No Other Choice

Escape

My heart pounded in my ears, my breath laboured as I ran home. My other would know what to do, all I needed to do is get to her before Reanna and her followers found me.

"You think I haven't made preparations Kelsie? This plan has been in motion for years, your mother wouldn't be left to interrupt me. Because she would have, wouldn't she Kelsie? Wonder why she hasn't arrived yet...?"

Reanna's voice whispered in my ears, twisting my gut with fear. I skidded to a stop and whirled around, seeing only shadows.

"What have you done with her?" I scream. Fear like nothing I have ever felt before took hold of me. Where was Mother? Reanna was psychotic, but she was right. My mother would have been there, before the first strike could even land. What had they done to her?

"Ahh, caught on have you? Don't worry. She's still alive, for now. Can you guess why? Oh, I can't wait for you to catch up, I just have to see your reaction! She has used her defences on herself, not you or Mari! What sort of Priestess is she?! The others who refused to accept me are dead, they at least fought to get to Mari. Not your mother, she was selfish. Don't believe me? She's in the meadow, take a look for yourself", her voice twisted in my mind, anger and fear warring together. The need to go to the meadow took hold, but the fear of trap remained. There was nothing else I could do, I needed to see if she was okay. Regardless of my lack of craft, I wasn't a coward.

Hitching my skirts up I dart off to the left, toward the meadow where we celebrate our solstices and equinoxes. The site of so much joy, so much remembrance. I burst from the tree line to see it covered in death. Six Priestess of the original thirteen lay dead, evidence of a fierce battle surrounding them. And in the middle of it all is my mother, surrounded by such a powerful protection spell you could see it. She would have used all of her reserves to build this, and only a full coven could breach it. Questions clouded my mind, Reanna's taunting ringing in my ears.  

"Mother", I call as I approach her. Her eyes are closed and her lips move but no sound escapes. She is deep in the trance of protection. "Mother, Mari is gone. MOTHER! What do I do, I need you", her eyes fly open and the spell fades slightly.

"Finally, Kelsie are you okay?" her voice is slightly warped from travelling through the spell.

"Yes, but mo... Mari is dead", I start to cry. Floodwaters break and I can feel myself caving in.

"None of that Kelsie, you don't have time. Marie's protection is strong, her life force now protects you. It is now down to you to right the wrongs of this night, and the atrocities the King has committed. Go to the Library, retrieve our family's Grimoire. The answer begins there", her eyes start to close again, the protections fading further.

"Mother, what are you saying? Why weren't you there? You could have saved her! Reanna said-"

"Do not repeat the lies of the Betrayer. Do not speak to me of Mari. Do you really think she didn't see tonight? With her abilities? This is all orchestrated by her, every step carefully measured. This is the only thread she followed that had an ending in the light. EVERYTHING else ended in the dark. My sole role was to survive to put you on the right path. Now you must take up the torch we have borne for years. Avenge us Kelsie, and know you were loved fiercely. By us both" tears drip down her face and mine, grief showing in the lines of her face. "You will need this", a hand mirror shoots through the protections, shattering them and landing in my hands. Noise behind me has me spinning to find the remaining six Priestesses and Reanna walking toward us. Instinctively I step in front of my now helpless mother. Her reserves were almost gone and I knew she wouldn't win against the seven of them.

"See Kelsie, everything I have said is true. Now, you may be weak in the craft but I am willing to allow you to join us. Witches are precious, even weak pathetic ones like you. You don't need to die tonight, just walk towards us and join our ranks" her lips curl in amusement, knowing my options are limited.

"Don't listen to her Kelsie. She knows none of them can touch you, you have the life force of the most powerful High Priestess in the land protecting you. Leave now, don't look back", her hand reaches out and grabs my arm, pulling me swiftly into a hug. "Remember, mirrors are made up of shadow and light. No one exists without the other and when they co- exist true power is realised", she whispers in my ear. She pushes me behind her, toward the greater part of Talworn forest. The last of her power fills me with the need to run, her magik stopping me from protecting her. 

I start to run, not looking back but forward through tears that stream down my face. Behind me I hear shouts and screams, and other noises I refuse to identify.

"Run Kelsie, we'll find you! One way or another you shall join your mother", Reanna's cackle chases me as I make it into the cover of trees. I sprint, my childhood of running and dancing through this very wood coming in handy as I dodge roots and fallen branches. In my hand, clasped tight is the mirror. The last words mother every spoke to me chasing around and around in my head. Soon the sounds of the meadow fade and all I can hear is my breath and Mother's spell whispering in my ear to run, run and don't stop. Darkness is all I see but Mother's spell seems to guide me safely. I didn't know how long it would take the spell to fade and i knew I couldn't break it on my own. All I could do was try and minimise the strain it put on my body. I started to regulate my breathing, I lengthened my stride into a smooth gait. My years racing the trader boys and learning from the circus kids as they passed by my little home surged up in me and took over. I could usually run for a long time without stopping. In recent years I had let my endurance slip in favour of learning from Mari. I just hoped that I was fit enough to survive the spell Mother put on me. Thoughts of her came back and tried to coax out the last of mt tears, but I knew I didn't have any more left to give.