The Rebel Witch

by Chandelle LaVaun

  My gaze met his and locked on. I didn’t know what to do. I forgot how to move. The heat pouring out of his leg through his black jeans should’ve melted me into a puddle. I licked my lips and tried to think, but his pupils dilated and it did weird things to my insides. My whole body pulsed with energy.

  “What the hell is that?” Walter shouted from the cockpit.

  Before anyone could react, something slammed into the side of the plane. The world spun in slow motion. My purple-tipped hair flew into my face, robbing me of sight. The crystal hanging from my necklace smacked my jaw. For a split second, everything was clear and normal, but then the plane dipped to my left. The horizon became vertical. Emersyn smashed my hand against the armrest, holding on for dear life. Willow and Chutney’s screams pierced my ears. Or maybe the screaming was me. I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. My stomach turned and flipped each time the plane did.

  I reached out in front of me—for what, I wasn’t sure. My hair was wrapped around my head in a tangled mess. Tennessee’s hands found mine in an instant. I recognized the softness of his skin and the tingle in my arms. His grip was strong and steady, and the only thing keeping my sanity in check. In the back of my mind, I knew this was happening really fast, but it felt like an eternity. The plane rolled at least one or two more times before we steadied right side up.

  What’s happening? I yelled to him with my mind because I couldn’t get my mouth to work.

  “Stay buckled!” Tennessee dropped my hand and jumped out of his seat. He threw open the cockpit door and raced over to Walter who was slumped forward but still clutching the steering wheel.

  The plane dipped left again, and my head smacked against the window.

  Tennessee grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it towards him until we leveled out. He ducked and looked out the front window, then spun around to face us with wide eyes. “Demons!”

  “WHAT?!” someone behind me yelled.

  “Walter! Is he all right?” Cooper shouted.

  Tennessee crouched down and placed his hand over Walter’s forehead. My soulmate frowned then looked over at us. With the hand not holding our pilot, he tapped his own chest and nodded his head to Walter.

  Deacon cursed and sprinted into the cockpit. “I’ve flown before. Just get rid of those things while I try to keep us airborne.” He dropped into the copilot seat and buckled in.

  Something slammed into the top of the plane, and we dropped like that ride back at Hidden Kingdom. Chutney screamed. My stomach turned and my feet hovered above the floor.

  Tennessee braced himself in the cockpit doorway. He looked over his shoulder. “You sure, Deacon?”

  “You do you, buttercup, or I won’t be able to!” Deacon shouted back. The plane surged forward. Deacon cursed violently. “Incoming in three, two—”

  Dark objects flew past the windows and slammed into the wing. Everything wobbled. Cabinets and drawers flew open, spilling their contents. Demons. Metal shrieked in protest. I didn’t want to ask what it came from. All I knew was we had to kill these monsters before they killed us.

  “Stay buckled!” Tennessee shouted over the pounding of demon feet outside the plane. “We flip again and we’ll have broken necks. We have to use our magic through the windows before they work their way in and we all die.”

  “Ray of sunshine, you are!” Royce yelled from behind me.

  “How do we do that?” I asked and peeked out the window.

  The demons were a dark blueish-purple color that blended in perfectly with the setting sun. I couldn’t tell what kind they were, or how many. All I saw were spindly legs with talons and wings thicker than our plane’s.

  “Like we always do.” Tennessee’s voice dropped low and gravelly. He raced over to the door we came in and looked out the window.

  Purple magic swirled around his hands. His body shimmered then glowed like sunlight reflecting off metal. He raised his palms to the door and flexed his fingers. His magic shot through the plane door and blasted the demon trying to claw its way in. It shrieked and dropped out of sight.

  I gasped and pressed my face to the window. It worked!

  “MORE!” I copied my soulmate’s move and placed my palms on the glass. My body lit up like a flashlight. I clenched my teeth and summoned my magic. It pulsed in my veins, roaring to life with eager excitement. Where are you, demon? I waited until one of them slithered into my sight, then pushed my magic out like I’d been taught. It hissed and rolled away. Black demon blood splattered over my window.

