A Witch's Way

Chapter 24

Serena stood up, wavering. She had to stop Jasmine.

"You know, I was kind of disappointed that you're like this, Serena," Jasmine said, whipping a thorny vine at her arm. Serena hissed and recoiled as the blood bubbled to the surface.

"I was, actually, thinking of choosing you as my apprentice. To be the next Elemental Six, once the old one is destroyed," she admitted, whipping again at Serena.

Serena winced again, feeling another shock of pain up her arm. She barely had the energy to move. She was done for.

"I was thinking, you still have a lot of potential. If you want, you have a chance."

Serena looked up at Jasmine, confused. "What do you mean?" she wheezed, blinking rapidly. She could feel herself wobbling on the uneven stones.

"I mean, if you joined us--"

Serena shot forward a hand and wrapped a slender vine around Jasmine's throat. Not tight enough to strangle her, but tight enough to lift her up off the ground. Her hand was shaking, and she could barely muster enough energy to keep her in the air. "Shut up. I'm sick of you. I don't understand why you are doing this. What is the point?"

Jasmine grinned and easily ripped away the feeble vine, dropping her to the ground. "Why? I have my reasons, as everyone else does here. Does that mean they're honest or good? No. Why does it matter to you? You've lost everything, haven't you?"

Serena widened her eyes at Jasmine, falling to her knees. She was right. Serena felt that familiar, depressing feeling clawing up at her heart.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Jasmine said, stepping closer to Serena. She leaned down to whisper into her ear, "I can stop that pain. Just join us. I will train you--and you will be stronger than Jasper, stronger than Ian and--"

Serena shot backward, scrambling away from Jasmine. Jasper. Ian. Stella. She hadn't lost everything--not yet. She has friends and family still that care for her. She couldn't--wouldn't give up.

"No. I haven't lost everything. Not yet," she repeated, staring at Jasmine, her eyes turned cold once again. She couldn't believe that this woman used to be her idol, the person she would stare starry eyed at for hours on end. Wanting to be just like Jasmine.

Jasmine curled her lip at Serena's defiance. "Fine. I gave you a choice, and now," Jasmine wrapped a vine around Serena's throat, "it's time to meet your mother."

Serena felt the vine tighten and the blood rushing in her ears. She felt herself lift up off the ground and she clawed at the vine. She had to survive. Serena felt thorns fasten around her fingers and she started to saw at the slender vine around her throat.

She might cut open her throat, but it's better than being strangled to death. Her hands were shaking as she sawed at it, and eventually, she fell. She coughed, trying to suck in air, the cold stone floor a valid reminder that she might not escape this alive.

"Oh? Are you still fighting? Useless," Jasmine snarled, stepping forward. She raised a foot to kick Serena in the stomach. "You're useless. You're weak. You'll never," Jasmine kicked and Serena howled in pain, "ever be," another kick, "strong. You'll always be weak," she hissed, grabbing Serena's hair. "Do you hear me? Repeat after me. Weak. Weak," Jasmine spat, hair tangled around her knuckles.

Serena felt the pain pulsing through her. It was everywhere. Her stomach, her arms, her back, her head, her throat. She whined and her arms hung limply at her sides. It was excruciating, her muscles felt as if they were on fire. She wanted to give up again. The pain was too much.

"Jasmine!"

Serena felt Jasmine's grip leave her hair and she slumped to the floor, head pounding.

"Garrett? What are you doing? You're supposed to have been guarding Serena!"

Serena rolled onto her side to view the two standing nearby, their eyes cold like ice. If looks could kill, she didn't know which one would've been dead first.

"Stop."

"Oh? Who gave you the authority to order me around? Do you want to go through the same thing that your sister went through?"

Garrett visibly tensed up. "You hurt her? You promised that if I sold them out that you wouldn't hurt her!"

Jasmine shrugged, a small, cynical smile on her face. "What can I say? A slip of the tongue."

Garrett lurched forward, ice-like claws forming onto his fingers and he slashed at Jasmine. Jasmine howled when the claws made contact with her skin.

Serena felt the cool touch of someone picking her up. At first, she thought it was Garrett, but he was right there. Did Jasper come back?

"Let's go, Serena. We don't want to be here. You did great--for an Earth Elemental," a female voice said.

Serena turned her head to see Tawnee, her expression unreadable. "You damn stubborn elemental. You know, if it wasn't for you being so beat up, I'd beat your ass myself."

Serena rolled her head to the side and laughed weakly. "Thanks, Tawnee," she murmured, watching the stone hallways blur together. From the room, she could hear Garrett's screams.

"Hey, now, don't close your eyes. Serena? Serena, dammit!"

She was just so tired. So tired.