Chapter 4
ELOWEN
The witch, when I can focus on her—because my eyes are still half blinded by the flash she made when she appeared—looks taller than a tree. She’s draped in black lace and has a grim look on her lovely face. Because she’s quite beautiful—surprisingly so.
I thought all witches were supposed to be short and squat with long, crooked noses that have warts on them, but this witch— Grizalyn —is dazzlingly gorgeous. Her hair is midnight black, and it swirls around her face, making her look even more frightening.
“How dare you?” she thunders again, glaring at all the girls. “And don’t bother lying and saying you didn’t do it,” she adds. “I can tell just by looking what you’ve done!”
The other girls cower away from her and some of them start to cry, but Mirabella, unsurprisingly, is the only one who isn’t frightened.
“You did this!” she exclaims, marching up to Grizalyn and poking a finger at the witch’s chest. “Just look what your filthy flowers have done to my hair!”
She raps her knuckles on her hair, producing a hollow clang-clang sound.
The witch narrows her eyes.
“So you’re complaining about the effects of my magic wish flowers—flowers you stole from my bush after trespassing on my property?”
I can see the other girls shaking their heads and backing away. They all know that Mirabella is going too far but Mirabella just doesn’t know when to quit.
“Yes, actually,” she says, lifting her chin and glaring up at Grizalyn. “My mother is a member of the Seelie Court, you know. One word to her and you’ll have to deal with Queen Morganna herself! So you’d best fix this mess or you’ll be sorry!”
For a moment, I think the witch might actually explode with anger. Her purple eyes blaze and her nostrils flare until you can see two little white dents on either side of her nose.
But when she speaks, her voice is surprisingly mild.
“Very well,” she says, her lips curving into a cruel smile. “I’ll fix it. But I do believe it’s you and your fellow thieves who are going to be sorry.”
She waves one long, white hand and murmurs something under her breath. I feel the whisper of magic passing by—though it doesn’t touch me—and suddenly everyone is back to normal.
For a moment—just a moment—I think everything might be all right.
Then she starts to speak.
“Know this, little priestesses—no magic comes without a price. And stolen magic costs most of all!” she intones, staring at all of us—me included, even though I was the only one who didn’t steal a wish flower.
I want to protest, but before I can speak, she waves her hand, and I feel magic moving again.
This time it touches me directly, prickling over my skin like a rash and Grizalyn speaks what is unmistakably a spell—a curse.
“A fire shall burn you, fierce and wild
No longer maidens—soon with child!
Seek the roughest male you can find
Beg him to take you—fuck you blind.
You’ll crave his touch, you’ll need his hands
You’ll beg his tongue to meet demands
No prayer will grant you sweet release
Until at last your hunger’s ceased
But once within his seed is cast
Your hidden shame will rise at last.
Your belly swelling as you rut,
Is proof to all you’re just a slut!”
Her voice rises almost to a scream on the last line and all the girls—myself included—shrink back from her. Even Mirabella looks uneasy—almost as uneasy as I feel.
Inside, I can feel the curse taking effect—latching onto me like a greedy parasite. Between my legs, I’m already feeling hot and wet and swollen. Is this what the witch meant when she said “A fire shall burn you, fierce and wild?”
I don’t know and I certainly don’t want to find out.
“Please,” I say, before I can stop myself. “Please, I didn’t take a flower.”
“Oh you didn’t?” Grizalyn bends down to look more closely at me and it’s all I can do to stand my ground. “Hmm, a half-breed Fae,” she murmurs under her breath. “Most interesting. And what is your complaint?”
“That I didn’t…didn’t take any of your flowers,” I gasp. Because the feeling of needing between my legs is getting even worse and now my nipples are painfully tight too. Goddess, this curse is no joke!
Grizalyn seems pleased for some reason, but I don’t think she’s going to lift the curse on me.
“How fortuitous,” she murmurs. “Yes, you’ll do nicely.”
Do what? What is she talking about? Before I can ask, she points a finger at me and intones,
“Seek a Drake male who has horns
For this quest you have been born
Bid him breed you deep and long
From morning’s glow till evening song
And when your belly starts to swell,
The ancient line at last will fell
None can stop your sorry fate
Unless in dragon form you mate!”
“What?” My voice comes out as a squeak. “I…I don’t understand.”
“You will.” She smiles at me and the expression sends a chill down my spine. “Now go on, little priestess.” She makes a shooing motion with the back of her hand and then raises her voice. “All of you, leave my property now!”
She waves her hand again and suddenly the lot of us are standing at the back door of the dorm.
Our midnight adventure is over…but why do I have a feeling that the trouble is just beginning?