White Witch, Black Magic

Her hair is slivery white. Her eyes are icy blue. Her skin is as pale as porcelain and her fingers are long and slender. She is, without a doubt, the most beautiful creature that has ever walked this earth.

But that’s just the thing. She’s the most beautiful creature. I don’t think she’s human.

The boys don’t seem to care. They stand and stare at her, their mouths open and their eyes huge. A gentle breeze ruffles the leaves. It blows her slivery sheets of hair around her face and makes her silver silk dress twirl.

Her scent—and the intoxicating smell is definitely her—washes over us again. It’s all the things I love best: fresh snow, a crisp winter morning, the trees in fall, and, of course, a campfire. I can almost hear the stories and laughter. Can taste my mama’s apple pie.

“Mmm,” I say.

The others must smell the same thing, but still, the boys’ reactions don’t make sense. Sure, it smells good, but they seem to be trying to come up with something impressive to do. Jake starts doing an acrobatics routine, and Wren begins shooting arrows at impossible targets.

“What are they doing?” I ask Avaysia. “Campfires don’t smell good enough to do that to a person.”

“Campfires?” she asks. “I smell new shoes and cupcakes.”

“My grandmother’s kitchen when she’s baking cookies. And the ocean,” Bella says.

The boys sigh in unison. “Heaven,” they say together.

“That’s mildly creepy,” Bella says.

“Uh-huh,” I agree.

“What’s happening to them?” Avaysia asks.

“Princess, surely you know what I am?” the pretty woman asks in a voice like chiming bells. Avaysia shakes her head, but Bella’s eyes widen.

“I know!”

The woman smiles indulgently, her perfect red lips parting to reveal perfect white teeth.

“Oh, but I can’t think of it! Valla? No, that’s not right. Veeta? No, that isn’t it either.”

The woman brushes and lock of perfect silver hair behind a perfect ear with a perfect hand. It suddenly strikes me how perfect this woman seems. According to my papa’s books, the prettier a person’s outside, the more rotten their inside.

But those are just books. Aren’t they?

“Dear girl, I am a Veela.”

“Yes, that’s it!” Her face falls. “Oh, no, that’s bad.”

“It is?” Avaysia and I ask.

“Really, really bad.”

“Why?”

“Look at the boys! They’re going nuts!”

“Yes. That tends to happen to males in my presence,” the Veela says calmly.

“So they really like her. Is that such a bad thing?”

“Yes!” Bella shrieks. “She can control them. Make them kill each other, if she wants.”

“What a lovely idea.”

“You wouldn’t do that!” Avaysia gasps. “Would you?”

The Veela smiles evilly. “I might. If I were to get bored.”

“You’d do that for fun?”

“Oh yes. Sometimes I sit by ponds and wait for princes to wander by,” she says sweetly.

“Then she drowns them,” Bella tells us.

“It’s the best fun there is! You could join me, girls. I could make you Veela, too.”

“No thanks,” I say.

“Yeah, I think I’ll have to get a Rain Check.”

I look at Bella, wanting to ask what a Rain Check is, but the Veela ignores her and turns to Avaysia.

“But you. You want this, don’t you? To make people see you as you are and love you for it? You, who have been viewed as stuck-up and spoiled all your life. Who never got to do what she wanted? You can do anything once you join me. People will do anything for you.”

Avaysia’s lower lip trembles. “They already do that.”

“Out of fear. Not love. They will fall at your feet and grovel, if merely for the chance of being with you a few minutes longer.”

I can tell Avaysia wants it. Of course she wants it. I have a feeling that it would be very difficult to resist a Veela.

“She’s going to except. And once that happens, there’s nothing we can do!” Bella says.

“So do something now!”

“What?”

“I don’t know!”

I could kick her, Neverard knickers. At least the Veela hasn’t affected him. He’s still a sane horse, ready to kick some butt for me.

“Bella, does a horse kick make a Veela lose her powers?”

“No, that won’t work!” Bella mutters. “I’m trying to think. I know I’ve read it somewhere!”

“It would be so wonderful, Avaysia. Come take my hand.”

The Veela extends her hand towards Avaysia.

“Don’t!” I shout.

