It was as if the very air inside the apothecary shimmered with magic, the atmosphere electrifying every nerve in Effie's body as she held Anise's hand, interchanging magic with her; their powers mingling until the pressure inside the room had reached its peak.
Then Effie stretched out her arm, her hand hovering just above Silas's chest where his blood-filled lungs where suffocating him beneath the surface. And as the healing magic began flowing from her body into his, she could feel the warmth of the Moodshadow stone vibrating against her skin, radiating with heat, yet not uncomfortably so. It was just enough warmth to bring her awareness to its presence dangling next to her chest.
Silas gasped suddenly, as his lungs began to mend, drawing in a deep breath of air as if for the very first time. He remained unconscious, but Effie could feel the life trickling back into his body slowly. His pallid complexion began to disappear as color seeped back into his face.
When the spell was done, Effie and Anise, stumbled backward, feeling quite drained from the amount of power they had just exerted. But their efforts had been successful. Silas would live.
"I... I can't believe we did that," Anise said breathlessly, finding her way into a nearby chair, and lowering herself into it.
"But we did do it," Effie replied with relief and pride. "Dear old Silas, he will live to see his grandson grow up now." A small pang of sadness pricked at her heart for her mother who was not afforded the same mercy.
"Well, that was certainly enough magic for any soldier to pick up on with their detection crystals," Anise advised. "So if there were any soldiers nearby, we're as good as dead now. But perhaps... perhaps it was all worth it in the end."
At the mention of the word 'soldier,' Effie found herself unconsciously remembering that young, white-haired soldier that she had met in the woods days ago. Would he come around to play part in the execution if he was nearby? Effie shook her head, wanting to slap herself for letting him enter her thoughts again.
"Shhh, listen," Anise suddenly whispered sharply, leaning forward in her chair to hear better. "There's someone there."
That's when Effie's mind cleared, and she instantly became aware of someone's presence; a small form lurking just beneath one of the open windows. And before that small someone had the chance to sneak away, Effie flew across the room, reaching outside and grabbing hold of the back of a sweaty collar. "Who are you?!" She demanded as she dragged the small body of a young boy in through the open window, shoving him up against a wall. But when she got a good look at him in the soft lamplight, she nearly dropped him in surprise.
"Kip?" She gasped, eyes widening with recognition. "What are you still doing here? I thought Aunt Anise told you to go home."
But Kip trembled in her grasp, his face as white as a sheet of paper. His lips quivered in fear, barely able to form the word he wanted to say. "W-w-w-witches..."
"He was spying on us, poor boy," Anise said, getting out of her chair and approaching the boy. "You didn't want to leave your grandfather after all, did you? So unfortunately, you stuck around and saw some things that you weren't meant to see."
"A-are... are you going to kill me now?" His voice squeaked
"Of course not, dear. We're witches, not killers. You see, not everything you've ever heard about witches are true, you know? In fact, as you can see we've just used our magic to save your grandfather's life over there. He's going to live, you should be grateful. Hey, aren't you listening to me, child?"
But Kip didn't seem to understand a word of what she had been saying. He was so completely consumed with fear that he couldn't do anything but repeat the same word over and over again. "Witches... witches... they're witches... Witches!"
"Kip, listen to us," Effie urged. "You don't have to be scared. We won't hurt you, alright? When have we ever-"
"No!" Kip screamed, finally wrenching free from Effie's grasp. Then he slipped past her and Anise faster than they could scramble to catch him. In a panic, the boy stumbled right into the door, his body ricocheting off the corner, but still he kept running without stopping. Then he tore off down the road and into the night.
"Well this isn't good," Anise said with concern. "If the soldiers didn't notice us, he will certainly alert them soon."
"Do you want me to go chasing after him?" Effie offered.
"No, there's no use for that now. Even if we catch him again, I don't think we'll be able to convince him not to go blabbing to someone about us now. It seems his young mind has been deeply and thoroughly indoctrinated by the king's propaganda. The lies about our people have been fed to him for so long that I doubt his heart and mind will be changed now. Not even after witnessing the way our powers saved his grandfather's life. Ah, what a shame, really. I did rather like that boy."
