She shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Has this been your plan for a few months now?”
She cackled. “For several months, in fact.”
“Is that why you were slowly having the king’s close guards poisoned?”
The king hitched a breath and swung around to watch the imposter as they awaited her answer. Her smile stretched tight across her thin face.
“You are very clever, I must say. How did you figure out the guards were being poisoned?”
“Because my father was the first one you poisoned, and he died.”
“Ah, so sad,” she said without feeling. “But you are correct. The guards were beginning to suspect that I was a witch. I couldn’t have them alive to tell others. So now I suppose you shall be the next one to die since you know my plan.”
He gritted his teeth. He wouldnotbecome her next victim. His mind scrambled to think up a way to stop her. Perhaps he should have brought the evil witch’s twin sister along. Maybe she could have stopped this out-of-control woman.
Raising her hands, her gaze on him narrowed. Unrecognizable words exited her mouth. His heart dropped. She was trying to put a spell on him!
Quickly, he reached into his trouser pocket and grasped the rabbit’s foot. He said a silent prayer it would accomplish the very thing his mother had mentioned—ward off spells. He held his breath, waiting for the outcome.
When she finished what she was saying, she waved her hands toward him as though she were pushing something invisible his way. Yet nothing happened.
Her forehead creased in confusion, and she glanced down at her hands. When her gaze jumped up and met his again, determination lit her dark blue eyes.
“Weepest, willest, toofuss decry, poison this man for him to die.”
Ryder didn’t understand any of this, but he certainly didn’t like the ending of the spell. He rubbed his thumb against the furry foot, and waited. Still nothing!Unbelievable!
He chuckled, unsheathing his sword as he slowly walked toward her. “It appears that you have no power over me, and I’m not going to allow you to upset the king any longer.”
Her eyes widened in surprise before she tilted back her head and laughed. “You want to play? I can play.”
She waved her hands in the air. A powerful jolt made Ryder stumble back, but it didn’t knock him down. He was still in control.
He surged toward her with his sword in front of him. Shock registered on her face, and she darted away from him. She swished her arms again, but the powerful force he’d once felt was nothing but a small breeze now.
He chuckled. “I think your powers are weakening, witch.”
Ryder lunged at her with the sword, nicking her arm. She gasped, peering down at the blood seeping through her sleeve. With another wave of her hand, the blood flow had stopped. When she met his gaze again, evil filled her glare.
Once again, she raised her arms and muttered words he’d never heard before. In a split second, his sword grew warm, and then moments later, it nearly burned his hands. He dropped his weapon before it seared his flesh.
With another wave of her hands, the sword moved toward her and she held onto it. Victory appeared in her evil eyes. Defeat filled Ryder, and he shook his head. No, he couldn’t let it end this way. He was the king’s guard. Hemustsave the king and the king’s family no matter what the cost.
Mustering all the energy he had, he rushed toward the witch. She tried to raise the sword to block him, but the steel weighed too much and she couldn’t lift it. He kicked it out of her hands and knocked her down to the ground. He wrapped his hands around the witch’s throat, ready to do anything to stop her.
An unrecognizable gurgle rose from her mouth. Suddenly, it was her body that turned hot as fire. Ryder grunted and jumped off her. His mind scrambled to think of what he could do next. There must be some way to stop this witch from hurting anyone ever again.
“Enough of this, I say!” The king marched past Ryder and stood in front of the witch. “If you promise not to harm my wife, my daughter, or any of my guards ever again, then I shall do your bidding. I cannot allow you to hurt any more of my people.”
“Your Majesty!” Ryder gasped. “If she is in charge, many more will be harmed than if we simply stop her now.”
“This is my kingdom,” the king spoke firmly. “You will do well to remember that. I have tried to defeat this witch before, and it clearly did not work.” The king turned his attention back to the witch. “No more of my people may be harmed. Not one!”
The witch smiled victoriously and nodded to the king. “Of course, my dear,” she smirked. Then she tilted back her head and released another cackle. “Oh, isn’t this wonderful. We should celebrate, don’t you think?”
“What are we celebrating?”
