A Witch’s Beating Heart

by Kasey Mackenzie

  We wandered along a pleasant stretch of trail that passed into a less dense area. The trees here tended toward beautiful red maples and majestic willows that swayed in the wind, their leaves fluttering playfully. My mouth had just curved into another smile when all that changed.

  Darkness descended in an instant, swallowing us whole for several long, terrifying moments. Silence swept in its wake, a complete lack of sound accompanying the total absence of sight. I reached toward Pixie for comfort, only to realize my sense of touch had also vanished. So, most frightening of all, had my ability to detect the bond tying Pixie and me together. My heart thudded painfully in my ears—or would have had I been able to physically hear. Fear threatened to darken into insanity as the total oblivion of all five—make that six—senses continued, but then things changed again.

  I stood at the edge of a gaping chasm with no true sense of self or how I’d come to be there. A ferocious wind whipped my hair into tangles as it threatened to shove me into the gully looming ahead. But something—some shred of self-preservation—had me throwing myself backward and rolling along the hard-packed dirt.

  Where am I? flashed across my mind. Who am I?

  Memories suddenly flowed across my mind as if that last question had been the key to a metaphysical treasure chest. My name was Cressida Gallanos of the Gloaming, Royal Heir to my mother’s throne, and this gully separated my beloved twin sister from me. Our most fearsome enemy was even now torturing Mellora. Only by crossing this terrible chasm could I rescue her.

  My gaze snapped from where I cowered on the desert floor to the gaping maw mere feet away. Tears stung my eyes as the horror hit. Ever since I’d been a small child, an uncontrollable fear of heights had plagued me. My fingers gripped the dry soil so tightly they went pure white along their tips. Shudders racked my body as I contemplated the enormity of that canyon keeping me from my twin. Never had I felt more alone—but never had I felt more determined either.

  Mellora was my other half, my most precious of friends, my dearest confidante. And I would rather die attempting to save her than cower here another instant.

  My breath came in ragged gasps as I pushed to my feet and shuffled back to the chasm’s edge. I gritted my teeth and summoned every ounce of magic I could—admittedly small given that my familiar had been slain by the enemy who stole Mellora—but it was enough to cast a simple levitation spell. Goddess only knew whether I had the strength to hold the spell long enough. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I screamed my sister’s name.

  “Mellora! Mellora, my sister, hold on. I’m coming for you!”

  And then I stepped forward into oblivion…

  Only to stumble over a vine that had grown across the path in this section of the Maze of Artemis. I took a deep, shuddering breath and realized I’d just faced the second challenge, even if unknowingly.

  Pixie confirmed this. ((Man, you kicked that test’s ass even without my help!))

  ((You saw it all?))

  ((Yep, every last second. Even though I couldn’t do or say anything.))

  I stroked her fur as I recovered from the horror of having thought her dead. Thank the deities that hadn’t been real! ((Was that like some alternate reality me or something? I’ve never been scared of heights and we were obviously not raised as Cressida and Mellora by our birth mother.))

  Pixie seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. ((I—I’m not sure. It could have been a scene from an alternate timeline or it could have been pure fiction.)) She infused greater confidence into her next statement. ((What actually matters, though, is that you passed test number two. Courage, just like the Cowardly Lion if we go back to our Wizard of Oz metaphor. Leaving now only strength of character.))

  I pursed my lips and stepped toward another random path. ((Would that make the first test that of my brain and the third that of my heart? And am I Dorothy and you ToTo?))

  She snickered at my continuing the Wizard of Oz theme and started to respond, only to dig her claws into my shoulder and mentally shriek a warning. ((Something evil is coming!))

  Pixie’s terror washed over me, causing my own fear to amplify. My hair snapped in the sudden magical breeze generated by my siphoning energy through the familiar bond. Something wicked was indeed approaching; its foul presence permeated the air like a physical stench. The forest had grown silent around us as animals either fled or sought cover. Neither of which I could do. Not if I wanted to pass this challenge and get back home.