  “Royce! Trap it with vines!” Emersyn shouted.

  “I can’t create them!” he snapped back.

  Keltie’s words echoed in my mind. Your magic does not follow the same rules as your fellow elementals. You can create.

  “No, but I can.” I closed my eyes and pictured Bettina’s garden in her backyard. I imagined walking through it, taking in every different type of plant and flower. My hands tingled with warmth and energy, so I focused on that and pushed my magic out.

  “Oh my God,” Royce whispered. “Girl, what did you do?”

  I opened my eyes and gasped. The entire floor was covered in roses and sunflowers, little daisies and tulips. Bougainvillea vines crawled up the sides of the plane like something straight out of Stranger Things.

  “ROYCE!” Tennessee shouted. “Use it!”

  “On it!” Royce threw his hands in the air without unbuckling his seatbelt. His magic coiled around his body like pure yellow rays of sunshine. He narrowed his eyes, and his nostrils flared, then he pushed with his hands. “Hold on tight!”

  My vines shimmered like crystals, then slid through the plane and pierced two demons like kabobs. Roses turned to torpedoes, shooting into demon flesh faster than I could track. Out my window mine and Tennessee’s magic sliced demons like lasers. One of Royce’s sunflowers cut through a demon’s leg. It ripped off and smacked into the side of the plane.

  The wing outside my window exploded. Flames of red and orange spilled out into the sky. I reached down and tried to unbuckle myself to get out of the flame’s way, but my fingers trembled too much. The plane dipped. Fire raced up the metal wing, going right for me. I needed to move.

  Emersyn roared like a lion in my ear. Her magic rushed over me in one massive hot blast so forceful my hair flew into my face. The flames were knocked aside then slid up and over the plane.

  A demon screeched above our heads. The whole plane rattled. Demon talons pierced through the side panels. Metal shrieked in protest as the door was clawed right off its hinges. The air pressure buckled. Wind rushed in and sucked Tennessee out into the open air.

  “NO!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tegan

  “NO!” I screamed. NO, NO, NO. NO!

  I shot my magic into my seatbelt and blasted it into pieces. Not him. Not him. Everyone was shouting behind me, but none of them were louder than the pounding of my heart. I had to get to him. I had to save him. I had to. I wasn’t Superman, but I had to try to save him. Or die trying.

  “Royce! Close the door!” Cooper shouted just as I got to my feet.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw those flowers I’d summoned used against me. They surged together and sealed the open doorway. But that didn’t matter. My magic could blast through them.

  I sprinted into the cockpit. Deacon was shouting and cursing. His fingers were white from clutching the steering wheel so tight. I ignored that and dove for the metal drawer that read PARACHUTES.

  “We lost a wing!” Deacon screamed and the plane wobbled.

  I knew that was bad, except all I could think about was Tennessee. I had to get out there and try to catch him before he hit the ground.

  Demon feet pounded on the ceiling. If I looked up, the metal would be dented in. Then the demon screeched. Black blood appeared over the side cockpit window.

  I yanked the parachute out of its holding spot and strapped it on my back. I spun to run for the door when the plane toppled to the right. My balance faltered
, and I dropped to the ground.

  Deacon cursed. “Second wing is gone too! We’re in a free fall!”

  The plane tipped forward as we began to nosedive. I slid all the way into the cockpit and slammed my forehead against the metal controllers.

  “What the hell?” Deacon inhaled. “HOW?”

  I groaned and pulled myself up onto my knees…and choked on a gasp. Tennessee was crouched on the nose of the plane clutching to the windshield wipers and glowing like a supernova.

  TENNESSEE! Tears pooled in my eyes. My heart fluttered so fast black spots danced in my vision. He’s alive. He’s okay.

  “Tennessee!” Cooper screamed, his voice cracking.

  “Not human!” Royce yelled out, but I knew what he meant by it.

  “How is he doing that?” Emersyn said with awe in her voice.

  How is he doing that? I pulled myself up until my eyes met his. Then it hit me. Magic. Tennessee’s elemental magic included control over air. He was literally using his magic to manipulate the air around him.

