Beauty and the Magician (Tales of the Red Witch Book 1)

Chapter 37 - Stopping the unstoppable

Annika watched as his nimble fingers moved and swirled over the bit of dry old wood pulled from the back yard. The musical words he spoke surrounded her and lulled her into a strange calm. Though she knew there was no calm to be had in their present situation. Hours had passed since they had come home to find Toby and Mr. Pig kidnapped. They had discussed a plan, and Annika was convinced it was a good one. They would surprise her tonight and present the fake chest, hoping to catch her off-guard. Hoping to distract her. They just needed to be smarter than a half-mad witch. They just needed to buy themselves enough time to get Toby and Mr. Pig out.

She watched as the chest took shape before Eben and as he tweaked it to match the original exactly. A bit of inlay there, a scratch here, darkening the color just so. He finished and sat with a heavy breath as he looked at the two chests before him.

He picked up the copy and turned it over in his hands ensuring every little detail was exactly right. Annika admired the fine work from her slow pacing beside him. It wasn't so much that she was nervous for the battle to come, it was just a sort of energy in her that she needed an outlet for. She had found the old bit of wood that served as the material for Eben's transfiguration but there was nothing she could do during this part other than watch and pace. She finally stopped before she managed to wear a trench in the area rug.

"It looks quite good." She exclaimed as she leaned over his shoulder resting one of her paws upon his blue tail coat clad shoulder. He turned slightly to look at her paw and then look up at her.

His grey and ivory waistcoat matched his eyes. He looked splendid despite the worry that creased his forhead and hardened his expression. Their faces were close and it might have been romantic had the worry for the upcoming confrontation not been hanging over them. Well and if she hadn't been a disgusting cat beast.

He didn't want her to come with him to face the witch. She could see the silent pleading in the look he gave her. But she had not lied to him before, she would face the witch. She was prepared to die if necessary to stop her. Maybe such a fate was for the best. She was cursed, in love with a man who could not possibly love her back, and had no idea what she was going to do with her life after they trapped the witch. If she could at least save Mr. Pig and Toby then at least she could be free knowing she had done something worthwhile.

"Before you think to order me to stay behind, you should know that I'm coming with you whether you like it or not. Toby and Mr. Pig are family and I will not stand back. I have to face her again, Eben. And no one will stand in my way." She made sure she left no room for disagreement.

Eben nodded sadly.

"Where exactly are we going anyway?" She asked as she stepped back. She gathered up every spare bit of courage, pooling the fractured bits into something that might stand in a battle.

"To Skywark's castle. It's just south of Hafenstadt on a craggy cliff overlooking the ocean. I should have known she'd still be there tarnishing the memory of him."

"And how will we get there?" She asked uncertain.

"Well normally, I'd fly... but since you insist on coming we'll use a more conventional method. Do you know how to ride a horse?"

"No." Annika's father had had a pair of horses and a nice cart in his merchant days, but they had always left with him and they were never strictly for riding. Annika wasn't even sure Maury Gerst knew how to ride a horse either. He had certainly never taken the time to teach either her or Sofie. The horses had been sold off along with the cart and their small townhouse over a year ago, but even if they still had them she wasn't sure she would have learned. Riding a horse was really not a necessity in little Wohnort.