‘Don’t speak,’ Arden said, his voice barely a breath, as the glamour settled over them.
Kage, though uncertain of the magic’s precise nature, nodded grimly and signalled Spirox to perch upon his shoulder. Closer, safer and silent.
The underbrush rustled as two figures burst through, laughing and breathless with delight at the discovery of the hidden waterfall. Kage’s muscles tensed as he recognised the glint of purple eyes. Witches. One was carefree, almost childlike in her enthusiasm, casting off her clothes and divingheadlong into the water with a gleeful shriek.
The other, however, moved with the caution of a predator. Her eyes, sharp and suspicious, swept the grove. She sniffed at the air like a bloodhound, her head tilting ever so slightly as she prowled the fringes of Arden’s spell.
‘There’s no one here!’ the swimmer called out, her voice echoing off the rocks.
Still, the cautious one lingered, stepping closer and closer until she stood mere inches from Kage. His breath stilled in his chest. Somehow, the Fae’s enchantment held, veiling them from her sight. Arden’s eyes slid towards him, warning etched in every line of his expression:don’t move, don’t breathe, don’t make a sound.
‘I could’ve sworn I heard something…’ the witch mumbled, her voice as soft as wind through leaves. She frowned, then shrugged and turned away, her footsteps light as she made her way back towards the water’s edge.
Arden gave a subtle hand signal, urging Kage to begin a slow, silent retreat into the dense curtain of foliage behind them.
The witch had nearly reached the water’s edge when, all at once, she glanced back over her shoulder. Something, perhaps a flicker of movement or the faintest shimmer of light, had caught her eye. Her violet gaze sharpened to a dangerous gleam, and a swirl of viridescent magic coiled at her fingertips like smoke. Without hesitation, she thrust her hand forward, sending a blast of energy directly towards them.
The force of the spell struck Arden, hurling him sideways into the pool with a violent splash. Kage twisted aside just in time, the magic grazing past him with a hiss. He didn’t pause to consider. In one fluid motion, he drew the small dagger hidden within his boot and lunged. His blade found the witch’s throat,carving through flesh with brutal efficiency. She crumpled wordlessly to the forest floor, crimson staining the moss beneath her.
He turned at once, heart pounding, ready to help Arden, but he should have known better. The Fae needed no saving.
Arden was already emerging from the water like a vengeful wraith, soaked and wrathful, dragging the second witch with him. With a flick of his wrist, he slammed her to the ground, his dagger pressed to the curve of her neck. She snarled and spat into his face, defiant even in defeat.
‘Why are you here?’ he demanded, voice low and cold.
She answered with another glob of spit, fury blazing in her eyes.
Kage approached, his steps swift and silent. But it was Arden’s expression that stilled him. The Fae’s emerald eyes had darkened, losing all trace of mirth or light. What remained was something primal, something ancient. A predator, yes, but not of this world. The sight made Kage’s skin crawl.
Without a word, Arden seized the witch’s hand, pinned it to the earth, and with a precise stroke, sliced through her wrist. Her scream rose, echoing through the canopy above and silencing the birds. Before she could cast a spell, he sliced through the remaining hand.
‘Try again,’ Arden said, his voice a low rasp, dark with restrained malice. He hurled the severed hands into the pool, where they vanished with a muted splash. ‘Why are witches crawling through the Kingdom of Fauna?’
The witch broke into hysterics, her sobs turning to shrieks as blood flowed freely from the ragged wounds. She writhed and kicked, the agony consuming her, but Arden was unmoved. He seized her arm, ignoring her frantic attempts to wrench it free.
‘Don’t,’ Kage interjected, stepping forward, his tone likeflint striking steel.
Arden cast him a glance over one shoulder. It was cold, empty, devoid of remorse or compassion.
‘Are you going to speak, witch?’ he asked, returning his attention to the woman beneath him.
Her only answer was a fresh volley of screams, high and guttural.
‘Answer him,’ Kage said, his voice hardening.
Still, she shrieked and sobbed, incoherent and useless. Kage scanned the surrounding brush, every cry pulling tension tighter in his spine. The noise would surely draw others.
‘We should go,’ he said at last. ‘Leave her.’
‘She’ll warn the others,’ Arden replied without looking up. ‘We can’t risk that.’
‘Then make it quick.’ Kage’s voice was taut with urgency, and something heavier. ‘Don’t let her suffer more than she already has.’
‘That’s not how—’
Kage didn’t wait for him to finish. With one swift motion, he unsheathed his dagger and flung it with deadly precision. The blade struck true, burying itself between the witch’s brows. Her cries ceased in an instant as her body crumpled like cloth.
Arden rounded on him, fury lighting his features. ‘I could’ve got what we needed!’
