Chapter 20
Mary
1703
I breathe deeply and lift myself up out of the chair, trying desperately to stifle the frightened gasps floating on my tongue. The urge to flee is strong, but for Iris I must stay, and for George I must die. I try to chase his kind eyes from memory and I cry out at the loss of him, a thing I’d not yet had time to mourn.
Quickly I slip outside, unsurprised to see the men gathered there, torches raised as they glare in unison at me. Eyes flooded with a potent mixture of enmity and superstitious fear, as they stand in formation, awaiting my next move.
As much as I wished to call lightning from the heavens to strike them, my power was only mortal, even if tinged with otherworldly magic. The magistrate was not present, but his disciples were more than ready to take me. The crackle of suspense hung like snow laden branches ready to break in the air as I locked eyes with all of them, one by one.
I raised my trembling hands up to indicate my intention to submit and they dashed up the steps quickly. I was knocked to the floor, my breath pushed out of my body as rough hands wove into my hair, pulling me up with a jerk.
I winced in pain as locks of my hair sprinkled down onto the ground, ripped angrily from my scalp. I could feel their hands on my body, unwelcome and prodding as I tried to harness my breath to speak.
“I’m with child!” I yell desperately, relief washing over me as the hands pull me up, but mercifully stop fondling me.
A man forces my head up, and I look deeply into his hateful eyes. “Mary Worthe, you are herewith charged with witchcraft and murder by the devil’s hand.”
I nod as another man circles behind me and binds my wrists roughly, but I meet the pain wordlessly as I glare back into the eyes before me. I’m pushed forward so quickly that I nearly fall face first down the stairs, but the man catches me with harsh hands, and leads me down.
“Samuel, must we bring her in hastily?” the man behind me asks, nuzzling into my hair and I close my eyes tightly. “Long have I admired her; this wild thing from the woods.”
“You wish to be bewitched by this foul creature?” Samuel demands, looking suspicious as though I’ve already weaved my spell over him.
“What harm could she do? There are many here to quiet this mare.” The man’s tone is lascivious, and I look imploringly at Samuel, who is looking at me critically. His eyes hold no mercy, but there is still fear and I pray it’s enough.
“No, she is dangerous and potentially with child,” he says firmly, nodding down the stairs. I welcome the shove as means to propel me forward, gratified that I will never be assaulted on this cursed ground again. “She must be brought before Magistrate Madison unharmed.”
I’m thrown like a sack of flour into the bed of the wagon as Samuel grabs the reins and launches us forward. The ride is rocky, but I am mercifully alone in the bed of the wagon as the frigid air bites at me, making my nose sting and eyes water.
When we arrive at the magistrate’s house I stare up at it, remembering how it had called to me years before, almost like a lover, waiting impatiently to caress me. It beckons me again and I ignore it, knowing that our time together will reveal itself shortly without my engaging in prophecy.
I hear a strangled cry nearby and look around quickly to see Sarah hunched by the stairs of the house, clutching at them for strength. We meet eyes and hers are glazed over with sheer rage as she stalks forward, bending quickly and then raising again with a handful of dirt that she smashes into my face, the grit seeping through my parted lips.
I gag it out, but the dry coating of manure laden silt coats my tongue and binds to it as I spit and wretch. I finally look up and Sarah’s hateful eyes sparkle with vengeance as she steps forward and slaps me so hard that I taste blood begin to mingle with my mouthful of earth.
“You murderous demon,” she hissed, stepping close and grabbing my face roughly. “You’ve taken my husband from me.”
“I took him years ago,” I say, summoning a smirk onto my stained face, my cheeks straining against her vice like grip. “And then he took me with great pleasure all over the very cottage you sat in yesterday.”
Her nostrils flared and her mouth turned to a sneer as her breath quickened. “If he ever touched you, it was but the devil that tricked him into your vile embrace.”
“You can proclaim that to yourself every time you remember his eyes staring at you vacantly when you knew he was dreaming of another. It was I who he wanted,” I taunt, my grin cruel.
“I dare not sully my soul by responding to your venomous words any longer,” Sarah hisses, raising her head haughtily. “You will answer for this in hell.”
I throw my head back and cackle wildly, enjoying watching her face fall at my mocking, maniacal exuberance. Samuel quickly grabs my bound arms and ushers me forward with his body, his feet shuffling me along jerkingly as I dig my heels into the ground.
I feel possessed as I am dragged laughing over the threshold and tugged forcibly down to the cellar jail. The familiar putrid, stale air hits my nostrils and I go still, letting Samuel guide me down as visions of Malvina invade my memories.
As the whole of the room comes
