White Witch

by Trish Milburn

  After making the copy and leaving the original at the front desk for Ms. Appleton, I head for my car. When I reach it, Keller’s leaning against the Beetle, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

  “Hey, beautiful.”

  I smile. “Hey, yourself.”

  He pulls me to him and kisses me. When he does that, it’s so easy to forget the world holds any danger at all.

  When he ends the kiss, he nods at the paper in my hand. “What’s that?”

  The end of Keller’s question is cut off by the roar of Egan’s motorcycle pulling up next to us. Toni sits on the back, her arms around Egan’s waist. I remind myself not to meddle, not unless it becomes necessary.

  Egan removes his helmet and kills the engine. “I believe this is called a public display of affection. My, my, what would the school officials think?”

  “Speaking of school, you planning on signing up anytime soon?” I ask.

  “Can’t say it’s high on my list.”

  I don’t press the issue. Egan is insanely smart if an incurable flirt. I doubt Baker Gap High School can teach him anything he doesn’t already know.

  “Listen,” I say. “I want you to see something.” I unfurl the drawing. “It’s called The White Witch of Wiltshire.”

  Egan shrugs. “So what? There are millions of artists’ renderings of witches, all wrong.”

  “You don’t think she could be real?”

  “The ‘white’ implies no.”

  “What if that’s what’s missing from the Beginning Book?”

  “That drawing?”

  “No, not necessarily. What if the covens are scared of white witches?”

  “Jax, there’s no such thing.”

  “We’ve never heard of one, not a real witch anyway, but they’ve lied to us before. What’s to say they didn’t omit this useful factoid from our history lessons?”

  “I think you’re stretching. It’s a little clichéd to think the big uh-oh for dark witches is Glinda the Good Witch. I mean, if a white witch exists, how could her power be stronger? What would she draw from? And how could she take on so many dark witches?”

  “I don’t know.” I feel Keller’s hand at the small of my back, supporting me. It’s amazing how he can make me fall for him more with the smallest gestures.

  “Don’t worry,” Keller says. “We’ll keep looking for the missing pieces. If the covens come, we’ll be ready.”

  I meet Egan’s gaze, see what I’m thinking reflected back at me.

  Keller has faced so much in his life, but he has no idea what he’s talking about. No matter how much planning and stockpiling of weapons he does, he’ll never be ready for the covens.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The rest of the week is so jam-packed with homework, fruitless online research about white witches, and even a midnight hunting outing with Keller, Egan and Toni, that Friday and homecoming arrive before I realize it.

  Toni walks out of her closet, carrying the dress she bought in Asheville. “What’s with you? You’ve been somewhere else all day. All week, really.”

  I don’t tell her that I’ve come close to leaving Baker Gap twice this week and taking Egan with me. I feel like I’ve developed a split personality—one half telling me that I’m paranoid and I deserve the happiness I’ve found, the other half insisting that Egan and I are a danger to everyone near us and that the only reason I stay is because of a dark selfishness inherent within me. It doesn’t help that my instincts are telling me my reprieve from the covens is about at its end.

  “Well?” Toni isn’t going to back down until I give her an answer.

  I shake my head. “I don’t know. I’m all jittery for some reason.” At least I’m not lying to her.

  “Is something wrong? You and Keller seem to be having a good time together.”

  “Yeah, we are. It’s not us, at least not like that. It’s . . . I have a bad feeling, like something’s coming.”

  “Yours and Egan’s families?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. But there’s something out there, strange vibrations in the natural energy.”

  “We’ll keep our eyes open. Now get ready. The guys will be here soon.”

  I quickly change into my dress and take a moment to enjoy the cool, smooth slide of it against my skin. It’s a simple dress, but I love it. And I hope Keller likes me in it. Whatever it is that’s bothering me, I shove it aside. I’m going to enjoy this night.

  If it’s the last thing I ever do.

  “So, what’s up with the sprinklers going off in the gym?” I ask to change the subject.

