Witch Bewitched (New)

Chapter 62 (Pt. 2)

A bush clawed at Misa's skirt, pulling her back. She swore under her breath as she kicked at it. A twig broke off, still keeping its clawed fingers stuck against the fabric.

No loncs. Misa had completely forgotten she had no money, and the lake was outside the city. She had been lucky enough to meet a merchant to get near the outskirts of the city, but it was the farthest he could go without straying away from his destination. With no way to get a carriage or a wagon to take her the rest of the way (she was not going to bewitch anyone for it), Misa had resorted to walking. Directions had been straightforward, thankfully, and all Misa had to do was find the peaks of the mountains looming over the trees.

Still, the walk was unpleasant under the humidity, and Misa had to walk a good few kilometers to get to the lake. Though the dirt path leading to her destination was well-trodden and easy to follow, it was not void of spurts of vegetation that liked to cling onto oblivious passersby.

Misa paused, heaving a breath as she looked up at the sun to judge what time it was. She felt like she'd been walking for hours though it was probably less than one, and she regretted not having a bite to eat before she left. Her stomach growled at the thought of food.

Where was the lake? She had to be close now. Her feet ached, attesting to the long walk she'd had.

Just a little more, and if I don't see it, I'm turning back. Misa started again. It was lucky her stamina had been boosted from training at the purgehouse, and the increased amount of Tika's magic had kept her going without stopping once.

Misa entered a shaded area, and she took a moment to relax. The breeze was cool against her cheeks, the air a refreshing welcome to her skin. Misa smiled. A walk was definitely what she needed to feel better. The gentle brush of the leaves against the wind, the distant sound of running water, the birds chirping from up above, a woman screaming from somewhere in the woods.

Misa halted, a frown taking over her smile. Screaming?

Misa broke into a run, following the sound of distress. Branches, twigs slapped against her face, her arms, but she did not slow down. Whoever it was, she needed help, and Misa was determined to find her. She was not going to have a repeat of Colvin and Taketh, and she was not going to panic.

"You can't do this!" The words were coherent now. Misa was close. She burst through the trees and froze. Blue. Like a gemstone, a sapphire so beautiful it would be a waste on a royal council queen. The sun glinted against it, sparkling, glittering like magic. Misa's heart skipped a beat.

Beautiful. She'd never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

"Stop it!" The plea snapped her out of her trance. Misa tore her eyes from the lake and surveyed her environment, looking for the source of the screams.

There was a snap of a stick underfoot, and someone came running at her. A small woman glancing over her shoulder as she ran.

Misa ran to meet her, to offer her help, but the woman hadn't seen her, and they crashed into each other. A vague memory stirred as the woman fell to the ground with a grunt.

"Ow!" She glared up at Misa, and her eyes widened. "You!"

"Brin?" Misa crouched next to the witch, offering her hand. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Get away from me!" Brin snarled. She slapped Misa's hand away and scrambled to her feet. "You don't understand. I have to see Sha'ka."

"What?" Misa stood. "What are you doing here?"

"Get out of my way!" Brin pushed past Misa. "I can't let her do this."

"Brin, wait. What are you talking about?"

"There you are."

A chill swept over Misa despite the warm weather. Brin stopped in her tracks, and Misa turned to see Nisha standing in the way.

Nisha saw Misa and smiled. "Ah, Tika's successor. What a pleasant surprise. You found the wretch. How thoughtful."

"N-Nisha?" Misa backed away. Brin was fuming.

"You can't do this, Nisha!" Brin spat. "It's against Fariki's Ordain. No. It's against nature."

"What...what's going on?"

"Shut up, you secondhand witch!" Brin tore at her hair. "You ruined everything! If you weren't in my way, if you didn't bump into me-"

"Misa, be a dear and bring her to me," Nisha said. Though her voice was soft as if it was a simple request, her eyes bore into Misa, daring her to refuse.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

Nisha clicked her tongue. "She's retaliating against her punishment. What stories will you make up now, Brin? We agreed that I'll strip you of your magic today, and you'll be a witch no more. Are you going to make me tell the ordain that you're refusing to go with honour?"

