I awake to the smell of smoke stinging my nostrils. My eyes fly open as I cough out the flames filling my lungs. My eyes water as I continue coughing. Inhaling sharp, painful breaths, I look down and swallow a scream.
I'm tied to a pile of wooden stakes that are lit on fire. The flames climb higher and higher, nearly reaching my knees. With the fire licking at my feet, my heart rate rises rapidly.
"Jacklyn!"
I look to my right to find James in the same predicament as I am. Cursing, I struggle with my bonds.
"LET US GO!" I scream to the witches of the Finger-Less coven gathered around us. The little one who disappeared earlier stares me down, the flames lighting up her file-toothed smile. Giggling, she throws another stake into the fire. I squeeze my eyes shut and desperately rack my brain for a way out of this. A spell, anything.....nothing. I hang my head as beads of sweat roll down my face.
I look up, biting my tongue and holding back tears. "Why are you doing this?"
The youngest witch daintily walks up to me and throws another stick in the fire.
"Because it's fun." She giggles again. God how I hate that sound. Closing my eyes I pray to whoever is listening out there to help us.
Suddenly, the fires are blown out. A chill snakes down my spine as the hairs on my neck stand guard. A hush falls over the witches, and their cheering comes to an abrupt stop. Their smiles all fade as a figure seemingly glides through the crowd. The witches part for the being and bow their heads. The little witch drops to her knees. When the smoke from the burnt out fire clears, I see it is a woman wearing a white hooded cloak. I struggle to make out her features in the dark as she walks closer to me. Pulling out a clear and white, jewel encrusted dagger, she slips it under the rope and cuts my bonds. Slipping her hands onto my waist, she lifts me up before setting me down on the soft soil. She wraps her arms around me tightly.
I stand there, my arms hanging at my sides as she embraces me. It feels so...familiar. And this scent, vanilla and lavender with a hint of honeysuckle. I gasp as the realization hits me. Pulling back I push off her white hood to reveal her face.
Stumbling back, my hand instinctively rises up to cover my mouth. Letting my hand drop, a tear slips out of my eye as her eyes lock with mine. I swallow, hard, before speaking.
"Mother?"