  Not knowing what approached had me clenching my teeth and forming half the magic I had siphoned into a thick shield that completely surrounded us. The other half I fashioned into a seething deathsphere that hovered above my right hand. My eyes roamed over the trees and shadows surrounding us, struggling to see the approaching terror.

  Alien energy washed across the vicinity, inspiring static electricity that raised every hair on my body. I sucked in a breath as that energy vibrated so strongly that it actually seeped inside my shield. Something that should have been impossible without first breaking it.

  Pixie hissed and arched her back in pure feline rage, and her gaze shot directly across from us. Something I noticed and then braced myself for attack—only to have my mouth drop open when an adorable girl who couldn’t have been older than six stepped onto the path ahead. Beautiful golden curls framed her face in double pigtails, and she blinked wide cerulean-blue eyes at us—meaning she definitely wasn’t a witch. Her skin was porcelain white and her features as achingly perfect as my favorite doll. In fact, I began calling her Caroline in my head in honor of that childhood companion.

  “Caroline,” the girl said with a charming smile. “I like that. You may call me Caroline. Oh, we are going to be the best of friends, Cressida. Our names even start with the same letter!”

  She giggled and skipped a little closer, curls bouncing like some woman in a shampoo commercial. Emotions warred inside me as she skipped, ranging from being utterly captivated by her beauty to confused by the fact that she’d appeared after a flood of pure evil. Surely she couldn’t be the cause of such soul-sucking wickedness? But how had she known my real name?

  “Of course I’m not the source of evil in this forest, silly. And I know your real name because we’re best friends. And I want nothing more than to give my best friend her deepest, darkest desire.”

  Her beauty and the affection in her voice spoke of love and light, but there was a distinct dark edge layering her words. Something in the way she spoke and a wisdom beyond her seeming age that lurked in her cerulean eyes disturbed me. Suddenly it didn’t seem so impossible to envision her as the source of evil. I locked that thought deep inside my mind, however. She’d proven she could read my surface thoughts.

  I knew nothing good could come from accepting gifts from a spooky-ass child skipping through an enchanted forest. But refusing gifts from magical beings never went well either...Rock, meet hard place! Please don’t crush my skull open.

  My mouth curved in a smile as I fought to conceal my fears and doubts of her sincerity. “No thank you. I already have everything I could possibly ask for. You need only give me your friendship.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she stamped a foot on the ground. “You forgot to call me Caroline!”

  I made my smile show an apology that wasn’t echoed in my eyes. “I’m sorry, Caroline.”

  That slightly mollified her, and she gave another sunny smile. “That’s okay, Cressida. I forgive you. I know you’re just sore because you’ve been longing after your deepest desire something fierce. Here, let me show you.”

  Pixie let out a sharp yowl and leaped off my shoulder, flying toward the girl far more quickly than should have been possible. Even then, she wasn’t nearly quick enough.

  Darkness descended yet again, followed by that total absence of all six senses. I screamed out for Pixie even though I knew she couldn’t hear. The bond had dissolved as if it had never existed. Or at least that’s how it felt. I managed to maintain my sanity more strongly this time, bolstere
d by the belief that light and sound would return.

  That faith was soon rewarded, although I hadn’t expected to find myself standing at the edge of the same gaping chasm again. This time, I retained my own memories; although I did remain alone. The creepy little girl I’d dubbed Caroline stood a few feet away, sunny smile still on her face. She gave me a jaunty wave and then motioned toward our right. I swallowed, took a deep breath to brace myself, and then glanced across the gully.

  My breath whistled out when I saw a rock formation where empty air had previously been. A rough stone platform sat atop the pillar, with a single narrow column jutting upward. Chained against that column was my sister, Misty, tears running down her cheeks and terror on her face. She screamed as a tiny circle of stone disappeared from the outer edge of the platform. Is that really Misty? Or is this all just an illusion for the challenge? Her voice sounds so real!

