by Erin R Flynn
The women weren’t captive. They were willing. They didn’t care about any of the children. All they wanted was the high and easy food, as they too had been kicked out of the enchanter community for whatever reason.
“I had to survive on my own as you did, but nothing could have made me choose this,” I seethed. “You sold your own children for this. There is no pain great enough.”
“You don’t understand,” one defended, slurring her words. “You don’t know what it’s like.”
“I know exactly what it’s like,” I shouted. “There is always another way than this. You let casters drain your own children, breeding them to die. I had to run as well and gave up my virginity for protection, but I found another way. You could have too if you weren’t deplorable people. I would rather have died than ever done this.” I silenced her and another who tried to speak. “You will do in death what you should have in life. Your energy will help me protect your children and punish the men who were party to this.”
“Set us free,” one agreed, closing her eyes. “I welcome it. I could not commit suicide.”
I scoffed at her. “You think you will end up in Heaven? No, you will go right to Hades. Your auras are so black that I have not a doubt you will suffer for all eternity for what you have done. There is no crime worse than betraying your own children.” I made five chi jars appear and chanted under my breath, draining them of every last drop. “Enjoy your last moments. Feel what your children did when they were drained.”
I walked out of the room and checked with the children that they didn’t want to say goodbye. They all looked at me like I was nuts, and it was clear from the thoughts I got that they never so much as saw the mothers really.
And they were just in the next room. My gods, there was no level of Hades harsh enough for them.
I turned the women to dust after they died and brought the children out of the house. I gave them better clothes, as it was too cold for even what I’d put them in when I’d cleaned them up. I brought out the bodies we were to bury, wrapping them in sheets to be respectful, and then set fire to the house, letting the children watch the place burn to the ground where they had suffered so much pain.
“We are going to see a friend of mine, and she will help keep you safe while I punish others who did this,” I told the children, taking in the fear in their eyes. “Have you ever met a lion shifter?” They all shook their heads. “I know a group of lionesses that are so very different than your mothers that you will be spoiled rotten and taken care of. I promise it.”
“Will you visit us?” Tommy asked me, worry in his eyes.
“Often,” I promised. “I move around a lot, as many hunt me and I help as many as I can, but I will visit often and make sure you are taken care of.” I waited until he and the others nodded before bringing us all to where Tanesha was.
After a few moments, I realized we were in the jungle and they must have been hunting. Several more moments and I heard a man screaming.
“They hunt bad people too,” I explained the children. “I promise, they are protecting others as they always do.” I heard a rustle and turned to see a lioness pounce, having assumed we were foe, and froze her so she fell to the ground. “Tanesha, I need your help, not to heal from a bite.”
Not even a second later, a sleek and gorgeous lioness came into view. The air changed around us, and Tanesha changed to human form. “I apologize, Enchantress. There are many more than we thought. This is her first hunt. Please, spare her.”
I glanced at the lioness I’d frozen, getting she was young. I nodded. I forced her to shift back, knowing that was painful and the slap she deserved. “I have children with me. Use your nose and head no matter your fear.”
“Yes, Enchantress, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, bowing her head as she stayed kneeling.
I heard more fighting and threw out my hands to freeze all around us and then set the lionesses free. “There, your prey is now not a threat.” I waited until Tanesha nodded and looked at me. “I need help keeping these children safe and tended to. The situation is bad, and I have more to punish.”
She glanced at the terrified kids and nodded. “Of course. Whatever you need, Soraya.”
“Can you take a few months’ break and hide out at one of my farms?”
“Of course. As soon as we finishing handling things here.”
I nodded for them to go back to what they were doing, glad it only took a few more minutes. “Do I want to know?”
“Probably not,” she snickered. “They deserved it.”
“Of that I never doubt,” I told her. I waited for the others to join us with their belongings, and then I brought all of them to the farm I had in the North of the US, as it would be stupid to bring Tanesha to the South with all the problems there for black people still. “A pack works this farm for me, and I use this as a safe house when I need it. I will explain to the Alpha and make sure they provide whatever you need.”
“We will protect the cubs no matter what,” Tanesha swore to me. She smiled at them. “Oh, they’ve never seen a black woman before, have they?”
“I rescued them from Belgium, so I would think not.” I made a few dozen translation charms appear and handed them to her. “They have no schooling. No nothing but basic speaking and not English. I will work on their papers and what is needed after I make sure all are punished.”
“What about my sister?” Tommy asked, nodding to the sheets.
I saw the lionesses’ auras fill with horror, nodding that it was that bad. “I have an altar to bring, and then we will put them to rest.” I squatted down and took his little hands in mine. “We will perform the ritual and use my magic to show her final form to mark that she was part of our world.” I saw none of them understood. “She will become a statue. Her essence will be immortalized in something beautiful.”
“She would like that,” he admitted with a sniffle.
I nodded and got to work, Tanesha and the pride helping me to prepare the bodies and send them off right. I spoke with the Alpha and brought supplies. The afternoon turned to night, and the children slept after they ate. When it was time for the sun to rise, I woke them and performed the ritual, hugging Tommy as he watched his sister’s body burn with magical fire.
This wasn’t like when we punished those who were evil with turning them to ash. This was releasing the body to the earth again. When it was done, I collected the remains and taught the children what had to be done next. I smiled when Tommy’s sister’s remains turned into an adorable angel statue, a cherub maybe with cute cheeks and pretty curls.
“Is she an angel now?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I think she is telling you that no matter where she is, she will watch out for you.”
He wiped his nose and his tears before looking up at me. “Will you teach me to help others when I’m bigger? I want to be able to save others like you saved us.”
I leaned down and kissed him on the head. “Yes. It would be nice to have more help. When you become a man, I will let you join in the fight to protect our people, you have my word.”
And I did.
And it was one of the best things I ever did in all my years alive, even if I could never forgive myself for being too late to save the other children.
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