High Witch (High Witch Book 1) (2 page)

Chapter 3

“I don’t understand.”

Brayden chewed on his lip. He didn’t understand, either. Actually, he understood a few things.

She was a High Witch.

There were only ever three in the world at a time.

If she was trained, she could do practically anything imaginable.

She hadn’t been through the test.

He had to make sure she never went through the test.

He rubbed his face with his hand, overwhelmed. He took a deep breath, then looked back at Ariel.

“I’ll explain everything, but we need to get inside. This is — delicate. I don’t want to talk about it out here.”

She nodded, and they started to walk back to the inn. He looked at her as they walked, thinking she could not only transport herself to the room in an instant, she could bring the whole room out there. He placed a hand on the small of her back, wanting her to feel reassured. She looked at him, smiling a little. He smiled back, in spite of the serious situation. He really was starting to fall for her.

They arrived at her room. Brayden shut the door and Ariel lit some candles. If anyone saw him go in there they would talk, but that was the least of their troubles. He moved a pile of books from the chair at the desk, and sat down. She sat on the edge of the bed.

“Ariel...” he began, then stopped, looking at her. This was going to be very difficult. “Some witches...there are a few...” He paused again, sighing. “There are three witches in the world, who are more powerful than any other. They can do all kinds of magic, every kind, with amazing strength. These witches can tap into every source of magic in the world — every place where magic exists. There’s so much more to it — so much more to explain. But know this. You
are
a High Witch.”

She looked at him with concern, her brow furrowed. “How can you tell? From the rocks? That didn’t seem so...powerful.”

Brayden gazed at her. She really didn’t understand. He had to be gentle. “It was the
way
you did it. The way the magic came out of you, with only the slightest movement. And it’s more than that — when you were standing there, concentrating — you were trying to hold back, weren’t you?”

She nodded. He looked at her closely. “Imagine if you hadn’t.”

She looked down, playing with his handkerchief, which she still held. He knew he shouldn’t, but he walked over to her and sat beside her on the bed. His heart started to beat faster, sitting so close to her. She was so delicate, so warm. He reached out and took her hand in his.

“There’s a lot more to tell you. But first, I want you to know something.” He waited a moment for Ariel to meet his gaze. He took a deep breath. “Those ‘bad things,’ you said you’ve done. They weren’t your fault. You haven’t been trained. Your heart is good, I can tell. You wouldn’t have meant to hurt anyone. It’s not your fault.”

Ariel’s eyes filled up with moisture, and she took off her glasses and wiped away the tears which started to fall. Brayden put his arm around her, and rested her head against his shoulder. He held her while she cried. He knew with every part of him that she was good. He could tell. His heart broke for her.

“Do you think you’re ready to hear more?”

She moved her head to look at him. “Yes,” she said. “Tell me everything.”

He smiled at her, endeared. He wanted to protect her so much. He rested her head on his shoulder again, warmed by her. He bit his lip, dreading telling her the next part. “I’ll start with the test.”

***

Lenora was dragged to the cliff edge by two large men in the dead of night. A stake stood on the hard ground, large, looming over her, with piles of wood at its base. She turned and twisted in their arms, her dark hair blowing about her in the wind. They tied her to the stake with heavy ropes. She stood there, gasping for breath. She didn’t know what was happening. The moonlight shone down, illuminating the figure that was walking towards her. The two men disappeared into thin air. It was just her, and him.

The very tall man walked towards her. He stood before her, and reached out and grasped her chin in his hand. She glared at him. He smiled.

“Lenora,” he said, his long, dark hair flowing around him, his black eyes piercing. “You’re my first. I’ve longed to do this. I’ve been waiting for so long to turn one of you.”

She began to sob, distraught. “What do you want with me?” she screamed. “What?”

He smiled, but his eyes were still cold. He stood back. “What you did today showed me what you are. The way you tore that man apart, with only a look — amazing. A High Witch, with no idea. A High Witch.”

Lenora looked at him with shock. He’d seen what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to do it — it just happened. She hadn’t meant to kill the man. But when he was holding her down, about to...she shuddered. It was an accident. But she had killed him. And this man knew.

“Who are you?” she cried out.

