Cinderella's Secret Witch Diaries Box Set: Lost, Stolen, Found

Chapter 9-1

Chapter 9

Phoebe peered out from the back of the wagon and watched as the Americans charged. The horses rushed by and she heard rifle shot after rifle shot and the cry of pain from the wounded. Renée pulled her away from and pushed her to the cabin’s floor. The sound of the cavalry coming through numbed her and she put her hands over her ears as the gunshots continued. Over the course of the next few minutes, she tried to hide within herself to block out the screams.

Tenskwatawa was the first to stand after the Americans passed by. He peered out the back and watched as they fired on the natives, or ran them down. Mothers grabbed their children and threw themselves on them for protection. Those unlucky enough to be in a tepee were burned alive or fired upon when they tried to escape the flames. Coming back inside, he said, “We should leave now. If we are caught in the middle of this battle, we might not survive.”

Mr. Radley looked to his wife and she nodded. “We agree.”

Renée kept quiet, thinking, but Phoebe would not be quiet. “No, we must stay and help the people here.” She looked to Renée. “Please, we need to help.”

“And do what? Knock the bullets away with our bare hands?” Tenskwatawa shook his head. “In this body, I can’t do that, and with the color of the skin and the way I’m dressed, I draw attention to us. We must go before we’re noticed.”

The other children in the wagon began to cry and outside the gunshots continued. Renée took Phoebe’s hand. “I do not like to run but I must protect you and he is right. We cannot stop what is taking place here today. We must protect the children.”

Phoebe kept quiet but crossed her arms over her chest and fumed. Mr. Radley had already left the confines of the wagon and ran off to prepare the second wagon.

Mrs. Radley came up to Tenskwatawa and offered him some of her husband’s clothes. “Mab, put these on and wear this hat. It will help.”

“Thank you.” He took the clothes and went to change inside the wagon. Mrs. Radley went to calm down the horses as they had been tied and were spooked from the advancing cavalry. After a few minutes, she came back inside and took care of her children, calming them. Renée took hold of Phoebe and did not say another word, but they continued to listen to the screams and cries that became more and more distant as the Americans worked their way through the village.

When she saw Tenskwatawa climbing into the driver’s seat, she hugged Phoebe and then motioned that she was headed to the driver’s seat as well. The wagon began to move and Renée sat down next to Tenskwatawa who had taken the reins. After a few moments of hard riding, following Mr. Radley in the first wagon, he turned to Renée and shouted above the noise. “Did you think you might miss something?”

Renée covered her face from the dust rising from the trail and said, “Yes, I thought it best to keep my eye on you.”

Tenskwatawa smirked and urged the horses on faster. “I see. Because it would be in my best interest to do something stupid right now and get us caught?” He shook his head. “I know you won’t believe me, but you don’t have to worry about me. Stuck in this body, there isn’t much I can do.”

Renée ignored his response and pointed up ahead. “Where is he headed?”

“He’s leading us out of the battle and we will continue to follow from behind. I think we’ll be through soon, but I don’t know where he’s headed.”

Renée looked off to the side and could see bodies of the Shawnee strewn on the ground. Dozens lay dead. The smell of gunpowder and burning tepees filled the air. She wished she could have saved these people, but wishing would not change what had happened.

A few minutes into their leaving, Tenskwatawa slowed the wagon to a stop. Up ahead she saw two soldiers headed their way. Holding the reins in his hand, Tenskwatawa kept calm and said in a low voice. “I think they’re part of the American rear guard.”

“We will be fine.” She put her hand on his arm and he could feel her magic changing the color of his skin. “Trust me.”

One of the soldiers waved to them and Tenskwatawa returned the wave. The soldier ran up to them and out of breath asked, “Hello. Are you all okay?”

Tenskwatawa pointed back behind him. “We heard the attack and tried to steer clear.”

“Best thing you could have done. Are any of your people injured?”

“No, we are fine.”

One of the other soldiers ran up to his friend. “James, we need to check to make certain that they are not hiding any natives in the wagons.”

Renée kept quiet and Tenskwatawa pointed behind him. “I understand. Come take a look.”

James had his rifle at the ready and came around to the back of the wagon and said, “Whoever is in there, come on out.”

Mrs. Radley led the way along with Phoebe and the Radleys’ five girls. The second soldier headed over to the second wagon while James took off his hat and waved it at the rest of his troop. Renée hopped off the wagon and stood beside Phoebe, wrapping her arm around her. In the far distance, the sounds of the ongoing battle could still be heard.

Neither of them expected what came next. “Holy of holies! Look at what I found here.” The second soldier called James over and asked him to peer into the wagon. Renée looked up at Tenskwatawa who had already jumped down off the wagon. They heard Mr. Radley say, “They are not going to hurt anyone.”

Pointing his rifle inside the wagon, James called, “All of you, out now!”

Mrs. Radley had run over to her husband in the confusion and put her hands together, begging. “Please, sirs, they are just women and children. Let us take them from here. They will not cause you any trouble.”

James herded four Shawnee women out of the wagon, all carrying small children. He turned and said, “Mark, signal to the troop. Bring them over here.”

Tenskwatawa shot Renée a look and said, “Get everyone in the wagon now.”

