The Unrivaled's Witch Read online

  Chapter 6

  The room came into focus and Rebecca found herself still trapped between the open fridge and the enigmatic Dr. Arthur.

  “Ice-cream for dessert.” Darcy’s face suddenly appeared behind him and Rebecca straightened.

  Guiltily the two moved away as Darcy pulled a huge tub of ice-cream from the freezer. Rebecca followed her into the sitting area with to-go, cups and plastic spoons in her hand. Arthur brought up the rear.

  As everyone settled around the coffee table, Arthur went over to the handcrafted coat tree just inside the door and picked up his jacket.

  “You guys enjoy the ice-cream. I have to get to the hospital. I have rounds to make, then some paper work to file.”

  “Hey, Art, you can’t go man. We haven’t even heard your story yet.” Zack called after him.

  “Please stay and tell us your story, and we will let you sit next to Rebecca.” Darcy jibed and they all laughed hard, except for Rebecca who glared daggers at them. Arthur, his coat hanging from his arm, walked back to them.

  “Yes Art, we four know each other’s story since we grew up together. And Andrea here has forgotten hers. So, you tell us yours and entertain us.” Weylin put in.

  “My story is not something you would enjoy over an ice cream. Or rather you won’t enjoy the ice-cream anymore after I have told it to you. So, enjoy your ice cream today and I will tell you my story tomorrow.” The bare sincerity of his voice brought about a hush over the group several spoonsful of ice-cream arrested in mid-air.

  “Dude, you sound creepy. As if there is some deep meaning in what you are saying.” Weylin complained.

  “There is a deeper meaning to everything Wey, why else do you think you came across three witches in a day when you haven’t come across any in twenty-five years?”

  “Do you mean, we all met for a reason?” Andrea asked leaning forward, beating her scoop of ice-cream with the spoon, unnecessarily.

  “Yes, we all have met for a reason and the showdown is near. Nearer than you all can imagine.” Everyone looked up at him in such terrified surprise that Rebecca finally took pity on her friends. Though she had explained to them the strengths of this wizard, and how she had experienced it, they had yet to encounter it themselves. And it was better not to hit them on the head so hard the very first time.

  “I will see you out.” Rebecca said getting up quickly and going after him. As he stepped out of the door, she came out after him and closed the door behind.

  “Go back in, it's cold out here.” He growled at her.

  “You have no right to order me around. I am not your…” Even before she could complete her words his hand was in her hair roughly pulling her to him.

  “You are mine.” he ground out each word threateningly, from between bared teeth. His other hand snaked around Rebecca’s slender waist and splayed on her hip as he pulled her against him roughly even as his other hand held a fist full of her hair and turned her face upwards. His lips crushed over hers and a fire of raw desire coursed through her entire being. Rebecca groaned as the kiss deepened and as he took furiously while she gave mindlessly. Then he pulled back as quickly as he had tackled her and a fury of frustration filled the empty space where their bodies had just met.

  “I have come for you Rebecca. The sooner you accept that the better it will be for all.”

  “I am not your toy and you cannot play with me the way you want. I was trained by, my grandmother, a witch of the very first order, and I will fight you to the end.” Rebecca spurted. Arthur shook his head in defeat, gave a hiccup of a laugh and started down the stairs.

  “Have it your way.” He said.

  “What happened next?” Rebecca called after him. She knew for all her bravado that was why she had come out after him. To find out what had happened next! Arthur turned back on the small terrace, that she had lined with little pots of herbs and shook his head in refusal.

  “Tell me.” She nearly pleaded.

  “I shan’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Those are my most beautiful, most cherished memories. And I will not share them with a stranger.” Suddenly Rebecca saw red.

  “Stranger? Since the time we met yesterday, you have assailed my mind, every way possible. You have reached the depths of my conscience without bothering for my consent. And you have the gall to stand there and call me a stranger?”

