A Witch and her Familiars

Chapter Thirteen - Before the Grand Coven

"Give me your wands," the man commanded, still pointing his wand between Daphne's wide-set, frightened eyes.

"We don't have them," said Sabine in a voice soft with fear.

He scoffed. "Of course you do. No self-respecting witch would be without their wand... unless..." His eyes narrowed to slits. "Mortals." His nostrils flared with disgust. "Empty your bags and pockets. Now!" he barked, thrusting his wand forward threateningly.

The girls had no choice but to obey. Daphne overturned her small, bunny-shaped bag, letting a waterfall of loose change, hard candies, and stray bits of paper pour out—along with her beloved white wand. The old witch snatched it up immediately. "You brought mortals into the Great Library?" he asked quietly, glaring at her with amazed hatred. "The Coven must hear of this," he decided. With a wave of his wand, black chains snaked out of thin air and encircled the girls' wrists. With another wave, he summoned a portal onto one of the lofty shelves. "Move," he commanded, pushing the girls into the cold, glowing magic.

Daphne was in a panic. Nausea that had nothing to do with the unsettling swirl of the portal loomed in her stomach. Without her wand, she was less than useless. Without her wand, there might be no way to save her friends.

They arrived in a hall so dark it was impossible to see detail after the blinding light of the portal. Daphne squinted in the dimness. There seemed to be... people?

They were standing in a carved stone hallway, lit by flickering torches. Images of witches and stone representations of magic spells danced up the dark walls and onto the curved ceiling. In front of them were two hooded figures with wands held loosely in their hands. Their cloaks were black embroidered with bright silver.

"Welcome to the Hall of the Grand Coven," said one pleasantly. "Please state your business."

"I found these three in the Library," said the librarian with a respectful bow. "A witch and two mortals."

"Mortals? In the Library?" the other questioned. "They must be taken before the Coven for trial immediately." He turned to his companion. "Elinor, make preparations to wipe the mortals' memories and extract the witch's magic."

"What about the trial?" Daphne blurted out. They all stared at her coldly. "I mean, we have a trial, right? What if they decide to let us go?"

All three adults burst out laughing. The male witch took Daphne's wand from the librarian. "You might want to say goodbye to this, little girl," he said, holding it up for her to see before giving it to the witch he called Elinor.

"She's not a little girl," Sabine growled.

"Why don't you shut your mouth, mortal?" the man replied.

"Why don't you go screw yourself?" Rhode snapped, stepping forward menacingly despite her chains.

The man sighed, and with a wave of his wand, sewed Rhode's mouth shut with black thread. Over her squeaks of surprise and pain, he said nastily, "That should teach you to respect your betters. Speaking of which..."

A burning pain erupted in Daphne's mouth; the witch had sewed her and Sabine's lips together as well. She yelled out at him, but the only sound that escaped her sealed lips was a muffled, "Mmmh!"

"Might as well take care of you all at once," he sneered. "Thank you for your service," he said to the librarian, who bowed deeply. "Come," he commanded the girls, shaking his wand at them. "Your trial awaits."

As the three were herded down the winding hallway, Daphne glanced over at her friends. Rhode looked furious, and was constantly moving her jaw even against the thread. Sabine's eyes darted around nervously back and forth. She tried a smile to reassure them, but it was difficult to look anything but gruesome with a mouth sewn shut.