But it’s too late. Avaysia has touched that porcelain skin. Her eyes go wide and her body rigid. She’s frozen, like a statue. So much for her necklace protecting her. I guess this attack is too personal.

“Avaysia!” I shout.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Bella is dancing on the spot, like a little kid does when he really has to pee. “I think it was in Harry Potter, book four, The Goblet of Fire.”

“Who cares what book? Just do something!”

“At the Quidditch World Cup, Leprechauns represented the Irish, and Veela the Bulgarians—”

“I think I’ll have some fun with the boys next,” the Veela giggles. “I liked Bella’s idea. A fight to the death.”

“Oh, great!” I say. “Brilliant Bella. Now she’s going to make them kill each other. And you gave her the idea!”

“Sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Have you remembered how to stop her yet?”

“No!”

“Keep trying!”

“Oh, but I don’t know. Harry was trying to impress them. He was going to jump from the top box. But then…I don’t know. Besides, that was a fictional book. It might not even work on this Veela. I doubt if J. K. Rowling knew how to stop Veela. She probably just made it up as she went!”

“Well, we have to try something.”

“Oh, boys!” the Veela calls in a sickly sweet voice.

Wren stops shooting his arrows into the trees and Jake quits his gymnastics show. They both stare at her, drooling like dogs. It would have been funny if the situation weren’t so dire.

“Come here,” she coos.

The boys walk to the Veela. She pulls Wren’s knife from his belt and uses it to cut a lock of hair from each of their heads.

“What is she doing?” I ask.

“Having a piece of them gives her more power,” Bella replies. “Just be glad she took hair and not a finger.”

“Was that in Barry Polter, too?”

“Harry Potter! And no, I read it somewhere else. Can’t think where...”

“I’m bored,” the Veela tells Jake and Wren. “Would you like to entertain me?”

They nod, still transfixed.

“Jake! Wren! Please, this is madness. You have to listen to me. Don’t do anything she tells you to. She’s evil!” I shout.

They look at me, then back at the Veela, questioning.

“Don’t listen to her,” the Veela says. “Trust me. I’m your friend. You want to make me happy, don’t you?”

They look confused. She flips her hair over her shoulder, sending another wave of magic over them. The boys nod and become her little dummies again. Nothing I shout at them makes any difference. When the Veela tells them to fight, they face each other and being to circle. I know what a fight looks like. I’ve watched enough of the village boys get into them, even been in a few myself, but none of them were to the death.

“Bella, please tell me you know what to do!”

Bella shakes her head. “They never do anything about the Veela. When Ireland scores, they get pissed. They’re suddenly a lot less pretty, and they start chucking fireballs or something like that.”

“Well, I hope she doesn’t do that, but should we try making her angry? Would that shake them out of it?”

“Maybe. How do we upset her?”

“I don’t know,” I say.

“Well, you’d better think of it quick.”

The boys are tossing insults back and forth. I know from experience that this precedes the actual physical contact. This is very, very bad.

Okay, guys, here’s the plan. Neverard, you try to kick her and trample her to bits. Just don’t get hurt.

It would be my pleasure.

“Bella, you try to calm down Wren. I’ll take Jacob. Okay?”

“It’s worth a shot.”

The Veela suddenly seems to become aware that we’re up to something. “Boys? I have a new idea,” she says. “I don’t want you to fight each other.”

“No…kill…Wren?” Jake asks slowly, like he can’t think of the words.

“No, I don’t think so. You can do that later. First, I want you to take down those two.” She points to us. “And while you’re at it, you can get the horse, too.”

“I could beat them in a fight one-on-one,” I say.

“Can you handle both?”

“Probably not.”

“Oh, you won’t be able to end this fight without bloodshed,” the Veela says happily. “They’ll fight until they die, unless I tell them otherwise. So you have to kill them—if you can—or they’ll kill you.”

Bella swears violently.

Neverard knickers. Do we need a new plan?

No, we’ll stick to the one we’ve got. Bella to Wren, me to Jake, and Neverard, you get the witch.

“Veela,” Bella corrects.

Whatever, I think as the Veela says, “Yes?”

“You aren’t a real Veela, are you?”

“Of course I am.” She raises and hand to stop the boys. She must actually be interested in what Bella and I have to say.

