The Witch's Key

Episode 21: The Ritual

I woke to the sound of my body being dragged through the dirt and pine needles on the forest floor.

Peyton—or rather the demon who had stolen her appearance—had wrapped me in the same kind of netting I'd seen around Kai a few nights ago and was pulling me by my ankles. I struggled against the restraints, but it was no use. My arms were pinned to my side, and the more I struggled, the tighter the net became.

I also no longer had access to my backpack. That meant I had no weapon, no reagents, no hope.

I glanced around, trying to get my bearings. We were definitely still in the forest. I had no way of knowing if it was the same forest near the cabin, though, or not. Asher had said the wards wouldn't work to keep Algrath from going through a portal, so we could be anywhere by now.

Martin's tracking spell would lead him straight to Algrath as soon as it was fully activated, but would he make it here in time?

I had no way of knowing how long I'd been unconscious, but it couldn't have been long. Algrath had to cast this entire, complex ritual by midnight. It was all happening so fast.

Up ahead, voices spoke in hushed tones. It sounded like they were arguing, but I couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

I craned my neck to try and see what was going on and where Algrath was taking me, but my vision remained slightly blurred from whatever smoke had knocked me out earlier. My body and mind were both slow to react, as if I'd been drugged with something.

"Don't worry, Lenny. We'll be there soon," Algrath said, but he still had Peyton's face. Her voice.

It broke my heart to even think about it.

My first real friend, and she had turned out to be a demon in disguise. I'd never even met the real Peyton. How could I have fallen for her friendship act? Was I really so desperate that I was blind to people's true nature?

At least the real Peyton was safe, for now. That was one girl who would make it home to her parents tonight. But where were the other four? And what had Algrath done with Kai and Gianna?

I didn't have to wonder long, though, because Algrath only pulled me about fifteen more feet before dropping my legs and bending down near my face.

He still wore Peyton's face, but I had to force myself to see beyond that. No doubt he was only keeping up the charade to mess with my emotions, just like Gowan had said he would.

"Oh, Lenny, you can't imagine how long I've dreamed of this moment," Algrath said, smiling. "Ever since Martin helped to put my brother in those mirrors, I have dreamed of someday using the sacrifice of someone he loved to bring my brother back again. When he finds you here...The balance of it all is just so deliciously beautiful. Martin, of course, will be devastated. It will be so much fun to watch. At least until we kill him, too."

I struggled harder against the shadowy netting, but it only grew tighter around my body.

Algrath laughed. "This is every bit as much fun as I'd hoped it would be."

"Ouch," someone said. "This stupid broken mirror cut my finger again. I'm so tired of this. When are we going to get started, already?"

I recognized that voice.

Confused, I turned my head toward the girl who'd just walked up behind Algrath, and I gasped.

Brandy stood there, one hand on her hip, holding a bloody finger toward the demon.

"Do you see what that mirror did to my finger? You promised me immortality and eternal youth," she said. "I didn't sign up to drag girls through the woods and draw pentagrams in the dirt. Seriously, Peyton, I don't know what kind of game you're playing here, but if you ask me to do one more ridiculous thing, I'm giving up on you."