Defiance

02.

Chapter 2

E L Y S I A 

Maise had me bound to her with magic. Before I could stop her or create a second protective shield, she had already called for a spell that bound me to follow her. My body couldn't stand properly so it tumbled through the woods against my will. 

It was as if Maise was the puppetmaster and I was the puppet. 

My bones moved against my will as did my muscles. Feeling weak in my knees, I fell but Maise's magic made me crawl as she headed back to the village. At each step, my body screamed in pain. 

Stop it. 

Please.

My bones felt like they were melting, my body burning. The blood inside my body seemed to be stuck in its place, my heart aching. I just wanted it to stop. I wanted nothing else. But Maise ignored me. The cold didn't matter; I wanted her to stop. I moved against my will. All I could feel was the effects of Maise's magic controlling my every move.

"I am going to ruin you." She hissed instead. "Who do you think you are?"

"Maise," I begged. "Please."

"Saving a wolf's life? You are the monster. You have betrayed us all and I will have the coven make you pay."

"Maise," I begged again. "Listen to me. The wolf was going to die. I'm a healer -"

"I wouldn't care if you have a Blood Oath to protect every werewolf you see. I would rather die than save one. Every witch in the coven would rather take a sword through their hearts than save a wolf's life."

I couldn't find the strength to fight back. She was killing me with every step. I knew werewolves were the enemy. They are the enemy. But my conscience would never forgive me. I wouldn't forgive myself if I knew I had the ability to save someone and I didn't. 

Did I do the right thing? I suddenly realized. 

Yes. She was a little girl and little girls do not deserve to die. 

But there must have been a reason the Mae Coven mark was on that wolf. And I let her live. But then I saw her brown eyes and her soft voice. She didn't deserve the pain the coven made her go through. They froze the blood of a child. 

Who really were the monsters? 

The witches.

Once we got to the village, I felt Maise's magic flung me until I fell face front into the center of the village square. People - the witches, the mortals, the children - all rushed to see what had happened. My face fell into the ice again and my body shivered. I was completely drenched in the cold now. If Maise hadn't been controlling my body, I would have screamed because of the cold.

"Maise!" It was Mother Noora's voice. My heart sank further. I wanted to run to her for protection but instead, I cried in pain and fell back to the ground. "What is the meaning of this!"

"What's the meaning of this!" Maise hissed. Suddenly, her red hair almost seemed fiery. If a werewolf wouldn't kill me, Maise would.

"Uva! Get the truth potion. Now."  Uva, the little witch who had been standing in horror, ran and obeyed Maise.

"Maise! Let Elysia go right now. We have lives to save, not cause petty fights." Mother Noora snapped stepping close to Maise dangerously.

"Oh, Mother Noora. How deeply I respect you and how horrid you will be when you fight out how innocent little Elysia is a traitor and she deserves to be burned."