Snow White's Witch (Tales of Eventyr Book 2)

by Jessica Parker

  He was a breath away when a dark shadow fell across them. Anessa looked up in horror. Rothe, here in the meadow.

  Chapter 23

  "You filthy whore!" Rothe yelled. "You’re just like her, picking him over me."

  "Rothe, please." So he thought of her as his possession, a toy he didn’t want anyone else to have.

  Rothe lifted his staff and placed a clear barrier around them. “Enjoy the show.”

  He walked back to whatever door brought him there.

  “Why didn’t he go for the castle?” Theron asked. “The door we came through is wide open.”

  “I don’t know, but we need to get out of here.” Anessa touched her wand to the barrier. “Rhewi.”

  The air around them grew cold. When she shivered, Theron wrapped his arms around her. Ice crystals formed on the barrier above and around them.

  Bells rang in her ears, literal alarm bells, from her cottage in the woods.

  "Birch!" Anessa pulled away from Theron and kicked the ice barrier. A crack spread along the side where the ice was weakest. "We have to go. Snow White is in trouble."

  Theron finished kicking away the ice, and they stepped through. "Let's go."

  Anessa didn't hesitate. As soon as his arms were around her, she transported them to the kitchen in her home.

  Shouts from outside pulled them to the front of the house.

  The dwarves surrounded a woman who looked like Anessa standing next to Snow White.

  "She's mine, dwarves," The Anessa doppelganger shouted. She held a knife to Snow White's throat and was pulling them both to a magic doorway through the woods.

  Anessa pulled on the magic from the cottage, and found the piece that didn't belong, a hole put there by Rothe's sorcery.

  "Rothe!" Anessa walked out her front door.

  The doppelganger smiled, and the transformation melted away. "Anessa my dear, it's nice of you to join us."

  "Leave Snow White alone."

  "No, I was cheated out of my future once, I won't have that happen again." He continued to pull her toward the door. They were only a couple of steps away.

  Anessa called the witchlight to her hand. "I wasn't asking."

  Rothe transformed once more, and this time he looked identical to Snow White, "Try to stop me." He pulled them both into the doorway, and they vanished.

  "Where did they go?" Theron asked?

  "Only one way to find out!" Anessa ran toward the door, Theron right behind her.

  When they passed under the door frame, there was a pulling sensation, like falling into a river and being weighed down. The magical current carried them through and spit them out in a fragrant flower field. The meadow.

  On the far side the two Snow Whites were running to the door to the castle. It was still open from Anessa and Theron's picnic.

  Theron and Anessa ran after them.

  "Rhewi." Anessa yelled and pointed her wand at them. Ice shot out, but the first Snow White simply flicked their wrist and Anessa's spell froze the roses on either side.

  "Try again." Snow White's voice laughed from behind a larger bush that was obscuring both of them from view. A ball of fire was launched back at Anessa.

  "I'm hungry." Snow White's voice whined.

  That's it! Anessa thought. She couldn't use the spells she needed to on Rothe if she didn't know which one he was, but they couldn’t run for the door if she kept them right where they were.

  Her picnic basket was still here.

  “Theron, I need an apple.”

  “What?”

  “Trust me. Get me an apple from the basket now.”

  Theron left her side and ran for the blanket by the river.

  “Tell me, Rothe, what do you intend to do with her?"

  "We'll live out our happily ever after."

  "Why would she want you when her mother didn't?"

  "You wanted me."

  "And I've learned to regret it."

  An angry yell was followed by a large boulder flying over the hedge. A dark cloud began to form over the meadow. Within three breaths it was a dark black, and rain began to fall.

  Anessa called up a spell, and the rock flew towards the river.

  "Got it." Theron handed her a red apple. "Now what?"

  Anessa held the apple up and began chanting an ancient language. The light red skin of the apple began to glow. With each word the light pulsed a different hue. When it reached a dark shade of red, Anessa began to swirl the air around it with her wand. Sparks of light grew within the glow. It was like looking into a ruby sunburst. As the thunder cracked above them, Anessa finished her spell.

