by K E O'Connor
“You’re still not using your magic properly. Reach out and touch what’s around us. I’ve only got half my wits about me thanks to Albert’s drugging spell, and I can still sense it in the air. Tune out the noise and use your senses. What does your magic tell you?”
“Do you mean the red mist that’s seeping through the crowd?”
“Yes! If that’s how you see the problem. I smell moldy cheese.” She gave a tiny shrug. “I sometimes smell magic better than I see it.”
I blocked out the chants from the villagers as best I could and closed my eyes. After a few seconds, a heavy, sticky sensation engulfed me. It tickled my nose and made me want to sneeze. It also aroused my anger and made me want to lash out. If everyone in Witch Haven felt like this, no wonder things were out of control.
I opened my eyes and stared at Odessa.
“Do you get it now?” she said. “Something’s horribly wrong with Witch Haven. Everyone’s denied it for too long, but we can’t anymore. And it’s not because you’ve come back.”
I nodded. I did get it. There was a twisted, creepy vibe running through this place. This was bigger than Luna and her ghost problem, and it was more complicated than Ursa and her hexed dolls. And whether or not I’d caused this, I had to set things right. But there was no way I could do that once I’d become barbecued.
“We’re getting off this witch pyre,” I said. “It’s time to give this village a shake up and get everyone to see sense. Are you with me? It won’t be easy. The villagers aren’t your fans now they know we’re friends again.”
“I don’t give two hoots about what the villagers think about our friendship,” Odessa said. “I’ll back you all the way.”
I grinned at her. “Then let’s wake everyone up and get out of here, before we become dry roasted witches.”
Chapter 17
“Storm’s still not awake,” Odessa said. “She ate the biggest piece of cherry pie, so could have received a bigger hit of the magic Albert dosed us with.”
“Blast her with a spell,” I said. “Something to make her tingle and get the blood pumping.”
“An ice blast will do the trick. She hates being cold. She bitches like a summer elf every time the temperature drops below sixty.”
While Odessa worked her magic on Storm, I kept a close eye on the villagers as they came to the end of their fire ritual.
I couldn’t reach Russell with my hands tied, though I jiggled about to see if I could get him to stir.
Nugget, however, was within reaching distance of my mouth. He’d hate me for doing this, but I caught his tail between my teeth and bit him.
He stiffened and then shrieked. He leaped in the air and landed belly down on my head.
Nugget hissed in my ear, and his claws dug into my scalp. “Did you just bite me?”
“Sorry, but I had to get your attention. Take a look around. We’re in trouble.”
He hissed again, and his head swiveled to the chanting crowd. “Is this some kind of horrible nightmare? They want to burn us?”
“They do. But we’re not letting that happen. Try to rouse Hilda. I can’t get her awake.”
Nugget growled low in his chest, then hopped onto my shoulder and licked Hilda’s head.
There was a yelp from behind me and lots of cursing. Storm was awake.
“Why do I have an icicle hanging off my nose?” she growled out.
“It worked!” Odessa said. “I knew you’d wake up when you got cold enough.”
“What the heck is going on?” Storm said. “I can’t see anything. What’s with all the chanting?”
“Long story short. Albert drugged us, and the whole village has turned out to see us burn on top of a witch pyre,” I said.
Storm groaned. “I knew I shouldn’t have gotten out of bed this morning. Odessa, if you don’t get this icicle off my nose, you’ll be in a world of pain.”
“We’ll all be in a world of pain soon,” I said. “The villagers have just finished their ritual. Now it’s time for the burning.” I watched with wide eyes as Albert emerged from the crowd, holding aloft the burning stick.
“Do you have any last words?” he said.
“I absolutely do. And I want all of you to listen.” I raised my voice and added a little magic boom for effect so no one would miss what I was about to say. “I’m not the danger in Witch Haven. I haven’t been back here for long, so I don’t know about all the problems you’ve faced, but I’ve heard about many of them. This place is troubled. And I know where the trouble is coming from.”
