Something Lost, Something Gained (BEING EDITED)

Chapter 2: the Trial

Marcus, Yvana, Nicklaus, and my mother all retreated back into the shadows. I was left alone with Esmerelda once again. My palms began to sweat as her eyes stayed trained on me.

"Are you scared, Lucinda?" Esmerelda's voice was harsh.

"Yes," the word flew out of my mouth in a hushed tone.

"And rightfully you should be, I don't think you understand the repercussions of what you did little Witch." She placed her hand on the small of my back and lead me down one of the many hallways. Our pace was slow, so I couldn't help but notice all the artwork on the maroon colored walls. Most of the painting pictured grotesque images that would haunt anyone in their right mind. The art depicted beheadings, drownings, sacrifices, and even Witches burned at the stake. My eyes widened in shock, and my stomach twisted itself into a knot. Esmerelda let out a small burst of laughter. "Marcus stop scaring the poor girl."

Out of seemingly nowhere Marcus oozed out from the wall beside me. "Holy crap!" I scream as he pinned me up against the wall.

"You ssssshould watch yourself," he raised both my hands above my head and enclosed them with vice grip strength. A forked tongue flicked out of his mouth to caress my neck.

"Marcus." Esmerelda's voice boomed around us. The shock of her power caused my pulse to race. "I will not ask again."

With his hands no longer binding mine, I brought my arms down. Just before stepping away Marcus's face came closer to my ear. "This is not over yet little Witch." Marcus stepped away from me and into the wall.

"I am sorry about that," The Great Witch said. "There is a reason he is called Marcus the Terrible, and it is not for his terribly good looks." The way she worded the sentence seemed to amuse me. I let out a hushed chuckle.

"Thank you," I said. It was then that I realized that all the gross paintings had disappeared. "Wait," I stopped walking. "It was all a trick?"

"See Lucinda, there are many things that you have not learned about. Ah, we are here." We come to a stop in front of a large wooden door with which seemed to have no doorknob. I felt the power emanating from the room that was within. I placed my palm on the door, it swung wide open.

The room before me was a large candle lit torture chamber. The various pain inflicting tools around me had their own force field of power radiating from them. There were Iron Maidens, gallows, stretching tables, small metal cages, and various other items. These objects had been used on fellow Witches, each one having absorbed small amounts of magic. A little ways ahead of me was a bench where four lower level Witches sit, awaiting their leader and criminal. I turn to ask Esmerelda about the proceedings but she had disappeared from my side. I glance back at the leaders of the Coven to see her taking her rightful place in the center of the bench. I saunter over to a tiny table that had a single chair. I quietly sit down and fold my hands into my lap.

"Shall we begin?" Yvana spoke from her seat. Her voice is light hearted and childlike, just as her appearance was.

"We call the court here today for the retribution of crimes committed by Lucinda O'Connell." Esmerelda's voice rings out. "Sylvia, the accusations please."

My mother is passed a piece of rolled up parchment paper which she unrolls and began to read aloud. "On August first, at midnight Lucinda illegally drew power from the full moon to...practice Black Magic." My mother grimaces.

What? Black Magic? I have never done such a thing. Nicklaus lifted his large head and locked eyes with me.

Lucinda, drawing on the full moon itself is forbidden. But for you to try to stop death? That's unforgivable. His voice crashed through my head.

"What say you?" Marcus asks, his lips twisted into a crooked smile.

"I...." I began, but nothing came out. I shook my head, and averted my eyes from the great beings.

"In that case we must sentence you here and now." Esmerelda says. "You are hereby banished from the Coven, you are to be stripped of your title and your magic." With those final words she disappears. Banished? Stripped of my magic? No...

One by one each of the elders disappeared into thin air as Esmerelda did. I felt a presence behind me, I turned to see Marcus. His smile turned absolutely devilish.

"I told you that I was not finished little Witch." A forked tongue slipped out of his mouth, sliding from my cheek to my neck.

"God you're vile!" I scream, trying to push him away. He caught my wrist and pulled me to him.

"You better be careful Luce. You have no power here." His voice had turned harsh. Before my eyes I saw a small striped snake slither out from the cuff of his shirt. It wound itself around my forearm stretching from my wrist to the crease of my elbow. "This is how we know that you won't be able to use any magic my dear."

The small snake looked up into my eyes, it's irises glowing red. It slowly opened its jaws and sank its fangs into the only thing that identified me as a Witch. My triskelion. "Ow! Shit!" I tried to shake off the tiny snake but as his mouth closed around my skin his body began to harden into what appeared to be a gold bracelet.

"Insurance purposes," Marcus says shrugging his shoulders. "Now get the hell out of our house." Marcus released his hand from my wrist.

I ran from the house, without looking around or looking back.