Changeling Witch

Feathers and Mud

Hunter's heart nearly stopped.

He's here.

He's not supposed to be---he's supposed to never leave his castle---he shouldn't---no---

"Ah, Lilith," Belos sighed, snapping his fingers. "You chose the wrong side."

The tendrils that contained Lilith and King rose out of Hunter's view, and with a deep feeling of dread, he realized exactly where they were headed.

Hunter started to the platform, the stakes raised even higher, but two clawlike things shot out from the ground and brought him to his knees.

"Up-up-up!" Belos raised a finger. "I'd actually like to have a word with you, boy. Forgive me---Hunter."

...............

The Coven scouts threw Lilith and King into the cage, sending a shocked murmur through the crowd.

Lilith lifted her head, staring into her sister's eyes---eyes that were filled with pure fury. "Hello, Edalyn."

"You hurt Hunter," Eda growled, her claws digging into the metal of the bottom of the cage. "You cursed me. Before anything---anything---turns me to stone, I'll tear you apart!" She raised one of her talons into the air.

"No, don't!" King shouted, throwing himself between them.

Eda stopped. "King? King, what are you---"

"She was trying to help," he told her. "She even betrayed the Emperor for you."

Her face filled with shock. "What?"

"If I knew something like this would happen, Edalyn, I---" Lilith started.

A rumbling sound started as the statue's eyes started to glow an eerie green.

Down in the crowd, Willow shook Gus. "We gotta do something!"

"And in a shocking turn of events, head coven leader Lilith appears to be in the holding cage!" Perry announced. "And she's escorted by what appears to be a deranged cat---"

Gus ran over and tugged at his sleeve.

He looked down. "Augustus? I'm live!"

"Dad, you have to stop!" Gus cried.

Willow grabbed the microphone from Perry's hands and faced the camera. "Yeah, what's happening to Eda isn't right," she said into it. "She might not always follow the rules, but she hasn't done anything worthy of a petrification!"

Sounds of agreement rippled through the spectators, a few even calling out good things that Eda did for them.

Willow raised her fist into the air. "The Emperor should let Eda go."

"Let Eda go!" Gus started to chant. "Let Eda go!"

The crowd soon began to repeat the chant, shouting at top volume.

"Let Eda go!"

"Let Eda go!"

"Let Eda go!"

...................

Down in the dungeon, Hunter summoned all the courage he could muster.

It didn't matter right now that Belos scared him so much. It didn't matter right now that the way he said his name made his blood run ice cold.

What mattered was that this man had his mentor. He had one of his best friends. And Lilith might not have been the greatest, but she was risking her life to make sure he succeeded.