by Amy Boyles
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I did was toss the dream catcher in the trash.
“That thing doesn’t work,” I growled.
I texted Axel that I was awake and that we were heading to Misery’s first thing and that I’d explain the rest when he arrived.
I showered, dressed and went downstairs. Mattie padded along beside me.
“Nothing like the smell of greasy bacon in the morning,” she said.
I smirked. As much as I hated to admit it, it was true. The smell of bacon grease was pretty comforting.
I found Betty in winter camouflage, the type Russians always seem to wear in movies where something really bad is going to happen. Like the type where there’s a lot of snow, an army gets stranded in the wilderness, maybe some supernatural creature attacks them—that sort of thing.
“You’re in camouflage,” I said.
“You should be, too.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it’s the best disguise to make sure we reach Misery’s.”
I frowned. “Why wouldn’t we reach Misery’s?”
“Because she’s going to be expecting us.”
Cordelia strode from the kitchen and set a tray of steaming biscuits on the table. She gestured to her own camo fashion. “I’m wearing it. So’s Amelia.”
“We can’t be too careful,” Betty said.
“Fine. Give me some camo.”
Betty pressed a finger to her nose. A line of sparkly magic zipped through the air and splattered on me. Hopefully there was no mucus involved.
But to be honest I didn’t want to think about that too much as then I would be thinking about mucus and snot and it on my body and I might vomit.
Not might. I would definitely vomit.
So instead of focusing on that, I directed my attention to the white and gray camouflage I wore.
“Do you think we could have just somehow shielded ourselves?” I ask. “You know, maybe worked an invisibility spell instead?”
Betty shook her head. “No way. An invisibility spell requires magic. We need to conserve all the magic we can. Otherwise, we could be walking right into Misery’s trap.”
“Whatever that is.” Amelia strode downstairs. “Did you call Garrick?”
Betty shook her head. “Let’s see if we can solve this ourselves, first. Otherwise, we’ll have to get him involved.”
“Just make sure I’m nowhere around, if you would,” Cordelia said.
“Fine by me,” Betty replied. “Unless we need your help, that is.”
Cordelia grumbled something I didn’t understand. I took control of the conversation. “Come on. Let’s eat. Axel should be here in a few minutes. He’s coming, too.”
“Fine by me,” Betty said.
We ate quickly and in silence. As we started to clear the table, Betty nodded to me. “It’s trash day.”
I groaned. “I forgot.”
“It’s your turn to take it out.”
I wanted to complain, but instead of doing that, I quickly grabbed all the trash from every room, including my own.
I studied the dream catcher and for a moment thought I shouldn’t throw it out, but then changed my mind.
I dumped it in a bigger can. “You and your uselessness can go away.”
I gathered the rest of the rubbish and set the big can outside by the curb. You’d think for witches we’d have a more advanced way of getting rid of garbage, but we did not.
I brushed my hands as a voice sliced through the morning birdsong.
“Hey there, gorgeous.”
I glanced over to see Axel approach, a wide smile on his face. He may have looked happy, but trouble filled his eyes.
I hugged him close and inhaled his musky scent.
He surveyed me with a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “What’s with the getup? You going on a top-secret spy mission?”
I lightly fisted his arm. “Ha ha. Very funny. I’m sure Betty’s going to make you wear one of these, too.”
He winked. “Great. I love matchy-matchy outfits.”
I bit back laughter. Axel chuckled but his gaze still held something dark and unsettled.
“Everything okay?” I said. “You look worried.”
He brushed a hand over his eyes. “I’m fine. Nothing a little dose of daylight can’t help.”
I kissed his cheek. “Good thing it’s morning then. Have you had breakfast?”
He shook his head. “No. I figured I’d load up on carbs and grease before we left. You know, the kind of breakfast that makes you feel great in the morning,” he joked.
I laughed. “If you don’t eat too much of it, you should feel fine. I think there’s fruit inside somewhere, though you might have to search for it among all the chicken fried steak.”
He patted his stomach. “Music to my ears. Come on, let’s get going.”
About thirty minutes later, after everyone had eaten and we all looked like extras in a movie, we were ready to set out.
Since my skillet was still broken, I called Hugo down to be my ride. The dragon’s wings kicked up leaves and debris. I covered my eyes to keep the grit from getting in.
Everyone else had their skillets ready. Axel had called his in a Thor-like fashion, holding out his hand until the skillet snapped into it.
“That’s a neat trick,” I said.
He winked. “There’s more where that comes from.”
“I can’t wait to learn,” I murmured.
“Cut it out, y’all two,” Betty said in a huffy voice. “Let’s get our game plan.”
“I thought we were going to Misery’s to ask her to get rid of the curse?” Amelia said.
Betty thumbed her chest. “The game plan is this—I do the talking. Axel, look mean. That goes for the rest of y’all, too. Look as mean as you can. That includes you, Amelia. Just be sure not to open your mouth. That’ll ruin the effect.”
Amelia whimpered.
