The servants were the first to flee; they came out of their hiding places, only to turn into animal forms and run away to the woods. The courtiers left the throne room, but stayed in the compound. They went to the compound's far corners, eking out a living from the underground ranches, farms, and wells.
Alejandra picked up the half-man king's crown. The subdued mob led her and Allina to the compound's main door. Before they left, Alejandra turned to the mob and said this in the grave voice only an old woman could master:
"Your king is dead because of his wrongdoings. If you never kill another person, we will have no reason to come after you. Abandon this compound and live as animals in the woods if you wish. Hopefully this shall be the last we see of each other."
With that, the two witches left. The wall of trees sewed itself closed behind them, and all they could hear was birdsong.
When they came to the gorge, Allina said, "You know, Doña—" she had read in a book that this was a respectful title for older people— "I don't think this gorge is natural."
Alejandra peered down. There didn't seem to be a bottom to it, and the winds coming up were cold as death. "Dear girl, you my be right." She held up the crown, which resembled that of a British monarch. It was wrought from ivory and gold, then on top of that bedecked with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
She dumped it into the gorge.
As soon as the crown fell out of sight, the wind stopped blowing in the gorge. Then the two halves of the hill joined together, and except for a thin line running down the hill's middle, no one would be able to tell they'd once been separated.
Allina and Alejandra stepped over the crack. Once they did, they felt the forest had changed. Neither mentioned it, but they both knew the king's presence had lifted off of the strange forest.
They went down the steep hill and started back toward the town. As they walked through the beautiful forest, Allina said, "So I'm a witch. What should I do now?"
"Well, young Allina, you'll have to tell your parents. You've been gone for days and you have a mouse's tail, they're bound to be worried!" She chuckled.
Allina smiled, and they walked in silence the rest of the way through the forest. She saw there was no tundra, no forest of dead trees, no impenetrable bramble. There were mountains and valleys, glades and marshes, meadows and ponds, pines and deciduous trees, but Allina got the sense all was exactly as it should be.
YOU ARE READING
The Library
FantasyA young girl meets a favorite guest every Saturday at the library. She discovers an old book, and begins to wonder if the guest is who she says she is.
