“You came back like you promised!” Loxo panted as he ran.

  “Of course, we have.” Ignatius nodded “You’re looking winded, give me the boy.” Loxo hung his head back with gratitude and made no objections to fork over the boy who’d become as limp as a noodle.

  “A thousand thank you’s, Ignatius!” he huffed.

  “Give your packs to Siouxsie for her to carry on her broom. It’ll allow us to travel faster and we’ll relay carrying the boy. Hurry now, quickly, quickly!” Atticus and Loxo handed her the packs and Ignatius handed his broom to Atticus to hold. She in turn looped the straps of their packs and Atticus shield over her broom and hovered along behind them.

  “Where have you been?” Siouxsie asked the two men as they tried to keep up with the silver haired witch with the long strides.

  “Trying to escape the depths of Steelbriar!” Atticus huffed without looking away from where he was running. “Where have you been?”

  “With the witches!” she said “What about Hoxley and the prince?”

  “We’ve seen no sign of them since we jumped across the magic threshold! We hoped they would be with you and that we would be the ones lagging behind! You would not believe the strange madness we’ve endured! I hope they’re alright!”

  “As do I.” she said somberly before swooshing ahead to catch up to her brother. Ignatius cradled Morell’s head against his chest and kept the boy’s arms and legs paired to keep them from flailing as he ran. “Brother, he looks incredibly pale.” she said.

  “I agree, the bites upon his flank and legs look nasty. I hope they can be treated before infection sets in.”

  “Why is Morell naked?”

  “I have no idea, Siouxsie. I will add that question to the multitudes I will ask when the boy is cared for.” Onward they ran with Ignatius in the lead. The witch never seemed to tire, his legs stretching swiftly across the fields back to Spellvale. Atticus and Loxo tried to match his but found the pace to be too fast to keep up. And in the end, Ignatius ran the entire length back without slowing. Fear kept the pain of burning lungs and tiring muscles from slowing him down. When Spellvale was in sight, Siouxsie circled back for the two men. Ignatius carried on, sprinting toward the temple where Robert was waiting to direct him to Vickiri’s home. He slowed to step inside where several witches, to include Vickiri waited with Marzipan next to a bed. Ignatius laid the boy upon the bundle of blankets and stepped away.

  “You’re positive they were black eels?” Marzipan asked.

  “Yes, yes. I trust what my friends have told me.”

  “Very well.” she said, nodding to the others who lifted the boy to sit up as she uncorked a small vial of brightly glowing yellow tonic within. Hands pried open his mouth and tongue for her to pour the concoction down his throat. Morell tried to protest as he coughed and convulsed, but those on either side of him simply held his jaw shut, pinched his nose to keep him from expelling it. He choked and bucked weakly but submitted and swallowed. Once given a nod from Marzipan, they laid him down and set to examining his body. After a moment they began slathering a colorless ointment to the wounds. The three siblings could only look on helpless as the others applied their medicine. When they finished with the ointment, they put a pillow beneath his head and draped him in red silks which were then pressed against the skin where the ointment had been applied. “There.” said marzipan.

  “Is that all?” asked Siouxsie.

  “No, of course not.” said the girl. “The antidote has been applied and must work its way through his body to fight the poison. While there is no guarantee which one will emerge victorious, I’m rooting for your friend. Not only for his sake or yours, but for my reputation as a potions master of Spellvale.”

  “Thank you, oh thank you!” Siouxsie gushed. “I’m sure your mastery will be enough. The battle is inside Morell now.”

  “Ignatius! Ignatius!” yelled a pair of voices from outside. The tall witch stepped outdoors to find Atticus and Loxo upon their knees and surrounded by witches with their swords to them.

  “Ignatius!” cried Loxo. “Thank goodness you’re here! Please tell these lovely witches that we’re not invaders and to lower their blades!”

  “You! Stop that!” Ignatius shouted at the others. “Put away your swords! Those are my friends! They’re not hostile!” To the astonishment of the others, he strode over to them and batted away their swords with his gloved hands while helping the two men to their feet.

  “Ignatius!” said Vickiri as he too emerged from within. “What are you doing with those two?”

  “These are our friends!” Ignatius said, putting an arm around each of them. “These are some of the ones I told you about from the beginning! This is half the party we’ve been looking for!”

