She did not believe them. Her instincts had always been her strength.
“Miss Proctor, can you tell us about this man you say followed you?”
Her gaze darted right to me. She frowned and shook her head. She couldn’t see me, but I knew she felt me. She was too powerful to not, even if she didn’t understand it right now. I looked over to the cop with the notepad, then back to Saraphina. My cloaking ring was working now, no one was going to see me unless I wanted them to.
“Miss Proctor?”
Saraphina sighed. She hugged her body tight and shuddered. “He was tall, taller than any of you. He had wide shoulders and long legs. He wore this black hood that hung over his face most of the time—”
“Most of the time?”
She shrugged. “The wind blew it off once.”
The cop nodded and scribbled on his notepad. “Did you see his face?”
“He had eyes like liquid gold and long blond hair.” Her cheeks flushed. “Really high cheekbones and sharp jaw. Quite pretty, actually.”
My pulse quickened in ways I did not approve. Heat rushed through mine limbs and I felt like I was flying. Quite pretty, actually. ‘Twas the first time I’d heard her say such a thing and I did not care for the affect it wreaked on my heart.
“Pretty?” The cop shook his head and lowered his notepad. “Miss, this is serious—”
“And I am not?” Her whole face turned red. Her fists were balled on her lap. “Pardon me, officer, but I am no daft bimbo who ran to a strange man because he was pretty. I ran away from him and he followed me. And then he pulled out a long silver sword when he came out of that church. I can’t be any more serious.”
I smiled. Yeah, I’d pulled out my sword…to kill the demon that had jumped out behind her that she hadn’t seen. Sure, she’d seen it the first time – when I had scared it away – but it clung to her shadow, waiting for the right moment to strike.
“So he came out of the church?” Another cop, this one with a potbelly, arched his gray eyebrow. “I thought you saw him down on Wharf Street?”
“I did.” She sighed. “I told you. He was sitting by the brick house first, then he followed me, then he disappeared and came out of the church.”
“How did he move around so fast?”
She narrowed her lavender eyes. “You’re the police officer. You tell me.”
I chuckled but my heart hurt. It’d been so long…while under Prince Thorne’s curse she’d looked different. Sounded different. I’d managed to keep my emotions in check for that whole time. But this, this was the real her. The strong, feisty her. The girl I knew, the one before the curse. She was herself again and all of the feelings I’d thought I’d pushed aside came rolling back tenfold like a dam had broken. I missed her with a fierce passion that threatened to steal the breath from my lungs. I wanted to go to her, to hold her, to see her smile at me. Yet distant I remained, forever yearning from the shadows.
“All right, Miss Proctor, just a few more questions,” the third cop said with his arms crossed over his chest. “You say you woke up on Derby Wharf, do you remember anything before that? Where you came from? What you’d been doing? Who you’d been with? How you got there?”
“No. I told you already, I don’t know—”
“Are there any other names that you recall? Or places you might have been?” The cop scratched the back of his head. “Any belongings, or things in your pockets to help us?”
Saraphina’s eyes watered but they were full of frustrated rage. “I. Don’t. Know. And I don’t have any belongings or pockets.”
The cop with the notepad cleared his throat. “Okay, how about—"
“Enough,” Landreia growled. She stood but kept her hand rested on Saraphina’s shoulder. “She has already told you she does not remember. There’s a word for that in the dictionary, it’s called amnesia. Look it up. In the meantime, why don’t you back off and let the paramedics take her to the hospital to get checked out?”
“Ma’am, you need to step aside and let us do our job or there will be consequences.”
Landreia arched one black eyebrow. “If you don’t know how to do your job correctly, there will be consequences.”
The cop’s gray eyebrows shot to the sky. “Are you threatening a police officer?”
“Are you threatening a witch?”
