Happy Release Day to Amber Argyle's Witch Song! We're the last stop in our Witch Song "teaser" Blog Tour. Over the last five days each stop has shared 5 pages from chapters 1-5. Today we're sharing the 1st five pages of chapter 5.
5. The Last Witch
Brusenna was slumped over, her chin bunched up on her chest, when Bruke woke her with a whine and a warm tongue. With a start, she took a deep breath and passed her hand over her face, smearing her nose with slobber. “Ew!” She wiped it dry with her sleeve and peered blearily out the window. She felt suddenly afraid. What if Wardof escaped last night?
She rushed to the beginning of the corn row and breathed a sigh of relief to see the bundle still securely wrapped. She glanced up and saw the first hints of light on the tree tops. Dawn would be here in moments. The journal said to wait until the first rays touched her face before singing. Not wanting Wardof to hear even the slightest bit of the song, she ran to the far side of the pumpkins.
She squared her shoulders and opened her mouth.
Oh morning light, hear my cry, To Haven I must fly.
As she sang, mist rose up from the ground. It congealed and thickened. The moment the light hit the mist, it turned golden and flashed with small sparks. Brusenna watched in awe as the mist trailed toward the northwest—the opposite direction of Gonstower. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the mist vaporized. Brusenna let out all of her breath in a rush. “Northwest.”
To the northwest was Perchance, capitol of the Harden City- State, of which Gonstower was a small part. Beyond lay the next City-State, Urway, which held Nefalie’s capital, Tressalay.
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Beyond that, Brusenna’s knowledge was scant. She knew Nefalie was a small country, with Gonstower in the middle and it had a long coast line, though she’d never seen the sea and couldn’t imagine how tired her eyes would be if the view went on without end.
Back at the house, she added the journal to her overflowing satchel. No sooner had she set it by the door than Bruke’s ears lifted and his growl morphed into a bark. Brusenna stiffened. The trees and brush parted. In all her life, only Coyel had openly entered the clearing around her home. But now, a horde of men emerged from the trees. She blinked in disbelief, but they were still there, lead by Garg.
She placed a hand on Bruke’s head. “Stand down.”
With a groan that ended in a whine, the dog sat on his haunches and glared at the intruders.
She surveyed the men invading her fields. At least twelve of them; Garg in the lead. In his hand, the leather thong trailed behind the floating pendant. The pendant steered directly toward her. Unconsciously, her fingertips found the pendant inside her dress. Smooth and hard, it felt warm to her touch.
When Sheriff Tomack caught sight of her, he put a hand on Garg’s shoulder and motioned to one of his men to stay with the fat man. Then, the sheriff snatched the pendant and held it in his large fist while signaling for all but two of his men to leave. Once his men had left, the Sheriff stepped closer to Brusenna. “In front of my witnesses, please describe the events.”
Brusenna watched with delight as all but Sheriff Tomack’s face went green as she told of binding Wardof with the corn.
He held out the other half of the amber necklace, the waning gibbous. “I figure it should be yours after the trouble Wardof put you through.”
Brusenna studied the pendant as it twisted and twirled, catching the sunlight as it strained toward her. She’d forgotten about it until now. She reached out. At her touch, it went limp. She rubbed the stone beneath her thumbs. After only a moment’s hesitation,
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she eased the thong over her head. Laying them side by side, she pushed. The pieces fit together with a click. Her eyes widened as the pendant began to glow. Thin streamers of light swirled away from it. All plants the light touched grew and turned a richer shade of green. Slowly the light faded to nothing. Her heart beating in her throat, she stared at the now-full moon—nothing but a thin curving seam showed where the two pieces parted.
Strangely, Sheriff Tomack didn’t seem surprised by the show. He leaned and whispered, “Miss, if you ever need anything again, you come to me. Understand?”
Tears stung Brusenna’s eyes. Perhaps her mother had been right about them having friends. “Thank you.”
“What happened to your mother? She dead?”
Brusenna cringed. “I don’t know.”
He studied her. “What else do you need?”
Brusenna sniffed and wiped her nose. “I’m going to look for my mother, but if I leave everything ...” she gestured to her home.
Sheriff Tomack looked around. “I can look after things while you’re gone, if you like?”
Brusenna nodded. “If I’m not here, the forest will forget in about a week. You should have no trouble finding it then. My livestock ... I don’t know what to do about them.”
“Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll take them to my place. As payment, you let me keep all they produce. When you come back, you take them back fair and square.”
She thought about that for a moment. “I need a horse.” “Show me what you have then.”
She took him into the cellar. He surveyed her stocked shelves in awe. “With the famine the way it is, I’d say this is well worth a horse. There’s enough here to feed my family for a year or more.” He turned back toward her. “One horse, a saddle and a pack. Whaddya say? Do we have an accord?”
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He stuck out his hand. Brusenna hesitated. The last person to touch her had tried to kill her. But her triumph last night made her feel bold. She stuck her small hand in his large one. “Deal.”
“Have you any paper and ink?” She retrieved some and he went about writing a note. “My brother, Wittin, lives in Perchance, the next city northwest of here. Runs a horse business. This note’ll get you anything you need; I’ll pay him next we meet.”
Brusenna took the paper and quickly scanned it. It said exactly what Sheriff Tomack had said. She glanced nervously at the Sheriff. She’d never really trusted anyone before. The closest she’d ever come was Wardof. She had no idea if this place even existed. How did she know he wasn’t lying?
Sheriff Tomack must have noticed her hesitation. “Wary, I see.” He pulled a gold pocket watch from his vest. He caressed the face before handing it reluctantly to her. “Give this to my brother when you see him. It’s well worth a horse and saddle and he’ll recognize it as the one Father gave me when I left home. The Creators know, we fought over it enough.”
Brusenna took the watch shyly, dropping it and his note in the pocket that held her mother’s note. He gave her an encouraging smile. “I don’t claim to understand the ways of Witches, but I know if you help one in need, you’ll be repaid a hundred fold.”
She stared at him in awe. “If I don’t come back in time, you can keep the rest of the harvest. Just save us plenty of seeds.”
He grunted. “See, you’ve already more’n paid me.”
She started past Tomack but then paused. “Make sure Wardof doesn’t know where I’m going.”
He gave her an even look. “He won’t be getting out any time soon, I can promise you that.”
“He said when the others,” she deliberately left out the name Dark Witch, “found out, they’d release him.”
“Oh he did, did he?” Sheriff Tomack rubbed his beard. “Well, I’ll think of something.” With a nod, Sheriff Tomack left to feed her stock enough to last for the week it would take for the forest
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to forget. She turned to the northwest. “Well Bruke, I guess we’re going to Perchance. Have you ever been there before?”
As if he knew exactly where he was going, he bound off in front of her. At the edge of the clearing, Brusenna turned back. Her home. Memories like drifting snowflakes swirled in her mind. She pushed them aside. The other Witches needed her. “I’m coming, Mother.”
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Looks great, Katie! Thank you so much. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Amber & you're so welcome! :)
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