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The Circle divided into three groups of two and parted ways in order to search for Malorna’s fortress. Thanks to Luna, they could talk to one another with their tattoos. Luna’s magical gift was helpful, but Aurora soon realized that it came with its own limitations.
“Where are Castian and the others now?” Aurora asked Anya. “Any signs they found Malorna’s fortress?”
“Last Castian said anything, they hadn’t,” Anya replied in a bored voice.
“Aren’t you going to ask him again?” Aurora asked.
Aurora had asked Castian so many times that he stopped replying.
“No,” Anya said simply.
“It is not my place to ask, but you seem mad at Castian?” Aurora observed.
“I might be,” Anya replied.
“Why?”
“He infuriates me.”
“Why?” Aurora asked, again.
“Because he is principled, and loyal,” Anya muttered angrily. “He would die before he breaks that stupid oath!”
The last line, Aurora suspected, Anya was talking to herself.
“And that is a reason to be be mad at him?” Aurora asked, slightly amused at Anya’s rant.
“No, but I am hardly logical when it comes to that man,” Anya replied.
Aurora should have stopped there, but she prodded some more.
“So, how do you feel about Castian?” Aurora asked again.
“It’s complicated,” Anya replied. “I rather not say.”
“I am here if you want to talk about it, Anya,” Aurora said.
“Some things are better left alone, princess.”
Aurora paused at Anya’s tone. It would be wise not to ask Anya anything else, Aurora thought. If she asked Anya one more question about Castian, it would be like putting her hand into a hornet’s nest.
They kept quiet, with their horses’ steps being the only sound around for miles.
It was Anya who broke the silence several long moments later.
“I heard what the prince did to you,” Anya said in a low voice. “I am sorry for what he put you through. No one deserves to be betrayed like that.”
Anya’s kindness surprised Aurora.
“Thank you.”
Anya paused for a moment before saying, “I can say with certainty that Devon is nothing like that.”
Aurora blushed and didn’t know what to reply.
“As Devon is a good friend to me, I feel like I should say this... “ Anya said. “Don’t break his heart.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Aurora replied, still blushing.
“I know he is an idiot... a loveable idiot. Once you know him better, you will see he will go through fire for those he cares about,” Anya said. “He deserves someone who won’t betray him and stays loyal to him.”
“Are you talking about Emily?”
“Did he tell you about her?” Anya asked, surprised. “He talks to no one about her.”
Well... Devon didn’t tell me directly, Aurora thought. He told me when I was asleep.
“Didn’t she get engaged to someone else?” Aurora asked, avoiding answering Anya’s question.
“Not just someone else, but Devon’s older brother,” Anya replied.
So the man she saw in the dream was Devon’s older brother? Aurora thought, surprised. That explained the similarity in their appearance, but still didn’t explain the royal clothes or the crown on his head. Maybe she imagined the rest?
“I would never dream of hurting anyone, especially not Devon,” Aurora said. “I am as eager to see Devon better again as all of you.”
Her reply mollified Anya.
“Good, see that you don’t,” Anya said. “I will be watching.”
————
They heard the cry of a small child up ahead and then the cracking of a whip. A man’s harsh voice came soon after. The sound was coming from somewhere off the side of the cliff they were on, too steep for the horses to go down safely. Both Anya and Aurora got off their horses and ran in the child's direction.
They saw a small child, of around age ten, cowering on the ground, while a man stood with a whip in his hands.
“Get up, you brat! Stop wasting my time,” he yelled. He unfurled his whip again. But before Aurora could react, Anya ran towards the small child and covered her with her body. Anya took the full blow of the lash instead, and Aurora cried out for her.
“Anya!”
“Get out of my way, witch!” the man yelled. He lashed his whip again, but Anya grabbed it and twisted it around her arm and tugged it out of his hands. Without his weapon, the man looked around pathetically.
When Anya stood up to face him and drew her sword, he ran away.
The small girl was still crying, and Aurora rushed to comfort her.
“Are you ok?” she asked. “Who was that man? Why was he trying to hurt you?”
“He was going to take me to the witch,” the small girl said, crying.
“Malorna?” Aurora asked, surprised. The small girl shuddered at the witch’s name.
