“If anyone has a clue to how this mystic entered Vaelle, speak now or be killed later,” Charlotte hisses, her eyes glowing green. The room becomes still. I sense fear, the breaths of nervous witches brushing against me. I whirl around to see their expressions. They are afraid of a corrupt mystics? Aren’t we all trained to kill them?
The shifter roars with laughter. He spits blood onto the ground, glaring up at me.
“You’re really pretty,” the mystic growls.
The crowd spreads apart, leaving me alone in the middle.
“How could the mystic know the rookie?”
“What a traitor, kill her instead…”
Several witches whisper among the others.
“Where do you come from?” I spit back.
Charlotte slaps the mystic as it roars in pain, staring at me deviously.
“You are very aware where I’ve come from.”
I turn on my broomstick, angered by the shifter singling me out from the rest here. My broomstick forms into a sword. I slash it in the air slipping next to him. Cutting the vines from his neck, I knee his chest on the ground, slapping the end of my sword across his face.
“Who sent you? Speak.”
“He wants you,” the shifter coughs.
“Who?” I say.
I slide my sword slowly against his rough skin. He roars in pain and his claws reach up for my hair but Charlotte straps him down with her vines.
“You know who.” The shifter stares up at me.
I am frustrated by the riddles the mystic gives me. Digging my sword into his neck, I swipe as he gargles and then poofs into dirt. I turn around as the witches step back in shock.
“She killed a corrupt mystic with no problem!” a random witch yells out.
I roll my eyes and head for the door.
Charlotte stops me and she looks up to the ceiling, her eyes beaming. “Wait, Eliza, we may need you for another,” she says.
“What do you mean?” Audrey steps forward.
“She means there’s another corrupt mystic among us,” Luvie hums, twirling around with excitement. I step back slowly to the center of the room. I eye each of the witches in the room.
“Block the doors, immediately.” Alice, the leader of Vaelle, steps out of the shadows. Her eyes leave me and then fall onto Audrey. “I sense it too.”
I feel their emotions going crazy and all their hearts beating against their chests. Random witches run to the doors to lock them and stand in front of the entrances. Audrey walks in front of each mystic slowly, placing her hand in front of their faces. She walks around the room.
One main witch that stands out from the rest is Eve. She was watching me the entire time. As Audrey gets closer she steps toward the entrance, my eyes flicker from her to Audrey.
I call out to her in my mind,
Hey Audrey, check out Eve for me.
She looks up at me and agrees. Walking toward Eve, Audrey is slapped across the face with a whip. I notice Eve running toward the doors. She turns her broomstick into a sword and slices the witches out of her way.
I run to Audrey; she falls to the ground. I glower up at Eve running away.
Chapter 14
The bunch of witches spread apart, terrified and angry that someone like Evelyn would let a corrupt mystic into their lands. Broomsticks shift shapes and sizes and people rush to the doors to chase the betrayer. Alice steps forward, passing me, and shouts to gain everyone’s attention. She looks at me and Audrey, then glances back at the witches she calls family.
The ends of Audrey’s hair glow, slowly brightening the dark building. Her elf markings beam on as everyone turns to look at her, and I can feel what she’s sensing. Charlotte is nearby and I can feel her as well. I guess it’s the elf in me because these two are the easiest to read. Both of them feel unsure. Alice slides her hands into her pockets and waits for Audrey to speak. “I can’t seem to pick up on it, something is blocking me, Alice,” she says as her eyes fade back to normal, sighing in defeat.
“Neither can I,” Charlotte says, frowning.
The silver and green markings on my skin burn and freeze slowly. Images flash before me. I close my eyes and let the feeling take control of me. I’m breathing slowly and not losing focus, but slowly becoming nauseated. Eve’s running toward the training field; she trips over a pile of gravel. Her hair whips across her face as she checks to see if anyone’s behind her. Her teeth clench and rattle, she’s running away from someone. None of the witches in the meeting hall are chasing after her.