“It’s coming from you,” someone yelled.
“No, it’s not. There’s a dark witch coven that wants to take control of Witch Haven. They gave Magda Ash tainted magic and threatened my life. They said if she didn’t do what they told her to, I’d die. Magda was trying to protect me. She believed the magic she used on you wouldn’t kill anyone. The witch coven lied to her.”
“Just like you’re lying to us now,” the woman with a hunched back said. “You’re trying to save yourself and your friends.”
“No, I know what I did was wrong. And if it was only me on top of this witch pyre, I’d let you do whatever you wanted to me. But you’re trying to hurt people I love, and that’s wrong. I can’t let that happen.”
“We lost people we cared about because of you,” Cornelia said. “You should feel the same loss. Maybe then you’d understand the mess you left behind.”
“I do. I lost Magda that day. I lost her to the darkness the witch coven gave her. She was only trying to protect her family. She didn’t know she’d lose control, or that the magic would infect me. Neither of us had any idea the damage it would do. But now it’s here, and we need to face the danger together. If we unite, we can defeat this darkness. You must all feel it. This is what’s making life in Witch Haven so hard.”
The crowd went quiet, then people began to talk to their neighbors. Were they understanding there could be a different way of doing things?
“Enough of this,” Cornelia said. “We’ll all feel better once you’re dead. Albert, light the fire.”
Russell shuffled around inside my jacket and let out a hoarse caw, as if he had a sore throat.
There was a cheer as Albert thrust the lit stick into the pyre.
“They won’t listen to us,” Odessa said. “And I refuse to go down in flames.”
“I’m with you there,” I said. “Can you reach around far enough to grab Storm? We’ll join magic and get out of here.”
“Yes! I’ve got her,” Odessa said.
“How’s Hilda doing, Nugget?” I said.
“She’s faking being unconscious. I think she enjoys getting a tongue bath from me.”
“I’m not faking anything,” Hilda muttered. “It’s just taking me a while to get the feeling back in my legs.”
I let out a sigh of relief. My familiars were all awake. They’d be okay. Now, if we could break out of this spell holding us, we’d have a chance to get free and escape the growing flames.
The amethyst necklace glowed hot on my skin again. I had to trust my magic. I was so used to being fearful of it, that I still doubted my powers. But I had my friends beside me and my familiars on hand. I could do this. We could do this together.
Odessa gripped my fingers. “Are you ready?”
“Yep,” I said. “Storm, is everything good with you?”
“Heck, yes. Get me out of here.”
“Hold on to Hilda, Nugget,” I said. “I don’t want any of you falling into the flames.”
I blocked out the crowd noise again and concentrated on channeling my magic into Odessa and Storm. My magic knew them. It liked them. Over the years we’d grown up together, our powers had often mingled. They melded perfectly as a hot wave of energy flooded out, breaking the binding spells holding us in place.
I shook out my arms and turned to Odessa and Storm, making sure to clutch Russell close so he didn’t slip out of my jacket. “Are you both good?”
“Other
than being a bit sweaty and gross, I’m fine,” Odessa said. She thrust out her hands and doused the flames flickering toward us.
The crowd watching us gasped, and several people backed away, the anger on their faces turning to fear.
“No one dies,” I said to Storm and Odessa. “Everyone isn’t acting themselves. We have to make allowances for that.”
“I’m not so sure about that. There are a few heads out there I’d like to crack wide open.” Storm glowered at the watching crowd.
“No! They’re not responsible for their actions. We need to help them, not hurt them,” I said.
“Get her,” Cornelia yelled. “Don’t let the witches get away. They have to pay for what they’ve done.”
“You’re sure about not hurting anyone?” Storm said. “I’ve never liked Cornelia much.”
“Nothing fatal.” I stroked a hand across Nugget’s back. “How do you three feel about having a magic boost? We’re in need of some serious crowd control.”
