The Wish Rewrite with the Cat

Chapter 8

Amaya

The door banged open.

A looming creature stood in the doorway. Three horns jutted back from its forehead, rising above its sharp white hair, and two claws of green light coiled from its back. Its eyes glowed yellow-green, as did the veins running down its swelling chest to its muscular arms.

I skidded back. What was this creature? Those claws, those horns...this was some sort of demon. First Magnifico had brought down a being of the heavens, now he had dragged up a being of the Underworld?

"Amaya, darling!" The demon spoke in a familiar voice.

It was Magnifico. I gasped. "Mi rey, what happened to you?" This sort of transformation took great sorcery. Why would Magnifico do this to himself? Who could have done it to him?

"I found the star. Now its power is mine. Splendid, isn't it?"

It hit me. "You violated your contract with Belial, didn't you?" They must have seen an attack on one of their stars as an attack on themself.

"It seems I did. But I believe it's worth it."

"What a horrible curse. Please, let me help you," I touched his cheek. Perhaps a kiss would turn him back.

Magnifico tore himself from me. "I don't need your help."

"Where's Charo?" I told Magnifico to bring him to me once he found the star.

"I left him with that traitorous girl."

"You left him?" My hands clawed, too. "You promised to bring him straight to my arms!" It would have been so simple and thoughtful to bring him back to me! If Charo were injured or had fleas, I'd never leave Magnifico alone with him again.

"No, no," Magnifico waved one of his light claws. "I'm sure he'll come in soon to report that Asha's heading for the dungeon or has hanged herself on a rafter. She's too stubborn to apologize."

His words stung me. Hanged herself...he'd destroyed her wish. He promised to be merciful! And why would he think she'd go to the dungeon? "Did Simon tell her about her friends?" A thought pricked me. "Did you imprison Tomas? My father?" I gripped my hair. Oh no. "You've devoured all their wishes, haven't you?"

"I had to teach that girl a lesson. She stole my star to destroy everything I've built."

Pulling down her star to teach her to respect him was one thing. But eating my brother's and father's wishes was another. How could he just destroy everything to punish Asha? She was my niece. If Magnifico hurt the ones she loved, he hurt the ones I loved. "Asha only wanted my father's wish to come true."

He aimed his pointed staff at my throat. "Do you side with the traitor, Amaya?"

My knees locked. "No, no. You know I would never side with a traitor of Rosas. I have believed in you from the moment we met. No one is more important than you."

"Wonderful," he lowered his staff. "Amaya darling, I may have been a bit harsh. But remember that being my queen is your one true wish."

I needed to find Charo. I needed to see if Asha was all right and what she was planning to do. I...I needed to apologize for what Magnifico had done to her. Why had I helped him rip her star from the sky? I'd been so blinded by my devotion to him. "Mi rey, allow me to ride to the hamlet. I can find the traitor for you."

"All right. Use the closed carriage; a nasty storm's out there."

Not only did he abandon my cat, but he abandoned him in the rain? After I broke his demonic curse, I would give him such a tongue-lashing!

Simon halted the carriage in front of the old cottage.

Its painted door and thatched roof still looked like home.

I threw the carriage door open.

The cottage was empty.

A length of straight rope lay on the floor.

I gathered it up. If Magnifico was going to destroy more wishes, this couldn't be left lying around.

Asha wasn't here.

But three sets of footprints led out from the front door. One was an average set of human shoes, the second was small cloven hooves, and the third was cat paws.

Charo had gone with Asha and Valentino.

I could return to the castle and wait for him. I could follow the tracks with Simon to find him myself. Another idea stirred. If I told Simon to follow the tracks, we'd chase Asha away. I needed to know the truth from her; I couldn't trust Magnifico in his current state.

"Simon, take me back to the castle."

"As you wish, Your Majesty. Which room should I escort you to?"

"Leave me outside the entrance. I'm going to find Charo and Asha myself."

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