“No. You’re another of those witches,” I realize.

“But no cat showed up to warn you.”

I hesitate, then say, “Who ever said anything about a cat?”

The Veela’s eyes darken. At first I think it’s just a shadow, but then I figure out that her eyes really are darkening in color, going from icy blue to purple. Purple eyes. The blue must have been and illusion, because she knew I’d figure it out sooner if she had purple. Because purple seems to be a witch’s color. The darker the purple, the stronger the magic.

“My name is Malinda. Jardaine sent me.”

“Who is this Jardaine?” I ask.

“She is our leader. She would really like to meet you.”

“What does she turn into? A snake?”

“No, that’s Sara.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Jardaine is the most powerful of us. She keeps us safe from the people that used to threaten our lives. We have her to thank for the life we have.”

“Sounds like a nice lady. Why does she want to talk to me?” I ask.

“Enough talking. I don’t want to chatter pointlessly. There is work to be done. Boys, kill the green-eyed one and the horse. Subdue the purple-eyed one, but do not kill her. A few injuries would not be amiss.”

Jake and Wren start towards us. They’re eyes are blank. They are complete strangers to us.

“They look like zombies,” Bella says.

“Do I even want to know what those are?”

“Probably not.”

Emma! Can we initiate Kill The Bitch—sorry, Witch? I’d like to kick some butt!

Go for it! I think.

“Bella, if we don’t survive this, I want you to know: you may be a little crazy, but you’re a great friend.”

“Thanks. You’re a good friend, too.”

“All done saying goodbye?” Malinda asks.

Wren and Jake are still looking at her, waiting for the order to attack. She doesn’t seem to be in a rush. She twirls her hair and hums a little tune. Bella, Neverard, and I stand our ground, watching them. Bella and I are back-to-back.

Malinda grins. “Aren’t you going to attack me?”

Don’t tempt me, Neverard snorts.

“No heroic attempt to save your friends? You’re pathetic.”

“No. We’re smart. And that’s why you’re going to lose,” Bella tells her.

“It’s not like someone as ugly as you could ever win,” I add.

Color rises in those white cheeks. Anger fills her eyes, and a snarl mars her perfect face. Bella was right about the anger; it makes her far less attractive. It doesn’t seem to have much effect on the boys, though, because they come at us as soon as Malinda gives them the okay.

“Rip them to shreds, boys!”

Jake lunges for me. I manage to dodge to the side, my feet dancing out of the way. He grabs at me and I duck. I whirl away from him, stick out my foot, and trip him. He goes down hard, the same way Will and Tom do.

I back away from him. I know he’ll kill me if he can, but I don’t want to hurt him. This isn’t Jake. Malinda has taken him over. He isn’t in control. I have to find a way to stop her and save him.

I hear a shriek and glance over at Bella. She’s darting around Wren, trying to avoid his blows, but it’s only a matter of time until he catches her. Neverard is lashing out at Malinda with his hooves, trying to get in a good solid kick. She’s not playing fair, though, disappearing and reappearing a few feet away.

I realize I haven’t been watching Jake. I turn back to him just as his hand closes around my throat. I make a choking sound and grab his hands with mine, trying to pry his fingers from my neck.

“Emma!” I hear Bella shriek.

Malinda’s laugh rings out. It sounded like chiming bells before, but now it’s evil and dark. “You’re going to die!” she cries. “You’re going to die and I’m going to watch the lights leave your eyes!”

“I thought you wanted Emma alive?” Bella shouts, jumping behind a tree to avoid Wren’s fist.

“Oh, I do. Jake will just make her pass out. Maybe break a few bones. You, however, I get to watch you suffer and die. Jardaine cares nothing for you.”

“You vile, foul, evil creature! Were you ever human?”

“I have always been—and will always be—a witch.”

My vision is starting to blur. All I can see is Jake’s face with those hollow, dead eyes. Bella is shouting something at me, but I can’t seem to understand the words. I’m having a harder time trying to free myself from Jake. My fingers don’t want to cooperate.

“Emma! Listen to me! In all the stories I’ve ever read, good triumphs over evil. Love always wins! Love! You have to—”

Her voice deteriorates into a gurgle. Malinda’s laugh peals again. I wonder vaguely if Wren finally caught her.

