<br /><br />NaNoWriMo Update - Talien's Tower<br />

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Wednesday, November 5

NaNoWriMo Update

"I'm so sorry!" said Will, his normal grin carved into a sorrowful pout. "I didn't know!"

"Quiet you!" hissed Yaga. She tossed Lycus like a rag-doll onto the floor of her hut. I couldn't see Ivasik; if he was in the room, he was wisely hiding.

Stirred by the commotion, Dawn walked in, eyes wide.

"What happened Mama?"

"It's time," said Yaga. "The boy was trying to escape. Tonight I shall feast. Strip him down, tie him up and throw him in the pot."

There was sadness in Dawn's eyes, but she began to bind Lycus' arms. He said nothing, staring defiantly up at the witch.

"As for you," Yaga pointed a long clawed nail and I felt my will sap from me. I took a few stuttering steps out from Lycus' sleeve. "I think you'll make a nice addition to my menagerie."

She stalked over the shelf full of pickled creatures and pulled out an empty jar. Yaga slowly unscrewed the lid.

"Did you seriously think you could hide from me? I know the secrets of all that I create!" She reached down and plucked me up by the scruff of my rat neck. Then she dangled me over the jar.

This was it. I was a goner. Think, Scrap, think!

"Wait!" I squealed. "I can be of service to you!"

Yaga paused. I could see below me the noxious fumes of whatever was in the jar. It didn't look pleasant, and it smelled worse. All she had to do was stop squeezing her nails together and I would become a pickled rat.

"I'm listening."

"I have…power within me. I served the Marquis de Carabas in this fashion. I enhanced his spells!"

"Oh?" asked Yaga, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Is that so?"

"Why would I lie? If it's not true you can always pickle me. But surely as powerful a w—" I caught myself, "sorceress such as yourself can sense it."

Yaga's long nose drew closer, so close I could make out the wiry hairs that were on it and sticking out of it. How did I imagine this was a kindly old lady? Magic, I thought.

She sniffed at me, like some sort of predator. "Yes, yes I do smell something about you. Hmmm." My heart finally stopped pounding when she put the lid back on the jar. "Let's do a little test, shall we?"