The Moonlit Dance by Zoe Abrams

 

My consciousness faded in and out. Flashes of gray eyes and pink lips, a wry smile, a soft chuckle. Large hands wrapped tightly in a sheet of dark hair. Cal and Briar tangled in each other’s embrace. I wanted to hold onto that vision forever.

The steady drip, drip, drip of water drew my attention from where I’d been staring at the sky. The visions of Briar were interspersed with memories of this very cell. The bite of the manacles brought me back to the time I’d spent here before, when the council locked me away the first time. Sedition. I spat at the word. How could one be accused of trying to overthrow the crown when they were supposed to be king in the first place?

A soft snore drew my attention to where Cal’s form hung limply, wrists chained to the wet walls, his chest rising and falling in a soft rhythm. The tempered magic within me swirled slowly and angrily at the sight, almost every drop sucked into the golden bangles around my wrists as I ached to reach towards my oldest companion. That small green swirl threading through me was what was going to save us.

I huffed, tilting my head back to my perusal of the waning moon. It crept slowly through the sky, stars blinking in and out of existence around it. All this trouble, caused by one catastrophic prophecy made years ago.

I could still smell the rancid air in that traveling charade of a circus. Their carmisles weren’t even wild, the small tusks notating that they were born in captivity. No wild beasts like their posters claimed, no true fortune weavers. That specific magical trait had been bred out centuries before even Morina was born.

That teller, though, he had the blood in him—however minuscule—and when his blue eyes went glassy and unfocused, I saw the future play out in them. Scene after scene, whizzing by in his mind’s eye before landing on the one thing that destroyed my future.

“You will bring to light the destruction of us all. The catalyst for the annihilation of magic as we know it, grasped within your hands.”

The words rang in my ears for weeks as I mulled them over. It was straightforward, but still – the annihilation of magic as we know it? I had to put a stop to whatever it was. So, into the library I dove, hunting down ancient tomes filled with long forgotten magic. It was a simple tracking spell, designed to cage whatever the magic sought. I thought it would have been a sort of relic, that finding and destroying it would erase the curse cast upon me—all with a simple incantation and an offering of blood.

Ian had other ideas.

“You’re still the most powerful of us all, Av. So what if you aren’t the king?”

“You have to put this ritual out of your mind. What if the council found out? Do you think Cal would approve?”

“You’re an idiot.”

All attempts at talking me out of the ancient blood magic ritual went in one ear and out the other. Something could be said about my bullheadedness, but it wouldn’t come from my lips. As he magicked away to the citadel to try and override me, the pompous fool, I swore before the ancient witches’ cavern and gave my sacrifice.

I can still feel the magic ripping from me with each drop of blood on that old cavern floor, rushing out into the world to destroy anything that stood in the way of my reign. It had to have worked, I thought as I laid there on that uncomfortable stone floor, until the council descended inside that cavern and ripped away almost whatever was left of the evergreen magic within me. I was weak from the spell I’d just performed, all my strength barreling out into the world. If I could just make them see—the destruction was gone!—they would have sung my praises from the rooftops.

Maybe even crown me sooner.

But no. It hadn’t worked, the spell leaving only death left in its wake. I could still see the two sets of unseeing eyes staring back at me in the Queen’s atrium, two common witches at the end of the most dangerous spell I’d ever cast. They only had household magic, settled away in a secluded corner of the kingdom but dead, nonetheless. Nothing about them screamed “the annihilation of magic”. Maybe I’d just invoked the spell wrong.

Regardless, I had to pay for my crimes. I was shuttled away to the deepest recesses of the citadel, Cal joining me shortly after a failed escape attempt. His judgment came in the form of banishment—his mind sent into the void and body left in a suspended state for decades. That is, until she came along and threw everything into chaos.

Briar.

I didn’t even know Briar had completed her trials until the citadel captain arrived at our rooms—basically plush prison cells—and informed us we were officially under arrest for conspiracy against the crown. Again. Briar had escaped the dungeons somehow, and I was sure Ian had something to do with it. It was over quickly, our arrest. With the tempered magic of the bracelets, Cal and I had been helpless to the swarm of guards that trailed in after the captain.

That wasn’t to say Cal went quietly. As they marched us through the atrium of the castle, he swung his arms back, catching the guard behind him in the nose. One determined look at me was all Cal gave before taking off towards the stairs to the city proper. A shot of gray magic trailed after him, striking him squarely in the back. The captain cast a glare at the guard behind him as he walked towards Cal’s still body, looming over him before offering a hand to help him up.

“It’ll be easier if you don’t run,” he’d said, a grimace stretching the scar across his face, almost begging him to behave. Cal pulled himself up, and I could tell the way his eyes darted to the captain’s swords, he had another idea blooming in that scary brain of his.

I’d struggled against my captor, his hold on me tighter now that Cal had tried to run. “Cal. Don’t,” I shouted at him.

Our gaze met across the atrium, and I knew that look in his eyes. It didn’t matter how much I struggled as Cal lunged for the dagger at the captain’s waist, his head was knocked back again by that dark gray magic.

