In the Open Cage

Chapter 22

The witches' meet, or gathering as Rithian referred to it, was held at the basement of a brothel, in a hidden room behind a hollow wall. Rithian paused at the entrance, scanning the cosy interior with narrowed eyes. Misa followed suit, though she was more interested in the paintings on the walls.

Portraits of women with crowns of flowers, landscape paintings of mountains, the sky, and a forest, and abstract paintings with recognisable motifs decorated the otherwise unremarkable room. Misa wished to get a closer look, to see the texture each stroke of a brush had left behind, but she tore her eyes away and followed when Rithian began to move once more.

They stayed close to the wall, mostly because a large, round table took most of the space the small room offered. Dozens of chairs squeezed around it, and there were already several witches seated, chatting amongst one another. Misa paled when she caught sight of Nisha, her frame taller than the witches around her.

Misa only realised she had stopped when Rithian hissed at her to follow. Though she complied, Misa could not stop a boulder of dread from tumbling down her gut when she saw which direction they were headed. Misa's feet were heavy, her shoes filled to the brim with iron or steel.

Maybe if she slipped away, Nisha wouldn't see her. Misa pressed closer to the wall, obscuring Nisha's view with Rithian.

"Misa Carpenter?"

Misa shuddered. Nisha stood from her seat, greeting Misa where her back plastered against the wall.

"N-Nisha," Misa returned. Her throat was dry, grainy, closing with fear.

"My, my." Her lips tugged into a smile, but her eyes burned with a ferocity that shook Misa to the core. She pressed a hand on Misa's cheek, brushing back a stray piece of hair with the edge of a sharp, black nail. A soft gesture that held so much power. "What a nice surprise. I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"I-I..." Misa couldn't think. She felt a tug of Tika's magic, a slight thud against the chest it lay within.

Nisha bent down to Misa's height and spoke in her ear. "I can feel my sister's presence in you." Her voice was barely above a whisper, yet Misa still shook from the ferocity within it.. "But I have hope that you will be nothing like her."

"What do you—"

Nisha pulled back, raking a hand through Misa's hair, coiling her finger with dark locks. "It seems I was mistaken. You're a fine witch, Misa. There won't be a bone of betrayal in you."

Misa couldn't keep the confusion from knitting her brows, and Nisha let out a light laugh.

"It's nothing, my dear." She gestured behind her, bringing Misa's attention to the witches streaming in from hidden doors throughout the room. "Why don't we take a seat? I'm sure all our sisters here will be delighted to meet you."

Misa held back from ripping Nisha's hand from her. She couldn't figure out why the witch was showing so much affection towards her, and she didn't know if it was only a means to confuse her.

A shove from behind sent her stumbling forward, nearly crashing into Nisha. Misa managed to veer off at the last second. She whirled around, annoyance lacing with panic. The wall behind her had pushed forward, revealing yet another hidden door. How many secret passageways had been paved to this very room?

"Oh my." Nisha chuckled. "I should have warned you to stay at least a hand's breadth away from the wall."

A young, petite witch emerged from the dark, musty tunnel. She dusted the cowl over her head, sending bits of cobwebs and dust sprinkling around Misa.

"This is ridiculous!" she said in a high-pitched voice. "Why was this passage assigned to me?"

"You weren't the only one." A tall, dark woman popped out of the door, ducking beneath because of her sheer height. At once, Misa recognized her.