Howl's Twisted Castle

45: Home

The overwhelming urge to run to Howl hit me like a blow to the chest, but I knew that couldn't act on impulse. I was playing a dangerous game with an equally dangerous Witch, and now that her curse appeared to be broken, I had no idea what she was planning. Judging by the grim look of Howls face, it wasn't good.

If we wanted any chance of stopping her, Howl needed his heart back and quickly. 

I scanned the room in a desperate attempt to find the little stone. Solana wasn't holding it, that much I was sure of, but it didn't appear that Howl had it either. 

The room was dark enough that I might conceal myself against the wall, so I took the risk of moving and stepped into the shadows to blend with the stonewalls. From here, I made a quick assessment of the room. The wall closest to me bore collections of armor, posed and polished to a dull gleam. Ever so slowly, I inched my way over to the nearest statue and eased the scabbard from its waist. Solana barked a laugh and my hands froze, wrapped around the leather belt.

"Do you think that I cannot see you little one?" She purred. "Take whatever weapon you wish, I'll enjoy cutting you into pieces with it."

I removed the belt and fastened the scabbard around my waist, heedless of her words. I caught Howls eye as he cast a furtive glance my way, urging me to move towards him. 

"Leave her out of this," he growled, pushing himself to stand straighter with a grimace. 

A muscle feathered in her jaw as she threw him a withering glare. "Or what? You are in no state to make demands of me. In fact, you're fortunate to be standing at all." She raised her sword and marveled at the gore on the edge of the blade. "Just a few inches to the left and you would have been dead." 

"That's not possible and you know it," he winced. 

The Witch seemed to consider it for a moment, walking slowly around the circular room, each step coming closer to me. I backed away equally as slowly, never once breaking eye contact with the Witch, moving to Howl side. Solana stopped and peered down at the heartstone in her hand.

Holding the heartstone in the palm of her hand, she pressed it to her chest. A warm light washed over her and the heartstone disappeared. "Ah," she breathed, "much better."

I took another quick glance look around the room, worry eating away at me. "Where is Howl's heart?"

She cocked her her to the side, assessing me with her cold, dead eyes. "Gone," she said simply. "But worry not, dear Sophie, I only did what your lovely Howl would have done." She turned to face the balcony with a secret smile. 

I turned automatically, following her gaze to the open terrace, to the crashing waves and turbulent waters far below.

"You threw it into the ocean."

"Mmm yes I did, although now I have realized that that may not have been the right decision. Oh well," she chuckled, "I suppose we will have to wait another century before it turns up on some foreign shore. But until then--," her hands shot out, pinning Howl to the floor with a blast of dark light. I reached out grab him but the light singed my hands. Howl screamed in agony, twisting in on himself, eyes squeezed shut as he called out my name, begging me to run. His arms grew longer, fingers stretching beyond their limit, popping one by one as the settled into a new form. His head snapped back and his nose formed an arched that blackened in the moonlight. His back became too large for his shirt, black feathers bursting from the tears in the seams until his clothes fell in tatters around him. His feet curled into sharp talons and his soulful green eyes dimmed black. Towering over me, Howl stretched out his wings and let loose a horrifying shriek.