“Case in point,” Betty said gruffly. She gripped her cast-iron skillet and gave a hard nod. “Are y’all ready?”
I grabbed hold of a pair of horns that sprouted from the top of Hugo’s head. “Ready!”
“Let’s go!”
We launched into the air. Just as we broke the tree line, I spotted a crow taking flight. I scowled, wondering if it was one of Misery’s spies.
I pushed it from my mind. I had more to concentrate on. We pushed higher and higher until we nearly touched the clouds.
Hugo’s wings pumped the air, and I felt unstoppable atop the dragon. With my magic and his fire we could take on any enemy and win.
Bring it on, Misery. Bring it on.
As we neared her cottage fortress, or whatever you wanted to call it, a dark cloud broke off from the mountain spire and headed toward us.
“It’s her crows,” Betty called. “She’s sending them to attack.”
“We have to break through them,” Axel shouted.
The mass of birds neared, looking like dark dots against the blue sky.
“This shouldn’t be hard,” I shouted.
I called on my magic and threw out a line of power toward them. The birds broke apart, creating a hole that my magic zipped right through.
They’d dodged my magic as if they knew what I was about to throw at them. I frowned and was more determined to make it Misery.
I shot again, and the birds did the same thing. I glanced over and noticed everyone else’s magic was useless as well. It was as if the crows anticipated our moves before we were able to make them.
“Press on,” Betty called.
We pushed forward as the birds stopped in front of us and formed a shield. They cawed before flapping their wings in unison.
We stopped, unable to go any farther. I was about to ask Axel and Betty what to do next when the wind started picking up.
It lifted my hair from my neck and pushed us back. I hunkered down, leaning into Hugo. The dragon pumped his wings, but he was being forced back, too.
Axel thrust out his hand. A spark of magic leaped from his open palm toward the birds. I kept my eyes open a slit, trying to see what would happen.
Right before the magic hit the birds it repelled, falling back toward us.
Axel saw it, too. “Retreat!”
The magic transformed into a ball of fire that darted toward us. I pressed my knees into Hugo.
“Fly, Hugo! The other way!”
The dragon turned slowly and headed back the way we’d come. I glanced back to see the magical ball shooting straight toward the dragon and me.
“Faster, Hugo!”
I didn’t know what spell Axel had thrown at the birds; therefore I wasn’t sure how to counter it.
I glanced back to see Axel coming up fast. “I’ll try to stop it!”
He shot a line of magic at the ball. It hit it squarely, but instead of dissolving, the ball grew.
My eyes widened. Oh, this was so not good. Not at all. Either Misery or the crows had magicked the ball to whatever they wanted, changing it so that if Axel tried to stop it, it wouldn’t work.
I doubted my magic would have any effect, but the very least I could do was try.
I concentrated on the flaming orb. I wanted it gone, away. I tossed my want out to it and hoped the ball would zip in the other direction.
To my horror, it sped up, racing toward me. The ball positioned itself between me and my family, cutting me off.
“Hang on,” Axel yelled. “We’re going to try to stop it, Pepper!”
I wanted to shout back to him, but I was afraid my words would be lost in the wind. Besides, there was no time. I had to move quickly. The orb was gaining on me, its fiery center blazing white hot.
I crouched down and shouted in Hugo’s ear. “We’ve got to lose that thing!”
Hang on! the dragon said in my head. Hugo dived toward the trees, heading back into town. We could fly the orb toward the Cobweb Forest, but that was too far away. I wasn’t sure we’d make it.
An idea popped into my head. I searched the town for what I sought. It was risky, but I didn’t have any other options. The biggest space I knew of with lots of cover just happened to be the forest behind the house that Axel had purchased.
I was with Hugo, so I wasn’t worried about a creepy creature. He could outfly it anyday.
I saw the house and the clearing behind it. “Down, Hugo! Into those trees.”
The dragon swooped down, barely clearing the very top of the cottage. He darted into the trees.
He dodged right and left, narrowly missing several pines. I glanced behind. I didn’t see the orb.
Exhaling, I was relieved until I heard the sound of branches snapping.
The orb accelerated toward us, leaving branches and leaves burning as it cleared a path.
“It’s still there,” I yelled.
Jump, Hugo shouted in my head.
“No,” I yelled.
I knew what he wanted. For me to leave him and Hugo would continue on. But I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to be stranded in this forest, and I didn’t want Hugo to be hurt.
“No,” I shouted again.
But it was too late. Hugo dipped hard to the right, to the point where I lost my grip. In a tangle of arms and legs I fell, tumbling into a pile of leaves that I swear had been placed there just to break my fall.
I lay in the pile, holding my breath until the moment the orb zipped past me. Hugo would fly high into the sky and rejoin my family. They would then work together to defeat the orb. With all of them on it, they should be able to, at the very least, contain it.
I exhaled, my breath shaky. A full minute passed before I slowly rose from the pile of dead leaves. I brushed debris from my hair and clothes and checked myself for slugs.
For some reason wherever there was a pile of leaves, there were also slugs.
I was not into slugs.
