by Evie Wilde
“Thanks for dropping in,” Dash said and chuckled. “Where’s your dog?” We looked at each other. “Never mind,” he added.
“Cassandra,” Braeden called from behind. I started toward the cell holding him, but he yelled for us to stop. “The cells are lined with aspen.”
We stopped in our tracks and jerked our hands back. Aspen was one of the few things on the planet that could kill a witch. “What about our spells?” I asked. “Can we make it disappear?”
“No,” Dash said. “That shit will send the spell right back at you.”
“What then?” Ruby asked.
“I didn't see this coming,” Oliver said. He approached Dash’s cell and studied the aspen. “Not even a break where it was applied.” He stepped back and raised his hands toward the ceiling, pulling out all the moisture in the ceiling and walls. Dash moved to the far corner.
“I warned you,” Dash said.
Oliver brought a wave of water down on the bars. The wave hit the aspen-covered bars and bounced back, soaking him and knocking him to the ground.
“Told you so,” Dash said.
Oliver shrugged. “I don’t see anyone else coming up with a solution.” He waved his hand over his wet clothes and instantly dried himself. If your element was water then knowing how to dry off was a must. “Shh,” Oliver said, “someone’s coming.”
“Hide,” I said. “Back here!”
We hid behind a stack of crates along the dark half of the hallway splitting the room. We peeked from the darkness and saw Challis move into the light from the opposite end of the hallway. Kyler started to dart out into the light, but I quickly grabbed him and shook my head. His jaws clenched, and I held both his hands, hoping it would force his magic back. We needed to be a cohesive group.
“You boys comfortable?” Challis asked Braeden and Dash. She enjoyed having them locked up.
Challis wore a white see-through dress with absolutely nothing beneath. She also needed to throw in a dryer sheet the next time she dried her clothes as the dress clung between her legs, Dash’s eyes having trouble not looking. I didn’t blame him. Challis was a beautiful woman, and I could see why he had been attracted to her. But times had changed, and her time was coming to an end.
“Tell me about your girlfriend, Dash. She better in bed than I was.” She pulled up a chair and had a seat. From the angle we watched we could see her erect nipples pointing at Dash. She had his powers, and he would be unable to fight a love potion. Same with Braeden if she felt so inclined.
“That’s not hard to answer,” Dash said. “Of course she was.” Challis frowned, and I smiled, though I wondered if he’d said the same thing if he didn’t know I was in the shadows hiding. Based on the connection we had I thought he would have said the same thing.
“If you ever want your powers back, my love, you’ll start talking.” She moved closer to his cell, but not even she would touch the aspen. “Why is Edius so interested in her power? He’s not allowed me to kill her. It’s a little strange.”
“Maybe he’s going to replace you with her,” Dash said. He sat back against the wall opposite the bars covered in aspen. “There was no reason for you to do the things you did to me.”
Challis crossed her legs and then crossed her arms, her foot shaking back and forth. “You couldn't offer me the things Edius could, Dash,” she said.
“But he couldn’t give you what I could, Challis,” Dash said, his voice full of hurt. “He doesn’t love you. You do know that? He’s using you because of your powers. That’s all he cares about.”
“You’re wrong, Dash. He’s promised me a lot of things you never promised or could never deliver.” Her jaws clenched.
“And how many of those things has he come through on, Challis,” Dash replied. He was trying to cut deep. “You’ll never have with him what you could have had with me.”
Challis stood. “Is that what Cassandra does for you? Give you the things I didn’t?”
“Well, now that you mention it,” he said. “She does.”
Challis motioned over her shoulder at Braeden. “And you don’t mind sharing your pussy with another man?” She laughed and stepped toward Dash’s cell. “I would have never asked you to share, Dash.”
“No, you decided to walk away for empty promises.”
Challis chewed her bottom lip. “You should be careful, Dash. The only reason you’re not dead is because I asked Edius to spare you. He’s looking for a reason to end your life.”
