The Witches (Book #1)

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔚𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥 𝔬𝔣 𝔐𝔞𝔫𝔶𝔢𝔬

The transformed Yoomi kicks off her heels, and her cloak slips to the floor. She stretches like a cat. "Much more comfortable." Even her voice is different.

The Lineages are having the same stunned reaction that I am. Hyeri's mouth is open.

Yoomi walks around the stool and circle, chanting the words of a spell with new confidence. The air fickers in the circle. Joohyuk! I move toward him as he appears.

He looks from her to me. His eyes fill with dread. "Sooji, you are bleeding."

"Joohyuk."I take another step toward him.

She lets out a sigh of relief when I say his name. "See, that's one thing I could never do. I can't see spirits . . . but you can."

Joohyuk tries to step out of the circle, but he can't cross the line. He strugles against it. He's trapped.

"And if you can't see them, you can't do spells on them. You must know where a spirit is in order for it to work." She says this part slowly and deliberately.

So I'm the Bae she chose because I can see spirits? My tiny happiness from knowing that Joohyuk's okay disappears. She heard me talking to him in the foyer. She's even invited me out for a celebratory dinner. It's my fault.

Yoomi faces the circle. She fidgets in a way I've never seen her before, like a nervous girl. "I am sorry I kept you in limbo for so long, my little bird. I hope you'll forgive me."

Joohyuk's face stiffens. She glides back to the table.

I walk toward him. "I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"It should be me apologizing to you," he replies, and his eyes contain a deep sadness.

I reach my hand out, and it passes easily through the circle's invisible boundary. It must only trap spirits. My fingers touch his.

"Give me your hands," Yoomi commands from behind me.

I glance over my shoulder; she holds a slender rope. Not good.

"Run, Sooji. Get out of here," Joohyuk pleads.

He doesn't understand. I mouth the words "I can't."

Yoomi touches my back and pain slides down my legs. I scream and pull away from her.

"Hands!" she repeats.

This time, I listen. She yanks at the rope as she wraps it around my wrists, tying my hands behind my back. The rope's pressure makes my palm bleed less, and the warm liquid stops running down my fingers.

"Get on the stool." Her eyes linger on the circle before she walks back to the table.

My heart pounds so hard that I fear it'll break free of my chest. I step into the circle and onto the first rung of the stool trying to balance without my hands. Yoomi bends down behind the table and grabs the edge of an old gray wool blanket. Joohyuk held me steady myself.

"Left pocket," I whisper to him as Yoomi drags the blanket to the circle.

He pulls the small potion bottle out of my hoodie. I lift my right foot onto the top of the stool, and he supports me as I take the final step.

Yoomi turns to face us. She mumbles something, and the noose slips itself over my head. The rope is rough against my neck. My hair sticks to my sweaty face and I spit it out of my mouth. I look at the lumpy blanket, and my stomach churns.

"Turn fully toward her," Joohyuk says. "Do not let her see your hands."

I adjust myself so that my arms are hidden. Only Joohyuk and the Lineages can see them.