The Hunt of the Grimalkin (Erresuma Book 1) Dani Swanson (reading women .txt) 📖

“What about all the other doors? We can’t leave everyone else here,” Thea looked up from her book in surprise at Robin.

“What happen to not getting involved in things that aren’t our battles? Not our fight?”

Robin shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe you’re just wearing off on me.”

The next morning came. The door was unlocked, their clothes were laid out, and breakfast was on the table like normal.  “We must have been forgiven.” Robin said with a smirk.

The girls didn’t have any gum in their bags but Robin did have some more arrowroot. She made it into a paste and stuffed it into the latch before they went down for their day.  The girls did their eight hours of training out in the yard, and even did some yard work. Sorgin was keeping an especially close eye on them, and did not leave their sides.

When they were done they went back to their rooms to bathe, and have their dinners.  “Did it work?” Thea whispered to Robin. She nodded back slowly, testing the handle.

They waited until midnight and then felt ready to sneak out of the chateau. “Let’s go.” Thea announced as she had all the bags packed and ready.

“What about everyone else?” Robin asked. Thea stopped with her hand on the door handle.

“We can’t get them out, I don’t know how to get them out of their jars….and who knows how many other things she has locked up around here.  We need to worry about ourselves.” Thea was very annoyed as Robin hadn’t cared to be bothered with anyone else before this. They had no plan, and Thea was terrified of being trapped here any longer.

“Well, you and the cat can leave, but I’m going to let them out!” With that statement Robin was out of the room and headed down the hall.

“Take the key,” Thea hush-yelled lobbed the key at her. Robin caught it and then disappeared down the stairs.

Thea made it all the way to the front door, and had her hand on the handle when she stopped. Fig looked up to her and meowed. “I know. I can’t leave her,” she said to the cat as she turned and walked back upstairs. Thea found Robin in the room with all the captured creatures, but Robin wasn’t trying to free them; she was trying to open a door to the adjoining room. “What are you doing now?”

Robin nearly jumped out of her skin. “Holy buckets! Don’t do that!” Robin turned back to the door continuing work on getting it open.

“What are you doing now?” Thea asked as she went to try to break open the jars.

“There’s more in here….I can hear them,” Robin replied.

Just then the lights in the room flickered on, and there was a collective gasp from the girls, as well as, the creatures in the room, as they all turned to look at the doorway to see Sorgin standing there with her hands resting on her cane.

“NOW what do you two think you are doing? Found another grimalkin to chase?” Sorgin did not look amused as she looked over the top of her glasses at the two young witches. Thea had backed up to where Robin was standing and was raising her hand from her hip. She started to create a massive fireball in her left hand.

“Why do you have all of these creatures trapped in here Sorgin?” Thea asked with a furrow brow. “They don’t want to be here anymore Sorgin, and frankly, neither do I! Let them out!”

Sorgin tilted her head back and laughed at Thea. “Let them out? Let them out?” Sorgin question as she was pointing at the bottles and jars on the shelves.  Thea raised her hand and was about to launch her fire directly at the laughing witch when she was tackled, and fell on top of her own fireball. Thea’s shirt caught fire. As Robin snuffed it out and then leaned over the top of Thea and whispered “I’m sorry,” before dropping a few drops from a bottle onto Thea’s arms. She lost the feeling in her arms. The paralysis spread through her entire body. Fig jumped onto Robin’s back and attacked her with his claws and teeth; he ripped Robin’s dress and drew blood before she flung him against the wall with a thud.

“I lived up to my end of the bargain. Let my sister go, Sorgin.”

Thea moved her eyes to look at the two witches as they were talking. Thea could see part of the skin on Robin’s back where Fig had ripped her dress; the holes revealed a tattoo of a dragon with a flame coming out of its mouth; just as the drawing in Thea’s spell book had shown.

“You promised me a supreme! We’ve been working with her for weeks and that hasn’t been enough for her to develop her powers. She’s no supreme,” Sorgin said as she nodded towards Thea, who laying uselessly on the floor. “I think that you are confused little witch. This is not a fair trade for your sister; not even a fair trade for you.”

Thea couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did Robin really lead her here on purpose? As a trade? Thea could feel the anger boiling inside of her. “You said if I brought you Thea, you would let Robin go!” Robin yelled. Thea was so frustrated by her paralyzed state, but was she also losing her senses as well? Did she just say her sister’s name is Robin? Thea was able to groan, but the two witches ignored her and continued to argue.

“I will add her to my collection, but she is not worth a trade. You owe me a powerful witch. Go catch me that Crow Witch, then perhaps I will let your sister go,” Sorgin said as she shooed the girl dismissively