  The light red was gone, and instead it was a deep red hue that sparkled in spite of the cloud overhead.

  Anessa held the apple out to Theron. "Throw it to Snow."

  Theron took the apple and smiled. He tossed it over the hedge.

  "Ow!" Snow’s voice exclaimed.

  A blue light exploded, and the bush surrounding the two Snow White’s was gone in a flash. One Snow White floated in a clear bubble, while the other took off running for the door.

  Anessa and Theron ran to the floating Snow White. Her skin was as pale as the snow she was named after, while her lips were as red as the roses crushed around them. She slept, the forever sleep, inside the protective ice shielding her.

  "It worked." Anessa sighed in relief.

  "Which one is that?" Birch asked as she and the other dwarves burst onto the field.

  "What took you so long?" Anessa asked.

  "Had to figure out how to get the silver through. Afraid that door is going to be broken for a while.

  "Protect Snow White. Rothe may be back," Theron said.

  Anessa nodded at Theron and they turned back toward the door to the castle.

  Rothe had already gotten there, and Theron and Anessa wouldn't reach it before it closed behind him.

  "Chwalu". Anessa pointed her wand at the door, and it shattered. If it couldn't close, it couldn't lock them out. She'd replace it later.

  When Theron and Anessa reached the castle courtyard, Anessa yelled at Theron. "Warn the King. Meet me at the mirror."

  Theron hesitated. "But-"

  "Go!"

  He took off at a sprint down the hallway. Anessa’s wand turned a light blue, almost white color. The air chilled around her as she ran to the workroom.

  Chapter 24

  There was no sign of Rothe when she got there.

  Queen Adalyn was pacing in the mirror. When she saw Anessa, a pained expression covered her face.

  Theron ran into the room followed by Prince Garrick.

  Prince Garrick looked around him. "Where is he? I’ll kill him for what he did to mother."

  “How nice of you to join me.” Rothe stepped into the room, and with a flick of his staff the stone behind him multiplied and sealed the doorway.

  "Protect the mirror. That is your job," Theron said to the prince.

  Two could play that game. Anessa’s wand turned brown and she flicked it at the rocks underneath Rothe. They began to melt into sand.

  Rothe jumped up and away.

  Anessa was about to cast another spell when the Prince knocked her down and ran at Rothe with his sword drawn.

  Rothe blocked the blow with his staff and then twirled it around to hit Garrick’s leg. Garrick froze in place like a statue.

  "You fool. You’re no smarter than a beast in the woods." A terrifying grin spread on Rothe’s face. "But a beast can be trained to do his master’s bidding. Zver." Rothe cast his spell, and the prince yelled in pain.

  Fur sprouted all over the prince’s arms. His shoulders cracked and his back bent. His legs lengthened, and he grew three feet taller. But his face was the worst part. He grew into something out of a storybook to frighten children. His mouth and nose lengthened until his face resembled a wolf’s, especially when his teeth grew larger and stronger.

  Garrick dropped to his hands and knees. The nails of his hands turned into claws and scraped along t
he stone floor.

  “Now sit.” Rothe laughed as the beast did so.

  “Let him go!” Theron said. “It’s me you want, right?"

  "I couldn’t care less about you, human. I’m here for her." Rothe’s gaze turned to the mirror.

  Anessa didn’t feel hurt like she might have.

  “You’ll have to go through me to get it,” Theron said.

  “You’re hardly a challenge. Beast, kill him."

  The beast stood and marched toward them. Theron gave Anessa a nod and then walked toward the wall with the large window.

  Anessa felt her wand heat in her hand. She sent a blast of fire at Rothe, which he quickly returned. It smashed into her work table.

  There was a loud roar from the beast. Anessa looked away from Rothe for just a moment. Theron had backed the beast up into the quicksand floor that Anessa made earlier. Sweat fell from his brow from the battle, and just as he straightened, the beast gave one last lunge. Theron had to jump back to avoid getting hit, and in that moment Theron reached the window.