Effie's arms fell to her sides in defeat. A few moments ago, she had been so ready to give her life to save Silas's but now that she was actually facing the very real possibility of that being the outcome, her stomach was twisting into a sickening knot. "So... what now?"
"Well, I suppose we should flee to the cabin before the soldiers inevitably arrive. Only..." Anise glanced toward Silas, who's breaths were only finally beginning to even out. "I don't think ethically that I can leave this man in the state that he's in. He needs a little more looking after before he can be considered out of the woods. And besides, how could I just abandon my apothecary now? It's been my life's work... and yours too. And well... a captain should always go down with his ship, or so they say."
"So... you're staying here?" Effie's voice edged on alarm.
"I'm old," Anise replied, surprisingly calmly. "I've lived a full life. And after living so many long decades in hiding, I had forgotten how exhilarating, how natural it was to feel the magic coursing through my finger tips once again. Tonight I was able to feel the sheer thrill of it in the first time since I can't remember. It's funny though... considering how many countless years I've spent running and hiding from the inevitable. But now that the inevitable is finally here, I feel surprisingly serene."
"No, Aunt Anise. Don't give up now. If they ransack the apothecary... even if they destroy it... we can rebuild. We can run away from here. Somewhere far, far away from the four kingdoms, and that wretched King La Croix. We'll go by different names. We can start all over again. We've done it before, haven't we? We can do it again... Auntie Anise?" But when Effie's gaze searched the wrinkled eyes of her dear aunt, all she could see was stony resolve.
"No, Effie dear. Maybe you can, but I can't. By the time I've rebuilt a new business back up to where this one is now... well I'll be long gone before I get to see it. I don't have many years left in me Effie, but you do. So you must run. Go to the cabin now and hide there for however many days it takes. Do whatever you have to do to survive."
"Oh, Auntie Anise... I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!" A little sob escaped from Effie's trembling lips, but no tears followed it. "I- I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have been so stuck on using magic. I should have found another way... I should have-"
"No, dear. There was no other way, don't you see? You did the right thing, Effie. It was I who was too stubborn at first to see. But now my eyes have been opened thanks to you. If we witches keep living in fear and hiding we will slowly be snuffed out of existence, And our memory will be wiped from the face of the planet until we are nothing more than a story- a fairy tale in a book. The time for us to fight back is drawing near. And I believe that you, Euphemia Blackmoore, are the person who was born to lead the way. And it's for that reason that you must live. So run, dear girl. Flee from this place and don't look back. And if I don't return home, please don't go looking for me."
But Effie shook her head. "I can't. I just can't leave you, Auntie Anise. Not after everything... You're the only person in the whole world that I have left. If you die... then I'd rather die with you. I'm not leaving your side, no matter what."
"But Effie, you must. If you stay here with me it's likely you'll end up just like your mother..."
"I ran away from mother that horrible day, and because of that I lost her," Effie said. "I don't want to repeat that mistake again with you. Do you remember on that day, I made a promise while we mourned over mother's death? I promised to never leave your side, and so I won't. Not now. Not ever."
"But what good is a promise if you're dead?" Anise said bitterly. "If you stay here with me all that awaits you is death. I can't even protect you here."
Effie smiled gently at the woman before her who was so very dear to her heart. "Auntie, I don't know how many times I have to keep reminding you that I'm an adult now. I'm no longer a child that needs protecting. In fact, maybe it's my turn to start protecting you."
"Oh, Effie dear," Anise said, her eyes misting over with tears. "You are the most stubborn, most infuriating, most wonderful girl I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. How I do you love you, my child.
"And I love you," Effie replied, fighting back some tears of her own that now sprung up into her purple-grey eyes.
And the two women sat together in the apothecary together, arm-in-arm, awaiting whatever adversity may come. And vowing to face it together.