The Blood Witch (The Blood Reign Chronicles Book 1)

by Nielsen, D. S.

  That didn’t sound too bad to Jak. At least they should have help from the people of the city who opposed her. Even if some of the City Watch were involved, if the people of the city rose up in rebellion they could overpower the watch. At least it sounded simple enough to Jak.

  Suddenly Jak remembered something and blurted it out before thinking. “I have great news. Just before I returned here I found Brigette, but we got separated in a crowd. I was going to bring her back with me…..”

  Everyone’s head swung to face Jak and they all began to talk at once.

  “Brigette?” Gin said angrily, “she is the one who killed mother and father and everyone else back home. She is the Blood Witch.”

  “What do you mean you were going to bring her back here? Did you tell her where we are staying? Does she know where we are now?” Benjim asked with a tinge of anger in his voice. It was not like the old man to get angry.

  “You talked with the witch?” Nicoldani burst out, his voice dripping with contempt, “why didn’t you kill her when you had the chance?”

  “What? ……..wait………Brigette is not the Blood Witch,” Jak protested defiantly, “she was fleeing from the witch. I talked with her, and it was Brigette. I know it was her. She is not the witch. And no, I didn’t get a chance to tell her where we were staying. She ran off before I could.”

  Benjim put a hand on Jak’s shoulder before saying in a sympathetic tone, “Jak, the Blood Witch is very clever. She is not going to tell you that she is the Blood Witch. For some reason she wants you specifically. I think you know the reason why. Did she try to take you or get you to go with her?”

  “No…….well yes, sort of, she wanted me to go…. but….”

  Benjim cut Jak’s objections short, “the description of the girl you call Brigette matches exactly with the woman who has killed Magistrate Jaren and taken over his seat. She is the one who is in control of the city and is causing all the problems. Would the Brigette that you know do that?”

  “Well….no…but….but maybe the witch disguised herself as Brigette.” Jak said trying to convince himself. Jak wanted to believe it had been Brigette, not the witch. He had seen the witch in the cave, and he had known Brigette his whole life. They were not the same.

  Suddenly he remembered what Brigette had told him in the street before they got separated. She had said “that she ran and ran until there was nowhere left to run. That was how she ended up here”.

  But how had she been able to run when her leg had been injured in the fall from the cliff when the earth shook? Doubts began to creep into Jak’s thoughts but he was unable, or at least unwilling to admit that Brigette could be the witch. He would not believe it. But he could not convince the others, so he gave in and remained silent.

  It was just past midday with Jak and the others staying in the basement and making plans of what they were to do. Luxarn came down several times to check on them, but he was also busy assembling men to be on the ready. The decision had been made that they should not wait any longer but act quickly. It would not be good for anyone if the situation in the city got any worse, possibly allowing the witch to flee, or worse take full control of the city.

  It seemed she had already taken quarters at the Magistrate’s Manor, which was in extremely poor taste since such a short time had passed since Jaren had died. It was nearly an outrage since she had not even been ratified by the council yet to become the new magistrate. The witch must have something planned very soon to be so bold. It was clear that they would need to act fast in order to stop her.

  ######

  Why couldn’t that infuriating boy just come with her? Allysix had almost had him convinced until that stupid group of mindless fools came along. She had been returning from a meeting with the Circle, where she informed them that it was almost time to take their plan to the next level. As chance would have it while she was returning she literally ran into Jak.

  It had been a great surprise to her, the feelings that seeing Jak stirred inside her. She was not comfortable at all with these strange new feelings. She had never felt anything like this before in all her many years. It made her feel……dependent….and almost helpless, to a small degree at least, and she wanted the feelings to stop. She had not been able to stop herself from embracing him when she saw him. It had felt so…..good to her. Feeling Jak’s arms around her and his body against hers, it was almost as if a part of her had been missing and was found again.

  Allysix had held more power than most people could even dream of having. But the feelings she was feeling for Jak were something completely foreign to her. They made her long to see him, and feel his embrace again.

  “Stop that!” she said to herself. She had to get hold of herself before everything fell apart. This was a distraction she did not need right now. Success was so close, once she was officially magistrate she could set everything right and bring order back to the city.

  She made her way back to the magistrate’s manor. After all, she was the magistrate now, it didn’t matter what anyone else said. By the time the council met again, they would have to ratify her as the rightful magistrate.

  She had sent for Issanya, Maggas, and Baalnar to meet her at the manor. Much needed to be discussed to ensure they were successful. They would have a long night of planning ahead, possibly several nights. Everything needed to be in place before the council met again.

  Chapter 16

  Several days passed while everyone involved made hasty preparations getting ready to make their move against the witch. Luxarn had been busy spreading the truth about the witch, and as a result had been able to gather a fair number of supporters for a rebellion in the short time. The innkeeper was well though of among both the shopkeepers and townsfolk, which made him influential and respected.

  But there were also many people that either did not want to get involved, or actually were in favor of Brigette as the new magistrate. No amount of persuasion or reasoning could make them believe that she was actually the Blood Witch.

