Queen Witch

by Amy Boyles

  Just kidding.

  Not really.

  I said my good nights to everyone and headed back to my room. I had stepped into the hall when Polly unclamped his little talons and lifted into the air.

  "Oh? Decided you don't like me anymore?" I mumbled.

  "Come!"

  He flapped his wings desperately. At least I think it was desperately. I couldn't really tell. He was wooden and all.

  "Come!" He flew a few yards down the dimly lit hall.

  It hit me. "Do you want me to follow you?"

  "Come!" He flew down a few more yards.

  "You want me to follow you. You want me to come."

  "Come!" Polly dashed down the hall and turned the corner.

  He left me standing alone. Well? What else was I supposed to do? Without even half a second of thought I pumped my legs and ran after him.

  bookmark:Chapter Twenty-Three

  TWENTY-THREE

  I clipped along, my chest heaving as I struggled to keep up with Polly. Seriously that bird could fly. Man, if I could move like that I'd get so much done in the day. I wouldn't even need coffee.

  Right. I'd always need coffee. Who was I kidding?

  I paused, leaning over to clutch my knees and take a deep breath. "Polly. I can't go any further."

  Polly paused. Hovered in the air. I quenched my burning lungs and caught up to him. He flew a few more seconds and stopped outside the hall where the voting had taken place.

  He flew on inside. I was about to literally shoot Polly the bird for continuing on, but I wanted to see what was going on.

  The only light was an orb of fire burning from some random statue. It cast scraggly shadows on the walls. I shivered and hugged my arms.

  Polly landed on the far side of the room, resting atop a stone dais. Short of breath and wobbly-legged, I nearly crawled to him.

  "Okay, bird, what is it you wanted me to see?"

  He pecked his wooden beak against a bowl.

  "What is that?" I said, dragging myself over to him. Firelight glinted off the silvery surface. I reached Polly, who pecked again. Atop the lectern rested a large basin.

  "What about it?" I said. "It's just a bowl."

  "Vote!"

  "What?"

  "Vote!"

  "What about a vote?"

  Polly tapped his beak against the surface again. Was the bird really trying to tell me something about the voting for queen? Surely not.

  He pecked at it again.

  Then why did he drag me here?

  I snapped my fingers. "This is the bowl, right? This is the bowl that all the ballots were cast in."

  "Vote!"

  I slid my hand over the slick surface. Why was it important? What was it Polly wanted me to know?

  "It's late to be up, don't you think, Queen Dylan?"

  I jumped, clutched my chest. I whirled around and found Bannock standing in the doorway, his hands deep in the pockets of his robe.

  "Yes, Bannock. I'm sorry. Polly wanted to go for a late-night stroll."

  He gave me that gentle butlery smile of his. "I understand. You've had a lot going on, and the council arrives tomorrow."

  "Do you think they'll be bringing any Christmas cheer?"

  He frowned.

  "That's kinda what I thought, too," I murmured.

  "It's best for you to get some shut-eye," Bannock said. "Big day in the morning."

  I nodded. "You're right. Come on, Polly." The bird fluttered onto my shoulder. I followed Bannock out, but my stomach churned. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Polly had wanted me to find.

  But what?

  ***

  I returned tired and worn. It had been a long day. I yawned as I entered to an empty room. My sisters were probably making sure Nan was okay.

  After pulling the floor-to-ceiling drapes shut, I shucked my clothes and put on a nightgown. I glanced at Polly, who perched on the lip of a tall mirror.

  "What was it you wanted me to find, Polly? What's up with that bowl?"

  The bird stared at me blankly. I smirked. Figured he wouldn't be talking when I wanted him to.

  I stretched my arms as the door opened. Sera and Reid, a tangle of sleepy eyes and drooping shoulders, entered.

  "How's Nan?" I asked.

  "Good," Reid said. "She asked us to point her in Celeste's direction so she could splat her."

  "Sounds like she's back to normal," I said.

  "If only Grandma could be," Sera added.

  "Still no powers?" I said.