The cop opened his mouth, then shut it. He turned and waved for the paramedics. I laughed. In the small amount of time I’d been here in Salem, I’d learned all about Landreia Night. She was known as the Witch of Salem. She was a living legend here, the starter of the movement. Her store was the first of its kind. I liked the way she was defending someone she’d just met. And I liked the smile she’d just put on Saraphina’s face.
The paramedics rushed back over to gather her.
Saraphina frowned. “What’s happening?”
Landreia sat back down beside her. “They’re going to drive you to the hospital so that the doctors can see if they can help you. Is that okay?”
Saraphina bit her bottom lip and eyed the ambulance. “By myself?”
“You must ride in there by yourself, yes,” Landreia squeezed her shoulders. “You’ll be in good care. I promise.”
“O-okay.” She let them help her to her feet, then escort her over to the ambulance. Every other step she glanced around and my stomach filled with butterflies knowing she was looking for me. She waved to Landreia and then the doors shut, blocking her from my view.
Landreia turned to the cops. “I’m going to follow her there.”
So am I.
Chapter Five
Saffie
I flew as fast as I could, but his footsteps thundered behind me. They were getting closer. I had to move. I had to get away. He couldn’t catch me. Not like this. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. This wasn’t the plan.
I glanced over my shoulder but all I saw were mismatched eyes and a lot of black. I dove between the trees. In the corner of my eye I saw him jump up higher than anyone should have been capable of. He flipped then rolled and sprinted after me without losing a beat. My heart was lodged in my throat.
He was too fast. I had wings but he was still too fast.
Huge gusts of wind slammed straight into me, pushing me backwards. My wings fluttered and screamed, but I had to push through. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It wasn’t the plan. I had to get away. I dove back out of the forest and flew over a huge group of humans. He wouldn’t follow me. He was too smart, too careful. He wouldn’t risk it.
Just then the pathway trembled like an earthquake and the humans dropped to the ground screaming and covering their heads —.
And then I stood on an empty beach at night. My toes sank into sand that was still warm despite the late hour of the night. Waves rolled gently onto the shore. It made me want to lay down and go to sleep. Above me, stars twinkled against the black sky.
“That’s it, just breathe,” a deep male voice said from behind me.
I gasped and spun around – and my jaw dropped. The boy looked about my age but he towered over me. He had short blond hair trimmed close to his head and the brightest pale green eyes I’d ever seen. They sparkled brighter than the stars dusting the sky. A gust of wind rushed over us, carrying a clean scent that reminded me of a sunny spring day surrounded by flowers. It came from him, I didn’t know how I knew it but I did.
I looked up at his handsome, friendly face and some of the tension in my body loosened.
He smiled and it made his eyes sparkle like a full moon. “That’s it. Deep breaths.”
That voice. I knew it. But I did not recognize his face. I licked my lips. “W-who are you?”
“A friend.” His smile widened. “Like the stars shining down on you.”
I frowned. “Where are we?”
“In a dream.” He walked over and took my hands in his. Those pale green eyes stared down into my soul. “You are safe, Saffie. Let the ocean’s lullaby ease you to a peaceful sleep.”
“Hello?”
I gasped at the sound of a woman’s voice – and then my eyes opened. It WAS a dream. I was back in the hospital, and the sunlight pouring in through the window told me it was the next day. I looked left to all the machines lined up next to the bed and my stomach tightened into knots. My mind failed me. I had no idea what any of them were for, but I cringed as my brain hypothesized for me.
The room was bright white from floor to ceiling and the air was a little cold, though that wasn’t why my fingers trembled. The nurses who put me in this small room had wrapped me in blankets. But I wanted to leave and go…nowhere. I had nowhere to go. That was the scariest part. Where do I go from here? What do I do?
“Hello…?”
OH, right. I’d forgotten a woman’s voice had woken me. I turned to the door. A young woman stood there with long hair that was a darker brown but had little hints of red in it. She had thick-rimmed glasses, light eyes, and a kind smile.
I pulled my blanket around me tighter. “W-wh-who a-are y-you?”