  And why would Pixie have been so terrified of this evil creature if none of this were real? If none of it mattered?

  Before I could visibly react, Caroline clapped her hands to regain my attention and then pointed to the left. My gaze whipped in that direction to find a second pillar complete with stone platform and column. Chained to that tower was a scowling and defiant-looking Zane. He couldn’t help flinching when a thin slice of his platform suddenly broke away.

  I turned back to Caroline and forced my voice to sound calm. “Threatening my loved ones doesn’t seem like something a best friend would do. Caroline.”

  She skipped in place with an eerie giggle. “I’m not the one who put them there, silly. But I am the person who can help you save one of them. That’s how I’m going to give you your dearest desire. Whichever one you save is obviously the one you love the most.”

  That had my pulse racing, since I hadn’t yet decided whether this was real or illusion. What better way to test a potential Storm Arrow’s true strength of character than to place real loved ones in actual danger? I decided to stall for time. “You mean my darkest desire?”

  Her skipping stopped, and she blinked in confusion. “What?”

  “A moment ago you said my darkest desire, but just now you changed it to dearest desire. Which is it?”

  She narrowed her eyes and stamped her foot again. “What does it matter? They’re the same thing.”

  I shook my head. “Absolutely not. One’s darkest desire is the thing someone is ashamed to want. Something they don’t want anyone else to know.” I gestured toward first Misty and then Zane. “I am not ashamed by how I feel about either my sister or my boyfriend.” Damn, it felt so good to call him that.

  Anger flashed across her face. “Now you’re just being mean. I don’t like it when my best friends are mean to me.”

  Misty screamed as a larger slice of her platform peeled away and plummeted into endless air. I glanced at Zane’s pillar to check and, sure enough, another circle of his had broken as well.

  “I’m sorry, Caroline. Please don’t be angry with me. You’re right.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and huffed out a breath. “Of course I’m right. This is my game, and you gotta play by my rules. Now, which one do you want to save?”

  I took a breath and glanced from one platform to the other. “I’m sorry, Caroline, but if we’re playing a game, shouldn’t I understand the rules? How can I make a good choice if I don’t know the rules?”

  She tapped her foot on the hard-packed dirt and considered my words. “Hmm, that’s a good point. Well it’s like this, see. Those pillars are going to continue breaking until there’s nothing left and then BOOM! Both your desires are going to plunge dooooooown to the bottom of the canyon.” She clapped her hands loudly when she said BOOM, and then she swooped her hands from above her head to below her waist.

  “And why can I only save one of them? If this is your game, and I’m your best friend, why can’t I save both?”

  “Cause that’s the rules, silly!”

  “But if you made the rules, then how can it be that you didn’t put them both there? And if you did put them there, aren’t you the person making the pillars break?”

  She scowled and stamped her foot again. “You’re not a very good best friend, Cressida. And if you don’t stop being mean to me I’m going to finish breaking both those pillars right this very instant!”

  Her words were the confirmation I’d been waiting for. She was the one breaking the pillars. Considering the sheer essence of evil that had wafted across the air before she appeared, not to mention Pixie’s terror at her appearance, I knew that she couldn’t be trusted. She absolutely would finish breaking whichever pillar I didn’t choose. Hell, she might break both of them even if I did. And so I would make the only choice that would give my loved ones a fighting chance.

  “I’m sorry. Please don’t, Caroline. I’m ready to choose my dearest desire. But first, can I have a hug? Best friends always hug when playing games.”

  That creepy-as-hell smile returned to her perfect porcelain face, and she skipped closer to me. It took tremendous self-control to let those arms close around me, and even more to hug her back. Her skin was as cold as ice, but I managed not to wince. I inwardly blessed Pixie for topping off my personal magic reserves and used every ounce of energy to cast a charm that bound Caroline’s flesh to mine everywhere we touched.

  Her eyes widened, and for the first time she showed something like fear. “What are you doing? This isn’t part of the game!”

