Page 39 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

"Moon Goddess, please... I just needed more time..."

I feel her so strongly, I even want to cover my mouth to hide my breathing. This is just horrible. Hearing their steps, waiting as they get closer.

"Where did that damn bitch of a witch go?!"

"Keep searching, she can't be far. We can't go back empty-handed. As long as she's alive, it doesn't matter if we don't return her in one piece..."

One of them sneers.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to that..."

What a bunch of assholes! Scum! Who the hell sent them, anyway?

While I'm thinking about this, Clarissa is already one step ahead. It looks like she's decided on something, because she left her hiding spot to go deeper inside the hangar, looking around for something. Finally, she finds a piece of chalk and a large area in a corner. I easily recognize that spot... She starts scribbling on the floor, as fast as she can. Now that I know better, I can tell she's really good to be able to draw so fast and so accurately.

However, the sounds of the chalk on the floor alerts those men.

"There!"

I hear them coming, my heart going wild, panicked. How can Clarissa remain so calm in such a situation? She just keeps going, taking deep breaths and focusing on her magic circle. I have no idea how she can do that when the men's steps are coming dangerously close and fast. I want to tell her to run away, to find an exit, but she and I already know it's no use. There's no back door, nowhere to run. She can't hide indefinitely, either; they'd find her eventually. She doesn't even have anyone to help her...

I take in the full measure of how lonely Clarissa was. She didn't have anyone she trusted enough to call. Maybe she didn't want to let people get close, knowing she was going to die soon. Still, she was desperate to do one last good thing: to take care of Mara and make sure that child wouldn't be alone.

"It's okay," she suddenly whispers. "It's okay, Mara. I'll be gone, but... I won't leave you alone. All this... all that magic, my magic, I'll purify it. I know I can do this. I'll take that evil with me... We will be reborn, together. New and pure, again. It'll be fine, Mara, don't worry. We'll be stronger. It's just a little goodbye."

I want to cry, but Clarissa isn't crying. She's staying strong, drawing her circle so fast and carefully. Still, it's a damn complicated circle, and those steps are really coming closer. I can feel her fear, I wish I could look up and check our surroundings, but she's just stubbornly writing.

This is a real nightmare to witness...

"There you are, little bitch!"

Moon Goddess.

One of them draws out a knife, ready to stab her, and my blood goes cold. Still, Clarissa keeps an olympian calm. She glares at them and keeps scribbling, as fast as she can. She isn't going to make it. There's no way...

"Come here, I said!"

She’s suddenly dragged by her hair and I grimace from the pain on her scalp. Those damn bastards! They try to drag her away, and Clarissa can only defend herself by grabbing his wrists.

"Look at this..."

"Not my style, but hey, a woman's a woman..."

"Is that okay, though? The other one said..."

"She said we can do whatever as long as she stays alive. It means what it means, right?"

Just then, Clarissa suddenly reopens her eyes, and with some weird movement, manages to free herself from his grip. Was that a self-defense move? She rolls away from him, and crawls back inside the circle, glaring at them.

"Hey, come back here!"

"You damn witch, do you think we..."

Before they can add a word, Clarissa starts chanting her spell. She's so loud, I can't hear what those men are saying anymore. A burst of flames suddenly appears from her circle, frightening them. They step back, but it's already too late. Clarissa keeps going, despite her unfinished circle. This can't be good, a magic circle can't work when it's not complete... The fire grows, clearly getting more dangerous, but Clarissa doesn't move.

Moon Goddess, I can't fathom the pain she's in. I don't want to stay here. It hurts! It burns! I feel the tears running down my face with that fire burning me.

"I'll be... reborn," she whispers. "We will be reborn, together, stronger... stronger..."

"Okay, Mara, that's enough!"

I'm suddenly pulled back, Clarissa and the fire are gone. Out of breath, sweaty, and still shivering from all those emotions, it takes me a minute to calm down and sit. What the hell...