“Please, please don’t say her name,” the girl cried. “She will send her demons.”
“Does that mean the man works for her?” Aurora asked Anya. “Why?”
“He is a bad, wicked man,” the small girl said, crying.
“I heard rumors about this. The witch keeps humans as slaves in her castle,” Anya said. “She uses some humans to do her bidding. He must be one of those cowardly sycophants.”
“Why would the witch use humans to work for her?” Aurora asked, confused. “Can’t she just use her demons?”
“The witch used to send her demons, but instead of bringing the people to her, they ate them,” Anya whispered to Aurora. She didn’t want to frighten the small girl, who was already traumatized by the man trying to abduct her.
Malorna’s wickedness is worse than I could have ever imagined, Aurora thought.
Anya sat on her knees in front of the little girl and wiped her tears.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“Rose,” the small girl replied.
“What a pretty name!” Anya said. “I will make you a promise, Rose. We will get rid of the wicked witch and you will never have to fear her again.”
“You promise?” Rose asked.
“Yes, we promise,” Aurora said, smiling. “Where do you live, Rose?”
“My house is there,” Rose replied, pointing to a village nearby. “My pet lamb was missing. I came to find him. My mom told me not to go near the witch’s lands.”
The witch’s lands? Aurora thought. They were close to the castle then.
Anya read her thoughts. “I will let Castian and the others know where to find us.”
Anya stepped aside to send others the message. Aurora wanted to walk Rose back to her home, but she heard a flapping of wings. There was a horrible stench in the air.
Demons!
There were demons nearby, Aurora thought with alarm. Rose needed to go now. She should be in a safe place before the creatures arrived.
“Do you think you can go back home, Rose?” Aurora asked.
Rose nodded her head.
“Good, go back to your mother,” Aurora said. “Go straight and don’t look back. Hurry!”
She watched as Rose quickly ran towards her village. The little girl looked back over her shoulders with gratitude to her two saviors.
The stench grew stronger, and they felt a gush of wind as a giant demon descended from the air above.
Aurora looked at the hideous demon before her. It was the same one she had seen by the river; the gray one with the enormous bat-like wings.
But Aurora wasn’t afraid. In fact, ever since the demon left them alone that day, she was curious. There were things she wanted to find out, starting with why.
“What is your name?” Aurora asked.
Anya looked at her incredulously. “Aurora, now is not the time for introductions!”
Anya raised her sword at the creature.
“Anya, wait!” Aurora exclaimed. She spoke to the creature again, “Tell us your name.”
The creature titled its head and then smiled with crooked teeth.
“Great! You made it smile. Now can I kill it?” Anya asked impatiently.
“No one has asked us of our name before,” the demon said. Its voice was not of this world. It was ancient and terrible.
Anya gaped at his reply.
“What is your name, then?” Aurora asked.
“You cannot say it in your human tongue,” the creature replied. “But you can call us Hellgor.”
———
Castian expected Aurora to contact him again. She called him like clockwork and it had been a full five minutes. It surprised him when he didn’t hear a word from either girls for more than an hour.
Where were they? Was everything ok on their end?
“Castian!”
He heard Anya’s voice in his head, and he let out a sigh of relief.
“What is it, Anya?”
“We found the witch’s location. Come to where we are now.”
Anya showed him images of landmarks close to where they were.
“We will be there right away,” Castian said to Anya. “I will let the others know too.”
“Where are Xander and Cedric? How far are they from where you are?” Anya asked.
“Not far, I think,” Castian said. “I will contact Xander.”
Anya waited until Castian spoke again. He sounded worried.
“A group of demons have cornered Xander and Cedric,” Castian said. “They are fighting them as we speak.”
“Go help them,” Anya said.
“Are you sure, Anya?”
“Yes, go help them and then come find us,” Anya said.
Castian thought he heard Anya cry.
“Is everything alright, Anya?”
“There is a grey demon flying above us!”
“I am coming there, right now!” Castian said.
“No, don’t. There is only one demon here, Castian. I will take care of it,” Anya said. “Xander and Cedric need your help more.”
“But Anya...”
“Don’t even think about coming here.” Anya warned. “I will handle it.”