“Bring him on down here,” Dash said.
Challis shook her head. “It’s not necessary, Dash. You’re going to tell me what I need to know.”
Dash shook his head. “You’re outta luck, baby.”
I smiled again. The connection I had with Dash incredibly strong.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Kyler
We couldn’t just walk out into the open and challenge Challis. A witch was always more powerful in her home. We needed the element of surprise. A large rat raced by and headed in the opposite direction, passing Challis who thought nothing of the rodent. The next time it passed by it could end up in one of her potions. I knew enough about their past to hate Challis as much as Dash did, though his hate was spurred by emotional hurt. Mine was spurred by the fact she did it intentionally and to my best friend.
“I can get in there,” I whispered to the others. Cassandra shook her head. “Yes, I will. I know all about her,” I said. “I know how bad she hurt him. I need to be the one.” The rat appeared again from the darkness. It stopped to look at her and then at Dash. Challis noticed and zapped him with a bolt of lightning. The rat exploded into nothingness. I was amazed at her lack of respect for life.
“Okay,” Cassandra said. “But I want to know what in the hell you’re going to do.”
“My shapeshifting is pretty much unlimited,” I said. “I can sneak right in. She’ll never know.”
“You lasted only thirty-seconds as a dragon,” Ruby said. “We need a better plan than that.”
“That’s because the bigger the animal the shorter the duration of the shift,” I said. “I go in there as a rat and I can last for hours.”
“She just turned that rat into splatter,” Ruby insisted. “You can’t do that.”
“He’s done it before,” Oliver said. “It’ll be okay.”
Cassandra still seemed hesitant. “If she catches you, we’re coming out,” she said. “So your ass better be ready for war.”
“Sure you can squeeze through the bars without touching the aspen?” Ruby asked. “I don’t see it happening.”
I nodded. “But we need something to pick the lock. Something long enough to help them avoid the aspen.”
“Yeah, I carry a lock set on me all the time,” Cassandra said.
“I’ve got this,” Ruby said and pulled two bobby pins from her hair. Oliver and I glanced at each other. We needed to learn more about women.
“When I change forms, put the bobby pins in the fur under my belly,” I said. “But be careful, I’m a little ticklish down there.” I glanced at Cassandra and saw her surprise. “I don’t mean there.”
“Sure,” Cassandra said. “I know what you meant.”
“This’ll never work,” Ruby said and sighed. “It’s been nice knowing you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I whispered.
“It will,” Cassandra said and looked at me. “It will.”
“When Braeden picks the lock, I’ll change back but while he’s doing that and you’ll need to create a diversion,” I said.
“We got this,” Cassandra replied. “Trust me, I know how to create a diversion.
“It’s time.” I closed my eyes and felt myself become small. When I opened my eyes, I saw my gigantic friends, hoping none would scream or try to step on me. I used my shapeshifting skills over the years to shift into everything from a mouse to a dinosaur, although I’d never do the dinosaur again. Everyone in the town I pranked had nightmares for weeks. Even the
adults had problems sleeping.
I stood on my two tiny back feet and used my free claws to scratch my belly. Ruby kneeled next to me and curled her lip.
“You’re an ugly little bastard,” Ruby said.
If I had a middle finger, I would have shown it to her. I scratched my belly again and Ruby slipped the bobby pins through my fur. It tickled, but I guessed none of them noticed my mousey smile. I went down to all fours, and Ruby patted me on the behind. “Be careful,” she whispered. She leaned over and gave my furry head a kiss.
I moved slowly at first, stumbling over my new feet, walking as if drunk, eventually walking into the opposite wall. It always happened when I changed. I regained my composure and traipsed to Braeden’s cell. He saw me and frowned, trying to shew me away with his hand. Big bad Braeden scared of a little mouse.
As I got closer to the aspen-covered bars, I could feel my skin warming. If I didn’t make the fit perfect, I’d burst into flames and become one of Challis’ potions.