  “Yes. I assaulted your privacy. And I was wrong. Believe me I only wanted to help. But I will not do so again. You will remember everything, when you are ready. But before I let you see what happened next, you need to trust me, in yourself and in us, implicitly.” He said forlornly. He had gone down a few steps when she called after him.

  “Arthur wait. I worry about her. It’s crazy. This girl is just a fragment of some illusion you conjure and I fucking feel her every emotion. It's driving me mad.”

  “She is not a fragment of an illusion.” Arthur said firmly not turning back. Rebecca went a few steps down after him and called out.

  “Does he love her? Does her care for her?” He turned back then, hope and doom played in his eyes at the same time. He nodded.

  “More than life itself.”

  “Then why does he reject her?”

  “He explained it. He is trying to protect her from himself.”

  “Why? Why does she need protection from him? Is he an evil man?”

  “No, but he isn’t entirely good either. And because she is precious.”

  “It’s about the amulet, isn’t it?”

  “Goodnight Rebecca.” He said then he turned to go and quickly disappeared down the stairs and merged with the darkness.

  Chapter 7

  Andrea stood in the middle of the empty shop next door to Rebecca’s pharmacy, her hands on her hips. The place was bright and recently painted. It had been meticulously cleaned and there was not a speck of dust anywhere including the hundred or so boxes that stood around her on the floor, that Zack had dropped off just five minutes after she had arrived.

  There were rows of tall shelves, several rolling step ladders, and a reception counter with a computer. Stuck to the monitor had been a yellow post it with her login and password and a smiley that had been hexed to look like Zack. It was a simple magic but it made her smile.

  Andrea worked hard, cataloging the books and placing them onto racks. At noon, she had the PB&J that she had brought along with her from Rebecca’s kitchen and drank a warm root beer to wash it down. Even while she ate she kept planning her next move.

  A little after five, as Andrea was sitting on the top rung of the roller ladder, putting some books in the H section, the chimes on the door sounded and a cold gust of wind blew in.

  “At the rate, I am going I think I can be open to the public by next week.”

  “It’s me. Not him.” Darcy called out sullenly.

  “I know it’s you Darcy. I could make out.”

  “Right you are a witch. And you can see behind your back.”

  “No, I am a witch and I could sense the dislike when you walked in.

  Andrea turned down to her and gave her a sweet smile then just to make a point she flicked her fingers and a couple of books flew up to her.

  “I don’t dislike you.” Darcy frowned inspecting some of the lower rungs.

  “I have been thinking about my craft since the time I came to in the hospital. I think my specialty is knowing other people’s emotions.”

  “You have a good gig going on here. Planning to stay long?” Darcy said ignoring her comment.

  “I know you worry about him. You have always looked out for him since you were children. You have protected him. Because you both have been different.”

  “Doesn’t take a mind-reading witch, to find that out. Everyone around here knows I always have his back.” Darcy said derisively.

  “And how do you suppose I remember all that when I don’t remember my own name?”

  “So, you keep saying.” Darcy countered. Andrea was about to say som
ething when the chimes rang once again and Zack and Weylin walked in followed by Rebecca.

  “Art’s getting pizza.” Zack declared.

  “I hope his story goes well with pizza. I would rather hear it than eat dinner, after all the drama yesterday.” Darcy put in.

  “There was a highway pileup early this morning, somewhere south of Griffith Falls. If he is stuck in ER, we may not get either. Weylin cautioned.

  An hour went by as they teased and laughed and studied Andrea’s work. They were about to call the ER when the chimes sounded and they all turned towards it. Rebecca was closest to the door so she went to open it, thinking he might be carrying Pizza boxes.

  A chill blew in as the door opened and blue and black smoke swirled in. A tall thin man with a crooked nose walked in.

  “It’s him. He hit Andrea.” Rebecca cried out pointing to him. Weylin and Zack rushed forward quickly, Weylin, his hand on his service weapon, out of practice. The man threw out his arm and curled his fingers in their direction and they were hurled against the far wall of the room, falling to the ground with a loud crash as they took a couple of shelves with them.

