Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Sweet Dreams Are Made of...

HEIDI

Mrs. Embers returned with a pack of sanitary pads— amongst other things. She pulled it out of the paper bag the moment she entered the cabin, green eyes wide with excitement like she had scored a pair of limited edition Louboutin or something.

Yes. I was speechless yet amused.

"Thank you," I felt the heat in my face. "But it's a false alarm."

"Well, it's good to have them ready either way," she said and put the groceries away. "So you needn't worry about it when it comes."

Ada tucked her head into my neck, fast asleep. She was extra clingy after the little event that morning. I paced the kitchen—because she hated it when I didn't—and her arm dangled loosely past my shoulder. She was a growing girl and not getting any lighter.

"Why is she not in her bed?" Mrs. Embers asked.

I took three steps to the refrigerator and turned back to the fireplace. "She wouldn't nap if I wasn't in the room with her."

The good woman eyed me for a second like she instantly felt something was off. I thought I caught a glimpse of Tristan's look that he would give whenever I wasn't telling everything.

"What happened?" She shifted her weight on one foot, hands on her hips.

I flickered my gaze to the window right above the sink involuntarily. "It's nothing. Ada just had a nightmare this morning."

"Heidi?" Her voice was stern. I could not win this.

"I think there is something lurking in the woods."

Mrs. Embers stood by the window and scanned the white forest. "What did you see?"

"I didn't see anything but Ada did. I think whatever it was, only revealed itself to her."

She turned to me with concern on her face. "Do you have some kind of protection spell?"

"Tristan carved a rune so it can't get to us."

She neared me and rubbed the curve on Ada's back. "Then we'll be fine. I'll draw all the curtains for the time being."

Mrs. Embers went off while I sat in front of the fireplace. I rocked Ada back and forth as gently as I could but my mind was not at ease. Tristan won't be back till...whenever. Looks like I had to solve this one myself.

"I'll stay in the room with her," Mrs. Embers stretched out her arms.

I transferred Ada to her and leaned back against the sofa. She brought Ada back into her bedroom. I did not realise how spent I was and decided to shut my eyes for a quick nap before dinner time, which was in about fifteen minutes.

* * *

I heard Ada scream first before I was jolted awake. I got up and raced to her bedroom door which was ajar. The house was dark and the fireplace was unlit.

"Ada! I'm here! Mummy's—"

I shoved the door open and it swung wide. The room was obscure but it didn't look like Ada's. Mrs. Embers was not in sight and neither was my daughter. There was, however, a queen-sized bed with Mrs Tabitha in it. Her limbs were twisted in the white quilt. Her wide eyes stared back soullessly like she was expecting me. There was a deep slit across her neck and one of her arms dangled off the side of the bed while her sheets were soaked in red.

"This is...all your...fault!" She whispered harshly.

There was a kitchen knife in my hand and I dropped it. I whirled on my heels and sped off only for her to silence my scream with one hand and a knife to my throat with the other. Her hair was wild and her eyes full and black. Without skipping a beat, she pierced the skin on my throat and sliced me open. I felt the blood gush out—