The Black Witch

by Jenny McKane

  The penalties are too high, even if we wanted to, said one of the rabbits. You are wasting your breath. You must accept what your fate is. It is not up to us to question the decisions of our mistress.

  Avalon sighed again. There really was no use in trying to persuade them to help her.

  She had to figure a way out of this mess by herself. She didn’t want to kill these animals to free herself. They were only trying to live, after all. But she didn’t think that she had much choice now. She would have to kill them and take a chance crawling through one of the burrows.

  If she died in the attempt, well, that was better than staying here.

  Frustration overwhelmed her. She had known, instinctively, that Aysus was not trustworthy. She had tried to persuade the others…she frowned, thinking deeply. What others? She could not remember anyone else travelling with her. And yet, she somehow knew that there had been others.

  She sat upright, knocking her head against the dirt ceiling. Something had happened. The people she had been travelling with were gone. She knew now that Aysus must have used a spell to make her forget them. It was all the work of magic.

  She closed her eyes, thinking. Mother Oda had told her that she had powers. She must try to work some magic, herself, even though she was untrained and didn’t know what to do. What had Mother Oda said to her? She had told her to visualize the Goddess and her family – try to draw on the magic of that long line of warrior women.

  She remembered the wolf now. Her name was Hansa, and something had happened to her. Could she try to call on her, as well?

  It was worth a try.

  She had nothing to lose.

  ***

  Skyresh peered over the top of the nest, staring at the red sand stretching in all directions around him.

  He was so thirsty, he could barely think clearly. The eagle had given him some water, but that was hours ago, and he had already drunk it. His throat was so parched, it seemed to be closing over. He leaned back against the twigs of the nest and closed his eyes.

  He remembered climbing eagerly. He had wanted to follow the eagle; he had been consumed by it. Aysus had been behind him. The Storyteller had been encouraging him the whole way. They had finally gotten to the top of the rocks, and he had seen the gigantic nest that perched atop it. He had gasped in disbelief. He could see an egg within it, but no birds.

  He had turned back to talk to Aysus, but he could barely see him through the mists that had enshrouded the last leg of the climb.

  And then, great claws had swooped down, picking him up. He was airborne!

  He had struggled against it, but then stopped. He was high in the air and would have been killed if the bird had decided to drop him. The bird circled the nest, and then he was released. Flailing in the air, he hit the nest, landing opposite the large egg.

  “Aysus!” he had screamed, scrambling to the edge of the nest and peering over. He could see the Storyteller standing there, in the distance. The old man was smiling.

  “How could you do this?” Skyresh cried. “I trusted you!”

  The old man started laughing then. “Oh, Skyresh,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. “You are such a noble soul! You so wanted me to be an old Stromel Storyteller, keeping the old ways alive! That blinded you to the truth. Avalon tried to tell you, many times.”

  Skyresh trembled in rage. Then, he sprung up, scrambling over the twigs. He had to get to the Storyteller, and when he did, he was going to kill him.

  But just as he was about to break free, a large wing enfolded him, pulling him back into the nest. Two huge, luminous yellow eyes peered into his. The eagle pecked at his chest, drawing blood.

  “Farewell, Skyresh,” Aysus had called. “Enjoy your life in the nest. You love the eagles so much, I doubt that it will be too difficult for you to live with them.”

  Skyresh watched as the old man nimbly jumped down, disappearing into the mist. He was stuck here, perched on the top of the highest rock, in an eagle’s nest. And the eagle was his jailer.

  Bitterness overwhelmed him. It was true what the old man had said. Avalon had tried to tell him, so many times. She had known, instinctively, that he wasn’t to be trusted—almost from the start—and he had ignored her, telling her that she was overthinking things.

  He saw now how Aysus had worked. He had driven a wedge between him and Avalon, with all that talk about how Avalon wasn’t trustworthy. Aysus had told him that Avalon loved someone else…someone who had been travelling alongside them. Skyresh strained to clear his mind, but as hard as he tried, he simply couldn’t remember who that had been.

