Chapter 20: Spruce

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I knew the second that Colt had saved Kaliska, that something wasn't right. It was troubling me, as I sat on a bench in the gardens. Huffing in frustration, I rested my head in my hands, and looked up at the sky, as if it would give me the answer.

"Hi, Spruce." I heard a female voice, and I looked up to see Harmony walking toward me, "what's wrong?" She instantly noticed my fear, as she sat beside me.

"Well, we found Kaliska. But something isn't right about her. I know Cassidy did tests on her, but I think it's more than what we think it is." I explained, and Harmony's expression went serious, as she began to think.

"Why do you think she isn't herself?" Harmony asked,

"I'm not sure, she just doesn't seem the same. I mean, maybe she's just exhausted, but I don't think that's all there is to it."

"Why don't we go visit her, then?" The black haired girl suggested to me, rising to her feet.

"Now, what's up with you?" I asked Harmony, as we walked to where Kaliska was being looked after. The girl instantly started blushing, and she looked away,

"No-nothing. There's nothing wrong with me!" She growled, her blush growing even more. I laughed, and rolled my eyes,

"If that doesn't make it obvious enough."

"Shut up!" The girl hit me on the arm, and snarled. I laughed even more, and she glared, "quit laughing at me."

"Would you tell me what's wrong then?"

"No." She shook her head, and started walking ahead of me. I followed the girl, silently chuckling. However, my mood instantly changed when I saw Colt sitting beside Kaliska.

"How is she doing?" I asked Colt, and stood beside him, looking at the girl's face. Her eyes were closed, and her blonde hair was sprawled around her. She looked weak and tired.

"She hasn't woken since I found her." Colt breathed, and clutched the girl's hand in his own. I stared at her features, and my eyes caught sight of something on her neck. Colt looked at me with confusion, as my hand reached toward her neck, and brushed the hair away from it.

"Hey, don't touch her-" My brother stopped when he noticed the strange marking on Kaliska's neck.

"Have you ever noticed this?" I asked him,

"I've never seen that before." He shook his head, and his hand rested on the girl's neck, as he examined it closer. "it seems to be some kind of witchcraft symbol." I shuddered at his response, and sighed,

"I bet Cassidy did this." Harmony said from behind us,

"It's entirely possible." Colt nodded, and ran his hand along the symbol. It suddenly lit up a blood red colour, and the two of us jumped back.

"Holy crap." I took a second to catch my breath, and Colt looked fearful.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, and noticed Harmony looked the same. My gaze travelled back toward Kaliska, and I noticed she was sitting up, staring at us.

"Kaliska?" Colt slowly approached the girl, but I grabbed his wrist,

"Don't." I hissed a warning. The Kaliska who was looking at us seem like the kind Kaliska we knew. She cocked her head, and her eyes flashed red for a second. I swear she looked like some kind of possessed doll.

"What's happened to her?" Harmony asked, shaking.

"I don't know." I breathed,

"Cassidy did this." Colt snarled, clenching his fists and baring his teeth with an anger i'd never seen. Kaliska looked at us, and blinked her eyes for a second. Before I could react, the girl flung off the table, and threw herself at Colt. Harmony and I bolted toward the girl, and tried to pull her off Colt, as she transformed into a large black leopard, and scratched at his body. Harmony transformed into her black panther form, and she threw Kaliska off my brother, tackling her. As the two fought, I ran to Colt and helped him to his feet.

His eyes were filled with shock, and horror, as he stared at the girl. "That isn't Kaliska." He growled, "even her leopard form isn't the same."

"We need to get her chained up." I growled, and the three of us managed to get Kaliska back into her human form. The blonde haired girl instantly fell unconcious when she turned back, and the three of us carried her out to the prison. My father looked at us with confusion, and he jogged after us,

"Why is Kaliska going to the prison?" He asked,

"Something is wrong with her, she tried to hurt Colt." I explained,

"Yeah." my brother nodded, and my father helped us chain the unconscious girl up. I could tell Colt looked sad about having to do this, so I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder,

"We'll figure out a way to bring her old self back, I promise." Colt gently nodded, and left the prison, heading up to his room. Harmony, my father and I took one last glance at Kaliska, before we left. My father waved to us, and headed off, saying he was going to go talk to Colt.

"Are you hurt?" I asked Harmony, as we walked outside,

"No, just got a little scratch." She showed me the small cut on her arm, and I nodded, and led her toward the fountains. We sat down, and I looked at the girl,

"So, are you going to tell me what was troubling you know?" I asked the girl, concerned.

"You really want to know?" Harmony sighed, obviously a bit frustrated,

"Yes." I nodded,

"I've just been having horrible nightmares lately, and most of them have involved Cassidy."

"What happens in them?"

"Well, there was one when you, Kaliska and Colt were all dead, lying in your own pools of blood. Cassidy then appeared, and killed me." She explained, and I rested a hand on the girl's back, and pulled her in for a side hug. Harmony gladly accepted the hug, but when we pulled away, I noticed something different in her eyes.

The girl's aqua blue eyes met with mine, she her hands grasped my face, and pulled me close. My eyes went wide, as the girl pressed her lips onto mine. She let go of me, blushing heavily,

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have done that." the girl said, her voice dying down to a whisper.

I growled in response, and grabbed the girl, pushing her lips back against mine. Harmony squeaked at first, but then relaxed in my grasp.

"Prince Spruce?" A voice suddenly interrupted us, and Harmony and I let go of eachother.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked, and noticed Harmony was blushing heavily, and trying to hide her face from the knight who stood in front of us. However, the knight didn't even seem to be paying attention to her,

"Cassidy snuck into the castle, and managed to escape with Kaliska." He explained, and I rose to my feet, and looked at Harmony,

"Stay here." I said to the girl, and darted off to my room. I instantly slipped one of my swords into my belt, along with a couple daggers, and then darted out of the castle, grabbing my horse, and taking off through the forest.

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