With a loud crack, the room becomes engulfed in black smoke, overwhelmed with a putrid foul smell. The smoke dissipates, and an old woman emerges. I shrink back into my chair as her face becomes clear. I should have recognised the smell; it’s not one to forget in a hurry.The witch.
Myles, sensing my anguish or feeling my body shake in terror, pushes himself forward in the chair, shielding me. The witch scours the room, making direct eye contact with everyone. Her gaze narrows as she sets her sights on Myles, then flicking to me, her lips curl up into a sneer.
“Not trying to hide, are we, girl?” she says, tilting her head, gazing at me intensely. A darkness swells around her. “You have been busy, haven’t you?”
The witch shuffles towards me, her ripped cloak floating around her feet, the stench growing stronger with each step. The contents of my stomach threaten to reappear.
“Learned a bit of magic.” Her chin lowers, her darkened eyes sweeping over Myles. “Brought someone back from the dead. Tut tut.”
“How did you…” I begin.
The witch rushes towards me, so close that her breath fills my nose, making me gag. Her knitted eyebrows reveal hundreds of tiny creases across her face, like rings on a tree stump, showing her age. Her eyes are a dark brown with silver hues. Her lips are dry and cracked. She reaches forward, digging her bony fingers into my chin, her icy touch burning my face.
“I know everything, girl.” Her face beams with a crooked smile. “You took something that didn’t belong to you.”
“What do you mean? I haven’t taken anything,” I say, flinching away from her.
Her expression turns solemn, eyes wide. “Don’t play innocent with me, girl,” she says, pointing to Myles. “Hewas supposed to die, but your little trick saved his soul from Death. And he doesn’t like to be thwarted.”
“What? No, I didn’t mean to do it. I mean, I don’t know how to control it. It just happened,” I plead.
“Death does as he wishes.” She backs away from me a little, looking at Myles.
“No, please,” I say, pushing in front of him.
The witch looks at me carefully. “You sure?” Myles shrivels beneath her gaze, fidgeting in his chair. “Don’t worry, I’m not here for him.” Myles exhales. “Death has granted you a mercy of sorts.” She smiles wryly with her broken, crooked teeth on display.
“He has found your power… intriguing, a little piece of him. I’m here to tell you that he will be watching, waiting… to see how you fare. This power could bring you greatness or be your downfall. Until we meet again.”
With a puff of black smoke, she is gone.
I’m surrounded by looks of dread and bewilderment. Mum rubs the bridge of her nose, pulling Elana in close.
I wonder if she wishes they had never found me. They would never have had to deal with any of this if I hadn’t been thrust upon them. They could have lived a normal life, a better life. Collapsing down on the arm of the chair, Myles’ hand rests on my back.
“When did it get boring around here?” Wyatt chimes in. Everyone stares at him, bewildered. “Just trying to lighten the mood,” he says, slumping his shoulders.
Elana speaks so quietly it’s almost impossible to hear, “What are you going to do?”
Since finding out about the magic, my life has slowly slipped away piece by piece, putting everyone I know in harm’s way. The town is crawling with guards doing whatever they please, without consequences. Witches showing up at my house with enough power to kill us in an instant if they wanted to.
The only reprise being, Death has taken an interest in me, ‘my greatness or my downfall,’ what does that even mean? Leaving is the only safe option now; if I go, the guards will leave, and the witch will have no cause to hurt my family.
“I guess, I find this temple in Yiren and learn to control my magic. But I don’t know where to start.”
“You don’t have to do this alone. I’m with you,” Myles says, clutching my hand. “We’ll head out on the road tomorrow at first light.”
I should tell him to stay. That he will always be in danger with me, but I’m selfish. Being alone has always been agonising, worrying about which decisions to make, which direction to go.
I’m useless.
“Wouldn’t it be quicker to take a ship from Zephyr?” Wyatt weighs in.
“Probably, but I’ve heard the Calmin Sea is packed with pirates. Be safer travelling by road and just hope we don’t run into bandits,” Myles answers.
Wyatt opens his mouth to speak, but Mum interjects, “Myles is right, and there are much worse things in that sea than pirates.” My head spins to Mum, I’ve never heard of my parents' travels by sea. They would always clam up and change the subject. Without further explanation, she gets up, taking some plates to the basin.
First, witches and Death, now pirates and bandits, what's next?
