Lira's POV
The White Coven:
“Ou my little witch. Did you really think you could run away from me so easily?” he said with confidence.
I trembled in fear. No way to escape.
‘How did I even get into this situation?’ I curse.
Oh! Yes… It all started ninety days ago.
The heavy wind blew across my hair as I pushed the door's handle.
The chimes jiggled loudly. I stepped in and all the women stopped chanting. Their dark clothes make everything eerie.
Their heads suddenly turned to look at me. As I stood still. We all faced the high priestess at the altar.
She raised her head. “Lira Alexi!!!”
I shuddered. She just had to be that loud. “Yes, priestess.”
Her eyes shot fear into me as she closed the heavy spell book. “You're late!”
‘Oh, goodness. I can't escape her today.’
I gave a weak smile, avoiding their gazes as I walked forward, before bowing at her feet. “I'm sorry, priestess. I was caught…”
“Enough of your excuses. Join the line,” she instructed.
I gulped and straightened.
She dropped the spell book on the stand and clicked her fingers. The door closed shut, and the lighted candles got brighter.
“A few of our spies discovered a great source of demon energy at the off-limits southern part of the city,” the high priestess announced. “And you all know the rules. What are they?”
“Slay all demons! Have no mercy! Banish the evil from our sights!” we said in unison.
“Good,” she said calmly, and took a step down the podium. “We can't let them live. Which is why I will be sending one of you to the southern city.”
The other women and I turned to look at each other. No one wanted that. It was filled with wolves… dark witches… and demons. That's why it was off limits for us.
“But priestess. Who will have the honor of carrying out the mission?” Amanda, one of the witches, said.
The priestess smiled. “That is why we will use the name box.”
She clapped her hands gently and a white transparent box appeared. Inside were papers.
“Inside the box are papers that would define your fate. So…” she said, “Good luck.”
I gulped. I hated the sound of that with all my heart. Her hand rested on the top of the open box and she smiled. “Begin.”
No one moved. Her eyes glazed around and then she spoke. “Denise, come forward.”
The blonde walked forward, dipped her hand into the box and pulled out a paper. I waited, watching her unwrap it and smile. “It's not me.”
“Amber,” the priestess called. The red head climbed the stairs and picked a paper.
She was shaking as she opened the paper and then spoke with a relaxed happy voice. “Not me, either.”
Then the next one climbed and another until…
Amanda and I were the only ones left. My heart pounded loudly in my chest. I stared at the last two papers in the glass box.
“Lira,” she called my name, her finger gesturing for me to move. “Come forward.”
I raised my head, swallowed hard and began to walk towards the box. My hand shook as I reached for the paper. I picked it and slowly opened it.
My eyes widened in horror as I stared at the words. “Chosen.”
‘s**t!’
Her footsteps grew in my ear. I felt her warm hand touch my shoulder, and she spoke with a cold voice. “Speak. What did you get?”
“I… I…,” I stuttered, raising the paper. “It's me. I got chosen.”
The priestess voice rose. “Very well. You will go.”
The women gasped, and I felt my heart pound a million times faster. “But, I have never…”
“You will learn,” she said. “Find the demon and kill it.”
Her eyes got colder. “You have ninety days. If you fail, you lose your powers as a witch and will be removed from the coven.”
“What?” I spat. “How can I…?”
“There is too much risk in letting any which in that sector roam free. You could be brainwashed by them, for all we know,” she replied.
I gulped, and shook my head. “But… priestess.”
“Then it is settled. You leave tonight.”
My eyes widened again and I wanted to protest. But she was already reciting the spell.
“Gwynt yr hen galon, cyfod yn awr. Gwaed y garreg, llais y gwynt, ateba'r alwad...”
“Wait…how will I know him?” I yelled against the growing whirlwind surrounding me.
“Yn ôl gwaed, yn ôl y rhwymyn. Agor y llen, torri'r gadwyn, rhyddhau'r enaid...”
“Priestess!” I yelled, but the heavy wind dragged my words.
“Tro, O wynt, fel olwyn y duwiau. Cuddia'r corff, gad i'r llwybr dorri. Trwy nerth y niwl ac o dan gysgod y sêr… Dos yn awr, ac na ddychwela!”
I twirled violently into the heavy wind, my body flying against my strength. It stopped and I fell to the floor. “Ugh…”
Feeling the pain of my bleeding palm caused from scalding them on the road, I rose to my feet, looking around. My lips parted as I gasped. I was… in the middle of the road.
Beep! Beep!
My heart skipped a beat and I turned to the sound. A bright light blinded me before I could step back but… it was too late.
The car sped fast, knocking me off my feet. I felt my body fly and then fall to the floor rolling a few times before stopping.
My eyes blinked slowly, the blood pooling on the floor. My sight turned blurry. Thoughts getting cloudy. A faded figure stepped out of the car and someone else rushed to my side.
The crowd burst into commotion and screamed. “Oh my God! Someone call an ambulance!”
My eyes grew heavier, as I strained to keep them open. A pair of dark shoes came closer and the sounds died.
I forced myself to look at his face. It was cold and expressionless as he looked down at me.
My eyes finally closed, welcoming the darkness.