Page 33 of A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison

33

B isma woke to howling winds.

The Enchanted Forest was crying out. She didn’t understand; the poisonous border should have kept the workers away, and even if it hadn’t, they couldn’t have caused that much damage in such a short time.

‘Xander,’ she said, untangling herself from him. ‘Something’s wrong.’

She sat up, throwing the blanket off. When she stood, Xander was right behind her, groggily blinking.

‘What is it?’ he asked.

She went to the window, but she couldn’t see anything beyond the flying leaves and the shaking branches of the trees.

She quickly threw on a sweater and her boots, then ran down the stairs, Xander following. They left the treehouse, heading for the border. As she ran, she had a terrible feeling.

The Forest was in pain; she could feel it in the air. It was worse than when the workers had cut down the trees. Those had been scratches, while this felt like a deep wound.

What was happening?

Then she saw the smoke. She stopped in her tracks, horror cutting through her.

They had set the Enchanted Forest on fire.

‘Xander, the Forest,’ she said, her voice breaking.

He was beside her, seeing what she was seeing.

She started running again, heading for the smoke.

As they approached the border, she felt the heat and saw the flames. Everything was covered with thick black smoke.

‘Forrie!’ she called, coughing. The fire was spreading fast. A branch reached out and lifted her and Xander from the ground, depositing her up high on one of the trees so they could see exactly what was happening and breathe more easily.

The poisonous border had been reduced to ash, and all the trees beyond that were aflame. The sound of crackling wood was loud in her ears, over the pounding of her frightened heart.

‘There!’ Xander said, pointing.

She followed his gaze and saw Frederick and his workers. They had enough kindling and oil to set the entire Forest on fire.

‘They’re going to burn it all to the ground,’ Bisma whispered, appalled. Tears pricked her eyes.

‘Uncle!’ Xander cried.

Frederick looked around.

‘Uncle!’ Xander called again, and this time Frederick spotted them. ‘Stop this!’

‘Leave while you can!’ Frederick replied matter-of-factly. ‘The Forest will be flat come morning!’

‘This is our home!’ Bisma cried. ‘We won’t leave!’

‘Uncle, please!’ Xander tried again, his voice cracking. ‘There are children! Don’t do this!’

‘They can leave if they please!’ Frederick replied.

‘Never!’ Bisma snapped.

Frederick addressed only his nephew then. ‘Xander, you must go,’ Frederick implored.

‘I won’t!’ Xander said.

Frederick clenched his jaw, and for a moment Bisma saw remorse on his face. She thought he might call it off, do something—but he only shook his head. ‘You’re a fool, Xandy-boy,’ he said. ‘A besotted fool.’

And then he walked away.

Xander made a sound of pain, and she reached for his hand, holding him steady.

‘We need to get down,’ Bisma said. She touched a hand to the trunk, and a branch carried them to the ground. The heat was getting closer, the smoke thicker. Xander’s face was wet with tears.

‘Xander, go,’ she said. ‘Go—I’ll get the girls.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m not leaving you.’

He squeezed her hand, and they ran back to the treehouse. Some of the smoke had begun to reach here; she could smell it in the air.

‘Luna! Azalea! Wake up!’ Bisma called, rushing up to Nori’s room and shaking her.

‘Mei, Deebs!’ Xander called, going to Mei’s room, where she and Deeba slept.

‘Bajiiiii,’ Azalea groaned, but she must have sensed something was wrong because she instantly went quiet.

‘What’s going on?’ Luna asked, her voice high.

They were all gathered on the winding staircase, looking at each other.

‘We need to go, now!’ Bisma cried. ‘The Forest is on fire!’

The treehouse erupted in chaos as the girls grabbed their shoes and sweaters, putting them on. Xander held Deeba in one arm as he helped Mei into her sweater. Bisma fastened the laces of Nori’s shoes while she buttoned up her sweater.

‘But our things!’ Nori said, turning for her favorite stuffed rabbit.

‘There’s no time, honey,’ Bisma said. ‘The fire is spreading fast; we need to go. Now .’

They all ran down the steps, Xander first, then the girls, then Bisma last, ensuring that no one had been left behind.