My eyes are starting to close. My arms are limp by my sides. Jake isn’t squeezing nearly as hard, but I still can’t breath.

Love is supposed to win, I think. That’s what Bella said. Love is supposed to win.

I manage to open one eye. Jake’s face in inches from mine. His hands still clench my throat, but they seem to be getting looser. I lean as far forwards as I can, choking myself now. I place my lips on Jake’s cheek.

My body goes limp. I give in.

Suddenly, I’m on the ground, gasping for air. Jake is doubled up, breathing heavily, and staring at me.

“What?” he asks, stunned and confused.

I can’t talk. I can barely breath. But I don’t have to use my voice. Help Bella.

“Emma, what happened? Was I…strangling you?”

Doesn’t matter. You were possessed. Help Bella!

“But—”

HELP BELLA!!!

I watch Jake turn. When he sees Wren drawing a knife he lets out a shout. Wren doesn’t respond; he just presses the knife to Bella’s throat. There won’t be a long monologue before he kills her. Which means Jake and I have almost no time at all.

I know Jake won’t get to Bella in time. I still can’t get up off the ground. It’s Neverard who saves the day. He kicks Wren with a front hoof, sending the possessed boy flying backwards into the dirt. The knife skitters away.

“Are you okay?” Jake asks Bella.

She nods. “Where’s Emma?”

“Trying to breath.”

“Don’t act like this is the end!” Malinda shrieks. “Because this isn’t over. If you want me to release your friend, and turn this girl back to flesh and blood, you’d better give me what I want.”

“What do you want?” Jake asks.

“Emma Vivaskari Rose.”

“You can’t have her.”

“Then you’ll never get your friends back. Never! They’ll—”

I cast the spell creates The Impenetrable Wall of Toughness. It traps Malinda and her voice. I stagger to my feet and cough a few more times.

“Thank goodness. I’d have gone crazy if I had to listen to her blather any longer,” I manage to say.

“What are we going to do about Wren and Avaysia?” Bella asks.

All right, Malinda. Here are your options. Choice A: You release both Wren and Avaysia. We’ll go on our way and you’ll be released from that prison soon. We all live happily ever after. Choice B: You refuse Choice A. Then I slowly make that cage shrink until it crushes you alive.

That sounds a little dark for you.

I’m a witch. I’ll do what I have to in order to keep my friends safe.

Such loyalty. Unfortunately—

She breaks off suddenly. I see the black cat flick through the trees, then disappear. Malinda smiles, as if she’s been given the best news ever. I’m tempted to ask her what, but I know this is what she wants, so I stay quiet.

Aren’t you going to ask me what that was about? she says.

No.

Why not?

You’ll tell me whether I want to know or not.

There’s been a change in plans. I’ve been informed I’m allowed to accept Choice A. However, I cannot guarantee a happy ending for anyone, except you, if you do as we say.

Fat chance.

It’s your loss.

Then leave me alone. You make your choices, and I’ll make mine.

So go.

Free my friends.

Release me.

You selected Choice A. You won’t be released for a while yet, but you will be freed in the near future.

Malinda sighs and waves her hand. Wren, who’s still flat on his back in the dirt, sits up. He looks around, surprised to find himself on the ground. His eyes are back to normal. He’s himself again

And Avaysia.

He has to do that. I can’t.

What’s Wren going to do?

Kiss her.

Excuse me?

You heard me. Go ahead and tell him.

“Uh, Wren?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, as you can see, Avaysia sort of, um, turned herself into stone. Well, the Veela—Malinda—turned her to stone.”

“How are we going to get her back?” he asks.

“Well, Malinda said there’s only one way.”

“Which is?”

“Um. You have to kiss her.”

“Excuse me?”

I shrug apologetically. “That what she said.”

“How do you know she isn’t lying?”

“Because it worked when Emma did it,” Bella says.

“It did?” Jake and I ask at the same time.

“Yes. You kissed his cheek, and he became human again. I told you, in all the stories I’ve ever read, love triumphs and good gets the happy ending.”

“Those are stories,” I say.

“And this is real life,” Jake adds.