“Be careful, Anya,” Castian said. “We will get to you as soon as we can.”
“You be careful too, Castian.”
That was the last thing he heard before it got quiet.
“What happened?” Xavier asked.
“Demons have attacked Cedric and Xander, and Anya found out where the witch is,” Castian said.
“Where are we going first?” Xavier asked.
Castian knew Xavier was worried for his brother, but will accept whatever decision he makes.
He promised Anya that he would help Xander and Cedric.
“We go to where Xander and Cedric are,” Castian said. “Then we go to Anya and Aurora to find the witch.”
By the time Castian and Xavier reached Cedric and Xander, they had already taken care of a dozen demons. There were still a few remaining that they were fighting. Both Cedric and Xander were fighting with their backs to each other. They shouted over to their friends, over the clash of their swords and the roar of the beasts.
“Looks like the cavalry has finally arrived!” Cedric said to Xavier, grinning.
“Better late than never!” Xander said, smiling back. He slashed through two more demons.
“We didn’t want to interrupt your bonding moment,” Castian said, smiling at the two.
Xander flushed slightly, while Cedric grinned harder.
“We better finish the job and get to Anya and Aurora quickly,” said Xavier, the voice of reason among them.
The Circle fought hard until no demons remained.
“Looks like that was the last of them,” Castian said. “We should leave now.”
It seemed like he spoke too soon, for another demon descended from the sky in front of them. It was the green demon, and it was eyeing Castian’s sword.
“You have the terrible sword that hurt Gorge’s eyes,” the demon said. “Where has the previous owner gone, we wonder? Dead, we hope.”
Castian looked at the green demon with revulsion.
“You are the demon that poisoned Devon,” Castian said angrily. “He is still alive, you vile creature! But you won’t be much longer.”
“Another useless threat,” Gorge said, chuckling. “Look what we did to the princess’ bodyguard. He is not dead yet. His luck won’t save him from Gorge’s poison.”
Castian swore and charged at the green demon. Gorge knocked him aside with its spiked tail. Similarly, one by one, the other Circle members lunged forward, but the demon's tail sent them reeling back.
“We can’t hold him off like this,” Cedric said to Xander, panting. “We can’t get near him with that tail of his.”
“Leave it to me. Just hold him long enough,” Xavier said. Both Xander and Cedric nodded and charged together.
Gorge laughed and blasted them with its wings. Both boys fell hard on the ground.
Castian stepped forward with Devon’s sword blazing in his hand.
The green demon cried, blinded momentarily. This was when Xavier locked his arrow in place and aimed it at the creature. The arrow pierced through the left arm, pinning the demon to the nearest tree. Xavier fit another arrow and pierced it through the creature’s free arm. The green demon thrashed uselessly, stuck to the tree. Xavier's third arrow pinned Gorge's tail to the ground.
Gorge tried to pull out the arrows, but Castian reached closer, bringing the glowing sword close to its face. The creature closed its eyes, afraid of the light that the sword emitted.
“Tell us where the witch’s castle is,” Castian said.
“Why would we do that?” Gorge hissed.
“Tell us and we might let you live.”
“We can’t let him live,” Xander protested. “Think of what he did to Devon! Think of what he will continue to do.”
Gorge was listening.
“You will not kill us? You promise?”
“Only if you tell us where the castle is,” Castian replied calmly.
Gorge told them where the castle was. Castian signaled for the others to go.
“Set us free!” the green demon roared as it saw Castian leaving. “You lied to us!”
“I promised I won’t kill you, not that I will free you.”
“We will die here!” Gorge said.
“Maybe one of your demon friends will save you?” Castian asked. He had a feeling that even the demons hated Gorge.
Gorge swore and spat in his direction, and Castian knew he had guessed correctly.
“You will kill us. You promised not to kill us!”
“Don’t fret, Gorge,” Castian said. He echoed the demon’s words from earlier: “You are not dead yet. Maybe your luck will save you.”
Gorge swore once more, but Castian didn't look back. He left the demon where it remained stuck to the tree. Castian went to the other Circle members who were waiting for him.
Castian's heart was beating fast. He had no time to lose. He had to get to Anya.