Wicked Forest (Hidden World Book 1)

by E. J. Bennett

  She had finally been accepted, her face dropped as her mind played tricks with her heart. “They don’t know the real you,” it whispered darkening her mood.

  “So what was with those guys last night?” Drake asked her. There it was. The questions she would rather avoid.

  “You know just my overprotective brother and his idiot friend,” she waved her hand like her mother often did to dismiss the conversation. Lies they had started. One of the reasons she didn’t want friends in the first place. Lies weaved webs of deceit. She didn’t want to be that person.

  “Wow, didn’t know you had a brother,” Drake responded. Crystal shrugged. Soon the conversation steered away from her, and to that she was grateful.

  Drake walked Crystal to her next class, and gave her a wink as he left to go to his lesson, her stomach felt like butterflies were dancing inside. She walked into English with a smile on her face. Sitting by the window she watched the birds fly around the football field. Drake still wanted to take her to the dance.

  Even after the embarrassing display of her being hauled out of the café, her mother wouldn’t stop her.

  She couldn’t wait to dance with him, just the two of them lost within the music.

  WHEN CRYSTAL GOT HOME she decided she would please her mother, by attending the evening coven meeting. She wanted to stay in her mother’s good books, well she needed too. Soon she would need to ask her permission to attend the Halloween dance.

  The meeting as usual was boring. Crystal listened to nothing her mother said. She daydreamed about being in Drakes arms and dancing. Staring into his brown eyes, and....

  “Crystal?” her mother’s voice shrieked. “Are you going to sit there all day?” when she looked around she noticed the meeting hall was empty. She got to her feet and followed her mother out. Crystal was about to head home when her mother grabbed her shoulders and turned her in the opposite directions. She gritted her teeth together as she followed her mother to the clearing in which they practiced magic.

  The coven stood within three large circles. Within each circle they held hands. Jeannette stood in the middle. “As everyone by now is aware. My daughter Crystal will be soon be wed to Levi Carmichael. Now today I want us to all channel our power to help protect our daughter from any lingering darkness the Carmichael’s may have,” all the witches began to chant. Crystal tried to pull her hands out of two of the elder’s one at either side of her. But it was no use they held an iron grip.

  She didn’t want any kind of protection from them. Inside she was seething with her mother. She could have asked her first. Instead she had stood before the entire coven and made her look like a fool who needed protecting.

  When the chanting ended Crystal stormed off. Giving her mother a glare as she past, her father gripped her arm.

  “Come with me,” with her head bowed she followed him to the forest. They entered the woodland but didn’t go deep within. They stayed on the outskirts under the cover of the first line of trees.

  “Your mother is doing what she thinks is best. The only thing she knows how to do. You know she was once like you,” Crystal scoffed at her father’s words.

  “Crystal, in life sacrifices after to be made,”

  “Why me, there are so many other young woman in our coven,”

  Her father sighed and looked deeper into the woods.”The other woman are scared of these parts. They don’t enter the woods, unlike you,”

  “We know Crystal. Even against all the warnings. Still you made your way through these trees time after time. Now the Carmichaels want you,”

  Crystal stopped walking and looked up into her father’s eyes. Was he trying to say she had brought it on herself?

  “Levi Carmichael requested your hand in marriage. If not given then our coven.....”

  “Will die,” Crystal finished.

  “Marring him is the only way to prevent a war,”

  “It is my own fault. Isn’t it?”

  “Afraid so. Crystal, these woods are out of bounds for a reason. Now that a Carmichael as seen you,” he shrugged his shoulders while Crystal’s mind flashed with the figure she saw hidden behind the tree. She had no doubt now that the person was Levi.

  “Father?”

  “Yes,”

  “Do you ever wish you married for love? Instead of an arranged marriage?” it was a question that had been burning in her mind for a long time.

  “No, I love your mother. You grow to love the person chosen for you. It is our fate. Our paths have already been laid out. All we have to do is follow them. If you stop fighting your destiny and embrace it, life would be so much simpler. Not only for you, but all of us.

  Chapter 10

  Jeanette had gone and done it this time. Henry looked at his daughter. It was clear that she was unhappy. He wished he could make her smile but that wasn’t possible. If only he could take her away from it all. When he had voiced his thoughts to Seth Carmichael he warned them that if their family pulled out now that he would make sure that they were taken care of.

  The way his voice had dropped low and his eyes and turned dull, Henry got his message loud and clear. If they backed out now it would cause a war. He had no doubt that by now all the other covens knew about Crystal and they would come for them.

  He was terrified for his baby girl.

  He watched her mingle with the other witches, unsure and out of place.

  Her arms were crossed and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  She wasn’t a people person, just like himself. Crystal had taken after him in so many ways it was scary, however there was one characteristic that stood out above them all and that was that of the great with. Crystal’s grandmother. She was just as head strong with the same heart as she had.

  In his heart he felt that one day Crystal would be a great leader. She was strong minded and determined. If Crystal believed in something she fought for it. She didn’t back down and she didn’t run. But what would serve her well the most was the way she looked for good in others. The way she would help anyone in need no matter what they had said or done. What there background was. Crystal would make the witches proud. He just wished she didn’t have to do what would be forced upon her.