  “Mom said they malfunctioned. Before anyone noticed, the place was soaked. They’re going to have to rip up and replace the floor.”

  “I can’t believe they were able to get The Barn on such short notice. Won’t that make their normal clientele mad?”

  “Maybe a few, but most of the people there on Friday nights are from school anyway.”

  Toni and I help each other with hair and makeup, dance around the room when Toni turns up her stereo and giggle as we strike poses in the mirror.

  “You know, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you in anything other than one of your famous T-shirts.”

  “Yeah, they haven’t come out with a line of Slayer dresses yet.” Toni looks at herself in the mirror, as if she can’t believe the reflection staring back at her. “Besides, I don’t want to seem like too big of a dork.”

  I stand looking over Toni’s shoulder into the mirror. “Please don’t lose yourself. Don’t change who you are because of Egan. Because who you are is pretty cool.”

  “Thanks. You’re pretty cool yourself. Of course, you’re a witch, so you’ve got an unfair advantage.”

  I swat her on the bare shoulder.

  The doorbell causes Toni to squeak. “They’re here.”

  I glance out the window to find Keller’s truck at the curb. Butterflies burst out of their cocoons in my stomach. I may have danced with Keller before, but tonight is different. We’re going to a dance, a real dress-up date. It all seems so Cinderella-like. I just hope midnight doesn’t bring the end to the fairytale.

  Toni’s about to have an asthma attack, and she doesn’t even have asthma, so I agree to go down the stairs first. Halfway down, I stop and stare. Keller stands at the bottom of the staircase looking up at me, his expression as stunned as I feel. He looks so good, so perfect in a blue button-up shirt and black pants.

  How will I ever bear leaving him if it comes to that?

  “You look amazing,” he says.

  “So do you.” My voice is no more than a whisper, a reverent one. “You should wear blue every day.”

  He smiles at that, and I find enough momentum to take me the rest of the way down the stairs. When I reach the bottom, he lifts his hand to my face and gently kisses me. “I’m so glad you chose to run away to Baker Gap,” he whispers in my ear.

  “Me, too.”

  “Okay, okay, we get it. You two really like each other,” Egan says. He nudges Keller aside. “It’s my turn. I think I have a date up there somewhere.”

  But Toni doesn’t appear at the top of the stairs.

  “Toni?” I say.

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” Egan adds.

  “She’s, uh . . . I’ll go get her.” I don’t want to reveal how nervous Toni is. That will put too much importance on this date, on Egan.

  “Nah, I’ll go get her.” Egan bounds up the stairs.

  I start after him, but Keller holds me back.

  “Let him go. He seems like a good guy.”

  I glance at Keller and wonder when he’d come to that conclusion. Then I redirect my attention up the stairs and sigh “Yeah.” Unfortunately, Egan is also good at breaking hearts.

  The football game lasts for-ev-er. After Baker Gap finally kicks the winning field goal, everyone heads for the dance. After negotiating the traffic, we finally make it to The Barn and the part of the evening I’ve been looking forward t
o.

  “What are you thinking?” Keller asks next to my ear when we reach the dance floor.

  That this is the most perfect night ever. But I don’t say that. “Nothing. Just enjoying myself.”

  He looks over my shoulder. “Looks like Toni and Egan are having a good time, too.”

  I turn and see my old friend and new friend seemingly oblivious to anyone around them. They sway gently, Toni’s head against Egan’s chest and Egan’s hand pressed against her back in what looks like a tender and protective gesture.

  “What?” Keller asks. “You have a strange look on your face.”

  “It’s Egan. I keep waiting for the inevitable.”

  “Don’t worry so much. He seems happy to have a pretty girl in his arms.”

  “Egan always has a pretty girl in his arms.”

  Keller spins me around so that I’m focusing on him again. “Maybe you’re so used to worrying that you’re doing it when you don’t need to.”

