The Broken Witch

by Chandelle LaVaun

  Easton popped up above the crowd. His body was covered in metal armor, but his head was unprotected. Blood dripped down his forehead. His whole face lit up. He cheered like we were at a football game. “THEY’RE BACK!”

  “Mom…Dad…” Cooper whispered, then charged toward our parents with his dagger drawn and ready.

  Chutney screamed and raced into the fight with more fire than I’d ever seen from her. She sprinted to the edge where the courtyard met the bridge while yelling, “If my ducks are hurt, I’m gonna kill you all!”

  Royce cursed. He looked to me and nodded. “For Henley.” Then he charged.

  I wanted to fight, but I had to protect the Book. “I gotta get to that café. Willow, can you get me some coverage?”

  She nodded and narrowed her eyes at the fight. “On it.” She raised her hands, and blue mist poured out of her palms. It formed a wall between the fight and the café.

  “Em, there’s plenty of fire here for you to use. Find who’s tired and get in there.” I grabbed Deacon’s shirt and dragged him with me. “D, come with me. I’m gonna need your gift.”

  Tennessee flew into the air and crossed almost halfway across the courtyard. Kessler’s eyes widened. His lips smashed into a flat line, but his shoulders sagged with relief. I peeled my gaze off the fight and focused on the path in front of me.

  Deacon jumped ahead of me with two daggers. He sliced demons as we ran. “Just hang on to that book!” he yelled over his shoulder.

  I did. I squeezed it to my chest and wrapped both arms around it. Thanks to Deacon and Willow, I made it to the café in a matter of seconds and without getting attacked. I jumped over the little ledge and dropped down right next to my little brother.

  “TEGAN!” He grinned and wrapped me in a hug. He smelled like pancakes, and it made my heart so happy. He pulled back and smiled, but then his eyes widened. “The Book!”

  “I know!” I ducked as something flew over our heads and smashed into the glass doors of the café. “Where’s Kenneth?”

  “Here!” he shouted and came stumbling out of the café. He dropped down in front of us. “We’re ready for the spell.”

  “Good.” I handed him the Book of Shadows. “Keep this safe. I’m going to get everyone in a circle.”

  The second the Book left my hands, I jumped to my feet and headed into the fight. If I lingered, I might’ve questioned handing the Book over to someone else. I might’ve questioned our plan altogether. We had to do this. For Henley. We couldn’t give up on her. I gripped my dagger tightly.

  Deacon followed me. “What’s the plan?”

  “We need to form a circle around the Gap!” I shouted. A demon rolled in front of me. I swung my blade through its head and turned the thing to ash. “Can you tell them?”

  Deacon put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. It echoed around the courtyard. I imagined that was exactly how he looked while hailing a cab in Manhattan. The noise was as loud as a train whistle. Everyone froze, even the demons. Though I noticed there were at least half of them as before. I searched the crowd for a head of messy black hair and finally spotted him near the fountain. Right where we wanted him to be.

  He’s listening. It shouldn’t have surprised me.

  Deacon yelled something in our ancient language. All I understood was circle and fountain.

  Everyone snapped into action, racing toward the fountain. Something flew through the courtyard, smacking demons on the heads with a shimmering wand. Red hair flapped in the breeze. Little pink wings fluttered. Saffie! I smiled at the sight of my friend.

  Focus, Tegan. I shook my head and followed Deacon to the fountain. My mother appeared in front of me. Then beside me. Then two feet over. I blinked a few times, but every time there was more of her. She duplicated herself until she formed a ring around our circle.

  But then I noticed one little snag in our plan. The demons. They weren’t just going to sit there and wait for us to finish. I stepped out of the circle and summoned my magic. Flames danced along my fingertips. I flicked my wrists and pushed a wall of fire through a group of demons. The fire surged farther and hotter, swirling around the courtyard and chasing demons down. I glanced over my shoulder and found Emersyn watching the flames with narrowed eyes. I smiled. Excellent.

