The Bewitched Box Set

by W. J. May

  Karis sat down and tried to slow her breathing. Sparring with Brady was harder than she thought it would be. She watched as he took on another group, teaching them the basic moves and posture. She had a whole new respect for him as she watched him expertly throw jabs into the air. That was taxing, and she knew he must be tired, but he never complained and just kept teaching. He never gave up on anyone, and even sought out those who were having a harder time grasping the moves.

  Her shoulders ached from the vigorous exercise. She tried to keep up with him, but after two groups she was done. She glanced around at the previous trainees, and they looked just as sore as she did. Many of them were lying down anywhere they could find a spot. Some from the first group were up walking around, rolling their shoulders, trying to loosen their muscles.

  Azul was on the opposite side of the tents working with those who possessed a talent or power. He helped them hone in on it and push it a little further, but there were hardly any in that group.

  She turned her attention back to Brady and his students. Magnus was in this group, and she smiled at his enthusiasm and ability to learn. His head felt better after he let her work on it some more and was now ready to dive into training. He picked up on what Brady taught quickly, and was soon throwing invisible punches almost as smoothly as Brady.

  A light tap on her shoulder startled her. Karis looked up and shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand. Alexis sat down next to her. “I came to watch. Magnus is so set on helping. I’m glad Brady’s teaching everyone how to fight.”

  “Me too. I knew that he did it on Earth, but watching him do just the basic things with us here makes me respect him so much more. I can only imagine what he did, or how he did it back there.” Karis sucked in her upper lip and pictured Brady when she first met him on the island, how detached he was and upset. How confused he’d been. She sighed. He had come such a long way since then. She mused over all that happened to each of them and wondered if she’d have been as accepting or even loving if the roles were reversed.

  She watched as his back muscles tightened as he showed off an upper cut. His skin glistened with sweat under the afternoon sun. Absently, she rubbed her neck where her pendant used to rest. She wasn’t sure why Tharious stole it, but she felt naked without it. She couldn’t help but think of Tarine, and if he had tried to communicate with her. She knew that one way or another she would find a way to free him from the dark world.

  Brady danced around in a tight circle, showing how to keep his body moving at all times while in a fight. She stood back up and joined his group. She needed to train just as hard, if not harder. He glanced up as she took her place in the front row next to Magnus and gave her a tired wink.

  “He knows where we are.”

  Those words caused her to stop breathing. She looked up from her map into Azul’s grey eyes. “What?”

  He swallowed. “Coron. He knows. A messenger came through town and told some others about how he overheard one of Coron’s men in Shamike say that they were leaving for Aridam in the morning.”

  “How much time do we have before he finds a way here? I’ve blocked all the portals to Aridam, but it won’t stop him forever; he has Tharious.”

  “I know. I gather about midmorning tomorrow that they should be here. I’d say go to him and surprise him, but I’m not sure where he is. His location is fluid and he’s been moving around.”

  She waved him off. “It’s okay. Let him come here. If we’re expecting him, then we have the upper hand.” Karis wished Brady were there, but he went with Magnus to hunt with a small group. Feeding a multitude this large had taken its toll on the town and they needed more meat.

  She let out a breath and licked her lips. “Set up a watch perimeter of at least twenty men at all times. We can rotate them once night falls.” As she spewed out orders, her heart raced at the reality of what was about to happen. “As soon as anyone spots the slightest change, including an unusual increase in the wind, sound the alarm.”

  He brought his clutched fist to his chest, it was almost a habitual action that she’d seen other soldier in her father’s army do, but nothing she’d never seen him do before, then he turned and left to issue guard duties.

  Karis slumped down in the chair and placed her elbows on the table. She brought her laced fingers to her mouth and looked around the room in shock. She hoped she did the right thing, but it would do no good to second-guess her decisions. All week she worked with Azul and Brady to prepare for the fight.

  Her breathing hitched as her mind swam with all possibilities. No. She needed to clear her head. She stood up and left Magnus’s house, absently walking to the tents and weaving her way through each row. She needed to know that right now all the people who now followed her were safe. She cringed as she thought of those on Shamike and hoped that they also fared well. Soon, she thought, soon we will all be free.

  Brady trailed his finger up and down her bare arm. She leaned back into him, needing his strength and support. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through it.”

  She looked up and watched as his brow line crease, and his eyes fog over. She knew he was just as worried as she was, he just wouldn’t admit it. At least not to her. “What if I lose you, or Coron wins, or...”

  Brady didn’t let her finish. He placed a finger to her mouth. Since coming back from his hunting trip, he’d been trying to reduce her anxiety. He knew deep down that there was a chance that neither one of them would come out alive. His gut wrenched thinking of living without her. “Shhhh... right now we have tonight. Coron is not here, and we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.” He lightly kissed her lips, and then kissed the tears that ran down her cheeks before brushing them off with his thumbs.

  She reached up and grasped his wrists, knowing he was right. They weren’t promised tomorrow, and that was what she worried over. She may never have another chance to be with him, so she stopped talking and just stared into his eyes. She followed the scar under his eye and memorized every part of his face.