  He sighed, tears springing into his eyes. He had been the one who had told her to act on her instincts and that her powers as a queen were growing, and yet when she had shown him that those powers were building, he had not trusted them. He had believed the story that Aysus was a Stromel Storyteller and healer because he had wanted to.

  Mother Oda had told him that he should trust his instincts, but it was all lying in ashes around him now. His instincts had been wrong. Now, Avalon was at the mercy of that man, and it looked as if the mission would never be completed. He knew that he had been ensnared by magic—that was why his brain was so foggy and his memory was patchy.

  He took a long, shuddering breath, staring up at the sky of pure, unsullied blue. It was difficult to breathe up here; it was so high. How could he escape? The eagle wouldn’t be here the whole time – it had to get food. Would there be a chance to climb down and hide from its vision? He knew that it would kill him if it discovered him missing, but he couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.

  Avalon. His heart ached. His queen, let down by the ones that had sworn to protect her and complete the mission with her.

  He squared his shoulders, his blue eyes narrowing. He would find a way to escape and get back to her, even if he died in the attempt.

  ***

  The rabbits were asleep, buried against each other in a corner.

  Avalon stared at them. They looked so innocent. Perhaps she could just creep away and take her chance on crawling to the surface.

  No. Not yet. First, she would try to call on the Goddess.

  She closed her eyes, visualizing.

  She saw the Goddess, as she had appeared in the temple at Mother Oda’s. Her hands were reaching out, and waves of love poured from her. Avalon stared at her robe and her hair, billowing behind her. A soft, glowing light seemed to surround her.

  And then, the old Mother that always appeared in her dreams stepped out from behind her. She leaned on a staff, as she walked towards her.

  “Daughter,” she said, crouching in front of Avalon. “The powers that bind you are great. You will not be able to escape on your own, my darling.”

  “What must I do?” asked Avalon, beseechingly. “Oh, Mother, it can’t all have been for nothing! To have got this far through the desert, so close to where I need to go…”

  “Use the amulet,” said the Mother softly. “You must take it out and call on the companion who trails you. The wolf. She has seen you being led here, but the powers of the old man stopped her from approaching.”

  “What about the animals?” Avalon whispered. “The ones who guard me?”

  The old Mother sighed. “The amulet will keep them still,” she said. “They will be aware, but they will not be able to move.”

  “Will the wolf come for me?” Avalon asked.

  But the old Mother was fading in front of her eyes. Avalon could still see the Goddess, but the light that surrounded her was eclipsing everything. They were receding, drawing further away…

  Avalon opened her eyes slowly. She reached down to her bag and picked it up quietly. She must try not to disturb the sleeping animals.

  She groped in the bag, her hands closing over the amulet at the bottom of the bag. She had somehow forgotten that it was there. Mother Oda had told her to only use it when she got to The Tower.

  The object lay cold in her hand and heavy. She could barely see it
in the darkness that surrounded her. What should she do with it?

  And then, the knowledge came to her, almost immediately. She raised it high in the air, above her, gripping it tightly.

  Hansa, she called. Hansa, come to me. I need your help.

  The amulet started to glow in the darkness. It shed a blue light into the far corners of the burrow. Avalon could see that the rabbits’ eyes had opened and were staring at her, but she ignored them, pouring all her energy into the amulet.

  She pictured Hansa, the wolf, nuzzling against her face. She saw her yellow eyes, staring down into her own. She felt again the soft fur of the animal. Joy burst into her heart at the thought of the wolf.

  Don’t do it.

  One of the rabbits was speaking to her, trying to distract her. Again, she ignored it. Taking a deep breath, she kept picturing the wolf.

  She could see Hansa running over hills of sand, searching for her. Her leg was healed. Avalon knew that the wolf had been wounded and had kept her distance because of it, but she still couldn’t remember how it had happened, or who had caused it.

