Witch Queen by Kim Richardson Read Free Book Online

come back, their messages still tied to their legs. In
all my years of living in exile, this has never happened before.
Our exile has never stopped us from getting messages across the
border. But now it seems that someone or something is blocking
us.”
    The high witch exchanged a look with the
other two witches. I could see that they suspected what was
blocking them, but they weren’t ready to share this bit of
information. It only made me want to know even more.
    Ada turned her eyes on me again.
    “If our messages cannot get across to
Witchdom, then I fear that they too are blocked from communicating
with the rest of us. It is the only other rational explanation.
They may not even know about the black blight. So you see, my dear,
you’re the only one who can cross into the witch realm. You must
get us the help we need and warn them.”
    “But how?” My mouth was dry with desperation
and fear that filled me like the poison from the red monk’s glove.
“You’ve just reaffirmed that those who enter never come
back. You just said it yourself, witches from this realm are not
welcome.”
    The high witch smiled slightly. “Yes, but
you are different from us, Elena. You are a blood witch who was
born outside the realm of Witchdom.”
    “So?”
    The high witch laced her fingers together.
Her gaze grew sharper as if she were assessing something in me.
“So, you should be able to enter.”
    “Should?” I stared at the old witch. “Why am
I not comforted by that? It can’t be that simple.”
    “It won’t be,” said Maya with a low,
incredulous laugh.
    Ada shot her a dangerous look that would
have left me cringing, but Maya continued to smile. Her silver eyes
bore into mine, glistening like tiny moons, whether in a challenge
or warning, I couldn’t tell. And yet a chill shivered down my
spine, and it took some effort to look away.
    “What does she mean?”
    “She means it’s going to be dangerous,”
replied Ada abruptly. But her anger quickly faded. “Listen to me,
Elena.” The high witch’s smile appeared to be bright, but I could
see that it was forced.
    “You’re not without help. When you reach the
northern boundaries of Fell Forest, look for the witch, Fawkes.
He’ll be waiting for you. He will help you journey across the
Mystic Mountains. Then continue east and make for the capital city
of Lunaris. Pray to the Goddess that the witch king will hear our
plea. You must make him help us. Because if he doesn’t,
there’ll be nothing left of the world when you return.”
    The high witch left it at that.
    There was no more arguing. It was clear the
witches would not come with me. They would not be able to help
us.
    And now here I was, partly to blame for all
of this and partly cursed. It was obvious, even though I didn’t
like it or want to go, I needed to go to Witchdom to save
Jon. Rose would be safe in Gray Havens for a while, and I took
comfort from that. I didn’t know how fast the black blight was
spreading, and I hoped it wouldn’t reach Gray Havens until I got
back with magic reinforcements.
    Leo and Will had only been able to convince
four members of Jon’s rebellion to join us on our journey: Max, a
dark-skinned middle-aged man with arms as thick as tree stumps;
Lucas, a solemn quiet type with twitchy eyes, about the same age as
Jon; Garrick, the youngest member, if I were to guess, and the only
one who seemed anxious to get going; and last was a brutish-looking
man with a long braided beard. I couldn’t remember his name because
I’d been too busy staring at all the piercings around his ears and
the tattoos that covered most of his exposed skin.
    Their mounts were regular carthorses from
the Pit—thin but sturdy. The men’s thick linen tunics and cloaks
were travel-stained and had seen many years of wear, like the ones
I was wearing now. I had burned the fine clothes that the
necromancer priest had given me on the day of the race. I wanted
nothing that reminded me of my past alliance with