  “But it is, Caroline,” I said with a sunny little smile of my own. “Saving then both is my dearest desire.”

  She opened her mouth—whether to yell or speak a counterspell, I wasn’t sure—but I’d already started running. And no matter how strong this unholy little creature may have been magically speaking, my body was far larger and the laws of physics were on my side. She barely had time to start her scream before I leaped out into empty air—and our bodies began to plummet...

  Chapter 12

  I fully expected to hit the bottom of that chasm, but we only fell for a few seconds before blinding energy swept me into its grip. Caroline shrieked angrily as she was ripped away. Before I could react, magic flared and I found myself standing on twhat I could only assume was the opposite edge of the Maze of Artemis from where we’d entered. That became clear the moment I saw an open-air temple with tall marble pillars that rose every few feet in a huge circle. Lightning flared in the dark air above the temple, never quite hitting the temple. It seemed odd that it didn’t actually strike the temple’s floor since there wasn’t a ceiling.

  ((What took you so long?)) Pixie’s mental voice preceded her popping back onto my shoulder.

  I staggered slightly at the unexpected weight, hand moving to steady her as I stumbled forward. My gaze was still focused on the temple. Various symbols were carved onto each pillar, ranging from majestic wolves on one, to circles of trees on another, to a moon and stars on another, to forked lighting climbing along a silver dagger on another, to a beautiful silver swirl of leaves and culicues on yet another. That was as far as my gaze got before Artemis materialized a few feet away.

  I immediately bowed my knee and head. Pixie bobbed her own head respectfully. Something I couldn’t recall ever seeing before.

  “Very well done, my daughter. I must say I’ve never seen anyone take quite that approach to the third test.”

  My gaze whipped up and I frowned. “Did I do something wrong?”

  She laughed. “Not at all. It’s just that every other Storm Arrow I’ve chosen has selected one person to save above all others. I find it refreshing that you not only thought of a creative solution, you also chose to sacrifice your own life for those you love. Even though you weren’t even fully sure whether they were real or whether you would really die. That act took both bravery and great strength of character. I will be honored to number you among my Storm Arrows once you pass that final test.”

  I blushed and stroked Pixie’s fur for comfort. “It is I who will be honored to serve you,
Moon Mother.”

  Artemis smiled and gestured toward the temple. “Come now, daughter. We have much to do but little time in which to do it. I’m afraid that real danger threatens back at the Academy. You’re going to need every bit of your magical skill, courage, and strength of character to not just face it, but conquer it like you have my challenge.”

  She led me up a short flight stairs and toward the center of the open-air temple. The same swirling symbol of leaves and curlicues I had seen on one of the pillars had been etched in the exact center of a much larger circle on the marble floor. It shifted from brightest silver to vibrant emerald green. Artemis motioned toward the symbol.

  “This is the first of my marks. Once you speak your first oath to me, it shall be etched upon your skin as surely as it is upon this floor. If much smaller. You will want to conceal it the way you do your witch’s identification on your hand. It wouldn’t do for our enemy to mark you as one of my future Arrows until you are better able to defend yourself.”

  I shivered as I imagined Hera—or even just the Witch Queen—finding that information out. It might not be as bad as them learning that I was really Cressida Gallonos, but it damned sure wouldn’t be good.

  Artemis gestured for me to step upon her first mark. “Kneel, Cressida Gallanos of the Gloaming, also known as Crystal Gibbs.” Once I complied, she continued. “By whichever name, do you swear to serve as one of my Arrows, holding loyal to me above all others and furthering the causes of truth, justice, and love?”

  I glanced up at her shining figure, a rush of emotions sweeping over me. Awe and gratitude were the foremost of those. I swallowed and nodded. “I do so swear, Moon Mother.”

  “Do you agree to wear my mark with pride, answering when I Call and always doing your best to fulfill your duties?”

  I nodded again. “I do so swear, Moon Mother.”

  “Then arise as you receive the first of my Marks, that of the Moon-Called.”