  The rioting in the streets was escalating to a very dangerous level. There had been more than one skirmish between angry people and the City Watch. The City Watch was on the loosing side of the altercations as often as not. The captain had since recruited more men into the Watch to patrol the streets, but finding willing men to support the City Watch was difficult under the circumstances.

  The streets were getting to be a very dangerous place to be even during the day. Not many people would venture out unless they had no other choice. Jak and his friends could not even think about going out into the streets because of the City Watch looking for them. There had been several patrols come to the Sailor’s Delight Inn searching for them over the past few days. Sometimes they even ransacked the rooms and storerooms in an attempt to find the small party. Luckily, the hidden door to the cellar had eluded them so far.

  In addition to the City Watch patrols, there had been groups of two or three kindly looking women making rounds and asking questions about Jak and his friends. The women were more discrete, but it was clear they were searching as well.

  The violence in the city had gotten so bad as to result in bloodshed in many instances. There were even a few occasions when either rioters or members of the watch were actually killed. It was a long ways from the seemingly peaceful city that Jak remembered entering not so long ago.

  Jak and the others had been forced to remain in the small cellar the entire time, not only because of the volatility of the city, but also the patrols searching for them. They had been making plans of how they were to get to the witch, and what they would do once they found her.

  Luxarn would periodically bring food, along with news of what was happening outside and the progress that was being made. Makeshift cots had been setup to one side of the cellar so Jak and the others could sleep. The cots were not nearly as nice as the feather mattresses had been in the rooms the first night.

  Nevertheless, Jak was having a hard time finding sleep as of late, and
it wasn’t just the cots. Everything was starting to get on his nerves and he was getting restless and anxious to get out of this small room and find Brigette.

  There were only two days remaining until the council meeting. It was still in question as to whether the council would vote in favor of Allysix or not. But if she was able to gain enough support among the heads of the guilds to obtain the seat as magistrate, then it would be much more difficult to reach her to bring her down.

  In the past there had been similar disturbances and rioting when a new magistrate was being chosen. They had not been as extreme as it was now and rarely had involved bloodshed or death. But history showed that once the council voted and made their decision official, the majority of the people would abide by it and order would be restored to the city.

  It was clear that Benjim and the others needed to act fast against the witch while there was still chaos in the streets. Time was running short and action needed to be taken before the council meeting.

  At the moment, Benjim was seated at the small table discussing plans with Nicoldani. Jak was sitting off to one side on his cot, lost in his own thoughts when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Jak supposed it was just Luxarn coming down again with their midday meal.

  Luxarn did emerge into the light but was not holding a tray of food. It was then Jak saw two men behind Luxarn. They were wearing the cloaks of the City Watch and when Jak saw them his heart leapt into his throat. Had the innkeeper betrayed them to the Watch?

  Nicoldani noticed the two men at the same time Jak did and the big man sprang to his feet with his sword in hand. Benjim remained sitting but wore a look of dismay on his wizened face.

  Luxarn quickly jumped forward waving his hands, “No, No, they are friends. There is no need for swords. They have come to help.”

  The innkeeper’s words did nothing to ease Nicoldani in his stance. The big man looked ready to pounce on the two men. But neither of the two newcomers had drawn their swords yet. They however, remained wary and ready to defend themselves, but made no move to attack. Luxarn spoke quickly to forestall any altercation.

  “This is Captain Zerran,” the innkeeper said motioning to the shorter, but stockier of the two men.

  Zerran had shoulder length black hair with some gray mixed in here and there, and it was tied behind his neck with a leather cord. He was a strong looking man, with the muscles in his forearm being corded and well defined as he cradled his crested helmet under one arm. His full beard was well trimmed and peppered with more gray than his hair. A long scare ran down the left side of his face, leaving his beard patchy around the scare tissue. His deep blue eyes burned with fervor, giving him a fierce and even more commanding appearance.

  “Former Captain,” the man interjected with a hint of disdain in his deep voice, “I’m just Zerran now. I’m no longer captain of the Watch.”

  “Ahh….….yes, sorry,” Luxarn said with a downcast glance. “This is Zerran; he was the captain of the watch until the witch removed him to have her lapdog put in his place. Zerran is a friend and wishes to aid us in bringing down the witch.”

  “Aid you?” Zerran said with a raised eyebrow, “we came here with the intent of enlisting your aid. You can help us bring down this usurper and murderer.”

  “Umm……ahh……yes but……I….” Luxarn stammered.

  “Sit, let us talk,” Benjim said, coming to the aid his old friend. “We have much to discuss. I believe we all seek the same goal, and I think we can help each other in bringing this woman to justice.”

  The two men cautiously took seats at the small table, leaving Jak to stand. Gin was sitting in the far corner on one of the cots practicing her meditation exercises that Benjim had been teaching her. She seemed unaware that any one else was even in the room.

  “We know Brigette is looking for you,” Zerran said curtly. “She has given your descriptions to everyone in the watch with strict orders to bring you in by whatever means necessary.