It was so similar to our last arrest, Cal vainly trying to be the hero, to his detriment. It was different now, though. Briar made it different. I didn’t struggle as they hoisted up Cal’s limp body, throwing out a spell to encase him in the same warded bubble I’d used before Briar brought him back from the void.

Through the mountains we went, days moving by as we traveled to Cesa. Each passing day, I made a list in my mind of people who might be willing to help their king.

So here I sit, in my cold, damp cell, plotting and planning. Each name was meticulously chosen for their loyalty to me, each plan weaved in and out until I was sure I had a solid one in place. The sun began peeking above the hole in the stone ceiling far above us, and determination bloomed in my chest. This would work. I would find Briar, save her from Ian’s clutches, and she, Cal, and myself would live out our days far from Alehem.

I nudged Cal’s knee until he woke, sapphire eyes blinking blearily in the early morning light. We had only been there overnight, one of the citadel guards using his magic to remove the stasis spell on Cal after they chained him.

“W’happened?” Cal mumbled. His eyes scanned the room, rounding as he peered up to where his wrists hung from the wall. “Avan, what the fuck happened?” Cal shook the manacles, the bracelets tightening as he tried and failed to use his magic.

“Calm down, Calvin. I have a plan,” I murmured, tracking the sun as it rose in the sky. Our timing would have to be perfect. “The guard rounds should be the same. Sit still.”

“I will burn this entire fucking citadel to the ground, Avan. Briar is gone, we’ve been arrested, and you’re just sitting there, not telling me anything. Again,” Cal huffed, rattling his chains against the stone. I rolled his eyes. Sometimes, Cal was so shortsighted, even more so with the enigmatic woman consuming both our thoughts.

“Patience is a virtue, my dear friend. You know as well as I that until these bracelets come off, we’re sitting ducks.” I eyed the golden circles around my wrist, gently twisting them to catch the sunlight now pouring into the cell.

“No, Avan, my patience has run out. I finally have something good in my life, and I’m not going to sit here while you brood and keep your secrets. Briar is out there somewhere with Ian and he’s doing magic knows what to keep her hidden, and we’re stuck here. So, open that big mouth of yours—I know you know how to use it—and fucking talk to me!” The chains shook from Cal lunging forward, a small jump in my chest the only thing alerting me to the danger mere feet away. “I’m so fucking tired of you not talking to me,” he hissed through bared teeth.

I huffed out a soft breath, shaking my head as Cal continued to rage against the wall. My eyes skirted towards the sun again, only mere minutes until my tenuous plan clicked into place.

What surprised me the most, though, wasn’t the sullen guard walking through the iron door. It was the golden captain a few steps behind him. A small change in plans.

“Gentleman, if you would be so kind as to not attack us, let’s go have a chat in my office,” he rumbled, nodding to the guard to unhook Cal from the wall. I rose silently, studying the scarred face in front of me. The captain flicked his gaze towards Cal before settling back on me and slightly nodding. Our trip upstairs was quick, the mid-morning sun illuminating the marble citadel. Scholars ran with stacks of papers floating in the air behind them as they shuffled from one end of the library to another.

Memories bubbled to the surface, ones of an enthusiastic, young would-be king floundering through these very halls. My time here was lonely, everyone too afraid to incur the wrath of the council if they misspoke, leaving me to myself more often than not. I built walls around my heart, hardening myself to the aching chasm of loneliness I felt. I threw myself into my studies, learning all I could about different magic and spells, wards and potions, anything I could get my hands on.

Then, one stormy night, a young knight found my snoozing form draped across a table in the furthest recesses of the library, candle long burnt out from my late-night studying. He gathered my notes and books, stacking them neatly for me to find later, and scooped me into his arms to deposit gently back in my room. The only hazy memory I had of the serendipitous meeting was a moonlit backdrop against a shock of bright red hair.

I didn’t see him again for weeks, only brief glances of armor and red hair, freckles and a linen shirt around a corner. I tried asking my professors about him, but no one knew who the enigmatic knight was. It infuriated me—his wraith-like presence, the never-ending thoughts about what he looked like, his dreams, what he liked and disliked.

Until there he was, standing in the marble atrium with sunlight filtering through his fiery hair. He was speaking with a library assistant, folding a piece of paper between his slender fingers. I watched for a few moments behind a towering column before I spun to press my back into the marble, working up the nerve to mesh what I’d imagined in my head with the physical form.

“Excuse me.”

I squeaked—embarrassingly loud, mind you—and turned towards the voice. There he stood, all shining armor and cheeky grin.

“You’re the scholar from the library, right? I’ve been meaning to find you. You left your notes and books, so I wanted to get them back to you.” His smile widened as he looked me up and down, a heated expression blooming in his eyes.

After a very hot make-out session in the library, we met at least once a week for the next few months. I’d been all fumbling hands and knocking kisses, while his patience with me was saint-like. I’d never felt anything for anyone the way I burned for Cal.

