by K E O'Connor
“I’ve never heard such nonsense,” Thaddeus said. “Witch Haven is a safe place. Dark magic isn’t welcome, and anyone who lives here is protected from such darkness. Or at least they were until you and Magda became so unstable.”
Olympus shot Thaddeus an angry look, and he took a step back and muttered an apology.
“That happened because of the witch coven. Magda tried to control the magic they gave her, but it was too strong for her. And it infected me as well. That’s why we attacked the villagers. And Witch Haven’s problems aren’t over yet,” I said. “They’re going to get much worse.”
“They will now you’re back,” Thaddeus said.
Olympus raised a hand to silence him. “Witch Haven has had more than its fair share of troubles since the darkness descended upon us after that terrible day.”
Thaddeus jabbed a finger in my direction. “And here’s the reason.”
Olympus watched me with a calm expression on his face. I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. “Perhaps Indigo has a point.”
I jerked back. Did he believe me?
“The darkness should have receded when the troublemakers were taken away, but things have remained out of balance ever since then,” he said.
“Perhaps that’s because of so many deaths,” his other companion said. He was a short, squat man, dressed entirely in black with a neat goatee.
“I don’t disagree with that possibility,” I said. “Those deaths opened a path for darkness to creep in. And that’s what the witch coven wanted. They needed to create a weakness in the village so it would be easier to take over. They tried to do it using dark magic and Magda, and they failed. Now, they’re using this imbalance to make their presence felt. They’re destabilizing the goodness in the village to make it easy to take over when they’re ready.”
“Why wait so long?” Olympus said.
“I... I can’t answer that,” I said. “Only the coven infecting this place can tell you the reason for the delay.”
“Did Magda name the dark witches who troubled her?” Olympus said.
“No, I haven’t found any names yet. But I haven’t looked through all her journals. I still may find more evidence.”
“There isn’t any evidence to collect,” Thaddeus said. “These are the ramblings of a crazed witch intent on destruction. We shouldn’t listen to her.”
“Give us a moment, Indigo.” Olympus gestured his two colleagues closer, and they conferred quietly for several minutes.
“What do you think?” Hilda whispered in my ear.
“They seem to be listening. Or at least, Olympus is paying attention to what I have to say. That Thaddeus creep definitely isn’t.”
“I knew Olympus would come round to our way of thinking,” Hilda said.
I shifted from foot to foot and held the journal close to my chest. I knew I’d have to pay for my use of illegal magic, attacking Olympus, and lying about what happened to Magda’s house, but I could live with that, so long as I got to clear Magda’s name.
Olympus turned to us, and my heart sank to my black boots. From the look in his eyes, I’d failed to convince him of anything.
“Indigo Ash, you’re under arrest for crimes against magic,” he said.
I glanced at my familiars. Nothing I could say would convince Olympus that I was anything other than a broken witch who should be locked away for the rest of her life.
“You’re to come with us immediately. There’s a full meeting of the Magic Council in progress. They’ll determine your sentence. There’s no point in dragging this out any longer,” he said.
“I... I don’t want to be seen by the whole Magic Council. Is that necessary?” I took a step back.
“It is. And don’t even think about running again,” Olympus said. “You’ve raised a lot of interest by returning here. The Magic Council has to ensure they neutralize any threats. As you pointed out, Witch Haven is in a fragile position, and its reputation has yet to be restored. You’re partially responsible for that.”
His colleagues sparked magic on their fingers, and I could see Thaddeus was desperate to blast me with a spell. I’d have to keep an eye on him.
“You three go back inside,” I muttered to Hilda, Russell, and Nugget. “They won’t let you come with me, and I don’t want you getting in any trouble.”
“We can’t let them take you,” Hilda said. “It’s not fair.”
“If I go in front of the full council, I’ll have a chance to say my piece to other magic users. I could find a sympathetic ear among them. Lots of them knew Magda. She may still have allies.” I lifted Hilda off my shoulder and placed her on the ground, then nodded at Nugget and Russell. “Keep an eye on things until I get back.”
“If you come back.” Nugget turned and stalked away.
Russell cawed several times before flying over to the trees. Hilda tapped her legs on the ground, before turning and scurrying away.
I was sad to see them go, but this was for the best. There was no way I was getting my familiars in any more hot water.
I turned back to Olympus. “Where do we need to go for this meeting?”
“Touch my arm. I’ll transport us there,” Olympus said.
I strode over and grabbed his arm. Thaddeus glared at me like I’d just committed a terrible crime by daring to touch his boss.
“Everyone link with me,” Olympus said.
Thaddeus and his colleague touched Olympus, and he evoked a transportation spell.
The world tilted, and I grew dizzy as his magic folded around me. It smelt of the forest, with a faint hint of salt spray.
We arrived in a large, high-ceilinged chamber, with dark wood panels and a ring of seats around the outside. And all those seats were occupied by Magic Council members.
We were at the back of the room, so no one had seen us appear.
Thaddeus hurried away, while Olympus remained beside me.
“Hugo, inform the overseer of our arrival. Ask if we can be heard during any other business,” Olympus said.
Hugo, the guy with the neat goatee, nodded and strode away.
