A Sorceress From the Future

Chapter Four

Luke

"The future?"

There was no doubt left in my mind; this girl was nothing but a deceitful witch. The death sentence that I had passed on her suddenly did not feel satisfactory. Did we seem foolish to her? How had she even gotten past our security perimeter? If she could infiltrate our walls so could they.

"How did you enter the palace?"

I waited for a response, nothing,

"I am talking to you witch."

"I don't know..."

In one fluid moment, I jerked the door open and flung the witch across the dungeon. Her frail figure hit the wall with a heavy thud before tumbling forward to the ground. I watched callously as blood sputtered from her mouth. She coughed and sniffled, her body trembling from the impact. If she thought that was pain, she was mistaken. Pain was whatever my father was going through at this very moment. Pain was standing helplessly by while watching life seep away from your father's veins.

"Speak before I throttle you to death right here, right now!"

"Brother th-this is quite u-unfair...leave h-her be..."

Baric's voice trailed off as I slowly turned to face him. Was he seriously defending this stranger? A with nonetheless?

Treacherous bastard.

"Look at me Baric!"

As children, my little brother would toss me to the ground and pound my face until sentience overwhelmed me. Now, his boldness was a figment of our imagination. Everything scared him.

"Baric, please, look at me..."

Baric slowly lifted his gaze to meet mine. I suddenly fell hollow, as if he had sucked the life out of me. 

"B-brother, s-she hasn't harmed us-"

"Not yet-"

"Listen!"

From the corner of my eye, I saw the witch flinch, she was just as surprised as I was. Admittedly, I was impressed too. My brother had not stammered. The last time he had had such command over his voice mother was still alive.

"L-let us h- hear her out..."

A strenuous breath escaped my lips as I angled my head to face the witch. She had remained eerily quiet during the whole ordeal. She had curled herself against the wall, her paled skin blemished with uneven red blotches. I suddenly noticed the multiple bruising on her body. I had spotted them while handing her one of Baric's attires earlier but up until now, I had not quite comprehended just how much her body was wounded. 

Maybe she did know pain after all.

"P-please tell us w-where y-you are from, m-maybe w-we can reach a c-consensus..."

A flicker passed in my brother's eye. I couldn't believe it, my brother was manipulating the witch. He knew that he could not issue a pardon without the involvement of the council. It was the law and the decree had  already been passed. At this point, nothing could salvage the girl's life. 

"I am genuinely clueless regarding how I got here. One minute I was drowning-"

"Drowning? Who was drowning you? Where did this drowning take place?"

"I was getting there and I would appreciate it if your big mouth-"

"Oh we are getting snarky aren't we? Please be aware that I literally hold your life in my hands-"

"Being peevish aren't we-"

"Enough! Y-you two a-are acting l-like children!"

I was currently standing directly in front of the witch, heaving like a wounded beast. Her warm breath fanned my neck, her eyes strangling me. What a pity; her hands were shackled and chained to the wall. 

"Just listen! For once Luke listen to me..."

I don't know if it was the slight tremble at the end of her statement or her wild darting eyes that made me snap my mouth shut but I did. 

"I mean no one any harm. I don't even know any of you...I just want to go home so that I can finally make him pay...Now please, I can help you but you have to assure me that you can do the same for me."

I opened and closed my mouth successively. For a moment, I was not certain of my words. What she said made no sense. She had not told us where her "home" was or who "he" was. Also, how could she not know us? We were the only Kingdom in Nazari that completely shunned sorcery. Everyone who partook in the malignant art knew of us. They had to. If they so happened to cross our territory, we did not hesitate to kill them. Besides, I had secretly sent our assassins on a mission; they were to obliterate the Ninth Order. Without them, witches and wizards all over Nazari would be lost. Thereafter, I would hunt down all of them. They would all pay for what they have done to my people and my father. They would pay for what they did to her. 

This witch was no exception.

"How is it that you are certain you can cure him if you are not the cause of his turmoil in the first place?"

Th witch blinked rapidly before heaving a  labored sigh. There were pronounced contours on her forehead as she grazed her thumb over her bleeding wrists. She looked, for lack of a better word, tired. Was all of this an act? A way to gain my brother's empathy? Baric had always been naïve; if this was a malignant ploy to destroy my family, I was the one who had to be vigilant.

"The signs your father is exhibiting is something I have seen before. With a little improvisation, I am sure I can help him get better..."

"I don't believe you. This is a ploy to slither out of this dungeon so you can make an escape isn't it witch?"

A stray tear escaped her eye. She suddenly tore her gaze away from me and turned to face my quiet brother.

"What about you? Do you think this is a ploy?"

A fourth presence entered the room or had it been there all along? I had been so immersed in this situation that I had not heard Shanela come in.

"What is it Shanela?"

"My Prince, your father is awake, he is asking for you and Prince Baric."

"Tell him we are coming Shanela..."

"You don't understand my Prince. Your father wants to say goodbye..."