  He lifted her head to meet his gaze with his hand under her chin. “I need you to look at me.” His jaw flexed as he swallowed deep. “I’ve been with women, but none like you. There’s something about you that I can’t get out of my head. I want to protect you, and that’s something I’ve never felt before either. If something happens tomorrow I want you to know that I truly love you.”

  Fresh tears warmed her cheeks. “I know you do. I love you too,” she whispered.

  He leaned in to kiss her passionately, and held her even closer. Both of them needed each other, not knowing what the future held for them and wanting to take what they could.

  A loud rumble filled the air. Both Brady and Karis bolted straight up and jumped from their bed. Brady darted to the small window and peeked outside, then dropped the curtain back down. “He’s coming.”

  Karis slipped on her sandals and pulled her hair back in a tie. She was grateful she stopped wearing dresses. The silky pants she wore would be much easier to fight in than a long skirt.

  Brady was ready with his lightweight cotton pants and sandals. He looked every bit the part of a fierce Aridam warrior with the early morning sunlight streaming down on him through the crack in the wall.

  Someone pounded on the door just as Brady went to open it. Magnus was there breathing heavily. “He’s coming. The wind has picked up in the east, over by the mountain base, and the clouds...” he trailed off as he fought to catch his breath.

  “We know, we’re on our way.” Brady grabbed his uncle by the shoulder. “You must stay here and keep the town safe. Don’t argue with me, Alexis needs you.”

  Another rumble sounded and made the ground tremble. Karis walked past Brady. “We need to go.” She darted out toward the tents.

  Brady ran after her. Everyone was up and dashing around to grab whatever weapons they could. Karis pushed through the mayhem and found Azul leading the front of the gathering. Once he saw her, Azul strode over to meet her. He took her by the for
earms and looked into her eyes. “This is it.”

  She gave him a slight nod. “It is. We can do it.”

  Brady shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight that now was fully over the mountain ridge. “Looks like maybe ten more minutes, if we’re lucky.”

  Azul let go of Karis. “Yeah, that’s what I assumed also.”

  Karis felt her stomach twist, and she fought the urge to throw up. She needed to be strong for her people. She turned around and spotted a small dagger on the table beside them. She picked it up and flipped it over in her hand. It was silver with teal gems embedded in the handle and an intricate swirl engraved throughout the blade.

  “I’m taking this.” She left no room for argument, nor did she care if it was someone else’s. She would be going up against Coron, not his warriors. She slipped it in the band of her pants and began walking toward the now-forming whirlwind by the mountain base.

  She took one glance over her shoulder and saw the entire group following her. They all held their heads high. Brady was on one side of her and Azul was on the other side. This was it.

  They made it fifty feet away from the new portal when it touched down and men spilled forth from the base, running toward them. Each had a weapon of their own directed right at them.

  Anger inside Karis fueled her power. She held her hand out and sent a wall of energy, knocking them all over as they ran into her invisible barrier. She kept walking and never hesitated as more ran toward her. She continued to send out walls as she strode closer to the portal. All she could think of was killing Coron.

  Clouds overhead thickened as they filled with the power emanating out from Karis, almost like when she churned the sea in Perditus. The closer they got, the heavier the wind picked up. She could see him standing there, inside the middle of his portal. Just like a coward, she thought, to hide away while his men did the work.

  His red hair was quite the contrast against the darkening sky. Coron smiled when he saw her. She wanted to wipe the smug look right off his faced. She could see a few of her people sparring with those who had gotten back up from the initial blast. She didn’t have time to watch it all unfold, and darted her gaze back to Coron.

  He never moved. It was almost as if he taunted her, daring her to come and get him. Another group departed from the portal as they neared it. They all lashed out at Brady and Azul but left Karis alone.

  Brady swung in every direction, and Karis watched as men fell. He grabbed one around the neck and twisted. Apparently, she didn’t need to worry about him, he had it covered and could hold his own.

  She sought out Azul, needing to know he was okay. He was using his power to create force fields around certain individuals, making them immobile then using his sword on them.

  Everywhere she looked, there was a battle – everywhere but between her and Coron. She twisted back to face him, but he still stood inside the portal. She didn’t want to go inside, fearing it was a trap, but she had no choice. She needed to end this.

  She marched to the entrance of the portal and could feel its strength as it swirled wildly out of control. She looked around. Although she couldn’t see who created it, Karis knew it was Tharious. Only royals in her bloodline possessed that ability. Except, he was nowhere to be seen.

  “Sweet Princess, you should have stayed on Earth, but this is a much easier way to get to you.”

  She tipped her head slightly, not sure what his angle was.

  He moved closer to the edge of the portal and she could hear him better over the roar of the wind. “Do you know what it took to send you off to Earth? To curse an entire island so you couldn’t find him? And yet, you do anyway. You would’ve lived there forever if he hadn’t shown up and ruined everything.”

  He was behind her banishment? She searched her memories, but couldn’t see how that was possible.