  A demon dropped down in front of me…and froze to a chunk of ice. I looked to my left. Timothy shot ice balls into the groups of demons. I grinned. Yessss. Ice. I’d never thought of using ice. Thanks to Emersyn and Timothy’s gifts, the rest of the demons were destroyed within seconds. Kenneth and Bentley sprinted over and joined the circle right beside me.

  “Everyone shoot your magic into the Gap—NOW!” Kenneth screamed.

  This was the plan. Kenneth had the spell ready. The spell I’d found in the Book of Shadows. I held my palms up in front of me and pushed with every ounce of energy inside me. My magic roared with life and excitement. It wanted out.

  “It’s open!” Saffie shouted.

  I looked up at the fountain and gasped. The Gap we’d fought so hard every day to guard and protect the world from was now wide bloody open. Demons of every size and shapes I’d never seen poured into Hidden Kingdom. Fairy ghosts swarmed. Saffie screamed and ducked under the fountain.

  “Hold the circle!” I yelled. As long as we held our position, these creatures couldn’t get out into the world. I summoned my magic from deep down inside, and it sang through my veins. “I call on Water; protect thy daughter. I call on Fire; our need is dire. I call on Air; seek within their lair. I call on Earth; your strength is our worth.”

  Water from the fountain’s pool poured over the edge and onto the cement. At my command, it wrapped around the circle like a water cyclone. I flicked my fingers toward our water wall, and fire blocked it from our view.

  “Henley!” Red lightning shot out of Deacon’s hands and struck the Gap. His magic swept over me like a cool autumn breeze. “HENLEY! Come through the Gap!”

  The Gap flickered with red and purple light. Henley appeared from within the opening. Her black hair was shiny and jet-black like an oil slick. Her skin still looked like breakable porcelain. Her lips were painted blood-red. She walked out of the Gap on her stiletto heels. Her eyes had been a beautiful sapphire blue. But with the demon possessing her, they were as red as lava.

  “Henley,” Royce cried.

  Step two time! “I call upon thy elemental powers; release my spell this very hour!”

  The spell Kenneth had prepared for us surged with life. I felt it soar by me and coil around the Gap like a cloud passing over the sun. I snapped my fingers, and both the water and fire walls of protection dropped. The fire turned to smoke, and the water rushed back to the pool. A gust of air pulled from within the Gap, sucking everything toward it like a vacuum. Demons and fairy ghosts disappeared right back through the hole they’d climbed through.

  “Close it!” Tennessee yelled. “NOW!”

  Everyone threw their palms toward the fountain and pushed their magic out. The ground rumbled. Lights flashed from within the Gap. Henley spun around and ran for the hole, but it closed right in front of her face. It wasn’t a permanent close, but it would work for now. And most of all, it would trap the demon in our realm.

  Henley spun around. She walked forward and smiled like we were her best friends. She wiggled her fingers at us, winked…then disappeared.

  Chapter Four

  Tennessee

  “NO!” Royce screamed and ran toward the fountain where his sister had just disappeared from. “Henley!”

  I jumped forward and grabbed Royce by the arm to stop him. “Royce, stop.”

  “No, you stop! She was just there! Where did she go? We have to get her back!” Royce cried and tried to wiggle out of my grip.

  Hunter ran over and stood in front of him, blocking his view of the fountain. Tegan’s father was a few inches taller and a good thirty pounds heavier, but I knew that wasn’t what made our Wheel of Fortune stop. Hunter had a gift that Royce couldn’t resist. He p
ulled Royce into his chest and wrapped his arms around him. A soft golden glow like candlelight filled the spaces between their bodies. Hunter whispered something in our ancient language, but I couldn’t make out the words.

  Royce dropped to his knees. “She was just there. We lost her again,” he cried.

  Hunter squatted down and squeezed his shoulder. “She’s back in our realm now, so hope is not lost.”

  Hope is not lost. My heart sank. Everywhere I went, those words followed me. It was like everyone knew they hurt me, so they used them. I took a step back and tried to rein my thoughts in, but I was running on empty. My nerves had gotten me through the fight, and now I was tanked. I had nothing to work with, nothing to keep my body in motion. My shoulder was in agony. Every throb felt like getting stabbed with a knife. I clenched my teeth and breathed through my nose, through the pain.