Facing me, little Mara looks upset too, her arms wrapped around her legs with a sorry expression.

"It was very scary," she whispers, still looking afraid herself.

I nod, but I can't say a word. Moon Goddess... I can't believe Clarissa inflicted such a horrible death on herself. I know she didn't have much of a choice, but... that's just a horrible way to die. I look down at the old burns on my body. How much did she suffer until it was all over? What kind of nightmare did Clarissa have to go through for me to be here in her body?

It's so... horrible and infuriating that she had to undergo all this. How could she be so confident that it would work? Or was she just putting on a front to make little Mara not too scared? At a time like this...

I take a deep breath.

That's how I came to be. I'm not Clarissa Garnett. I'm not Mara Blue. I'm not even that wolf. I'm all three of them at the same time, a soul created by magic, the fusion of three fragmented souls. Stuck together imperfectly, but slowly adjusting. Clarissa knew her body would survive if only she got rid of the black magic that was tainting it, her disease. She sacrificed her memories in the process, and her being. I'm a bit of her too, the part of her that survived this. She wanted to merge with Mara, with her wolf. She wanted them to be reborn as one. ...I don't have amnesia, I don't have a memory to recover at all.

I chuckle at that realization.

I'm not even sad about it. Actually, I'm... grateful. I came to be because of their sacrifice. Clarissa's family is my family. Mara's magic is my magic. That wolf is... my wolf. Although it wasn't perfect and Clarissa couldn't do a perfect spell in the end, she still succeeded. She just left me more work and less clues than she thought.

" No, no, Benny, wait! No, really, stop! "

...Benny? I turn around, glancing at the window in the bathroom of our flat. I frown. What's going on there? Kelsi and Ben just walked in, and he's all over her while she's locking the door behind them with a frown. Moon Goddess, I'm suddenly so happy to see those two, even though they can't see or hear me... although I did not expect them to be kissing and flirting with each other. Seriously? I was gone for what, a few hours? How the hell did they progress this fast? Ben keeps trying to kiss Kelsi, but she slaps his arms with her strength akin to that of a kitten.

" Why? " he asks, still trying to kiss her neck and cheeks, trying to get her attention. " Isn't this why you wanted us to have privacy? "

" No! No, stop, stop, bad wolf! " she keeps repeating, slapping his shoulders. " Ben, focus! Didn't you feel something was wrong there? "

He frowns and shrugs.

" I... Uh, no... I mean... Mara was in a bad mood, but– "

" A bad mood? She was totally bizarre! " retorts Kelsi. " Something's odd, I can feel it. First, she barely talked to us, she glared at you, and she looked at me as if I was a flea! Second, she went and locked herself in her room right away. "

" Maybe she had a spat with Liam…? "

" A spat? Mara is the type who'd fire his ass if he annoyed her, not the type to go cry in her bedroom! "

Oh, thanks, Kelsi.

" O-okay, but... what do you mean, it feels wrong…? "

" Spark freaking hissed at her, Ben. That cat never, ever, hisses at Mara! It's her magic cat, for fuck's sake! He doesn't even hiss at me or you, but now, he's clearly got something against her, and he won't even go near her! No, no, there's something weird. She's acting super weird. That's... not the Mara I know, and I really don't like this. Call Liam Black. "

" Wait what? I can't call Liam Black just like that! "

" Then Selena Whitewood or Nora Black, whoever! I just want to check if there's something wrong, because I have a really bad feeling. "

" ...Are you sure? " he asks after a sigh.

Kelsi glares at him.