"You know this has nothing to do with that!" Brin pointed at Nisha. "Whatever lies you told Kaila, I'm going to make sure she sees what you truly are. She doesn't even know the girl isn't a witch!"

Misa stiffened. Girl. Leira.

"You know where she is?" Misa blurted before she could stop herself.

Nisha smiled. "Ah, that's right. You come from Giligha. The 'witch' Brin wanted to save is not a witch at all. She kidnapped a poor, innocent girl with not a single drop of magic in her veins. Don't you think she should be punished for that?"

Misa's heart dropped. They knew. Of course, they knew. It was only a matter of time.

"What have you done with her?" Misa didn't care that she was being reckless. The information she needed was right in front of her. She needed to know.

"Oh, would you like to meet her?" Nisha laughed lightly. "The poor girl is terrified out of her wits. But, how could we let her go? She knows too much."

"You're going to kill her?" Misa covered her mouth before she could gasp.

"No." Nisha's eyes gleamed with pleasure, with the knowledge of something that Misa wasn't sure she wanted to know. "We would have no choice but to kill her if she was to prattle to the purgehouse, and we certainly aren't in her good graces because Brin decided to take her away. So, what better way to compensate for her trials than to gift her with a place in our coven?"

"What?"

"That's madness, Nisha!" Brin protested. "You can't force her to have magic just so she can support your cause!"

"Bring her to me," Nisha said to Misa, completely ignoring Brin. "Bring this wretch to me, and perhaps I'll let you meet her. Wouldn't that be nice? To have someone who comes from the same place as you?"

Leira. Misa's eyes flicked to Brin. This witch. This small witch that had trapped Leira in a cage of fear and danger.

"Come see what I have in store for you, Misa," Nisha coaxed. "What I have for both you and our new witch."

"No!" Brin sprinted towards the path at a surprising speed.

Almost out of instinct, Misa caught her arm, easily subduing her.

This witch. This witch had done it. She had killed Colvin and Taketh. She had taken Leira.

"Let me go!" Brin was pleading now. She lowered her voice into a hoarse whisper so only Misa could hear. "Please, you must understand. If you don't stop Nisha, she's going to destroy us all! You said you came to stop her! You said you wanted to bring her down! If that's true, if you really, really meant that, you must let me go."

Misa hesitated. Brin. Whatever dirt she had on Nisha. If she told Sha'ka, who could still be a voice in the ordain, where every witch's opinions mattered, where Sha'ka could reveal whatever it was Nisha was planning to do...

"Misa." There was a warning in Nisha's tone. "You don't have to let an innocent girl die. I plan to transfer Brin's magic into her. It's the only way she'll be allowed to live."

And Leira. A friend who had become so precious to Misa. Someone who Misa had come to love and support.

Misa's grip tightened around Brin's arms. She pulled the witch towards Nisha but only managed a few steps through the struggle.

"No!" Brin screamed. "You can't! I have to tell Sha'ka. I have to let her know! You don't understand. Once Nisha takes my magic, I'll lose all my memories about being a witch. I won't be able to tell anyone about her plans!"

Misa's steps faltered. She could barely cling onto Brin as her mind whirred.

"Bring her with you, and we can go see the girl together." Nisha grinned and gestured towards the lake.

"Where is she?" Misa asked.

Nisha pointed at the mountains. "I've hidden her away on the other side of this lake. Somewhere that is safe from other witches. Join me, Misa. We shall welcome her together."

"You're making a mistake!"

Leira. Misa watched the mountains, such silent giants that held a free beauty Misa had yearned to see. Leira was there. She was right there in the mountain.

When Misa turned back to Nisha, she froze. The witch had come close to her, her presence looming and powerful even with her magic cloaked. Nisha slapped Brin, who was still struggling against Misa's grasp.

"You won't interfere with my plans anymore." Nisha turned away, her purple gown sweeping the floor. "Come, Misa. I have a boat prepared for us."

"You can't..." Brin sniffled, tears running down her face. "She's going to destroy everything we've worked for."