  He fell backwards and crashed through the glass.

  "No!" Anessa yelled.

  She felt a tug, and her wand ripped out of her hand.

  Rothe flung the wand across the room and then pointed his staff at her.

  "Now, my dear, you’re going to transport me and the mirror to the glass forest."

  Anessa looked around, searching for anything that would help her. She could do magic even without her wand, but it would cost her so much more. A cold shiver ran down her spine. The Covens might be picking a new queen by midnight.

  She called on the magic inside her being, magic from the darkness.

  Cold filled her fingertips and began spreading up. She looked down. Everywhere the coldness swept her skin turned black. She wished she could have seen Theron one more time. Could have tasted a kiss from his lips.

  Stones around them began to tremble.

  "What are you doing?" Worry crept into Rothe’s voice.

  The rock walls began to fall.

  Chapter 25

  Mortar cracked; beams groaned under the weight.

  "Anessa, stop!" Theron climbed in through the window. Bloody, broken, he stumbled to her.

  “You’re alive.” A flood of warmth rushed through her.

  Light shone through her darkened skin like a vein of gold in stone. The trembling of the stone stopped. Rothe cleared the doorway, stopping only a moment to free the beast from the sand, and ran.

  The beast stood in the doorway blocking their path from pursuing Rothe. Theron picked up a large piece of rubble and threw it at him. It hit the beast in the center of the forehead. Garrick fell, and so did Theron.

  Theron’s breathing turned raspy. His hand reached out to hers. His grip was weak.

  “Don’t you dare die.”

  He tried to chuckle, but it sounded more like crunching gravel.

  "My wand." Anessa ran to where Rothe had thrown it. A piece of rubble stone had fallen on it, shattering the glasswood. It was useless now.

  Her hand lifted to her throat, and her fingers brushed the necklace. The small knife pendant pricked her finger, and the necklace came loose. She caught and held it as it grew back into the full sized gold and emerald knife.

  May your blood bind with your true love to keep him with you for all time. Imelda’s whispered words came to Anessa.

  She hurried back to Theron. “I can save you, but you would be bound to me for as long as I live.”

  He tried to speak, but she couldn’t understand the words. He looked into her eyes and nodded.

  Anessa took her hand in his and placed the knife in between. This way an edge of the blade faced both their palms. With one stroke it cut them both. The emerald hilt began to glow, and Anessa turned it over so that the edge that had cut her now faced Theron’s cut. She pressed their hands to it again.

  Imelda’s magic sealed their hands to the knife. It began to shrink even as it burned. Anessa’s life spark was deciding to accept or reject this bonding. The knife disappeared altogether, and her blood met his. A weak spark met hers, and they blended together.

  Green light washed over them both.

  When the light faded away, their hands still clung to each other, but now Theron was using it to pull himself into a sitting position.

  Anessa looked at his bloody torn clothes, unsure what to say. It seemed all his injuries were healed. Theron’s gaze was locked on the beast.

  “Let’s go. We’ll discuss this later.”

  She pushed a pang of hurt down. He had a job to do and so did she. Anessa went to her trunk and pulled out the wand she’d been given on top of the black mountain. She gave a test flick and the beast’s body slid to the side of the door.

  Now instead of being the pursued, Anessa and Theron became the pursuers, running after Rothe through the castle. They reached the bottom of the stairs where they were met by the dwarves.

  “Did you see Rothe?"

  "He ran for his door."

  They hurried to the meadow, but by then it was too late. Rothe was gone, along with the doorway to the cottage.

  Anessa found the hole that had linked the door to her cottage, but the magical system allowing it had collapsed, much like a cave-in. The dwarven silver and Rothe’s escape had put too much pressure on it. She decided to seal the meadow from being accessed by anyone not entering through the castle door.

  Chapter 26

  "He’s gone. Now what about Snow?" Theron asked.

  "She’s fine." Anessa walked to the ice bubble with Snow inside. “Lentelė.”

