Page 17 - The Witcher Story

the abilities of wizards and witchers. But all this nonsense about lifting
the spell was made up by a hunch-backed, snotty old man who’d lost his
mind on his hermit’s diet. It’s nonsense which no one but Foltest believes.
Adda gave birth to a striga because she slept with her brother. That is the
truth, and no spell will help. Now the striga devours people – as strigas
do – she has to be killed, and that is that. Listen: two years ago peasants
from some God-forsaken hole near Mahakam were plagued by a dragon
devouring their sheep. They set out together, battered the dragon to death
with stanchions, and did not even think it worth boasting about. But we
in Wyzim are waiting for a miracle and bolting our doors every full moon,
or tying our criminals to a stake in front of the palace, praying the beast
stuffs herself and returns to her sarcophagus.’
‘Not a bad method,’ the witcher smiled. ‘Are there fewer criminals?’
‘Not a bit of it.’
‘Which way to the palace, the new one?’
‘I will take you myself. And what about the wise men’s sug- gestion?’
‘Castellan,’ said Geralt, ‘why act in haste? After all, I really could have
an accident at work, irrespective of my intentions. Just in case, the wise
men should be thinking about how to save me from the king’s anger and
get those fifteen hundred orens, of which rumour speaks, ready.’
‘It was to be a thousand.’
‘No, Lord Velerad,’ the witcher said categorically. ‘The witcher who
was offered a thousand ran at the mere sight of the striga, without bar-
gaining. So the risk is greater than a thousand. Whether it is greater
than one and a half remains to be seen. Of course, I will say goodbye
beforehand.’
‘Geralt?’ Velerad scratched his head. ‘One thousand two hun- dred?’
‘No. This isn’t an easy task. The king is offering three, and sometimes
it’s easier to lift a spell than to kill. But one of my predecessors would have
done so, or killed the striga, if this were simple. You think they let them-
selves be devoured out of fear of the king?’

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The Witcher Story ENG.indd 16 7/23/08 11:04:09 PM