Reign of Witches

by Brooke Smiley

  Still gazing at him, I searched for that little boy who had always been excited to see his sister, telling her about his new magic tricks. The little boy who always made me laugh or smile.

  I caught him staring back at me. He looked like he was screaming for help, but as quickly as I saw the look in his eyes, it was gone. He straightened and lifted his staff. “Yes, my queen.”

  He looked away from me as a red laser shot out from the skull’s eyes on top of the staff. My mother cackled and I couldn’t move my body. “Tailya, run! Run!” I screamed. Tay closed her eyes and under her breath she said, “Metritis.” I gave her a small smile as I wiggled my fingers slightly.

  I looked over at Kedron and he wasn’t moving. Tailya must’ve turned his spell back on him. I grabbed my mother’s arms. “It’s just you and me now, Mother. No more tricks.” “Ha, ha, ha, you silly little girl,” she said as she snapped her fingers and disappeared before my eyes.

  I turned toward Tay and she looked just as flabbergasted as I was. Kedron had vanished as well.

  “Where did they go?” I grabbed her hand and we started to creep outside slowly. Tay squeezed my fingers and shook her head. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to wait around to find out.” “Me, neither. Let’s get out of here.”

  In the midst of exiting, I shouted, “I love you, Daddy! Don’t worry, Brighton and I will come back for you.” His eyes met mine and I saw tears falling. I blinked my eyes hard and set my feet at a quick pace to brush off the inner pain.

  Anna thought they were safe. She thought her mother and brother had left them and they were going to be able to journey together to find Brighton. But her mother had other plans. They made their way back outside and were ready to take off to safety, away from the castle, away from this nightmare, when a disturbing growl came from behind them. It sent goosebumps through Tailya.

  Tailya whipped around and terror filled her body as she stood nose to nose with Kedron. He was holding his scary staff and giving Tay an evil grin. A coldness stung my arms and legs. I couldn’t move. My mother’s glare had frozen me solid. She strutted up to me and while reaching around the back of my head to yank my hair she said, “You stupid, stupid girl. You should have never returned.”

  For a moment it felt like she was trying to warn me of something. There was pain in her eyes, and I thought I saw a tear trickle down to her chin. I looked through her deeply, but she wouldn’t even meet my gaze. Looking down at the grass, she said, “I guess it seems you need another lesson on how to respect your queen. Alright then. Kedron show your sister what all you’re made of. Kill that girl!”

  “NO!!” A cry for mercy. I couldn’t watch my friend die. I tried to remember that my mother was being controlled. Something evil had possession over her. So, instead of fighting to get to Tailya, I dropped to my knees and bowed my head. “Please don’t do this, my queen. She has family to get back to. She’s my best friend. Please don’t take her from me. Haven’t you ever had a best friend? Please mother. If you are still in there somewhere, I love you. I love you, Mommy, please…”

  Through all my groveling, I thought surely something would take, but no. Nothing. She just let out an evil cackle and I knew my mother was gone.

  Tay turned and gazed at my hands. Then she gave me a crooked grin. I knew what she meant, but I didn’t want to fight my mother, or my little brother for that matter.

  I turned back for a moment, hoping to get Tay’s attention, but before I could form any words a bright yellow light sparkled from Tailya’s hands, and a laser red light from Kedron’s staff.

  Turning back toward the queen, I didn’t hesitate. She was laughing while staring at Kedron destroying my friend. I closed my fist tight, took a deep breath while opening them toward her and a giant black circle of dust came out.

  The queen burst out louder. I shook my hands a couple of times and tried again. What was that? I’d never seen black before. What was I thinking for that to happen? Ok, relax… I knew magic… time to use it!

  Scared and unsure, I gave myself a pep talk in my head. I thought of the only thing to stop her for good. I knew using this spell would mean I’d never see her again. But she had to be stopped, plus she wasn’t my mother. She was something vile and cruel.

  I raised my hands toward her and with a tear swimming to my top lip, I yelled, “Fotia!”

  The queen screamed in agony as flames overcame her body. Kedron dropped his guard. “My queen! Mother!” He looked back at Tailya in a rage and raised his staff, but it was too late. Tailya shouted the only thing she knew to hold him back. “Metritis!”

  Tay grabbed my hand and we took off running. My mother’s screaming turned into laughter as we ran past her. Our feet were swift, and our breath was heavy. My mind wouldn’t stop racing. Did it work? Was the fire burning her at all? Does my magic still work?

  I looked at Tay and she was about gassed out. I smiled at her in victory that we made it out alive. Tay’s eyes still had a hint of fear coming from them. I looked back to see if we were out of the danger zone. Kedron was charging behind us. I followed a red laser beam from his staff.

  “Tailya, look out!” She let go of my hand and rolled to the left. She gave me a wink and a side smile as she shot back up, trying to be cunning. Another laser beam blazed and hit me straight through the chest, sending me flying into a tree. I thumped the ground hard. Tailya raced to my side, but everything was starting to go dark.

  “Anna! Anna! Get up! Get up!” Tay was shaking me, but I couldn’t move. I thought to myself, “Am I dying? Is this really the end?” I couldn’t see anything. I could only hear. I felt Tay wrap her arms around me. I started to panic. I thought for sure Kedron was about to kill us both in a matter of minutes.

  Tailya placed her palm over mine and whispered, “Anoixe”. I had heard her say that before, but I couldn’t recall what it meant. I heard deep, pulsating footsteps getting closer and closer. My heart rapidly palpitated, causing me to gasp for air.

  Hysteria began to sweep over me. Tay shouted, “Here! Over here! Hurry!” I tried to focus my breathing to slow my heartbeat, but it wasn’t working. My head started to tingle, and I felt like I was spinning. Kedron roared not too far from us. “No!!!” I felt my body move and then I heard him whisper before I lost all consciousness.

  “Tailya, is she alive?”

  EPILOGUE

  I came to with Tailya putting a cold towel over my head. My eyesight was still trying to come back into focus. I tossed and turned, trying to sit up. Then I was calmly pressed back down. I felt my shoulders against something soft and I let my eyes close. A gentle voice whispered, “Just lie back, Anna. You need to rest.” It sounded familiar.

  “Brighton, is that you?”

  There was so much I wanted to tell him, but then it dawned on me… How did Brighton know Tailya? How did he know to save me? Was it really him? The racing thoughts were taking a toll on me.

  “Oh! My head!” I cried. Placing my fingers to my temples, I began to rotate them in a circular motion, hoping to relieve some of the throbbing. It didn’t help.

  My head went fuzzy again, but before I drifted back off, I felt a light squeeze on my right hand. “You’re safe now, Annalise. Now, please get some rest.” A quiet whisper chimed through my subconscious as I thought about my brother Brighton. While taking in a deep breath, I let the enervation take over.

  “David, have you ever met her brother Brighton?” Tay asked, confused. She didn’t understand Anna’s delirium. David shook his head. “No. You’d think she’d know my voice by now.”

  Tay glanced down at her friend and sighed. “Poor Anna. Well, we will just have to take shifts so we can keep an eye on her. When she comes to, we’ll be there for all of her questions.”

  David nodded to his sister and they both stayed at Anna’s side, watching her sleep.

  ***

  David and Tailya nursed me back to health, getting me ready for the journey to bring Brighton home. They both worked their spells while I reste
d through the days. They would tell me of their plans at night and I was grateful to have such good friends.

  Joy drifted over me when I realized I wouldn’t be searching for my brother alone.

  ***

  In another world, Brighton was in the middle of a dragon training battle when his heart pinched. He grabbed his chest quickly.

  “Lissy!”