7. Kit Taking a Sorceress Home
Kit: Taking a Sorceress Home
Carrying a woman through the forest was a good plan in theory, but in practice, it was a terrible idea, Kit reflected as they approached his home.
At first, the sorceress, or Nelle, as he tried to think of her now, had been screaming her head off, trying to get somebody—anybody’s—attention.
When he threatened to stop and gag her, she’d silenced herself, but she’d been making comments under her breath about him for the last ten minutes that were not complimentary in the least.
And the worst thing about it was that she was right to do so, Kit thought as he passed through the gates.
He was taking her some place dark and secluded against her will.
Granted, she’d thrown the first stone in this case, even if she didn’t remember it.
But he still wasn’t entirely happy about the situation.
Especially not after seeing the Scarlett and Gisborne walk away and leave her there.
But, he tried to console himself; she was at least safer from bodily harm with him than she had been with Gisborne.
He blanched as he remembered the man looming over her, ready to inflict pain.
He thanked the Maker that he’d gotten to the tree a little earlier than he’d expected, so he’d been able to stop the man before he threw the first punch.
Kit didn’t believe in hitting women, no matter what the woman had done. Though that raised the question?—
“What did you do to Gisborne that he was going to hit you?”
Nelle shuffled around a little on his shoulder. “What?”
“When I got there, Gisborne was about to hit you. What did you do to him?” Kit prodded.
“Oh.” She was silent for a moment, and, for a second, he thought she would not answer.
Then, finally, she spoke. “I..er…tried to run away. Will said nothing about him handing me over to you, and neither did Guy. I thought they were going to…going to…” She trailed off, then continued, “It doesn’t matter.
I should’ve run faster. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in this mess.
” She gave a sarcastic laugh. “I’d be in a whole other kind of mess. ”
“I see,” Kit said, though he didn’t. Not really. He pushed the castle doors open and ducked inside. Once he was sure that he’d firmly shut and locked the door, he placed Nelle on her feet. “Here we are. Welcome to your new home.”
Nelle’s face grew pale, and she stumbled backwards. “Wait…what?” Kit watched as she spun around, staring wide-eyed at the cavernous entry hall, decorated with ornate statues and pictures that were probably a dozen times older than either of them. “Where are we?”
Kit shrugged. “We’re close to the Coleuran border. I think we’re in Hopka now, but I’m not altogether certain.” He gestured around the hall. “I found this place the day you—the day I was turned into this creature.”
He felt Nelle studying him out of the corner of his eyes. “And what, you just moved in? Just like that?”
“Just like that,” he said, nodding. “No one ever told me to leave, so I stayed. It wouldn’t do for me to be seen…” He looked down at himself, grimacing as he noted the worn pants and boots, the only clothing he wore now. “Well, I didn’t want to scare anyone off.”
“That was nice of you,” Nelle murmured, standing rooted in one place. “Who do you think owned it before you got here?”
Kit shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s not exactly anyone here I can ask. Everything is kept clean, meals are cooked, beds are made, gardens are tended, but no one is here. And believe me, I looked.”
“It must be magic,” Nelle breathed. “That’s the only explanation.”
“Either that, or the servants are invisible,” Kit agreed. “You can go anywhere in the castle you’d like, but don’t set foot outside the castle gates.”
Nelle lowered her head, not willing to meet his eyes. “And, what, you just expect me to stay here, just like that? Because you ordered me too?”
Kit growled. “No. I expect you to stay because if you try to run, I will track you down and throw you in the dungeons myself. I’ve been down there; it’s not pleasant. So, what’s it going to be, sorceress?”
Nelle’s head shot up, and she glared at him. “Don’t call me that.”
“What, sorceress?” Kit laughed. “That’s what you are, aren’t you? I don’t know what game you’re playing, or why you’re pretending that you’ve lost your memory, but it won’t work on me,” Kit warned. “Don’t forget, I’ve seen what you can do. I’ve felt your magic on my skin firsthand.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Nelle protested, her hands curling into fists.
Kit stomped closer. “Don’t you?” He pointed to his horns. “You made me like this. And you’re going to undo the spell if it’s the last thing either of us does.”
Nelle’s eyes widened, and she stepped backward. “What?” Fear marred her pretty face. “I did that?”
Kit studied her warily. “You really don’t remember?”
“I don’t remember anything that happened before a year and a half ago.
The Sherwood Company found me wandering through the woods alone, during a blizzard that came to life in mid-May.
They took me in, provided me with food, shelter, a place to sleep.
But I have no memory of my life before that storm,” Nelle said.
“And I don’t have the power to transform someone from one creature to another.
My magic is…different.” She shivered. “If you’re smart, you’d let me go now, before I hurt you like I hurt Little John. ”
Kit stared at her. “Hurt Little John? What are you talking about? I heard him talking to Scarlett yesterday. He was fine.”
The woman shuddered. “He was fine. Except…” She swallowed hard.
“I’m a monster, Kit. I can’t control my magic.