“Point me in the right direction, and I’ll make sure they don’t get anywhere near you,” Hilda said.
I lifted Russell from my jacket and placed him on my shoulder. “You good, Russell? Are you ready to be my flying gladiator?”
He flapped his wings and cawed.
I pressed my finger to their heads in turn.
They shuddered and bounced away from me as the magic covered them.
Nugget turned into a sleek, glossy giant cat with huge fangs. Russell exploded into an enormous silky crow with giant talons and a wicked sharp beak. Hilda, as usual, became a magnificently terrifying spider with giant fangs that rubbed together menacingly.
A wave of terror flooded across the crowd as they spotted my super enhanced familiars heading their way. Several groups broke away and fled into the gloom. Others stood there, shock on their faces as they took in my awesome giant familiars.
“Get to work, you three,” I said.
They bounded away, chasing away the villagers and filling the air with growls, hisses, and roars.
I took a few seconds to admire my incredible familiars. I was so fortunate to have them.
Storm jumped off the witch pyre, and I grabbed Odessa’s hand and helped her as we slid down the pile of smoldering wood.
I turned and looked back at it. “That was too close. If we hadn’t—” I was slammed off my feet as something hot and spiky hit my back.
I landed on top of the pyre and lay there stunned for several seconds.
“I see him!” Odessa yelled.
I rolled over and discovered her firing magic at my attacker.
“We’ve got some heroes trying to make a name for themselves.” Storm’s hands were ablaze with sparks of lightning magic.
I jumped up and joined them. In front of us were two warlocks and four witches. They all looked young and angry as magic sparked on their fingers.
“I don’t know any of them,” I said. “What have they got against me?”
“I expect they’ve all heard the rumors about you,” Odessa said. “That’s all they need to fire them up. That and a little of the darkness that’s troubling everyone.”
“They’re children,” Storm said. “They’re nothing to worry about. And they should respect their elders.”
“You’re saying we’re old?” I said.
She shot out a spell, and it took one of the witch’s off her feet. “I’m saying, we have experience.”
“Go carefully with that experience,” I said. “Remember, no fatalities in this fight.”
There were several screams from the darkness. My familiars were doing their jobs well.
“We’re not afraid of you,” one of the warlocks said. He couldn’t be more than twenty. “We know all about you, and you don’t belong here.”
“I do. Witch Haven is my home. You’re not scaring me away.” I raised my hands, sparking a spell on my fingers.
A witch threw out a spell which skimmed over my head and tickled my skin.
Odessa squeaked and dropped to the ground as a blast of magic slammed into her.
“Storm, cover me.” I knelt over Odessa. She was clutching her arm as a line of blackness snaked along her veins.
“He got me with a curse! That little creep. That’s Zyler Darkmore’s son, Nash. I never liked him. He takes after his dad. Too smug for his own good.”
I glowered at the boy who’d attacked Odessa. “He should know better than to use a curse he can’t handle.” I wrapped my hand around her arm, blocking the curse from moving any further, then channeled in healing magic. I imagined the curse being drawn out through her skin and disappearing into the breeze.
Storm grunted as she fired out more magic. “How long are you two going to be? This lot have youth on their side and are casting spells without breaking a sweat.”
“I thought you said they were nothing to worry about,” I said.
She grunted again. “I’m not worried. I just don’t want a magic hangover tomorrow because I’m having to do all the heavy lifting.”
“Hey! I’m cursed down here,” Odessa said.
“You’re not, anymore. It’s gone. The magic was unstable and came away easily.” I helped her up.
“I’m still giving Nash a stern talking to about the improper use of curses.” Odessa brushed down her clothes. “And I’ve got something that’ll make him think twice about messing with me again.” She stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled, then stood with her hands on her hips, seeming oblivious to the magic battle going on around her.
I blocked several spells that headed straight toward Odessa. “What are you hoping will happen?”
