Midnight approached and Phillip led the two Witchers to where he buried his miscarried daughter.

"Did you give her a name?" Juray asked.

"No, why would we?" Phillip asked.

"Mistake," Geralt said. He'd spent the entire time they were waiting trying to figure out what Juray had meant about caring for a child. "Names are powerful seals."

They traveled a little longer in silence.

"Here's the spot."

It was a deserted area past the gates. The ruins suggested that no one had disturbed the area in years until Phillip buried his child here.

"Chose a lovely spot," Geralt smarted off.

"Damn it, will you relent?" Phillip asked. "I ploughin' know I done wrong."

"At least you admit to it," Juray said. "She's already prowling."

The grave was empty.

"What?"

Juray turned her head as raindrops touched her cheek. "She's nearby." She stepped past the men, her golden cat-like eyes on a gap in the nearby fence.

"Where is it?" Geralt asked.

"Coming this way."

Through the gap in the fence came a creature that looked like a deformed newborn infant, crawling towards them. But unlike a newborn, its mouth was full of two rows of razor-sharp teeth and a long tongue whipped about, tasting the air. Phillip backed away and Juray turned her head when she heard Geralt draw his silver sword.

"Phillip, pick her up. Quick."

"And if it goes garrity!? It'll bite us in the arse before we know it."

"Stop yelling. She's calm right now, but if you keep that shit up she'll turn rabid."

"Bloody hell! What happens if it gets ploughin' restless?"

"It'll tear out your jugular," Geralt said, matter-of-factly.

"If she starts wriggling, tell us and we'll calm her. Take your daughter into your arms. Now."

Phillip looked at Juray like she'd lost her mind before approaching the botchling.

"And put that fucking sword away, Geralt."

Geralt huffed, before sheathing the sword as Phillip picked up the botchling.

"Let's go."

"Geralt!" Juray warned, right as the botchling started snarling. "Wraiths!"

Three of the specters appeared and Geralt drew his sword.

"Calm the botchling!"

Juray drew her own sword and turned to Phillip as a wraith came at his back. Juray cast Yrden, trapping and solidifying it in a circle of purple light. Juray killed it and then quickly cast Axii to calm the botchling. It calmed, cooing like a child.

"That was close," Phillip said.

"We need to hurry," Geralt said.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Juray asked as they passed the gates.

"No."

"A name is important for this to work."

"What would Anna have named her?"

"You know your wife better than I do. Only you can answer that."

"This will work, right? She'll be at peace as a lubberkin?"

"She'll watch over and protect you and your family. And help us find Anna and Tamara."

They reached the spot where Phillip had dug the grave and he looked down at the botchling in his arms.

"Now repeat after me."

Phillip nodded.

"By the powers of earth and sky," Juray began the words to the naming ceremony.

"By the powers of earth and sky."

"By the world that was to be your home."

"By the world that was to be your home."

"Forgive me, you who came but who I did not embrace."

"Forgive me, you who came but who I did not embrace."

"I name thee, say her name, and embrace thee as my daughter."

"I name thee Dea and embrace thee as my daughter." Phillip's voice broke as he said her name. The botchling reached up towards him before she went limp. He looked up at Juray, tears in his eyes.

She nodded at him. "Now bury her."

Phillip gently planted a kiss on Dea's forehead and laid her in the grave, before wiping away the tears and picking up the shovel and burying her. "Now what?"

"We wait. In a day's time, Dea should be a lubberkin. Geralt and I will stay here and wait. I'll finish the ritual then. You go home and rest and stay out of the hooch."

"I'll wait with you."

"No."

"That's my child. And the guilt, the responsibility for all this lies with me."

"The time for parental impulses is long past," Geralt said. "Besides there's nothing you can do here. If this doesn't work, I don't want you in the way."

Juray settled down, leaning against the wall of the fort. "Go, Phillip. Just Witcher's work left to do now."

Phillip sighed, defeated, before nodding and leaving.

"You don't have to stay either, Geralt."

"Oh, I'm staying. I'm seeing this though."

A day and a night passed and Juray knelt in front of Dea's grave, Geralt standing nearby with his arms crossed.

