“Now that’s more like it. You know, I always wanted to make enough money for them to come to clean my house every day. Who knew we could have them out here on the line?” One of the soldiers laughed before the head chef began shouting at them.
“Enough horsing around, you lot. The shift change is in fifteen minutes. Finish your meals and get out. You girls, get to work on the dishes.”
The five prisoners quickly stopped admiring their warm new outfits and got back to work while the head chef came to talk to Wolfe.
“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
“Immensely.” He agreed.
“They’re good girls, and I know you’re already going easier on them than most would, but I think they’re giving up already. I would rather not have to bury them if you know what I mean.”
“I guess letting them just go through the daily routine wasn’t enough?” Wolfe asked.
“You underestimated the magic of the prisoner chain. It is literally impossible to be kind to them. If you hadn’t bullied them and destroyed their clothes, Jane probably wouldn’t even be able to make them new ones unless she thought it would humiliate them.
I can’t compliment them on a job well done, and the troops can’t thank them for keeping the barracks spotless. If we try, the words won’t come out.
The longer it goes without an incident of cruelty significant enough to trigger the chain’s spell, the harder it will be for everyone around them to not be cruel to them.”
“So, what do you want me to do?” Wolfe asked, not understanding the point she was making, but now that she mentioned it, he could feel that a burden had lifted off of the link between him and the prisoners after he destroyed their clothes.
“You need to do something cruel enough to reset the timer every few days and then something kind enough to make them want to keep living and not walk out of the barrier when they’re delivering Arrows. You’re literally the only one who can.”
Wolfe considered her words before he realized that he likely wasn’t the only one that didn’t quite understand the full extent of what the chains were doing to the prisoners. The other witches who were bonded to him would need some sort of explanation if he started doing strange things.
Inciting jealousy or anger was never a good idea when it involved someone who slept next to you.
He smiled at the grumpy-looking chef and clapped her on the shoulder. “And before I start with your plan, I need to explain it to the others I’m Bonded with because I don’t think they can overcome the chain’s restrictions either. Your explanation made things a lot clearer. Thank you, chef.”
“Prisoners, once you are finished your kitchen duties, come see me in the new barracks we’ve been assigned,” Wolfe called, then went to find his Witches.
Except for Reiko, who was now on shift at the barrier, they were in the new bunkhouse, waiting for him.
“Wolfe, what are we going to do with the prisoners? I mean, they’re really nice, but it’s just impossible to say nice things to them or help them at all. Whatever magic is on them is really strong.” Cassie asked as soon as he entered.
“That’s just what I wanted to talk to you about. The chain is cursed so that nobody can be kind to them, and the longer they go without someone being cruel, the stronger the curse gets.
The chef says they’re not doing well, and I know how you feel about me collecting Witches, but the Warden is the only one who isn’t subject to the curse.
I think it’s just begun to sink in that they’ll never be able to go home again, and they’re feeling lost. I want to help them, but the law and the curse both require cruelty and humiliation until we find a way to nullify the chain’s effect and free them.”
“So what are you suggesting?” Ella asked, sitting next to Wolfe in the big bed in the main room and leaning against his side.
“That their times off duty need to be good enough to make up for the times they’re on duty, but I’m not sure how.”
“You could allow them free reign inside the dorm, let them enjoy themselves while nobody can see and even bring them games,” Mary suggested.
“Not bad. The unit has mostly stopped talking to them because they can’t say anything nice to them. Without the curse active, socializing would be good, but as it is, games in the room are a decent alternative and keep them out of sight.
The problem is something bad still needs to happen to reset the curse, and I don’t want to make the unit be unnecessarily cruel to them. They decided on their own to be as kind as is socially acceptable, and I will respect that.” He agreed.
“We will think of something. But tonight is our first night all together instead of having them sleep in a half-finished building, right? What will we do? There aren’t enough beds in here.”
“I asked Priya, and it would raise suspicions among the unit if we added more beds. They’re willing to go as far as neutrality and ignoring the prisoners, but the bias against convicted traitors is strong, and the two other units can see our camp, so they can inspect it with skills like [Detect Hidden].
What I suggest is to lay out blankets on the floor. The heat is on in here all the time since someone is always ready to sleep like Mary is right now, so they should be fine.”
“As long as we don’t have to do anything but stay silent. It nearly broke me to see them crying while I was unable to help.” Ella whispered.
Not long after, the prisoners all filed in nervously, noticing that the big bed was full of Witches, but Wolfe was standing by the side of the door waiting for them. They quietly lined up in a row and waited while Wolfe approached, his steps silent on the wooden floor.
The little witch that he was pretty sure was named Alice, the shortest one with a pixie cut, was shivering, and Wolfe could see the tears on her face, so he started at that end of the line by pulling her into a tight embrace and stroking her back.
“That’s it. You’re alright. Let it out.” He whispered.
Once she had recovered a little and begun to stand straight, he moved on, making his way down the line and passing out hugs.
“The curse that is placed on the chain requires that you be treated poorly, and even if they tried, they couldn’t say anything nice to you. The spell stops them, so I’ll do it on their behalf. You deserve better than this.
The curse also requires something truly cruel or painful to happen to you every day, or it starts influencing everyone to be extra mean. Today the requirement was satisfied when I took your clothes to get you new ones. Tomorrow or the day after, I’ll have to find something else unless you have a punishment in mind.” Wolfe explained.
“But it would have to be bad, right?”
“Correct. But maybe if you were expecting it, you could recover more easily.” He agreed.
“I think that might be worse. Knowing it was coming and what to expect. But Chef is good at punishments that are really not punishments.
The rules say that even though you gave her permission to arrange our meals, she can only serve prisoners one meal a day, and the chain’s curse requires that we can’t eat without getting permission every single time, so we can’t sneak any extra food while we cook, but the restrictions don’t stop her from forcing us to eat the leftovers to reduce food waste.
So, every few days, she will make us lick the plates clean before washing them, and it’s always just when we’re getting really hungry.”
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“For now, I’ve got your sleeping arrangements. Over by the cell at the end, a rug is set out on the floor. You will be sleeping there next to the magical stove. Keep it burning all night because the Witches have to cycle through shifts.”
The prisoners smiled and lay down in front of the stove, coincidentally the warmest spot in the room, where they were joined by Pup, who draped himself across them.
“Sleep well. Don’t mind his snoring.”
Pup’s snoring might count as a punishment on its own. The witches of his group were all used to it, but the big dog was far from a silent sleeper.