The Grey Witch

xStarletx

Chapter 4

A/N: Here we go, the next chapter. Amazing and horrible things are happening, and decisions are going to be made that will SHOCK you to the very core. Please enjoy :D

Hansel's POV

Since Lorne—no I had to call her the Grey Witch now—had awoken the tension in her house had gotten stronger, Gretel could have shot holes in it at that point. She hadn't made eye contact with me, and I found that I couldn't look at her either. This was what I got for becoming romantically attached to a witch who had admitted to me that she was both good and evil.

The Grey Witch was moving around her cottage, packing things into a medium size saddle bag. She had been ignoring them as she did this but it wasn't like anyone was attempting to talk to her. Gretel was hovering beside me, I could feel her smug I-told-you-so look on the back of my neck.

The Grey Witch disappeared down the passageway in the clock again and I turned to my sister, her mouth already open and pointed a single finger in her face. "Not a word!"

She started giggling at me and shook her head. "You have remarkable taste in women," she said.

"I said not a word!" I reminded her.

Ben came to stand beside her. "She saved Gretel," he whispered. "She was protecting herself and us and we should thank her."

"She's a witch she used dark powers to kill those men. The villagers will be back for her, they'll probably want to us to kill her for them," Gretel said. "We should accept the job."

I rolled my eyes and wanted to argue but Ben did that for me. "How can you be so ungrateful? Think about what she said, that the high witches were trying to get her killed, why would they do that? She said she didn't bother with them."

"Well, maybe she lied?" Gretel shot back.

I couldn't listen to them anymore. I stalked away without saying a word and stormed down the narrow stone staircase to the antechamber under her house. The room was lit with purple lights, lavender hung from everything, along with other more gruesome potion ingredients. Her back was to me and I could sense a heaviness around her that had never been there before. I was torn between pulling into her arms and ravishing her or screaming at her.

"I think it would be best if I left," I said breaking the silence. She stayed silent, uncomfortable with this I continued. "It has become very clear that we are not a good fit, you and I."

When the Grey witch turned to me again, there was an air of cold composure. I had hoped that she would argue with me, but instead she placidly agreed. "Good idea. Get out."

I stood stiffly across from her, I couldn't find the strength to move. I was afraid that if I left I'd never see her again, or if I did the next time I'd see her it would be at the other end of my gun. "You must see the issue. You... you're..."

"Evil."

The word rung out in the cave, it echoed around us and I once again tore my eyes off of her. "Yes."

"Then leave, oh Great Witch Hunter," she ordered. "I will not hold you to our accord, but keep in mind, as soon as you set foot out of my grove I cannot and will not protect you."

I nodded tersely to her before turning away and going back up the stairs. I went slowly wondering if she'd call me back, but it never came. I joined my sister and our friends upstairs, knowing that there was a grim look on my face. I ignored their concerned stares and said: "Come on, we're leaving."

No one argued.

Gretel's POV

It had been two years since the Grey Witch had exited our lives and Hansel had been transformed. This was a mourning like when Nina had been murdered this was a miserable grouchy state. He snapped at Edward and Ben, he took unnecessary risk, putting his life and theirs in danger constantly. Whenever I broached the subject of returning to the grey, lavender covered cottage he'd get even angrier and change the topic.

I wanted for nothing more than my brother to be happy once more, but he was being so stubborn about it all. For two years he refused to travel even remotely close to where the cottage had been, avoiding her region. I had always assumed it was because he didn't want to have to chose between the money of her bounty and choosing to let her live. Sometimes I knew for certain he'd choose her, sometime I thought he might try to kill her.

None of us wanted to come up against her after her last display of power.

The witches of the world had gotten more active, which I found completely strange. We had weapons that could destroy them, one would think that they would hide, but they were coming out in droves. It was almost worrisome.

We had travelled all the way to Wiltshire making our way to the Apple Isles, there were talk of strange rumblings happening. We weren't sure if they had anything to do with witches but we had figured that it would be a good idea to at least check them out.

The villagers around the isle were speaking of troubling storms, abnormal natural phenomenon, and talking animals. We weren't sure how much of it was truth or drunken heresy, but regardless we found ourselves in the villages on the shores. The Apple Isles had never been a habitable place, the small island chain was constantly plagued with storms and only the bravest of fishers dared to cross the channels to the hollowed place and most never returned.

It was from those wicked Isles that the curses seemed to be coming.

We sat in a tavern drink ale and listening to the frightened stories from the men of the village. They all seemed to be standard folk lore.

"The storms worsen, the gods be angry," was a common phrase whispered in the shadows.

I turned to Ben who was tentatively sipping on some hot mead, we had been forced to leave Edward outside, Hansel had gone to give him a massive plate of food so he wouldn't feel all that left out. "What do you think they mean by gods?" I asked him.

Ben put down his flagon and pulled me in close to him. "They're speaking of an old people, very old, that lived on the Isle. They say the Apple Isles are magic, they make you immortal and anyone born there can wield their power. The fishermen still give up offerings to appease the beings there for the feel that they will protect them from the storms and dangerous of the ocean in exchange."

I scoffed. "Pathetic, it's probably just a coven of witches," I snarled.

"Yes, but if it is a coven, they've been there a lot longer than the other coven masters we've met. These are ancient people, from before the sun and the moon," he said. He cleared his throat and straightened. "Or well, so they say."

Hansel came back and sat down beside me. "So, what do you think? Should we stay and investigate?" he asked.

Suddenly the door blew open and with it came the scent of lavender. I felt my brother tense beside me as the man in the door way shambled in. He was soaking wet, and covered in burning scratch mark. His eyes were wide in his scull as he limped in. Grabbing hold of the nearest table he shouted:

"The Grey God has returned and she has let loose the sirens!"

His convulsed, his back spasming and arching, a green froth erupted from his mouth and in one painful sounding rip his body came apart covering everyone in sea salt, internal organs and kelp.

I turned my eyes to my brother and saw him rigid and fear. I didn't know what to say, I knew he hadn't expected to see the Grey Witch again, let alone have to fight her and now it looked like they had no choice.