  The wolf howled into the sky. Then, she dipped her nose to the ground, sniffing deeply. Avalon knew that she was trying to pick up her scent. She kept running; she was running so swiftly; her tongue was lolling out of her mouth. Avalon could feel how thirsty the wolf was, but she did not stop for water.

  She was drawing closer. Avalon could feel it.

  The amulet stopped glowing. Avalon slowly lowered her hands, staring down at the precious object. Then, she put the amulet back into her bag, tucking it away safely.

  All that she could do was wait now. But she didn’t know what for. Would the wolf come for her, or was something else about to happen?

  You shouldn’t have done that, said one of the rabbits. She won’t be happy.

  Avalon turned her head, staring at the creatures, shivering in the corner.

  I had no choice, she said, answering them in her mind for the first time. You are still welcome to join me. I do not blame you for what you are doing. You are under her spell, but I believe that you can choose right from wrong. Her eyes bore into theirs. I believe in you.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hansa put her head down, sniffing deeply.

  Yes. This was the right way. She could crawl into the tunnel and try to locate Avalon. She would then lead her out to safety.

  She raised her head, scanning the horizon. Was the old man still close, the one that had imprisoned her here? The wolf closed her eyes. No. The dark shadow that the old man had cast had receded, at least for now. But Hansa knew that as soon as Avalon was released, he would know. And then he would start pursuing them.

  The spell of the amulet would start to fade very soon. She had to get to work.

  Putting her nose into the burrow, she pushed through. It was dark, but she had expected that. She crawled along on all fours. It was harder than she had expected; twigs pressed into her, and brown earth kept falling onto her head. Breathing was hard, too, in such a confined space.

  Hansa determinedly kept crawling. She would get there eventually. She had to. Avalon needed her.

  Eventually, she could see that there was a clearing. A larger space. Her energy returned, and she crawled faster.

  Her head, and then her body, pulled through. She could see the woman, crouched in the darkness. Avalon let out a soft cry and ran to her, burying her face into the wolf’s neck.

  They stayed that way for a moment. Then Hansa raised her head, staring around the burrow. She could see the two rabbits, curled together in a corner. She knew immediately that they were not real rabbits – they were larger and seemed to glow with some strange energy. They were new creatures, who she had seen walking the desert recently.

  The rabbits stared at the wolf, their eyes wide, but they did not move.

  We do not have much time, said Hansa, turning to Avalon. These creatures are spellbound, but it will not last long. They will let their mistress know that you have gone. Do you want me to kill them?

  Avalon stared at the rabbits. Pity overtook her, and she shook her head, slowly. No, she said in her mind. Let them live. We will have enough time to get away.

  She took a deep breath, then spoke aloud. “Lead the way, Hansa.”

  The wolf turned back towards the tunnel she had just crawled through.

  Hang onto my tail, the wolf said. It is dark and tight.

  Avalon grabbed her tail, trying not to pull too roughly, and they entered the tunnel.

  Avalon could barely remember coming through it now. It had seemed that one moment she was in it and the next she had been in the clearing. Had the magic that forced her into it played with time, as well? Because, this time, it seemed to take forever to crawl through the space.

  She was suffocating. She gripped Hansa’s tail tighter, willing herself not to pass out.

  Eventually, she could see a small light ahead. The wolf whimpered and crawled faster. Avalon thought that it must be hard on her, too.

  They had made it. Avalon collapsed onto the sand, taking long gulps of air. The wolf, too, collapsed for a moment.

  Get up, Avalon, she said, turning her head to look at her. The spell is broken. The old man will know that you have escaped. We must keep moving.

  Avalon nodded, standing up. Light was everywhere, filling her eyes. She staggered, suddenly, and had to lean against a rock. She caught her breath slowly.

  Hansa was already bounding through the sand. Avalon turned and sprinted after her.