I approached the bars, and Braeden scooted away. The big bad Braeden could fight a witch but not a rat. I would have to remind him of the fact if we really made it out of the predicament we were in.
The smell of the aspen burned my nostrils. I emptied my lungs and sucked in my stomach. Though I managed to squeeze between the bars without touching the aspen, the close proximity seared my fur. My insides burned. I needed water. I scurried across the cell, Braeden scooting out of the way, and headed toward the puddle in the far corner of the cell. I rolled around until the burning sensation dissipated. Nothing worse than having your insides cooked.
Braeden watched me with an interest he didn’t have before I rolled around in. I turned back around and sniffed the puddle. My reward for saving them was going to have to be great.
I reared to my back feet and that was when Braeden understood. “Kyler?” he whispered, and I nodded my mousey head. I rubbed my belly and that was when he saw the bobby pins.
Braeden slipped the bobby pins from my fur. He looked confused, so I motioned toward the cell door with my head. Then he nodded and slowly made his way over to the door.
Cassandra gave me a thumbs-up, and I nodded. She and the others stepped from the shadows, and all hell broke loose.
Braeden fumbled with the bobby pins as he tried to maneuver them into the lock without touching the aspen. One of the pins dropped to the floor, and he cursed. He jerked back when a fireball passed Challis’ head and almost hit the cell.
Challis cackled and called out a spell I’d never heard before. She tossed the spell at the small group, and they managed to work as a team to block the it. Challis screamed her displeasure. She was never shy about fighting with hate. Our only chance was for her to continue fighting with hate.
Cassandra broke from the group, rolled to one side, and aimed two small fireballs at Challis’ legs, taking her out. Challis fell to her knees and screamed in pain, but the spell did nothing to thwart her next spell which exploded over everyone's heads. Spiders dropped from the ceiling, and Ruby screamed. Oliver quickly responded with a water spell, adding a little ice, turning the spiders into ice cubes. He looked at me and held up a thumb. We fought for each other as well as the group.
Cassandra quickly countered with a light spell, temporarily blinding Challis.
Challis raised her hands, the magic passing between her palms the blackest of black. I stared into the abyss and swore I could see the end of the universe. She began her conjuring, and I felt the air being sucked from the room. Someone had to act fast.
Braeden finally managed to pick the lock and when he opened the door with the bobby pins the aspen dropped from the bars and disintegrated. He rushed to Dash’s cell and began working on the lock.
I scurried back to Cassandra and the others and quickly changed forms.
“I see you learned to keep your clothes on,” Cassandra said. I nodded. “That’s too bad.”
I turned red and considered plastering a kiss on her lips. But then we looked back at the spell Challis was continuing to conjure. Things were about to take a dark turn.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Cassandra
Everything seemed to move in slow motion, but not so slow I didn’t realize things were coming down to me, Cassandra Clarke, the witch who seemed to always muck crap up when she cast one of her spells. In that moment, I remembered what Guildmaster Ren said about failing at the Enchanted Academy. I remembered what Headmaster Eliphas said about one more chance. So I decided to channel all the bad into one last spell.
As I prepared the biggest spell of my life, Ruby cast her own spell, striking the crystal hanging around Challis’ neck. Challis grabbed for the crystal but missed. The crystal crashed against the rocky floor and shattered, releasing both Braden and Dash’s powers. The ring on my finger trembled as it felt the power of the five grow.
“She’s hurt,” Oliver yelled, jumping up and down, pointing at Challis. “We need more spells!”
“Fucking do something,” Dash yelled at Oliver. Dash raised his hand and cast a stream of fire at Challis’ feet. The witch jumped back and glared at him.
I could tell by the look on her face she was annoyed by Oliver and not afraid of him. She bounced a dozen fireballs at his feet and laughed as he danced around the hot balls.
