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“They appear to be all alone.” One of the newer men came forward to make the circle smaller. “A beautiful woman walking by herself without anyone to protect her... Seems she is asking for trouble.”

“It is lonely out in the forest. We can promise you a warm bed to lie in.”

“Leave us alone. We are merely travelling through.” She pushed Kaeylyn against the back of her legs to protect her, and the girl clung to her dress.

“Come willingly” – the one that spoke this time was more direct, uninterested in the game the others were playing – “so the little one does not have to hear your screaming.”

Screaming?Before she knew it, Kaeylyn was ripped from her. She turned around to face the one who grabbed her.

“Ah, ah,” he laughed, raising the edge of a dagger to her sister’s throat. “Be good, or the girl gets it.”

“Give her back.”

Her face didn’t change. She refused to reveal her worry and fear to these men.Sickening animals.

“Looks like she is not afraid of us. She will be fun; I like the feisty ones.”

Valerie lunged forwards just as two sets of hands grabbed her waist. She kicked her legs out when they started pulling her back, trying to force her to the ground.

“Let go of me!”

She opened her mouth to chant, but one of them shoved material against it. She struggled harder against their hold when one knelt in front of her and began pulling up her skirt.

With her hands free, she was still able to cast her magic if she mentally chanted the spells. Valerie’s magic was strong, and she long ago developed the skill of wordless spells.

Thinking of the chant she needed, she directed one hand towards a shrub and felt her hand grab resistance. She shot it towards the man currently fumbling with the button of his pants.

Vines shot from the shrub to grab him by his neck. She pulled her arm, and it sent him flying. She directed her other hand towards a stone on the ground, using her magic to grab it. It went sailing through the air towards another, pelting him in the head and sending him hurtling to the ground.

This was light magic. She could manipulate things already present in her environment at the cost of her essence. Fire was the only one she didn’t need to find; no Witch struggled to create it. Their Dragon ancestors could wield it from within and had passed that power down to them.

She wouldn’t be able to kill with her magic, not unless she strangled them with vines, but they could easily be ripped if they grabbed at them. However, it was enough that she could throw stones and prevent people from grabbing her. If she had herbs and spices, she could have done more powerful spells.

“She is a Witch! Kill her!”

Valerie turned her head up to face the two men still holding her back and directed her hands towards them. Two fireballs burst against their faces, and they screamed as they fell back.

Once free, she ripped the material from her mouth so she could breathe properly.

“The young one must be as well.” A bandit pointed at her sister from across the clearing.

Quickly turning towards one of the men whose faces she’d burnt, she ripped his sword from his sheath.She no longer cared about spilling their blood or how much magical essence she left behind; Kaeylyn was in danger.

She spun around to face the one who had her sister, the sword poised and ready, only to watch him push her forward so he could shove his dagger into her midsection.

Kaeylyn!The horrible clench to her heart made it feel like the tendons holding it in place might rip free and tear it to shreds.

Her baby sister cupped her stab wound as blood pooled in her hands. Tears instantly pooled in her eyes and quickly fell.

You bastard!What kind of sick person injures an innocent child?

Valerie charged before he had the chance to notice she was coming for him. She slashed her stolen short sword across his neck, opening the front of his throat. Blood sprayed from his jugular as he died.

Then she turned to the other four men who had drawn their swords, preparing to fight her.I will kill every one of you.She would put all her sword training to use.

Being white Witches, their magic could rarely be used to kill. They could harm, but it was rare they came across a spell that could take a life. Because of this, her mother had taught each of her four daughters how to use a bow and arrow.

But right now, I hold a sword.Their mother had taught them how to wield one just as wonderfully as their witchcraft.