A Witch's Curse

Chapter 6

         Luckily since they went through the back gates, there were only half the soldiers there as at the front gates. They had run towards the grove after Vera led them in the rest in the wrong direction with a little trick, as she likes to call it. Aera was sitting in one of the trees inside the grove. "I have good news, I'm fine and I brought a friend," Aera said hopping down. "Bren, get down here," Aera called. An average height woman with golden hair and grey eyes hopped down from the tree. She had a small smile on. "Hi, I'm Bren. I lived in the castle but I swear I'm a witch," she said holding up a broom. Her words might have made her seem afraid, but her voice was strong, confident. "Why did you run? You must have had a good life if you lived in the castle," Vera said. "I did. Until I met the crown prince." "Did he hurt you," Lyssa asked sounding like she would go back and kill him if he did. "No, I think I hurt him. I loved him and he loved me, he asked me to marry him. I said yes, but I didn't want his father to find out what I am. So I left with Aera," she admitted. "Well you two are in luck, this means your apart of our coven," Vera put out bluntly. Lyssa elbowed Vera in the side. "Don't just push it on them," Lyssa hissed. "Oh, I always wanted one but was too young before the burnings happened. And I always wanted sisters, now I will have eight," Bren said her smile stretching across her face again. "Yes, you will," Rosalin said a little distantly. Vera waved a hand at their brooms. "Now you can go twice as fast." Aera smiled too. "Well where are we headed now?" she asked. "We can go back to the Outlook," Vera suggested. "Outlook?" Aera questioned. "My tower up North," Vera explained. "Our tower," Lyssa crooned. Vera cut her a glare. "Let's go there to regroup," Rosalin said. They all nodded. As everyone was getting ready to take off, Lyssa came over to her. "I saw when Bren mentioned about having sisters. None of us are trying to replace Keila. But Rosalin, for the sake of this coven you can't let it get into your head like that. You need to try to move on a bit." Rosalin's face turned unrelenting. "Do not tell me what to do when it comes to my sister." Lyssa looked her over. "Fine. But when something happens, it's not going to be my fault," she said, then walked away. "I have to go somewhere I'll meet you there," Lyssa said. She flew out East. "Lyssa. Lyssa!" Vera called out trying to get her to come back. But she didn't.

         They flew mostly in silence except for Vera and Aera. They were talking about the shape-shifting, Aera's shot with her bow, Vera's scar, and then about her wolves. They made camp when the sun starting setting. It had been five days of flying and Lyssa was still out there somewhere. There had been no sign of her throughout the past days. She really should just start keeping her mouth shut. It would do her and everyone around her good. And it wouldn't do her any good to keep her secrets from them. She wanted to say something but one; they would hate her, and two; she didn't want to lose them after she just found them. Maybe eventually. Not now. "I'll be on the first watch," Vera said climbing up into one of the tall trees where they had stopped to rest by. Rosalin turned away from the rest of her companions, which without Lyssa seemed so few. She closed her eyes. 

         Myla in her raggedy clothes so different from the fine dresses and tiaras she normally wore ran though the war camp. Her mother had told her to run and not to look back. Being only fifteen meant she was not ready to fight yet. Myla's shiny blood-red hair was cut short and tied back from her face. Her golden, tan skin was bleak and dirty. And her ocean blue eyes were weary and tired looking. Queen Avril, her mother, told her that their bloodline needed to live on.  No one here recognized her, and that was good. Avril had told her to choose one, only one of her future daughters to know the truth of her surviving today. Which meant that only one part of the bloodline would know. She knew her mother would die today. That most of her friends and other families would too. But she would do this for them. For a better future. She would change her name and identity for them. For witches. 

          Rosalin sat up. That dream was strange. Not a memory but it had felt real. A twig snapped. Rosalin scanned her surroundings. A figure stood on the edge of their camp. "Vera," Rosalin shouted as the figure ran. A shadow went over the camp. Vera flew after the figure trying to flee. Rosalin ran over to Aera and Bren. "Get up. Now," she ordered. Aera was up and slinging on her bow as she finally reached them. Bren sat up grabbed her pack and ran to her broom. "Aera, go with Vera. Don't kill them, just bring them back." Aera nodded taking off after Vera. "Bren let's go," Rosalin barked to her reaching for her broom. It was gone. The person took it. "We're going on foot. Stay with me, don't get separated." They ran towards the way everyone went. 

          Rosalin and Bren finally reached them as they got control over the person. They wrestled against Vera and Aera. "Who are you?" Rosalin asked her. "Names don't matter," the woman said. So it was a woman. "Would you rather me call you, 'Woman who steals things?'"Rosalin retorted. "I'm not a woman, I'm a witch." Vera pulled back her hood. She had plain brown hair, fairly pale skin, and yellow-green eyes. "I will only ask this one more time. What is your name." The witch growled a bit then noticed Aera had aimed an arrow at her throat. "Cassara," the witch finally said. Cassara. And Rosalin had no doubt that she was apart of their coven as well.