“But it worked, didn’t it?” Bella reminds us.

She does have a point.

Wren stands up and dusts himself off. “Fine,” he says. “It’s worth a try.”

He goes over to the statue of Avaysia and takes a deep breath. He presses his lips to Avaysia’s stone cheek. Bella is biting her lower lip and my fingers are crossed. Nothing happens.

In my head, I hear Malinda’s laugh. Aww, isn’t that sweet? Did you really think it would be that easy?

If you don’t release her, I’ll carry out my threat.

Oh, Wren can free her. But not like that.

You said—

Keep your hat on, little bitty witchy girl.

I’m about to tell her not to call me that, when I remember Avaysia and Jake, and Aldain and Alycea. The only reason the nickname was kept was because it irritated the other. So I ignore it.

How then?

He has to kiss her. Really kiss her.

How do we know it will work?

I turned her into stone using her vanity combined with my power. She wanted to look as perfect as I do.

You tricked her.

Yes and no. I did not force her to do anything, but I am very good at persuading people to see things my way.

We can’t trust you! What if it doesn’t work? What if it makes it worse?

It is in my best interests to help you. Trust that my self-preservation will keep your princess safe.

I hate to admit it, but it makes sense. I sigh.

“Wren?”

“I heard.”

I hadn’t realized the conversation was public. Well, I guess that’s a good thing. Now I don’t have to tell him, because Malinda did.

“Well? Are you going to try?”

“Can I say anything but yes? I swore to protect Avaysia no matter what the cost. Though I don’t think the king had this in mind.”

“Probably not,” Bella agrees.

“If it helps, we won’t watch,” Jake suggests.

Wren gives a weak grin. “Thanks, Jake. Sorry I was going to kill you.”

“Apology except, if you’ll except mine.”

“Course.”

We all turn away from Wren and Avaysia. Even Neverard looks away. We wait. And wait. Nothing seems to be happening.

“How’s it coming, Wren?” I ask.

“It’s not.”

“Not working?” I glance over my shoulder quickly. Wren is standing next to the statue of Avaysia, twirling something between his fingers.

“No. I haven’t done it yet,” he says. “I’m still working up the nerve.”

“She’s a stone, man! Just do it!” Jake encourages.

I hear Wren take another deep breath. There’s a brief moment of silence, then someone gasps. I can’t help it; I turn and take a good look.

Avaysia seems to have collapsed into Wren, who’s holding her up. She’s breathing heavily. But she’s flesh and blood again. There isn’t a trace of stone anywhere. She gapes at us.

“What happened?”

“Malinda turned you into stone.”

“Who?”

“The witch/Veela lady. Her.” I point to the beautiful woman sitting calmly in her shimmering cage. She waves.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have listened to her, especially after seeing the way she affected the boys.”

“You don’t know the half of it. After she turned you to stone, she tried to make them fight each other to the death.”

“How’d you stop her?”

“We pissed her off,” Bella says. “So she sent them after us.”

“But how did you get them back to normal?”

I let Bella fill her in. We all laugh when Avaysia covers her face with her hands and mutters, “Great. My first kiss, and I’m a stone. Brilliant.”

Once we’re certain that everyone is okay, we continue on our way. Malinda sits in her cage, waiting for her witch friends to come free her. I wonder if they’ve gotten Kitara out yet.

The three of us girls ride on Neverard, while Jake and Wren take the Air Rider. It’s interesting, trying to control it without actually being on it. It’s nice to be on horseback, though.

“So, Emma, do you have something to say?” Jake asks.

I look at him. “No. Why?”

He tips his head at Avaysia. “Some one lost a bet.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Go on. Admit I was right.”

“Hang on,” Avaysia interrupts. “What bet?”

“That you and Wren would end up kissing before we get to Flumen.”

“Avaysia and Wren both hide their faces. I turn back to Jake.

“You were right. Happy?”

“Yup.”

I sigh and shake my head. “So, Jake, I was thinking. The Impenetrable Wall of Toughness is a little too long. What do you think of calling it the IWT for short?”

“Emma, when did you have time to think of this?”

“Somewhere between watching Vay getting turned into stone and having you try to strangle me,” I say.

Everyone laughs.

