The Cursed Witch

by Chandelle LaVaun

  She was Death.

  How had I missed this? It must have just happened. I remembered the girl previously holding that Mark. I did not know her name, but she came from an island and held a magnificent Spanish accent. When did Saraphina get Marked? I stared at her arm and wondered how I had missed such a thing until this moment. Back on the wharf that night in her little dress, I should have seen it – but I hadn’t. Why? But the answer to my question was obvious. I’d been too stricken by her presence that I hadn’t been thinking straight.

  I cursed. What are we going to do now? Prince Thorne had been adamant. I was not to allow The Coven to take her. They could not have her. It was my biggest concern for three hundred and twenty-seven years…and now…now…she was one of them.

  They would take her for sure. They could claim her as they did all the Marked ones. I did not dare hope that he did not see the Mark on her arm as clearly as I did. He knew her. I’d known they were friends from the moment his group arrived in 1692. And then a few years ago when they arrived in the town she was cursed to…I knew. But she had not been Marked before. Centuries of planning had just gone out the window.

  No, no, no, no, no.

  Think, Riah, what do you do now?

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Riah

  My boots echoed like roaring thunder as I marched down the empty halls of the school. It was Monday morning and I had not calmed since the moment I saw the Mark on Saraphina’s skin. It changed everything.

  I stormed up to the door to the photography classroom then threw it open. It slammed against the wall, making the five young teenagers inside the room jump out of their skin. I growled. School doesn’t start for thirty minutes. What are they doing here? They were young, fourteen tops, but they may as well have been infants compared to me. I was more than six hundred years older than them. They had no reason to think such a thing, but their instincts made them cower away from me anyway.

  Ms. Kelly jumped up from the computer she’d been sitting at. Her face paled at the sight of me. “Riah…what can I do for you?”

  I turned and glared at the children. “Get to class,” I growled and pushed my magic out with it.

  They gasped and scrambled to flee from the room.

  Once they were gone and the door slammed shut behind them, I turned back to her and narrowed my eyes. “Show yourself.”

  She flinched then arched one eyebrow. “I beg your pardon—"

  “Show…” I stepped up close to her then leaned down and growled, “yourself.”

  Ms. Kelly stared at me for a long moment but I held my ground.

  Finally, she sighed…and the air rippled around like sunlight shining through the water. She arched one eyebrow at me and her eyes flashed with light. They went from a soft lavender to a bright, bold violet that glowed like a neon sign. The auburn hair tied up in a tight knot on top of her head came undone and fiery red hair cascaded around her shoulders. It fell in wild waves down almost to the ground. An impressive crown made of shells and crystals appeared out of thin air and sat on her head. Her school-appropriate attire was replaced with delicately woven pieces of cotton that only covered the most essential parts of her magnificent form.

  I bowed my head. “Keltie.”

  “Zachariah.” She arched one eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. A wave of energy rolled into me stronger than I’d felt from anything else on this realm. “I do not appreciate this behavior.”

  “I do not appreciate being lied to,” I snapped.

  Keltie was not someone to cross or disrespect, but I was at the end of sanity here.

  She narrowed those glowing eyes at me. “What are you talking about?”

  I slammed my hands on the table between us and the wood dented. “Saraphina was Marked for The Coven and you did not tell me!”

  She opened her mouth then shut it and sighed. “That happened mere moments before the curse was broken…and then she was delivered here.”

  “That does not mean you don’t tell me!” I pushed away from the now-dented table and began to pace. “This changes everything.”

  “I am not so sure I agree with that—”

  “It changes everything,” I growled. My skin was flushed and red with anger. “They can’t have her.”

  “Her being Marked is beyond my control or decision. The Goddess has decided she belongs to them—”

  “They.Can’t.Have.Her,” I growled through clenched teeth. I stopped and pointed my finger at her chest. “You know damn well if they get her our plan is ruined.”

