Witches in Training (#2 in the Witches Trilogy) [rewrites ongoing]

Chapter Forty-Six: It Ends

VINNI

It all ends when I take my final, reckless shot. 

One moment, I’m flinging the most random things at him. That’s one thing I lack: creativity. The next second, I see a vision: a boy shooting an arrow. It barely lasts a heartbeat, and I can’t see a face, but a bow appears in my hands. There’s something weird about it, there’s just one arrow and I’m not the world’s best shot at archery, but the arrow flies just as Parker twists around, and it pierces his heart.

The second the tip enters his flesh there’s a burst of fire-phoenix fire-that consumes him, and then he’s gone. A multi-coloured swirl lingers for a moment, and when it vanishes there’s nothing left except the arrow, which somehow survived the phoenix fire and clatters to the ground.

I stare for a moment, then turn my disbelief to the bow. It’s coarse and rough and wooden, like the arrow, now that I inspect it. And it’s not even an arrow. It’s too thick and short to be an arrow. I have no idea how I could even shoot it, but with a chill down my spine I realise it’s a wooden stake. 

I drop the bow beside the stake and set both ablaze. The wood feeds the eager flames and within a moment they’ve disintegrated in the same way as the vampire they killed.

Of course, the huge chunk of rock has to choose that moment to fall.

VERA

The first thing I see when my feet touch solid ground again is Russell, and I call out. "Did you get Kieran's message? We need to find-"

"Stop." The fairy strides forward and speaks unusually sharply. "Kieran. Do you realise-"

Kieran cuts him off. "First things first, Russell. Where's Rayne?" 

Russell narrows his eyes like he can't believe we have the audacity to ask for Rayne. "Shouldn't you know?" He asks, voice like steel. "You killed him."

Kieran's jaw drops. "What?"

"Rus, Kieran wouldn't-"

"But he did." Russell doesn't bother to hear me out. "We found him buried under a pile of rock with a stab wound."

I don't get it but Kieran's eyes widen; his face is sheer white when he whispers, "I didn't... I didn't know it was him... I didn't see his face... Russell I wasn't myself." He ends pleadingly. I jolt as I remember Raelynn's brief control over Kieran, and Vinni and Louis sending me away. What did he do? What happened?

Russell looks much more alarming with that cold distaste in his eyes. "When are you ever?" He says bitterly. "I've sent people to deal with the barrier problem. Now we just need a replacement for our Commander. He brushes past us.

Kieran stands frozen. "I didn't mean to."

"I know, Kieran. Rus is just... overreacting. He'll cool down."

"No, he's right. I've hidden myself behind too many layers. Rae is using that." He takes heavy breaths, trying to collect himself. "Rae. She's almost here. She'll be here in a few minutes. I need to go-"

"But you can't hurt each other."

"I can work around that." He hesitates. "Ver, come with me."

"Of course."

"But no matter what, you have to defend yourself. Don't worry about me. Everything you've got, use it to protect yourself. I can't let you get hurt either."

"Will you stop with the lectures? I know, okay?"

Kieran can't even be bothered to look exasperated anymore. "We've had this conversation a hundred times, Ver." He's already halfway out the door when he finishes speaking, making it clear the discussion is over.