Witches Abroad (Discworld 12)

Lily threw up her hands. 'What do you want, then? It's your choice. There's me ... or there's that woman in the swamp. Light or dark. Fog or sunshine. Dark chaos or happy endings.'

'He's a frog, and you killed the old Baron,' said Granny.

'You'd have done the same,' said Lily.

'No,' said Granny. 'I'd have thought the same, but I wouldn't have done it.'

'What difference does that make, deep down?'

'You mean you don't know?' said Nanny Ogg.

Lily laughed.

'Look at the three of you,' she said. 'Bursting with inefficient good intentions. The maiden, the mother and the crone.'

'Who are you calling a maiden?' said Nanny Ogg.

'Who are you calling a mother?' said Magrat.

Granny Weatherwax glowered briefly like the person who has discovered that there is only one straw left and everyone else has drawn a long one.

'Now, what shall I do with you?' said Lily. 'I really am against killing people unless it's necessary, but I can't have you running around acting stupidly . . .'

She looked at her fingernails.

'So I think I shall have you put away somewhere until this has run its course. And then . . . can you guess what I'm going to do next?

'I'm going to expect you to escape. Because, after all, I am the good one.'

Ella walked cautiously through the moonlit swamp, following the strutting shape of Legba. She was aware of movement in the water, but nothing emerged - bad news like Legba gets around, even among alligators.

An orange light appeared irrthe distance. It turned out to be Mrs Gogol's shack, or boat, or whatever it was. In the swamp, the difference between the water and the land was practically a matter of choice.

'Hallo? Is there anyone there?'

'Come along in, child. Take a seat. Rest up a little.'

Ella stepped cautiously on to the rocking veranda. Mrs Gogol was sitting in her chair, a white-clad raggedy doll in her lap.

'Magrat said - '

'I know all about it. Come to Erzulie.'

'Who are you?'

'I am your - friend, girl.'

Ella moved so as to be ready to run.

'You're not a godmother of any kind, are you?'

'No. No gods. Just a friend. Did anyone follow you?'

'I... don't think so.'

'It's no matter if they did, girl. No matter if they did. Maybe we ought to move out into the river for a spell, even so. We'll be a lot safer with water all round.'

The shack lurched.