Witch Bewitched (New)

Chapter 35

Misa felt the world slipping around her. Sharp rings invaded her ears, drowning out the wind, the water fountain, the laughter from Nisha's lips, and the captain's heartbeat thudding against her cheek. They landed hard on the ground. Misa winced as sound crashed into her, the ringing finally giving way.

Royle swore. Misa found her bearings and pushed herself off him. When she stood, she found Nisha right next to her. The witch's eyes were gleaming despite the trickle of blood running down from a slight cut on her cheek. It hadn't been from the gun. No. The shot had been a long way off.

"I was planning on killing a purgehouse captain tonight," Nisha said, her voice light as if she was talking about the weather. "But things have taken an interesting turn. I see that it's too much for you, dear Misa." Misa flinched when her name escaped Nisha's mouth. "I don't know if you jumped in to save my life or his, but you have made me reconsider my plans for tonight." With a small smile, the witch patted Misa's head. "Consider it a reward. I'll let him go, if only because I know you're too sensitive to watch a man die."

"R-really?" Misa looked at Nisha in surprise. The witch seemed to glow under the moonlight. She achingly reminded Misa of her own mother.

"It's time I leave," Nisha said. "It's a pity I didn't get to show you my own bewitchment spell, but that can wait until another time. Rithian can wrap up the lesson, can't you?"

Rithian nodded. Her arms were crossed, and she kept her eyes fixed on the captain. "I think it's best. Misa and I'll take care of him."

"Let him go. He might prove to be useful in the future. Our plans can wait, after all."

"Not so fast." Royle had gotten up, his gun pointed at Nisha. His finger nudged at the trigger. "Stay where you are, bìtch!"

"No!" Misa jumped. She held her arms out and kept Nisha behind her. Her mind swirled with so many emotions that she couldn't decipher a single one from the boiling mess.

"Get out of the way, Misa." Royle's voice was cold. Emotionless. As if everything that they had gone through together in the past month meant nothing to him.

"Leave," Misa said. Her lips trembled, and her eyes welled up with tears. "Please. Just go before someone gets hurt."

"If you don't move, I can't guarantee your safety. Step aside. Now."

"No."

Nisha pulled Misa's hair back. The cold wind breezed past her neck. Misa shuddered. "Good night, Misa." Squeezing Misa's shoulder, Nisha stepped back. Her footsteps echoed against the stone streets.

"You're not going anywhere!" Royle pushed past Misa and shot at the witch's back. He didn't even come close to hitting her, but Misa's heart nearly jumped out of her throat.

"Stop it!" She grabbed his wrist, moving in front of him once more. "You can't kill her. You'll die."

"Please," Royle said, desperation driving him to plead. His hands shook, and his voice wavered. "Don't do this to me."

His words clenched Misa's heart. She felt her resolve weaken, but the thought of him getting hurt kept her in place. "I'm sorry."

When he finally lowered his gun, Misa knew Nisha had disappeared. His shoulders slumped. He shoved the gun back onto his belt and turned without a word. Misa watched his receding back with a plethora of emotions building up inside her.

"What a waste of time." Rithian clicked her tongue. "I've had enough tonight."

Frankly, Misa did too. All she wanted to do now was go after the captain to see if he was all right. But she had come out tonight to learn how to stop herself from casting the spell unintentionally, and she wasn't going to leave when it was her only chance to do so.

"How do I stop my spell?" Misa asked.

Rithian shrugged. "You've already learned."

"What?"

"Tell me. Has your magic gone out of control since you learned to use it only when you wanted to?"

Misa thought for a second, but she already knew she hadn't. She shook her head.

"Of course, you still must train until it's instinctive," Rithian continued, "but as long as you have a proper target, you shouldn't be bewitching everyone who comes across your path. Now, you'll need to learn how to increase or decrease the strength of your spell. We'll get to it when you return."

Misa didn't have the energy to get angry. Even though the first thing Rithian had taught her was the only thing Misa needed to know, and Rithian had lied to her to get her to keep coming out for lessons, Misa just didn't care anymore. She had gotten what she wanted, and that was enough.

"I'm leaving, then," Misa stated. "And I'm never coming back."

"We'll see about that. See you again, Misa Carpenter." There was a promise in Rithian's words, and before Misa could contest it, the witch had disappeared into the night.

* * * *

The next morning, Misa had everything packed and ready for the trip back to Giligha. Belmon directed the stable boys to pack the carriage and look after the horses while he checked to make sure everything was okay. When he found one of the wheels had come loose, the trip was delayed for him and another worker to fix it.

