Bewitched

Chapter 19 - Elvira

My entire body hurt. I groaned as unfamiliar sounds drilled into my head.

"She's waking up."

I opened my eyes and was met with unfamiliar surroundings. There were faces, too, and it took a few seconds for me to recognize them as witches. I tried to sit up but stopped when pain shot through my back.

"Easy there," one of the witches said. I'd seen her before in one of the hallways. "It's still a mess down there. Just not a mess that will kill you anymore."

I looked around. This was Zaleria's office. But she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there were wounded witches being taken care of. I strained my neck looking for a sign of Asha or Malise.

"Don't worry, they're fine," the witch said, inspecting my back. "I'm sure they'll pop up in a bit. Could barely get them to leave you alone for a bit."

I flinched when she pressed around the wound. "What happened?" The fight flashed before my eyes, Asha's and Malise's hands in mine, the sudden pain...

"Our coven imploded, that's what happened. We're still trying to figure out who's with us and who might be a threat."

"And Zaleria?"

"I didn't see what happened. But she's gone."

A weight fell off my shoulders. 

And even more so when Asha appeared on the other side of the room.

She ran to me the moment she saw me. "Elvira, you're awake!" She knelt down beside me. "Here." She held up a bowl. "This is for the pain."

"She made it herself," the witch next to me said. "She's quite talented."

"I hope you don't mind," Asha said, her eyes cast down. "I know you don't like me using magic..."

I pulled her into a hug, as much as my back would allow. "I'm sorry," I said. "From now on, things are going to be different."

"They better be." And there, from out of nowhere, Malise was by my side. She looked tired, but otherwise fine. "I don't appreciate you giving me such a fright."

"Haven't I proven that I'm not easy to get rid of?"

She kissed me and I didn't care who might see.

Although, Asha's frustrated whine did make me pull back a little.

"So, Malise," one of the witches said while approaching us, "we're planning on finding ourselves a new home elsewhere. But I have a feeling you won't be joining us."

"You're right, Estelle." Malise looked at me and smiled. It lit a fire deep inside me. "I think I have somewhere else to be." She kissed me again and this time I ignored Asha's annoyed groan.

It appeared that on occasion, an accusation of witchcraft can set one on a wonderful, dangerous path. And from now on, we'd be traveling it together.