Misa dragged Brin. Away from the lake. Towards the trees. She glanced over at Nisha, who was untying a boat from the shore.

"Be quiet," Misa hissed. She pushed Brin towards the path. "Run to the city. Tell Sha'ka what you must."

Brin's eyes widened. She looked at Misa, her face paling.

"Go! Before she realises I let you go." Misa turned away, her heart breaking as she observed the mountains. I'm so sorry, Leira.

"Thank you." Then, she was gone.

Misa wiped the tears forming in her eyes. I'll find another way. I promise I'll come for you, Leira. I promise.

Nisha had loosened the boat now. The moment she turned around, she would see that Brin was no longer with them. Misa prepared herself and approached her.

"There. Come. Bring the wretch and get into the boat."

"She's gone." Misa clenched her hands, tense, waiting for Nisha to lash out.

"What did you say?" Nisha's voice was still melodic, as if she really hadn't heard Misa's words.

"I said, she's g-" An impact against Misa's cheek sent her flying to the ground. Air was knocked from her lungs. Misa opened her mouth but couldn't breathe. Suffocating. She was really suffocating. Her throat had been clogged, and she clawed at it. Her vision blackened, but then the air finally rushed in. She gasped, inhaled so deeply her lungs hurt. She couldn't stop the tears that fell from the shock, the pain, the terror.

Panting, Misa stood. Her legs wobbled beneath her. Her body trembled. Yet, she faced Nisha, who glared at her with unadulterated anger.

"You let her go?" she boomed, her voice low, intense, a frightening darkness hiding behind its melody.

Misa met her eyes, defiant. She did not let her fear take over.

"I'll deal with you later." Nisha moved past Misa, a sliver of magic escaping her. Even through her cloaked magic, Misa could feel Nisha's presence prodding at her, acknowledging her presence. Somehow, Misa knew exactly what spell Nisha was casting. A dream, one of Tika's memories must have held the answer.

Brin. Nisha was tracking Brin.

Misa gritted her teeth. She released Tika's magic from its box, staggering even though she expected the crash in her mind that sent her stomach churning. Nisha halted at the foot of the path, and she turned back to face Misa with a burning fury.

Misa swallowed her fear, allowing Tika's magic to spread and disorient Nisha, cloaking Brin's presence.

"Stop. This. At. Once." Nisha seemed to grow, darkness loomed over Misa. A shadow, thrown by the anger from the witch.

Misa couldn't stop shaking. She wanted to cower away. She wanted to cloak her magic and run away, so Nisha could unleash her wrath on Brin instead of Misa.

But she couldn't. If Brin could tell Sha'ka what Nisha planned. If Brin had information that could destroy Nisha, Misa had to let her go. Even if it meant Leira would have to stay trapped for just a little longer.

"Nisha?" a voice cut through the tension, and the oppressive atmosphere shattered. Misa's heart sank, and she fell to her knees as she saw Rithian emerge from the trees with Brin, unconscious, over her shoulder. "It seems a little rat escaped from you."

Nisha's lips thinned. She slipped back on the mask of calm and elegance. "Put her on the boat, and head out first. Kaila will meet you on the other side."

Failure. Misa watched Rithian throw Brin on the boat like a sack of potatoes. The little structure bobbed, and Rithian waited for it to calm before joining the unconscious witch.

As soon as Rithian was in the middle of the lake, Nisha walked to Misa, each step carrying the weight of her fury. Misa began to stand, but Nisha grabbed her throat and slammed her against a tree. Misa couldn't stop the yelp of pain as fire struck her spine.

"Test me again, and I'll make your death slow and painful. You should be grateful Rithian caught her before she made it to the others, or you would have joined the girl you doomed."

Misa, as hard as she tried, couldn't stop the whimper from slipping past her throat. Nisha let her go, and she crumpled to the ground, her neck stinging from Nisha's sharp grip.

"It seems Brin's punishment will need to wait." Nisha left Misa on the ground and walked towards the trees. "You'll soon understand, Misa." Nisha looked over her shoulder, her dark hair whipping against the wind. "You'll soon understand...sister."