"By blood's power, I summon you," she said. "With your name I beseech you. Hear my call and arise, Dea."

Several minutes passed with nothing. Geralt opened his mouth to say as much when Juray held her index finger up. A bluish-white glow covered the grave and a figure rose. The spirit looked like a normal newborn babe, not like the creature they'd buried.

"Lead me to those bound by your blood."

Dea, now a lubberkin, pointed to her left as Juray rose. She and Geralt retrieved their horses and followed Dea out of the keep, a few villagers still out gasping with surprise as they passed. Dea led them east to a smokehouse, where they found clues that someone had met them with horses. Dea then led them to a spot on the road where it looked like someone had been attacked. They killed a couple of necrophages feeding on a dead horse before Geralt crouched to examine it.

"Looks like it's been here a while," he said. "Necrophages had a field day with this."

Juray crouched and pointed at the claw marks on the horse's side. "Necrophages didn't do that. Or rip the head off. Had to have been a powerful beast. Big one too."

"Hoping they got away."

Dea moved away.

"I think they did," Juray said, moving towards Shadowmount. "Dea's leading us farther on."

The lubberkin led them to a fisherman's hut. Juray and Geralt looked at one another as Dea circled the porch. Juray dismounted and headed up the steps and knocking on the door. A little boy opened the door just as Geralt joined her.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Other room," the mother said to the other children. "Go on, now."

The father was sitting at the simple table and it looked like the family had just finished their evening meal. "What seek you here?" he asked.

Juray could smell the fear coming off him.

"Our hut's out of the way, woeful. We 'as nothin'. We knows nothin'."

"Mind if we join you?" Juray asked. "We just need some information and we're hoping you might be able to help us."

"Looking for two women," Geralt said as the man motioned for them to sit. "The Bloody Baron's wife and daughter."

Juray saw the look the man exchanged with his wife.

"Not a soul's abeen here, sir."

"Are you sure?" Juray asked. "Could have just passed through. Daughter's my height, about twenty. Mother is thin, about forty."

"That's her that came at night," the boy who had answered the door said, looking up at his mother. "Right, mummy?"

"Quiet, boy!" Her eyes were full of fear.

"Where's the girl go? Your boy's said enough, no need to keep playing dumb," Geralt said.

"No offense, but neither one of you look like her father's men." He looked at Juray. "An' seeing that you's a woman."

"True," Juray admitted. "We're not. We're just looking for Tamara and Anna. We just need to know if they're alive and safe."

"Aye, Tamara is. She's at my brother's in Oxenfurt. But Missus Anna..." He shook his head. "Though anywhere is better than Crow's Perch with the Baron."

"So you knew?"

"Aye. Everyone knew, but no one lifted a finger to stop it."

"What happened to Anna?" Geralt asked.

"I was awaitin' at the old smokehouse with horses. Cold as hell and so dark, couldn't see past two ells in front o' ye. Moon 'ad risen high and still they 'adn't come. Began to fear some demon 'ad snatched 'em. But finally, they come and we sets off towards the river. Suddenly outta nowhere, a gale arose. Thought it'd tear my head off. And those damned birds! Swarms of 'em coursein' o'er the woods, raisin' a racket enough to make your ears bleed. Missus Anna screamed and bent over herself. Tamara checked on her, gripping her arms. 'Twere then I saw it, fiery marks on her hands."

Geralt had a look on his face like that sounded familiar. The man drew the symbol in some salt he poured onto the table. Juray glanced at her friend and she knew for a fact that he'd seen this very mark before.

"Why help them at all? You risked a lot."

"I'd a debt. Owed Miss Tamara. Three moons past a fever gripped my boy. We thought he was done for. Tamara learnt it, bought food and salves. We're poorer than dirt itself. She saved my boy, no two ways about it. Me, myself, I'd never have dared to help." He looked over at his wife. "But me missus told me 'A time of war and contempt's come, a time of folk gone wrong. We needs to repay good with good. Who idly stands by does evil as if.'."

"Married a wise woman."

The man smiled. "Aye, I did." Then he sighed. "Cryin' shame we couldn't save Missus Anna in the end."

"What happened?" Juray asked.