  Both my sisters shook their heads. "I don't know what's going on with that," Reid said. "But I think it's weird." She fluffed her burgundy curls and changed into her nightgown.

  "I know," Sera said. "We've figured out what happened to my power. But what's going on with Grandma's? I don't get it."

  I pulled the downy comforter to my chin. "I'm guessing when we find the murderer, we'll also have the answer to that question."

  Reid jumped onto the bed. "You think the murderer is the same person who's screwing with Grandma's power?"

  "Probably," Sera said. "It's gotta be. It's too much of a coincidence that Celeste hexed me and now Grandma's completely lost her power. Someone's doing this."

  I grabbed my phone and opened the alarm clock setting. "So. How much sleep do we want to get before we're up and at 'em in the morning? Two hours?"

  Both sisters glared at me.

  "Okay. How about three?"

  More glares.

  "How about I set it for six a.m. and we see who gets up?"

  "That's better," Reid said. "I need all the beauty sleep I can get. Tomorrow's Christmas, remember?"

  Oh crap. "I don't have anyone's presents with me," I said. "I left them at home."

  My sisters burst into laughter. "Yeah, because I've got a load of gifts stashed in the trunk over there," Sera said. "Dyl, don't worry about it. None of us brought gifts."

  "Yeah, but Roman," I said.

  Sera shrugged. "I'm pretty sure he'll understand. Besides, has he mentioned having a gift for you?"

  I gnawed the inside of my cheek. "Well no, not really."

  "Listen," Reid said. "We need to get some sleep so that we can find the killer in the morning. You got any leads, Dylan?"

  I fisted my hand over my mouth, stifling a yawn. "Polly made me follow him back to the hall where we voted."

  Sera ran a brush through her hair. "What?"

  I nodded. "Yeah. He led me back to the bowl we threw our votes in."

  Reid kicked her legs under the covers. "Why?"

  I shook my head. "I don't know. But he kept saying, 'Come.' I followed him, and that's where we ended up."

  "Was anything in the bowl?" Sera asked, sitting on her bed.

  "No. Nothing."

  "If he could talk enough to tell you to come, maybe we should threaten him with a lit match. Then he'll spill the beans," Reid said.

  I threw a pillow at her. "You are not going to torture Polly. He's an innocent wooden parrot."

  My sisters looked at each other and burst into laughter.

  I shrugged. "What? He's grown on me. What can I say?"

  Sera got up to turn out the light. "Whatever. Maybe we'll figure it out in the morning."

  "Can you open the drapes?" Reid said. "I like to sleep with them like that."

  Sera mumbled something about doing things for yourself, but she slid the drapes to either side of the ten-foot window. She reached for the switch to turn out the single lamp burning in the room.

  Crash.

  I bolted up. Glass had exploded from the window, splashing across the floor. The red drapes blew as a winter wind screeched into the room. A chill hummed in my bones.

  I glanced at Sera and Reid. "Is everyone okay?"

  They both nodded, but neither of them moved.

  "Sera, get away from the window," I said.

  I jackknifed off the bed and slid my feet into a pair of slippers. I came around and inspected the floor.

>   Glass glinted on the rug. Shards had scattered every which way. I peered at the window. A hole had been blown straight through.

  "What was that?" I said. "What happened? Was it a tree branch?"

  "Um, Dylan," Reid answered. "I don't think so. I think someone meant to do it."

  I rubbed the worry lines from my forehead. "What are you talking about?"

  She pointed to the floor.

  Sera gasped.

  Sprawled across the crimson rug, his wings extended as if trying to fly, lay Polly. An arrow had pierced his little wooden heart.

  I crossed to him. To heck with glass and crap. I didn't care if it cut through my slippers. I stroked his head, but he didn't move. Tears budded in my eyes. I picked him up and cradled the fragile body in my arms. I hadn't noticed before just how light and tiny he seemed. I looked up at my sisters.

  Someone had killed Polly.

  Now there would be hell to pay.

  bookmark:Chapter Twenty-Four

  TWENTY-FOUR

  "Get away from the window," Sera screeched.