“Someone’s had a busy day,” Jake jokes.

“There’s never a peaceful minute here,” Wren mutters. His hands are clasped together in his lap. It looks as if he’s twirling something between his fingers again.

“That’s not true. We’ve had a ten-minute chunk of time between one attack and the next,” Bella says.

We all laugh again.

“Alright. So we get ten-minute breaks here and there,” Jake replies.

“Cheer up, guys. We ought to reach Flumen tomorrow,” Wren says. “We have to be nearly there.”

“To sleep in a real bed again,” I say.

“To take a bath!” Bella grins.

“I’m in it for the food,” Jake tells us.

“I just want to be able to choose a dress from ten. I’ve had to wear the same gown for some many days now. It’s horrid,” Avaysia says.

“You poor baby,” I reply sarcastically. “Whatever shall you do?”

“Wait a minute. We can’t just walk into Flumen looking like this,” Avaysia says.

“Why not? We’ve been through a lot. We deserve to come in covered in mud and tell them what jerks they are for making us come here.”

“Because, jerk or not, Prince Alexander is my betrothed. Imagine if I showed up in this!”

“He’d have a conniption,” Bella says.

“A what?” Avaysia asks.

“A conniption. Haven’t any of you ever heard that word before?”

“No,” I say. “Must be a New Yorkieland thing.”

“It’s New York, and the word is everywhere there’s English, not just New York.”

“What’s it mean?” I ask.

“A conniption is like a large scale hissy fit. It was one of my Word-Of-The-Day words last week. I believe the dictionary definition is, ‘a fit of rage or hysterics’, or something like that.”

“Kitten-iption. I like that word,” Avaysia says.

“Cuh-nip-shin,” Bella says slowly and carefully.

“That’s what I said.”

“No it isn’t.”

“Yes it is.”

“Oh, never mind.”

“What other words are on your Word-Of-The-Day list?” I ask.

“Oh, all sorts,” Bella says.

She tells us as many of them as she can remember, and gives definitions for the ones we don’t know. I’ve heard most of them, but the ones I don’t know are so foreign, I have trouble believing she isn’t just making things up.

“On the day I came here, the Word-Of-The-Day was khat.”

“Cat? Like meow, I’m a cat?”

“No. Khat, k-h-a-t. It’s an Arabian shrub. The leaves are chewed as a stimulant.”

“What’s Arry-bean?”

“Arabian.”

“What is it?”

“Arabia is a place in my world. If you’re from Arabia, your Arabian.”

“Oh.”

“Just like if you’re from a America, you’re American.”

“And if you’re from France, you’re Francin?” I ask.

“No. You’re French.”

“Well that doesn’t make any sense.”

Bella shrugs. “I didn’t come up any of this.”

“You just have it all memorized.”

“Not all of it. But a lot of it, yeah.”

“You are so weird, Bella.”

“Have you looked at yourself lately, Emma? You’re weirder than I am.”

“But I’m weird in a good way.”

We continue debating the pros and cons of being weird for a while, than we move on to a new topic. We talk until the sun starts to go down. As night falls, we stop and begin to set up camp. We string Wren’s hammock and spread out the mats.

“I’m so glad I don’t have a watch tonight,” I say. “It’s all up to Wren and Avaysia.”

“I’m not sure this divvying up was done fairly,” Avaysia complains. “I only get to sleep half the night tonight, but you three got to each sleep for two thirds of the night yesterday.”

“Then you should have said something when it was first set up this way. You seemed pretty content then.”

“As the princess, I shouldn’t have to keep watch at all.”

“You’re the reason we’re out here, whether you wanted this to happen or not. So you can help us keep watch.”

“Ah, just like old times,” Wren says to Jake. “These two haven’t had a good fight in a while.”

“Don’t egg them on,” Bella tells him.

“Who, me?” Wren pretends to be astonished at Bella’s accusation. “I never!”

“Okay, that’s enough out of the two of you,” Bella says, stepping between Avaysia and me. “You don’t need to fight. Avaysia, you and Wren agreed to this, so this is how it’s going. Now, if you don’t mind, I am going to bed.”

“Night,” I say.

“Good night. Remember, tomorrow, we reach Flumen!”