“My name is Julius,” he said. Suddenly the two men who’d tied her up reappeared, holding a scruffy looking young woman. She was struggling as they held her by either arm. Lenora looked at her in alarm. She stared back at Julius in horror.

He raised his right arm, then threw a ball of fire at the wood by her feet. Lenora struggled against her ropes, desperately trying to escape the blaze which began. The flames burned brighter, higher. They licked the soles of her feet.

“No!”
she screamed desperately. He said she was a High Witch — she tried to use her powers, imagine herself being free. The fire climbed up her legs, and she cried out in pain.

“Kill her, and I’ll free you,” Julius said. “Destroy her.”

She stared at him, tears running down her face. The fire scalded her, the pain of her skin burning so intense she could barely breathe. She choked from the smoke. She was in agony.

“Kill her!”

Lenora wailed.

“Kill her!”

She screamed, staring at the young woman. She didn’t want to,
she didn’t want to.
The girl cried out in terror. Lenora sobbed, screaming again. The pain,
the pain.
She cried out in agony. Something bubbled in her stomach, something strong, something menacing. She felt it overtake her. She felt it consume her. She cried out once more, in terror, in pain, in
release
. The power poured out of her. The girl screamed as her body was torn apart, her limbs, her muscles, her organs splayed out. Lenora shut her eyes to the gore. Rain began to pour down.

Lenora felt the burning cease as the water put out the fire. She sobbed loudly, horrified over what she’d done. The guilt consumed her. But then, then...

Suddenly she didn’t notice the pain anymore. She felt something new, something different. She wasn’t distressed anymore. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t — her.

Water dripped down her as she glared at Julius. He looked at her, eyes narrowed. The ropes fell from her, and she stepped over the wood, crushing it beneath her scalded feet. She walked up to him. She placed her hands on his chest.

“Thank you for freeing me,” she said slowly. He put his hands on her waist, as the rain plummeted down. He smiled.

“Welcome to your new world, Lenora.”

***

Ariel leapt off of the bed, staring at Brayden in horror. “Why did you tell me that!” she cried. “Why! Do
I
have to go through the test? What kind of monster would — oh, I can’t believe...”

Brayden rushed to her, grasping her arms. He’d done this all wrong. “Ariel, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to frighten you. I was trying to prepare you.”

She stared at him, eyes wide. “What’s going to happen to me? Is someone going to come after me?”

He looked at her with concern. “There are those who would want to turn you. The test determines if you’re inherently a good High Witch, or not. If you are turned, nothing can bring you back. And you’ll be entwined to the one that turns you for the rest of your life. But that’s why I told you, Ariel. I want you to be safe. You have to learn to protect yourself — protect yourself in case you meet someone who wants to do this to you.”

She looked at him with sorrow. “How do you know all this?”

Brayden shut his eyes. He’d heard the story so many times, told to him in that way, that he forgot how horrifying it would be to someone else. He’d really ruined everything.

“I’ve heard this story all my life. It’s been passed down, in my family.”

Ariel looked at him sadly. “I don’t know what to do.”

He bit his lip, his hands still on her arms. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. You’ve been safe this long — maybe you’ll never come across someone who’ll try to turn you. But you need to be prepared if you do. If you keep this secret hidden...” He frowned. “Ariel, how could no one have told you all this before? What about your family?”

She looked down. He put his hands on either side of her face, so she was looking at him. He gazed at her closely, wanting to take away all of her pain. He’d just told her something that would change her life forever. He brushed her cheek with his thumb.

“You can tell me anything.”

She took a deep breath. He looked into her eyes, wondering if her heart was beating as fast as his. He wondered if she was feeling the whirl of emotions that he was feeling. He felt nervous, and excited, and so much at once. He should be thinking about their problem. He shouldn’t be thinking about her sensual mouth. But he couldn’t help it.

Very slowly, he brought his mouth to hers, gently brushing her lips. She made a little sigh. He kissed her more deeply, moving his hands down so they were around her waist. She put her arms around his neck, and he parted her lips with his tongue. She sighed again, beginning to move her mouth against his passionately, her tongue entwined with his. A shiver went through him as he tasted her.
It was definitely her.
The girl from his dreams. He pressed her up close against him, and she moaned. The kiss intensified. He clutched her to him.

