A/N: Thank you for all the comments and votes, keep them coming as will the chapters :)
Chapter Eighteen
The bright light dispersed and I blinked multiple of times to get rid of the white spots. It was like someone had taken a picture in your face with the flash on. I steadied myself, arms out stretched so I wouldn't fall over this time.
Our surroundings began to focus. I looked up at the sky, tree tops closed in around an abnormally large, pale moon. Stars as bright as diamonds flickered in and out of view all around.
"We're in Hobs Wicket." Kieran said, sounding surprised.
"Hobs Wicket?" I asked, looking towards him.
We were standing in tiny clearing, surrounded by trees, thick dense trees. So thick, you couldn't see what was inside the woodland. I shivered, a chill running up my spine, as if I felt someone watching us.
"They say that Hobs Wicket beholds the centre of Faerie." Mac whispered, as he stared hard between the trees. Hand on Hilt.
Kieran also had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Both men ready to pounce at anything that may come our way.
"That's good. Isn't it?" I asked, sensing uneasiness.
Mac and Kieran both looked about the place, slowly turning as to not miss anything. I ended up in between them and I couldn't help but think they were protecting me.
"It is. But, Hobs Wicket isn't a nice place to be." Mac said.
"How come?" I dared myself to say.
Kieran answered my question, eyes wide and bright. He now drew his own sword.
"Hobs Wicket is the stuff of your own nightmares." He shot a quick look at me.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"It plays on your emotions. Creates things you want or don't want to see and then carefully manipulates you, so you would go mad and never return home." Kieran replied.
"Everyone is different. If anything happens right now. We could all see different things." Mac added.
I still didn't get it. "So If I saw a ball, the forest would turn it into something else?"
"If you got close to it. The forest will lead you away. Like the hobby lanterns. It was a defence that the gods and goddess instilled to protect the crystal." Kieran added.
The mention of the crystal made my stomach feel hollow. I should have mentioned it but didn't know how. How could I say, I lost the only thing that would've saved Faerie.
"So don't believe what you see." Mac whispered.
We stood in a protective stance, me in the middle as we all walked slowly through the dark forest. My nerves were all over the place and I was terrified at what I might see.
We had been walking for hours, with the night becoming darker and the forest looming over us, shielding the sky from us. We came across an old hut, it looked more like a disused stable and we stopped to stare at it. I wondered if the boy were thinking if it was real or was it there because we were feeling tired. We edged closer, so that our feet touched the entrance.
"Something would have happened by now." Kieran argued. "We should rest for a while." He added.
Still on guard we sat in the centre of the old, wooden hut. It had no walls, only a thatch roof to shield from. There were old torches attached to each leg of the building, which Mac lit using magic.
I sat facing forward, Mac leaning up against my back watching the other side from behind while Kieran faced to the side. Weapons drawn, laying beside us.
"How far are we to the centre?" I asked.
"Not sure. It could be a few yards away or even a few days. The centre of Faerie is vast and wide, protected by this forest."
I didn't say anything. Instead I wondered what I would do when we get to the centre.
"I have something to say." I started, with a deep breath. Better tell them now about the crystal, then later. Macs back muscles coiled against mine, I could feel his head turn to side glance me. Kieran did the same. All eyes on me. Everything seemed to go eerily quiet too, just added effect.
I swallowed hard and took up my concentration by staring down at the dusty floor. I was about to speak when I noticed something move in front of me. I snapped my head up, looking out into the darkness. My eyes getting use to the dark, my eyes locked onto something as is rolled towards me. I felt Mac, grab for his sword and the same with Kieran. I was already holding my dagger; the same dagger Mac gave me to fight the Manticore, a while ago.
My heart was pounding as a small purple ball continued to roll towards me. I stood as did the guys.
"Don't show any emotion." Mac called out. "It will play on that."
That was easy, I didn't feel anything towards this small ball. I stared as it came to a complete stop just a few inches from me. I had no connection with it. Then it began to change.
The ball began to rip, the colours changing from purple to peach. The rubber seemed to felt and disintegrate and it remoulded itself. I watched, fascinated at the sudden change. I heard Mac intake sharply. The ball finally finished and now a grey, tabby cat stared up at with emerald eyes. The tip of its fluffy tail flicked as its eyes narrowed up at me.
I licked my dry lips, staring down at the silky smooth creature. My heart swelled, but I refused to connect with it, telling myself it wasn't real. That this cat isn't real. Tabitha, my cat I had when I was younger had died, I saw her die, I was there, aged sixteen. It was originally Aunt Cecilia's pet until I came along. I was obsessed with it and it would follow me everywhere, my own little shadow.
Tabitha died of old age, she was fifty in human years. I swallowed the lump in my throat and I closed my eyes to stop the memories from forming in my head. I could hear it purr and it meowed. I opened my eyes to see it saunter back into the darkness and disappear into the trees.
I exhaled, relieved it was gone.
"It'll come back." Kieran warned, his eyes narrowing towards the forest. He looked pale and gaunt I wondered what he saw. "We must move on."
I nodded not saying a word. I now understood the power of Hobs Wicket. I wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. I turned to face Mac whose eyes were shadowed with sorrow and his cheeks were flushed. My heart leaped up into my throat.
Branches cracked and snapped under our feet, sending out echoes into the night. An owl swooped low, narrowly missing my head, yet it caused me to flinch and stumble backwards. Mac caught me before I did any more damage.
"It's okay, it was just a bird." He whispered, breath warming the back of my neck.
