The Witch's Love ( Book I of The Witch Duology )

Chapter Four: Forgotten

      James drew out his sword in one swift movement, the blade shone as bright as sudden death under the moonlight. In the silence of the background, we could clearly hear the low grunts of the wild, ferocious animals. I could also feel those eyes closing in on us. I drew out mine too.
      Irina tugged at my arm urgently, “Listen, they are many. You cannot just go on slaying them, we have to run away.”
      I looked at her, “Why don’t you drive them away?”
      She blinked, sudden confusion layered her face, “I…I can’t.”
     There was cautious footing for a while, and then, all of a sudden, one growled and came running towards us. Following it, were many.
     James raged forward and sliced the animal’s neck with perfect aim. The sound of the tearing of blood-wet flesh was ugly. He had an experience of such killings when he was appointed to lead the guards through a similarly dangerous forest to the city.
      I hadn’t.
      I was under confident when I took a step beside him and tried to stop another two. Instead of aiming, I ended up swerving away off their path. James sort of made a spin on his feet and injured the forelegs of both. I was watching in awe when suddenly Irina’s presence re-entered my senses. I turned to look at her.
      There was the trace of timidity over her face that she seemed to be trying too hard to hide. Sensing my curious eyes on her, she tore off hers from the weird slashing going on and set them on mine. I missed the smugness that was very evident in them just a few seconds ago, but the confidence endured.
      “Chris please ask him to come back. You two cannot fight alone.” She shouted, desperate.
      I tilted my head to the right and said sarcastically, “I’d heard witches fear nothing. They can even drive off danger away from them?”
      A loud shriek infiltrated the air—James’s cry of pain.
      I turned to him and saw that a wolf had scratched his back badly. He had fallen on his knees and red liquid slowly traced down through the linen of his white shirt, his blood-stained sword was lying beside him.
      I rushed towards him and with my sword slashed the animal preparing to kill from behind. I wanted to throw up when its blood dripped down to my hand from the blade. And because of the sudden forceful movement of my hand, I stood dazed for a second as the wounded muscles of my shoulder strained.
      James grabbed the end of my cloak,    “Chris, there are many. We cannot keep killing. If we run together they’re gonna catch us easily.”
      “Okay.” I said, “Can you run? You hafta run. Run to Alfred. Inform him. And…I’ll have her.” I glanced at the girl eyeing us with keen suspicion.
      “I can fly.” James picked up his sword and fled to the right, still shaky from the pain.
      As soon as I saw few another racing towards us, I turned around and ran to Irina. I grabbed her hand and was surprised that she was shaking ever so slightly.
      “C’mon!” I pulled her along with me, at first she was dragging and then she speeded up with me. My previously injured shoulder was now aching slightly. The growling animals kept running behind us.
      “Move out of the forest.” Irina commanded.
      “I’m doing exactly that, witch.” I said smugly.
      We ran so fast and so much that when we reached the settlement, I could no longer feel my legs. Both of us dropped down on the ground, panting, lungs burning. The wolves had vanished.
      “Full moon night.” Irina panted. She covered her face with both her hands, “Oh Lord! I should have known.”
      After I had almost gained back my breath, I stood up on my feet. “We all should have known.”
      She didn’t hear me, she kept muttering to herself, “I messed all things up!”
      I kept staring at her. I admitted to myself that I still did not believe that she was the one we were looking for, she was the one I kept loathing within myself since all these years, she was the one responsible for the sufferings in Hazelwood City. I still did not believe. I couldn’t. The fact that she could take lives for the sake of her own glory disgusted me, and at the same time made me repent badly. Because deep within I sensed something for her...something that existed but I couldn't recognize what it actually was. I should be aware of my duty but instead some meek silent voice at the back of my head said No Damn She Is Not The One. What's this feeling? Am I missing out something?
      With a heavy heart, I gently touched her throat with the tip of my sword.
      She looked up at me, startled.
      “What’s so shocking, honey?” I asked calmly.
      She rose up on her feet, “You have to listen to me first. I wanted to talk you—”
      “Read my mind.”
      “I am not a—”
      Now I pressed my sword to her throat with aim, “No lies anymore. We have had enough.”
      She looked at me, still breathless. “Do you believe?”
       I rolled my eyes, “I should not have asked you to read my mind.” I looked into her eyes, “You better surrender and come with me decently. I can’t be harsh on you.”
      Her eyes stole glances at my right shoulder, before she whispered a “Sorry.” and fixed her eyes on my shoulder blankly.
      “Sorry for—” Stars seemed to appear in front of my eyes as I felt the juggernaut pain rage through my right arm. I dropped my weapon and touched the wound with my left hand. The wound had opened and seemed to have expanded too; the blood was warm as it patterned down my hand.
      I looked at her, breathless from agony and fury.
      “You have to believe me.” There was helplessness in her eyes. “I am sorry.” She grabbed my paining arm assuringly. “It’ll be okay.”
      “Yeah...witches have telekinesis too.” I mumbled insanely.
      She grabbed my sword and threw it far away. She then turned to me. She gently removed my hand off the wound and placed on it hers instead.
      “What the hell are you doing?”
      “I’m sorry. I had to do that to stop you. You wouldn’t listen to me otherwise. Do you remember what you’d said in the forest after we ran out of the stable?”
      “Huh?” The pain was overpowering, “What stable?”
      She looked at me, “The stable where we had first met.”
      I tried to divert my senses from the agony and tried to recall. “When did we come out of the stable?”
      Her eyes widened with horror, “That means you don’t remember anything? Oh Lord, I was right!”
      “I only remember that you very proudly said that your mother was the witch. And…and…you…I was found outside the perimeters of the city. Senseless? Yeah…senseless.” I realized I was speaking nonsensically. “Now would you remove your hand? You are hurting me more!”
      Surprisingly, she did as I said. It took me a while to understand that she had done it on her own accord and not on my order.
      James’s voice came floating from far away. I saw his figure running towards us. I was no longer in the zone to figure out what he was saying. I realized I was losing it.
      Irina gently shook my left shoulder to get my attention. “Chris? You’ve forgotten—” She stopped abruptly and turned. James was coming nearer. I could faintly hear his footsteps. My eyes were losing focus.
      “Forgotten what?” I demanded desperately.
  She looked at me, “You’ll soon know. Just sleep well tonight.” And with that last sentence that sly smile curved her lips again.
      The last thing I saw was her eyes, the confusion and helplessness in them. The despair to prove something. She was a different person now. Other than mere beauty, I saw a personification in her.
      I watched with hazed vision as she jogged away and vanished into the mist.
      I heard James’s voice, very near now.
      I felt a helpful hand on my back. I felt cold. I felt the staggering pain for one last time and then, as everything blacked out in front of me, I felt nothing.