The Sea Witch's Revenge (ON HOLD)

Chapter Twenty

The captain doesn't let go of Victoria and for once, she doesn't protest. As they walk back through the crowds of confused and angry pirates, Victoria stares ahead in a shocked daze.

Kill the Sea Witch?

It's impossible, right?

Once back on the ship, Vicotria paces across the deck, ignoring everyone as they get to work on setting sail.

She bites at her nails nervously and her stomach churns.

The thought of fighting the Sea Witch terrifies her. Hot tears sting in her eyes and her lips quiver. She takes in a shallow, shaking breath as images of those wicked little creatures swarming around her father, ripping him to shreds, fill her mind once more.

"Vici?" Thessaly asks.

Victoria ignores her, her stomach twisting and her heart thundering in her chest from a strange panic.

Those creatures are just the beginning of The Sea Witch's power and they chased her kind from their home with ease. They killed her mother, the queen of the mermaids who had magical screams and the ability to control water. Even with all those gifts, that still wasn't enough to protect her from those monsters and Victoria knows the Sea Witch can do much worse than them.

She continues to pace, struggling to come to terms with the fact that they are about to embark on a mission to kill the very woman who is responsible for the torture and enslavement of her sisters.

This is only going to lead her closer to Severed Fell. As soon as it becomes clear what they're doing, the Order will hunt them down. Elijah will hunt her down.

Victoria's breathing begins to increase and she balls her hands into such tight fists, that her nails dig into her skin.

This is impossible. This mission is going to get her killed, or worse.

But what choice does she have?

Victoria stops and leans on the rails, looking out at the ocean ahead. Her mother is dead and has been for the last century.

She is the Varain queen. If there is a chance she can help her people return home, she has to take it. No matter how impossible that task may be.

Victoria turns around and walks over to Thessaly, who is ordering the others around as they leave the cove.

"How long is the journey to the Frozen Witch?" she asks.

"Three months at least," Thessaly replies. 

"Where does she reside?" Victoria asks.

"In the Shattered Arctic," she answers.

Victoria nods her head, suspecting that was the case. "Okay," she whispers and moves away from Thessaly.

"Vici, are you okay?" Thessaly calls out after her.

"Yes," Victoria says and opens the doors to the captain's cabin.

He is sitting at his desk, as usual. On it are various maps which he looks over intensely as he plans the route they're going to take.

"What do you want?" he asks, not looking up at her.

Victoria walks over to the desk and looks down at the parchment maps. For a few seconds, she is silent as she watches him work.

"Victoria?" he asks, again, his voice exasperated. "What do you want? I'm trying to work."

She sighs and leans on the desk, staring ahead as she tries to think of the words.

"We're really doing this?" she finally asks, her voice small. He pauses and leans back in his chair. His jaw clenches and he nods his head.