OBSIDIAN STAR (Breaking Shadows Universe) Bonus Chapters

Chapter 2

Footsteps echoed across the shallow puddles on the dungeon floor. They drew Celeste's attention away from where the wind screamed in the still open doorway. She sighed in relief.

"Astrea. I'm glad to see you. I thought you were-"

"Mother? If I were, your body would lie crushed on the rocks ready to feed the seagulls in the morning." Astrea looked to the door. "Did you help them escape?"

"No-"

Leda remained quiet and still.

"Liar," but Astrea kept calm. "We'd better go make up a story for when we're interrogated. Although Mother won't like whatever we come up with."

Nova Darkmore, the High Witch of the Iron Moon Coven circled them, a predator stalking, teasing its prey. She had returned to the island fortress an hour after the break-in and had called her heir, Astrea and Leda into the interrogation room not five minutes later. "Since I left you in charge Celeste, I believe you should be the one to explain how three witches managed not only to infiltrate our fortress but also take one of my prisoners?" Nova's tone sliced through the air.

Celeste's eyes closed for milliseconds as she worked up the courage to answer. "Leda and I responded as soon as the wards went off. Astrea followed soon after. By the time we got down there, the prisoner was free. We tried to fight them off but they were too strong."

"As the person in charge Celeste, I must punish you. Otherwise how will you learn?" She flicked her coal-black hair over her shoulder and took two full strides forward towards Leda.

Celeste could feel her friend's shoulders rubbing against hers as she trembled.

Nova's long fingers went to Leda's red bob. She stroked the knotted strands until her hand lowered, curling around her neck. "But the way to punish you my daughter, is to take it out on those you care about." With those words, Nova's sharp nails pierced the flesh in Leda's neck and she yanked the younger witch forward. Before anyone had time to take another breath, Nova had swiped one of her vicious nails down Leda's right eye-lid and on to her cheek. Blood oozed from the wound. And Leda screamed.

"Mother, please!" Celeste cried, breaking out of the line.

Astrea's mouth dropped open.

"Mother?" Nova's eyes narrowed to slits. "Not High Witch?"

"I meant no disrespect-"

Nova's mouth twisted into a menacing smile. "Of course you didn't."

Nothing could have prepared Celeste for what came next. Nova's nails gouged into Leda's eye, plucking it from the socket. She held the eyeball in her hand before squishing it beneath a tight fist. She discarded the remains on the floor as if they were scraps for a dog.

Leda fell to her knees, her hands flying to her face. They were soon covered in the crimson blood pouring over her pale skin. Her screams had set every nerve-ending and bone in Celeste's body on edge.

Celeste dared to catch a glimpse of Astrea and found her sister had picked a point on the stone wall behind and stared at it unmoving and unblinking.

Nova turned to Celeste, blood dripping from the tips of her fingers. Her mother's calmness was more sinister than the act she had just committed.

"I expect I will have no more failings, Celeste?"

Celeste swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "None, High Witch."

Celeste and Astrea waited for the click of the latch before they dived for Leda.

"My eye!" she cried. "My eye!"

"Hush," soothed Celeste. "I know, I know."

Astrea took one look at where Nova had thrown the jellified mass of what was left of Leda's eye and grimaced. "We need to get her to the infirmary, now."

"But we have no healer."

"Then Ida will have to do the best she can. Let's go."

Celeste and Astrea between them half-carried, half-dragged Leda down the hall to where the Iron Moon's infirmary was. Infirmary was a poor name for what remained. Once they had had a talented healer who knew a potion for just about any ailment which could affect a witch but one cross word with Nova and the High Witch had cut her down where she stood.

Astrea took over supporting Leda so Celeste could twist the iron ring and force the door open. So much time had passed since the infirmary had been used, the wood had become stiff and it took four barges of her shoulder to open it enough for the three of them to go inside.

With one long sweep of her arm, Celeste cleared the table in the centre of the room, sending dust flying and swirling into the air.

"Can you light the candles?" Celeste asked as she helped her sister heave Leda onto the table. It was too dark to see anything until Leda held out a trembling hand. It took her a few gos but finally, red and orange sparks, minimal but enough, ignited in her hand, her wrist went limp sending the flames out to light the remnants of the fluffy candles.

"Fetch Ida," said Celeste. "I'll stay."

When Astrea had left to seek out Ida, the nearest the Iron Moon possessed to a healer, Celeste stroked back the short strands of Leda's hair. Sweat had darkened the cherry-red colour so it now resembled old blood. She leant her face close to her friend's ear and whispered the same thing over and over. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Leda didn't reply.

Or couldn't.

Astrea was swift in her return with Ida following straight behind. They made sure to close the door firmly behind them.

Ida, a middle-aged witch with a droopy eyelid froze at the sight of Leda stretched out on the table, drenched in blood, groaning and writhing in agony.

"What the-" she closed her mouth when Celeste gave her a sharp look.

"I see-"

"Good because Leda can't very well. What can you do?"

Ida moved to the table and stood on tiptoes to get a better look at Leda's face. "Not much. I can stop the bleeding but to get her face looking anything less than horrific you're going to need a really good healer, a specialist even. There's not one around here for miles. The nearest one is-"

"Rebecca Archer, High Witch of the Obsidian Star." Celeste sighed as she looked down on her friend.