Cand Chronicles

3: Witches

3: Witches

My breath caught in my throat as we finally got to the top, but a ways down the other side were four Witches. Each of their red eyes were trained on my sister and me. My throat constricted at the sight of them, and dismay made tears swell up in my eyes. We were surely dead.

I stumbled back the way we came, but knew that with Seraph in one of her tired moods, we would never escape them. I hitched up my skirts and grasped Seraph's hand anyways, trying to run but didn't make it even two steps before the women surrounded us.

"You're a brave one for entering our territory, Human."

"Brave or stupid," another scoffed.

"No, it seems like she is protecting her...child?"

The chittered amongst themselves, but I just felt the black aura of the Witches surrounding us and shivered. My sister hid herself the best she could with my skirts as I dropped them from my hand.

They all had the same features—the rumored red eyes and black hair. What people didn't mention was their unnaturally white skin, and long, cruel looking nails. And their beauty was blinding. Even with the unnaturalness, they were all so beautiful and womanly. I turned towards Seraph and saw their varying ages. One was a teen, while the oldest that was around me was definitely a woman. Nobody was older, though. Or younger.

"That's not her child, dimwit! Just smell her. She's a virgin."

I winced at the sharp voice, and then four noses simultaneously sniffed the air. My body shrunk into myself, but I tried to be bold and withstand their...sniffing.

"Don't kill us!" I cried out. "Please. We have nowhere else to go." I showed them the brand on my hand, redder every moment I unwrapped it. And grosser.

The Witches went silent, their eyes taking in the brand. I didn't know if they knew what it meant, but I explained it to them anyways. "With this brand, my sister and I cannot live anywhere. My older sister left us for a mate she felt she had. Because of her, we were driven out. Please—even our home is gone. My little sister will die of infection if I don't find help soon. Please either let us go or help us."

Or at least help Seraph I didn't add. We needed to stay together, but if I was faced with a choice, I would leave her with this coven and when I got better of the infection, I would know where she was and I could get to her again. We'd be separated but only for a little while, assuming I survived.

The Witches looked at the bandage on Seraph's neck and one hissed, "They did that to a child?"

"As one of our sisters, it is a shame to turn them away," a fifth voice sounded behind the ring of Witches.

Every Witch instantly dropped to their knees. I gawked, not knowing if I should follow suit or not. But the woman standing had a silver circlet around her head, which signified a coven leader. Only the strongest Witch of a coven was granted the right to be a leader.

"You and I are not sisters," I stammered out.

The girl only raised an eyebrow, "Are you a woman?"

Confused, I nodded.

"Then you are a sister. While you are not of our kind, you are of our sex. Men have branded you and your sibling. Come, and we will see if you survive."

"Leader Sola-!" A witch gasped, lifting her head up from the leaf-covered ground.

I frowned as the others stood up again. So easily the aide came. My eyebrows furrowed, "What is the catch of help?"

The girl wearing the circlet—Sola— didn't even turn around. "I don't know yet. If you survive, I might have you go through initiation for restitution, or I might kill you and keep your sibling. My mind isn't made up."