He kept kissing her, his breathing becoming ragged, his heart racing. She gasped, clutching his shirt, and he ran one of his hands up her back. She moaned once more, and he didn’t know how much more he could take. He finally broke the kiss, but she kissed him again, once, twice, her lips sensually touching his. He gazed at her, completely breathless. She looked at him, her face flushed, her lips so red. He shut his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I...I shouldn’t have...”

But he wasn’t really sorry. He looked into her eyes. She smiled at him. He smiled back, relieved. He knew he had to go.

“I can’t stay now,” he said. “I’ll come back tomorrow. We’ll talk more then.”

She nodded. He reluctantly stepped back from her, and walked from the room. He shut the door behind him, then walked up the stairs. He sat on his bed, consumed with thoughts of her. He could still taste her.

Chapter 4

“Hurry up with that. Three guests are leaving today. Don’t dawdle.”

Brayden nodded as he swept the kitchen. Alistair left the room, grumbling to himself. Brayden barely noticed. His mind was full of questions about Ariel.

He wondered about her past. How she’d grown up. Who raised her. Who she was running from.

He wondered who knew about her powers.
Someone
must. Not many people knew what a High Witch was, a fact which had probably kept her safe — but it was obvious she had strong powers. Surely someone would have figured it out. His curiosity about her burned inside of him. He wanted to know everything.

He was eager to visit Ariel, but he was busy all day. She wasn’t coming to the dining room to eat, he assumed because she was embarrassed in front of the other guests. He dealt with the people who were leaving, helped the maid sort out their rooms, and served the meals. After dinner he set up a tray of food to bring Ariel, before someone else could. He didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see her.

Brayden nervously knocked on her door, waiting quietly. He heard Ariel inside, then she opened the door. She smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling, free of her glasses. He smiled back.

She stepped aside so he could go in, and he rested the tray on the desk. Several candles were lit around the room. She shut the door and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at her, suddenly nervous again.

He sat on the chair at the desk. His heart was beating loudly. She’d shut the door, so she must want him to stay for a while. The thought filled him with butterflies.

“Thank you for talking with me yesterday,” she said. “No one has ever really spoken to me about my magic before.”

He thought that was very strange. He was about to ask her about it, when she stopped him.

“I want to know more about High Witches,” she said. “And I want to know how you know.”

He frowned. “My family...”

“But how do
they
know. I don’t get the impression that a High Witch is common knowledge.”

Damn, she was smart.
He sighed. He had to tell her. She’d find out eventually. “Lenora, the woman I told you about in the story,” he began. “I’m — she’s...”
Dammit
. “My family is connected to her. I’m...her descendant. She’s my great-great-great-grandmother.”

He looked at his hands. Here it comes.

“You’re related to Julius?”

He took in his breath. “Yes. Distantly. Distantly, Ariel.”

Brayden stared at her, not wanting her to despise him. He wasn’t bad just because he was related to a devil. To his surprise she walked forward and kissed him gently. He felt so relieved. She suddenly gasped.

“Are all High Witches...related to each other?”

He grinned. “No, no. Trust me. We’re safe.”

She sighed with relief, then blushed. He laughed, standing up and putting his arms around her. She nestled close to him.

“What happened to them? Lenora and Julius.”

He shut his eyes, a chill running through him. “I’d rather not talk about that now,” he said. “That’s a very long story.” She stiffened slightly in his arms. He kissed her hair gently.

“I’d like to know about you. Only tell me what you feel comfortable with, but I want to know about your life. It would help me, to help you.”

She was silent for a moment. He sensed she was nervous. “There’s not much to tell,” she said. “My parents died when I was very young, and I was raised by my uncle. He’s a warlock, but doesn’t use his magic very much. He encouraged me to use my magic growing up, but when he saw how much trouble I had controlling it, he told me it would be better if I kept it hidden. He didn’t want to deal with the — repercussions. It bothered him.”

Brayden frowned.
Bothered him.
He decided he didn’t like this man.

“Your uncle — is that who you — left?”