  Wait a second. A crazy idea popped into my mind. It was crazier than trying to catch someone from falling out of a plane. But what choice did we have? Our plane only had half a wing, if even. Deacon was doing his best to keep up us airborne, but we were in a free fall. The clouds loomed far above us. We were screwed…unless this idea worked.

  I took a deep breath so my voice would sound calmer and more confident, then I shouted with my mind so everyone could hear. Everyone stay buckled. Deacon, hold us steady and bring us to the ground.

  Tennessee frowned. His long black hair flapped in the wind behind him.

  “WHAT?” Deacon hissed. He looked up at me with wild purple eyes filled with guilt. I knew he’d blame himself for us dying in this plane. “HOW? We don’t have wings!”

  I turned my gaze back to Tennessee through the window. Tennessee and I are gonna be your wings. Tenn flinched and his eyes widened. I held my hands out to the side like they were wings and pushed my magic. The plane wobbled in a straight line for a moment then sank again. Tennessee looked side to side, then back at me. A wide, entirely evil grin spread across his face.

  “Why is he grinning?” Deacon cried.

  Fly with me, Tenn.

  He nodded and mimicked my pose with his long, muscled arms stretched out on either side. His mismatched eyes held mine. Together, he mouthed.

  Together. I took a deep breath and pushed my magic out. You’re out there to feel it, so you take lead. I’ll follow. Deacon, bring us down.

  “Oh, sweet Jesus,” Deacon mumbled. “Okay.”

  My eyes latched on to Tennessee’s, and everything else disappeared. My fears dissolved. Whatever was about to happen was gonna happen. But we’d do it together. I clenched my teeth and pushed my magic out until I felt it brush against Tennessee’s. My body tingled with awareness, like it did whenever he touched me. Warmth spread through my fingers and up my arms. I felt the heavy pounding of his heart like my head was pressed to his chest. His lips parted and his pupils dilated. He felt it too. My left shoulder twitched a split second before Tennessee’s right arm dipped. I gasped. Somehow I felt him move before he actually did. My eyes widened.

  Did our magic…

  Tennessee’s cheeks flushed the slightest shade of pink. His lips curved. He nodded.

  Our magic connected and synced together. I hadn’t known that could happen, and judging by the wild sparkle in his eyes, he hadn’t either. I licked my lips and nodded. We needed to focus. We had a plane to land. We had seven lives to save. Let’s do this.

  His strength and confidence poured over me in waves. I flexed my hands and pushed with every ounce of magic I had inside me. Tennessee’s body shined brighter, almost too painful to look at. But I refused to look away. My magic filled his veins. Rainbow mist coiled around his arms.

  He looked down at himself then back at me with the craziest expression, like a kid locked in a candy store. I turned my power over to him, to guide us. Cool air rushed over my fingers and ripped through my hair. It wasn’t in the plane. I was feeling what he felt. I stopped thinking. Stopped planning. I just let him be our eyes. He was the one out there in it. He was the one who knew how to use his magic. He was the Emperor, and now I knew what it felt like to be him. To be so sure of myself. To have no doubts in my abilities.

  Doubt, fear, insecurities—they were all gone. My magic flowed sure and strong, like it was a true extension of myself. I mirrored every one of his moves without taking my eyes off his. I’d never felt so powerful. In the back of my mind, I knew I had more gifts, more abilities, technically more power than him…except now I knew I was capable of more. For the first time, I felt invincible, capable of taking on the world and winning.

  Part of me registered the sounds of my friends freaking out in the back of the plane and the sight of land rushing up in front of us. But the rest of me tuned it out and relished in the power of my magic. The plane dropped low and wobbled.

  “Goddess, please let me land this thing and not kill anyone,” Deacon whispered.

  I gasped. My pulse skyrocketed. We were about to try and land. If Tenn didn’t hold on to something, the impact could... My stomach turned. I must’ve made a face because Tennessee frowned and cocked his head to the side.

  Hold on. We’re about to land. I’ll guide us from here, I said to just him.

  The muscles in his jaw popped, but he didn’t drop his arms.