"Thanks." I mumbled. I was on edged, afraid at what will happen next. Kieran took the lead. I shivered at the cold air, wrapping my cardigan tightly around me and hiding my fingers into the sleeve. Nobody said anything as we wondered deeper into the woods. Distant howls could be heard and the quick gallops of a dear close by made us aware that you couldn't relax; you had to be on your guard here.
Looking to the side of me, I stared hard, to see if anything was there, watching us. I was still getting that feeling. Something shone at me; it was close just a metre away, hidden in the shrub. Kieran stopped to think about which direction we should go, Mac arguing at the concept we should keep heading straight, neither one paying any attention to the glowing emerald object twinkling.
I leaned in for a closer inspection and my breath caught in my throat. It was the crystal. But, how did it get here? I was sure the mermaid took it, or I lost it to the river. But, here it was sparkling at me as if it had always been here. It was so close. Hearing the boys arguing, I stepped closer to it. I could see the chain it was on. My pulse quickened as I reached forward.
"Sophia, NO!" Mac yelled, reaching for me, his finger tips brushing my arm.
But it was too late, I grasped hold of the object and I felt a sudden rush of wind. The feel of Macs hand on my arm disappeared and before I knew it, I was on my own. Again.
Familiar warmth touched my skin. The air that smelled like pine and fern tree before had dwindled, and now beeswax hemp and sweet-pea filled the air around me. I knew the scent very well. My eyes relaxed as everything came into view. My eyes swept over the room, An old rocking chair perched by the bay window, was the first thing I saw. Venetian net curtains shielded the window, where bright sunlight poured through. I turned to see two large, leather settees dominating the rest of the lounge with a huge fire place, a cauldron big enough to stand in filled the space, unused and just for ornamental purposes. I knew exactly where I was. Through the French doors, I could see
"Aunt Cecilia." I called, excited to see her again.
But then I remembered, this wasn't real. I was probably still standing somewhere in Hobs Wicket. Instead I watched as she started making herself a mug of tea. Cecilia still looked young, her hair wasn't white and silver but, dark brown and was shoulder length. Her fashion was up to date, like always. She still looked no more than thirty. She was humming a sweet little tune that I recognised to be Greensleeves. I suddenly felt relaxed and calm, like the tune had always made me feel. I took a step closer and that's when Cecilia glanced up, as if she could see me. Only her eyes were focused on the lounge window, then a loud knock on the front door sounded. Cecilia stopped what she was doing and went to answer it, wiping her hands on her grey jumper.
I followed her out. She was short and I could see the heads of the two people standing at the door - A man and a woman, young looking, but oddly familiar. The woman had black hair, eyes as grey as the sky and she was wrapped up in a warm fur coat and she appeared to be holding something, though I couldn't quite see what it was. The man looked the opposite of the woman, his eyes were dark and his hair was fair. The look of urgency was adamant on his face. They spoke in hushed voices, filled with desperate pleas. I have a rough memory of my parents, but with each passing year they fade away deeper into my mind. Here they were as young as me. But something was troubling them. I strained to hear the conversation, but only could hear parts of what they were saying.
"You have to take Celia. They're after her." The woman pleaded, thrusting a bundle of blankets towards the young witch.
"My dearest friend. It's not in her destiny yet." Celia fought back, her hands raised as to not hold whatever the couple were trying to get rid of.
"She'll die!" The woman cried, the man put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"No, she won't die. Not for a long time. When the time comes, I'll be here for her. But, until then I am tied." Celia said gently.
I watched as I could hear no more. But, I knew who they were talking about. Me. My parents were scared for my life. They thought I would die. Something I never knew about, and something Celia had kept from me. I closed my eyes and just then I felt the warmth fade and the sweet scent disappear. A chill ran up my spine and I opened my eyes, I was back in the forest. In my hands I was holding the crystal. I felt it's smooth sides and felt the nonexistent weight. I was unsure of it. Stuffing it into my jean pocket, I edged back until I slammed into a hefty weight. Expecting it to be a tree, I was shocked to see Mac. His eyes closed, his features blank with no emotion. Kieran was nowhere to be seen.
"Mac?" I said, carefully. Unsure at what exactly was going on.
Nothing.
I pressed my hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Suddenly he moved, grabbing hold of my wrist and clenching tight. Shocked, I tried to pull away. I couldn't. I could feel his fingers digging into the bone and I bit back a cry, remembering what Mac said not that long ago.
'Don't believe what you see.'
I stared up at the expressionless face of Mac. I wasn't sure what will happen next and I tried freeing myself, without much luck. Then his eyes snapped open. Endless, black pits where his green eyes used to be glared back. I screamed, echoing all around. The thing let go suddenly and I fell to the ground, smacking my head on a fallen tree branch, as thick as my arm. Stars appeared in front of my eyes and I quickly shook them away, scrambling to get up. The thing posing as Mac disappeared and I was left standing in the middle of the woods. In the faint distance I could hear someone shouting my name, as if searching for me.
I didn't believe what I was hearing to be true. Instead of following the voices and decided to run in the opposite direction. Every now and then I would stumble, losing my balance on the uneven floor. I almost ran into a shrub, whose branches had tiny claws that grasped for me and I dodged them. Panic and bile rose up in my throat, I didn't know where I was going and the night seemed to go on. Jumping over tree stumps, logs, and shrubs, my energy was beginning to dwindled. My pulse was thumping in wrists and legs. My heart was pounding and drawing in breath was difficult, my head becoming light.
Eventually I came to a slow pace, until I couldn't move no more. I collapsed on to a log, exhaustion written all over me. Taking deep breaths, I listened to my heart beat pounding in my ears. The only thing I could hear at that moment. Not knowing what to do, I sat and for some reason and waited, expecting something to happen.