Witch Condemned

by Valia Lind

  The next day, I'm walking on eggshells.

  After breakfast, Eric comes by to get me as usual and we head over to the workout room. The whole time I can feel his eyes on me, but he doesn't speak. Since my body is healing so slowly, I'm only managing stretches and minimal exercises. However, it's at least a little better after my burst of magic last night. I'm still sweating as if I've gone all out though. Any moment now Warden Matthews is going to show up and drag me to the gallows.

  Okay, I'm being a tad dramatic, but I'm allowed! This is like a crazy episode of a TV show, where the writers are wanting to ramp up the excitement and tension so everyone watched the next episode. Except, I'm the heroine that didn't sign up for this crap.

  But when nothing happens, and I shower and eat my dinner in silence, I'm even more worked up. Is Eric really that unobservant that he wouldn't have seen my magic? And is every protection spell cast on this prison weaker than we are led to believe? I have so many questions and none of the answers.

  All I can do is hold on. By my calculations family visiting day is in three weeks. That's when I'm hoping to make my move and get out of here. I'll be done with isolation by then, and that's crucial in order for my plan to work. I need to be able to get lost in the crowds. This is the only time the boundary spells are weakened. From what I've been able to pick up, all the hardcore inmates get moved to isolation and the spells there get upped in power. The rest of the lesser criminally inclined are given visitation rights.

  Typically, I'd be with the hardened criminals, but my family does have a bit of pull. That, and my own magic, should be enough for me to get out. At least, it's the one chance I'm counting on. Because outside of that, I have no idea what to do right now. But all of that can be destroyed if they find out I still have my magic.

  It doesn't help my nerves that Eric has barely uttered a word to me during the whole day. Once it's lights out all I can do is lay in the dark and come up with the worst case scenarios. This will drive me insane, I just know it.

  "Get up," The sudden hiss comes from the door and I sit up immediately to watch Eric unlock the cell and motion for me.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Getting you out of here."

  Five words, and everything stops. This is exactly what I've been dreaming of since the moment I was locked inside. But suddenly Eric is helping me escape? I don't trust that.

  "No."

  He hurries over to my bed, the barely there light from the hallway making him seem more menacing than usual.

  "I know you don't trust me, and I'm not really asking you to. But this is your one chance to get out of here. And we don't have much time. I was able to keep them off your trail up until now, but that's done. Come with me, or stay here and be stripped of your magic."

  "Why?"

  "I have my reasons."

  It's the intensity of his words that makes the decision for me. Even if he's not truly on my side, even if I'm about to walk into a trap, at least I'm doing something. It's better than sitting and waiting for the pendulum to stop swinging.

  Quickly, I get to my feet and follow him out. He shuts the door behind us and with that small click I realize that no matter what happens next, I'm not seeing that place again. Determination fuels me as Eric motions for me to stay behind him.

  We move quietly through the hallways. They're dim to a point where I can barely see anything, but Eric is a shifter and he leads the way flawlessly. It's eerie how silent such a big building is, but even when I strain to hear anything, there is nothing.

  "Come on," Eric reaches over, taking my hand in his and pulling me beside him. That's where I realize we're in the workout room.

  "What—“

  "Here," he moves us to the opposite side of the room, where extra mats are stored. The workout room doesn't have much of the equipment that could be found in a regular gym, but they do carry extra padding for some reason.

  Dropping my hand, he moves toward the wall, his arm reaching behind the plastic. After what seems like an eternity something clicks and I twist around to see an area near the exit slide to the side, creating another door. I'm still gaping at it, when Eric grabs my arm and sprints for the door. It begins to shut before we even reach it and we end up falling through almost at the last minute.

  My body slams into Eric's and he wraps his arms around me to keep me from dropping to the floor. I squeeze my eyes for a moment and when I open them I find that I can't see anything. It's way too dark.

  "Hold on tight, okay?"

  "Okay."

  Eric's arms land on my waist, moving me two steps back, before he reaches for my hand. This time I wrap my fingers around his almost greedily. I've never been afraid of the dark, but I've never been this much cut off from my senses. I have only Eric to guide me and so as we move, I hold onto him like a lifeline.

  Chapter 7

  I'm not sure how long we walk, but everything seems so much more sinister here. Within the darkness dwells a fear and uncertainty. Both of which I work hard at repressing. It would do neither one of us any good if I become a babbling mess right now.

  "Not much farther," Eric whispers, the first words he's spoken since we started moving. His quiet statement dispels some of the unease I feel at the darkness. It doesn't help that I think I'm surrounded by creepy crawlers and they're just waiting to dive-bomb me. That's one thing the prison has never been and that's dirty.

  When I can finally make out a sliver of light, I breathe out a sigh of relief. Automatically, my hand relaxes just a tad and I realize I must've been gripping Eric's like crazy.

  He doesn't comment on it, and when we finally reach the exit, it's a small hole. Barely big enough for Eric to climb through.

  "What is it?"

  "One of the water run offs. There used to be a trench dug all around the prison, to add a level of security."

