what they meant."

"Aye, I do. Give me the dagger."

Geralt handed it over.

"Be back soon."

He walked away and Geralt whistled for Roach. Geralt checked her over to make sure no harm had come to her while he had been dealing with the spirit. Several minutes went by before the ealdorman returned, his hand pressed over his left ear and blood trailing down his neck.

"There's payment," he said, handing Geralt his severed ear.

Geralt's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Take it to the Ladies, will you?"

"What the hell?"

"'Tis our pact. You're a stranger, you don't know life here. It's honest pay for their protection."

"So all those ears in the woods..."

"Put it out of your mind, Master. You soon be leavin' and we must tarry on. Our young 'uns and their young 'uns after 'em. No gods nor masters watch over Velen. The land is no man's. He who wants to survive must seek his own protectors."

Geralt shook his head as the ealdorman and the villagers left. He then turned to Roach to begin the long trek back to Crookback Bog.

Juray had heard some rumors about a white-haired Witcher in the area, but no one had been able to say for sure where he was headed. She had just finished killing a grave hag and was now looking for her next job on the notice board. Most were of people looking for work, but she caught sight of an appeal for any brave soul with a sword willing to brave the mists to kill whatever beast lurked there.

"Sounds like a job for a Witcher," she said, retrieving Shadowmount and heading towards Crookback Bog to find the peat farmer who posted the Contract.