  “You see, when you were born I knew that I wanted you for my own. I wanted to combine the kingdoms, but your father declined. After avoiding me, he claimed that you were bound to another man from Aridam. I refused to take no for an answer, so I made a journey to Aridam to kill him. By the time I arrived, the boy’s parents had already fled, but to where I wasn’t sure.

  “I was there when the news of the disappearance of the young man reached your father. I was certain he would accept my offer for your hand when you grew of age, but he still turned me down. I had to listen as he betrothed you to Azul for appearances, saying he would be the best suitor for you. Azul didn’t even know he was used as a ploy to keep me away.

  “I watched as you grew into a beautiful young woman and everything inside of me wanted you even more. You’re like a drug to me, calling out to me. I needed you, but with your father alive, I knew there was no way you’d ever be allowed to marry me. I didn’t know at the time that the bond you have with lover boy over there was real, nor did I know how strong it was. It wasn’t until your father was on the ground bleeding to death that I found out about what happened.” Coron grimaced and clenched his fists.

  Karis backed up slightly. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode.

  “He told me that when you were born, he had a charmer mix your blood. It’s something that has very rarely been done and is supposed to be irreversible. I knew I would never have you after that. Your heart would never truly love anyone else as long as your blood was mixed. I hated your father, just like I hate you for not loving me.”

  “It was you who killed my father?” Grief filled her with an extreme anger that she had a hard time controlling. She kept a cold hard stare in his direction. “All because I couldn’t love you. I have news for you. I would never love someone like you, mixed blood or not. I don’t know what you’re talking about with charms, but I know it wasn’t worth my father’s death.”

  “You tell me, Karis. Would you kill for love? Would you kill for Brady?”

  Her heart plummeted. “That’s not the same.”

  “Trust me, it’s the same. I thought maybe the charmer would break the spell and I would have a chance if your father was dead.”

  “You’re sick,” she spat.

  “No, but I am tired of living and hoping things will change. If you’re dead then I might be able to rest.”

  Coron lunged for her, but she slipped past him and sent out a shield of energy protecting herself. He let out an evil laugh and pulled out a long-bladed sword. She knew she could only hold her force field up for so long without Brady’s energy behind her.

  Karis danced around in a small circle with Coron just like she trained all week. She chanced a quick glance at Brady. He was still engaged with three Syrenae warriors. She’d have to do this herself.

  She concentrated on Coron’s energy and pulled, needing to weaken him as much as possible. It wasn’t easy without Brady, but at least she managed to deplete some of his power before he realized it.

  “Now I will have your kingdom, and I will have your friend Corina, who turned so easily against you. It seems that I’m not the only one who hated being second best.” He wanted to bait her, to make her lose her control, and she knew it.

  “You can’t have it. Shamike will never be yours.” Karis grabbed her dagger and lunged for him.

  Faster than his eye could follow, she dashed past him—but not before the tip of her blade sliced across his upper arm.

  He took a couple steps back and grinned, continuing to walk backwards into the portal. She watched with wide eyes. She couldn’t let him get away.

  Karis darted after him. Once she was inside the portal it closed up and she felt herself being lifted. She shrieked and reached out for anything. She didn’t know where Coron was taking her. The foolishness of following him struck her right then, even though she knew she couldn’t let him leave.

  Seconds later she felt the splash of cold water, and took in a lungful of air before the portal closed and she found herself in the sea. Coron was before her, his red hair floating out around his body and his azure tail. He held out his sword, and it began to glow
with a bright blue. She remembered this sword. He trained her with the same one. Maybe it only worked in Perditus, which must be where he transported her.

  She let her own tail take over the change and so she could let go of the breath she’d held in. Small air bubbles floated to the surface many feet above them. She held on to her dagger and watched as Coron gave her a slight smile.

  “Something I admire about you, you never give up.”

  She tensed up as he swam closer to her, his sword still glowing blue. “Coron, just end it here, right now.”

  “I can’t. I’ve gotten myself in too deep.”

  “What do you mean?” She almost thought he was going to concede, but instead he gripped his sword tighter and raised it slightly.

  “It doesn’t end with me. I had to ask Marin for help. Tarine was the only other one who knew of you and Brady. I needed him to be gone so I could send you to Earth and see if you could get so lonely that you’d give anything to be with me. Tarine threatened to send for Brady. I couldn’t let that happen, but I needed him, so I couldn’t kill him. Marin has a certain amount of control in Baratrum, but I essentially sold my soul to make it happen.”

  She swam in small circles with Coron, not trusting him at all. “I don’t understand. Why is Tarine so worthy of being alive, yet you’ll kill everyone else?”

  “Tarine is the charmer. He is the only one I know of who can try to reverse the blood bond.”

  Karis swore her heart stopped beating. Everything was finally making sense, but at the same time, it all became a bigger mess.

  “I will never love you.”

  “I know that now, that’s why I’m going to kill you. As for Tarine, he’ll also die soon because I won’t have a reason to keep him alive any longer. But I still have an agreement with Marin that I must live up to.”

  She kept circling him, never letting her eyes stray from him. “How is he supposed to break the bond?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve heard through legends that it has something to do with an arrow. Tarine never told me what it would entail.”