Page 43 of A Touch of Madness

“The elders and I will deal with the most complex enchantments,” one of the older witches adds, her voice low but steady. “But we’ll need your protection if things get chaotic.”

Dorian crosses his arms, his expression unreadable. “And what about Sylvie? Are we really putting all our faith in someone so new to this?”

Before I can respond, Sylvie speaks up, her voice firm. “I know I’m not as experienced as the rest of you, but I’ve studied this. I’ve been working on the incantation as well as getting stronger. I haven’t had long, but I’ve made good use of my time. I’ve studied the wards, practiced counterspells, and I’m ready. You don’t have to trust me, but you will need me.”

Her words hang in the air, and for a moment, no one speaks. Then Ravenna places a hand on Sylvie’s shoulder. “She’s right. Tonight isn’t about doubt. It’s about action.”

Kristoff exhales sharply. “Fine. But if anything goes wrong, we adapt and we do what we need to survive. Agreed?”

A murmur of assent ripples through the group, and I take the opportunity to meet Sylvie’s gaze. Her determination is unmistakable, and I can’t help the surge of admiration I feel for her.

“Stay close to me,” I tell her quietly. “Please.”

She nods, and with one last glance at the group, I signal for us to move forward into the woods.

The trees loom around us like silent sentinels, their skeletal branches clawing at the heavens in a gesture of defiance. The path beneath our feet is uneven, roots jutting out like grasping fingers. I keep Sylvie within arm’s reach, my senses tuned to the unnatural hum of the wards. The magic here isn’t subtle. It presses against my mind, whispering doubts and fears that aren’t my own.

“Stop,” Sylvie says suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence. She holds up a hand, her eyes narrowed as she scans the path ahead. The group halts, everyone tensing as the air seems to shift around us.

“What is it?” Viago asks impatiently, though there’s a note of caution in his tone.

“A ward,” Sylvie murmurs, stepping closer to the invisible boundary. Her hand hovers in the air, and a faint shimmer of energy ripples like disturbed water. It’s almost imperceptible, but now that she’s pointed it out, I feel the hum of its presence, like static in the air. There’s a small smile on her lips, and I can tell she’s proud of herself for sensing it.

“It’s designed to confuse,” she continues, her voice steady despite the sweat beginning to bead on her forehead. “If we’d walked through, we would’ve ended up circling back without even realizing it. It’s laced with misdirection magic and something... darker.”

Ravenna moves to her side, her brow furrowing as she studies the shimmer. “The layering is intricate. It’s meant to disorient while draining anyone who tries to counter it.”

“Can you break it?” I ask, keeping my voice low.

Sylvie nods slowly, though the strain is already visible in the tightness of her jaw. “I can do it.” She looks at Ravenna, who nods and allows her to take the lead.

Sylvie closes her eyes, her hands lifting in deliberate, fluid motions. Words spill from her lips, quiet but resonant, as though they carry their own power. The shimmer intensifies, the ward resisting her intrusion. A sudden crackle of energy snaps outward, and she stumbles slightly, catching herself before Ravenna can reach her.

“Focus, Sylvie,” Ravenna says, her tone firm but supportive. “You’re stronger than this magic. Feel for the core and unravel it.”

Sylvie nods again, her breathing steadying as she adjusts her movements. The air grows heavier, charged with opposing forces, and I feel the hairs on my arms rise as the ward pushes back. Her fingers trace patterns in the air, and with each pass, the shimmer dims slightly, its resistance faltering.

A low hum builds, the ward’s final act of defiance, before Sylvie lets out a sharp, commanding word and flicks her wrist. The energy shatters like glass, dissolving into nothing. The oppressive weight lifts, leaving the path ahead clear but still foreboding.

She sways, and I step forward, my hand at her elbow. “Good work, love,” I say softly, the words carrying more weight than they seem. She offers me a faint smile, her exhaustion already visible but tempered by pride.

“We need to keep moving,” Ravenna says, her eyes scanning the woods. “The wards will only get stronger the closer we get to the stronghold.”

Sylvie straightens, brushing a hand across her brow. “We’ll handle it,” she says, her voice resolute. And as we press on, I can’t help but feel a swell of pride—and worry—for her.

As we move deeper into the forest, the traps grow more insidious. Every few steps, someone catches the faint shimmer of a ward or the glint of a magical snare. It’s not long before another obstacle halts our progress entirely. A wall of thorns, glistening with an eerie black ichor, rises before us, blocking the narrow path forward.

“Blood magic,” Ravenna says, her voice tight. “It’s designed to respond to pain. If we cut through, it will only grow stronger.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Viago asks, his tone clipped.

Sylvie steps forward, her gaze focused. “Let me try something. I just read about this one.” She kneels before the wall, her hands hovering over the tangled vines. The air around her hums with energy as she mutters an incantation. For a moment, the thorns writhe, resisting her efforts, but then they begin to recede, shrinking back into the earth.

“Not bad, new chick,” Vada mutters, though her tone is grudgingly impressed.

We press on, but the forest seems to fight us at every turn. One trap sends jagged shards of ice shooting from the ground, narrowly missing Kristoff. Another conjures phantom figures that whisper cruel lies, their voices weaving doubt and anger into our minds. The witches and vampires are forced to work together, their strengths complementing one another.

“Hold them off,” Ravenna shouts as spectral wolves emerge from the shadows, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Dorian and Vada move as one, their blades slicing through the ethereal forms while Ravenna and Sylvie combine their magic to seal the breach the wolves emerged from.

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