  I read about that somewhere. Probably in a history book. But Eric has this information, which means he knows a lot about the prison. Not that I'm surprised. He does work there. But this gives me a hope that maybe, if he doesn't suddenly betray me to the wardens, I can figure out more information about the place that has held me captive. In case I need it for the future.

  "You go first. You'll have to crawl."

  "Yay me."

  But I don't hesitate to boost myself up and land on my stomach. The area seems even smaller now that I'm in it and I wonder how Eric, who is so much larger than me, will fit through. It doesn't take me long to get to the other side, and I push against the grate, thankful when it gives out without much resistance. My body is already screaming at me from exertion.

  I tumble out into the forest, quickly looking around to make sure this is not a trap. When I don't see anyone, I move away, staying on my hands and knees, and turn to wait for Eric to come out. When he does, I gasp, slapping my hand over my mouth immediately.

  I shouldn't have been concerned about him fitting through the tunnel. His wolf is more than capable of shifting into an appropriate size. When the animal stands up and shakes his fur out, I'm too mesmerized to pretend I'm not in awe. The black wolf is breathtaking, with its midnight fur and silver eyes. I've never met a shifter who's eye color changes, but I guess there's a first for everything.

  My whole world becomes this animal and the electricity sizzles between us. Suddenly, I can see Eric and the wolf as one, a vision or a magic trick, I'm not sure. It fades before I can name it. The wolf stares at me for a long, tense moment, before I finally make myself look away.

  "We need to keep moving," Eric is beside me in a moment's time, pulling me to my feet. He reaches up into a tree, producing a backpack and throwing it over his shoulder. He doesn't speak of the wolf and I don't mention it. But we both know there was something that passed between us and I'm not sure I can even put it into coherent thoughts.

  Tucking that away for another place and time, I do my best to keep up with him as we move through the forest. Having studied shifters running patterns before I know he's keeping pac
e with me on purpose and I'm thankful. My body is screaming for me to lay down and sleep.

  Just when I think we may be slowing down a burst of magic rushes over me and I stumble, catching myself against the closest tree.

  "What is it?" Eric is there instantly, as I try to catch my breath.

  "They know I'm gone."

  "Are you sure?"

  "I felt the spell. They're in the forest."

  Eric doesn't question me farther, but raises his head and focuses on the area around us. I don't interrupt, letting him use his shifter senses to see what he can find. After half a minute, he turns back to me.

  "I can't hear them yet, but it doesn't mean they won't be close behind. They're trained for this."

  "What do we do?"

  "We run and then we hide."

  He wasn't kidding about the running. Even on a good day, I'd be exhausted. Eric has us moving in circles, switching direction as much as possible, and after a few hours of this, I can barely stand.

  "I don't think I can do this much longer," it pains me to admit it, but I have no choice. It's either this or passing out when he does another direction change.

  "Then we need to get somewhere where we can rest. You should also change."

  "Into what exactly?" I wave a hand over my orange jumpsuit. The only thing underneath this is a tank and underwear. Eric drops the backpack to the ground and pulls out a pair of pants.

  "These should work."

  "Do I even want to know?" Eric shrugs, and I don't push it any farther. He gives me a sense of modesty, turning his back, and I unbutton and step out of my jumpsuit as fast as I can. When I pull on the sweatpants, they're a bit big, but not as big as they would be if they were Eric's. Maybe a girlfriend? I'm not sure why that thought doesn't sit well with me, but I push that aside. Just like I push everything else aside.

  "Done."

  He glances over his shoulder, before grabbing the backpack once more.

  "Come on, I have an idea."

  Leaving the jumpsuit lying where I discarded it is one of the most freeing moves I've ever made. As we walk away, my heart, just for a second, feels lighter somehow. That doesn't last long.

  "This was your big idea?" I ask, as I perch on a branch like an owl. I can't say I've ever slept in a tree before, but I guess this year is all about trying new things.

  "You needed out, I got you out."

  "How kind of you." Even in the near darkness, I know he can see my eye roll. It's not that I'm trying to be unkind. It's that I wasn't prepared for this and therefore it feels more dangerous and chaotic than it should've been.

  "Look, I'm not trying to be ungrateful. I just don't understand why."

  "I have my reasons."

  "So you said. And that's all you said."

  A big part of me trusts him. Maybe it shouldn't, but here we are. But I still need answers. I can't keep walking about blindly. Especially now that we're kind of both fugitives. Hopefully, he has my back beyond the boundaries of Blackwood Supernatural Prison. That's the reassurance I need. He stays quiet for so long that I don't think he's going to respond to my prompt.

  "People, innocent people, have been disappearing. There's something going on behind the scenes and I need to know what."

  It's my turn to stay quiet, as I let that information settle. So maybe he didn't risk his life just for me. I should be a little more thankful he has bigger aspirations. But the girly part of me is still slightly disappointed. It would've been nice if he helped me because he believed in me. Although, maybe to a point he does.

  "How do you I play into that?"

  "What you told the Council, about the king. I think you may have been telling the truth."

  "Wow, how kind of you." I don't mask the bitterness that comes into my voice. But at least he's being honest.

  "This is beneficial for both of us. Just remember that."

  We fall silent then, because I don't have one nice thing to say to him. Even though he did kind of rescue me. Not that I will dwell on that. I will earn my keep. And if I can use him like he's using me, then so be it.