  I glared over my shoulder. Shards and fragments of glass lay scattered. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing to worry about. If they'd wanted to kill me, they would have." I stared at the broken body in my arms. "No. They wanted Polly."

  Reid munched on a lock of hair. "Why?"

  "I don't know. But I'm going to find out." I headed for the door.

  Sera grabbed my arm. "Where are you going?"

  I swiped a tear from my cheek. "To find Roman and end this. Don't try to stop me."

  She raised her hands in surrender. "I won't. But Dylan, be careful."

  I squared my shoulders. "I'm Queen Witch, remember? Nobody's gonna mess with me. If they do, I'll blast them straight to Fairyland. Y'all go to Grandma's room. Let Bannock know what happened."

  Sera threw Reid a concerned look. "Well, okay then. Be safe."

  I nodded and left. Tears streamed down my face. Tears, y'all. Was I crazy? I hadn't even cried over Nan, but here I was falling apart over a stupid bird.

  A wooden one at that.

  I shook my head at my own stupidness (was that a word?) and marched into the chilly night air. Biting wind pierced my skin. I shivered but kept right on going until I reached the village.

  White lights winked from trees, reminding me once again that the next day was a holiday. Some holiday. Might as well have been Halloween for as crazy as this entire crapola of a visit to Castle Witch had been.

  A dim light glowed from Roman's window. Good, I wouldn't be waking him. The last thing I wanted to do was wake my boyfriend from a deep sleep so he could find me on his doorstep clutching a dead wooden parrot.

  The door opened after a couple of quick, quiet knocks. Roman appeared wearing a waffle-patterned long-sleeved tee that hugged every sculpted muscle on his arms and chest. A pair of loose sweats hung from his hips.

  The look of panic on his face made my heart swell. "What's wrong? What happened?"

  I gulped down a river of tears and lifted Polly. He looked from me to the bird, confusion twisting his expression. Then he saw the steel arrow. Roman pulled me inside.

  He guided me to the couch. "Sit down. I'll make you some coffee." I stared at the dying embers of the fire, clutching Polly to my chest. Tears poured from my eyes.

  I refused to do the ugly cry.

  I refused to do the ugly cry.

  I choked back a wave of tears but couldn't keep the dam from breaking.

  I ugly cried in front of Roman.

  I became a mess of sobs and choking sounds. A box of tissue appeared in front of me. I plucked a few and honked my nose, but the wails of the ugly cry continued. Roman said nothing. Instead he made me a cup of hot coffee and sat it on the table next to me. He nestled down beside me, wrapped an arm over my shoulder.

  I sobbed. Dear Lord, I sobbed. The unicorns probably heard me all the way in Fairyland.

  He stroked my hair. "Shh," Roman whispered.

  I kept on.

  So he just let me, stroking my hair the whole time until the worst was over and I was simply a mess of gulps and really unattractive choking noises. I wiped my face on his shirt like any good girlfriend would and pushed myself off him.

  "I'm sorry," I said, all snotty and congested.

  He smiled. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

  My heart inflated a little when he said that.

  Roman stroked a rogue tear from my face. I gave him a feeble smile.

  "Anytime there's anything you need to talk about, no matter what time of day or night, you can always come to me."

  "Promise?" I said, teasing him.

  Roman cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. He drank from the well that was me, and I did the same from him. I clutched his hair, threading my fingers through it. He tugged at my shirt, pulling me to him. Our kisses came fast and furious. His lips scorched mine, and I burned for him.

  He pulled away first, and for a moment it felt like I'd lost something. The other half of my heart, perhaps. Roman wrapped those strong muscular arms around me and dragged me on top of him.

  "Tell me what happened," he said.

  So I did. I told him everything that had happened. His body tensed under me. I bit my bottom lip.

  "But there weren't any other shots?" he said.

  "No. None. Whoever did it wanted to hurt Polly. Not me."

  I heard the sound of his palm scrubbing over his cheek. "You're queen. We have half a day until the council arrives to hear the evidence against Brock. What do you want to do?"

