Queen Witch

by Elle Middaugh

  Finally, I nodded, giving Gage the go-ahead to morph and take flight once more.

  When he returned, he opened his massive jaw and emptied out a pile of fish up to my eyeballs. Then he waited.

  I blinked and cracked my neck. Okay, now or never.

  I held up my hands and thought up a spell.

  “Silver fish in this collection, give me help with fire protection.”

  A third of the fish crumpled and vanished into glittering dust. It filled me, flooding through my body in a rush of icy cold. I hoped I didn’t have to freeze in order to survive the heat. There were still two thirds of the fish left, though, so I figured I’d use some extra precaution.

  “Since you’re on this island stuck, give me power for some luck.”

  Another third of the fish disappeared.

  “Unused fish from ocean’s wave, let your power make me brave.”

  After that, all the fish were depleted.

  I climbed atop Gage’s back and we took to the air. He circled the volcano a few times, probably giving me a moment to calm my nerves. It didn’t work. I was abso-fucking-lutely terrified.

  So much for feeling brave.

  Then he dropped his head, tucked his wings, and we soared into the gurgling mouth of an angry volcano.

  Chapter 12

  Steam and wavering heat hit my face like brass knuckles.

  Flames ignited across my skin, separated from me by a thin layer of shimmering magic. Dear God, I hoped this spell lasted long enough to keep me from frying.

  Gage leveled us out and circled the inside of the volcano, giving me a chance to spy the pearl tucked into a crevice. It glowed an angelic white next to the charred inner walls. I reached for it, preparing to snatch it, but I missed as we soared by. Gage flew us up, out, and into the air.

  “I didn’t get it!” I shouted. “We have to go back in.”

  He snorted, blowing smoke, and shook his head. He didn’t seem to like the idea of going in again, but we didn’t really have a choice.

  I stroked his neck. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Quickly, before either of us could change our minds, he dove again. Just above the lava’s surface, he zoomed around and headed straight for the pearl. I licked my lips, but they immediately dried out again. The heat was almost unbearable. Tiny patches of skin had been exposed on my arms, dangerous chinks in my magical armor. It burned like hell in those spots, but I merely gritted my teeth. I knew if I cried out, Gage would retreat, and we didn’t have time for that.

  Reaching as far as I could, I touched the pearl with my fingertips. But I couldn’t get a grip on it. It tumbled out of the crack and plopped into the molten pool below us.

  “No!” I screamed.

  With sudden clarity, realizing this was literally the only way to win, I did the stupidest thing I’d ever done in my life: I jumped. I fucking launched off the back of a dragon into a pool of burning lava.

  Searing pain flared across every inch of my body, burning so incredibly hot it was almost numbing. A banshee’s scream tore violently from my throat as I grabbed the pearl and squeezed.

  Suddenly, the world flipped.

  “First place. Eliza Strand,” the robotic voice said.

  I was still screaming bloody murder when I realized my body was lying facedown on the auditorium floor. My gaze shot to my arms, and my fingers ran up and down their lengths. There were no burn marks. No melted patches of skin threatening to drip off.

  I took a deep shuddering breath and swallowed hard, willing myself to calm down. It was just a trial. It wasn’t real.

  Gage lumbered over and dropped to the floor beside me, pulling me into a protective hug. “Eliza fucking Strand, what the hell is wrong with you? You can’t just dive into lava like that! You could’ve died!”

  “Should’ve died,” I corrected. “I guess the bravery spell worked, after all.”

  “More like a suicide spell,” he muttered into my hair. “Promise me you’ll never do that again.”

  I sighed. “I can’t. I have to do whatever it takes to win the Trials.”

  “Even if that means dying?” He pulled away from me and grabbed my shoulders, blue eyes more intense than I’d ever seen. “Eliza, I know we’ve talked about this before, but it’s getting more and more out of hand. Dying isn’t worth it. If you die, who will be left to defeat your sister?”

  And right on cue...

