The next morning I slept until late in the afternoon. Mercifully, Ursula was not there to wake me up. She and Medusa had left to contact Katrina and the rest of the coven. That left Morgan, who knocked on my door sometime around three.
“How are you feeling?” she said kindly, placing a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits on my bedside table.
“I have the biggest headache,” I said with a groan.
“I’m not surprised,” she said sympathetically, sitting down on the bed. “You did quite a number on that cave back there.”
“Yeah,” I said, sipping the tea. “I must have panicked. I didn’t think he was really going to hurt me.”
“You should never be surprised by the Witch Hunters,” she said wisely. “They will resort to all sorts of horrible means to get you. They killed my parents when I was very young.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“It’s okay,” she said, shrugging. “I don’t really remember them. I was raised by my aunt.”
“That’s awful,” I said. “Do you know the witch hunter who did it?”
She nodded. “It was the one before Matthew Hopkins. Goodman Brown.”
“What happened to him?”
She shrugged. “The same thing that happens to all Witch Hunters eventually. Katrina had him executed. Stoned to death, actually.”
“That’s rather ironic,” I said.
“It’s funny how fate works, sometimes,” she said. “Robin, can I ask you a question?”
“Anything,” I said.
“Why did you save the Witch Hunter?” she asked. “Don’t you know how many witches he’s killed?”
“I don’t know,” I said slowly. “I just knew I couldn’t let him die, that’s all. It would have killed a bit of me, to allow that sort of thing to happen to another human being.”
“How so?” she asked curiously.
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s just not in my nature. I hated killing that guard when I had to save Adam from the mob. And Gaston too. I just don’t like seeing things die.”
“You’re a rare breed,” she told me. “You are a strange girl indeed.”
“Thanks?” I said uncertainly.
She laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s a compliment. I wouldn’t want a boring old witch as queen.”
“I’m not queen yet,” I reminded her.
“I know,” she said. “But do you believe what he said about Katrina dying?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I hope it’s not true. I like Katrina.”
“Me too,” she said. “But she’s a little severe sometime.”
“How so?” I asked.
Morgan shrugged. “I just don’t think she enjoys the little things about life.”
“Like candied apples?” I said, laughing.
“Exactly,” said Morgan with a smile.
“Well, I’m finally up,” I said, pulling on my kirtle and my boots. “I suppose I should pay the Witch Hunter General a visit. Do you want to come with me?”
She shook her head. “I’ll walk with you, but I don’t want to go inside. He scares me.”
“That’s okay,” I said kindly. “He sort of scares me too.”
“Really?” she asked, as we made our way to the tower where Matthew Hopkins was being kept. “I would think that you’re not scared of anything.”
I laughed. “That’s not true at all. I was scared when the mob attacked Adam. I was scared when Aurora was dying in my arms, and when Hook was shot by a poison arrow. I was scared when the tree was dying and we were too late to save it.”
“But what about you?” said Morgan. “What about all the times when you were in danger and almost died? Weren’t you scared then too?”
I thought for a moment. “No, I wasn’t.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because,” I said, thoughtfully. “I always figured that if I died, that would be the end of it. And I didn’t need to be afraid because I wouldn’t really be there anymore, you know? But when the people I loved were hurt, well, that’s when I was terrified, because then I might be left behind.”
“That’s very wise of you,” she said, admiringly.
“Thanks,” I said with a laugh. We’d arrived at the door where the Witch Hunter General was being kept. “Well, I guess this is where we part ways.”
She nodded. “I guess I’ll see you at dinner then.”
“Thanks,” I said. She smiled and left.
I unlocked the door and walked in, closing it behind me.
Matthew Hopkins was awake, although looking a little worse for the wear. His arm had been broken, and it was tied up against his chest in a sling.
“Hello,” I said.
“Hello, Robin Baker,” he said.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I suppose I could be worse.”
We stared at each other for a moment, him on his cot, and me standing at the door.
“You saved my life,” he said slowly.
“Yeah, I did,” I said defensively.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because that’s just the kind of person I am,” I said.
“It would appear,” he said finally. “That I am in your debt, Robin Baker, Witch Queen.”
“Me?” I asked in disbelief. “What would you want with me?”
“You don’t know?” he sneered coldly, his friendly demeanor gone. “You’re the next Witch Queen. Your power is linked to the life force of witches across the land. All I have to do is kill you, and the other witches will be weakened or killed.”
“You lie,” I said angrily. “Without me there would just be a new witch queen.”
“Perhaps,” he said with a shrug. “But more likely the witches would go to ruin.”
“Why not go for Katrina then?” I asked. “She’s the Witch Queen now.”