Oliver calmed down long enough to cast another water spell, this time trapping Challis inside a water bubble. Challis broke her black magic conjuring long enough to burst Oliver’s bubble. She looked wild-eyed at us, knowing her reign of terror was coming to an end, and started moving backward. As she did, we started moving forward. She had to be stopped in the dungeon and not be allowed to escape.
Challis raised her hands again, her eyes turning to a black abyss, and began conjuring the darkest magic a witch could create. She was going all in on one last spell, breaking all the rules of magic.
“What the hell is she doing?” Kyler yelled and threw up a protective dome around us; though, if Challis managed to get her spell off, I was sure it would both shatter the dome and end the battle. I looked at the rocky floor and walls and realized why Kyler had yet to cast an earth spell. There was no earth to use. Our powers were being limited by our surroundings.
We slowly moved forward, each of us casting spell after spell, the barrage throwing Challis off her game. She screamed, and the entire room shook. She tried to steady her footing, but Dash launched a wall of fire. Challis met it with her own wall of water, dropping Dash’s spell to the floor.
I wanted Challis to stop. Wanted her to understand we had no other choice if she continued. “Challis,” I yelled. “Stop.”
Challis did stop. She looked at me, eyes full of hate, a hate for me I never knew a someone could have for another person. “Edius will have to understand,” she said and went back to her spell.
Braeden stepped outside the dome of protection and quickly cast a wind spell toward the ceiling above Challis. Several large blocks dropped from the ceiling, but Challis managed to dodge the oncoming monstrosities. The rocks smashed against the floor and shattered.
Ruby jumped from the dome and called up another spell, her bolts of light dodged by a skillful moving Challis; though, the assault was preventing her from casting her dark magic. Challis cackled as if she was beginning to turn the momentum back in her favor. “Damn it!” Ruby yelled. “She’s too fast!”
Challis sent a weak fireball toward Dash as he broke free from his cell. He ducked at the last second, and the fireball melted the bars of metal. He glanced at Challis, surprised she’d tried to kill him. Challis tried to rush forward, but a series of water spells from Oliver sent her flailing back.
I saw it in her eyes. The anger. The jealousy. The evil. The battle would be fought until us or her was dead. She sucked in a gulp of air and then blew tornado-strength wind our direction. Kyler threw up another dome of protection, but the wind was too strong, blowing us all to the ground. I sat up quickly and prepared to be hit again but not prepared to be defeated.
/> Challis raised her hands and conjured dark magic once again, the blackness between her palms calling on all the evil in the world, both alive and dead. Whatever she had in mind would essentially end our existence.
Dash suddenly reached out to me and grabbed my shoulder, the energy passing through to me and momentarily lifting me from the ground. When my feet returned to rock, the others placed their hands on me as well. We were either going to lose as a team or die as a team. I chose winning.
I recalled Aurelius creating the tiny balls of fire in his hands and saying size didn’t matter.
“We believe in you,” Dash said steadily. The others whispered their agreement.
I concentrated on the small fireballs, pulled my hands back, steadied my feet and thrust my hands forward. The tiny fireballs hit Challis directly in the eyes. Flames burst from the sockets, and Challis writhed to the ground, her screams like fingernails on a chalkboard. She managed to get to her feet, and that was when I remembered the white wand from Aurelius. I pulled it from the sleeve in my pants and pointed it at Challis, calling up the most powerful wind I could conjure. The wind shot forth from the wand and fanned the flames, still engulfing her.
The fire moved rapidly through Challis’ body, consuming her in seconds, the five of us watching in horror. Challis reached out for us but then fell to the floor. It didn’t have to end the way it did. We could have brought her to our side. That was really what I wanted.
“You did it,” Dash said. He hugged me and patted my ass.
“We did it,” I replied, watching Challis burn. It was like staring at a car wreck.
“Cassandra,” Ruby said and placed her hand on my arm. “Cassandra. It’s okay.”
“It didn’t have to be like this,” I said. And it didn’t. It could have ended peacefully. Watching Challis burn, I realized she’d only been a pawn in someone else’s game. I still had a score to settle with Edius.