  "So what's next then?" I ask after a while, as I settle a little more comfortably against the tree. Eric is a few branches above me, and I have a feeling he's not going to sleep a wink tonight.

  "You rest and then tomorrow, we get out of this forest."

  "Is it far?"

  "I'm not entirely sure. It shouldn't be as far as it appears."

  I don't have to ask what he means. Illusion magic is one of the first deflection spells we learn. As a Protector, it comes in handy. I'm not surprised the forest is under the same magic. It's how I would protect the borders if it was up to me.

  "Are you going to sleep?" It's near impossible to get comfortably on this branch and stay upright. I'm a bit nervous I'll plummet to the ground if I relax too much. Through the darkness, I can't even see the ground.

  "I'll keep watch," Eric responds, and there's a note of gentleness in his tone. "If you rest your head against the bark, and lean to the left, you'll be able to relax."

  Narrowing my eyes, I glance around and realize he's right. There's a branch right below my armpits and if I situate myself just right, I'm locked in. Not sure how he knew that from where he's sitting, but it calms my nervousness just a bit.

  "Won't you be tired?" I ask, as I get myself a little more comfortable. The moment I feel secure, my eyes begin to close. It's been a long day and my body is definitely feeling it. Vaguely I wonder if I should offer to take a watch as well, but something tells me Eric isn't ready for me to do so. He may have gotten me out of lockup, but I don't see him trusting me fully any time soon. It works for me, since the feeling is mutual.

  "I'll be fine. Rest."

  Like a command, my body responds to that one word and I'm completely lost to dreamland before I can think too much of it.

  Chapter 8

  "Keller, wake up," the voice comes from above me and I jerk awake, remembering at the last moment that I'm in a tree. Looking up I see that Eric has moved, and is now directly above me. It also takes me a moment to realize he's called me by name. My last name, but it's still something.

  "What is it?" I ask, automatically keeping my voice low.

  "Search party."

  Twisting around, I try to pinpoint what he's seeing or hearing, but all I see are trees and more trees.

  "They're closer than you think," Eric comments, noticing my confused expression. "We're going to have to move by trees."

  "Great. I slept like an owl now I travel like a monkey?" I swear there's a hint of a smile on Eric's face and right there I decide that I'm going to do my best to see a full blown grin one of these days. I should probably be focusing on getting out of here without going back to jail, but I can't get the image out of my mind. Eric's eyes meet mine in the morning light and I think that he may be able to read the direction my thoughts are going.

  "I'll go first," he finally says, pointing to the tree to the right. "Try to stay on the same branches. Unless I tell you otherwise."

  Nodding, I don't hesitate to follow as we begin our way across. It's smart to stay off the ground, that much I know. But I also know that if they have magic on their side, no amount of smart diversion is going to hinder them. Eventually, they'll find us.

  "What are you doing?" Eric whispers, when he notices me pausing.

  "Buying us more time."

  Since he already knows my magic isn't bound, I don't try to hide it. Reaching inside, I focus on those first lessons long ago. To cast an illusion I have to believe it. Glancing over at Eric, I receive a just barely nod, as if he's making sure I understand that he trusts me. At least with this. I take the inch and I run the mile.

  As I inhale, the magic wells up in me and my lips curl up in a grin. I miss it so much. Just being free, with it coursing through my body with no restrictions. Right now though, I put control on it, before I lose it. Opening my eyes, I exhale as I focus my attention in the opposite direction. My illusion is simple. We'r
e going that way. I don't have to think hard. I mirror what we've been doing, and send it that way with my magic. I'm not naive enough to think it'll fool them for long, but it's something.

  "It's done," I say when I focus back on my companion. He hasn't taken his eyes off me, but now he nods and continues on. Maybe this isn't how I pictured my life to go. But either way, I have been given all the tools I need to be able to handle whatever comes my way. I just need to remember that. I am in no way powerless here.

  We continue moving through the trees and when Eric deems it safe, we jump down, my arms and legs sore from all the climbing.

  "Here," Eric hands me a water bottle and I gulp half of it down before realizing what I'm doing.

  "Sorry."

  "It's okay." He takes it back, taking more controlled sips, before dumping it back into the backpack. He really did come prepared.

  "Do you know where we are?"

  "We're getting closer to the main road. It might take another few hours. Are you up for it?"

  I run a mental check and realize my body feels much better than it should, especially after sleeping in a tree. But that's when it hits me. I used my magic.

  "I'm good."

  He takes that at face value, and leads the way. I focus on his back, but now I'm also focusing on my magic. It feels so good to have it here. There's a small resistance from the binding tattoo, but it's not much. I'll have to find a way to remove all of it. Glancing down, I find that the tattoo seems to glow even brighter, outlined in black. For a second, I contemplate asking Eric if he can see it, but I don't. Instead, I glance over to my left arm and the number that reside there for everyone to see.

  483285

  Only the council can remove this one, and until that happens, it'll be a constant reminder of where I spent the last few months of my life. A constant encouragement to keep going, to fight harder, because Kelsey did not die for nothing. I have to make sure of that.