  “Tennessee?” My father was suddenly right in front of me. He frowned. “Are you—”

  His eyes went so wide the hazel irises were completely surrounded by white. His jaw dropped and his skin paled. He moved closer then grabbed my good arm and squeezed.

  I frowned and followed his wide stare. “What are you looking at—oh.”

  My shoulder.

  When we arrived, they’d already been in the thick of battle, so we had jumped right in. My father had seen me; I specifically made sure of it. I remembered the look of relief on his face. But apparently he hadn’t noticed my injury. It was dark, and there was a lot going on, so I didn’t blame him. However, he saw it now.

  “You’re hurt. H-ho-how did this happen?” He shook his head. A wave of panicked energy rolled out of him. He held his hands out to my hurt arm like he wanted to fix it but didn’t know how. “Wh-when did this ha-happen? What did this?”

  No one was used to me being injured. It rarely happened, and when it did, it was little things that were easily healed without going to the infirmary. I’d never had a serious accident. My poor father never got the practice. Now, all that worry and fear crashed into him as I watched. His pulse pounded so loud I could hear it from where I stood. He stuttered and tripped over his words. Sound came out of his mouth, but it was gibberish. He glanced around the courtyard like the answer was somewhere nearby. I hated seeing him like this. From the moment I’d met him, he was nothing but rock-solid strength. He never wavered, never panicked. He was the reason I didn’t lose my mind growing up.

  “Kessler…” I said quietly. Neither of us wanted a show. “Kessler?”

  He blinked and ran his hand through his hair. “I’ll get you to the infirmary. They can get everyone settled. I’ll just tell Timothy—”

  “Dad,” I said, interrupting his tailspin. I squeezed his shoulder with my good hand. He jumped like I’d shocked him, though I supposed I had. I’d never called him Dad before. And now that I had, I regretted not doing it earlier. He may not have been my biological father, but he was the best dad a guy could ask for. I smiled and tried to keep my emotions in check. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  “You’re injured—”

  “I know, and it’s not something we’re used to,” I joked to try and lighten his worry. I glanced around to make sure no one else was within earshot. “I’ll take myself to the infirmary, and if Katherine is concerned about anything, we’ll call you and you can come right over.”

  He frowned and shook his head. “But—”

  “Because we can’t both leave The Coven right now,” I interrupted. There were two reasons I didn’t want him to come with me to the infirmary, though I was only going to tell one of them. The main reason had to do with a certain glyph I couldn’t risk him seeing. I trusted him, but I didn’t want to burden him with this knowledge. “Take everyone back to our house and then let Tegan do the leading. She knows more than I do right now anyway. We need to reassure Timothy and Constance that we’ve got everything under control down here, and then send them back to Eden.”

  “Are we hiding something from them?”

  Not what you’re thinking. “Daniel is struggling up in Eden alone right now, and the students are panicked.”

  “We need everyone calm. You’re right.” He looked down at me and smiled with a little sparkle in his hazel eyes. “Every day you become a better leader than Timothy, than myself as well.”

  Heat filled my cheeks. “More reason to get Timothy out of here. I don’t know what Tegan has planned, but I know for certain she won’t play by anyone’s rules. We need to encourage her, not try to control her.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Okay, yeah. You’re right. But promise me you’ll call me if this is serious, all right?”

  I smiled through the pain threatening to make me throw up the food I hadn’t eaten in five weeks. With every passing second, it hurt worse and worse. “I promise I will call you as soon as Katherine tells me what’s going on in here.”

  “Good…good.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his truck key. “Be careful, son, all right? It’s crazy out here these days.”

  I took the key and shoved it into my pocket. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll call you soon.”

  With that, I turned and walked away. There was too much going on inside me to linger there any longer. Pain, hunger, fear, fatigue. I needed to focus on getting to the infirmary, then I could let myself pass out. They’d make sure I woke back up again.

  “Tennessee, wait!”