  Well, at the least bring in the boy that is,” Zerran said motioning to Jak, “Brigette seems to want him very badly for some reason. The rest of you she said could be killed if necessary.”

  “Brigette?” Jak exclaimed with surprise, “How do you know Brigette?”

  Benjim cast a long-suffering look in Jak’s direction, which Jak ignored. Zerran gave Jak a puzzled look before answering, “She is the acting magistrate, the one who is almost in charge of the city now. She is the one Luxarn has been trying to convince us is the Blood Witch,” he finished with a raucous laugh.

  No one else was laughing except the other guard who accompanied Zerran, but the man’s laugh was forced and he wore a look of unease. When no one else found amusement in his statement, Zerran cut off abruptly.

  “All I know is she is a wench and a usurper. I think she killed Magistrate Jaren, although I can’t prove it yet. But I do want her brought to justice.

  Whether she is the Blood Witch or not I seriously doubt. I’ve seen nothing to indicate that she could be the dreaded Blood Witch from the legends,” he chuckled again.

  “Rest assured that she is the witch,” Benjim said somberly. “The one you know as Brigette is without a doubt the Blood Witch.”

  Jak wanted to protest that Brigette was not the witch, but he thought better of it. He had tried several times and no one would listen to him. Perhaps the witch was somehow controlling Brigette. But that made no sense to Jak either. Brigette had seemed fine when he saw and talked with her in the street that day. It was more likely that the witch had just disguised herself as Brigette. Jak didn’t know any longer and was tired of trying to convince the others, so he kept his peace.

  Zerran looked suspiciously at the old man. “And just how do you know she’s the witch?”

  “I have lived a very long time and know a great many things. Although there are still a great many things that I do not know. But this thing I can tell you for certain. She is the Blood Witch. We have been following her for over a month from where she was released from her prison. There is no doubt who she is. You should be able to see for yourself the amount of unrest and dissension she has brought to your city in such a short amount of time. Most certainly, she is the one responsible for the dead bodies that have been turning up since that is how she feeds her evil.”

  Zerran’s face went a little pale as comprehension began to dawn, but he held his composure well. “Then if…. she is the witch, then all the more reason to pull her down. But if she is really the witch how can we hope to oppose her? Won’t she destroy us like those in the stories that tried to stop her?”

  “Not all those that opposed her were destroyed, and eventually they captured and imprisoned her. Now the witch is much weaker than she was at that time, in addition, she does not possess her Staff of Power. The many years of imprisonment have weakened her considerably,” Benjim explained.

  “How many of the City Watch do you think you can get to follow you?” The old man asked Zerran after a brief pause.

  After a moment of contemplation Zerran answered, “I would say almost a third possibly, if not more. There are many good men in the Watch, and in the city that want to see Brigette taken down as things stand now. If they were to find out she is the witch……..well then I think there could be more. Maybe many more, it’s just too hard to tell who will come when duty calls, and who will run. But I believe we will have sufficient numbers for the task.”

  “Good,” Benjim said, “we will need as many men as we can get to restore order once we take her. The witch’s followers will surely rise up against us so we need to be ready when they discover what we have done.

  Many of them will most likely flee or hide if we have already captured her. But there are always those that will fight to try and free her. However, we cannot just barge in and take her with a large force. The witch will see us coming and have time to prepare, or possibly flee.

  We need to be stealthy, and enter with only a few. I do not believe with the riots in the streets that she h
as any sizable force inside the manor. We three,” Benjim said motioning to Nicoldani and Jak, “will slip inside the manor, find her, and capture her.

  You, along with whatever force you can gather need to be ready once we do, to secure the manor and stave off any attack her followers might attempt.”

  Zerran laughed again loudly. “YOU? You three will take the witch? How can an old man, one fighting man, and a boy, overpower the Blood Witch? Here I was worried about not having enough men to face her, not even knowing it was the witch. But now you propose to take her with just the three of you?”

  “Looks can be deceiving,” Benjim said with a smile. “It is not sheer numbers or brute force that will prevail against the witch. We have what we need to accomplish the job,” the old man said as he glanced knowingly at Jak. “Rest assured that we will do our part, you just make sure you do yours. But on the off chance we do fail, you need to ensure that the witch does not escape, no matter what the cost.”

  Jak was uncomfortable with the whole plan. This old man seemed to think that Jak could somehow defeat this witch. How he was supposed to accomplish that was beyond him.

  The planning continued for some time, but Jak stopped listening after a while. He still didn’t know what he was going to do. These men were talking of capturing and possibly hurting or even killing Brigette. They would not listen to him, that Brigette was not the witch. How could he protect her? What would he do if they tried to hurt her? He loved Brigette, and he felt the thirst rising in him at the thought of harm coming to her.

  He struggled fiercely to control the terrible thirst but it was nearly overwhelming. It took all of his energy to keep from killing these men who where planning on doing harm to his love. He wanted to kill them right now. How dare they think of hurting Brigette? The battle with the thirst and the desire to kill these men was so ferocious inside him that he was certain it would overcome him. He couldn’t resist it any longer.