  “Maybe.” I’m still not convinced, but at least for now the pair seem to be doing fine. Keller’s right. I have enough to worry about without adding the love-lives of my friends.

  Keller and I dance, and dance, and dance. Occasionally, we sit out a song or two and talk with Eric and Paige, who are like industrial-strength glue now. When Toni begs a break at the same time Eric heads for the bar for sodas, Egan swings Paige into his arms and onto the dance floor.

  My concern flares again. But when I look at Toni, her attention is on her feet.

  “I think my feet are staging a coup against these shoes.”

  “No wonder. Not exactly your normal footwear.” The strappy heels she’s wearing are foreign territory compared to her usual sneakers or boots.

  “You neglected to tell me endless energy is another one of your witchy powers.” Toni nods toward where Egan and Paige are twirling and laughing.

  “Afraid that’s all Egan.”

  When Eric reclaims his date, Egan strides straight for Toni with his hand out. She shakes her head. “Dance with Jax.”

  Before I can protest, the force of nature that is Egan Byrne pulls me onto the dance floor.

  “You seem to be having a grand time,” I say when we’re facing each other.

  “I am.”

  I glance at the table where Toni and Paige watch us dance, offering them a smile.

  “Looks like you and hunter boy are, too.”

  I stare at the crowd beyond Egan. “Yeah.”

  “But?”

  I look up and meet his eyes. “I’m afraid you’re going to break Toni’s heart.”

  “Nice to know you think so highly of me.”

  “Don’t act so offended. I’m just going by your history.”

  Egan’s gaze hardens. “Do I judge you based on your history?”

  “You can’t compare the two. I haven’t left a trail of broken hearts in my wake.”

  “Haven’t you?”

  I start to refute his accusations then realize with horror that he might be right.

  It’s not my fault, but my appearance does cause males of all ages, witch and non-witch, to stare. I never examined those looks of admiration too closely because I’d done nothing to deserve them, but what if they’d all fancied themselves in love with me?

  Had it been the same for Egan?

  “You see, we’re not all that different,” he says.

  The song ends and Egan doesn’t seem the least bit interested in dancing with me again. Can’t say that I blame him. But he’s enough of a gentleman to usher me through the crowd back to the table. Once there, he grabs Toni’s hand.

  “I can’t,” she says. “These shoes are the spawn of Satan.”

  “Then dance barefoot.”

  Toni thinks about it a moment too long, because suddenly Egan picks her up, eliciting a squeal of surprise, and carries her back onto the dance floor.

  Keller wraps his hand around mine. “You okay?”

  I smile and nod. “Yeah.” But for the rest of the evening, Egan’s words ring in my head. Does Keller really like me, or is he just under the same spell so many others have suffered?

  No, he’s different, too strong to fall victim to false beauty. I had to believe that. But as I watch how he looks at me, and the way Toni beams at Egan, I have to wonder.

  “I think I’ve seen enough of my cousin in girly mode,” Keller says when the house lights come on and the notes of the last song fade. “Let’s go out and see how long it takes them to find us.” Despite my new concerns, I can’t help the surge of excitement.

  When we reach the truck, Keller swings me around in front of him. “I know the perfect way to end the perfect night.”

  “Oh?”

  He responds with lips instead of words. I lean back against the truck as he moves forward. The metal cools my back half, but the heat Keller generates more than makes up for it on the front half.

  “God, get a room!”

  We jerk back from one another to see Stacy stalking away, her heels clicking against the asphalt parking lot.

  “What the . . . ?” Keller starts.

  “Okay, that girl is jealous,” Egan says as he and Toni stroll up holding hands.

  “You’d think she’d have given up by now,” Toni says.

  I watch as Stacy dives into her car and speeds from the parking lot. There’s something different about her. I get the impression that Stacy isn’t just being bitchy, but is genuinely upset. Maybe she really does like Keller and not only because he’s the one guy who won’t go out with her.

  You always want the one you can’t have.