  She smiled softly. “You are young, I will allow you these dramatics but ruined is a poor choice of word.”

  “And you are old, I will allow you this blasé attitude—”

  “Don’t,” she snapped and her skin turned turquoise. “Do not confuse my calmness for lack of care. I have cared for Saraphina long before you knew she existed.”

  I clenched my teeth together and glared at her. Do not antagonize an ancient goddess, Riah. Keltie was a goddess of the ocean, as old as this realm itself…just like the sea she may look calm and peaceful on the exterior but within there was a power unlike any other, just waiting to be unleashed. I had witnessed the extent of her power in my youth, I had no interest in witnessing it again.

  “You know I mean no disrespect to you,” I said slowly and calmly, though rage flowed through my veins. “But you know the plan. We have not spent three hundred and twenty-seven years working to make this happen for it to crumble now that she’s been Marked. If The Coven takes her, our plan is dust and you know it.”

  “The Coven has been busy with more pressing matters. They have only just succeeded in their troubles. I knew we had time.” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned to look out the window. “You and I were in agreement on the amendments to our plan since Saffie arrived here.”

  “Yes, but she was Marked and The Coven is here. Now. I saw Cooper Bishop with my own eyes.” My stomach rolled. “He’s been with her all weekend.”

  “I am aware.” She spun to me and for the first time I saw a flash of concern in her eyes. “However, the young Hierophant is aware of our plans. He spoke with Cooper prior to his arrival here. Cooper knows not to tell Saffie anything.”

  “And you think he’ll listen? The Hierophant is a small child—”

  “They are full biological brothers, so yes, I am positive Cooper will listen to him.” She narrowed her eyes at me and leaned on the table I’d dented. “Let us not forget you had your own personal reasons for our change of plans. Thorne wanted you to return Saffie to the Seelie realm the moment her curse was broken…but you wanted to get her memories back first.”

  I sighed and scrubbed my face. “Yes, I did. I know I did, but we’re out of time. I cannot risk The Coven swooping in and bringing her back to Eden.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “If you take her to Seelie now the consequences will be dire. We discussed this. She must get her memory back before she returns to the King.”

  “We’re out of time, Keltie. Our plan didn’t work. Being in Salem did not trigger her memories.” I put my hands on my hips and shook my head. “Not even speaking with Elizabeth Bishop from the dead and receiving the new prophecy.”

  “When the Angel of tides rings his drums…the drums have not yet been rung, young Zachariah. I of all people would know. We still have time.”

  “Not for her. It’s time. I gave this a chance but it failed—"

  “I have one more idea.” She pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her ocean-blown hair. “Hidden Kingdom.”

  I frowned. “What about it?”

  She shrugged. “Saffie was cursed to that location for three centuries, there is not a place in this realm she would feel more connected to.”

  I blinked. “What are you suggesting?”

  “Let us bring her there. I will organize a trip there for the class so she won’t be the wiser.” She rubbed her palms together. “We bring her there and let her roam. The memor
ies from that place may force their way through. We will bring Cooper with us, The Coven cares for Saffie as much as we do. They want her memory back as much as we do. Cooper has learned to trust unspoken guidance without questioning it. He will help us. Between the three of us we can arrange for her to see all the spots of that place that were most significant to her.”

  My heart fluttered with hope. I’d pushed my luck on this plan long enough, if I didn’t get Saraphina back to Prince Thorne and the King soon they would come for both of us. And the King had no mercy. But Keltie knew me, she knew I cared for Saraphina and did not want to drag her to the Seelie realm without her memory.

  If her memory was back she would remember me, remember my friendship and my protecting her. She would trust me. I could explain the plan to her so that she would not be blindsided. She would be in on the plan. But that required her memory to come back. Salem had not done the trick…however Hidden Kingdom might. Keltie had a point, and I desperately wanted it to work.

  I took a deep breath then let it out. “Fine but we leave tomorrow.”

