A Sure Cure for Witchcraft by Laura Best

Author:Laura Best
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nimbus
Published: 2021-07-12T18:13:18+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Württemberg, 1752

The full moon cast shadows on the earth, dipping into the cradle hills, sliding out across the knolls and rocks. Lilli looked toward the gentle sound of flapping wings overhead as an owl glided quietly past. Stopping in her tracks, Alisz grabbed hold of Lilli’s hand. “What is that sound?” she whispered.

In the stillness that followed, Lilli heard only the soft, filtered voice of the wind stirring through the leaves, a whisper of the past, present, and what was to be.

“I did not hear a thing,” Alisz replied, twisting the handle of her basket. Lilli needed to tell her about Vater’s plan for them sail to the New World. It was all she had been thinking about since Vater first thrust this plan of his upon them last week. It clung to her like a wet shawl, and no matter how hard she tried to shed it, to think those happy thoughts Alisz insisted upon, she could not.

“Alisz, there is something I need to tell you—”

“Shh,” cautioned Alisz. “There it is again. Listen.”

From a nearby tree, the owl sent a quiet warning into the night.

“Someone is coming,” gasped Lilli.

“Hurry…to the woods,” whispered Alisz as the soft thumping in the distance gradually came nearer and louder. The ground beneath them began to rumble as two horses and their riders approached in the moonlight, their silhouettes passing through the dark like phantoms out on a ghostly ride. Alisz murmured a soft plea to the Night Goddess, asking her for protection. “Keep going,” she pleaded quietly, “keep going.”

Lilli drew in a deep breath as the horses quickly came to a halt.

“What is this?” a deep voice thundered into the night, an echo so loud that it swallowed the full moon in one gulp.

As she peeked out through the trees, Lilli saw a shadowy rider reach down and snatch something off the ground.

“My basket!” gasped Lilli, bringing her hand to her mouth. In her hurry to escape, she had left it behind on the ground. If they were found out, it would be her fault. Alisz made a soft shushing sound and held her tight.

“Do not touch it,” came another voice. “It could be the work of witches!” The garden became covered in darkness as the clouds above them sifted, snuffing out the light.

Lilli trembled. She steadied herself against Alisz. The strip of woods was narrow, and beyond that was a wheat field. If the riders searched the woods, there would be no place to go, nowhere to escape to without being seen. The horses moved restlessly back and forth as they snorted and heaved.

“Witch! Come out, witch! Come show yourself if you are near!”

An empty laugh echoed far into the night, disappearing into the mouth of the wind.

“Witch!” The word quivered like a long-held secret finally released into the world.

“Where is your witch? There is no one here.”

“Perhaps she made herself disappear.”

Hard laughter tumbled across the expanse like an angry fist punching into the air. The moon peeked out from behind a tattered veil as the silhouettes became visible again.

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