" You know, there's a lot of things I'll never understand about Mara. I'm not a witch, I'm not even a werewolf like you guys. I know I'm probably some annoying sidekick. But if there's one thing I'm sure of, it’s that this stubborn fire chick is my best friend. I know her. I've been with her for months, before and after the incident. When there's something wrong with her, I just know, and this time, I'm not going to stand aside. Not again. "

I don't think I've ever been so proud to have Kelsi as my friend. How did she catch that something was wrong so fast? She'd make one hell of a detective. Or is it that she really feels bad about not noticing that Clarissa wasn't doing well before the accident, and now she's being extra careful? Still, I'm proud as hell that she's harassing Ben to make him ask the other werewolves about me. He's reluctant, but finally starts mind-linking Selena.

While he and Kelsi wait silently as he's busy mind-linking his Alpha, I realize they have been speaking softly the whole time. Is the other Mara next door? Damn, I don't know if I'd rather know where she is or keep her away from my friends!

" What did she say? " finally asks Kelsi, looking worried.

" Yeah, apparently Mara tried to do some weird thing with a mirror in Nora Black's garden, but it didn't work. She just felt sick or weird after that, so Liam Black brought her back here right away. "

" That's it? "

" Uh, yeah. Oh, and apparently she cut herself to do that... magic thing with her mirror and she just kept bleeding like crazy, so that's why they asked my sister to drop by. "

" Your sister? " Kelsi and I exclaim at the same time.

What the hell, I don't need more people to come and check on that crazy bitch right now!

Thank Moon Goddess, Kelsi looks just as worried as I am. She suddenly glances at the mirror. Finally! She probably made the link. She comes closer, her eyes falling on the symbols.

" ...Mara was in here just a minute ago, right? "

" Yep. ...Why? "

Kelsi points at the witchcraft symbols on the mirror, whispering even lower than before.

" These! Mara sucks at remembering these kinds of things and she can barely draw one correctly! "

...Wow, thanks for the honesty, Kelsi.

Well, I can't say she's wrong, but at least I’ve graduated from being that bad now. She keeps staring at the symbols, very careful not to touch them. Behind her, Ben looks lost, but he grabs his phone and seems to be typing something very quickly. What is he doing? Texting Liam, perhaps?

" Ben, that... "

He suddenly covers her mouth with his hand, and as she's frowning, shows her his phone screen. What does it say? Was he typing to show Kelsi? She makes a very surprised and worried look that I don't like. What is it, I can't see! Then, Kelsi proceeds to nod, and shows him the mirror and the witchcraft symbols again. Ben makes a grimace and nods. I have no idea what their silent conversation is about, but suddenly, they both jump, their heads turned toward the door.

" Did she... "

" Just leave? " says Ben. " Yeah, I think so. "

" Oh no... "

" Don't worry, I'll follow and keep an eye on her. You should stay, okay, and... watch over whatever it is she did here. "

He's about to turn around, but Kelsi grabs his sleeve, looking worried.

" Are you crazy?! She's been acting weird and we don't know what happened to her! Why would you go with her alone? What if something happens?! "

He chuckles.

" I'm a werewolf, babe, I can take it... "

" Werewolf, my butt! " she shouts back. " Even if you were a weretiger or a werebear, I wouldn't let you go! You're not fireproof, Ben! "

He sighs and turns to her, suddenly wrapping her tightly in a hug. Although Kelsi is tall, Ben is rather muscular, and suddenly, she looks tiny in his arms. I see him smile over her shoulder, gently hugging her.

" Don't worry, " he says. " I'm a Beta; I'm tougher than I look. "

" But still... Babe... "

He unlocks their hug and gives her a kiss on the cheek, putting his hands on her shoulders as if to comfort her. He has a confident smile on and it breaks my heart. Moon Goddess, Ben, Ben, no...

" Relax, Kelsi. It's Mara, and it's my job to protect her, remember? I'll make sure nothing happens to her while you look into this. "

" Ben, I'm not sure that person is even our Mara, " mumbles Kelsi.

I feel her worry. I don't like Ben being alone with a crazy Dark Witch that's in my body! Can't I do anything? I try to slam against the mirror, but it seems like it doesn't even flinch on their side. Damn it!