  “Second place. Nerissa Strand.”

  She and Julian materialized a second later. A fake-looking smile quickly crept onto her face when she saw me. “Where was your pearl?”

  I crossed my arms. “In a volcano. Yours?”

  “In a cave. Apparently Julian, here, has extensive experience with caves.”

  He nodded. “Ice caves, actually. Antarctica’s frigid, especially when exposed to the wind. Before we built our igloos and ice palaces, we learned to survive far below the ice in caverns.” He looked at Gage. “What’s your expertise?”

  “I’m a dragon,” Gage said, completely at ease. “So anything fiery is pretty much par for the course.”

  Julian gave him a respectful nod. “I’d imagine so.”

  Nerissa linked arms with her prince. “So sorry, boys, but Julian and I have some important business to attend to. Let me know if you find anything out about the Fourth Trial.”

  I nodded and they left through a side door.

  “Third place,” the robotic voice said. “Annika Eriksson.”

  A girl with bleach-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes appeared, along with a husky guy with a finely kept beard. They nodded to us and immediately walked away.

  “Now what?” Gage whispered, looking around suspiciously.

  “We follow them, of course.”

  “Blondie and Butch?”

  I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. “No, Nerissa and Julian. Come on.”

  We slipped out the same side door, pausing to give them a hefty head start. They immediately turned toward the Barge district, just like the first time. There must be something about that place. Something evil. An overabundance of nasty spirits or wicked bodies to raise. I didn’t know, and I didn’t really even want to know, but unfortunately I had to.

  We followed them as distantly as we could without losing them.

  I had no idea where their final destination would be. I thought maybe they were going to the same graveyard where we’d watched them raise the spirit. But then, horror of horrors: they crossed to the outside town.

  Our parents had always made it clear that we were to never step foot outside the capital. For our safety, of course. The people who lived outside the city walls were wild and rebellious. Who knew what they’d do to a lost royal?

  I paused, momentarily allowing fear to creep through my body like a strangling vine. Gage eyed me carefully, then peered up ahead to keep an eye on Nerissa and Julian.

  “I can’t see them anymore,” he said to me softly. “We need to keep moving.” Then he paused again, trying to piece this strange reaction of mine together. “Is everything all right? Are you scared to leave the city?”

  I bobbed my head side to side. “Yes and no. I mean, I’ve never been outside the walls before. Except, I guess, for the First Trial.”

  His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  I nodded. “It’s dangerous for a princess to be outside the protection of the palace walls. There are too many rebels and vigilantes camped out in the woods.”

  “Fair enough,” he said, not even bothering to argue with me. “I’ll protect you, though. Promise.”

  I gazed up at him. It was stupid—I literally had my own magical defenses in the palm of my hand, but that promise still made me feel instantly better.

  “Thank you.”

  He grinned and his dimples flared up. “You’re welcome. Now let’s get going.”

  We followed the path through the woods until the trees swallowed up the road. The sun was still out, but it was dull and steadily dipping below the tree line. Night was near. The p
erfect time for a dark ritual.

  Gage nudged me, smiled, and then came to a stop. He bent down and felt the ground, swishing the tall grasses around and sniffing the air. It was one of the strangest things I’d ever seen.

  I shot him a quizzical look.

  “Tracking,” he said. “Dragons are natural-born hunters. It’s not exactly my strongest suit, since my size and speed generally make it pretty easy to land a kill, but it’s something I know a bit about.” He pointed up ahead. “They went this way.”

  “Hey, who am I to judge a skill that might’ve just saved our asses?”

  We walked for a long time.

  Shadows spread. Stars began twinkling. Quiet dusk slowly morphed into the gentle tune of night animals. Chirps and hoots filled the air; grasshoppers and bullfrogs chimed in. It was strangely peaceful.

  Until the electrifying vortex of turquoise light filled the sky.

  The boom that accompanied it was enough to silence every animal for a mile.

  Gage and I shared a frantic glance before we started sprinting.