Who is she so afraid of?
The images become darkened, I’m losing focus because Alice is calling out to me. My eyes are beaming, my fingers splay out in the direction to the ground, little vines with thorns spring up slowly, wrapping around my legs.
“She’s losing focus, Charlotte, what do we do?” Audrey snaps.
“I’m knocking her out, she’s not going to kill all of us,” Alice says with rage.
“No, don’t. Let her fight against herself, she fought against it when we trained, and I know she can do it again.” Charlotte’s voice shakes.
Luvie hums a melody in her language in the background.
My eyes freeze in and out continuously, the markings on my skin fill with coldness. I can’t fight against the elf within, each strand of hair burns into an elf’s blonde and my eyes stop freezing.
***
I roll my neck, cracking it, relieved I can now breathe. I was stuck and now I’m free. My eyes glance to my right and left slowly, I smirk. A pinch inside of my head stings, someone is in my head trying to read my thoughts. Immediately I look at the slim elf with turquoise on the ends of her hair.
“Get out of my head,” I say, not giving her eye contact, my focus is mainly on the short haired witch who looks a bit too edgy for her own good.
She says to me, “Eliza, we need you to resist temptation.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t want to play with all of you. I have other plans.” I strut toward the doors, blocked by witches guarding the entrance. I glance back at the two elves behind me and the edgy girl in front. The same pinch stings in my head. Flicking my hands in the air, a root springs up and lifts the elf who is trying to penetrate my thoughts into the air.
I turn around to cross my arms.
“I told you to get out of my head.” I wink, as my root smashes her back against the wall behind her. I bite my bottom lip, a thick vine shoots out of the ground, holding her in place.
Witches move toward me and I fall to the floor, dodging their whips and weapons. I kick a witch in the neck and he falls to the ground. Stepping on his back, I leap to punch another witch out of my way.
Slowly I walk backward as the witches stare me down. They all dart to try to hold me hostage. I swipe my arm in the air, allowing the ground to crack, separating us apart. I flick my hair behind my shoulders, leaping out of the building.
I reach the field where Rose caught Christian. I’m losing control because she’s trying to get back out. Lifting my ring finger, I remove the mood ring and place it in my pocket. The trees sway in the night wind. I can sense Christian here with someone else. Smirking, I walk out to the middle of the field.
“I know you’re here.”
Someone leaps off a branch gracefully. He’s in a white button down without an undershirt, wearing ripped up jeans. Christian’s chocolate brown hair shimmers with the moon’s light. His dark lips call my name as he approaches. He reaches for my hand, I grab it as the freezing sensation enhances.
“I missed you,” he says after kissing me.
“You have a scent on you, a witch scent.” My eyes flick up from his chest to his face.
He moves around toward the forest, waving his hand out.
“She won’t hurt you,” he calls out. The witch I sensed walks out of the forest, her gray eyes staring at me. The many scars on her body blend in with her witch markings. She’s holding her broomstick’s sword out to her side in defense. A squirrel scurries along t
he broken branches on the ground, causing the girl’s eyes to flick toward the sound and then land back on me just as quickly.
“She’s a new corrupt,” I say.
“Not exactly, she’s been in Ravamere for quite some time. I sent her here to blend in with the other witches of Vaelle and she’s done a great job getting me in.”
The girl smirks, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“Your name?” I ask.
“Eve.”
“That’s the thing about Ravamere witches, they can blend in well, better than mystics,” I say, circling around Eve, letting my index finger flow in the air as I walk. The trees lean over her body, their branches poking and playing with her. The girl’s frightened by the trees moving around. Christian chuckles at her reactions. He reaches for my hand.
“Babe, don’t scare her off.”
“I’m playing around.” I glance at him.
Christian didn’t seem much different, he’s buffer and oblivious to the risks he’s taken. He’s in a place full of witches, trained to kill his kind specifically. I wonder why he’s here. I know the answer already—he’s here for me. But why?
