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Maggie nodded dumbly and stabbed the key into the second cell. A girl streamed out from it, no older than five, as she sucked her thumb, and the boy reached out his hand. She grasped it as they turned to face Margery.
“Stop!” the witch screeched and flew towards Maggie. Lucian caught her around the waist and flung her back. Margery raised her hands and blasted Lucian, making him stagger backwards. Seizing the moment, Margery raced across the bar to Maggie and slammed into an invisible barrier. Katherine pulsed as she pushed Margery away from her daughter.
Green lightning lit the room as Margery threw bolts at Katherine. Lucian grabbed her again and yanked her arms behind her back as Maggie released two more little boys. They joined the other freed children and watched the battle between the battling ghosts. Margery dissipated and attempted to materialise within Maggie’s protective circle.
Katherine strengthened her barrier and slung Margery into a chair. The sound of breaking wood cracked through the inn, and Margery leapt to her feet and stabbed Lucian with a chair leg into his belly as he approached her. Maggie had freed child five, a girl, when Lucian’s pained gasp echoed.
“Give me my opal, you insolent chit,” Margery hissed as Lucian bent over, holding the stake in his stomach. Maggie froze, the key just above the sixth prison, as she stared wide-eyed at the scene.
“Go to hell,” Maggie yelled and jabbed the cell and discharged a little girl hostage inside.
Lucian dematerialised, freed himself from the stake in his abdomen, and crashed into Margery. They began trading blows, Lucian a blinding blur of movement, using a silver dagger he’d hidden in his waist. Margery used her powers as Maggie freed two more, a boy and a girl, and Margery let out an enraged scream. She applied her power, picked Lucian up, and threw him at the barrier. Katherine reached out, and Margery grabbed the chance. Maggie flinched as Margery’s hand passed through the boundary, and then Katherine kicked Margery back out.
Around Maggie floated eight ghosts, four boys and four girls. There were four more to free. The next boy was the eldest released so far. He looked to be ten, and he smiled sadly at Maggie before moving aside. A table smashed as Lucian lifted Margery and slammed her down hard. Margery applied her powers to throw shattered pieces of wood at Lucian like missiles. Her lightning smashed into panels as Lucian used his super speed to avoid her strikes. The war continued as Maggie freed another boy. A cry escaped her lips as she saw how tiny he was, no older than two or three.
The eldest boy bent and picked the toddler up as he sucked a thumb and watched the fight rampaging out of control. Lucian’s dagger stabbed at Margery, and her own powers retaliated. Maggie released a girl and finally a boy. Silence fell as a howl left the opal. A wind swept through the inn as the youngsters lined up. Lucian rose to his feet and lashed out at Margery, and she turned and sent a pike of solid green power through him.
The energy spear held Lucian in place as his eyes met Maggie’s resignation in them. They’d freed the children, but Margery was still powerful. Margery sneered, her face a mess of blood and sweat. Katherine pulsed around Maggie, rubbing Margery’s face in it that she couldn’t reach her daughter. Margery slowly yanked the spear a little and shoved it back into Lucian, making him groan.
“Dematerialise!” Maggie screamed at Lucian.
“He can’t, you bitch!” Margery hissed. “My magic’s holding him hostage. Now give me my opal, and I’ll let him go.”
“No, I won’t allow you to imprison those children again,” Maggie cried.
“They’re no good to me. They’ve been freed. I’d need new souls,” Margery said ruthlessly. Maggie turned her head away in disgust, and a twinkle caught her eye. She rose to her feet and stood on the chair.
“And if I smash this?” Maggie demanded.
“Protected, stupid child.” Margery twisted the spear and forced a gasp from Lucian. She held his hair in her hand, holding his head up so Maggie could stare directly into his face.
“Forgive me, Lucian,” Maggie whispered.
“Maggie, no!” Lucian cried. Maggie reached up and grabbed something. Margery’s eyes widened as Maggie barrelled through the barrier and protection salt and slammed a blade straight through her heart.
“No!” Margery screamed, releasing Lucian. He fell to his knees as Katherine dragged him away. Margery stepped backwards and Maggie, shoving with all her might, drove Lucian’s sword through Margery and out her back.
“Now you wicked, wicked bitch of a witch, you die!” Maggie hissed and turned the pommel, twisting it in Margery’s withered heart. Margery screamed as the children appeared in a circle around her. Instinctively lifting her hands above her head, Maggie slammed the opal to the flagstones, and it shattered. Pieces flew everywhere as Margery let out a scream that forced Maggie to cover her ears. Maggie staggered back and slid down next to Lucian, who was bleeding.
“How are you bleeding?” Maggie cried as she tried to staunch the blood flow.
“Because I’d materialised. And Maggie, darling, stop, please stop. There is nothing to be done. It’s my time,” Lucian said. His hand fell upon his sword, lying next to Maggie gleaming in the moonlight.
“How?” Lucian asked.
“I don’t know. It just appeared,” Maggie gasped. “I saw it on the mantle next to the painting.”
Lucian gasped as blood bubbled in his lungs. He knew the moment the spear entered his body; it was the killing blow. Margery wailed as the children stopped her fleeing as dark shadows began writhing from the corners of the inn.
“No!” Margery screamed even as she dropped to her knees. Blood trickled from her mouth as she fell to her hands. Maggie had struck the killing blow too. Margery was going to where she belonged. Flashes of green light lit the bar as Margery tried to defend herself from the children pinning her in while distorted shadows leapt across the floor and latched onto her. A hole opened under her body, and Maggie dashed forward and dragged Lucian’s weapon back.
“Come here!” Maggie beckoned urgently at the kids as the shadows paused at looked at them. “Leave them alone! They’re innocents!” Maggie cried, climbing to her knees and waving the sword. A large black figure stared at Maggie before it spoke in a click, and the shadows faded away. The hole closed around Margery’s screams as she was sucked down into hell. A shocked silence fell as Maggie dropped towards Lucian, laid her head on his shoulder, and held him tightly.
“You can not leave me; you can’t! Fight Lucian, please, please don’t go,” Maggie begged, sobbing. Katherine let out a wail of sorrow as Lucian closed his eyelids. A small palm touched Maggie’s back, and she looked up into the eyes of the first boy she’d freed. He smiled gently at her and then placed a hand on Lucian’s heart and the other on Lucian’s wound. A shimmer of golden dust dropped from him, and the child appeared fainter than before.
Maggie gazed in amazement as a bright white light fell from the ceiling, and the boy headed towards it. One by one, the other children repeated his actions, and by the time the fifth laid hands on Lucian, he’d been healed. But they kept coming, and Maggie saw Lucian’s form firm and solidify before her eyes. Maggie whispered thanks to each child before they passed. Finally, the eldest replayed their movements and turned to Maggie.
“We’ve given his lordship what we could of us. He is alive once more,” the boy said before touching his forehead in respect and heading into the light. As he disappeared, three bright figures stepped out.
