Bewitched

Chapter 17 - Elvira

The two witches dragged me over to the desk, in front of Asha.

"Make sure she watches," Zaleria said. One of the witches grabbed Asha's head and held it still, forcing her eyes on me. She didn't try to look away. I wish I could have given her a life where she didn't have to be so hardened.

Malise was our only hope now. I tried not to look at her. If this was to work, we needed the element of surprise.

So, I held my head up high. Any moment now... I could only hope it would be on time...

"Who would have thought a human could give us so much trouble," Zaleria said. She walked around her desk and opened a drawer. "Normally, I prefer not to get my hands dirty. But you don't leave me with much of a choice." She unsheathed a long, shiny dagger.

"What, no fancy killing curses?" I mocked, not caring if that was the smart thing to do right now.

"Killing curses are dangerous things. You're not worth the risk. I'd rather accept ruining my gown."

"Such a sacrifice."

"You have no idea."

I held my breath as she moved closer. I tried to focus on Asha, holding onto the knowledge that she still had a chance to get out of here, even if I didn't make it. As long as Malise was here, she still had a fighting chance.

"Don't be afraid," I said to Asha as the dagger moved closer to me. 

She nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. I held onto the image of her and Malise escaping as Zaleria raised her blade.

She moved forward and I closed my eyes.

But the pain never came.

Zaleria steadied herself against her desk. Two witches tried to grab Malise, who was upright, her hands in front of her.

I shoved my elbow into the stomach of the witch behind me and kicked the other one when she tried to grab me. I leapt forward against one of the witches guarding Asha before she could do anything, giving Asha a chance to run away from them. Malise shouted a spell and the two witches in front of me curled up in pain.

"Is this where we run?" I asked as she untied my wrists.

"If we get a chance to, yes."

But that seemed easier said than done. 

Zaleria rushed at Asha, knife at the ready. I dove at her to stop her.

"No!" Malise called, but my hands were already trying to take the dagger from her. Zaleria dug her nails into my neck and pain shot through my body, multiplying until I could barely breathe.

I released one hand, clutching my side. I groaned with what little air I had left inside my lungs. There, hidden in the folds of my dress, was a single needle. Just like the corrosive clay I'd hidden it well enough so the witches wouldn't find it when searching me. Clenching my teeth, I grabbed it and jammed it into Zaleria's side.

She screamed and for a moment, the pain ceased. I latched onto the dagger and took it from her hand. She raised a hand to cast a spell at me and I jumped back. She pronounced words that sounded evil of themselves and tentacles of black smoke reached out to me. I stumbled back, knowing this wasn't a spell I could escape.

But before I could be subjected to whatever torment that spell held, Malise jumped in front of me, a shield bursting from her hand, surrounding us both. "It won't last long," she said to me.

I reached up into my hair, where a small flask was bound to the underside of my braid. I pulled it out and showed it to her. "Will this do?"

She grinned. "Perfect."

"Asha, stay close to me." Once Asha was behind me, I took the cap off and threw the tiny balls up into the air, towards Zaleria. Malise muttered a spell and the balls exploded into smoke. 

Malise grabbed my hand, and I grabbed Asha's, and together we moved away from the smoke that engulfed the room. The other witches also choose to scamper rather than risk themselves attacking us.

A loud crash made me stumble. I looked around at the smoke that was rapidly seeping out through the now shattered windows, revealing Zaleria bit by bit. "Run!" I screamed.

Pain pierced my back, knocking the air from my lungs, leaving me in a silent scream. I collapsed to the ground, not able to move, barely able to think. I raised my neck to look behind me.

Zaleria's eyes burned like fire. She reached out her hand and another scream tore from my body. The dagger flew back into her hand, covered in blood. My blood, streaming down my back.

Asha grabbed me, her face swimming before my eyes. "Hold on," she said.

 But no matter how hard I tried, in the end, everything went dark.