Dark Witch, Blood Witch

by Lili Black

  “This is it, Sabine. Time to get your answers.” I hook the rope around my waist and drag Macey through the forest to her prison.

  5

  Macey jerks upright, her eyes flying wildly around the cave where she lies.

  “About time you woke up.” On the other side of the magic barrier, I set my book aside and stand. “You took longer than the deer. Do you think that means you’re of lower intelligence?”

  She fights her restraints, managing to gain her feet, but stumbles.

  “Careful,” I warn. “You’ve been out for three hours, and if you fall and hurt yourself, I won’t be healing you.”

  “You.” Gaze fierce, her hands flex in their bindings, her body tensing, but nothing happens. Looking confused, she tries again with the same result.

  “What’s the matter, Macey?” I tilt my head to the side. “Feeling a little human right now?”

  “What did you do, you stupid girl?” she demands, shuffling forward. “When my coven hears about this--”

  “So, you do have a coven?” Interested, I bend to grab my notebook. “Is it the same one who you tried to sell my coven out to? Is it the one who murdered them?” Something from memory sparks to life, a flash of a ring at night, then another flash in daylight at the Fair. “Was Trevor your contact?”

  She freezes. “What do you know about Trevor?”

  “I know he died after the second time I stabbed him, but I kept going until he stopped twitching.” I give her a bland look. “You were right, Macey, I did have darkness in me. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.”

  She stumbles back, then falls heavily on her ass. “You didn’t.” She shakes her head, her red hair whipping. “Not you. You don’t have that in you.”

  I squat to be on the same level as her. “You don’t know what I have in me. But you will, if you don’t answer my questions.”

  Her chin juts out. “What do you want to know?”

  My pulse quickens. “Where is the dark coven?”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “No. There’s nothing you can do to make me betray them.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure.” I stand and walk to the right side of the cave entrance. “Do you know the spell for heating tea, Macey?”

  Confusion fills her voice. “Every witch knows that one.”

  “I’ve had a lot of time to think about magic. Why it works. How it works.” I rest my palm against the rune carved into the side of the stone. “The tea spell warms the cup, and heats what’s inside without burning the person who holds the cup.”

  With a push of power, the rune under my hand comes to life, glowing red, and around the cave, more runes bloom to life.

  Macey looks around her. “What are you doing, Sabine?”

  “A cave is like a giant teacup, when you think about it.” I turn my head to study her. “How warm do you like it?”

  Sweat breaks out over her brow. “I don’t know where they are.”

  I glance at the spell carved directly in front of the entrance that glows orange. “You’re lying.”

  She follows my gaze, then jerks her eyes up to me. “You’ve grown. Good for you. But how much could you have learned by yourself?” Her voice turns coaxing even as her skin flushes with heat. “I can teach you better spells than this. Show you how to be more powerful.”

  “Is that how you endeared yourself to your new coven?” I ask, unmoved by her offer. “Because it certainly wasn’t by delivering my family’s magic tools. How did you buy your way in?”

  “There’s always a way in if you want it bad enough.” She crawls closer to the barrier, looking like an inchworm. “But you know that, don’t you? Look around at what you’ve accomplished. With the right person backing you, you could be more powerful than my leader.”

  “I’m already more powerful.” My fist clenches over the fire rune, and all around the cave, its mirror brightens. “Your coven leader saw to that.”

  “You gained all their magic,” she breathes, avarice lighting her eyes. “That’s why they’re still after you. You stole all the magic.”

  “Where do I find them?” I demand.

  She shakes her head despite the sweat that drips down her face. “No, you’re still not skilled enough. Natural gift means nothing when you face a coven leader.” Her eyes sweep over all my carefully laid spells. “How long did it take you to set this up? It wasn’t instantaneous. Even with all the planning, you’re no match for him. You can boil me alive if you want. It’s less than will be done to me if I betray them.”

  I look at the truth spell, and it glows green. She’s not lying, which means she’s useless.

  “Okay, if that’s how you want to die.” I turn back to the rune, preparing to funnel more power into it.

  “Wait!” She throws out her hand. “Just wait.” She takes deep, shuddering breaths. “Sabine, come on. I know who you are, and this isn’t it. We can work something out.”

  “You know me?” Anger rushes through me, and I struggle not to let it overflow and accidentally cook Macey alive. “You don’t know me, Macey. The girl you terrorized died along with her family. Your coven took everything, and I will take them down, one at a time, starting with you.”

  “I do know you, though,” she whispers, making me come closer to hear. “We’re alike. Outcasts from our covens, not understood and unwanted for being different. Yes, my new coven killed yours, that’s true. But I wasn’t there. I wouldn’t have killed your little brother. Look.” She points to the ground. “I’m telling the truth. I wouldn’t have killed Henry.”

  Unwillingly, I look down at my feet, to the glowing green spell. She’s telling the truth, but what truth is that?

  My eyes lift to meet hers. “Would you have spared him, though?”

  Lifting a trembling hand, she wipes the sweat from her face. “You don’t understand—”

  I slice a hand through the air to cut her off. “Oh, I understand. Fire is too good for you.” I reach out a hand, and the book on the ground rises to meet me, eager to be used. “I’m sure we can find something more fitting in here.”