  So much had happened. I was seriously at my breaking point.

  His fingers wove through my hair. "We can either start going back over things in the morning, or…"

  I pressed my hands into the hollows of the couch and pushed myself up. "Or I can be what I am. Is that what you were going to say?"

  Roman snipped a strand of my hair between his fingers and studied it. "Dylan, you've been becoming who you are the entire time I've known you. Sure, you've been thrown a few loopholes in the past days, and you've wanted to avoid it. But that's not who you are. In the few months I've known you, you've been the first to rush in, the first to find out what's going on and the first to take the lead. But ever since that night with Sumi Umi, you've retreated from your powers."

  I fisted my hands and knocked them against my thighs. "Because it's not who I am. I'm not a witch."

  He dropped the lock and looked straight at me. "No. It's who you are. You're not a bad witch, Dylan. You're not like them. You can be a witch and remain who you are."

  I rolled my eyes. "I know I'm not bad."

  "Do you?" He swiped a finger over his top lip. "Because the way I see it, that's what's been going on. You think by embracing your power you'll become one of the bad guys. Trust your gut and you'll be just fine. You've got it in you to do great things. So go do them."

  I sighed. The amount of power I'd used against Sumi had bothered me. It was power I hadn't realized I possessed. But the few times I'd used my power in Castle Witch had been controlled. Nothing bad had happened. It hadn't corrupted me, turning me into some evil witch who wanted to kill others. I wasn't one of them. I wasn't a bad witch.

  But I was a witch. And it was about time I started acting like one.

  I took a deep breath and met Roman's steady gaze.

  "So, Queen Witch, what have you decided to do?" he asked.

  I gulped down the knot in the back of my throat and said, "Wake everyone up. Right now. I'm going to tear this castle apart and find out who killed Polly."

  He quirked an eyebrow. "What about Gertrude's killer?"

  I nodded. "Yeah. Sure. We can find them, too."

  ***

  The entire staff and rooms of visitors were awakened within an hour. They stood outside their rooms, their eyes full of sleep, their mouths twisted into sour expressions.

  I smiled cheerfully as I passed them in the halls.

  They grumbled and complained quietly. That was good,
right? I mean, being queen and all, I expected them to hold their tongues at least a little bit in my presence.

  Not that the whole queen thing was going to my head or anything. Not at all.

  I had left Polly in Roman's cottage. As much as it pained me to dump him there, I didn't want to bring him back into the castle. Not right now. I didn't want anything worse to happen to his little broken body.

  Sera found me in one of the hallways. "What's going on?"

  "They're searching the rooms for evidence of who shot Polly."

  She frowned. "Do you think they'll find anything?"

  I shrugged. "I hope so. I want to find out who did it." I pinched my bottom lip between my forefinger and thumb. "It's got to be connected. All of it. How couldn't it? I feel like it's all here. Right in front of us. We just can't seem to piece it all together."

  Sera shrugged. "I don't know. Seems like it's all scattered. I mean, you've got the entire castle crammed into this hallway while Roman looks for a needle in a haystack. Might as well be sorting through packages in the mail room."

  The mail room? I glanced around the sea of exhausted faces. "That's it. Come on, Sera." I grabbed the sleeve of her robe.

  She yawned. "What? Where are we going?"

  I winked. "To the postmaster general."

  We stood outside the mail room door.

  "Should we knock?" Sera said.

  "I don't know. I didn't see him down there with everyone else. Did you?"

  She shook her head. "Do you think he lives here, too? This is the mail room. It's not like it's meant to be a bedroom as well."

  "There's no time like the present to find out." I fisted my hand and pounded on the door. The top half of the split door rattled and shook. It took a few seconds, but I heard someone shuffling behind it.

  "Oh my gosh, he's in there," Sera said. "Who woulda thunk it?"

  "Me," I said, puffed with pride. "I thunk it—I mean, thought it."

  I banged again. I didn't have time while Cornelius fiddled with getting himself together. This was an emergency. I needed to figure out who did this crazy crime.