  “Hey I worked my ass off to get those in order.” Andrea cried out running forward as Darcy and Rebecca were trying to cast a shield against the man. He turned to them and hissed then sent the two girls crashing against the other wall. The smoke swirled around the four tying them in place as if with a rope. Andrea was trembling with rage as he turned to her. Suddenly he conjured a knife from thin air and threw it in her direction. It went cleanly through her wrist and pinned her to one of the wooden shelves. Zack was thrashing against the smoke but was unable to free himself.

  The man stepped forward bringing out a flask from the folds of his black robes, and held it just under Andrea’s hand. He leered at her as he collected her blood that was fast flowing out from her punctured vein.

  “I want your blood before the full moon rises.” He hissed. Andrea was starting to feel faint and was losing consciousness. Suddenly she lurched forward and bit into the man’s hand. The man howled in pain then slapped her so hard she was thrown away tearing her wrist from the knife, as she fell to the ground in a heap. The man put away his flask and roared out a maniacal laugh then he turned to the door and walked off, the swirls of smoke following him out.

  Freed from the clutches of the smoke the four rushed to where Andrea lie on the floor in a heap. As they descended upon her the chimes sounded and Arthur stepped in. He took one look at the scene and rushed to Andrea’s side dropping his scarf and his coat on the way.

  “Andrea!” he cried out slapping her face but she remained unconscious. He examined her wrist where the knife was still stuck deep as the others recounted what had happened in a hustled frenzy.

  “I need some wax and a ladle.” He said to Rebecca and she and Darcy dashed out to get those. “

  “Lay her out over there.” Arthur asked the other two pointing to the hearth where dying embers still lay in the fireplace.

  Arthur rolled back his sleeves and dropped to his knees on the rug chanting just as the two other men laid Andrea down between him and the fire. Darcy and Rebecca dashed in with the required material and laid it all out next to him.

  “Heat up the wax.” He said to Rebecca and she hurried to obey.

  Andrea tossed and turned and moaned in pain.

  “Stay with me, sweetheart. It’s going to be ok.” He said and Rebecca’s hand shook over the fire. Zack moved forward but Arthur looked up at him and shook his head firmly. The look in his eyes arrested Zack in his place.

  “Don’t try anything funny Aberdeen. This is way out of your league.” He cautioned as they all sat around him in a circle watching. When Rebecca came back with the molten wax bubbling in the ladle, Arthur said.

  “The knife is poisoned. We need to burn the poison otherwise once the knife is out it will travel straight to her heart and she will die instantly. As soon as I remove the knife pour the wax into the wound. Can you manage that?”

  Rebecca nodded looking at him with fearful eyes.

  Arthur nodded then slowly closed his fingers around the hilt of the knife and drew it out as he continued to chant. As soon as the tip was out, Rebecca poured the wax onto the wound. Andrea wailed in agony, still unconscious then, went utterly still. Everyone was immobilized in place with what they were witnessing. The chanting stopped and Arthur gave out a long drawn out sigh.

  “She is going to be ok, but she needs to rest.” He said drawing his fingers gently over the side of her face. Tears streamed down his face and Rebecca looked at the formidable Arturo, Wizard of the first order, humbled and week. Why? What did Andrea mean to him?

  Arthur bent down and picked Andrea from the ground, then holding her close, his tears still flowing, he started walking towards the door. There he turned back and looked at the others.

  “I am going to take her up to bed. Just give us ten minutes ok?” Then he opened the door with one foot and walked out.

  “The Pizza’s in the truck.” He said over his shoulder.

  Chapter 8

  “I don’t understand anything.” Weylin said as he pulled out boxes of pizza from Arthur’s truck.

  “Till yesterday he was trying to seduce Rebecca. Today he calls another girl sweetheart.” Darcy complained taking the remaining boxes and slapping the door shut with her hip.