  She rolled her eyes. “How do you expect me to pull that off? They don’t even know about the trip yet.”

  I arched one eyebrow at her and smirked. “You’re the daughter of Cronos, a literal goddess, you figure it out. Just make it happen.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me and sent a chill down my spine. “There are rules and you know it, Zachariah. We will leave Wednesday morning, no sooner. Do not push me on this.”

  “Fine. Wednesday.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Saffie

  “So let me see if I got this right…” Dr. Troy frowned and sat her notebook down. “You’re upset that your hallucinations are gone?”

  I groaned and tugged on my hair. “What’s wrong with me? Every time I saw him when he wasn’t there it scared the shit out of me…and now I’m like, where is he?”

  She stared at me for a second and then shook her head. “Saffie, I don’t know how to tell you this…but…”

  My stomach tightened into knots. “But what?”

  “But you’ve got it bad.” She grinned. “So bad.”

  “What does that mean?” I cried. “Savannah keeps saying it, too.”

  She took a deep breath and pushed her glasses up her nose. “You have a crush, Saffie. And that might just be the single most natural thing that could happen to a human. You like him. You have feelings for him, even if you aren’t quite sure what those feelings are yet.”

  I gnawed on my bottom lip and pulled on the sleeves of my sweater. “Really?”

  “Saffie, this is normal. And for someone in your situation, that is incredible.” She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. “What you’re dealing with are two different things that just so happen to circle around the same person. But did you not notice that once you confronted him about that first night…that your hallucinations stopped?”

  I opened my mouth…then shut it. Oh.

  “The hallucinations were a product of your fears and confusion. The human brain is a phenomenal thing. Then once you learned there was nothing to fear, those visions stopped.” She reached out and put her hand on mine. “Trauma is a bitch, as is its partner PTSD. There are going to be some side effects.”

  “So…so…” I sighed and spun my quartz ring around my finger over and over. “So you’re saying…about Riah…how do I know what I’m feeling? I don’t even know him, why does he have such an effect on me? How can I feel like this?”

  “That’s called attraction. Chemistry. It’s biological. You are drawn to him physically, this is also completely natural.” She met my eyes and smiled. “It’s infatuation. Lust.”

  “But what do I do?” My cheeks warmed. I looked at my fingers. “The girls keep—"

  “Just talk to him. Make friends.” She pursed her lips. “Invite him to hang out with you and the girls. Get to know him.”

  Get to know him. Right. I’ll just be like, ‘hey, Riah, wanna see my magic? Because I’m a witch. Oh wait, right, I’m not allowed to tell you that. But I also couldn’t tell Dr. Troy that so there was no way for me to make her understand how bad of an idea that might be. What if I slip up and my magic comes out accidentally in front of him? I barely had control of it.

  Then again, Cooper didn’t say I wasn’t allowed to be friends with humans. He’d just said I couldn’t tell them the truth. Savannah and Gigi befriended me before they knew the truth and kept theirs a secret. Landreia hadn’t told me either. So it was possible…and I really wanted to know him more. I could do it. I could keep my secret from him.

  My pulse quickened at just the idea of spending time with him. “O-okay. I’ll try.”

  “I am so proud of you, Saffie. You are handling this like a champ. You’re taking the right steps forward—”

  “Like a séance?”

  She smirked. “Okay, maybe that was not the most ideal plan but you’re far from the first person to do it. Especially here in Salem. It’s almost a rite of passage. I did one myself in my younger days.”

  My eyes widened. “You did? How’d that go?”

  “Terrifying.” She chuckled. “Just do everyone a favor and don’t use a Ouija board.”

  I shivered as a chill slid down my spine. “Definitely not. I’ll stick with the living.”

  Chapter Forty

  Saffie

  I hadn’t seen Riah since Saturday night, and that was only a moment…on his way to his late-night rendezvous. My stomach tightened and turned. Was he there to see a girl? He had to be. Why else would a guy go into a hotel after midnight on a Saturday night? But the idea that he was with some other girl — bile rose in my throat.