I picked off the last of the twigs and brush and took a moment to gauge my surroundings. I knew which direction we’d headed from, so I started off that way.
I’d only taken about five steps when the ground beneath my feet shook. From behind, branches snapped. Leaves crunched.
My heart beat so hard I thought it would crack my rib cage. I closed my eyes, inhaled a deep breath to calm my jackhammering heart and slowly turned.
A cry strangled in the back of my throat. Standing on the other side of the forest, maybe one hundred yards away, lumbered the beast in my dreams.
Its dark gaze zeroed in on me. Panic seized me. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t move. My feet were glued to the ground.
That was when the beast broke into a run—heading toward me.
Chapter 15
There was no time to think or be afraid. There was only time to react. I turned and ran, dashing through the forest as fast as I could.
The beast was tall with long legs; it would catch up to me in no time. Now was when I needed to know how to speed run like Betty.
I willed my legs to move faster, to pump as fast as they could.
It seemed to work somewhat. My pace quickened, but my reaction time did not.
Leaves slapped my face. Roots tugged at my toes. The forest itself seemed to condense on me, closing off and choking the sunlight from the leaf-covered floor.
I pushed myself on, doing my best not to succumb to the fear that scrambled up my throat.
Darn that Misery! When I got my hands on her, she’d be lucky if there was anything left of her scraggly hair and her cottage.
None of this was funny. None of it. My friends, my family, we were all in serious danger. All because she didn’t receive a wedding invitation.
This witch was as crazy as Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. If Misery turned into a dragon, we’d have serious problems. I prayed we’d be able to stop this madness before that happened.
The ground shook as the beast approached. I had to press on. Had to keep going. Part of me wanted to turn around, but I feared even the slightest mistake and I’d fall.
Up ahead the trees parted. I was almost to the clearing. If I could reach it, then I’d have a chance at making it to the house—and hopefully freedom.
Just as I was thinking about freedom, I felt a great hand grab the back of my jacket. I was snatched from the ground, kicking and screaming, forced to face the hideous monster.
Its green skin looked sickly. The giant nose had huge hairs poking out of it. Stale breath and jagged teeth snarled.
The thing seemed male, but it was so dirty and smelly, with shapeless clothing, that there was no way to tell what it was.
Going purely on instinct, I shot it in the shoulder with a blast of magic.
The thing howled and dropped me.
I’d hit it with a hard blast. On a normal witch she would have been seriously hurt, but this creature seemed only mildly agitated.
That was probably worse for me. It was one thing to annoy a creature and another to actually disable it. All I’d managed to do was tick it off.
Which meant I had to be super fast if I was going to escape.
I scrambled to my feet and ran, again. This time it only took a few seconds for my feet to fly out from under me. My chin hit the ground, and pain radiated up my head and down my shoulders.
“Oomph,” I said.
The creature pulled me by my foot and lifted me upside down, where it got a good look at me.
I swatted at it, but the creature chuckled. I hit it again with magic, and the creature twirled its finger. A rope coiled around my hands, tying them together.
“A tasty treat,” the creature said.
My stomach fell. This thing thought I was its next meal. It was going to eat me! Oh no!
It wasn’t that the creature just wanted to attack me for no reason. There was a reason—I was its next meal!
And the creature had magic. I willed my hand restraints gone, wante
d them away, but something was blocking me from using my magic.
I didn’t think it was this oaf.
Misery!
That had to be it. There was no way this creature could work powerful magic like that. Okay, maybe it could, but I had my doubts. The one witch that would interfere would be her, and she wasn’t stopping at anything to make sure we all suffered.
“Let me go,” I screeched.
The creature hoisted me across its back and started to walk back into the forest.
No!
I could see the house. It was so close. I’d been so close to reaching it. All I’d had to do was open the door. I knew I would’ve been safe. I just knew it.
I could’ve walked right through that door and found my family.
There was no telling how hard of a time they were having with the orb.
As if on cue, an explosion sounded in the distance. I couldn’t decipher how far away it had happened, but I figured it had to have been the orb.
Which meant my family would be finding me soon. They’d come after me, and they wouldn’t be kind to this creature.
Maybe I could talk him out of turning me into a meal.
“My family will be looking for me.”
It grumbled in a deep voice, “No one find you.”
“They’re very good at searching. You’ll want to go ahead and release me. Let me go now. Otherwise they’ll hurt you.”
The creature laughed.
I bobbed against its backside that smelled of leaves and dirt.
“Did Misery send you?”
“No one sent. Always be.”
Which I took to mean that the creature had always existed. Impossible. I’d only just dreamed about it a few days ago, and its looks had been a combination of my cousins’ spells on each other.
But the creature saying that no one had sent him was strange.
Okay, I’m just going to go ahead and name it a he.
My mind raced while the creature lumbered through the forest. Any minute now my family would appear, I just knew it. They’d get me out of this.
But as we walked farther and farther from the place where Hugo had dropped me, my hopes began to dim. I would have to find a way out of this myself.
I just hoped I figured out how before I became dinner.