The Greater The Shadow

"So Salem, are you going to introduce us?" Salem wipes the tears from my cheeks and gives his most reassuring smile.

"This is Joker, the owner of this shop, and this is-

-Rose Willow Reinhart, of course, I know who she is... How is your grandmother?" The question didn't surprise me much, but the familiarity slightly annoyed me.

"She's fine off hunting down my mother, who's on some kind of rampage." I tried to keep my tone as plain as possible, as I replied.

"Good, good, that sounds like something your mother would do... Now I'm guessing you're here to find your father? I will need proper compensation, so I hope your grandmother gave you something great to offer." I attempted to hide how nonplussed I had become and how willing I was to offer anything for this information. I stood, and Salem, who felt the air change, decided to step behind me as his attention shifted from Joker and me.

"She has given me nothing, but she sent me here to learn from you..." I held back the urgency as much as I could, hoping he would decide to help me for free or on my grandmother's behalf.

"To learn? From me, you say?" Joker leans on the standing desk, a devious smile unfurling on his face.

"And these are the exact words she used?" He inquired with a sinister tone. A chill ran down my spine, and for a moment, I thought one of his pupils became wide and goat-like.

"She said I would have to learn about this new world if I want to find my dad, and you would be the best to teach me." My recently returned voice had lost its strength as it shook slightly.

"Hmm, I see... And you have nothing to offer, is that right?" I shook my head no at the question, which seemed to widen his smile.

"Titch, come here!" As he called out as if appearing from nowhere, a jet-black cat with two tails lept into existence onto the standing desk. It walked along the desk length, purring and brushing against its master. Joker lovingly pets the cat as it sits properly and sets its eyes on me.

"I need you to find Ashe for me, please." The cat, not breaking its focus on me, meowed back in response, stared at me a moment longer, and disappeared as it jumped from the desk to the floor.

Joker pulled a pocket watch from his vest pocket and clicked it open, staring into it for a moment as we watched and waited. Soon, the silence of the room was chased away by the sounds of paws on stone and sporadic quiet meows that came from the pocket watch. Then, a quick succession of loud meows before it stopped, and the pocket watch fell silent.

"Hello? What do you want?" My grandmother's voice now came from the watch, so this was the power of magic, and maybe I could find my father, and it would be as simple as asking this cat.

"Nice to see you, Ashy. Are you in London right now? Fantastic! If it wouldn't be too much to ask of you to swing by the fae district and grab me a bottle of Banshee wails?" I could feel the irritation from my grandmother oozing from the pocket watch.

"No... I'm in Cardiff right now and a little too busy to be running errands. What do you want?" She spat the words through clenched teeth.

"Ah well, fine, I have your granddaughter here, and she has nothing to offer me and is asking to be taught magic and requesting I help find her papa, so I was calling to see if you were floating the bill." Silence returned to the room for a moment before my grandmother's angry response.

"What do you want?" Joker's devious smile was now ready to rip his face in half. I thought he couldn't smile harder if he tried.

"Can I have anything?" The shrewdness of his tone bugged me. I hated how he was toying with my grandmother but hated, even more, how hesitant she was in front of him when she usually was so calm and composed.

"Sure, just hurry up and name it already." A spark lit a light in Joker's eyes as they quickly flicked to me for a moment, then back to the pocket watch.

"I want her... She has to join the devil's advocates." A torrent of curses come pouring from the pocket watch, causing Joker to giggle to himself as they came.

"And why would you want her?!" My grandmother managed to get out between curses. That made the smile on Joker's face drop.

"Because I can't have you or your daughter." The seriousness of his voice was shocking. I looked at Salem, who seemed to have difficulty making eye contact as he stared at his shoes. Again, my grandmother hesitated, which called frustration upon me. I felt my temper boiling as they spoke about me like I wasn't even there.

"No, just like my daughter, you-

-it isn't her choice..." I interrupted, unable to hide the disdain in my voice.

"I'll join the Devil's advocates, and I'll find my father." My anxiety rang in my ears. I had no clue what I had just agreed to, and I was sure I couldn't rely on anyone to make these new decisions for me. Salem gripped my shoulder as he donned that warm, reassuring smile from earlier.

"Was that Rose? Did she speak?" My grandmother's voice was shaky. Joker shook his head at the pocket watch in affirmation.

"Okay... She's made up her mind. Take care of her, please." Her tone was almost pleading, making my face grow red with embarrassment.

"I promise you I will, Ashe, and I will make sure she can find her father." Joker's tone was still serious as he stared into the watch for a moment before closing it shut.

"Remember, Willow, from this point on. These decisions are yours and yours alone." His voice was soft, almost caring, as his new smile was less devious and seemed more sincere.

"Welcome to the Devil's Advocates, Willow!" Salem said, unable to hide his excitement. Grinning ear to ear, he gives me a bear hug that lifts me off the ground.