  THE NEXT FEW DAYS CRYSTAL spent thinking over her father’s words. She enjoyed spending time with Drake and his friends at school. But even he could see that she wasn’t all there.

  “Crystal, are you goanna be at the game, Friday night then the lake on Saturday afternoon?” Her heart sank, there was no way she would be allowed to the game as for the lake, she had to meet her future husband at an engagement ball.

  She sighed. “Sorry guys I have a ball to attend,” Jenny chose that moment to stop beside Crystal. Jenny was the daughter of one of the elders. She hated Crystal and made it clear.

  “Can’t wait for Saturday, we finally get to meet your....”

  “Jenny!” Crystal jumped from the table giving her a death glare while Jenny smiled.

  “Sorry Crystal, I heard Levi Carmichael was to die for,” Jenny made a fanning motion. It was just like her. Everyone knew that she wanted to be the one marrying Levi. It had been the talk of the coven.

  “Then have him,” Crystal snapped.

  “Oh, no. Crystal I would never steal your boyfriend,” Jenny laughed as she walked away. Slowly Crystal turned around to her new friends.

  “Boyfriend?” Drake asked.

  “He is not my boyfriend. His parents are friends with my parents and he will be attending my father’s ball,” she blurted the words in a rushed tone.

  “Sorry guys I gotta go, I forgot something out of my locker,” with her head down, Crystal walked at a fast pace out of the hall and down the corridor.

  Why couldn’t Jenny leave it alone? She likes to stir the pot that’s why. I wooden spoon is what that one needs for Christmas.

  She didn’t stop walking until she reached the school parking lot. Breathing in the fresh air, Crystal sat on a bench. Was it worth it? All the l
ies just to feel normal. Still normal was far from how she felt.

  Crystal was confused. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute happy, the next sad or angry, she couldn’t grasp a single feeling.

  Gazing back at the grey building, Crystal got up and headed towards her community. She knew someone would see her as she slipped through the gates and headed into the woods.

  She went straight to her favorite spot and sat on the large rock. She saw a shadow in the distance, heat flared within her.

  Getting up she stormed across the uneven ground. The closer she got to the tree which he was hidden behind. The further away the tree became. She turned around. She had only taken a few steps from the large rock. Magic. As the thought fluttered through her mind she could sense it. He didn’t want her to get close to him. She would give him a piece of her mind regardless.

  “Coward! Hiding behind magic!” she yelled and sat back on the rock.

  His time would come, and when it did. Levi Carmichael would regret asking for her hand in marriage.

  Crystal glared at the faceless figure. Her power was useless. She couldn’t break through his spell.

  In frustration she picked up a rock and tossed it at the figure.

  She heard a growl and jumped up and down singing “yay.” Picking up another stone she threw it at the figure once more, who this time anticipated the insult and dodged the flying rock.

  Crystal’s anger was slowly draining from her body as she played dodge ball with her stalker. Soon tossing rocks at him became boring. Crystal made the roots of the trees sprout from the ground. She laughed as she watched the faceless man jump and roll.

  “You had enough yet?” she called out. The response the figure gave her was a low growl.

  “Are you a man or an animal?”

  Again she heard the low growl.

  “Well even though it has been a blast, gotta run,” she called out. Crystal skipped through the woods. Occasionally she looked behind her, but the man was gone.

  Chapter 11

  That was it. Drake was finished. Crystal was a live wire that never ran out of energy. He had watched her many times in the forest. He had gone unnoticed, hiding in the shadows and taking in her natural beauty and innocence. It was his own fault he had been gradually getting closer until he was caught. She had hit him numerous times with the rocks and laughed like it was a game.

  He loved her laugh it was a musical sound, one that got under his skin and caused a rush of desire. His heart fluttered when he recalled the way she had smiled and danced within the shade of the trees. It was a smile made from true happiness he wanted to be the one that had placed the smile upon her plump lips. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

  “Wow,” Levi said when he saw Drake’s face.

  “I had a fight with some rocks,”

  “Yeah I can see that. Looks like they won too. You better get cleaned up before father see’s you,”

  “You two,” they both turned in union as Seth called them.

  “I am not even going to ask,” he said looking at Drake.

  “Both of you go to the north of the forest and look for the rune. It has been years since I last went there and want to know we have the correct location ready for the day,” they nodded and bowed. Both headed out of the door and into the woods. It took them hours to find the tree that held the magical rune. Drake ran his fingers over the gold twirling drawing. It did nothing.

  “You try.” He nudged Levi. Just to humor him he ran his finger over the gold engraved symbol. Nothing just like he predicted.

  Drake did nothing but talk about Crystal the entire way home. All Levi could do was roll his eyes and grin and bear it. He knew how much Drake hated him for getting the girl he wanted and thought it best to keep quiet and let him have his moment. It wasn’t like he wanted this Hudson girl. To him she sounded like a brat. Just another teenage girl, who thought the world, owed them.

