🔥 Book 2 Howl's Moving Castle trilogy 🔥
Six months after moving to Ovela, Sophie and Howl have successfully hidden in plain sight in a country where magic is despised. Though they must be cautious of whom to trust, they aren't taking any chances...
It was like trying to push out needles from inside. The pain was agonizing and forced her to expel something that wasn't ready to enter this world, something she wasn't ready to experience. The baby jumped in her stomach as if excited for what was to come, though Sophie was ashamed to bring this little child into such a cruel world.
"You're about four centimeters, don't try pushing just yet." The doctor said. Half of his face hid behind a mask, but Sophie could see the indifference in his blank eyes. "How does the pain feel? On a scale of one to ten?"
"Screw you!" Sophie shouted from the bed and attempted to kick him, though her feet were restricted. He shuddered at the movement, but after one glance at Madame Suliman he returned to his charts and wrote things down. "How could you let her do this to me?"
Suliman rested a hand on his shoulder. Once again, he shuddered. "Because he works for me."
Sophie clenched her teeth and exhaled short breaths. Another contraction. She tightened her fists and pulled on the chains, once again pushing as if to release her child from the womb. She wasn't ready; not right now, not in a few days, not ever.
She wasn't ready to be a mother.
And with Suliman standing over her, she might never get the chance. "Why Suliman? Haven't you already won?"
Suliman stood behind the doctor, her arms crossed over her chest. Her twisted smile grew as if she had already taken the last thing Sophie had left. "Not until I have that child. Then, I'll have won."
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The war struck like a stream of fireworks. Spells were thrown in all directions, some not even with an end target but merely for the sake of casting a spell. Magicians flew frantically about through the raining sky to find an advantage over their enemies, some even using brute force. No one was out of reach from an attack.
Martha led Gwenda, Lona, and Markl under a protective barrier toward the roofed walkway and away from battle. Markl clutched onto Heen for dear life, hoping the wheezing dog wasn't as frightened by the unexpected war as he was. In a matter of seconds, every magical creature near them went from two divided sides to a full-blown onslaught.
Markl would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified - but he wasn't going to abandon Howl this time.
Markl set Heen on the ground and charged forward, only to be brought back by a swift force. Martha held his shoulders, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What on earth are you doing, kid?"
Markl turned to the battle, watching his time slip away. "I can help. Master Howl needs me."
Martha shook her head. "You're too young."
"But I can do this."
Martha knelt by his side, desperate for her words to reach him. "Markl, these magicians are fighting to the death. Many of the witches and wizards you see out there won't survive this."
