Torrents

Bambi

Winds seemed to swell to the magnitude of a tornado inside Tyler’s makeshift cell.

Her arm beamed brighter and brighter beneath her shackled wrist until the whole closet was illuminated.

But in one surreal moment, the light burst and then instantly went dark. The wind ceased with alarming abruptness. Everything was still.

Tyler and I sat silently for a moment with looks of terror spread across our faces.

After we caught our breath, she finally spoke up.

“There’s no doubt. Devina’s up to something.”

“Has… has that ever happened before?” I asked.

“Not with such intensity.”

She looked down at the arm that cast a blinding light just a few moments ago.

“All of those who have been loyal to Devina are marked with—"

“The tattoo,” I interjected. I vaguely remembered seeing it on Devina herself, and on the arms of other witches in photos from the Great War. The insignia of the snake wrapped in barbed wire had been a symbol of fear.

“Usually,” Tyler continued, “witches use it to get in touch with one another, or maybe send out an alarm to their coven. But judging by how forceful that disturbance was, Devina’s message must be intended for a much larger audience.”

My heart sank.

Something in the air felt dreadfully wrong.

It sickened me to my core.

“It calls to me especially strongly. Because my connection to her is so binding.”

“What should we do?” I asked frantically. “Should I tell somebody?”

“At this point, it wouldn’t do much good.” She sighed. “There’d be no way of telling where she was calling the witches without freeing me from these bonds. Then I could cast a pathfinding spell that would lead us right to her. But fat chance of that happening.”

She did have a point. Notorious as Tyler was, suggesting that we set her free wouldn’t go down well.

“Give me some time,” I said. “Maybe if I work on the others individually, we might be able to work something out.”

“You are ever the optimist, aren’t you?” Tyler chuckled.

She looked at me appreciatively. It was clear that after all those years in solitary confinement, she’d needed somebody to whom she could vent her feelings. It made me happy that I could be that for her.

“Well… I guess I’d better get going. It must be almost morning by now. The others will wonder where I’ve gone.”

As I rose to leave Tyler asked hesitantly, “But you will come back? Right?”

I smiled reassuringly. “Of course. Is there anything that I can bring you when I do?”

Tyler bit her tongue in contemplation. After a decade in Granny’s House, it was clear that she wasn’t used to the luxury of options.

“You don’t happen to know if there are any sour candies around here, do you?”

“Sour candies?” I chuckled.

“Yeah! Gummies, lozenges, jawbreakers? I used to love them! I haven’t had any since… well, you can probably guess.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the notion of her request. One of the most dangerous witches of the century asking to sate her sweet tooth.

“I’m sure I can manage to find something for you.”

She smiled thankfully at me.

“I’ll see you later tonight.” I waved as I exited the room.

“See ya,” Tyler said cheerfully.

I quietly slipped out of the room and managed to relock the door.

A yawn escaped my mouth. I was exhausted. But now wasn’t the time for sleep.

I had a new mission— to figure out what Devina was up to.

I managed to make my way up the stairs without attracting any attention.

The morning sun had just started to peek out from behind the Alps. I took a seat in the parlor to absorb the warmth from its cheery rays.

I took out my phone to text Ela. Right now, she was the only one I could tell what I had done.

BAMBI

hey gurl. R u up yet?

ELA

Just got up. What’s going on?

BAMBI

Talked to the witch.

ELA

Of course, you did LOL

ELA

What did you find out?

BAMBI

Plenty!

BAMBI

Can u meet me at the library this a.m.?

ELA

Yeah. I’ll get ready.

BAMBI

Cool! I’ll swing by in Alpha V’s car.

BAMBI

So much to tell you!

***

~Holy hell! Now, this is a hotel! ~

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as Alpha Vladimir’s chauffeur pulled up at Vienna’s famous Hotel Imperial.

It looked like something out of a dream.

With the stacked marble columns and amazing sculpture work, it had all the grandeur of a royal palace.

~Alright. I don’t blame Ela for wanting to stay here. ~

I caught sight of my friend standing near the valet station and waved at her through the window.