“Catching me will be a feather in your cap,” I said. “Will you get a big bonus for finally bringing the last Ash witch to heel?”
“No talking, or you’ll disturb the meeting,” Olympus said.
“You’re in charge of this lot. Why does it matter if we disturb them?”
He sighed softly. “There’s a lot you don’t know about the Magic Council. I may head up a particular sector, but I’m by no means in charge of everything. Judge Zimmerman is proceeding over matters at this meeting, and he runs things in a specific way. He’s also strict with rule breakers.”
“What could he do to me? Take away my freedom? Threaten to remove my magic and turn me into a shadow? Destroy the home I was raised in?”
Olympus arched an eyebrow at me and shook his head.
I felt appropriately chastised by that stern glare, but it was a point worth making. I’d already hit rock bottom several times and somehow bounced off it. They couldn’t do anything more to me.
I looked around the room. From where I stood, I could count over a hundred members of the Magic Council in attendance. It was a huge organization, covering all areas of magic and ensuring its safe use.
A murmuring began in the far right corner of the room. It drifted closer, and then heads turned in my direction.
“It looks like word is spreading fast about my arrival. I can’t wait to meet my fans,” I said.
There was a loud, dull thudding coming from somewhere in the room, and the murmuring stopped.
I leaned forward and saw Judge Zimmerman standing and peering around. He was a tall, wiry warlock, with a neat white beard and white hair that sat on his shoulders. His gaze stopped when it landed on me.
I resisted the urge to step back. The power resonating from him could be felt even from this distance.
“Indigo Ash. At last, we meet.” Judge Zimmerman beckoned me closer.
“You’d better go. It looks like he’s changed the agenda just for you, and he normally hates change.”
“Lucky me. I’d rather be in any other business, when people are packing up their papers and thinking about their next cup of coffee and the chocolate cookies on their desk.”
“Get a move on,” Olympus said. “And no smart talking the judge. Your fate is in his hands, so be nice.”
“Will it make a difference if I am?”
“Indigo! Don’t try his patience. You’ll only regret it.”
Judge Zimmerman pointed to a table and chairs set in front of the raised podium he stood at. I walked over, my legs stiff as if they were resisting my efforts. My mind was screaming at me to escape, but where could I go? I was surrounded by powerful magic users, and they all wanted to prevent me from causing trouble.
I stopped by the table and looked up at Judge Zimmerman.
He gave me a nod. “The rest of the agenda items are to be moved to our next meeting. We have something crucial to consider.”
There were a few disgruntled mutters, but they quickly died away when the judge glared around the room.
“For those of you who don’t know, the witch standing before us is Indigo Ash. When she was seventeen, along with her stepmother, Magda Ash, she murdered sixty-six people in Witch Haven.”
There were several gasps, but most people simply grumbled. They most likely knew my history.
“Miss Ash, I’d hoped your time in rehabilitation and prison reformed you, but it seems that since your return to Witch Haven, the troubles there have intensified,” Judge Zimmerman said.
I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers.
“This isn’t a school, Miss Ash. You may speak when it is your time,” Judge Zimmerman said. He lifted a finger. “And now is not that time. This is our opportunity to discuss your punishment.”
“Strip her power,” someone called out.
“She’s dangerous. She shouldn’t have any magic,” another voice called.
“Send her back to rehab,” a female voice said.
I turned, looking for the witch who’d just spoken, but I couldn’t see her. At least there was one magic user in this room who thought I was worthy of a second chance.
There were lots more cries to strip me of my power and punish me. Judge Zimmerman let it go on for several minutes.
“That’s enough.” He smoothed a hand over his beard. “We all agree your previous sentencing was unsuccessful, and additional rehabilitation is unlikely to produce a different result.”
“I’d take it if it was on offer. And rehab helped me the last time,” I said.
“Watch your step. You haven’t been told you can speak.”
I jumped at the closeness of Olympus’ voice. I hadn’t realized he’d joined me by the table.
I looked at him. “But I need a chance to plead my case.”
“Go ahead, Miss Ash,” Judge Zimmerman said. “How will rehabilitation be different for you this time around?”
I met his steely pale blue gaze head on. “I’m different. I know I’ve bent a few rules since coming back to Witch Haven, but I’ve been helping a friend. Luna Grimstone is missing. She’s been taken by a ghost. I’m trying to find her.”
The judge shook his head. “That is not a matter for us to consider. Your illegal and potentially dangerous behavior is our focus.”
Luna may not matter to him, but she was my priority. “What if I had proof the murders I helped commit in the village were part of something darker?” I held up the journal. “Magda Ash was manipulated by a witch coven. She details everything in here. Read it. This will show you the source of your troubles, and it’s not me.”
There were more resentful murmurs from around the room.
Panic made my throat tighten as the flood of anger and resentment in the room became palpable. I was running out of options. They’d probably take this journal and destroy it without bothering to read it. The Magic Council weren’t interested in knowing the truth, they just wanted to get rid of me.
I looked around the chamber, trying to find a friendly face, but all I saw were accusatory stares. Many of the members wouldn’t even look at me.
