Page 11 of The Black Witch

Her eyes are briefly filled with despair before they harden again, a bitter smile forming on her mouth. “I did not honor my wandfasting,” she whispers acidly.

I’ve heard tales of the harsh consequences of fast-breaking, but toseeit...

“Elloren,” she pleads, the look of terror returning. She pushes the wand out at me as if trying to will me to take it. “Please.There’s not a lot of time! I’m supposed to give it to you. Itwantsto go to you.”

“What do you mean, itwantsto go to me?” I ask, confused. “Sage, where did you get this?”

“Justtakeit!” she insists. “It’s incredibly powerful. And you can’t letthemget it!”

“Who’sthem?”

“The Gardnerians!”

I force out a disbelieving breath. “Sage,we’reGardnerians.”

“Please,”she begs. “Pleasetake it.”

“Oh, Sage,” I say, shaking my head. “There’s no reason for me to have a wand. I’ve no magic...”

“It doesn’t matter!Theywant you to have it!” She gestures with the wand toward the tree above.

“The birds?”

“They’re not just birds! They’reWatchers. They appear during times of great darkness.”

None of this makes any sense. “Sage, come inside with me.” I try to sound as soothing as I can. “We’ll talk to my uncle...”

“No!” she snarls, recoiling. “I told you, it only wantsyou!” Her expression turns desperate. “It’s theWhite Wand, Elloren.”

Pity flashes through me. “Oh, Sage, that’s a children’s story.”

It’s a religious myth, told to every Gardnerian child. Good versus Evil—the White Wand pitted against the Dark Wand. The White Wand, a pure force for good, coming to the aid of the oppressed and used in ancient, primordial battles against demonic forces. Against the power of the Dark Wand.

“It’s not just a story,” Sage counters, teeth gritted, her eyes gone wild. “Youhaveto believe me. This isthe White Wand.” She lifts the wand again and thrusts it toward me.

She’s mad, completely mad.But she’s so agitated, and I want to calm her fears. Relenting, I reach out and take the wand.

The pale wood of the handle is smooth and cool to the touch, strangely devoid of any sense of its source tree. I slide it under my cloak and into a pocket.

Sage looks instantly relieved, like a heavy burden has been lifted.

Movement in the distance catches my eye, just inside where the wilds begin. Two dark figures on horseback are there and gone again so quickly, I wonder if it’s a trick of the light. There are so many strange, dark shadows this time in the morning. I glance up and look for the white birds, and I have to blink twice to make sure I’m not seeing things.

They’re gone.With no sound made in leaving. I spin around on my heels, searching for them. They’re nowhere in sight.

“They’re gone, Elloren,” Sage says, her eyes once again apprehensively scanning around as if sensing some impending doom. She grasps my arm hard, her nails biting into my skin.

“Keep it secret, Elloren! Promise me!”

“Okay,” I agree, wanting to reassure her. “I promise.”

Sage lets out a deep sigh and releases me. “Thank you.” She looks in the direction of my cottage. “I have to go.”

“Wait,” I beg of her. “Don’t go. Whatever’s going on... I want to help you.”

She regards me mournfully as if I’m dauntingly naive. “They want my baby, Elloren,” she says, her voice cracking, a tear spilling down her cheek.

Her baby?“Whowants your baby?”

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