  “They are both from outside town, strangers! We need to be careful.” Weylin countered.

  Rowen and Zack walked alongside them as if they had both been slapped. Rebecca remembered the way he had looked at her when she had met him in the shop, the way he had said that he had come for her, the visions, then she remembered how he had cried as he drew his fingers over Andrea’s face.

  “He was the one who suggested her name.” Rebecca said in a trance as they all started climbing the stairs to her apartment.

  “We need to find out what’s going on in here.” Zack said furiously then rushed rest of the way up, two stairs at a time. He pushed the door hard and it dashed against the inside wall as it had been open. The others filled in just behind him.

  Andrea was sitting up on the sofa a light shawl draped around her shoulders drinking a strange looking liquid from one of Rebecca’s wine glasses. Arthur was kneeling in front of the fire prodding the logs, near the opposite wall.

  “What’s happening here?” Zack growled looking from one to the other.

  “You need to show them. Like you showed me.” Andrea said to Arthur as he came forward pushing his hands through his coat. He shook his head and looked at her tiredly.

  “I have done a sixteen hours straight duty due to the highway pile up. I don’t think I can stand on my feet any longer. You can show them, I will give you just enough power to do it.” He said then bending down he placed his lips against her forehead and stayed there for a few seconds.

  “Stay safe. I don’t want to lose you again.” he said straightening. Then he walked straight to the door without giving Rebecca or any of the others a single glance. He stepped out and closed the door behind him. The click of the latch settled heavily in Rebecca’s heart as she turned to Andrea along with everyone else.

  “I still don’t remember who I am. But I know who I used to be One Thousand years ago. And I know why the dark prince wanted my blood. That’s the name of the bloke who visited us earlier.” She said. When they all did not say a word, she continued.

  “Sit down around me and let’s hold hands to make a circle. I will replay my memory. And I think you will be able to see it all.” She said as Rebecca and Zack knelt at her feet taking one of her hands each. The other two took their hands in turn making a circle.

  “Close your eyes.” Andrea said and they all obeyed. For a few seconds, everything was dark. Then they saw Arthur emerging from the library’s door with Andrea in his arms. He was awkwardly trying to wipe his eyes on his sleeves. He carried Andrea up the stairs with ease then as he reached the closed door they all saw him muttering something lookin
g intently at the lock and then there was a click. The noise was muffled and distant.

  He walked in then laid Andrea down on the sofa. As he was about to straighten she grabbed at his shoulder and her eyes opened.

  “Why do I suffer so much?” she asked

  “Because your transgression is the worst.”

  “What did I do?”

  “You hurt my love.”

  “Why did he want my blood?”

  “It’s a long tale.”

  “Then tell me.” She pleaded and he nodded in defeat. Instead of straightening he went down on his knees beside the sofa, held her hand and looked into her eyes.

  The picture swirled and they were all transported to another place in another time.

  A cherubic looking Arturo sat atop a tall horse. He looked down at the three people, an old man, an old woman and a girl.

  “And Son, when you see the Doethdyns, give them our regards.” The man said tears in his eyes.

  “Stay safe.” The woman said pressing her fingers against her trembling lips.

  Just then the girl stepped forward and held out something in her hand.

  “Arturo.” She cried out to him. The boy leaned down to see there was an amulet hung around a leather thong in her hand. He took it from her as she said.

  “This is my blood. It will protect you from the dark.”

  The resemblance between the girl and Andrea was striking.

  The boy nodded then whirled the horse around and was gone. The family watched him till all that was seen of him was a cloud of dust.

  Suddenly the room came into focus and the five friends looked at Andrea with widened eyes.

  “He was my brother.”

  “And the amulet you gave him is what that bloke wants.” Weylin whistled.

  “But why did he say you hurt his love?” Zack said not letting go of her hand as the others separated, but pulling himself up next to her on the sofa.

  “And why did you say that the amulet was your blood?” Darcy put in