WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 49

Julia

She walked through an endless labyrinth full of carnivorous plants. Will-o'-the-wisps tried to lure them into dark corridors. Someone laughed loudly, but she couldn't see the person. It was foggy. Julia walked barefoot across a floor of pricking straw. Her feet left bloody marks.

She tried to find the exit, but she only ran from one dead end to the next until she collapsed exhausted. She sat exhausted in the straw and ruffled her hair. Julia wanted to get out of there. She wanted to be somewhere else. She wanted to go to the harpies. And into the fairy forest!

I don't want to be here! I still must go to the fairy forest too! "I want to get out of here!", she shouted into the darkness.

Then, suddenly, the ground beneath her gave way. Screaming, she fell down into dark water. Julia couldn't breathe. She didn't know where she was. Where was the surface? In a panic, she struggled with her arms and legs. She needed air! Right away.

Someone swam towards her. In her fear, she reached out to the figure. The person took her pleading hands in theirs. She clung to the stranger, who now took her with them. She saw nothing but sparkling, fair skin and shimmering blue. Together they reached the surface. Julia coughed and gasped for air. Her rescuer brought her to the shore. Coughing, she looked around.

Julia was in the fairy forest and next to her sat a siren. A handsome boy with pale skin and light hair with blue strands. He was between fifteen and seventeen years old and smiled kindly at her. Pearls adorned his hair and body. A few birds sang in the tall, unusual trees.

"Thank you", Julia murmured, exhausted and confused. "Why am I in the fairy forest?"

"Fairy forest? That's what you people call our green? How mean. It's not just fairies who live here." The boy grinned. "I don't know how you got here. But you don't seem to be quite here!" He pointed to Julia's hands. Confused, she found that they were transparent.

"What? How can that be?"

"I don't know. But you needed help, so... I could have eaten you, or watched if you would drown or not, but Charlie would be unhappy if I ate a human."

"Um... How nice of you? Who is Charlie?" Confused, she stared at the boy. Why am I transparent... Why am I here? Am I dreaming?

The siren grinned broadly. "Charlie is my boyfriend. He lives in a small house on the shore. Together with his brother. He's also a human being. You're human, aren't you? Usually, humans are not transparent... Has someone bewitched you? You're certainly not a nymph or a sylph!"

"I'm human, yes. A witch... Bewitched? Do you think this is magic?" Had she used magic in her sleep? Or was it just a dream? Strange.

"You're a witch? Charlie said witches bring bad luck!" Now her rescuer snorted. "Are you dangerous?"

"What? No! Bad luck? No", Julia replied, startled. The siren nodded in relief. "What's your name? I'm Julia. And actually, I'm in the desert right now... Am I dreaming?", she asked now.

"Nanno. And you don't dream. You are awake. But transparent! Is that magic?"

Julia nodded. "If I'm not dreaming, then this is magic, yes... But how do I get back... And... Nanno?"

"Yes?"

"Is there anyone here who knows magic?", she asked. "I have to go back. I'm on my way to the harpies."

"Harpies?" Nanno frowned. "Why?"

"It's a long story."

"Why?", the siren asked again. "Why does a human want to go to the harpies?"