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So much for Daphne getting out of the cage.
“Leave him alone!” she futilely yelled.
“Or what?” Circe shifted to face her. “What will you do? Yell? Stomp your feet?”
The helplessness enraged Daphne. How was she supposed to fight the witch when she had all the advantages? “You won’t get away with this.”
“And yet I already have. I’ve defeated all those sent against me. None are a match for my power!” Circe boasted.
It took everything in Daphne to not react when Baptiste stood up behind Circe a finger to his lips.
He wasn’t asleep!
Daphne had to keep the witch distracted.
“One day someone wilier than you is going to take you out.”
“Not you,” smirked Circe.
“No, not me,” Daphne huffed. “But I will cheer when it happens.”
“It won’t, but even if it did, you won’t be around—” The last of her words got cut off as Baptiste wrapped his big hands around Circe’s neck and squeezed, lifting her from the ground.
Circe scratched at his hands, clawing as she gasped for air. Her eyes bulged. Her motions became frantic. The magic she tried to call fizzled as he choked her.
Crack.
Circe’s neck snapped and she went limp.
The witch was dead. Daphne almost pouted since she’d been wanted to be the one who killed.
Baptiste dropped the body and approached the cage.
“Nice job faking sleep,” she remarked as he grabbed the bars on her cage and gave them a yank.
“I’m just glad she didn’t notice Marissa cast a repelling spell on me or things might have ended differently,” he admitted.
“Marissa helped you.” A flat reply at odds with the ire brewing within.
“Yeah. When we escaped the CA, she was the one to find us the bikes. We split up at the main road. She was supposed to meet us here as the plan was I’d approach from the front and she’d circle around and come in at the rear. I hope she didn’t run into trouble.” He glanced off into the distance with concern.
Daphne muttered, “I’m sure the pretty witch is fine.”
His gaze returned to her with a lopsided smile. “Is she pretty? I hadn’t noticed.” He heaved on the bars, and with a grunt, they squealed and began to bend, just not enough for her to get out.
“Hold on, I can help.” A huffing Marissa suddenly appeared, looking disheveled, with rotted leaves caught in her hair and some kind of putrid stain on her pants. She waved her hands and bit her lip as she aimed at the cage, grunting, “Someone didn’t want you escaping. These bars are like iron metal on steroids.”
“Let me see if there’s a saw that can cut through or something to pry them apart inside.” He glanced at Daphne. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
She snorted. “Ha. So funny.”
His lips quirked. “I try. I’ll be quick.” He headed for the cottage while Marissa kept straining only to finally grouse, “I can’t get them loose. My magic isn’t as strong here.”
“The whole place is unnaturally tainted,” Daphne stated.
“What was she doing?” Marissa eyed the cauldron and bones.
“Ungodly things.” An ironic way of putting it.
