Sweet Menace (18 page)

Edora fluttered around Jerome, who watched her attentively. My sister laughed amused with the attention received.

“Help me tie my sister to that tree.” -She ordered Jerome. With her extended hand she took my dagger from his hands, leaving him unprotected. -“Get her.”

Exactly why I let them carry me and tie my arms to one tree was a mystery. Perhaps it was because Sam was still lying in the floor, knowing nothing about all this. Or I was giving up already. I felt like such an idiot. Full of power as I was and yet bowing to be treated like crap.

After they left me well tied to the tree, Edora caressed Jerome’s face with something close to tenderness. He purred like a loved kitten while curling and squirming at her touch.

“One more thing I need. Then you’ll be free to go.” -Edora fixed some artifacts around my prison-tree. Some intercropped black and red candles. Soon Edora started rummaging between yellowish paper sheets sandwiched between one small book. She kneeled on the ground, accommodating the book in her lap. With extended hands, Edora was summoning her dark Maghik, which gathered around as an incandescent green smoke. It floated around me like ghosts with fangs and hollow eyes. I couldn’t hear anything just a vacuum and my very own breathing. The Maghiks inside me felt attracted to Edora’s call, betraying me alike my sister. My will was strong but yet half my powers weren’t really mine but something I had stolen from Edora.

If I dared to close my eyes I could only hear peace and the wind whispering.Emotions and ideas were able to walk through every curve of my body, resisting every transgression.

Impatience was gaining over Edora as she tried to find something between all those papers but couldn’t find. She threw everything in a huff and stood up snorting smoke through her nostrils.

“Funny, Morgan. So funny. Disappearing my most important pages won’t save you.” -She grunted, pacing up and down. I understood she was trying to calm her treacherous feelings. Her Maghik would be terrible if summoned under such pressure. That was the number one reason to feel proud of the stolen pages. -“I know what I have to do.”

Walking away from me, Edora started moving seductively towards Jerome. What she had in mind? I didn’t know. But soon she was stepping on top of Sam, standing over his chest and continued walking like if he was just a bunch of dried leaves in her way.

“You’ve been so helpful.” -Edora praised Jerome once she was a foot away from him. -“Leaving your new wife alone thinking the worst, just to help me. Faithful servant you are. Deserver of whatever you may want. For the cost of some drops of your blood I’ll give you anything you ask me.”

The surprise in Jerome’s face was priceless. But priceless is the blood running in our veins and yet we bargain with it. Deal of the fool.

“I don’t think…” -Jerome started to say. Hopefully he had fallen into account that Edora was just tricking him. Luckily he would notice that he had been wrong all this time, hating me without reasons.

“Shush!” -Edora silenced him taking a finger to his lips. -“We know better, Jerome. My lover, my bodyguard. You’ve served me well, let me reward you. Anything you want… Anything you desire. I’ll make it yours. The price is so cheap now, just some blood and I’ll give you the world if that’s what you want.”

Her voice was gingery sweet, betraying Jerome’s mind with her subtle gab.

“There must be something you desire…” -Edora mumbled while stamping kisses in the dark shadow of his soft beard. -“Something you’re not able to get on your own.”

A thought came to me. Jerome’s old words bounced back to present. He said he had wanted me but he never said a word because he was ashamed of my walking. I promised myself something. If Jerome dared to ask me as the reward, I swear I’ll kill him that very second. Keeping my eyes fixed on them I noticed that their chat had gone far while my thoughts were retorted somewhere else. Seemed like they were making final arrangements to something I didn’t managed to hear.

While they were busy, Sam moved a little, curling like a helpless baby. His face was close to my feet now and while I wanted to kick him hard in the face, I struggled not to. Everything I had heard of him was so hard to believe. If he hadn’t confirmed it to me, I would be reluctant of every word. Edora and Jerome were busy now, chatting and grossly kissing each other.

I wished my cousin would be here to see her respected husband. The fine gentleman she claimed Jerome was.