Phoebe climbed inside with Mary and the two of them helped the rest of the children into the wagon.

“Is there something wrong?” Tenskwatawa walked with his hands on his hips and went up to the soldiers.

Mark pointed at the native women and their children. “Tried to trick us, did you? This will cost all of you.”

“Is there a way that we can work this problem out another way?” Tenskwatawa pushed in front of Charles and Virginia to get the soldier’s attention.

Mark took off his hat. “Are you trying to bribe us?”

“Our money is good and these are just women and children here. We are missionary folk and only want to save them.” He finished his speaking and Renée’s spell ended, changing his skin back to that of a native’s.

James finished watching the last of the native women get out of the wagon and turned back, noticing the change. “What the hell?”

Before he could say more, Tenskwatawa shot him in the chest. He fell down to the ground and dropped the rifle from his grasp. Mark spun around, firing off a wild shot but Tenskwatawa’s second pistol shot caught him in the neck. Mark fell back, dropped his hat and then everyone started screaming.

Tenskwatawa yelled at Renée. “Go. We’ll catch up.”

The gunshots echoed through the air but Charles and Mrs. Radley acted quickly, helping the Shawnee back into the first wagon. Over his shoulder, Tenskwatawa could see the remaining troops running toward them to investigate the gunshots. If they stopped to fire their rifles, he estimated that they would already be within range. Another minute and they would be surrounded. Still numbed from the native yellow clay and in Tenskwatawa’s body, none of Mab’s magic could be used to help. He would be captured, tried, and then executed for what he had done. Charles came to him and pulled at his arm. “Get inside. We will get away.”

“No, I will stay here and hold them off. It will give you all time to leave.” Tenskwatawa pushed Charles away. “Go! Just throw me down your rifle.”

Charles climbed up the wagon and Tenskwatawa looked on. Two of the soldiers had stopped running and had begun to aim their rifles. He held the rifle in his hand and aimed, waiting to take his shot. Tenskwatawa faced the soldiers as they ran forward, wondering if the rifleman fired what the bullet would feel like as it pierced through him. He heard the calls of the soldiers asking Charles to stop and then, like a miracle, it began to hail. Large pieces of hail rained down on the whole area and in seconds, the ground looked to be exploding with bouncing little white balls of ice. The soldiers stopped running and shielded themselves with their arms trying to protect their heads from the hail.

Tenskwatawa saw his opportunity and ran after the wagon and threw himself into the back, allowing a native woman and Mrs. Radley to pull him inside. And still, the hail came down, thick and heavier, but only behind them. Ahead, the sun shone and he rested on his back, laughing. Mrs. Radley crossed herself. “It is a miracle.”

“Perhaps or our friend Renée helped us along the way.” He hooted loudly and then sat up, wiping sweat and grime from his forehead.

With the trail wide enough for both wagons to be side by side, Mr. Radley caught up to the first and waved over to Renée. Phoebe sat next to her in the driver’s seat, smiling. Her left hand glowed a brilliant white and Renée glanced over to her. “Welcome to the sisterhood. Your first spell was a great success.”

Phoebe gave Renée a hug and held onto her. “Thank you. I just closed my eyes and allowed my mind to be free. That is all I did.”

“Just like a good witch. The most powerful spells are those that come in need and from the heart.” She put the reins into her left hand and hugged Phoebe back with her right. “You will have to teach me that spell. I rather liked that one.”

“I will try if I can remember how I did it.” Phoebe looked down at her left hand and saw the glowing subside and fade away.

Hours later they stopped far away by a river and rested the horses. Renée climbed down off the wagon and checked on Tenskwatawa. His hair was disheveled but otherwise he appeared fine.

He walked up to her and said, “Your hail spell saved us back there.”

“I wish I could say that I had cast the spell, but I did not.” She looked over to Phoebe. “She did it.”

Tenskwatawa smiled and gave Phoebe a bear hug. “Your mother would be proud.”

Phoebe hugged him back. “Thank you both. I am going to go rest as I am tired from casting the spell.”

Renée nodded and watched Phoebe head off to be with the Radley children. She then turned to Tenskwatawa and began to talk but he interrupted her. “Look, I’m sorry but I couldn’t think of a better way to escape. I had to kill those men. If we would have been captured …”

“Enough.” Renée crossed her arms. “You need not explain. What you did saved us.” She leaned closer to him and asked, “But where did you get the pistols from?”

“I have my ways.” He took the unloaded pistols out from his pants and handed them to her.

“I still do not trust you, Mab.” She accepted the pistols and then pointed to the wagons. “As long as you possess that body, I will keep watching you. Do not forget that.”

“I won’t.” Tenskwatawa waited and then asked, “Can I get something to eat? I’m hungry.”

Renée walked back to the wagons and put away the pistols into the folds of her dress. “Come eat with us.”

“Thank you.” He followed Renée over to the first wagon and looked out across the river. He could not see any living thing and for the first time, in a very long time, Queen Mab felt more at peace.

***

“What do you say to my request?” The queen sat on her throne and waited for my response.

Jeremiah stood next to me and I had prepared an answer, but did not have time to reply. An attendant walked at a brisk pace past me and knelt before the queen. She waved him onward and he whispered into her ear. Her face, like stone, betrayed no emotion. “Thank you.”