Misa hadn't seen the captain at all that morning. Commander Vortham had informed her that Royle was still in his room, looking through files that would need to be recorded once he returned to Giligha. Misa loitered for a bit before finally deciding that she had to speak to Royle in private about what had happened the night before. About why he had lost complete control at the mere sight of Nisha and how he could possibly be able to protect himself from bewitchment.

It took several minutes of raising her hand and lowering it before Misa could give the door three hard raps. She waited and listened, heart clenching in anticipation for the door to open.

It remained silent. Like a guard, it loomed over her, daring her to try once more.

Misa gulped and gave another tentative knock.

Nothing.

Wild thoughts began a small whirlwind around her mind. The witches came back to kill him! He went after Nisha. Something bad happened to him, and he's lying in a pool of his own blood.

Misa's panic and concern drove her hand to the knob. She twisted it and pushed open the door. The room was dark, the curtains keeping out the morning sun. It took a few seconds for Misa's eyes to adjust. The captain was sitting at his desk, slumped over, arm pillowing his head, and for a horrifying moment, Misa thought he was unconscious or dead.

But then he raised his head and spoke. "I've done the cleaning for you. You can come back after I've left if you want, but I need to be alone right now."

Misa shut the door behind her, locking it. Carefully, she stepped over the carpet and approached him. Royle only looked up when she was standing over him.

"Royle," Misa said. She tensed when he didn't reply. His gaze bore into her, and Misa feared he hated her for what she had done. For stopping him from killing Nisha.

Up close, illuminated by the dull light seeping through the curtains, Misa saw how ragged he looked. His eyes, blank, cold, emotionless, stared up at her as if he was tired of living. Dark circles smudged beneath them. His mop of dark hair was messy, sticking out most probably because he had tugged at them nonstop.

Sympathy flooded Misa. A small part of her accused herself of causing such distress, but she knew she would do it all over again if given the chance.

"She was right there," he finally uttered. "She was right in front of me."

"Royle." Misa tried.

"I could have killed her. She was right there."

"Please." Misa couldn't stand the agony she saw in him.

"Why did you do it, Misa? I've searched for so many years, and I finally found her. You let her get away. If it weren't for you—"

"Royle!"

He stopped. His shoulders drooped. His grey uniform fit him well in this state. This gloomy, dreary, hopeless man. He had become the epitome of lifelessness.

"I..." Misa swallowed. "I don't know why you're so intent on killing Nisha, but I think I know by how you went crazy that this mission you set out to find her is more personal than you let on. I don't know what Nisha did to you to make you want to kill her at the risk of losing your life, but I wasn't going to stand by and let you destroy yourself."

"That's irrelevant!" Royle slammed a fist on the table. The paperweights and ink bottles jumped and rattled. "I'd sell my soul if it meant I could send Nisha to the darkest pits of hell. That's all that matters. She has to suffer for what she's done. Who cares if I have to sacrifice myself in the process?"

"I do!" Misa matched his intensity. She didn't even realise what words had escaped her until she saw him lean back in surprise. She found she meant them and repeated softly, "I do. I care about you. You're my friend, Royle. I care about what happens to you. You can't just throw your life away like that. I won't let you."

Royle took in her words. He shut his eyes and sighed. "It seems we've forgotten our goal when we came down to Harthem. We aren't meant to be friends. You're supposed to be my connection to the witch market until you can get me close enough to Nisha. Then, we were going to part ways and never see each other again."

"Just like that?" Misa's pitch rose. Anger began to take over. "After everything we've done in Harthem, you're going to throw out what we have? All in the name of finding and killing Nisha for whatever vengeance you've harboured towards her?"

"What happens in Harthem, stays in Harthem. Did you really think we could continue our relationship once we returned to Giligha?"

A knife stabbed Misa's heart.

"Don't forget that I'm using you, Miss Carpenter. You've been my tool since the day you left your family to come with me. No affection is supposed to come out of that."

The knife twisted. Tears pricked her eyes. Misa forgot how to breathe. She was nothing more than a tool. She meant nothing to him. She had been so stupid to think they had something she could cherish. It had all been an act, a dream that could only play out in the city of dreams.

"Do you mean that?" Misa croaked out. She swiped the back of her hand against her cheek. "You really, really mean that?"

He turned away from her. "Every word of it."

Misa let out a shaky, painful breath. Her vision blurred. Her breathing trembled. Somehow, through it, she managed to rasp, "Fine," before turning on her heel and leaving the captain in the darkness of his room.