Broken, but Not Defeated

Chapter 1

"You look like her," he says as he starts walking closer. The fire is growing low. I had attacked while he was just about to eat. Humans always became unaware while eating. I look into his eyes, they are a greenish color. I quickly tie him up. I really need to get a handle on the situation. I help him sit back up against the oak. "You are really nice for a witchling."

I look at him. "I have no desire to be like my aunt or my cousins," I say in a soft tone, turning around so he can not see my face. I lean down and start to grab some wood.

What he asks next almost makes me sit down in shock.

"Tell me about them, why are they different than you?" He asks in a quiet voice.

I throw the wood on the fire and use some of my magic to help the wood catch. "The day I was born, witches attacked my father's camp. My mother abandoned me to save my father and godmother. They murdered my father before my mother's eyes. My mother escaped and disappeared. My godmother, Nora found me in the next morning, and raised me. When I was twelve I gained my power." I look at the young man, his golden blond hair seemed to shine even in the moonlight, his blue eyes look at me in question. I sigh before I slip my hand in the fire. There was a flash of pain in stomach, almost like a punch then it was gone. I draw my hand back.

"Your her. The fire witch." I nod.

"My aunt trained me into her personnel assassin. But somehow I could never bring myself to be like her."

"Why is she the way she is?"

"If you use over use magic it begins to corrupt the mind, that's why witches are known to be sociopaths, we aren't born like that it just happens over time." I look up expecting to see disgust, but his eyes are kind and they hold compassion in them. I look away with disgust. I do not need a human's, much less a hunter's, pity. I am a witch. We have stone-cold hearts.

"Thank you for telling me," he says in a soft voice.

I look up from the fire only to find him staring into it. "Get some rest, Hunter," I say in a disgusted voice.

"You know, pretending like you didn't just share your life story isn't going to make it go away. But I will do as you say because you are my captor."

I look up at him. "How old are you? You talk like you are a 78-year-old man, but you look like you are eighteen."

"I am." He pauses and looks into my eyes. He must have found something in them that tells him he can trust me.

"I'm twenty. However, I really should get some sleep, because, unlike you witches, men need sleep. How old are you?" He asks instead of laying down.

"I am none-of-your-business-old," I snap.

"I don't believe we have that age in the human numbers. How old are you in the human age?"

Oh, he thinks he is a funny guy, doesn't he? He is really trying my patience. "Go to sleep Hunter," I snap again. I am going to punch that stupid smirk off of his little face.

"My name is not 'Hunter', it's William. Now, what's yours, oh gracious witchling princess?"

"I said go to sleep, Hunter." This man is really trying my patience.

My eyelids are barely open a crack when I feel something is off. I slowly grab a short knife from my holster and flip onto my feet.

"Well, you look like you just returned from the underworld," I hear someone chuckle.

Sienna, my second in command! What was she doing here? I turn around, and sure enough, there is not only Sienna but the rest of the Thirteen too.

"Yeah, well when you have to deal with a human hunter for four days. It's not what I would call fun."

At that, William rolled over. "You do know Witchling, it's not exactly the funniest thing to be woken in the morning by... Oh, we have company." He sits up while speaking the last words.

"So this is the human you have dragged around," Esta, my third in command, comments. Three of the Thirteen stalk over. William's breath and heartbeat go up really quickly. He must not know that witches can hear better than most animals, because his face is an unreadable mask.

Sienna smirks and looks over at me. "He doesn't look like much of a hunter."

"How much does he know?" Esta whispers.

"Not much. He doesn't even know my name," I say walking over to him. The fact that he still hasn't fainted with thirteen witches standing over him is quite impressive. "Tell me, how do I find your little sweetheart?" I say mockingly.

"Her name is Lady Juliana, she lives in Brecken and is allowed to walk in the forest with four guards every afternoon, from 2:30 to 4:00. She always goes to the little creek to take a break. The guards are not allowed to be near her, but they must be close enough that they can hear her."

The fact that this girl needs guards is hard to believe.

"Ingrid, he will ride with you. Not too close to the front and not too close to the back." I command looking directly at Will. He didn't look happy at all.