𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒 - (𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐋)

Chapter 10│Brig of Betrayers

(This chapter, like the last chapter, has snippets and lines from The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani. I don't own the book or any of the ideas in it. For my story to make sense, it does cross over with the books Soman wrote, as it is "Filling in the Blanks". I wrote this book, because I was inspired by Soman's work to write Hester and Anadil's story, so all credit goes to him. Also this chapter is just a filler chapter so please enjoy.)

It had been two weeks since they helped Agatha and Tedros get into the school, and yet their story book still hadn't closed. The sun melted more everyday, it was barely the size of a melon. The morning after the breakout, nobody had come for them, in fact the three witches went class as per usual and not a single teacher nor student raised any suspicions.

But on that fateful day two weeks after the plan had succeeded, the three witches found themselves locked in their room. No matter what they tried the door and windows wouldn't budge. Suddenly, they heard a violent bang, at their door. It burst open and a masked figure was standing there before them, but that was all they saw before everything turned to black.

When they awoke, they were tied together, incapable of moving. They heard a voice below them, a voice they recognised.

"And if anyone dare question that queen, they will suffer the fate of those who have failed their allegiance to Evil.." the School Master's voice boomed. They felt the room start to shake and rattle. "The Brig of Betrayers holds all those who've shirked their loyalties to Evil throughout the history of our school-including the old faculty of the school for Good, who were each given the chance to teach for their new school and all refused."

Hester was wide-eyed. They were going to be trapped in this so called 'Brig of Betrayers' for eternity. She tried to squirm and loosen the binds, but it was no use.

"And lucky for you, today we have three fresh inmates for the Brig..." They felt the floor beneath them disappear, as they were lowered down. They tried to scream for help, but the binds in their mouth turned those screams to squeaks. The three witches looked down to see Sophie wearing the crown of Evil on her head. Anadil saw her classmates and teachers look at them aghast, as if they couldn't believe what they done.

"These three so-called Nevers conspired to let our enemies through our gates, while one even mutilated our own Dean with her Evil-given talent," the School Master continued, as Hester tried to free the demon on her neck.

"Yet even the most guilty betrayers deserve a fair trial, before they're condemned to the Brig for an indefinite sentence. So I leave their fate to my queen, who, in addition to being intimately familiar with the accused, once even shared a room with them. So what do you say my love? Spare them? Or condemn them?" The three witches silently pleaded to be spared. Behind their backs, Hester and Anadil grabbed hands, knowing that it could've been the last time they touched again. After a minute had past Sophie's face hardened.

"Condemn them," she said coldly.

Dot was able to get rid of the bind in her mouth, "No!" she cried.

"Then I'm afraid this is goodbye," the School Master snarled.

"Never was too fond of goodbyes," Merlin's voice piped from above.

The School Master looked up surprised. He shot his finger at the rope cutting it and the witches and Merlin fell. The old villains moved towards them in a stampede, only to find that Merlin was gone, as well as the witches.

When Hester opened her eyes, her and Anadil's hands were still connected, but the ropes had disappeared. They quickly let go, looking away from each other.

"Where are we?" Dot asked, looking around. Anadil and Hester looked up. The sky was a dark purple dotted, with silver stars. They stood on a soft, fluffy cloud.

"The Celestial, my dear," Merlin said behind them. The three witches turned around. There stood the old wizard with twelve other people, mostly old. Among them was their old teachers Yuba and Princess Uma. It only took a minute for them to realise that they were standing in front of some of the most famous fairytale heroes in all of the woods.

"This- this is the League of Thirteen?" Hester asked.

"At your service," Merlin said with a smile.

"Where are we going?"

"To the safe house where you'll meet Agatha and Tedros again."

Suddenly, the cloud they were on fell beneath them. They wanted to scream but before the could they were standing over the moors. As they walked towards Agatha and the others, Merlin said something about the lunch menu, but stopped short at the sight of Agatha with a sparkling crown on head. He began to kneel before her and the witches followed. On the moors,  heroes, both young and old knelt before their new queen. Feeling a spark of hope.