Witches Don't Burn, Silly

Do You Smell Your Lover?

The capital loomed in front of us. The palace sent shivers coursing through my whole body even as I slipped my ring to disguise myself onto my finger.

Seth and I hopped off of Hazel before carefully tying her to a tree. I kissed her nose and fed her an apple. "We will be back soon, Hazel." I whispered.

I took a deep breath as I turned from my mare. I glanced at Seth, missing his real appearance as I stared at the disguise he now wore. Still, I grabbed a hold of his hand and relished at the sight and feel of the pulsing golden thread between us.

"Ready?" I nodded as we walked the rest of the way into the city. I immediately felt overwhelmed. There were so many people and so many scents and carts and I didn't know where to walk and what to look at first.

The people here were all finely dressed as they moved around in a rush. The carriages in the street rushed down the cobblestone roads and people ran in order to stay out of the way. I felt like my head was spinning as I tried to take in all the different stalls that were pushed to the edge of the sides of the roads.

The stalls sold so many different things. I spotted one with hundreds of different colored fabrics that would be so fun to turn into skirts. Another cart held patterned fabrics that I wish I could turn into an elegant corset.

So many carts sold different foods and drinks I had never even seen or smelled before. My mind was carried away by the delicious smelling meals even though I wasn't even close to being hungry.

The women had their hair so perfectly done it made me feel somewhat insecure about the simple braids I will often pull my hair into if I even bother trying to style it. These women were nothing like the women back at home. Their skirts are finely pressed and there isn't a speck of dust anywhere on their persons.

My eyes were wide as I took in the variety of different styles of dress and hair. It was all almost too much for me to take in. Yet, at the same time, I drank in every detail greedily as if I might never see something so different ever again.

I pulled my eyes away from the crowd and looked up at the glistening white walls that towered up ahead. My stomach clenched in a strange way.

Tobias hadn't been wrong, however, it did look like there was a guard on every inch of the wall. Their blank stares made me wonder if they were actually awake or just staring off into space, waiting for their shifts to be over.

Seth pulled me out of the crowd and into an area covered by trees right off the sides of the wall. We pulled off our rings and stared at each other for a moment. He pulled me into his arms and held me for a while in a deep hug. I could hear him inhale my scent.

"Seth, what are you doing?" I whispered as he pulled away and looked over my face.

"I'm memorizing every detail of you." He whispered and I could see the fear dancing in his eyes, tormenting him as he started to step away. I pulled him back and decided to breathe in his scent. He buried his hands in my hair.

"We are going to make it out of this." I whispered to him. "Even if we have to fight his entire army, we are going to make it out of this place with Tobias's family and make it back to our home where we can drink tea and take care of the kids."

"And open your bakery." I was a little surprised when he brought that up but it made me smile anyway. "We can teach the kids how to bake and make herbs and then the witches will have a place where they can purchase things within the safety of the town we are making."

"Soon, I hope to have schools and places for them to work and make a living." I whispered, wanting to get my hopes out into the open as fear pounded in my chest.

"Of course you do." He chuckled. "We will do all of that and we will do it together." I nodded as he pulled away, drinking in the features of my face with his golden eyes. "Let's go in there and stop a cruel king."

"Together." I added as he grabbed my hand.