It’s like I told you, sometimes something takes control of me and I can’t…
” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t control it.
I can’t even warn anyone when it’s about to happen.
That’s what happened to Little John. The voice took control and forced me to turn him into a statue of ice.
None of the other lieutenants could stop me. ”
Kit nodded slowly. That’s what Scarlett and Gisborne meant. “If you’re so dangerous, why did they let you stay at camp?”
“Little John didn’t think I was dangerous,” Nelle murmured. “He thought I had a way to control it.”
Kit felt a pang of anguish at the mention of his brother’s friend.
He swallowed hard and tried to push past the pain, saying.
“Well, John is—was—a smart man. And an excellent judge of character. If he thought you weren’t dangerous, he must have seen something in you that the other lieutenants didn’t. ”
Nelle shrugged, tears welling up in her bright eyes.
“Yeah, maybe. But he’s gone now, and I’m a danger to myself and others.
” A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek.
Kit fought the urge to brush it away as she continued, “Even to the kids I take care of, like Hansel and Gretyl. They were going to kick me out today, even before Will and Guy gave me over to you.”
Kit frowned. “Gretyl? She was that kid in the forest yesterday, wasn’t she?”
Understanding illuminated Nelle’s features, and she smiled through her tears. “You’re her friend. The one who brought her back to the camp. I thought she’d imagined it.”
“I don’t know about friend, exactly. We just met yesterday,” Kit said, staring down at his shuffling feet.
Nelle cocked her head, studying him in a way that he didn’t like. “Gretyl’s a good judge of character, too,” she mused.
“What are you thinking? Stop it,” Kit growled.
“You found her once, and you weren’t even looking for her. Do you think you could do it again?” Nelle asked eagerly.
“What are you talking about, woman?” Kit spat.
“When Will…found me this morning,” Nelle said, choosing her words carefully, “I was searching for Gretyl and her older brother Hansel. Their father said they’d gone into the forest looking for me.”
“And he didn’t stop them?” Kit asked, rearing back as if someone had slapped him. “What kind of father?—”
“I don’t know. It makes little sense. Those kids are everything to him, especially after Gerda, his first wife, passed on. But he couldn’t stay to look for them and I was…interrupted,” Nelle explained.
“And you want me to go into the woods—the woods that are huge and dangerous to an adult, never mind a child—and try to find them?” Kit’s tone dripped with disbelief. “Are you out of your mind, woman?”
“If you find them and take them back to camp, I’ll stay here as long as you want.
I’ll try to find a way to break the spell you say I placed on you.
But…” Nelle took a deep breath, as if to steady herself.
“If you don’t…if I don’t know those kids are safe, I will never stop trying to get away from you.
And if I ever figure out how, I’ll make sure that your spell is completely unbreakable. ”
Kit stared at the woman, something akin to respect in his eyes. “You’re a devious woman.”
“I do what I have to,” Nelle said, hunching her shoulders so he couldn’t see her face. “So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?”
Kit considered his options. He could refuse and stay safe in the castle, but he didn’t think she was lying about constantly trying to escape if he did that. And, as much as he wasn’t sure he believed she could do it, he really didn’t want to test her, to see if she could make his spell worse.
And besides, he had a soft spot for the little girl.
Gretyl had been the first person he’d spoken to in over a year, and she hadn’t judged him at all.
That had to count for something. Plus, he could hear his father in his mind, saying, “Always stand up for your people, Kit, especially those who can’t stand up for themselves.
The strong must always care for the weak.
They deserve your protection and your respect. ”
Kit sighed. “Fine. I’ll go. But you’ll stay here until I get back. Because if I get back from taking the kids to the Company, and you’re not here, then I will find you. And I will throw you in the dungeons until you figure out how to break your stupid curse.”
Nelle listened to his terms and nodded. “You’ve got yourself a deal.” Before he could turn away and stomp out of the castle, she bit her lip and continued, “Um, before you go, could you do me a favor?”
“What?” Kit demanded, rolling his eyes. “Aren’t I already doing you a favor?”
“You are, but this one will just take a moment,” she assured him.
Kit sighed, but nodded. “Fine. What is it?”
Nelle turned her back to him, so that he could see the hands that were still cruelly bound behind her back. “Could you untie me, please? Or at least loosen the ropes. I was working on them the entire time you were walking, and I couldn’t get them to budge.”
Kit grimaced and nodded. With a quick swipe of one of his claws, the ropes fell to the ground. He winced when he saw the raw, bruised skin beneath. “I’m sorry. I should have done that sooner.”
Nelle shrugged, rubbing one of her wrists to get the blood flowing to her hands again. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve had worse, I promise.” She looked around the room, confusion lining her face.
“What is it?” Kit wondered.
Nelle shook her head. “It’s funny…something about this place…it feels familiar. Like I’ve been here before.”
Kit shook his head. “That’s impossible.” Wasn’t it?
Nelle nodded, not meeting his eyes. “Yes. Impossible.”