  ***

  The moon was rising by the time that they stopped running and collapsed into the sand.

  The wolf fell onto its side, panting. Avalon could barely catch her breath. When she managed to, she turned to the wolf, reaching out to pet her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Without you I would still be imprisoned in that awful place.”

  Hansa yelped softly. She raised her head and buried her nose into Avalon’s hand, resting on her fur.

  You could have done it by yourself, the wolf said. But the spell had addled you. You couldn’t remember which tunnel to take, and you didn’t want to hurt those creatures.

  Avalon sat up, thinking. “No, I didn’t want to hurt them.” She touched her sword, as she spoke. She could have drawn it at any time and speared them through, but something had stopped her.

  They won’t all be like them, said Hansa. Those creatures aren’t predators, but a lot are. You cannot have doubts if you are in danger.

  Avalon sighed. I know that, she said, answering her in her mind. I will kill if necessary. Do not worry, Hansa.

  Hansa reached over and licked her hand gently.

  You are courageous and smart, said Avalon. I am proud to have you as a companion.

  The wolf panted, staring out at the darkening sky.

  You should sleep, the wolf said, turning her head toward Avalon. This is a safe enough spot under the ledge. I will guard you through the night.

  “Thank you,” whispered Avalon, again.

  She could barely keep her eyes open and crawled under the ledge where Hansa had indicated. She took out a cloak from her bag, wrapping it around herself.

  How much longer until we reach the Interior? she asked in her mind.

  Not much longer, the wolf answered, still staring at the sky. It should only be another day of travel. You must rest well tonight, Avalon. Breaching the Tower is almost impossible, and then you will have the battle of your life against the Black Witch. You will need to gather your strength and your powers.

  “You will stay by my side?” she whispered. Her eyes were starting to roll back in her head, and the lids were closing almost against her will.

  Always, said the wolf. I will remain by your side, my queen. I pledge my life in your service. Now and forever.

  ***

  And now, here she was. Staring at The Tower.

  It was as if seeing the building had unlocked everything in her mind. The memories tumbled back and forth, as if they
were being thrown at her.

  She did not know what had happened to Hansa. The wolf had been there when she had fallen asleep, and when she had awoken, it was as if the spell had ensnared her even tighter. She had not even remembered the wolf until now.

  Her heart ached, thinking of her good friend. She remembered her words to her, just as she had been falling asleep. Her pledge to stay by her side. Avalon took a deep breath. She knew that Hansa would never have abandoned her. Had the wolf defended her while she slept? Had she been killed in the process?

  When she had awoken that morning, she had not been able to remember even the purpose of her trip. She had stumbled forward, blind, into the desert. She had come upon the winged creature’s lair and battled against a creature in the lake. She had only hand-drawn markers on an old map to guide her, as to where she needed to go, but she had not known why she was going there.

  She knew now. Everything was clear. She remembered Hansa. She remembered Skyresh and Everard. A part of her wanted to turn back and try to find them, but the desert was vast, and she had no idea where they may be. The spell that had gripped her mind had voided all knowledge of when and where they had been taken.

  She kept staring at The Tower. Tears filled her eyes. She had made it – but at what cost? She didn’t know if her friends were dead or alive. Aysus had probably led them into traps, as well. They might be ensnared with the new creatures, just as she had been. Imprisoned and unable to escape. But equally, he may have killed them. There was simply no way of knowing.

  She sighed. Her memory had obviously been returning, slowly, when she had been in the rabbits’ burrow. But whatever had taken Hansa in the night had made her lose whatever memory she had recovered completely. Until now. Now, everything had returned. Her purpose. Her mission. And her knowledge that she had been accompanied and was now alone.

  Her heart kept aching. It was so difficult to continue. She had been unsure of herself and her burgeoning powers from the beginning. She had needed Skyresh and Everard by her side. And now they were gone. As was Hansa, the beautiful wolf, who had freed her from her prison under the earth.