Sing Me to Sleep

Chapter 4: Lullabye

Boscha Stryder was a tenacious, conniving witch. She led the Banshees to victory after victory as team captain, never afraid to go all in when needed. Her skill for brewing concoctions and memorizing alchemical formulas placed her top of the Potions track. She was a force to be reckoned with, whether it came to magic potential or serving burns left and right.

Boscha was also brutally honest, never failing to get her point across when it came to telling others exactly what she thought of them. She never failed to stand her ground, even when confronted with harrowing obstacles in her way.

So what did she do when Skara, who she'd known since they were in nappies, the girl who needed to be carried home after twisting her ankle chasing down a bard beetle, her best friend (her only true friend), the witch who gave and gave and gave but never asked for anything in return, the bard who sung her to sleep when she had nightmares stared at her, waiting for an answer?

Quite predictably, Boscha panicked.

"Oh. Wow." She looked anywhere but at Skara, her face quickly turning from soft pink to violent red. "Look at the time. My moms want me home. Bye!"

It was 9:00AM. School would not end for several more hours.

"Boscha, wait!" Skara called out, arm outstretched as her friend took off down the hallway.

"Well that was a disaster," Willow observed.

Luz and Amity's conversation had been put on a hold by Skara's appearance. After exchanging a glance with each other, Luz called out to the bard.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" she asked.

Skara's head swiveled towards Luz, still reeling from her friend's departure. She had never seen Boscha look so shaken, not since Long Necks 2: In the Trees .

"I- I can't."

Luz frowned.

"Why not?"

Skara looked to where Boscha had run off to, an unreadable expression on her face.

"I have to turn in my midterm first."

With that, the bard set off down the hallway. She passed the pile of ashes - the only thing that remained of the love letters - without sparing a single glance. Once she disappeared into one of the classrooms, Luz turned back to Amity with a sheepish smile.

"Well I better get to class now. The oracle classrooms are at the other side of the school, so-" Luz turned to leave, but Amity reached out and clamped a hand down hard on her shoulder. She wore a manic smile, her left eye wouldn't stop twitching, and Luz had never felt more terrified in all her life.

"You're not going anywhere." Amity's grip tightened. "We're talking right now."

Amity dragged Luz down the hallway, and Willow waved goodbye to them as they rounded the corner, cheerfully ignoring Luz's cries for help. Once they were gone, Willow let out a sigh.

"Classes haven't even started yet, and it's already been quite the eventful day." She looked to her left and rolled her eyes, green energy shimmering through her lenses. "Right, Gus?"

Vines erupted out of the ground and collided into an invisible figure who let out a startled yelp. The illusion shattered as vines climbed up Gus' arms and legs, effectively holding him in place. He squeaked in fear as Willow leveled him with a glare.

"I- I surrender!" His breaths came out in ragged gasps as Willow approached him slowly, as if she had all the time in the world. "I'm so sorry Willow! I would have never helped Luz if I knew I'd be caught!"