"It grew even darker and it seemed as if the stars had been put out. Crickets grew silent and from the woods there was this loud roar. Broke out in a cold sweat, but before I could catch my breath, this beast jumps out o' the wood. Big as a barn, with horns and burning coal for eyes."

"Fiend," Juray recognized the beast he described.

"Thought we were done for! Attacked Missus Anna's horse, ripped its head clean off, then carried her off into the woods. Mine and Miss Tamara's horses got spooked and ran willy-nilly. 'Twere the only reason we escaped. The miss wanted to go back, but the wife pleaded for her not to go, that she would die out there alone. Miss Tamara agreed not to go, sent her to Oxenfurt instead."

"Tell me about these marks," Geralt said.

"They looked like they were burned on with hot iron, on the palms."

"Like a cattle brand?"

"But they was hot and glowin', like they had freshly been burned on."

Geralt frowned.

"You've seen this," Juray said.

"While back, I met this woman in Crookback Bog. Had fiery marks just like you described."

"Must be her! Gods, Missus Anna... in Crookback Bog."

"It's where I saw her last."

"Who would drag her to Crookback Bog?" Juray asked.

"The Crones took her. She must have made a deal with them, a pact. It's why they marked her and took her like she was one of their own."

Geralt sighed and stood. "Thanks for the help."

"The lady," the little boy asked as Juray stood. "She'll be alright in the end?"

"We'll do what we can to make sure she is," Juray answered.

They stepped outside, where Dea had been patiently waiting. Dea turned towards them.

"Here our paths diverge," Juray said. "Thank you, Dea. Go in peace."

Dea gave a bow before turning and heading back to Crow's Perch.

"So we head to Oxenfurt and look for Tamara?" Geralt asked.

"Do you have a pass over the Pontar?"

"What do I need a pass for?"

"Radovid controls everything north of the Pontar. They are requiring people to have a pass in order to cross back into his territory. I'll go to Oxenfurt, find Tamara since I've already been there. You go talk to the Baron and see if the information is good enough to trade for him telling you where Ciri went."

"Fine."

"I shouldn't be long." Juray mounted Shadowmount.

"Be careful."

"I will, father."

"Shut up."

Juray gave a chuckle before turning her horse and heading towards Oxenfurt.

~~~

Geralt returned to Crow's Peak and was stopped by the Baron's second in command.

"Witcher, a word?"

"What?"

"That night, when the Baron ordered everyone to lock their doors, stay inside, what did the three of you do?"

"Gotta ask him about that. Speaking of, where is he?"

Ardal motioned to the garden. "Garden. Spends a lot of time just sittin' of late."

"Drunk?"

"No. Don't drink, don't eat. Just sits." The sergeant left and Geralt headed into the garden.

After searching the place over, he finally found him sitting by a fountain. "There you are."

Phillip didn't even look up. "See the hollyhock there? The violet blooms? Brought the plants here from Naziar." He looked up at Geralt. "Anna had read some story. Insisted on having them. Spent hours tending to them, trimming, pruning. She was so content at that!" He pointed at another flower. "And them? The frilly ones? Called birds of paradise in Zerrikania. Tamara called them dragons of paradise. She adores them. Damn shame I'll never learn which blooms would please Dea the most. Though good to know her spirit's free."

Geralt could see why Juray's ire had turned to sympathy. "Your loss, it must hurt, bad." He remembered how devastated Juray had been at James' death. She'd called him Papa, after all. "But there was nothing we could do."

"No, not now, not anymore. It was too late, that was clear. Should've acted earlier, taken them all from this damned Velen. In this hole, this reasty mire, nothing could go right here."

"Got some information on your family."

Phillip looked up, hopeful. "You've learned something?" Then he noticed that Geralt was alone. "Where's Juray?"

"Let's talk inside."

"Your daughter's in Oxenfurt."

"What the blazes? She all right? In good health? Safe? Why haven't you brought her back?"

"Never offered to do that."

"How do you know she's safe? Seen her at least?"

"No, but Juray has gone to Oxenfurt to answer those questions. She should be back fairly soon."

"What of Anna? Learn anything about her?"

"We'll talk about her, don't worry. But first, you'll tell me about Ciri, like we agreed."

"A word once given... When Ciri was on the mend, we took her on a hunt. Thought a bit o' gallopin' would warm her limbs gone stiff from bed rest. That lass of yours, pure luck in the flesh."

