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The two young witches were beginning their descent into the woods when they heard shouting from a nearby home. Here, at the edge of the forest, no houses stood close enough that they should be able to hear the screams. Tatiana and Lilianna’s screams. Sorin spun quickly at the sound, knowing the voices all too well, her heart already aching for the pain her friends—her sisters—were going through. Sorin’s hand jerked out, grabbing Alina’s wrist and tugging the determined young woman back—she was barrelling through to get Red back, no matter the cost, but there were other lives in danger. Sorin wasn’t going to let anyone lay a hand on the two ever again.
Whatever happened with the failed protection spell, it worked enough to allow Alina to see Red, possessed and being brought to the Wolf. It worked well enough to carry the screams across town so Sorin could hear them. She had to choose between the Floarea sisters and Red.
She spent hours learning about every fable and myth about the Wolf and his creator recently. If my studies prove anything, it’s that the sacrifices may have made it out unscathed, Sorin thought. Red has time.
At that moment, Tatiana and Lilianna needed to be the priority.
“Alina, please,” Sorin begged, still gripping her wrist.
“But Red,” Alina whimpered, pulling away.
“Our sisters are being hurt as we speak!” Sorin snapped. “First, we help them. Then the four of us find Red together.”
Another scream from the Floarea house made Alina gasp. She glanced toward the town line but allowed Sorin to pull her in the opposite direction. They ran as quickly as they could, the rocks slicing into the tough skin of their bare feet. Sorin saw with disbelief that other houses had their lights on, but not one tried to help the sisters. Not one neighbor decided enough was enough and stood up for the girls. This whole town deserves to burn.
Anger billowed inside Sorin, fanning the flames of her courage as she raced to the Floarea household. The screaming reached a fever pitch, and she yanked the front door handle. Locked. She hissed and looked around for anything to get through. She spotted an ax deeply embedded in a log. She pulled it free and marched back to the door, gripping it with the ferocity of a mother protecting her young.
Driving the ax through the door proved harder than she expected; the oak door was strong and sturdy. She raced to the windows; they showed no signs of life, but Sorin knew that the sisters were awake inside. The screaming continued, rattling Sorin’s head as she swung the ax. Glass shattered as it smashed the window; she cleared the shards quickly and reached in to release the latch.
“Help me up,” Sorin commanded.
Alina obeyed, boosting her through the window. She ran to the door and unlocked the bolt so Alina could come inside. Still holding the ax, she barrelled through the hallway to where she heard Tatiana shouting and Lilianna crying without looking back to see if Alina followed.
“What was that?” Sorin heard Mr. Floarea say from the girls’ room. There was only a muffled whimper in reply. “Was that your little friend?”
Sorin burst through the bedroom door.
Lilianna was seated on her bed with her legs tucked up against her chest, hands over her ears, and her eyes tightly closed. Tatiana was pinned beneath her father. His hand wrapped around her chin, covering her mouth and pinning her head to the side. She saw Sorin with an ax, and a look of relief crossed her face. But their father was not surprised, for he heard the glass shattering and saw the door swing open from the corner of his eye.
Mr. Floarea turned, ready to knock her down with a single swing of his beefy arm, but his eyes widened when he spotted the ax. He hadn’t expected her to wield a weapon. Shock crossed his features, and he only had time to narrow his eyes before Sorin used all her strength to bring the ax down, pulverizing Mr. Floarea’s wrist. The thunk of the metal against bone was followed by a brutish yell of agony, making Sorin grin.
Mr. Floarea wasn’t done fighting. He gripped his wounded hand; the flesh peeled back from the bone, blood gushing from the gaping laceration. He lunged for Sorin, ignoring his two children.
She swung the ax again, but he blocked it, sending it flying to the side. It scraped along the wood floors until it hit the wardrobe and stilled.
Mr. Floarea backhanded Sorin, who stumbled as blood spilled from her lower lip. She wiped the blood from her chin, streaking it along her face and giving her the appearance of a ravenous animal. Poised with the intent to kill, she braced herself for the impact as Mr. Floarea threw himself at her.
A sudden yelp made them both pause, and Sorin stared as she realized the sound came from his mouth. High-pitched at first, it turned into the whimper of a wounded dog. He craned his neck, peering over his shoulder, allowing Sorin to see the ax embedded in his lower back. Tatiana held its shaft, standing tall in her determination to protect her sister and friend.
Alina stood in the doorway, frozen in shock, as she watched Mr. Floarea fall. He lay on the ground, bleeding profusely from the wounds on his arm and back. Only when she was sure he would not rise did she scurry around his body and embrace Lilianna, who cried silently.
Tatiana yanked the ax free, lifting it high before bringing it down again. There was a sickening squelch of flesh and blood when she made contact with his body. Blood sprayed them as she continued to strike him; even Lilianna was hit with a few droplets. Tatiana wasn’t finished, so she brought the ax down again and again until the only thing left of her father was chunks. His arm was severed, his head hung by a tendon, and his fingers scattered underneath the furniture. His back looked like the notorious Wolf of Silvania had ripped him apart.
Silence filled the room when she dropped the ax and spit on her father’s corpse.
Sorin looked up at Tatiana. “Thank you.”
“Why didn’t it work?” Tatiana asked, slightly dazed. Her heart-shaped face was covered in blood and tears.
“I do not know,” Sorin replied bitterly, ashamed she was unable to promise the girls safety like she hoped. She felt like a fraud. “I think part of it worked.”
“It did work,” Lilianna spoke up suddenly. “How many times has he come into our room at night?”
“Since Ma died…” Tatiana replied.
“And has anyone ever come to our rescue?” Lilianna posed.
“Not until tonight,” Tatiana realized. She looked at Sorin and Alina. “Maybe the protection was not to prevent him from being able to come into our room but for someone to save us.”