  If he had a girl…well…I needed to find out.

  Especially since I still wanted to see him. As everyone kept telling me, apparently I had it bad for him. Dr. Troy was right, I needed to try and spend some time with him. Plus, I wanted – no, I needed – to thank him for saving me after that seance. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been as afraid as I was that night. Somehow he’d been in the right place at exactly the right time. Again. I was starting to think he was my guardian angel or something. Though, that should have bothered me a little bit and it didn’t. Not even one bit.

  I stood at our usual table in photography class as the final bell rang waiting for him. Savannah and Gigi had gone into the darkroom to grab their favorite machines before anyone else did. I’d told them I’d be right there, that I needed to ask Ms. Kelly something. It was a lie I was fairly certain both of them saw right through. But they humored me anyway.

  Where is he? I chewed on my bottom lip and glanced around the room, probably not too subtly either. But no one was paying any attention to me. I fidgeted with the ring on my finger, twirling it around and around to try and distract myself from the knots in my stomach. Where is he? Class had already started. Everyone else was here…except for him.

  “Looking for me?”

  I gasped and spun around. Riah. My heart fluttered and warmth spread through my body. He stood right in front of me. The heat radiating off his body made me want to snuggle in closer. But I resisted. Barely. I took a deep breath just to inhale that burning ember scent of his. He wore all black today, and it was wreaking havoc on me in ways I didn’t understand.

  I licked my lips and smiled. “What if I am?”

  He gave me that sideways, crooked grin that made his golden eyes sparkle. “Then I’m glad you’re not wearing a skirt today.”

  “Not too dangerous or cute today?” I arched one eyebrow. Something happened once we started talking, things just came out of my mouth without my approval. Yet somehow they worked.

  He chuckled and shook his head, then leaned down to whisper, “today’s word is trouble.”

  I pursed my lips and stepped closer to him. “That doesn’t sound like a bad thing when you say it.”

  “My point exactly.” He licked his lips then tucked a runaway strand of hair behind my ear. “What were you looking for me f
or?”

  Butterflies danced in my stomach. Ask the important question first. The one that would tell me if there was any point in asking the others. “Um…well…do you have a girlfriend?”

  He took a step closer and our bodies were an inch apart. “No, why do you ask?” His breath swept over my face.

  No reason. I definitely don’t want to fill that position at all. I bit my bottom lip and shrugged. It was hard to think straight with him this close to me. But I had to focus. “Saturday night at the hotel…I don’t know, I guess I figured if you were meeting a girl then maybe she was your girlfriend?”

  He chuckled. “There was no girl, Saraphina.”

  My heart fluttered at the sound of my name on his lips, just like every time. And then I heard what he said. “What? But you said—”

  “I’ve been staying at the hotel all week after a roof leak at my place.” His gaze dropped to my lips then returned to my eyes, the gold irises were bright and fiery. “But your jealousy was far more enjoyable to watch than I had expected.”

  I gasped. “You dirty liar,” I whispered and playfully pushed him.

  The heat of his skin burned through his shirt and sent little shockwaves up my arms. I dragged my fingers down his stomach, over the ripple of muscles that his shirt did nothing to conceal. Heat filled my veins and I felt like I was burning from the inside out.

  “You could try to look a little bit sorry.”

  He gave me a wicked grin. “I could not help myself,” his voice was low and velvety.

  I fisted his shirt and tugged him closer. “Then perhaps I won’t help myself from a little…retaliation?”

  “Here I thought you’d already started.” He leaned forward then covered my tiny little hand with his and electricity shot up my arm. His golden eyes sparkled as he glanced pointedly down at my legs then back up. “Unless the leather pants are merely a prelude?”

  My cheeks burned and my heart fluttered with every second his hand held mine. “More like a warning label, you might want to buckle up.”