~~~

"To hunt down a wild boar that size, why, worthy of one of King Foltest's feasts, were he still among the living," Phillip bragged as Ciri approached the fire the boar was roasting over. "Ciri!" He waved her over. "Come! Whole haunch should be yours, as I see it!"

"Aye," Ardal agreed. "You done well, lass."

Ciri gave him a smile.

"Not bad," another man said. "Not bad at all, but who goes boar huntin' with a sword?"

"No bow at hand," Ciri said. "No spear. My sword was all I had."

He laughed. "Well, you brandish it beautifully. Where'd they teach you that, anyway?"

"Kaer Morhen."

"Witchers' school there, aye?" another asked. "But they only took lads, as I recall."

"Not true. Another woman trained there as well."

"Mean to say you and her are she-witchers?" a fourth man asked.

"She is. I'm not entirely. I was never subjected to the mutations. But everything else I know, I learned from the Witchers there.

"Know any of those potions?" The fifth man asked.

"Not so much. A bit."

"'Cause you see, atimes I get this pinchin' back here..." he motioned towards his backside.

"Shut it, Ygrin," the fourth man said. "Nobody cares about your backside!" A couple chuckled. "A woman could swing a sword, I've knowed one. But never seen a lady mount anything but a cock proper."

Ciri regarded him tight-lipped.

"All tipsy on 'orseback. Nothin' strange on account they bloody mount them sideways."

"Perhaps you'd care to wager?" Ciri asked.

"Think you can outrun me on an 'orse?" He laughed. "Naturally! What's the stake?"

"Black mare. The one in the stable." The mare reminded her of Shadowmount, her aunt's horse. Everyone suddenly grew quiet.

"Oh... that won't do at all..."

"Well, that's an awfully gloomy face. Too much of a coward to race a woman?"

"The horse is mine," Phillip informed her.

Ciri gave him an amused look. "To race the Baron himself," she said as she stood. "I'd consider it an honor." She gave him a curtsy.

"Oh!" Ardal said with a laugh as she reclaimed her seat. "That'd be a sight to behold!"

"Would it ever!" one of the men agreed.

"Done," Phillip said. "But if I win, I take your sword."

"Agreed."

"I'd not drink anymore this night. You'll want your head about you. We start at daybreak.

At daybreak, everyone gathered at the starting line.

"The day dawns," Phillip stated. He looked over at Ciri.

"Ready?" she asked.

"As ever. First one to the tower."

"Mount up!" Ardal shouted as they approached the horses. Phillip rode the black mare while Ciri had been given a white one to race with. "Come on, Ciri. Don't embarrass us."

An old man gave the signal for the race to begin and the two horses jumped forward.

"Want that horse, don't ya?" Phillip taunted.

"Had one just like it!" Ciri called back as she pulled ahead. She leaned low in the saddle like both Juray and Eskel had taught her. She had won many a race at Kaer Morhen because of their tips.

"Your sword is mine!"

"That'll be the day!" She could hear Phillip closing in on her and she smiled, urging the horse to go full speed at that point and putting paces between her and Phillip. She reached the tower several lengths ahead of him. She had already dismounted by the time Phillip caught up to her.

"You're wind, not woman!" he said. Ciri gave a laugh. "Worthy of the best horse! The mare is yours."

"Thank you." Ciri's smile suddenly faded as she felt they weren't alone, holding her hand up.

"What?"

Ciri's eyes searched the trees, feeling the cat head tremble against her leg.

