Bewitched

Chapter 18 - Malise

I jumped between Mother Zaleria and Elvira before she could attack again. Asha knelt down by her sister. She needed help, and soon, or else...

"Such a foolish child," Mother Zaleria said. She raised her hand and cast a spell filled with ancient evil. A spell that was meant to kill me.

I projected a shield, but still, the impact knocked me back. "Take her and go!" I called to Asha. I could buy them a few seconds, but maybe those seconds would be enough.

"I can't, she's passed out!"

For Elvira, every second counted too...

Cracks appeared in my shield, the evil magic seeping through. I was strong - that's why Mother Zaleria had taken me in - but not powerful enough.

Just when I thought my defense would break, the assault stopped. The spell could only maintain its strength for so long.

"Stay back," I said to Asha. I wasn't sure what was about to come, and if I'd be able to stop it.

"How cute," Mother Zaleria mocked, and I looked into the eyes of the person to whom I'd belonged for years. Who had taken me from my home, destroyed it, and turned me into nothing more than a weapon for her own use. Everything I'd done, I'd done for her approval.

But it was time to let go.

"I love her," I said. "If you truly care about me, the way you say you do, you will let me leave with her. If you don't... I think it's clear how you really see us."

"Do you think I care about what you want?" Mother Zaleria took a moment to catch her breath. "You know what happens to weak witches, Malise. That's why I worked so hard to make you strong. But it seems you have chosen to become our enemy."

"I haven't. I'll disappear, you'll never hear from me again. I am no threat to you."

"Any witch who opposes me is a threat, dumb child." She raised her hand again. "You have chosen your fate. Now you can have it."

I braced myself, preparing for the blow that would send me out of this world. I took one last look at Elvira. Her skin had turned ashen. I could only hope I'd see her on the other side.

The curse came at me, aimed at my very life. I blocked it, my defenses shattering—

Until they didn't.

My shield held up with a strength that couldn't possibly be mine alone. And it wasn't. Estelle was next to me, combining her forces with mine. Protecting me.

On my other side, another witch appeared, joining in our struggle. With the three of us together, we managed to push the spell back at Mother Zaleria. She managed to block most of it, but still let out a scream when it washed over her.

She wasn't unscathed, her once perfect skin torn. Turns out she could bleed. And bleed she would.

"I think it's time some things changed around here," Estelle said. 

I looked around at Elvira. Three witches were by her side, working their healing magic on her. 

Maybe we still had a chance. 

"After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me?" Mother Zaleria tried to keep up the same authoritative tone, but there was a new tension in her voice. 

I had feared her for so long, and only now did I realize the truth: She was nothing without us. It wasn't her who had kept the coven together. It was us and our fear.

"Stand down," I said to her. "Nobody needs to get hurt."

"Do you really think you can keep yourself safe from the humans?"

"And who's to keep us safe from you?" Estelle asked. "Who will protect us when you decide you don't want us anymore?"

"If you're so eager to die, I can arrange that right now." She sent a blast at Estelle, but another witch blocked it.

"It doesn't have to end like this," I said, even though I knew where this would go.

"You have chosen your destiny, child. And now you get to face it."

The light in the room faded as dark magic seeped in. 

I exchanged a look with Estelle. We could only win this if we all worked together.

The darkness closed in on us, pierced through my skin like thorns. I gritted my teeth against the pain and called upon every bit of magic inside me. The pain eased as I pushed the magic out of my body, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to stop it. It was merely one cloud in a raging storm. 

I tried to find Estelle, or any other witch, but the room had turned dark as a moonless night. Were they fighting? Were they defeated? 

It became harder and harder to hold on. The pain swelled once more as my head became dizzy with the effort. 

We'd lose. We'd succumb to Mother Zaleria, or die, whatever she saw fit. And Elvira...

I'm sorry...

A tiny light burned through the darkness. And then another one. Places where the dark magic was driven apart. 

We were winning.

I took a deep breath and let the magic pour from my body. The darkness curled up and shrunk, faded until—

It was the reflection of the light on the blade that I saw first. I moved before I fully realized what was happening. My hands closed around the dagger and I pushed down, pushed until I hit an obstacle. 

Mother Zaleria gasped and froze. Her eyes, locked on mine, held an expression I'd never seen on her before. Fear.

I pulled the dagger out of her chest and watched as the realization dawned on her. She stumbled, grabbed onto me, and pulled me down with her. She reached for her wound, tried to slow the bleeding, but her magic was too weak. A part of me wanted to save her, even after all she'd done. But the wound was too deep, and I wasn't a healer. I could only watch as she faded away, taking the darkness with her. 

I let go of her and stood up, swaying on my feet. 

Elvira.

The darkness was gone, but she wasn't safe yet. I stumbled to her side, fell down next to her when my own legs betrayed me. I was drained, had no more to give, and yet...

I pressed my hand against her chest, willing my magic to give her strength for just a little longer, long enough for the healers to do whatever they had to. Her heart was still beating. Faintly, but it was there. Just a little bit longer...

My vision went hazy as my body gave out. I passed out, holding onto Elvira.

I'm sorry...