She ran over to the car and the chauffeur got out to open the door for her.

We shared a long, friendly hug.

Even though we’d only been apart for a night, it felt like it’d been forever, particularly with all that had happened.

As the car pulled away, I slid shut the privacy window so the driver wouldn’t catch wind of our conversation.

“So what did you find out?” Ela asked, salivating for answers.

“Everything we read in Alpha Leonardo’s book was true! Devina made an orphan out of Tyler and raised her to be a chess piece in her evil plots.”

“That’s twisted! I kind of feel bad for her.”

“I sure know I do. Underneath it all, she seems like just a sweet, normal girl.”

Ela waved an admonishing finger at me, “Now you be careful, Bam! You’re very quick to trust people. And whether it’s her fault or not, this girl is a product of Devina’s rearing. You never know what kind of two-timing this girl is capable of.”

“I understand your skepticism, but I really think Tyler’s been misjudged.”

“Oh no.” Ela rolled her eyes at me. “What else did she tell you?”

“While I was in the closet with her, her tattoo of Devina started glowing. She told me it was a sign that Devina was summoning witches from all over the world!”

Ela’s eyes widened with concern, “Oh my God! Well, when are they meeting? Where are they meeting? We have to put everyone on alert!”

I sighed, knowing she wouldn’t like what I had to say next. “She said I’d have to let her free for her to reveal the location.”

“Aha! And there you go!” Ela exclaimed with certainty. “She was just trying to delude you with some special effects show so you’ll let her go. You just can’t trust a witch.”

“Wow.” I shook my head. “Looks like Hunter’s cynicism is starting to rub off on you.”

“I have to admit this whole situation has him more rattled than I’ve ever seen him before. Tyler really freaks him out.”

“I agree… leaving the mansion to go stay at a hotel was a drastic move, even for him.”

“He has reason to be that way, Bambi. We all do. And I strongly urge you not to even think about letting that witch loose. The second you do, she’ll be gone in a flash. And you might be too!”

I contemplated her point.

As much as I hated it, I didn’t have enough to go on to be sure she was on the level.

I needed more time with her.

“Well, rest assured, I’m not going to spring her tonight. But I am going to talk again.”

Ela laughed. “Naturally.”

“Oh, that reminds me!”

I slid open the privacy window and directed the driver. “Take us to the nearest supermarket, please.”

Ela raised a quizzical eyebrow at me.

“I promised her candy.” I shrugged.

***

A clock tolled two in the morning as I slunk down the stairs into Alpha Vladimir’s den, a bag of sour gummies in my hand and questions in my head.

But a faint rumbling sound from below gave me pause.

It sounded like somebody was down there.

My stomach tightened into a knot as I feared the worst.

Had Devina come to claim her acolyte?

I wasn’t about to take chances.

I quietly shifted into wolf form and prowled stealthily down the stairs.

When I reached the din, I noticed that the door to Tyler’s closet was ajar.

The sounds of stifled screams and strained scuffling came from beyond the crack.

Something was amiss.

I summoned my courage and charged the door with my teeth bared. Using my snout to open the door, I leaped inside.

I was shocked to see Alpha Hunter lowering himself over Tyler with a menacing face.

He shot me a frightening look, as I stood growling.

In a panic, he shoved me aside with his leg and sprinted out of the closet and back up the stairs.

I probably should have chased after him, but I was so confused, I had no idea what to think.

Tyler sat huddled in a corner, whimpering tearfully.

I shifted back into human form and tried to comfort her.

“Are you okay? What did he do to you?” I asked.

“I... I…”

She was too hysterical to even form a sentence.

I searched the room for any clues as to what had happened to Tyler.

Then I noticed her arms. They bore the red imprint of a hand.

He’d gotten physical with her. But why?

What could Hunter possibly want with Tyler?

He’d left the house just to get away from her.

He’d fought vehemently to leave her locked up at Granny’s House.

It seemed like the last thing he’d want to do was be alone with her.

Something didn’t add up here.

The Cunt Sniffer didn’t smell quite right.