  She stares at the book I hold. “That’s the missing grimoire. Your family had it all this time? You? The white witches? How?”

  “It follows me around.” I stroke its cover. “Would you like to know how it suggests I kill you?”

  The book shivers beneath my hand before the cover snaps open, pages flipping until they stop near the back. I read the spell. My stomach tightens, but I keep the distaste off my face. Macey can’t see any hint of weakness, or she’ll use it against me.

  “Ah, that’s rather...” I trace a finger over the spell. “Brutal.”

  “What does it say?” she demands in morbid fascination, like she wants to hold the book herself even if it kills her.

  Which it will. Quite horrifyingly.

  “I’ll need to go get some jars,” I muse. “Clear ones so you can still see out of them once it’s done.” I rake my eyes over her. “Fifteen should do. You’ve kept yourself in shape.”

  “You’re lying.” She pushes back her sweat-drenched hair. “You won’t do something like that.”

  “I’d start praying, if I were you, to any god who will listen.” I turn away. “Beg the heat to kill you before I return.”

  “Okay, I’ll tell you!” she yells before I disappear from view. “But, you have to swear that you’ll let me go. And give me a head start to get out of here.” A sob catches in her throat. “Please, Sabine, a day to run. That’s all I ask.”

  I pause as if considering it before I turn and stride back to the cave. “Tell me.”

  “Swear first,” she demands.

  I lock eyes with her. “I swear I’ll wait a day before I go after your coven.”

  “And you’ll let me go,” she presses.

  “And I’ll let you go,” I parrot.

  She studies me with suspicion. “No, I don’t believe you.”

  Crouching, I grab a stick and carve a new truth spell into the dirt, th
en imbue it with power.

  “I like you, Macey.” The spell grows orange with my lie. “If you tell me where to find your coven, I’ll wait a day before I go after them. And I will let you go.”

  The spell glows green to show I speak the truth.

  “Unharmed,” she says. “You’ll let me go unharmed.”

  “I’ll let you go unharmed.” Orange glows from the spell, and I revise, “I’ll let you go without harming your further.” The spell switches to green. “Satisfied?”

  She looks from the spell to me then back to the spell, waffling on her decision to betray her new master.

  “I can still go get the jars, if you need some more time to choose,” I prod, reminding her of what’s at stake.

  “Okay, okay.” She looks at the fire runes. “Stop the sauna, though.”

  With a flex of will, I pull the magic that empowers the runes back, cutting off the spell, and Macey sighs with relief before the sudden chill sends a shiver through her. She doesn’t ask me to bring the warmth back, though, as she tucks her arms close, trying to retain what heat she still holds.

  “Your leader,” I remind her.

  “His name’s Gregory. He has a meeting hall at the northern edges of Manberry. It’s where our coven meets.” Her teeth chatter as she gives me the address, and I write it down, one eye on the truth spell to make sure she’s not leading me astray.

  It stays green, though, as I quiz her for possible booby traps and secret tunnels he could flee through. She even tells me how many coven members there are and what nights of the month they meet, to make finding him easier.

  When I run out of questions to ask, she falls silent, waiting to see if I want more.

  I flip through my pages of notes, trying to see if I missed anything, but once she got talking, she gave up a lot. Probably more than she intended.

  “Did I do good?” she asks like a child seeking validation. “You’ll let me go now?”

  I close my notebook and bite my lip in indecision. There’s one more question I want to be answered, but I need a moment to brace myself for whatever she tells me.

  At last, I rip the band-aid off. “How long have you known Donovan?”

  Her brows pinch together. “Donovan? How do you know Donovan?”

  “That’s none of your business,” I snap, ashamed I even brought him up.

  Now, he’s on Macey’s radar more than he was before. I should have just stayed quiet.

  A slow smile curls her lips, like a cat spotting a wounded bird. “Donovan and I go way back. There’s even talk of us getting married. His dad threw a party and everything.”

  Lying. She has to be lying. But the spell on the ground says she’s not.

  “We were going to wait until he graduated from the school his dad sent him to, but since he came back early, there was no reason to hold off any longer.” She purses her dry lips in a mew of pity. “Don’t tell me you two were involved? He never mentioned that to me or to his dad, as far as I’m aware.”

  I continue to stare at the truth spell, willing it to turn orange, but it doesn’t even flicker from its green glow.

  “He played you.” She can’t hide the glee from her voice. “He played everyone, pretending to be the dutiful son, showing interest in his dad’s business.” She inches closer to the barrier. “Did you know he even went out to the old Barlow place? He talked to his dad about tearing it down.”

  I know. I was there, and so was she. This isn’t news to me, but it still hurts, the wounds of his betrayal opening all over again.

  “Did you fall for him?” she whispers, her voice that of a demon. “Did you give him your heart, silly little Sabine? You shouldn’t have done that.”

  My head jerks up. “What do you know about it?”

  “His dad is a bit of a collector, you know.” She licks her try lips. “He’d love to add one more Barlow heart to his shelf. Was that why Donovan was with you? To lure you to his dad so he could finish what was started?”