  Fear spears through me at the thought. I want Keller, so much. Does that mean I’ll never truly have him, not for long at least?

  As we pile into the truck and head down the road toward town, I can’t rid myself of the feeling of doom that’s settled over me. I keep searching the night passing by the windows, looking for whatever it is that has me on edge.

  Keller squeezes my hand before putting both of his back on the steering wheel. “This is Shiprock Curve—”

  “Watch out!” I reach out, as if I can help him steer away from the tail of the car in the other lane.

  Keller jerks the wheel to the right and slams on the brakes. We all jerk forward and it takes us a moment to catch our breath.

  Toni leans over the front seat. “That’s Stacy’s car.”

  And the only thing that’s kept Stacy from going off the side of the hill into the ravine far below is the tree sitting about halfway back her hood.

  We all jump out of the truck as fast as we can. Keller and Egan run toward the car.

  “Jax, Toni, stop traffic in both directions,” Keller yells.

  Toni and I take up opposite posts, Toni below the curve, me above it. I bite my lip as I watch the guys edge down the embankment to the sides of Stacy’s car. Light rain begins to fall, and thunder rumbles over the mountains.

  “Is she okay?” Toni calls.

  “She’s alive,” Keller answers.

  “And semi-conscious,” Egan adds.

  Their words are still echoing when a blast of incredible coldness hits me and steals my breath. I whirl, instinctively knowing where to look. Lightning lights up the sky then, revealing three silhouettes atop Shiprock, their hair whipping in the wind and their clothing blacker than the night surrounding them.

  I run, potential traffic forgotten. “Get her out of there, get her out!”

  The guys jerk their heads up at me, but Egan’s attention immediately shifts to the rock protruding above them.

  “What?” Keller asks.

  “Witches,” Egan and I say together.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Keller pulls Stacy from the car and races with her to the truck. Egan uses his true speed and grabs Toni. I slide into the driver’s seat and take off before all the doors are closed. Everyone screams when Stacy’s car explodes behind us. My heartbeat goes stark, raving mad as I feel the force of the trio above begin shoving the truck toward the s
ide of the road. Toni screams. I slam the accelerator to the floor.

  “Egan, a little help.”

  Egan rolls down the window and climbs into the bed of the truck as I push the truck’s engine to its limits and use my power to keep it on the road.

  “Oh, God. He’s going to get killed,” Toni shrieks, frantic.

  Possibly, but we don’t have any choice. These are not ordinary witches, and I’m not sure Egan and I could handle them even if they were. It doesn’t seem possible, but I feel no life force from them. But that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Either Egan tries to fight off enough of the witches’ power to give us a chance to get away or their power will prove too much for me and the truck is going over the side. We’ll all die then. And the trio will keep shoving people off that curve.

  The strain on the engine and on my power ease a little. Egan’s doing his job.

  “Hang on,” I yell. I fight the steering wheel as we squeal around another curve. Sweat pours off my forehead into my eyes, but I have to let it burn. If I take a hand off the wheel, we’re gone.

  Each tenth-of-a-mile tick of the odometer stretches like a lifetime, but eventually I feel the forces working against us lessen. I don’t slow down though. I have to get Stacy to the hospital.

  I glance back when Toni cries out. Egan has fallen to his knees in the back of the truck. Then he disappears from sight.

  Toni scrambles onto her knees to look out the back window. “He’s hurt.”

  “No, he’s just spent. He’ll be fine.”

  “Stop, let him back in.”

  “Can’t. We have to keep going.”

  “She’s right,” Keller says from where he’s holding Stacy upright and as immobile as he can.

  I break every traffic law in Baker Gap, but we make it to the hospital in one piece. I’ve barely parked before I’m jumping out of the truck and heading for the ER. “Get Egan into the front,” I yell back over my shoulder.

  I nearly slam into the sliding doors. “I need help.”

  “Are you hurt?” a nurse asks.