A Nameless Witch

'Because life is complicated and difficult. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't truly lived.'

She melted into the earth, but not without one last gasp. 'I'll be back. No one can resist their nature forever.'

I didn't deny this. To do so would have been arrogant, and arrogance would have been the first step toward her prediction.

'One day, witch, you will wake up to discover I have become you.'

'Maybe one day. But not tonight.'

The ghoul faded away to a black spot on the ground.

'She never had a chance,' said the woman.

'She had a chance.' My wounds disappeared. They had never been real. 'Just not much of one.'

The woman stepped before me. 'I, on the other hand, have already won.'

'I know.'

The stream rushed into the woman. My stolen substance filled her. She was a pretty creature, not nearly as beautiful as I. But I could see myself in her slightly plumper figure and soft brown eyes.

She lowered her head. 'I'm sorry.'

'You only take what I offer.'

It was a strange thing. I didn't surrender myself to her because I hated what I was or because mortality was all that tempting a fate. I liked being a witch, and I'd grown accustomed to my curse. It denied me little. Nothing but the one desire I couldn't ignore anymore.

'He won't love me,' she said. 'I may be you, but I am not the you he knows.'

It was true, but it didn't make any difference. I loved Wyst, and my heart fantasized that as a woman, he could love me back. It was an unlikely dream. Even if I weren't undead, he would still be a White Knight. Dreams are rarely founded on truth, and this sorcery drew on my deepest wishes. I couldn't change those. Even with magic.

'I'm sorry' The woman wiped a tear from her eye.

I sank into the dark earth and for an instant I knew what it was to be a ghost of destiny. But it was brief, even for an instant.

Magic, not my own, crackled through the air. The earth spit me out, and I snapped back into truth. The woman fell at my feet. I felt a terrible pity for her, but she just smiled ever so softly before fading into oblivion. The second trial was finished. Once again, I was alone.

The woman may have been my heart's desire, but my curse was more powerful than this sorcery and my innermost yearnings. Nasty Larry denied my escape even through altered destiny.

I could've become the ghoul. The curse wouldn't have minded, but Ghastly Edna had saved me from that. Her education had given me more than magic. If she'd been here, I would have thanked her.

She would have most certainly replied, 'We all save ourselves, child, even if we are fortunate enough to have help along the way.'

Smiling, I offered her silent thanks anyway and headed back to the camp.

23

Upon my return, Wyst was still gone, and I worried. I didn't fear for his safety. He could take care of himself well enough. But I'd sensed our brief embrace had shaken his virtue, and a White Knight's virtue was his greatest possession, his defining quality. Though he'd agreed to the minor violation, I never should have put him in the position to make it. Terrible errors are rarely made all at once. Usually they are performed one small misstep at a time. It had been wrong to ask, but I couldn't make myself feel bad about what had happened in my cellar. This wasn't surprising. The wrong thing often feels right. Such is the nature of temptation.

I took my place beside the campfire without saying a word. Gwurm handed me some bloody flesh to chew upon. Newt couldn't contain his impatience.

'Well?'

I sucked on my fingers. 'It's done.'

'Just like that?'

'Just like that.'

'You defeated the second trial?'

I chuckled. 'Me? No, I'm afraid not.' Ghastly Edna and Nasty Larry had overcome the trial.

'So you lost?'

'No.'

Newt grunted. 'I miss the old bat. She may not have told me everything, but I don't remember her being so con­founding.'

I realized that as much as I loved Ghastly Edna, we were two very different witches. She'd lived by herself with a duck and a cursed girl, both of which did whatever she told them to without question. She might offer a verbal riddle here or there, but she'd spoken little. I was part of a much larger world and demands were made on my witchliness that I'd never seen my mistress face. I liked playing with words, watching how they might say so much and so little at once.

'Is the second trial over then?' Newt dared ask.

I nodded.

'Good. Two more then?'

I nodded again.

'Any idea when the next one is?'

I didn't answer.

'Forget I asked.' He put aside his confusion. I'd given him enough practice at it.

Nothing was said after that. Newt and Gwurm went to sleep, but I wasn't tired. I contemplated the overcast night. A soft breeze swept across the fields, and my hair frolicked in the air. It had been a long time since it had been free to dance with the wind.

'I knew you were going to be trouble,' said Wyst's horse.

His unsolicited comment surprised me. Up to now, the beast and I hadn't spoken. He'd been spurning me, and I hadn't given it much thought.

He didn't look at me and rocked his head. 'Trouble.'

I walked over and tried to pet his muzzle. He pulled away.

'Hello.'

The horse snorted.

'Have I done something to offend you?'

He strode a few paces away and turned his head to look at me with one brown eye. 'You're a witch. That alone should be enough.'

'Ah, so you don't like witches.'

He flicked his tail in my direction. 'I've nothing against them exactly, but I am the loyal steed of a White Knight. It doesn't seem right to speak with one, even a mostly harmless witch.'

I paced a wide circle to get around to his front without drawing too close. 'Mostly harmless, am I?'

'Did I say mostly.' The horse smacked his loose lips. 'I meant largely.'

'Is there a difference?'

He closed his eyes and kicked the grass. 'Leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep.'

'As you wish.' I turned away

'You'll be the end of him, and he was such a fine cham­pion.'

I stopped. 'I would never harm him.'

The horse neighed a mirthless chuckle. 'You've already done him harm. You've started him down the path of corruption. Once a White Knight starts down that road ...'

I lowered my head. 'I never intended ...'

'What you intended is hardly relevant. What did you do to him in that basement?'