  I froze at the sound of her voice. I hadn’t told my feet to stop, but they did all on their own. This girl had a scary amount of control over me. I clenched my teeth and took a deep breath through my nose.

  She ran up and moved to stand in front of me. She looked as worn out as I felt, but her smile was still enough to make my knees weak. I licked my lips and held my right, non-injured hand out. My sword slammed into my palm. I gripped it to stop myself from grabbing on to her in front of all those witnesses.

  “Here, take this in case Katherine needs it.” She held up the piece of bone that I’d landed on. Her smile wavered. “Let me know when you get home, please?”

  I smiled and nodded. “It’s just a puncture wound. I’ll be okay.”

  Her eyes darkened and her smile vanished. She frowned and looked down at her feet. “That’s what we thought with Libby.”

  Another piece of my heart broke right then and there. I stepped closer then used the hilt of my sword to tip her chin up. It took every ounce of self-control not to kiss her. “Hey, I’m not going anywhere. It’s gonna take a whole lot more than that to take me away from you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t cry. She nodded and slid the bone fragment into the bandage Cooper had wrapped around my arm on the plane. Her fingers brushed over my skin and made my pulse skip a beat. A swirl of rainbow-colored mist wrapped around my arm and traveled up my body. It was soft and comforting like a warm blanket.

  I can’t lose you, she said into my mind as her magic seeped into my bones.

  Warmth filled my body. “Right back at you, Kitten.”

  Chapter Five

  Tegan

  “What are we doing here when Henley is out there?” Royce paced Kessler’s living room, tugging on his black hair. “Why aren’t we doing something?”

  I sighed and hugged the Book of Shadows to my chest. It was a relief to finally have it back in my hands. During the fight, I’d had to hand it over to Kenneth for safe keeping so I could fight. But I’d hated being parted from it. We worked so hard to get it back; I couldn’t lose it. We needed it. This Book was the key to our success. If I had to use it as a pillow to sleep, then I would.

  “We need to be out there looking for her. Why are we sitting around?” Royce asked.

  “Royce has a point,” Timothy grumbled. He stood in the center of the living room with his arms crossed over his big, burly chest, looking every bit of the Judgement Card. “We should be out there looking for her.”

  Constance pressed her fingers to her temples and sighed. Her porcelain skin was extra pale. “Timothy, we don’t know where to even s
tart looking. She vanished out of thin air.”

  “That doesn’t mean we don’t try, Constance,” Timothy snapped. “We took the risk to bring her back through. Now we need to trap her.”

  “Trap?” My mother narrowed her eyes. She leaned her hip against the kitchen island and crossed her arms. “This is still one of our own.”

  Timothy rolled his eyes and turned away from her. “Hunter, care to help me out here?”

  My dad was in the kitchen with Larissa brewing a potion they said would help us relax and heal. He nodded while stirring. “Absolutely. See, Tim, the word trap suggests that you don’t care about the well-being of our fellow Coven-mate. That’s why my wife is looking like she might pluck out your eyeballs.” Dad grinned at our Leader.

  Easton threw his hand over his mouth to try to hide his laugh but failed. Lily pulled him into her lap and covered his face with the blanket on the arm of the couch. She closed her eyes and shook her head, but she, too, was smirking. Willow and Chutney were curled up under a blanket on the couch beside them, looking half asleep.

  Paulina groaned. I looked to my right to where her and Braison sat on the ground leaning against the other couch. She rolled her eyes then laid her head on Braison’s shoulder. His emerald eyes widened and his cheeks turned bright red.

  Interesting. What did I miss here?

  Kenneth strolled out of the kitchen and handed a steaming coffee cup to Royce. “Bentley has already told you that we still have a chance to save Henley.”

  “Tegan has seen it too,” Deacon said as he walked out of Kessler’s pantry with chips. He narrowed his purple eyes on our Leader and crossed the room. “Why are you such an ass?”

  “It hasn’t even been an hour,” Emersyn snapped. She was sitting on the ground with me, on the other side of Bentley. “Give us a chance.”