Celestia: The Cursed Witch

xviii

“Let’s stop here,” Kieran said as he gently pulled the reins, slowing the horse to a stop.

They had been traveling for about five hours now. The sun was still high in the sky, and the morning air had grown warmer. Kieran thought it was a good time to give the horses a proper rest—and for them to stretch and recover, too.

He got off first, then reached up to help Celestia down from her horse.

“Are you alright, darling?” he asked, his hand resting gently on her back. “That was a long ride for your first time,” he added. Celestia gave a soft chuckle and nodded.

“I’m okay... just really sore. My legs feel stiff, but I enjoyed it,” she replied.

“That’s normal,” Kieran said with a smile. “You’re doing better than I expected,” he added. He then turned toward Dwayne.

“Check the area while we rest. Just in case. After that, you rest too,” he ordered.

Dwayne gave a quick nod and moved off into the trees. Kieran then walked the horses toward a shady spot to let them cool down, while Celestia sat on a patch of grass, letting her legs relax. She glanced around the peaceful clearing, the quiet moment easing the tension in her chest.

“Are you okay, Celestia?” Adelaide asked, noticing how quiet she had become.Celestia gave a small nod and a smile.

“Yes, Aunt. Just a bit tired. How long do we still have to travel, though?” she asked, her voice curious but calm.

Adelaide sat down beside her and gently raised her hand, murmuring a soft spell. A light breeze stirred the air around them. Celestia closed her eyes, letting the cool wind brush against her skin. It made her feel a little more alive.

“We still have a long way, Celestia,” Adelaide said softly. “Probably four to five more days if the road stays clear,” she added. Celestia opened her eyes and sighed, but she smiled.

“I hope the rest of the days are as peaceful as this one,” she said.

Before Adelaide could reply, the sound of rushed footsteps broke the calm. Dwayne came running back, his chest rising and falling quickly.

“Alpha Kieran!” he called out, panting. “We’ve got trouble. Bandits—headed straight this way. It's too late to pack up and leave. They’ll be on us soon,” he added and looked at Adelaide and Celestia.

Kieran stood up, his jaw tightening. He glanced at Celestia, his worry clear in his eyes. Celestia stepped forward without hesitation.

“I’ll fight too,” she said, her voice firm. She's not the same Celestia who needed protection. She can protect herself.

Kieran opened his mouth to argue, but one look at her determined face made him stop. He just gave a small nod.

“We’ll need to move the horses,” Dwayne said. “I’ll hide them so they don’t get caught in the middle,” he added.

They quickly got to work, hiding the horses in a nearby thicket. Then, in the distance, they heard it—galloping hooves thundering toward them.

A few moments later, a group of rough-looking bandits came into view. They halted when they saw Kieran standing tall in the center of the path. One of them smirked and nudged his horse forward.

“Well, what do we have here?” he said, looking Kieran up and down. “A couple of lost travelers? Or something more interesting?” he added.

Kieran didn’t answer. He simply stepped forward, ready for the fight.

“We don’t want to fight, Drago,” Adelaide said calmly, stepping forward.

“Oh, she knows me,” Drago sneered, flashing his blackened teeth. “Then you must also know I don’t show mercy to my prey, right?” he added, and his comrades laughed like hyenas.

“What do you want?” Kieran asked, voice steady. “Money? I’ll give it to you,” he added.

“Your money… and your lives!” Drago shouted. “Kill them!” he exclaimed.

In an instant, his men charged forward. Kieran and Dwayne had no choice. They shifted into their wolf forms, snarling and ready for the fight. Adelaide quickly grabbed Celestia and pulled her back, raising her hand.

“Scutum lucis, protege illam!” she chanted, a golden shield bursting around Celestia like a dome of light.

“Aunt! You can’t do this! I want to fight!” Celestia cried, pounding her fists against the shield.

“I’m sorry, Celestia,” Adelaide said with a heavy heart. “I promised Renee I’d protect you. Don’t step out unless one of us is dying,” she added. Adelaide knew Celestial would hate her for doing that, but she must keep her promise to everyone.

She turned, raised her hand, and shouted another spell. A ball of fire formed in her palm and flew toward the bandits, forcing them to scatter.

“Witch! Kill the witch first!” Drago bellowed in rage.

Suddenly, snarls filled the air. Some of the bandits shifted into wolves and charged toward Adelaide, fangs bared. She was already fighting beside Kieran and Dwayne, throwing fire and using swift dodges to keep them at bay.

Celestia watched, heart pounding. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against the shield.

“No…” she whispered.

Then, one of the wolves lunged straight at Adelaide.

“Aunt!” Celestia screamed.

Adelaide spun at the last second, just narrowly dodging the wolf’s teeth. With lightning-fast movement, she reached down, pulled the hidden knife from her boot, and threw it with deadly aim.

The blade struck the wolf’s neck cleanly.

He dropped to the ground with a thud, unmoving. Adelaide stood tall, breathing hard, eyes sharp.

“I said… stay down,” she deadly said. Adelaide glared at Drago.

“Drago, you know you can’t win this fight. Stand down and let us pass peacefully,” Adelaide said, her voice firm but calm.

Drago narrowed his eyes, his expression shifting.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Tell Maximus I’m collecting the debt he owes me,” she replied without flinching.

At the mention of the name, Drago froze. Then, without hesitation, he raised his hand.

“Halt! All men, retreat!” he shouted.

Without a single complaint, the remaining bandits backed away and disappeared into the trees, leaving behind silence and the stench of blood.

Kieran and Dwayne shifted back into their human forms and walked toward Adelaide, still trying to understand what just happened.

“What was that?” Kieran asked, eyes locked on her. Adelaide let out a breath and looked at him.

“Maximus is the leader of the bandits. He owes me his life—twice. I saved him once in the Northern mountains and again when he was wounded in a fight against demon hounds. I never asked for anything in return. Until now,” she said.

She turned and walked toward Celestia, lifting her hand. The golden barrier faded and disappeared.

“I’m sorry, Celestia,” she said softly. “I had to protect you,” she added.

But before she could say anything else, Celestia rushed forward and hugged her tightly.

“I understand, Aunt,” she whispered, her voice a little shaky. “But if you trap me like that again, I’ll be mad at you,” she added.

Adelaide chuckled and hugged her back.

“Deal.”

And just like that, the group picked themselves up and continued their journey toward the North—quietly grateful that, this time, a past favor had saved them all.