  The ice around her melted and froze into a dais underneath her.

  "We tried everything to wake her up. But even our silver isn’t doing any good," Birch said.

  "It’s a true love spell," Anessa said.

  "How does making her sleep accomplish true love?" Theron asked.

  "She’ll only wake to true love’s kiss." Anessa shrugged. "I read it in a book once."

  Birch folded her arms. "Well, looks like she’ll be sleeping for a while unless we can find her true love."

  "Let’s ask her mother." Anessa sighed.

  Birch pointed to Blue. “You’re with me. The rest of you guard the Princess.”

  Theron, Birch, Blue, and Anessa walked back to the castle and into the workroom. Birch looked carefully at the beast.

  “Still alive?” Blue asked.

  Birch nodded. Together they moved his body to a corner and stood guard.

  Anessa approached the empty mirror. "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, show us Snow’s true love, big or small."

  The image changed and showed an old man and a young man. They were saddling horses.

  "Looks like they’re in stables." Theron pointed to the King’s crest on the stall door.

  "I hope it’s the old guy," Birch said. "Would serve her right for being a whiny brat this whole time."

  Blue laughed. “You’re just mad because she ate the good cheese.”

  "Theron, let’s go find her love. Blue, Birch, go back to the meadow."

  It didn’t take long for Theron and Anessa to reach the stables.

  “Stop!” Theron shouted.

  The two men halted their movements to get in their saddles.

  “Who are you?” The old man asked.

  “Knight Captain Theron.”

  “Nice to meet you, Captain. I’m afraid my son, Prince Charles, and I were just on our way home.”

  “Please, you must come with us. I’ll explain on the way.”

  They hurried to the meadow. There they approached the sleeping Snow White.

  The old prince knelt down by her sleeping body. He whispered something in her ear, and then gave her a quick peck on the lips.

  Nothing happened.

  The old man turned to his young son who couldn’t have been more than sixteen. "Your turn, boy."

  The prince approached Snow White, and, with a blush in his cheeks, placed a sweet kiss on Snow’s forehead in a token of
affection. He’d barely sat back when Snow’s eyes popped open.

  "Charlie!" she shouted.

  The boy blushed all the more.

  "You know him?" Theron asked.

  "We go to school together," Snow said.

  "Well, congratulations. He’s your true love," Charlie’s father said. "Guess that means we don’t have to renegotiate those contracts after all."

  Chapter 27

  Snow and the others left Anessa and Theron alone in the meadow. Awkwardness filled the space between her and Theron. To avoid hearing his regret at binding himself to her, Anessa turned and used her wand to seal the meadow. Now only the door to the courtyard could access it.

  They were walking back to the doorway to the courtyard, when Anessa spoke. "I’m sorry."

  "For what?" Theron took her hand in his and pressed their new scars together.

  "I should have seen what Rothe was before he hurt so many people."

  "None of this is your fault. He made his choice, and you have driven him off multiple times."

  "But now things are worse. The castle is in disarray, the prince is a monster, and the queen is still just as trapped."

  Theron stopped and pulled her into the shade of a nearby tree.

  "What?"

  Before the full word had passed her lips, his were pressed to hers. Warm and gentle. Just like him. Heat flared inside her as the kiss turned passionate. Surpassing every description she’d ever read in one of her books.

  The kiss broke apart, and he placed her hands on his chest. She felt the steady thrum of his heartbeat even as the both caught their breath.

  As she stared at her hands, unsure of what to say, the black skin began fading back to her normal color.

  Amazement filled her voice. "True love’s kiss. You love me? You don’t regret sealing your life to mine?"

  "Isn’t it obvious, little flower? What more do I need to do to prove how much I love you?"

  "How would it work? I’ll have to live in the Black Mountain now."

  "I’ll follow you there. The King can find a new replacement." Theron held her hand as they began walking once more.

  When they walked through the door Anessa looked up at the castle. "I suppose I’m going to have to pay for the repairs."