Hexed

9

"Think of speech as a magickal tool, because it is."

― Mat Auryn, Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation

☽★☾

All eyes were on Brynn as she was chained back up inside the cell. She barely had the courage to meet their gazes; would they blame her for sentencing them all to their deaths? She only looked up when a figure in the corner of the cell, the same young woman who had first warned the group about the interrogations, spoke up.

"So? What happened? What did he ask you about?" The young woman asked, only after ensuring that the man who had brought Brynn in had left. It was impossible to distinguish her features from the dull lighting of the cell. All Brynn saw was the glint of her eyes in the dim lantern light.

"Um," Brynn muttered, horribly aware of the dozen pairs of eyes that watched her. Great. Putting me on the spot. Love that. "Well, Sebastian only wanted to know about Moonfall. Where she is right now, and how to find her."

The young woman made a thoughtful humming sound. "Okay. You didn't tell him anything, right? Didn't let any information slip?" Her tone was dripping with suspicion. "You're a newbie, and while I hate to say this... I don't really trust you yet. You haven't built the kinds of connections in the group that we have. You might have bartered information for your freedom, for all we know." 

A few murmurs went up around the group, and Brynn felt herself flushing red with frustration. "No, I didn't tell him anything. In fact, I was so 'stubborn' about it that Sebastian plans on having us all hanged tomorrow evening."

The words immediately cut through the quiet conversations. All eyes once more turned back to her. The young woman in the corner sputtered as she thought of the appropriate response. "I― Wow. So it's settled, then? This time tomorrow, we'll be dead?"

Brynn didn't answer. What was she supposed to say? That they'd be perfectly fine, that they'd be let loose before that could happen? That would be a lie. She honestly didn't know what was going to happen, and she definitely didn't have any power over the outcome. Her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for the others, because they all seemed to be overcome by a grim realization that this was their future. There was no escaping it.

After a while, the red-haired girl couldn't stand the tense silence that had settled over the cell. She cleared her throat, waiting until most of the others had looked up before she spoke. "Are we really going to give up, right now, after we've gone through so much? Do you really want to do that?"

"We're not giving up," Silverstar growled from somewhere beside her. Even though Brynn couldn't see where the blonde woman stood, she could hear the anger in her tone. I can try to use that anger to my advantage, Brynn thought curiously. All it takes is a little passion, right?

"Well, it sure seems like you are! And that would be stupid of you. Jo― Moonfall said it herself. About us having to stick together, about how we can get things done if we stay loyal to each other." Brynn let out a breath, hoping the words were taking effect as she wanted them to. "You're not going to just lay down and die, right? Wouldn't that let down the rest of the group? We have to try and fight back. If we stick together, I know we can survive."

A few began to talk to each other again, but Brynn was pleased to note that most of the conversations were hopeful ones. I'm getting their support! If I can keep them together, maybe we've got a shot of getting out of here.

A small smile flickered onto Brynn's face. She needed to build off of this positive energy. "You know what Sebastian doesn't have? Loyal friends. Not like us. We've got numbers. We've got so many brave and talented people who are willing to give their lives to this cause. We're not going to throw ours away like this. We're going to do something with them!" The words were met with cheers and passionate whoops.

"Yeah, we are!" Someone ― possibly Emberspark, surprisingly enough ― shouted. "We've got this!"

A couple of people laughed at the boy's words. Brynn could feel the cell's atmosphere growing lighter, happier even. It was almost as if the cell were morphing into a much more welcoming place, now that they knew the community was what made home feel like home.

Brynn couldn't stop now; she had to keep this going. What was something else she could use to inspire everyone? What was it that the young woman had said earlier? Something about Joan coming to save them...

"And you're all forgetting something else!" Brynn blurted with a grin amidst the cheery conversations of the others. "Moonfall said she was going to come rescue us, right? With her, we're unstoppable!"

As soon as the words left Brynn's mouth, the cell door clicked open. Two men were shoving someone inside the cell. It was impossible to see their face until one of the men's lanterns swung a path of light. All of the hope drained from Brynn's heart as she recognized the person's face.

Joan. Joan had been captured.

So much for being unstoppable...