I peered behind my shoulder at the person in question, the heated gaze in his eyes long gone and replaced with fury, often directed at me. I sighed, picking up my pace and leaving the memories behind.

The captain’s office was cluttered, but clean. Neat stacks of paper adorned his desk in meticulous files, shelves of books lined the wall behind him, and a roaring fireplace shook the chill from the morning air. He sat behind his desk, scarred face turned into a scowl as he gestured for Cal and me to sit in the plush chairs in front of him. He nodded towards the other guard to stay in the hall, the soft snick of the door closing behind him.

He shuffled a few papers out of the way before placing a pair of small reading glasses on his nose, focusing his gaze on the correct form in front of him. “So, you two are back with more conspiracy charges, hmm?”

“Why aren’t we being debriefed by the council, Captain? This seems a little above your pay grade,” I drawled, leaning back into the comfy velvet. I could feel Cal’s anger rolling off his body, but if my plan was going to work, I had to play the part.

“Evin, please. I think we’re past formalities at this point,” Evin sighed, leaning back into his chair. He chewed over his words for a moment before shuffling the papers on his desk, pulling out a crude drawing of Briar. “I saw the mistreatment of your friend, the way the council vilified her. I tried to help, in my own way, but she is quite stubborn.” He chuckled softly, staring at the paper with a sort of awe I only saw reflected at myself in the mirror. “Ian took her before I could do anything, and it threw the council into a frenzy. With her powers just blooming, they’re worried she’s planning an attack.”

“She doesn’t even have full control of her powers!” Cal seethed. “What trouble could a fledgling witch be to the most powerful witches in the country?”

Evin and I glanced at each other, understanding passing between us. There were secrets I kept from Cal, and it seemed Evin at least had an inkling to what those were.

“As her powers grow with her coven, the council will become more and more wary of her. They want to cut the problem out at the root, before it becomes even bigger,” Evin said.

“Her coven?” I asked.

“Are you not a part of her coven? I can sense her magic on you, even with the manacles.” He glanced down at the offending golden circles. Interesting.

I had known the bond existed, obviously, but the fact that Briar had chosen us to be in her coven was news to me. What else could it be? It seems so simple, laid bare in front of me. She was mine. Ours. Forever.

“The little witchling deserves to be left in peace,” Evin continued. “Wherever she chooses to go, I’m going to ensure it.” His eyes darkened, a soft twitch moving in his cheek. Did the captain…like Briar? This was going to be interesting.

“So, what? You want us to conspire more against the monarchy? Isn’t that what we were thrown in those cells for? How do we know we can trust you?” I leaned forward, resting my elbows against my knees and threading my fingers together.

Cal sneered at me. “And yet, you expected Briar to trust you with little more than a word and a pretty smile. Tell me more,” he said, turning towards the captain. Pretty, vicious man.

I wanted nothing to do with the monarchy, my mind and body tired after running for so long. The crown and council allowed me to live freely, muted as my powers are, but our tenuous peace was destroyed when they took Briar. Anger flared in my chest, dark emerald-green magic aching to pool in my palms. I held tight control over my powers, but when it came to Briar, I was a raging beast. This soft woman impacted me more than I ever thought possible. It didn’t help that my relationship with Cal was strained due to my inaction.

I looked over to Cal, his gaze piercing mine, pleading with me to save the woman we…

“Briar needs protection, more protection than the dark witch can afford to spend on her. Ian is powerful, but she needs more than power to be safe.” Evin’s words echoed with double meaning, and I wondered again if the captain had more feelings towards Briar than he was letting on. “You know what atrocities the council has committed, and she’s slighted them twice now: once with her successful completion of the trials, the other with her disappearance. I can’t sit back and let them destroy her to save face.”

“What you’re suggesting is treason, dear captain,” I drawled.

Evin scoffed and rolled his eyes. “You’re going to sit here and tell me you haven’t been plotting and planning an escape this whole time?”

I fought the uncomfortable bubble that rose in my chest at the—very true—accusation, but my lips stayed shut as I shot a glare his way.

“I’m offering you a way out of here—without bloodshed, mind you—and a way back to Briar,” Evin explained.

“And what do you want from us?” Cal asked, his curious gaze darting between Evin and I.

“I want you to protect her with your lives. That’s it.” Evin shrugged.

There was always a catch, but I couldn’t sense if Evin wanted anything else. I was usually a good reader of people, but his stoic mask was firmly in place. I couldn’t help but be wary of the citadel captain suddenly taking an interest in my sweet witch.

“You don’t believe me.”

“I find it hard to believe you would give up everything for a witch you just met,” I threw at him. I would break through that shell of his, damn it.

“Wouldn’t you? Haven’t you? You want to let her hide her powers away like Ian? Or do you want her to be safe, no matter where she goes? Briar is a rare witch, and she deserves to be free,” Evin said.

Cal looked at me, nodding. He was already sold; anything that got him to Briar, come hell or highwater, he would be at her side. Wouldn’t I do the same? A thin tendril of suppressed magic snaked through the dim bond we shared, and the empty hole in my heart ached to be filled.

“I’m listening.”