a little like a yodel came from behind him. Brenna stared at the point sticking out of his chest as thick black goo trickled off of the spearhead. The boy thing crumpled to the ground in a heap. The pain in her hand subsided. The vein snaking its way up her arm withdrew before disappearing. The wound remained but she could move again. Brenna’s mouth dropped open as Maggie stepped out from behind a tree, holding a pile of sharpened branches. “Maggie!”
She looked different. Hardened. Brenna couldn’t help but wonder what she had been through.
“Brenna!” Maggie ran over and dropped down beside her. She wrapped her arms around her. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. Where on earth did you learn to do that?”
“Not on earth that’s for sure. I have no idea where we are. You do have a return ticket, don’t you?” Maggie said. Her eyes suddenly widened. “Don’t tell me you got caught too!”
“No. Ronan sent me here. Well, Ronan and the coven.”
“Okay, clearly I need filling in on some things. But for now, we need to get you help. That thing bit you…” Maggie turned her gaze to Brenna’s wounded hand.
“I think I’m okay now. Killing that thing seemed to destroy whatever poison was spreading through me. It must have been magically tied to it.”
“It’s so good to see you, Bren. Thank you for finding me, thank you so much,” Maggie said, enveloping her in a hug.
“No, thank you for finding me! I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s all my fault.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve had the best time ever. I know I freaked out over that wolf, but in I’ve learned how to take care of myself in here.”
“I noticed.”
“Can you walk now?” Maggie asked.
“I think so.”
Hot wind picked up and blustered around them. Their hair lifted straight up as if reaching for the sky. The wind circled them, going faster and faster. It became hard to breathe. Maggie’s feet left the ground, followed by Brenna’s. The small tornado spun around them until it became too strong to even open their eyes. When they could open them again, they were in the safety of the circle back at Ronan’s house. Maggie looked around, her eyes moons and her hair a tangled mess.
“Um, hello?” Upon spotting Ronan, Maggie tried to smooth down her hair. “Bren, there’s a room full of people here.”
“I know that,” Brenna said with a chuckle. “This is Ronan and Celestine. Sorry I haven’t caught everybody else’s names yet.”
Everybody either nodded or waved at Maggie. Ronan stepped forward and put a hand on both of their shoulders. “Good to meet you, Maggie. Wish it were under better circumstances. Happy you both made it back.”
Maggie shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m not complaining.” Maggie walked to the edge of the circle and put her hand up. “Wow. The power in this circle is insane.”
Brenna could tell from the looks on everybody’s faces they were dying to know where they had been. Maggie was putting on a brave face, but Brenna knew from her short time in that scary place, Maggie had been through something terrible. The bite wound on her hand throbbed at the thought.
Celestine drew Maggie in for a hug. The rest of the coven came forward giving hugs and doting over Maggie. “You’re a strong woman, Maggie. I’m sure you can summon a circle just as powerful.”
“Bren and I do okay. Thank you all for helping to free me. I was desperate to get out of there and wash my hair.”
Everybody laughed except for Ronan who had just noticed the bite on Brenna’s hand.
“It was our pleasure, Maggie,” Celestine said. “Anything to help a fellow witch.”
“What was it like in there, Maggie?” Hazel eyes asked.
Maggie tipped her head up, thinking. “It was strange. It was like I was in a dream but I was in control of my actions, unlike in an actual dream.”
Ronan took Brenna’s hand and examined the bite. “Oh, don’t worry, Ronan, it’s nothing.”
“Looks like something!” Celestine said.
“Well it hurts a bit,” Brenna admitted.
“We’d better close the circle and get you cleaned up,” Ronan said, his features twisted with concern.
“It’s okay. It stopped bleeding when I got back here.”
“I think you’ll be okay then,” Celestine said. “When you receive a wound in a different realm it will only harm you if you stay in that realm.”
“Oh.” Brenna ran a hand through her hair. It also felt like Maggie’s looked. “That’s good then.”
Ronan looked relieved as he went to the altar