I should have known it would end up like this, even though a tiny part of me still believed the Magic Council wanted the best for all magic users. That part of me was wrong.
Olympus stepped up beside me and cleared his throat. “Judge Zimmerman, if I may speak on behalf of Indigo.”
I turned and stared up at him. Was he going to put the final nail in my coffin? If he told the judge I’d whacked him with a spell and run off, I really was a goner.
Olympus glanced at me, and I could read the warning in his eyes to keep quiet.
“Go ahead, Olympus,” Judge Zimmerman said.
“Indigo is adamant there’s a coven wanting to harm Witch Haven. May I suggest we look at the evidence she presents and hold off from passing her final sentence until then.”
“Why would we do that?” Judge Zimmerman said. “We have her here. She has eluded us for too long. This is our opportunity to finish this unpleasant business.”
“I don’t disagree. But Indigo is fighting her own battle in Witch Haven. She was telling the truth about her missing friend, and I believe she wants to help her. She won’t go anywhere until she’s succeeded in that task. In the meantime, we can consider this new information, while we put Indigo to work. I believe she can help us with an ongoing problem.”
Judge Zimmerman peered down at him. “Help us how?”
I was also interested in hearing the answer to that question.
“Indigo has connections with Ursa Wyrm.” He shot me another glare.
There were more murmurs from the council members, and this time, they didn’t sound so unhappy. Maybe some of them had met her.
“What’s Ursa got to do with this?” I muttered to Olympus.
He ignored me and remained focused on the judge. “Indigo could deal with Ursa’s... ongoing problem. And she’s already been to Ursa’s house to assess the current issue. Indigo could be a useful asset while we decide her fate. And we could even place her in the house to make it easier to monitor her.”
I shook my head. “No way! I’m not going back to that nightmare house. And if I have anything more to do with Ursa, I’ll kill her. She set her dolls on me, she lied about me, and she stole from me.”
“Did you hear that? The Ash witch just admitted she wants to kill Ursa,” someone called out. “She isn’t safe.”
I threw my hands up. “I was joking. I wouldn’t kill Ursa.” I probably was joking. Although I wouldn’t mind whacking her with a painful spell. And I’d only kill her if she got really mean.
“This is your one opportunity to help Luna and maintain a degree of freedom,” Olympus muttered under his breath. “Don’t mess this up, or Judge Zimmerman will have you hauled out of here and you won’t see daylight ever again.”
“But it’s Ursa Wyrm! You know what a nightmare she is.”
“Silence, everyone,” Judge Zimmerman said. “The problems with Gravesend Manor have been going on for many months. We’ve tried various solutions and nothing has placated Ursa. Perhaps we need to try another route. And if Miss Ash is already familiar with the... issues, she could be useful to us.”
I stared at him, my mouth open. He was seriously thinking about locking me in the dark, spooky doll house of terror? That wasn’t freedom. What was he hoping would be the outcome of this terrible decision? The dolls and gnomes would get rid of me for him, and I’d be removed from the next meeting agenda?
“If I’m useful to you, does that mean you’ll be lenient with my sentencing?” I said.
“Don’t push your luck,” Olympus said.
Judge Zimmerman tapped a finger on the podium. “I’ll be open-minded regarding your sentence if you tackle Ursa’s problems. If you can
take this trouble off our hands, it will be looked upon favorably.”
I hesitated. I didn’t have the time to waste on dealing with Ursa and her hexed dolls. I had to focus on finding Luna.
I looked at Olympus again. He raised his eyebrows at me. “It’s either this or rehab, and then your power will be stripped. I know what I’d choose.”
“But Luna’s missing. I’m not going to stop searching for her just so I can tackle Ursa’s spooky house of horrors.”
“You won’t have to. If you’re discreet, you can do both. This is a lifeline you’ve been offered. You’d be an idiot not to take it.”
My gaze ran over Olympus. Was he trying to help me, or simply setting me up for an epic fail?
“We’re waiting for your answer, Miss Ash,” Judge Zimmerman said. “You can remain in Witch Haven if you work on Ursa’s problem. In the meantime, we will review the evidence you’ve presented to us, alongside your future sentencing.”
“It’s a more than fair deal, given your history,” Olympus said.
I nodded. It was, and I had no option but to accept.
I looked the judge squarely in the eyes. “You’re on. Sign me up for an extended stay in Ursa’s creepy doll house.”
Those dolls wouldn’t know what hit them when I returned.
Chapter 10
I was still in shock as I was taken from the meeting room chamber. This hadn’t been the plan. I wasn’t here to help the Magic Council. They were supposed to hear me out so I could make progress on clearing my name and making things right for Magda.
But at least this option gave me a reprieve. And if I could solve Ursa’s hex problem, or rather the problems she was causing the Magic Council, my outlook may not be so bleak.
Olympus walked alongside me in silence until we reached a large set of doors.
I turned to him. “Why did you help me back there?”
He glanced around, pushed open the doors, and gestured me to follow him. It was only when they closed and we were standing outside in an empty cobbled courtyard that he looked my way.
“I thought you wanted to remain a free witch.”
“Of course. But ever since I returned to the village, you’ve been trying to arrest me. Why the change of heart?”