“Yes,” Ariel said, “but it had nothing to do with magic. My uncle wanted me to get married to someone I’d never met. He said a man had asked to marry me, and he’d promised me to him. I wasn’t allowed to stay with my uncle anymore, and I wasn’t about to marry a complete stranger, so I fled. I don’t have a lot of money. Beyond about a month, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Brayden disliked her uncle even more. “We’ll sort something out,” he said. “You’ll be alright.”

She nodded, but he knew she wasn’t reassured. He stroked her hair.

“Do you want to sit down?” he asked. She nodded again. They walked to the bed and sat beside each other. He took her hand.

“We need to talk about training you. You have so much power, but it’s lying dormant inside of you. You need to be able to bring it out, but also be able to control it. I’ll help you as much as I can. The most important thing is to learn to protect yourself against anyone who tries to trap you.”

Ariel looked at him sadly for a moment, then put her arms around his neck, hugging him. Brayden was a little taken aback, then he held her. He loved the feeling of her softness against him. He felt her breath on his neck, and he trembled.

“I’m frightened,” she whispered. He stroked her back.

“It’s alright. Remember, you can do practically anything. You just need to be told how.”

She laughed softly. “Can you handle it?” she asked him. “I mean, if I really let go.”

He was quiet, imagining her using her full strength. He knew it would be astonishing. He wondered if he
could
handle training her.

“I’ll be there for you,” he said. She moved her head to face him, gazing into his eyes. She moistened her lips, and he felt his heartbeat quicken. He moved his mouth close to hers, then kissed her, softly at first, gently moving his lips against hers. She responded to him, sighing, curling her fingers in his hair. He held her tightly, increasing the intensity of the kiss, moving his tongue in her mouth. He inhaled her scent, breathed her in, tasted her. He desperately wanted her, and before he knew it they fell back on the bed. He told himself he should stop — she could become pregnant, it was too soon. But she moaned, and he could barely breathe.

He kissed her neck, then moved his lips lower. She kept sighing, her hands still in his hair. He made himself stop, lifted himself to look in her eyes. He was trembling.

“Are you sure?” he asked. She leaned up and kissed him. He didn’t hold back anymore.

***

Brayden awoke very early in the morning, lying on his back in Ariel’s bed. She was snuggled against him, her head against his chest, her arm across him. Her hair was flowing down her back. He let out a deep breath, feeling more content than he ever had before. He stroked her arm, and she murmured sleepily, moving her hand over his chest. He felt her wake up, move her head to look at him. He turned on his side, still holding her.

“Good morning,” he said, smiling. She smiled back shyly, touching his face. She nestled against him, her face in his neck. He held her closely, loving the feel of her skin against his. He ran his hand over her shoulder.

“Are you feeling alright?” he asked her. He was worried she would regret it. Worried she would be upset they rushed into things. It was her first time. He hoped she wasn’t in any pain.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly. She kissed his neck. He sighed with relief

“I didn’t tell you much last night, did I?” he said. “We became — distracted.”

She giggled. “There’s time,” she said. “There’s time.”

They lay there in silence, holding each other. It was early enough that he could stay for a while, before having to go to work. He wanted to absorb every moment.

“I’m so glad I met you,” she said softly. “Glad I didn’t marry that horrible man.”

He smiled. He was glad she didn’t marry him, too. The thought of her with someone else made him sick.

“You know what?” Ariel said. “I remembered something strange last night — a weird coincidence.”

He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “What?”

“The man my uncle wanted me to marry. His name was Julius, too. Isn’t that funny? It’s not a very common name.”

Brayden felt himself overcome with rage.
No, it wasn’t funny!
His blood began to boil. He hurriedly got out of bed, and began to put on his clothes.

“Ariel, get dressed. Now.”

She sat up, frowning at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Now, Ariel!
We have no time. We have
no
time. He’s just playing with you — he knows you’re here, he knows
I’m
here, he knows...
he’s doing it all on purpose!”

He stood there, shaking, so angry he had to stop himself from screaming. Ariel sat very still, looking at him. He tried to calm down.

“We need to get moving. We leave here, today.”

She remained on the bed. “It’s the same Julius, isn’t it?”

He shut his eyes tightly.
Damn him.

“Yes, Ariel. It’s the same one.”