“Just you wait. My boys won’t let me down,” she said.
“Your boys had better hurry.” Storm grimaced as she parried a spell that made her stagger back. “These kids are blasting with abandon, and one of their spells will get through, eventually.”
The ground beneath my feet rumbled. Was this another spellcaster after us, or something new to worry about?
My eyes widened as I spotted six angry looking scarecrows racing out of the trees and heading straight toward the magic users who were attacking us.
Odessa clapped her hands together. “There they are. Go get them, boys.”
The scarecrows growled as they launched themselves at the spellcasters. The battle was brief and messy, with straw and pumpkin splattered all over the place in a matter of seconds.
I raised a spell to offer my assistance, but Odessa restrained my arm.
“There’s no need for that. My boys love a good fight. Let them deal with the children,” she said.
In less than a minute, our attackers were face down on the ground, and the remaining scarecrows stood over them.
Odessa raced over to the downed scarecrows and inspected each of them. “Indigo, I could do with some help. I need to get these guys to my repair room.” She heaved a huge scarecrow who was missing a head over one shoulder.
I knelt next to another deflated scarecrow. “This one is pretty messed up. Maybe it’s best if you leave him behind.”
“No! They saved our lives. I’m not giving up on my wounded soldiers. Grab Marmaduke and follow me.”
I rolled him onto his back. Marmaduke was missing an arm, half the stuffing from his middle, and his head, but he was still twitching. Whatever magic was keeping him alive was intact.
I glanced up to see one of the scarecrows watching me with a creepy intensity. I raised a hand. “Hey. Thanks for the save.”
He nodded and tipped his straw hat at me.
Storm strolled over and helped me to get Marmaduke balanced on my shoulders.
“That was too close for comfort,” I said. “We were almost turned crispy and then bested by a bunch of teenagers with more attitude than sense.”
“They didn’t scare me,” Storm said.
“And I know all their parents. If they’d gotten too feisty, I’d have dragged them home and made them explain themselves,” Odessa said.
I nodded as I walked over to her. “We need to get out of here before more villagers arrive and pick up where their charming children left off.”
“Let’s go back to my place. I need to work on these scarecrows.” Odessa looked at our six attackers who were still on the ground. “You know, I’ve often wondered what would happen if you combined a warlock and a scarecrow.”
I snorted a laugh as fear darkened our assailants’ eyes. “Sure. We could try that. This lot won’t object to being willing subjects.”
“Do you really think so?” Odessa grinned at me.
“Don’t encourage her. She wasn’t making a joke,” Storm whispered in my ear. “Odessa really does want to try that out some day.”
My laughter died. Odessa could be scary for someone so sweet and usually away with the pumpkin fairies.
“Um, we can’t keep them,” I said. “But we also can’t let them go.”
“Get these things away from us.” Nash kicked out at one of the scarecrows. “I’ll report you all for this.”
“You can try, but your daddy won’t help you now,” Storm said.
“And you’re in a world of trouble for blasting me with that curse,” Odessa said. “My arm still stings. I should let my scarecrows eat you. A fat, tender morsel like you would be popular. They could share your limbs between them, and then—”
“No! We’re not feeding them to the scarecrows,” I said.
Nash scowled at Odessa. “My curse wouldn’t have killed you. Although maybe it should have done, especially since you’re hanging around with her.” He glared up at me.
“You behave yourself, young man, or you’ll be doing work experience with my scarecrows,” Odessa said. “They like to knock sense into green beans like you.”
“We could give them all a memory wipe so they don’t remember the fight,” I muttered. “And then your scarecrows can watch over them until we get out of here.”
Odessa nodded. “That’s a good idea. And my boys usually follow orders. I’m seventy percent sure they won’t kill them.”
The creepily intense scarecrow who’d been watching me, looked at me again and grinned. At least, it could have been a grin. Or maybe it was a snarl. There were a lot of sharp crooked teeth on display.