“I need you to come back to Ravamere, your father is upset that you left. He can’t track you, but somehow I can.”
Our hands freeze together at the grip we hold. It’s obvious to the reason why he could trace me, it’s because somehow I’m connected with him. I watch Christian, my blonde hair flows down my chest and my markings light up; so do his. What could the mystery behind him and I truly be? He’s corrupt and so am I.
Eliza, if you are out there, resist temptation,” Charlotte’s voice whispers inside my head. “You’re greater than this, I know you are.”
A burn sparks within me and my eyes stop their freezing. The strands of my hair soon fade back to their auburn color. The feeling comes and goes as it pleases and I’m confused as to what’s going on. A migraine develops. I close my eyes, blocking out what Christian is saying.
***
Somehow I’m fighting the myth within. She’s scratching my insides, wanting to come back out. I continue the act she plays with Christian, my boots dig into the dirt beneath me and I place my lingering hairs behind my right ear. I think of some plan; a plan to get away from him, this time for good.
Part of me wants to like Christian, he’s charming and nice and has done nothing wrong to me…other than his corruption only corrupting me more. He doesn’t like this part of me, he likes the elf-myth. I know he will do anything to get her out once again, his touch, his gaze, the way he says things to me, the way his deep voice sounds in my ears. His scent even draws me in, the effect he has on me grows stronger each day.
The fear I have lures me to him, it’s the fear any witch would have for an elf this charming. He’s the only one who can make me feel this weak, it’s no one else but Christian.
Could it be the betrothal? We are linked together in more ways than I can imagine, I grin up at him, glancing behind me and up the hill back to the little town. I turn around. “I think I left something back in the main building. I’ll be right back,” I say.
Christian takes my hand as I walk away. He forces me to look up at him as he grabs my chin and leans down to kiss my lips. They sting from the freeze we make, this sting hurts more than the usual sensation, his grip tightens around my hand as he places his other on my waist. He bites on my bottom lip softly, and looks up at me. “I’ll be waiting.”
It’s hard for me to do so, but I place my hand into my pocket, finding my mood ring. My hidden obsession with loving him stays within me; usually, it goes away once my mood ring is on. I don’t know what I’m thinking lately, are my thoughts my own? My head begins to throb in pain from confusion. I stop in place, my markings burning and freezing. His kiss must have been enchanted. I graze my bottom lip, frost crackles.
I have a hunch to turn around. I duck Eve’s sword. She slashes the ground, aiming for my back. I trip her onto the ground with a sharp sweep to her legs. Watching her carefully, I feel my waist for my broomstick.
I must’ve left it back in the building.
Eve’s eyes are beaming purple like my father’s. I glance at her, she isn’t herself, she’s being controlled. Christian has his hands in his pockets, staring at me from a distance.
“Eve, I don’t want to kill you.”
She’s acting like my mother, this isn’t her and I knew it wasn’t. By the way she moves and watches me, it’s odd. I block her next attack in mid-air, grabbing her wrist and disarming her. She slaps my face and pushes me away. That’s the thing, though, I’m a witch too; I know how to fight. I can anticipate her every move, each and every single one. She readies a punch for my face, I sidestep and proceed with a nice blow to her neck, knocking her out for a couple of minutes.
Christian is shocked as Eve falls to the ground unconscious. He walks toward me angrily. I walk backward a bit faster than him, turning around to run up the hill and back in the town. Everyone is standing, waiting for me, Alice in the middle of all the witches.
“Did you find Evelyn?”
My gaze lowers, there’s tiny gravel under my shoes. I cross my arms and fix my hair to say, “She’s in the training field, unconscious.” I grip my broomstick as the witches create a path for me. Alice grabs my arm, wanting to stop me. I glare up at her. “Don’t touch me.” The only reason she lowers her hand is because of my eyes; they’re beaming, stabbing right into hers. My emotions are all over the place, I’m losing control.