  “Ignatius, I am unsure how your tribe deals with the unwitchly folk, but here in Spellvale, we are not accustomed to having their kind within our ranks.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Please, Vickiri.” Ignatius pleaded. “These are good friends of whom we have shared battle with. Why, Loxo alone put his own blood on the line to save my brother from those who would have done him in!”

  “Yes, it’s quite true!” blurted the pirate. “I’m from a witchly tribe myself! Have you not heard of the sky pirates of the western shores?”

  “No.” Vickiri frowned. “I can’t say that I have.”

  “Well then, you’ve missed out on a pleasurable treat for sure! Allow me to introduce myself.” He made a low sweeping bow. “Loxor Santium Balthazar the Fourth at your service! My father, Captain Balthazar the Third is witchly royalty, its true! And I’m absolutely positive if he were to light his grand flying ship over your temple here and lower himself to your presence he too would bow as low as I and thank you and all your tribe one by one for all your kind hospitality!”

  “Can this dirty man’s claims be true?” Vickiri asked Ignatius. “He looks like beggar.”

  “It would be wise not to point a sword at men who are such skilled swordsmen.” Said a voice from behind. Each looked back to see Siouxsie approaching. When she stepped into the open, the other witches bowed their heads or averted their eyes. “Loxo and Atticus have shared a battlefield with me and earned my trust.” She walked slowly but deliberately to stand before the two men. Without hesitation she reached out and embraced each man in turn. “While I am aware that not being witches makes them outsiders, but by my tongue I confess they are good friends and not a threat to Spellvale. A crude word or gesture to them is the same as one to me.” Both men relaxed a little as the witches sheathed their swords. “Come, you look like you could each use a bath and a meal. While you fill your stomachs you can tell me what’s happened since we were separated.” She beckoned with a warm smile before looking to the multitudes of witches who’d stopped to watch the exchange. “Whom here would help me in welcoming my friends?” Many practically fell over each other and themselves to offer fruit and water and clothes. Everyone gathered on the steps of the temple around the two men as they munched and crunched, both looking half starved. As everyone looked on and listened, Atticus and Loxo took turns conveying the tale of their misadventure in Steelbriar. Loxo seemed to be one for wild, half truthful embellishments so it was up to Atticus to keep the series of events in order and as factual as possible. When it was all over and the great tale reached its end upon the edges of the fog, everyone in attendance let out a stifled breath that had been holding onto them the whole story through. Even skeptical Vickiri looked flabbergasted at such a story.

  “You’re saying that the boy with red hair found the blight and single handedly defeated an entire nest of those things?” he asked.

  “It’s as real as the armor on my chest.” Said Atticus as he swelled with pride. “That boy has overcome fears that would turn men twice his size white with terror.” Vickiri shook his head in astonishment.

  “And you’re saying that he can communicate with these…these vine creatures in their own language? How can this be?”

  “The Brambillions he called them.” Answered Atticus “I have no way of saying how he’s done it, but it has something to do with special blue capped mushrooms he keeps. The pirate took them and he became a stark raving lunatic who almost got himself killed provoking them before Morell could speak on our behalf.”

  “I don’t recall any of that.” said Loxo dismissively.

  “Fascinating.” Remarked Vickiri. “If what you say is true, these plant creatures could become powerful allies. I’ve heard bizarre stories myself, but because of a few encounters in the past we’ve made the bogs of Steelbriar a place that’s forbidden to enter.”

  “That’s a wise practice.” Chuckled Atticus. “The boy can speak to them but none of us know how to do it. I would not venture there without him to guide you lest you incur their wrath.”

  “He’s so brave.” remarked Siouxsie. “I wish we all could be like him.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, little witchling.” Loxo added. “You were on the same plains as I when the horsemen came. You held your ground same as anyone. It’s no easy task to stare down a charging horse, let alone strike its rider with lightning. Why, had I the same ability I would have dashed all ten simultaneously and we could have paused for a delightful morning munch!” The witches gathered whispered to one another with wide eyes of curiousness about the adventure he described. They looked upon Siouxsie with even more stars in their eyes now that they knew she could be a battle mage. When the stories ended, Atticus and Loxo were given temporary robes to wear while their clothes and armor were cleaned. After that, both of the men were taken to a witches’ hut where they both received hot bathes that were greatly received. Loxo emerged first with a giggling witch girl on each arm as he continued to spin wild stories. Ignatius intervened and sent the girls away as to speak with him alone.