“Katrina,” he scoffed. “Her power weakens by the day. She’ll be dead any month now, leaving you.”
“That’s not true,” I said hotly. “I just saw her a few weeks ago.”
“You’ll see the next time you meet her,” he said. “Her hair turns white, her fingers shrivel, her spine withers. That old hag means nothing to me.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I remained silent.
“It’s possible, though,” he said slowly. “That we could find ourselves as allies. You could strike up a deal with me, and I could be convinced to spare your life.”
“Don’t waste my time,” I snapped. “I’ll make no deals with someone who murders my sisters.”
“Hear me out, at least,” he said smoothly. “I’m offering you a bargain, and quite a sweet one it is too. For starters, I will spare your life. In return, you give me your powers.”
“My powers?” I said. “How on earth am I supposed to give you my powers?”
He laughed mirthlessly at me. “Truly, for one so great, you are certainly ignorant of the ways of magic. There are means, dark means, by which you could transfer your powers to me.”
“That’s easy,” I said resolutely. “No.”
“Why not?” he asked innocently. “What use have you for your powers? Marry your fiancé, little girl. Become a docile wife and pleasure your husband at home where you belong.”
“Fuck you,” I said.
“Tsk, tsk,” he clucked. “Naughty, naughty. That’s not the kind of language nice ladies use.”
“I’m not a nice lady,” I told him. “I’m the mother fucking Witch Queen.”
“That’s right,” he said with a cruel smile. “And with your powers, I’ll be able to find and destroy every single witch in this god forsaken kingdom.”
“So that’s your end game,” I said. “If you think I’ll give it up to you willingly, you’re pathetic and wrong.”
He shrugged. “Who said anything about willingly?” With a sudden fluid movement, he struck out his hand in a stabbing motion, and I flew across the room, slamming painfully against the wall. He held me there, his hand curled into a claw. I struggled to breathe as his invisible hand held me by the neck.
“Now, Robin!” cried Ursula. I closed my eyes and lit three fires in each of the piles of rocks we’d prepared over the entrances. There were three loud bangs, and Matthew dropped me in surprise. I fell to the ground, gasping for air and clutching at my neck.
“No!” he screamed, covering his head to shield himself from the falling stone. Ursula ran over and grabbed me, and she pulled me towards the entrance. To my horror, the entire cave was beginning to collapse. The other three ran towards the entrance, and we crowded into the tunnel, crawling as fast as we could. I was at the end of the line.
Behind me, someone grabbed my ankle. I turned to strike his hand away. His face was black and blue from being struck by rocks, and he looked like he was being buried alive.
“Help…me!” he gasped, reaching out his hand. I looked over at Ursula, who looked horrified.
“Leave him, Robin!” she cried.
I looked back at Matthew, whose black hat was askew, his shoulders torn and bloody. His eyes were red with quiet desperation. I grabbed his hand, and pulled him from the wreckage. Together we ran towards the waterfall, finally feeling the cool, absolving rush of water upon our heads.
“You idiot!” Ursula yelled at me, as I lay on my back on the grassy banks of the river. “What were you thinking?”
“I don’t know,” I said weakly, coughing. Matthew lay beside me, unconscious.
“Well, tie him up,” said Ursula in disgust. “He’s your prisoner now.”
I conjured up a length of rope, and carefully tied his wrists and ankles.
“Should I wake him?” I asked, uncertain. Beside us, Miranda, Medusa and Morgan coughed up water and checked themselves for broken bones.
“Who knows?” said Medusa, shrugging. “I’d have left him there to rot if I were you.”
“You’re not me,” I said. “I couldn’t just leave him there to die.”
“Ugh,” Ursula said, kicking at his side. “He’s your cross to bear now.”
“Help me get him back to the castle,” I said.
Morgan helped me lift the barely conscious Matthew to his feet, and between the two of us we half carried, half dragged him back to the castle, where we placed him in a small, spare room. I enchanted everything in the room to stay exactly where it was, and I charmed the lock on our way out.
“Well?” asked Aurora, who was waiting in my room when I got back, exhausted.
“Well, what?” I asked, closing the door and climbing into bed next to her.
“What happened?” she asked. “With the Witch Hunter. Did you kill him?”
“No,” I said with a sigh. “I did not kill him.”
“What did he want?”
“He wanted my powers, and to use them to destroy the rest of the witches.”
“That’s awful,” said Aurora. “Did you stop him?”
“Of course,” I said. “You don’t see me dead or powerless, do you?”
“No, thank God,” she said. “You had me worried to death.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, sleepily, already beginning to drift off.