  Tennessee, please. I can hold us. Please just hang on for impact. I clenched my teeth and steadied my arms.

  He nodded and dropped his hands to the windshield.

  The plane dipped, but I summoned my magic back to me and held on to the breeze carrying us down. The horizon was straight ahead. The ground just below. Up in the sky, the sun was still setting, but down on land, night had fallen. I couldn’t see what lay below us, or what we could be about to hit. I let Deacon handle that. All I had to do was keep us steady. Air rushed up from our tail, and the whole plane trembled. I held Tennessee’s stare. The light coming off his body lit up an empty field just ahead.

  “Hold on! Dropping the wheels,” Deacon yelled.

  I didn’t look down to see what he did, but I recognized the sound of the plane’s wheels sliding out. We just had to hope the demons hadn’t damaged those, too. The plane rattled. Lights on the dashboard flashed and flickered. Something beeped incessantly. I held my arms straight. My magic surged on. All I had to do was hold us steady.

  “Tegan,” Tennessee yelled through the windshield.

  I gasped and looked back up at him. I hadn’t even realized I’d looked away. Our landing strip stretched out just behind him. It wasn’t as flat as I’d like it to be. I wasn’t even sure what I was seeing, only dark objects surrounded by more darkness. My heart fluttered. Tennessee. This was it. The moment was here. We would either survive this together… I cut that thought off. I couldn’t even think the words.

  Words. There were a whole lot of words I wanted to say to him if this was going to be my last chance, but they dried on my tongue.

  Land rose up in front of us, and I spotted dozens of trees and boulders. Impact was not going to be smooth. If he held on, he’d be thrown off. Too many scenarios of equal awfulness flashed through my mind. Then I remembered some of the stunts he’d pulled during our training session earlier. Like Royce said, he was barely human. And he definitely didn’t have to abide by the same laws of nature the rest of us did.

  Tennessee…JUMP.

  He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t pause to ask why, or how high. He just disappeared.

  “Here…we…goooo…”

  Deacon’s warning came a split second before we made initial impact. I was so worried about Tennessee I hadn’t paused to worry about myself. Without any kind of harness or seatbelt on, I had nothing to protect me. The force of our hit launched me into the air. My head slammed into the panel above me. Any control I had on the air snapped as I was thrown around the cockpit like a pinball.

  Everyt
hing went dark, but I was still completely conscious. Pain lanced through my body. I hissed and cursed with each impact. My back hit the ground and knocked the wind out of me. I gasped and clung to the base of Deacon’s seat. I coughed and tried to get oxygen in. Somehow I could control the air enough to fly a plane but not to freaking breathe. The plane bounced and crashed more times than I could count. When we finally skidded to a stop, I lay there gasping for air. Every bone in my body hurt. I just wanted to lay there until my brain stopped rattling in my head and my stomach quit turning. But I had to get up. I had to find Tennessee. I needed to find him.

  Deacon coughed a string of violent curses full of relief.

  I tried to sit up, but the parachute was still strapped to my chest. My fingers trembled. My heart pounded. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon. I gotta get out there. Tennessee had jumped before our first impact. I had to get to him. I needed to make sure he was okay. It took me a dozen attempts to actually unlatch the buckle. I was up on my feet before the metal latch clanked against the cockpit floor.

  By the time I made it to the door, the rest of my crew was stirring. Emersyn groaned, and it was all I needed to hear to know she was alive. I turned to Royce’s garden-built door, raised my hands…and nothing happened. My magic crackled like fairy dust around my fingers. It sizzled and popped then completely evaporated into thin air. No, no, no.

  “Royce!” I screamed and pushed at the vines with my bare hands. “Royce, release them!”

  Royce mumbled something but didn’t move.

  I glanced down and spotted Tennessee’s sword lying off to the side. I picked it up with both hands, sliced through the vines just enough for me to wiggle through…and dropped a few feet to my knees on the ground below. I cursed and scrambled upright. My body screamed in protest, but my concern for Tennessee prevailed. Outside the plane was nothing but blackness. The night air was significantly cooler than the Florida heat I’d grown accustomed to.