Hexed

12

"When you're outnumbered by trees, your perspective shifts."

— Jessica Marie Baumgartner, Walk Your Path: A Magical Awakening

☽★☾

Brynn came to in a place she didn't recognize. The forest around her was dense; sunlight just barely stretched its way through the thick tree cover above. She groaned and rubbed at her head. For whatever reason, her body felt as if it had been cracked in two, split in half like a wishbone. The only experience that had bordered this feeling was when she had first been transported here from the present. She recognized the strange stretching and thinning sensation from then and wondered vaguely if it had been the same kind of magic.

It took her a moment to remember what had happened in the haze of her confusion. Only a moment ago, Brynn had been tied to a stake with the others. And now she was here, wherever that was. Her gaze scanned the environment and caught on several figures sitting with their backs against a tree, murmuring in worried tones. She let out a breath; she recognized these people. Silverstar, Magpie, and a young woman she somewhat recognized from back at the group's headquarters. These were her people; whatever had happened, she had been transported here with them. That meant they had all escaped.

"What happened?" Brynn asked as she slid into a crouch beside them. Silverstar pursed her lips, less then pleased to see her.

"Transfer spell," The blonde woman replied simply. "Our bodies have been transferred from that death trap to here. I assume we're in the forest just outside of town." When Brynn tensed in alarm, the woman only chuckled. "Don't worry, we're far away. They probably won't come looking for us, anyway."

Brynn relaxed slightly at the words, nodding slowly as she took in what the woman had said. She ran a hand down her face, still feeling profoundly exhausted by whatever magic had transported them here. She saw people stirring in the woods around them. Not one of them was smiling as Brynn thought they should; after all, hadn't they been saved? That's when she realized that there was one person missing from their group: Joan.

Her eyes darted around the nearby trees, searching desperately for a face she couldn't find. "Where— Where's Moonfall?"

Silverstar was offering her a pitiful look when she turned her attention over to the blonde woman. Surprisingly enough, the concern in her expression seemed genuinely full of concern. "She's not here. She used up a whole lot of energy to save us all."

Dread slid down her spine, spreading discomfort through her whole body. "No. No, that can't be right. She has to be around here somewhere, right? Maybe she dropped somewhere nearby." Despite Silverstar's warnings that she wouldn't find what she was looking for, Brynn hurriedly got to her feet, starting up a brisk walk around the surrounding trees. She studied the bushes and trees, looking for any spot that might potentially hide a human. She found nothing; not a single person could be found in the woods nearby.

As Brynn returned to the group, she took a moment to survey everyone's expressions. It's not that they're not excited, Brynn realized, as she had assumed at first that they just weren't celebrating the rescue yet. They're grieving. Joan's really gone. The red-haired girl slid down into a sitting position, her back against the thick trunk of a tree. She let the back of her head hit the wood as she stared up at the leaves of the trees above.

Brynn found it hard to think about what had happened. Joan had sacrificed herself for them, hadn't she? She'd left herself to be consumed by the flames, transporting the others to safety at the cost of her own life. Brynn hugged her legs to her chest and let her chin rest on her knees. Her mind spun the young woman's words around and around. For whatever damn reason, you're different... I don't want to be tough with you... I don't get soft with people... She couldn't stop turning the words over and over in her head. What had Joan meant by that? Could she have had feelings for Brynn?

The red-haired girl quirked a sad smile at the thought. Joan wasn't a good person; she had made that much clear by putting a hex on Brynn. But maybe she wasn't as bad as Brynn had come to think. She stood up for what she believed in. She was one of the most selfless people Brynn had ever known. She was protective and brave and hot and... Wait a second. Brynn's gaze fixed on the ground; she felt a flush heat up the back of her neck as realization dawned on her. Do I like Joan? Am I... Could I be attracted to her like that? 

Brynn couldn't help but think of all the times Joan had stood up for her or taken it easy on her. I don't want to be tough on you, Joan had said. Looking back, it was all so obvious. The special treatment, the sly smiles, the hidden meanings... There had been something between them; it had been there the whole time, and Brynn had been completely oblivious, had ignored the strange feelings. And now it was too late. Grief suddenly hit her, hard as a freight train.

"No," Brynn said. She hadn't realized she had spoken aloud at first, but now she was determined for the others to hear her. "No. We're not going to just sit around and give up. We're going back to Salem Town and we're going to avenge Moonfall. She wouldn't want us here sitting on our asses doing nothing. We're going to find Sebastian and we are going to exact our revenge." She got to her feet, moving into the small space between the circle of trees, where most of the others were gathered. They all eyed her, vaguely curious. "Well? Are you with me or not?"

Someone laughed. Brynn's gaze immediately moved to study them. She hadn't even noticed this person before, a scrawny teen only a year or so younger than Brynn with tan skin and bushy brown hair. "How do you expect us to take down Sebastian? We've spent years trying to revolt and we've failed every time, even with Moonfall leading us. Without Moonfall... I don't think we have much of a chance."

"They're right," Another voice joined in. It was Emberspark, his eyes puffy and red from crying. "Moonfall is the best leader we've had, and if we didn't stand a chance with her, there's no possible way we could take him down without her."

Brynn nodded, eyes narrowed. She approached the one who had laughed. "Who're you?"

"Emerson," the teenager replied. They didn't seem at all intimidated by Brynn, even though she was wearing the sharpest glare she could manage. "That's my real name, by the way. I don't have a nickname. The town likes to forget I exist anyway."

"Do you really think we stand no chance, Emerson?" Part of Brynn wanted to ask them more about their backstory — she had heard Emerson being referred to with gender-neutral pronouns, something she knew had barely been passed around in this time period — and learn about what the gender binary must have been like, but she went straight for the important questions instead. "It's really important that we avenge her."

The kid tilted their head thoughtfully. "It would be a really slim possibility of success. Even if we had everyone using their strongest magic... I'm not sure. Moonfall was always the best with planning these things, and she was the most adept at spells." Their eyes grew distant with grief.

"Hm," Brynn hummed after a moment. "We'll just need to think up a really sound plan, then."

Emerson's eyes went wide; they must have expected her to just accept defeat and be done with it. They nodded slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess so."

Brynn turned to face the group as a whole, feeling more motivated than she had felt her entire life. Too bad this isn't the SAT, she thought to herself as adrenaline hummed through her. I think I could really ace it right now. "Look, I know I'm new. I probably don't know Moonfall as well as you all got to know her. But she... She put her trust in me. She cared a lot about me, about everyone here. We have to avenge her."

While only a few heads nodded in agreement, no one spoke out against Brynn's words. She straightened up, hopeful. If they went with her, she had the feeling that they'd be able to take down Sebastian, just as Joan deserved. Power came in numbers, after all.

"Here's what we're going to do," Brynn continued, proudly acknowledging the fact that she had successfully captured all of their attention. "You all are going to gather in the main square. Create as much of a riot as you can; the point is to be as distracting as possible. It doesn't matter whether you're proficient at magic or not. Just make them think you are." She waited until everyone had nodded before she allowed the hint of a mischievous smile to creep its way onto her lips. "I'm going to take care of Sebastian myself."