They both spun around at the roar to see a large winged creature that looked like a scaled rooster appear from behind the tower. Ciri drew her sword as a basilisk dived at them.

~~~

"Halt! No passage!" The guard stopped Juray as she approached, leading Shadowmount.

"Got a pass," she responded, holding it up.

The guard took it and examined it before returning it and waving her through. Juray led her mare through the streets, finding the stables to house her while she was in the city. She soon found the fisherman's brother's place. He lived right off the docks and seemed to be doing well for himself. She knocked on the door and a young man opened the door, a pipe in his mouth.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm going to be straight with you. I'm looking for Tamara. Your brother said she would be here."

"Voytek sent you?"

"How else would I know she was here?"

"And who might you be?"

Juray simply tapped her medallion. He took a step aside and motioned for Juray to come inside.

"Wait here. I'll fetch her right away."

Juray waited, a cat walking up to her and rubbing against her, something the Witcher thought strange in itself, as every cat she neared would arch its back, fluff out its tail, and hiss and spit at her. It then jumped onto the table and demanded attention. Juray scratched the top of its head as it purred.

"You're looking for me?" a young woman asked and Juray turned her attention to a woman with short brown hair and green eyes. "And who might you be?" She crossed her arms. "My father send you?"

"Yes. I'm Juray of Riverdell. And to see if you're still alive."

"I am quite alive and extraordinary well, Juray of Riverdell."

"I can see that."

"Better than I've ever been in this rotten life of mine. Now that you've seen me, I bid you farewell." She turned to leave.

"Want me to tell him he can shove his fatherly concern up his ass?"

Tamara stopped and turned back to Juray.

"He's a vile man and I don't blame you in your anger."

"Why are you helping him then? Why did you take this job?"

"To help a friend find his daughter. Your father has information on where she might be."

"And in exchange, you had to find me."

"Just so."

"That's just like him. Well, you tell him you found me and I'm not coming back."

"I'm not going to convince you otherwise. If that's a choice you can live with, so be it."

Tamara looked at Juray. "May I ask you something?"

Juray nodded.

"What of your father? Why would he allow his daughter to become a Witcher?"

"As far as I'm concerned, my father was a Witcher who died doing his job when I was a child. And he encouraged it."

"What of your birth father?"

"What of him?"

"Why did he allow you to go?"

"That man told me to my face he wished I been stillborn."

Tamara blinked, taken by surprise.

"I guess yours wasn't so bad after all." Juray started to turn away. "Tamara," she turned back to the young woman. "My friend believes your mother is in Crookback Bog. And the two of us will find her. For you, not for your father. Because you deserve to know what became of her."

"No need, Juray. I'll look for her myself."

"That won't be easy. The swamp's dangerous, even for a Witcher."

"I'm not daft enough to believe I can do it alone. I've got some new friends now. Powerful friends."

"Who are these friends?"

"Heard of the Church of Eternal Fire?"

"Frequently."

"A priest helped me contact the Redanian witch hunters. Righteous, brave men. They'll help me."

"You sound pretty sure of that."

"Once the heat of the Fire has set your heart aflame, it gives you strength and leads you down the path of truth for the rest of your life. I hope it'll bless you with its warmth one day."

Juray gave her a smile. "Just be careful you don't get burned."

"Well, well," a man said and Juray turned towards him. "Can't say I've ever met a Witcheress."

"We're a rare breed."

The man gave a chuckle. "Didn't think the Baron would stoop to hiring a monster slayer. Though I hear you're good at tracking things down."

"You know who I am, obviously, although you were a bit rude and didn't introduce yourself."

The man gave a laugh. "I like you, Witcher. The name's Graden, witch hunter in the service of His Royal Majesty Radovid of Redania. I'm certain you've heard of us."

"Here and there."

"If the Bloody Baron sent you to fetch his daughter, you'd best face it, you've failed your task."

"Last I checked I wasn't a dog. Besides, I've already spoken to her and I believe she already made her decision on the matter. One I will respect."

"Noble of you," Graden said, looking Juray over as if he were studying her. "A killer for hire abandoning her bounty for the good of another. The hunters and the Church of the Eternal Fire thank you."

"Contrary to popular belief, some of us do have a conscience. I only wished to make sure Tamara was safe from harm. I never came here with the intention of returning her to her father. I wish you luck in your new life, Tamara. Make good use of it."

"Thank you, Juray. And thank you for giving me a choice. I wish you'd been given a choice in your life."

Juray turned to leave, stopping when she placed her hand on the door handle. She smiled and looked over at Tamara. "I was given a choice, Tamara."

With those words, she opened the door and stepped out of the house.