Her smile widened and it made her eyes twinkle. “I am Doctor Rachel Troy.”
I frowned. “You’re a doctor?” She didn’t look like the other doctors I’d seen running around the hospital.
Dr. Troy chuckled but didn’t move any closer. “I am a psychologist who specializes in trauma in children. We didn’t want you to be scared while you’re with us, so I’m here to be with you. May I come in?”
That made me lower my blankets and nod. She was technically already inside but was asking my permission to be there. It was nice to be asked. I smiled back just a little. “I’m Saraphina Proctor. People call me Saffie.”
Dr. Troy strolled closer with her hands clasped in front of her. “And which would you like me to call you?”
“Saffie,” I heard myself answer immediately, even though I didn’t know why I felt so strongly about that.
“Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Saffie.” Dr. Troy walked to the left side of my bed, then glanced to me. “May I sit?”
I nodded. My heart was still pounding.
“So, Saffie, how are you feeling right now?”
I groaned and shook my head. “Scared. Confused.”
“That’s totally understandable and expected.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and crossed one leg over the other. “The doctor filled me in on what happened and all the tests they ran last night. I figured you were probably scared, but I want you to know that I am here to help you through all of this.”
“Oh. Thank you.” I sighed and leaned back against the bed. “Did they tell you I remember nothing? The cops don’t believe that I saw a wolf or that a guy followed me. They think I’m delusional. But he was real. I saw him.”
“I know you did.”
I exhaled in a rush. “You believe me.”
“Of course.” She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. “I know you saw someone, even if the man was simply an unfortunate coincidence, but that does not diminish the very real fear you felt. Same goes for the wolf.”
Good. That’s…good. I know I’m not crazy. I cleared my throat. “T-thank you.”
There was a soft knock on the door then it slowly slid open. Landreia stuck her head through the opening. “Hi, may I come in?”
I smiled. “Of course!”
Landreia bounced into the room in a floor length black velvet dress that swayed with every step. Her black hair fell straight down to her elbows. The soft wrinkles in her skin painted a picture of an aging woman, but the brightness in her blue eyes radiated youthfulness.
“I’m just going to step out for a bit, but I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Dr. Troy leaned down and whispered.
I smiled and nodded. She was super nice and something about her presence really calmed me. It was no wonder she was a psychologist for traumatized children. I was hoping I’d have more time to talk to her.
Landreia stopped beside my bed and rested her ring-clad hands on the side rails. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi, Landreia, it’s nice to see you again.” This woman didn’t know me yet she took so much care to help me and get me to the hospital. I owed her my life. “I’m glad you came by.”
Her cheeks flushed and her smile widened. “I was here last night, but they wouldn’t let me in to see you, visiting hours and such. How are you doing, all things considered?”
I took a deep breath then let it all out and shrugged. “Same as last night, just warm. Oh, and I haven’t seen that guy again so that’s good. No one in the hospital has.”
“Good. That is excellent news.”
The door to my room swung open. We both jumped and looked over. Dr. Allen stood in the doorway with a clipboard in his hand. He was tall, with broad shoulders and the friendliest smile I thought I’d ever seen – although I didn’t know why I’d thought that, since I’d only seen a handful of people since waking up on that wharf.
He looked up from his clipboard and his hazel eyes twinkled. “Oh, Ms. Night, hello.”
“Hello there, Ally,” Landreia said softly and gave him a hug. “How is your mother doing after her knee surgery?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, she’s giving you all the credit of healing her pain and not her doctor son or the orthopedic surgeon. So I’d say she’s doing just fine.”
Landreia chuckled. “Hey, I insisted she followed all of her doctor’s orders…along with my tricks.” She glanced over her shoulder and winked at me.
Dr. Troy walked in behind Dr. Allen with the nurse from last night and another woman in a gray suit. I looked to my left as Dr. Troy reclaimed her spot by my side.
She smiled and gave me a nod. “Time for test results.”