  Levi couldn’t be bothered babysitting such a naive and immature girl. If he had to marry then he wanted a woman and not a child.

  Drake could have her for him. He knew that would never happen. It didn’t hurt to hope.

  “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Crystal hadn’t got through the front door before her mother started her rant. Hands on her hips and her green eyes a blaze, with anger.

  “No where,” Crystal shrugged, walking past her. These days she felt like she couldn’t breathe without explaining herself and was sick of it.

  Jeannette grabbed her daughters arm and spun her around. “This has to stop! You are disobedient, naïve and downright rude,”

  “I guess I learned from the best,” Crystal spat back.

  “You don’t care about me. All you care about is your stupid coven,” there Crystal had finally voiced how she felt. Her mother’s eyes went wide.

  “That is not true,”

  “Yeah, then why force me to marry?” When Jeannette sighed without answering Crystal carried on. “For the coven. When was the last time you did anything for me that did not involve the coven?”

  Again her answer was silence.

  “See, just what I said,”

  Shaking her head and holding back her tears that threatened to spill, Crystal walked back out the front door. She had no destination in mind. She just walked. Before long she heard music blaring and laughter. When she looked up she found herself outside of the Craven.

  Not wanting to be alone any longer she walked inside. Drake and his friend’s occupied the same table as before. Crystal saw two guys from her coven sitting at the counter sipping on cokes. When they saw her, she gave them a smile and a wave. She didn’t care that their mouths were hanging open. Nor that they would grass her up within the next few seconds.

  “Hay,” Drake said clearly surprised to see her.

  “Hay guys,”

  Crystal sat beside Dane and listened to their chatter about the upcoming game. Absentmindedly she tapped her fingers on the table.

  “Cool tat,” Dane pointed at her coven mark.

  “Thanks,”

  “Did it hurt? I am goanna get a butterfly,” Maria chimed in.

  “No,” Crystal lied. Everyone in the coven received their coven mark at sixteen. Beforehand they had to pass a test. The marks are infused with magic and burned like hell. It was also a tracking device. One that ensured no matter where she ran the coven would find her.

  “Must be popular, I’ve seen a few have the same tat, in the same place,” Stacey shrugged.

  Crystal glanced down at her tattoo.

  It was a large star in the inside of her wrist that had different sized stars interlacing one another. It kind of looked like a shooting star leaving behind a path of smaller stars.

  It was late by the time she arrived home. Her mother glared at her. Crystal went to the sink, got herself a glass of water then used magic to place the glass in the sink. It was something her mother hated and discouraged all her coven to do. Use magic for simple mundane things.

  “You are out of control,” Jeannette muttered.

  Crystal shrugged her shoulders and headed to her room. She had gone past caring what her mother thought of her.

  Chapter 12

  Jeanette ran her hand through her hair. No matter what she did, it didn’t work. The more she tried the more Crystal went off the rails. Her husband was no help. He blamed her for putting the coven in danger. Little did he know that she would never call of the wedding off, therefore the coven was safe.

  “Mother,” Ruby called and Jeanette turned to the sound of her voice.

  “In here,” she called and switched the kettle on.

  Ruby sat at the kitchen table and waited while she had made a cup of tea.

  “I am worried about Crystal. What should I do?”

  She had called Ruby as she was the sensible one, the voice of reason when all hope seemed lost.

  She looked at her daughter and pride filled her body, Ruby was smart and obedient the perfect example. Plus she was the only one
that could get through to Crystal at times and that is what she needed at that moment.

  “You need to back off. The more you tighten the reins the more she will pull away,” Jeanette felt her mouth open at the shock and sharp tone in Ruby’s voice.

  “What?” she managed to spit out.

  “Mother, you are suffocating her. Just look at her, talk to her. It is hard enough being a teenager do you remember what that was like?” Jeanette pursed her lips and thought back.

  “Well I do. I hated everyone. Most days it felt like everyone was against me. The world was against me. Take a step back and loosen up. If the Carmichael’s want it as much as you then they will wait,”

  “We can’t do that Ruby,”

  “You can, you just don’t want too. Think about Crystal put yourself in her shoes. Show her love and attention,”

  Jeanette was silent. How could she tell Ruby that she didn’t feel the same about Crystal as she did her other daughters? Ruby was sensitive and would never understood, having never had a difficult child.

  “There is something I want to tell you,” Ruby said with a smile bringing her out of her thoughts.

  “Go on,”

  “I am pregnant,” she gushed. Jeanette physically paled. She felt the blood leave her face.

  “Congratulation’s,” she stuttered while her heart spilt in two. For the remainder of Ruby’s visit Jeanette tried to sound and look happy for her glowing daughter. When she left she crumbled into her chair in the living room.

  “What’s wrong,” she heard Henry ask. Figures one look at her face and he instantly knew something was up.

  “It’s Ruby. She is pregnant,” Henry gasped.

  “All the better to wait,” he said.

  “We can’t and you know it,”

  “By the time the wedding is here she will be too far along and won’t survive. You and I both know that,”