  My stomach rolled as crooked and crumbling gravestones came into view up ahead. And in the middle of all the stones stood Nerissa, energy blazing from her face, chest, and palms. Julian stood off to the side, but if he was worried, he never let it show.

  Then suddenly the vortex funneled back inside her, dropping her to her knees on the ground. Darkness engulfed us save for the near-full moon and the dim light of her ritual candles. But even so, I could see the dirt beneath her starting to shift and crumble. Too big to be an insect or even a pocket gopher. A bony hand punched up from the earth. Then another.

  I’d never felt terror like that. My blood went ice-cold, forcing my heart to work overtime to pump the frozen stream through my body.

  Nerissa slowly dragged herself onto her feet.

  “Into this body, I command thee!” she shouted. “Spirit of the Vile, obey me!”

  I grabbed Gage’s hand with trembling fingers.

  He squeezed right back.

  “What the fuck are we supposed to do?” he asked me. “Try to stop her?”

  I bit my bottom lip so hard it split open, but I barely felt a thing. “I don’t know. I’m completely terrified.”

  “Not gonna lie, so am I.” His lips were thin and grim. “What’s a Spirit of the Vile, anyway?”

  “I have no idea.”

  The ground rumbled and an entire head rose from the earth, skinless and deteriorated but rapidly regaining life. His upper torso rose from the ground, and he pulled out his legs one by one. Skin formed, hair grew, clothes stitched back together and unstained. The face of the dead guy grew into something angry and terrifying with red eyes and pointed teeth.

  “Now, Julian!” she cried, as the body clambered from the grave.

  He lurched at it with a strange glowing dagger—turquoise, like Nerissa’s vortex had been—but the creature was ungodly fast. It zipped around Julian like he was standing still.

  Nerissa let out a burst of magic that leveled the nearby trees, knocked the dead guy flat on his face, and deafened me. All I heard was ringing as her eyes found me. Anger filled their green depths. Her lips moved, but I couldn’t hear a word until she came nearer, and slowly, muffled sounds started coming back.

  “Julian, go after him!” she said, pointing through the trees. “I’ll take care of her.”

  She closed her eyes and put her palms out—the second most terrifying moment of my life.

  “Little sister in my way, give me power—don’t delay.”

  Instantly, I felt sick. My stomach churned. My head split with pain. Sparkling magic dust escaped my body and swirled into her hands.

  “Try to thwart my vengeful plan,” she continued, “you’ll fall asleep before you can.”

  She then pushed the magic back into me, filling me with her curse. A bitter taste washed through my mouth and poisoned my bloodstream. My eyelids drooped, heavy as stone.

  “No!” I cried, thrashing my head to try and stay awake.

  But the world blurred and stretched until I was seeing double and triple. My muscles were weak. My willpower dwindled. All I wanted to do was rest....

  “Fight it, Eliza!” Gage yelled from somewhere in the distance.

  The next thing I knew, he’d taken to the skies, his roar echoing frighteningly through the open clearing. He opened his mouth, and an intense burst of blue fire pelted down, instantly igniting the landscape below. The trees Nerissa had knocked over caught fire, as well as the trees still standing. Grasses kindled and flames spread rapidly from blade to blade. Everything was aflame, glowing a surreal, hellish orange.

  I groggily watched Nerissa run to Julian, a black shadow against the flames.

  “Did you get him?” she shouted over the crackling of burning wood.

  He shook his head, fingers still squeezing the glowing turquoise dagger.

  Nerissa spun around and let out a growl that quickly morphed into a high-pitched scream of anger and frustration.

  I smiled, knowing we’d momentarily crippled her necromancing endeavors, but I could no longer keep my eyes open.

  The last thing I remembered was the whistling sound of wings at high speed, the surprising gentleness of stone-cold claws, and wondering hopelessly how I’d ever reawaken.

  Chapter 13

  Bright light assaulted my eyes, forcing me to lurch to the side as I tried to cover them.

