Over the Mountain (Book One)

Chapter Eighteen: The Getaway

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Taylor

How could I have not thought of this sooner? I try to contain my excitement. "Jase," I ask, "do you like being prince?"

His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. "I mean, I've never known anything different. But I have always wanted to be a regular person. Without all the responsibility." He looks me in the eyes. "I guess I've never seen myself as king. I could never do it."

"Really?" I say. I'm about to tell him that I feel the same way when I realize I'm getting off track.

I smile sweetly at Jase. "Well, sorry for bothering you. I'll leave you to your work."

He frowns, but walks back over to his studying spot. I start through the isles of plants, wondering where to start. Okay, so what are my barriers? Walls. Locked doors. I don't know any lock picking spells. If I destroyed a wall, that would make too much mayhem. They'd discover me in an instant.

I spot a pink flower from the corner of my eye. That's it! It's them. My parents, but most importantly the guards. The spell of manipulation. I grab the flower in between my finger tips. A Maryflower. Extremely rare. Harvested from the magical creature land. Exactly what I need.

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After grabbing the Maryflower and a few other necessary ingredients, I find myself cleaning out a soup bowl from lunch and setting it over boiling water in the sink. The maids didn't question my request, and gave me the water for my "bath".

Little did they know that sorcery was barging into the castle that kills magic. And it was bursting in with a diamond fist that was bound to leave a few scratches on the walls.

First I take a strand of my hair and place it into the boiling water. Witch hair is necessary in almost every spell to get the magic flowing. Next, I spit into it, and whisper in the sacred words. Humans cannot pronounce these words or write them down. Only the witch kind can conduct spells.

Now the potion knows me, and it is time to tell it what I want. Don't worry, I'm not crazy. This is going somewhere. Well, maybe I am a little crazy.

Now I grab some ginger root. It plops in and sparks fizz. Then I pluck a beetle from inside a cup I trapped it in. I found it in the gardening room luckily. Next in goes a potato skin to make the potion clear. And lastly, I set the perfectly intact flower on top of the water. It swallows it, and the water turns clear.

I grasp my knapsack that I made out of my sheets which has food and stuff that I will need inside. I changed into pants and a tunic with a hooded cloak over it. Laced boots adorn my feet, and a note is left on my bed. It reads: See ya suckers! Yeah. I couldn't resist.

Okay, I need to hurry before the water stops steaming.

"Guards! I am ready for dinner!" I yell in a bored, convincing tone. The door opens immediately. Before they realize what is going on, I blow the steam coming from the bowl into their faces. They breathe it in.

"Sleep." I whisper in their ears. They slump down immediately. I don't have time to admire my handiwork as I tip toe down the hallway. I freeze when I hear familiar heels clicking down the marble floors.

I peek around the corner and see my mother and father both muttering together as they strut down the hall like pure royalty. I glance around. There's nowhere to hide. I'll have to face them.

I wait until they get close enough and jump out. The Queen barely has time to gasp as I blow the potion into her face.

"Freeze." I whisper, figuring that I'll have a little fun. Her body goes ridged, but I know she is still aware of everything. She just can't move.

"You're.. you're a witch." My dad stutters out, grasping at his chest with frightened eyes.

I take a breath. "Yes." I point to my mother. "And she knew it. That's why she hates me so much, though she never really liked me anyways. She's manipulating you, father."

His eyes flicked to mine. "I refuse to believe that. She has been there for me all of this time.. she would never..."

"I'm sorry dad." I say, blowing the steam into his face and whispering, "sleep."

I then turn to my mother. The startled look on her face makes me want to laugh. "Not so powerful now, Your Majesty. And good luck finding Elijah. I'm sure he wouldn't ever want to come back here."

I then proceed down the hall. The reason I wanted to kidnap my brother in the first place was because I wanted to rescue him from the castle. He is only a year younger than me, but I was banished from the castle when he was eight and I was nine. That was eleven years ago. He would be nineteen now. I can see why he left. I wonder if I'll ever see him again, or even recognize him.

I turn the corner to the basement. I'll escape that way. Suddenly, someone steps in front of me. I get my bowl at the ready, but stop in my tracks.

There Jase stands, blocking the door to the basement. He drops his books in his apparent surprise of seeing me.

They clatter to the ground, and he jumps. "Emily? What are you doing here? And without your guards? Also, why are your eyes red?"

I almost forgot what that must look like. Whenever witches use potions, their eyes turn red. It's like a chemical reaction in our blood. That's how most witches are caught and hung. Their eyes reveal all.

He looks at me in horror. "I-I thought- how are you- princess-"

I gulp. "Look, Jase, I'm a witch. I'm not evil or anything I'm still Ta- I mean Emily. You know what, call me Taylor. Please believe me."

He takes a deep breath. "Okay, but you have some explaining to do, young lady. And, I'd rather you not use those potions on me."

I grin. "Alright. But I don't have time to explain now. Do you... want to get out of here?"

"Wait, what?" Before he has time to react, I grab his arm and drag him through the basement, out of the castle, and onto a horse. He shouts at me the whole time, but I only have one goal.

To getaway from this place.

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