I think it’s the smart thing to do, you know, leave? Considering I’d blow up anyone in this little town of witches. I don’t care about anything at this moment, I need Donovan to be here with me; he’s the only one to calm me down at times like this. Hate and anger punch in my mind from how I’m feeling toward him leaving me alone when I’m in such a state. I wonder where he is, does he even care? He told me to behave and learn something, at least I can say I learned to lose control. I shake my head, rubbing my markings slightly to calm them down. Lowering my head, I walk into my room, its stale smell doesn’t calm me as much as I had hoped.
A knock on the door sounds.
“Go away.”
“Eliza, we need to talk,” Charlotte says.
“Come in and you’ll die,” I say, turning to my side and playing with the fabric of my sheets.
The door opens. She enters and sits on the edge of my bed.
“Evelyn wasn’t in the field when we went to check. Any ideas?”
“No clue. I punched her throat and she fell down. Believe me or not, I don’t care.”
“What’s wrong? Talk it out, Liza.”
She walks over to the center of the room. Picking up some stuff from the ground, she cleans up the room silently. “Would you feel better if Donovan was here?” She breaks the silence.
I turn to look at her as soon as she says his name.
“I’m not in the mood to joke around.”
“Who said I was joking?” She walks to the door and then opens it, to show that Donovan is there standing. He’s holding his broomstick, wearing a black and gray hood. Another scar marks his chin and eyelid. We exchange glances and suddenly I forget how to breathe.
“Donovan, what happened?” I rush over to him, placing my hand on his scar. I’m burned immediately, another new feeling. I jerk my hand away from him. In the corner of his eye, he stares at me. “Charlotte, go get Audrey, hurry,” my voice cracks.
Donovan falls against me.
Chapter 15
I hold him tightly, my hands pressed against his back. Donovan being in pain hurts me too, I only care to get him healed. I trudge backward to lay his body on my bed, he mumbles something, his lips moving slowly. I can’t figure out what he’s trying to say to me. He looks up. Drops drip onto the floor, there’s a puddle of blood below.
I frown, my lips trembling and my hand eventually covering my mouth. What could this jackass be doing to cause such pain? I’m the one left hurt and crippled by his secrets. Tear
s blur my vision. I place my hand on his cheek, removing his hood from his face. Bruises under his jaws and eyes glare up at me. I bite my bottom lip, angry how beaten he is. I pat his chest.
“I’ll be right back, okay? I’m going to look for help,” I mutter.
Closing the door behind me, I wipe the tears from my cheeks. I end up on the ground, burying my head into my knees. Footsteps echo inside the building, I can’t believe I’m in such a bad state to help Donovan.
“Quickly, Audrey, he’s in her room.”
I scoot away from in front of the door so she may enter. Charlotte’s here, I sense her presence. I say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, he comes back to me with beatings. It gets worse and worse each visit.” I can admit, this is the first time I’ve felt afraid for him. Sure, I’ve been stubborn with liking him. I mean we’ve been together on my journey for truth ever since I can remember. He’s been there for me, even if he’s a jerk sometimes. The guy is always saving me and the only thing I can give to him is, well, my love.
I tap on the ground, the witches are standing not too far away from me. They’re sharpening their knives and broomstick weapons. I flick my eyes away from them, there’s one guy with brown hair and markings rising from his neck that reach under his eyes. He catches my attention once more, flexing his arms. I chuckle to myself and shake my head, looking away.
“That’s Jeremy, and he’s my boyfriend.” I turn, there’s a girl around sixteen or seventeen walking toward me. “But it’s okay, you two can eye flirt if you want. He does it behind my back with other girls anyway.” She clears her throat.
I size her up, trying to give off the vibe not to sit next to me, but obviously I fail, because she plops her bottom right by my side. Her thumb presses on her broomstick’s button, like some kids would do with their pens in school; it would be so annoying. I roll my eyes. Without looking at her, I caught onto something else as I say, “Why wouldn’t you care if your man was flirting with someone else?”
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