My heart fluttered. What if something is wrong with me? What if something isn’t wrong with me? What if they don’t know why I can’t remember? What if I’ll never remember again? A cold chill slid down my spine and I shuddered.
Dr. Allen walked to the end of my bed and sat his clipboard down. He smiled at me. “Okay, so we’ve gone over every test and everything looks perfectly normal. We don’t even see any sign of trauma or injury to the head, at least not physically.”
Landreia frowned. “So what does that mean?”
“Something happened to cause this, it doesn’t just happen on its own for no reason. There are many psychological triggers…” He twirled the golden ring on his left hand. “I wanted to have a clear answer for you. I wanted to walk in here and say this is what happened, but I can’t. The human brain is far too complex for us to understand it entirely, so I can only work with what we do know.”
My eyes burned with the need to cry, but I wasn’t going to let that happen. Not yet. Not here with everyone watching. “So I’m stuck like this?”
“I think that the best thing to do is wait and see. Sometimes these things just need time. We monitor you and adjust treatment as we go. Psychologists can be a huge help in this area.”
Dr. Troy winked at me.
Landreia squeezed my hand.
Then I realized the other woman who’d come in hadn’t spoken at all. In fact, she seemed to be hiding against the wall with a serious expression.
I licked my lips. “Who are you?”
“Oh, sorry.” Dr. Allen shook his head then turned toward the unknown woman. “This is Detective Ronda Lewis.”
I glanced to Landreia. “Do you know her, too?”
Landreia chuckled. “I do indeed.”
Detective Lewis shook her head, grinning. She walked over to me and held her hand out. “Hello, Miss Proctor. I’ve been assigned to handle your case to see if we can get you home.”
I shook her hand. “Thank you. Any luck yet?”
She grimaced. “We’ve looked into it and there are no missing persons reports that fit your description anywhere in New England, or as far south as Maryland. Next we’ll be checking national reports and reaching out to Canada. We did a search, but the only Saraphina Proctor we could find on record anywhere was born in 16
76 and lived right here in Salem.”
Landreia gasped and put her hand to her chest. “I knew I recognized that name!”
Detective Lewis shrugged. “We also discovered that this young woman vanished suddenly in 1692 during the height of the Salem Witch Trials at the age of 16 and was never seen again. Is there a chance that you might’ve read about this young woman and for some reason your brain is clinging to it?”
I opened my mouth to say adamantly no…but closed it. Because I couldn’t say that. “I have no idea. I can’t remember.” But it felt like my name. It felt right. It felt like me.
Detective Lewis nodded. “Okay, we’ll keep looking, I promise. We will not give up until we figure this all out.”
Landreia cleared her throat. “Ronda, what are you going to do with her in the meantime? Keep her here?”
Dr. Allen scowled and shook his head. “I don’t think that would be healthy. The best thing for her is to carry on with as normal a life as possible and hope that whatever caused this personality disorder rights itself.”
Detective Lewis pulled her phone out and started typing. “We can place her with child protective services, get her set up in a foster program.”
“Can I take her?”
We all gasped and turned to Landreia.
“I found her. I clearly care as I’m here now. The last thing she needs is more strangers. Let me foster her. You all know me, I’ve fostered many times in the last few decades. Ronda…you know.”
“I was already considering it.” Detective Lewis glanced sideways at me, then turned back to Landreia. “May I speak with Miss Proctor alone?”
“Of course,” Landreia said with a wide smile. She squeezed my hand once, then turned and headed through the doorway with Dr. Allen and Dr. Troy hot on her heels.
Once the room was empty except for us, Detective Lewis moved closer to me. “How do you feel about this?”
I bit my bottom lip. “What exactly does foster mean?” I thought I knew, but I had to be sure.
“It means that for a temporary window of time set by the government, Landreia would be your legal guardian. Like a parent. You’d live with her and she’d take care of you like you were her own kid. She would be legally bound to you.”
The Cursed Witch Page 3