Ben smiles and grabs her for a long kiss. Even as a bystander, it breaks my heart to see those two like this. They are so cute together, and now he has to go watch some crazy bitch who's stolen my damn body! I take a deep breath, looking away for a few seconds to give them their privacy, although they have no idea I'm here witnessing this. After a little while, they finally separate, and Ben gives Kelsi another big hug.

" I love you, babe, " he whispers in her ear.

She blushes and nods, and he gives her another quick kiss before leaving the room. I take a deep breath. Damn it, they are just such an adorable pair of dorks. I really hope nothing goes wrong on his side. Stay away from the other me, Ben, for Moon Goddess' sake...

Then, Kelsi turns to the mirror, looking so angry I even step back, surprised. Her eyes go down to the signs again, and she keeps frowning while staring at them.

" What were you doing, Mara…? "

She suddenly leaves the room, leaving me flustered, but comes back just as quickly with an enormous book, a pen, and a notebook. She starts scribbling on her notebook, and I realize she's copying those symbols. She doesn't know these? Or is it to check later? Then, she opens the enormous book, and I recognize that witchcraft volume she was showing me last time. She compares the recorded symbols in it to the ones on the mirror.

" They are for... blocking... spirits? What the heck? "

She hesitates, but finally pulls on the sleeve of her sweater and starts trying to wipe it.

To my surprise, it doesn't move an inch. What the hell? Kelsi keeps trying to erase it, with a real tissue next, and even water, but it doesn't go away. Crap, is it because she's not a witch? Or did the evil witch do something to prevent her from erasing it? Kelsi grumbles something in a foreign language I don't recognize, probably Korean.

" What evil spirit?! " she grumbles.

Suddenly, she stops frowning, her eyes lighting up as if she had just thought of something. She glances up at the signs again.

" I'm such an idiot! " she exclaims.

She leaves the room again, leaving me here, completely at a loss. I've never experienced something as nerve-wracking as having to watch her find a solution by herself. Did she think of something? I have no idea how to help her from here; this damn glass just won't move unless she erases that crap on the mirror first.

Finally, Kelsi comes back, and to my surprise, she's got a box of matches. Oh, Moon Goddess, she might be right! I mean... in a wrong way, but right. Fire is my magic element, that might be the only way to stop a Water Witch's spell. Although Kelsi was probably thinking the other way around, but nevermind. She breaks two matches with her trembling fingers before she can finally light one, and brings it toward the mirror.

" I hope I'm not about to blow the place... " I hear her grumble.

No, no, Kelsi, you're doing great! The fire approaches the symbols and as soon as it touches it, it starts burning right away. Moon Goddess, yes! She's a genius! The symbols disappear in a sudden crackle and Kelsi retreats, a bit scared. On the other side, I prepare my fire, ready to break that damn mirror open. I start firing as soon as I can, sending the huge fireballs against the oval mirror one after another.

Cracks appear, and while Kelsi screams in fear on the other side, I just keep going.

" M-Mara? "

I stop, and through the cracks, Kelsi approaches, looking half-terrorized, half-shocked. The mirror is half-wrecked now, with pieces broken apart like complex spider webs all across it, but at least it looks like she can see me.

" Oh, shit, this is creepy... "

"Can you see me?" I ask, my heart beating like crazy.

She slowly nods, swallowing her saliva.

" Y-yeah, but uh... This is so weird. In some parts, it's me, in the others, it's you... I swear this is like one of those horror movies. What the heck is going on? You just left the place, and– "

"It's not me!" I exclaim. "Kelsi, you were right, girl, that other... I mean, the other Mara you saw wasn't me, okay? It's an evil witch; she took my body and fucking trapped me in here!"

Kelsi goes white instantly, staring at me in shock.

" Wait, what? For real? " she gasps. " An evil witch, my God, Mara, are you serious?! "

"Y-yeah..."