  Blood pounds through my ears, and I shake my head. “What? What are you saying?”

  “Donovan’s Gregory’s heir. He’s going to take over when his dad steps down.” She grins, and her lip cracks, blood welling in the wound. “You’re in love with the son of the man who killed your family.”

  “No.” Raking a hand through my hair, I stare down at the truth spell, but it continues to glow a bright, heartbreaking green. “No, Donovan’s human. He doesn’t know magic.”

  “How can you be sure?” she asks. “If he never performed magic around you, you’d never know.”

  No, I’d know if I was near that kind of darkness. I’d feel it in my bones.

  But would I? I didn’t realize Trevor was evil. Even after he creeped me out, I never thought he was evil until he arrived at my house with the rest of them to murder my family. But I spent less time with Trevor. I’ve spent years with Donovan, getting to know him, getting to know his dreams, his passions, his desires.

  He always avoided discussing his family, a voice whispers in the back of my mind.

  I ignored that, though, because I didn’t want to discuss mine, either. It was a silent agreement between us, a shared knowledge of pain we didn’t want to discuss.

  At least, that’s what I thought it was. But now, I question every interaction, every moment he shared. Did he invite me to that party to kill me? Did he finally reach his end game? If not for Hattie’s death, I would have gone with him. I may even have eventually given up on my plans for vengeance. They weren’t going anywhere, anyway. We had hit a wall, and I wanted to be with Donovan.

  A twig snaps in the woods, snapping me out of my spiral of doubts.

  I spin and stare in disbelief as Donovan steps out of the trees, a crystal swinging from a string pinched between his fingers.

  Even as I watch, the crystal strains toward me.

  A divining spell.

  It’s all true. Donovan’s a witch, and he played me for a fool.

  6

  “Evaine?” Donovan’s mouth drops open as he stares into the cave. “Macey?”

  “Donovan!” Macey screams. “She’s a—”

  Thrusting my hand through the barrier, I tap her forehead and recite the sleep spell to knock her out.

  She falls to the ground with a hard thud, and I wince at the sound of her skull against the stones. That’s going to leave a mark. But her chest still rises and falls, which is more than she deserves.

  Donovan stares at me in disbelief as he steps closer. “You’re a witch?”

  “It looks like we’ve both been keeping secrets.” I hold my hand up for him to stop. “Don’t come any closer.”

  My mind races with what to do next. This wasn’t my plan. Donovan was supposed to stay out of it, but everything changed the minute he used magic to track me down.

  What am I supposed to do now? Do I knock him out like I did Macey, tie him up and question him? If his father is the dark coven leader, Donovan probably has multiple spells prepared to counter me. Spells I don’t know, because Macey was right, I’m not ready to take on Donovan’s father. Even the element of surprise won’t work, more than likely, since he’ll have spells ready to go at a moment’s notice.

  Ignoring my command to stop, he walks closer, his brows pinched with concern as he looks at Macey. “Is she okay? What did you do to her?”

  Bitterness fills me that he’s worried about Macey. “Why don’t you check?”

  The magic barrier is only designed to hold someone in, not keep people out, and Donovan easily passes through the barrier.

  * * *

  He must feel the spell, because he spins back toward me, but it’s already too late. “What’s going on?”

  “You step past the runes, you won’t be able to escape unless I release you.” Firming my resolve to knock him out and tie him up, I grab my string. It will give me time to think.

  “What are you doing?” He steps toward the barrier and flattens his hands against the invisible wall. He keeps trying, th
ough, straining to break through as if sheer strength will do what magic can’t. “Evaine, please, talk to me.”

  Before Hattie’s death, she drilled into me the need to not use my hands to execute my magic. If Donovan’s dad is grooming him to take over, he’s learned the same lesson. Having his hands pointed at me is no safer than having them around my throat.

  “Stay away from me,” I hiss at him, taking an angry step forward, and my foot knocks against the dark grimoire.

  His eyes bounce from the grimoire to me, and he backs up in horror. “You’re not just a witch, but a dark witch.”

  “I’m what your family made me!” Tears lace my throat, nearly choking me. “I trusted you!”

  Confusion fills his eyes before he glances down at Macey. “What did you do to her?”

  “Worried about your precious fiancé? You played me for a fool. It’s not enough to take my family, my land, but you have to take my heart and crush it into a million pieces, too?” I didn’t mean to reveal that last part, but holding back has never been my strong suit. It got me into enough trouble at home without those lessons making a difference.

  “I’m not dating Macey.” He draws the truth ruin on the ground and slowly bends to touch it. “I’m not dating Macey,” he says again, the ruin glowing green in response.

  I know how this works, though. Hattie spent months explaining to me how dark witches bend the truth, how they use dark magic to allow them to break simple white witch spells when it’s convenient for them.

  He returns to the barrier, and I back away, irritated with myself for letting him command the situation. “I don’t believe you.”

  “What can I do to prove myself?” His eyes dart down to Macey. “She should have easily been able to break that string or used magic to help herself. What did you do to subdue her?” He holds out his wrists to me, his knuckles butting up against the barrier. “Do the same to me. You may not trust me, but I still trust you.”