“This is what you want?” -Edora yelled at Jerome while a heavy knock fell upon me. -“My limp sister is your wish? Have you lost your mind as well?”

Another hit from Edora’s hand. This time I wanted to clutch my stomach. My body was churning in pain and soreness. A new blow came. This time in my face. I felt like my jaw was breaking and my skin tore easily like tissue paper.

“Why it has to be her? Why don’t ask me for money or vengeance? Why you too choose my hateful sister?” -She complained.

No more hits came in my direction this time. Meanwhile, they argued heatedly. I tried to summon my Maghik but I was too scared to create a single easy spell. Bumping my own head against the tree, I blamed myself for not having used my powers more often. My Maghik was apparently useful only as catalyst for delicious desserts and satisfying foods.

Sam made a grunting noise and I pushed him slowly with the tip of my shoe a few times. He was knocked, like a rock sleeping under a tree.

With sneaky movements up and down, I tried to loosen the rope already digging in my wrists. It was so tightly moored that I was like a huge ship held in place by a giant anchor. The rope turned slightly tighter, carving deeper in my skin. I made an effort to look behind, trying not to lose sight of Edora and Jerome for more than a second or two.

Lavender came out of the shadows behind the tree in which I was held. A woman was hidden with her, her eyes gleaming like fire contrasted with the silvery hairs falling over her face. With fast movements they worked on the rope until Lavender found out I was looking at her with ghostly expression. A cry gathered in my throat but the other woman gestured that everything was going to be alright. I wanted to believe so but I couldn’t.

“Go save yourself.” -Lavender whispered while the knot was turning weak. -“Jerome has gone mad. As soon as you’re free, run away fast. Don’t look back.”

“I can’t.” -I whispered back through clenched teeth. -“I have to save Sam.”

The arguments around were turning more overheated. Jerome tried to hold Edora at arm length and now she had armed herself again with both of the twin daggers. Falling to his knees, Jerome’s face was unreadable. My sister stood in front of him, watching him with the wonder of a child. He muttered some silent words but his lips were easy to read. He wondered why she had done such thing to him, such betrayal. Marveled, Edora raised her leg and, placing her shoe sole on Jerome’s chest, pushed him backwards.

Walking towards me, Edora resumed her kneeling position. Mumbling some faltering words, my sister created a pentagram like the one she made in the candy house. The pentagram of death.

Behind me, my hands were still moving. Lavender and the woman kept working on releasing me while Edora’s eyes turned blank and words coming out of her mouth turned green tongues of fire licking my powers away. My Maghik was turning weak, weaker with fear and somehow absorbed by Edora.

Hurried, she stood up and with one of the daggers pierced the inside of my elbow. I felt my vein popping like popcorn in the microwave just before a splash of my blood sprayed Edora’s face and the blade.

“This will take just another minute. You can say goodbye to this world because soon you’ll meet our parents in hell.” -Patting my face hard, Edora took th
e
bloode
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dagger and put it close to the bunch of candles gathered in front of her. The candles surrounding my tree were burning tall flames, like Tiki torches. I tried to yell the woman behind me to hurry up but of course I couldn’t give her away to Edora. And I didn’t want to make Lavender aware of Jerome’s fate. Sweat was covering me whole, my clothes sticking to my body like jellyfishes. -“Now, the blood of the innocent.”

Drops of my blood dripped from the resplendent blade to a cauldron to Edora’s feet.

“And the blood of sacrifice.” -The other dagger floated from the ground and flew straight to Edora’s hand. Walking away from the cauldron I feared she was going to wound Sam again with it. I felt relieved when I saw her sinking the blade deep into Jerome’s body. Deep inside, very, very deep, I felt bad despite the tranquility of knowing she wasn’t harming Sam. Seconds after, Jerome’s blood was joining my own in Edora’s cauldron. A bubbly substance took shape, growing like a fat shadow.

“This is bad, Morgan. She’s summoning Ang Maximum Yawa.” -The woman behind the tree said. I understood nothing about what she said. -“I’m almost done here but I’m afraid she’s working this enchantment way too fast.”

