Different

Chapter 20

She stared blankly at me. She bore no emotion. Samantha stood aside, probably to not obstruct the child's view. She didn't look like a young child anymore. She seemed bigger and taller. Matt glared at her.

"What do you mean you're working for her?"

"I'm sorry, Veronica. I blew your cover." Samantha looked worried as she spoke to the child, who didn't pay attention to her.

Rebecca's eyes were fixed on me. "I told you to wait until summer." But she was not talking to me.

"Veronica," Samantha said, her enthusiasm drawn all over her face, "this is the right time."

"What did you call her?" I asked Samantha, who only ignored me.

Rebecca looked at her. Her eyes were cold. "You will be punished for your insolence."

"But..." Samantha's facial expression changed. Anxiety replaced her smugness. "I just did you a favor." She couldn't suppress her nerves as she was pointing a finger at me.

"I told you it wasn't time yet." Rebecca's tone remained soft but cold.

"But she's here." Samantha held the child's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Why should we let this chance pass?"

"The ritual should be done at the right time."

"This is the right time!" She buried her fingers into Rebecca's arms and moved her face closer to the latter's. "Out with old magic." She removed her grip from the girl and shook her open palms in front of her. "It is us who wield magic, not the stars."

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Neither of them paid me attention.

"I think you're right." She stood from the table, moved her hands while Samantha was smiling at her.

"See? I knew you'd agree." She was beaming at her until her grimace made it obvious she was in pain. "Veronica, what are you doing?"

"Veronica?" I wasn't sure if I heard her right.

"Veronica!" Samantha tried to grab the girl, who stood still. "Why--" she choked. Her eyes became red. Blood came out of them and her nostrils and mouth. She dropped to the floor, motionless.

"Samantha!" I swore my face was never that contorted before. "What did you do to her?" I glared at Rebecca, who slowly turned to look at me.

"There you are." She smiled. Her voice so soft, so adorable. Her curly hair seemed warm flames as the torches cast reddish glow on it. "Sorry about all the trouble, Hayley."

"Is she dead?"

"You could say that."

Matt groaned. Samantha's death undid her hexes, setting the poor man free. But he was too weak to do anything aside from breathe loudly.

"It's too late, Matthew," Rebecca said.

"I don't understand what's going on." My clenched fists were ready. I knew Samantha's hexes were fading. The bricks moved, and the cement slowly unwrapped itself from my wrists and ankles. "Will either of you explain what's going on?" I asked as soon as my feet hit the floor.

Rebecca smiled. "The quest for eternal youth and immortality is divine," she spoke in her thin, girly voice. "Hundreds of witches and wizards before me have dreamed of evading death, but they all failed."

"What does that have to do with me?"

She turned around and faced the statue. "We can't do it alone. There no potions of immortality, no elixirs of life. But we can invoke a higher power." She raised her hands as if in worship of Aphrodite. "She spoke to me and said, 'take the life of that which who bears the other soul and bring it to me.'"