" Are you serious?! " she repeats. " You're telling me we're playing with possessions now? Mara, this is so creepy! And my Benny just went after her too! He's gonna be sliced and diced by some crazy witch who stole your body? Mara, are you kidding me? This is insane! What... What the... Oh my God, I should never have let him leave with her! If something really happens to Ben– "

"Kelsi, Kelsi, calm down!" I yell. "Kelsi, stop! Ben is fine, okay? He's a grown werewolf, and I'm sure he's stronger than he lets on, okay? Plus, that other witch doesn't have any power, at the moment..."

" I just spent ten minutes understanding what she did to our bathroom mirror, and now you're talking to me! Isn't that enough? "

"It's just some basic witchcraft, Kelsi, even you can do it, okay? I promise she's probably powerless right now. She's a Water Witch in my body, a body made for a Fire Witch..."

" Wasn't Clarissa a Water Witch? Girl, this is so confusing... "

"It's fine, it's fine, it... Clarissa changed it before I took over; it's a Fire Witch body now, I promise. You'll see when I get out of here. I'm... I'm much stronger now."

She glares at me, crossing her arms. She'd be a bit persuasive if she wasn't half crying and pouting.

" Stronger? You're the idiot who got trapped in a mirror by some evil spirit! Now the not-witch human me has to free your ass! How the hell did you even get yourself in there?! "

"Not by choice," I sigh.

She sighs and unlocks her arms, looking at the edges of the mirror, shaking her head.

" Can you even get out this way? I mean, where are you, anyway? "

"Uh... It's complicated to explain. But yeah, no, I probably can't get out from here now that we have... wrecked this one. Kelsi, I need you to get to the other mirror, the one she used to trap me. The one at Nora's place. Please. You can do the same thing: erase the symbols and I will be free."

" Are you sure? Why did you wreck this one? "

"This one she had traced to keep me in. The others I drew myself and... got absorbed in that mirror. You can erase it just fine yourself."

" So you're in some sort of... mirror dimension? " she sighs, wiping her tears clumsily. " God, Mara... What did you get yourself into again…? "

She starts crying for real, and I'm feeling really sorry. I know it's probably just her nerves breaking down from all the anger from earlier, and how scared she is for Ben.

" I'm done with all this witch stuff, " she grumbles. " I swear, this is so tiring, all this crap... Can't it just stay in the books and a stupid Ouija board…? "

"I-I promise things will be better soon, okay? But Kelsi, please, can you go free me?"

She glares at me.

" I swear, as soon as you're out of there, I'm kicking your stupid witch butt! "

I chuckle, but she storms out of the room before I can reply, grabbing all the books and matches. I hear a lot of rummaging in the apartment, probably as she's getting ready and taking her bag to leave. When I hear the front door slam and a new silence fills the air, I let out a long sigh, a bit relieved.

"...Is your friend coming to get you?"

I turn around, and smile at little Mara.

"Yes, she is coming to free me."

"Oh..."

Mara looks a bit sad, looking down with a pout. I smile and walk up to her, getting down on my knees to be at her height.

"...I have to apologize to you," I say.

"Oh? Why?"

"Because I forgot you and left you alone. I didn't mean to, Mara, but I had lost my memory. I didn't know you were here with my wolf. I promise I won't forget you two are here from now on."

Her eyes suddenly beam up.

"Really?" she asks, excited.

"I promise. You'll be with me all the time now; I'll think of you every time I use my magic. I'll make sure to... come visit you often."

"Thank you! I didn't want to be alone, but I'm happy now!"

I smile and she gets all excited by herself.

The truth is, I'm dying to get out of here and be back in the real world. I don't even know what is going to happen when I get out. Will I get my body back instantly? Or will I have to fight for it? I'm not sure, and to be honest, I'm a bit worried about what is going to happen next. I've never dived this far into magic before. I don't even know what I'm really about to face; however, I've never felt so powerful either. I have learned to tame my fire, and I have learned how to use my wolf. Even little Mara is here to help me. She's just a little voice in my head, but now, I'll learn to listen to her. Her voice was drowned out before, but things are going to be different now. I'm not a girl playing around with fire and second-guessing everything now, I'm... I'm a real witch.