“Hurry up!” -I yelled while the shadow emerging the cauldron was waking up with Edora’s commands. Edora’s yell of pain forced me to look at her. She was falling to the ground, clutching her head between both hands. At first I thought that the maximum yawa had done something to her but I saw Jerome standing up with a piece of trunk in his hand. While he was left to bleed to death, he had managed to stand up and had hit Edora hard. The trunk hit the ground as Jerome opened his eyes very wide and the maximum yawa was surrounding him with fluorescent claws and fangs sticking out everywhere.

Soon my hands were free but for the first time I didn’t want to kill someone. My cup was so full of wishes of vengeance that it had been spilling evilness for long.

“Forget that man, Morgan.” -The woman pleaded while breaking the pentagram around us. -“He’ll be your perdition. Is either saving your life or saving his. But if you chose saving the man, your sister will end with him sooner or later. Believe me, he’s not good for you. You’re a witch! Face it, Morgan.” -She told in a higher voice. Lavender didn’t even flinch at the revelation.

“But I… I love him.” -I confessed at last. The words felt like boulders thrown at my heart. A trench of fire grew deep in me. Swallowing hard with realization hurt so bad and burned my throat worst than while drinking a hot tea of ginger, coarse cinnamon, lemon and a splash of tequila.

Sam’s eyes opened a gap and his mouth opened almost ajar. I knew he was going to yell or say something aloud. He would call Edora’s and Jerome’s attention to us again, and I couldn’t allow him. Not that Edora and Jerome weren’t busy but yet it was better to take precautions. I needed to keep Lavender safe.

Shamelessly, I put my foot over his mouth. The frightening surprise avoided him to make another noise. But now he was wide awake.

“Look, Morgan. I can’t take active part in between your sister and you, but I promise you something. All covens are better with you as queen. Your sister is evil, you should face it, and the best for us all is if she dies.” -The woman advised callously.

“I’m evil too.” -I dared to protest. It was true Edora was vicious and a ruthless mercenary but this was utterly inhuman. My words backfired at me. Inhuman? Wasn’t inhuman to plan with killing towns? -“If she’s to die, I must die as well.”

“Why you protect her? She’s been trying to kill you since your conception. One day she’ll succeed if you keep giving her the opportunity. Kill her or let her kill you. No more choices available. But I must warn you, others will come as well. Some of them with more skills than your sister. If you want to keep what’s left of your family safe, you better choose wisely.”

The woman retreated, taking Lavender with her, both disappearing deep into the woods.

Jerome ran away, stumbling with roots and branches. The maximum yawa- an inconsumable power obedient only to dark Maghik- followed him snaking through the leaves bathed with dew. It was better if I hurry up and disappear before that demon is back to fulfill Edora’s instructions.

Sam was still unconscious, awake but delusional. His pupils were dilated and the color of his eyes was absent. His body was still vacant as his soul was almost stolen. My powers and my Maghik were almost stolen as well. With Edora unconscious, her spell broke and I felt free.

Little by little I felt my control coming back, my Maghik taking possession of my being as every normal day.

I kneeled in front of Edora, feeling pity of her. I wanted to love her like the sister I would never have, but she was too evil. I wanted to feel sorrow for her, to help her be good but I was bad enough myself. As the woman said, I can’t do much for Edora except… killing her.

No. Killing my sister wouldn’t make me any better. I put my hands in my pockets, incapable to do something against my evil sister. Something burnt in between my fingers and I retreat whatever it was. A piece of paper I had hidden from Edora’s book was now in my hands. I stood looking at it for long seconds while considering if it was the solution to all my problems.

Edora stirred in between leaves. Tiny stems tickled her neck and ears. Groping the pros and cons of making this spell was a topic for long discussion. Edora and Sam would both be awake by the time I finish considering if I should, if I must. But time was short and the risks were big, and I had so much to lose.

Better to lose a sister I never loved. A sister who never loved me. Better to help her go away, stealing her suffering and pushing her soul to another edge.