As she went down the stairs, she looked back at her home, at all their things: the teacups hanging in the kitchen, the ceramic pitcher full of flowers, the knitted blanket on the sofa. Luna’s poetry book, Azalea’s needle and thread, Mei’s favorite mixing bowl, Nori’s dolls, Deeba’s little bonnet.

Tears welled in her eyes.

‘Baji, come on!’ Luna called from below.

Bisma ran down the last of the stairs, looking over her shoulder again, afraid it would be for the last time. She wanted to climb up all the way to the very top of her room to see the view just once more: the trees, the lake, the river.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind: the Rushing River. If she could use her magic to direct the river through the Forest, it could stop the fire. The Enchanted Forest was far too weak to accomplish such a feat on its own. The howling winds had stopped.

The Forest was dying.

‘Xander, get the girls to safety,’ Bisma said quickly.

He still held Deeba in one arm. With his free hand, he grabbed Bisma, stopping her, the question evident on his face.

‘I’m going to the river. I have an idea.’

‘I’m not leaving you,’ Xander said, shaking his head.

‘I need to make sure the girls are safe,’ she said. ‘Please.’

His face broke. Around them, the smoke was thickening. Deeba buried her face into Xander’s neck, whimpering. Azalea held onto Nori, both coughing, while Mei clung to Luna.

‘Please, Xander,’ she said, eyes pleading. ‘Make sure they’re safe.’

He swore then pulled her close, crushing his lips to hers. He kissed her hard.

Her heart broke. She wanted to cling to him, but their paths were going in opposite directions tonight.

‘I’ll be back,’ he said, pressing his forehead against hers. ‘I promise.’

She nodded, pushing him away. She ran to the Rushing River, not looking back. She knew Xander would take care of the girls and make sure they got out safe.

The river was deeper into the Forest, away from the fires, and as Bisma ran, the temperature cooled, the air clearing from the smoke.

When she arrived at the river, its waters roared. She knelt on the banks, pressing her hands into the soil. Magic sparked up her arms; she could feel the river and its power.

‘Come on,’ she whispered, forcing her magic into the land. ‘Please.’

Bisma pushed herself to continue. Slowly, she felt the waters beginning to change direction; a trickle separated from the river to head toward the fires, then a small stream.

But it wasn’t enough, not nearly enough. At this rate the Forest would be burned down by the time the waters reached it.

So instead of pushing herself, Bisma pushed her magic. All of it, every ounce she could muster, every bit that was inside her. She poured it into the earth, willing it to take.

The breath was knocked from her as the magic connected with the soil. She felt the change. Whereas before her magic had felt like molding something in her hands, now it felt like she was bleeding.

The small stream expanded as half the river redirected and began rushing toward the fires.

It was working!

She continued to push, letting the Forest take her magic; she would give it all.

But she felt herself dwindling, her energy depleting. She looked at the Rushing River—it still wasn’t enough. She could see red in the distance; the fires were still blazing.

She needed more. Closing her eyes, she pushed once more.

Then—a hand in her hair.

‘Xander,’ she gasped, looking up to see him.

‘The girls are safe,’ he said, rolling up his sleeves. ‘I’ve got you, Bis.’

‘Xander, no,’ she said, her breath hitching as the magic continued to pour out of her.

It was leaving her, and she didn’t know if it would come back. She did not want to condemn him to that.

He fell to his knees beside her, putting his hands into the soil. She saw the moment he felt what was happening, as the magic was pulled from him. The stream doubled, roaring past them more quickly.

‘Xander, don’t,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘You can still save yourself. Go!’

He gave her an incredulous look, his eyes wild. ‘I’m not leaving you!’

‘This is my home,’ she said, tears streaming down her cheeks, ‘but you don’t have to do this—you can still go!’

‘Don’t you understand?’ he cried. ‘ You are my home.’

A surge of magic entered the soil. She felt it immediately; he was giving all he had to it, and it might just be enough.

The river rushed forth.

She heard the hiss of the flames being put out as her vision blurred.

The last thing she saw were the fires dying out before the world disappeared into darkness.