Finally, I see lights appear above. It's night time already, and I see the flashes of a flashlight in the mirror. I have to cover my eyes because it's blinding, but I get closer to the mirror to listen.

" ...Left it here? "

" Yes, I just wasn't sure it was alright to move it since Mara left, " says Nora's voice

" Wait, is that blood? Oh, what the hell did she do…? "

" Are you sure she's trapped in there? But Mara is…? "

" Whoever that is, it isn't Mara, " retorts Kelsi. " Our Mara is trapped in that thing, and I need to get her out of there. Shit, I know I probably sound crazy, but... it's real. "

" Don't worry, " says Nora. " I'm not surprised by anything anymore when it comes to magic... Moreover, Liam also said something felt wrong, and I think so too. After she did that thing, she... Mara felt different. I thought she made a mistake with her magic and that was why something felt wrong, but... I feel like you're probably right. Moreover, the timing of those fires... "

Fires? What fires is she talking about? I'm trapped in here and that evil spirit can't use my Fire Magic, why would there be freaking fires?!

" Shit, Mara really did make a mistake... Mara, if you can hear me in there, you're an idiot! "

I grimace. Yeah, I can hear that...

" What did she do? Is it bad? "

" It's a stupid mistake," sighs Kelsi . "That symbol means rebirth, but if it's drawn the other way, it means spirituality... or spirit, apparently.... and because our Mara is a clueless idiot who can't bother to study her basics, she made the mistake of drawing a double-edged symbol on a mirror! "

I roll my eyes. I get it, Kelsi, I get it... How could I have known there was another symbol the other way, and that it mattered to write it backwards on a mirror? Damn it. I guess this is the kind of stupid mistake that gets your body stolen.

I wait, a bit anxious if this is actually going to work or not. Kelsi grabs the towel Nora gave her, and starts wiping my blood off. Thank the Moon Goddess, it does start to disappear. I suddenly feel my body being drawn to the surface. Finally! My heartbeat accelerates, and I wonder if this is going to work. What about my body?

"Is this okay?" I ask the other Mara, who's watching too, with big curious blue eyes.

"What?"

"I... She took my body. What am I going to resurface as?"

Mara tilts her head, looking amused.

"Don't you have another body? It's going to be fun!"

"What?"

Before I can understand what she is talking about, I suddenly cross the surface, and find myself lying on the cold glass of the mirror.

Someone screams, and I hear rummaging around me. I'm a bit... numb. Oh crap, what the hell is going on?

"M-M-M-Mara?"

I raise my head, and thank the Moon Goddess, Kelsi is there, looking at me with a confused expression. One step behind her, Nora is there too, looking just as surprised. Yeah, I guess they didn't expect to really see me come out of a mirror.

"Oh... wow," chuckles Nora, covering her smile.

"I-is it her?" asks Kelsi. "Is that our Mara?"

"Oh, Moon Goddess, yes, it is," says Nora with a large smile. "This time, it's our Mara..."

What is going on? Kelsi should be the first one to be happy to see me. A bit angry if she wants, but at least looking relieved. Now, she's staring at me with big shocked eyes, as if she couldn't recognize me. Oh, what the hell, what happened? My body, what did Mara mean about my body?

I try to stand up, and now, I realize something's really wrong... and odd. My body feels weird. I can move my head fine, but my... legs...

I finally glance down, and immediately jump away from the mirror, panicked. What. The. Absolute. Hell! I hesitate and go back to the mirror to check again.

Oh, Moon Goddess, this is real... I'm not in my body. As Mara said, I'm in the... other body. I'm a wolf.