  “Easy,” Gage warned in a gentle tone.

  I blinked, and four faces promptly crowded into my view.

  “Is she okay?” Laken asked, worry hiding behind impatience.

  “She’s fine,” Maren assured her.

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” the ancient witch said, eyeing me carefully. “Sleeping spell, was it?”

  I looked to Gage for reassurance, then nodded.

  The old woman quirked a brow. “Could have been worse. Much worse, from what your dragon has told us.”

  I couldn’t help but notice the hint of disdain she’d put on the word dragon.

  She placed her palm to the top of my head and hummed curiously. Then she put her thumb to my forehead and hummed again; curiouser. Finally, she put her index and middle fingers to my collarbone and closed her eyes.

  “Power deep within my soul, aid me in this noble goal.”

  My brows pinched together as I witnessed the second strangest thing I’d ever seen. Magic, flowing freely from her very core. Arms, legs, and neck caressed with soft spirals of glittering energy. I’d never seen magic come from within someone before.

  I wanted to ask how she’d done it, but I didn’t dare to interrupt her work.

  “Curse of sleep within the head, leave her with a boon instead. A blessing in the place of harm, protection from the sister’s charm.”

  Sickly-green particles fled from my body and scattered into thin air, replaced by a rush of swirling magic that coated me in a clear, shiny film. It was smooth like glass, but strong as steel. It slowly soaked into my skin and bones, solidifying my physical and magical defenses before disappearing from sight. I suddenly felt resilient, untouchable.

  “How long will this last?” I asked. It wasn’t necessarily the most important bit to start with, but my mouth had gotten the better of me.

  The ancient witch merely shrugged. “A Blood Witch’s magic can last months, even years, or as short as a few days. It depends on your sister and how many times she tries to curse you. The spell can’t shield you forever. It will eventually crack and crumble.”

  She planted her staff into the ground and lifted her frail frame away from me.

  “Wait!” I called, sitting up and reaching for her. “How did you conjure that magic from inside you? Is it because you’re a... Blood Witch, whatever that is?”

  Her lips tugged into an almost smile. “Light magic. We all have this power. It is just not typically in our nature to sacrifice ourselves. It is a method that requires honing, but one that you can begin practicing immediately.”

/>   She hobbled a few steps away, then paused and looked straight at Maren.

  Maren, however, looked out ahead, silently refusing to make eye contact.

  “I would very much like to speak with you one day,” the ancient Blood Witch said. “Come and see me when the Trials are over.”

  Maren swallowed, but she never nodded or said a word.

  At that, the old woman shuffled away leaving us in... I looked around, finally noticing our surroundings... a cove. She left us in a cove between beaches, blistering in the blinding sun. When had it turned morning?

  “What the hell was that all about?” Laken asked, thumbing a hand in the direction the witch had gone.

  Maren shrugged and shook her head. “Don’t know, and don’t wanna know.”

  I rubbed my head and considered all the ridiculous questions floating around inside. How long was I asleep? What happened with the zombie guy, and with Nerissa and Julian? Who else knew about what had happened? Was the kingdom in an uproar? What exactly was a Blood Witch? And why did she have any interest in my little sister? When would the next trial be? How much time would I have to practice this new self-sacrificing light magic? What were Gage’s feelings toward me now? Did he think I was weak? And where the hell was Catfish?

  “You look confused,” Gage said with a sexy smirk. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at me with those keen blue eyes. Then he reached a hand down and offered to help me up.

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling as I took his hand and dusted the sand from my tattered gown.

  I looked around for some seaweed or something, then stopped dead in my tracks and completely shifted course. Instead, I closed my eyes and reached within.

  “Power from within my soul,” I muttered quietly. “Make my dress and features whole.”

  Pain flared in my head, causing me to double over as glittering energy swirled all around me. My gown became perfect as new. My hair unknotted itself and smoothed out into shiny waves. My face felt cleaner and brighter. But also paler. I hadn’t been expecting the sudden agony.