The Queen of Witches Read online

  The Queen of Witches

  Wheel of Crowns book 2

  Brandi Elledge

  To Matt,

  You might not have a gallant steed or shiny armor but you’re still my knight. And you’re the best dang knight the South has ever seen.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  The Vampire Queen

  The Demon Queen

  The Werewolf Queen

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  An eerie quiet settled over the forest. It was almost as if nature knew something wasn’t right with me either and it was scared. Louisiana was full of wildlife, from considerable predators to pesky mosquitoes, and yet nothing made a sound. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. But to be fair, I was a little afraid of myself.

  There always had been something different… a little bit off about me, but here recently, I was getting worse. This thing inside gnawing at me wanted to be released, and sometimes I could barely contain what I had been referring to as “the disease,” because how else would I label it?

  I had told no one other than my best friend about my disease, or the turmoil I was going through. The loneliness I feel is never-ending. But I must keep this a secret. If people found out about me, they might harm me or send me off to a government lab as a scientific experiment. People tended to shy away from the abnormal. I had asked my bestie to meet me out in the woods behind our school for a little pow-wow, knowing that if we were caught, we would get detention. I’d reiterated she would have to be quiet, and she promised me stealth was her middle name. I listened as my friend crashed through the woods, cringing as sticks snapped and curse words were muttered. That girl could wake the living dead. We were so going to get caught.

  Blonde hair came into my peripheral vision. “Ugh! How many times have I told you, Charlie, that I don’t do the great outdoors. This is so beneath me.”

  We might have been best friends since kindergarten, but some things never changed. I sat down on a fallen log and looked at my friend as she walked through the woods towards me. She tiptoed on the fallen leaves, trying her hardest not to ruin her designer shoes while her eyes darted everywhere but at me. Like she was preparing for an alligator to surprise attack her.

  “Tandi, we are literally in the woods right behind our school. The swamp is miles away from here. The chances of you getting mauled by an alligator are slim to none.”

  “Do I look like I give a rat’s ass about percentages? Besides, I am always in the three percentile, so the odds are already against me.”

  Tandi looked exactly like a chubbier version of Ashley Benson from the television show Pretty Little Liars. She hated being plump, but what she never seemed to notice was she was beautiful. Not just pretty or cute, but stunningly beautiful. But because of her skirt size, she disagreed. That was an argument for another day, though. She bit her full lip, glancing at where I sat. After rolling my eyes, I took off my flannel shirt, leaving me in just a ribbed tank top. I spread out the flannel shirt on the log for her.

  “Oh, thank the Lord.” She sat down on my shirt. “I mean, these pants do cost more than I would like to admit. And why the heck are we meeting out here? When I received your text, I almost ignored it, but then I thought if you do go over the edge into crazyville, I want you on my side.”

  “Hardy, har, har.” I couldn’t deny it. I did feel like I was on the cusp of something. Teetering on the edge of sanity and batshit crazy. “I brought you out here because I wanted to tell you something.”

  Her perfect eyebrows lifted. “I swear to you right now, if you start chanting demonic crap while your head spins, I’m outta here.”

  “What’s happening to me is not funny.” I brushed a tear from my eye, as she threw an arm around me. Neither of us said anything for a few seconds. “Last night, I was in my room going through an old family photo album. At first, I cried buckets of tears, and then I was angry—angry at the person who took my parents from me. The album caught fire in my hands. The front and back of the book was completely burnt, along with some of the pictures. I was able to put the fire out—but still! What am I going to do? Ever since I turned eighteen it’s getting worse!”

  Tandi rubbed my back. “Can you try to show me?”

  “You know it doesn’t work like that. That is why it’s so scary. What if that happens during school? Or worse, what if I hurt someone? I have to find a cure.”

  “I get why you’re upset, and I don’t want you to think I am making light of the situation, but maybe you’re looking at this all wrong. Maybe it’s not a disease. Maybe it’s a gift.”

  “You know dang well that’s a lie. Wondering if you might accidentally turn your teacher into ash is not a gift.”

  Her nose twitched. “It depends. Which teacher are we talking about? Mrs. Morris? Because if so, good riddance. I hate that woman.”

  I half cried and half laughed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “You are going to keep putting one foot in front of the other until we can figure this whole thing out. It sounds like you were having strong emotions when you torched the family album, so try and stay calm and stay away from Brandon.”

  Brandon was my ex-boyfriend as of yesterday. He wanted to take our relationship to the next level, and when I refused, he got extremely angry with me. That’s when I decided to end things. I had enough on my plate without having to deal with a pushy, volatile boyfriend.

  Tandi was scowling, which meant she was thinking about how I ended it with Brandon, too. “You really should talk with your brother. Wes might be able to help you.” I shook my head and Tandi sighed. “So I’ve got good news and better news. The good news is lunch break is over, and we can no longer hide out in this barbarous place.”

  “The woods?”

  She shrugged. “You say woods; I say serial killer’s paradise. And the better news is we have a new student. Girl, he is so fine. I didn’t catch his name because I was too busy staring at his beautiful face. I mean, seriously, he should take insurance out on that thing. What if he was to get in an accident? Talk about a tragedy. I don’t know his name, so I’ve dubbed him ‘face’ because let’s be honest, his real name isn’t the important part.”

  I was laughing as I stood. She threw her arm around me as we headed back to our small school that was ideal for the wealthy patrons of Peu Blue, Louisiana. Unlike Tandi, I was far from wealthy, but my parents had left my brother and me some money. The money from their will allowed us to pay the mortgage on the house and my tuition to attend Peu Blue Academy. Since Wes my brother graduated two years ago, he had started to make a name for himself. His love for painting was finally paying off. Of course, that meant he was away from home more nights than I would like, but he was making money and following his dream, so I was proud of him. Tandi believed I should talk with my brother about what I’m going through, but I couldn’t put this burden on him.

  We’d lost our parents twenty-three months ago, so at the age of eighteen, Wes became my guard
ian. He had to figure out how to manage the money our parents left us: paying off the house, the car, and making sure there was enough money for tuition, so I could graduate with my friends. He gave up going to college to help raise me and now he was finally carving out some time for him and his painting. No, I couldn’t go to him with this.

  I had my head down, thinking about my life, while Tandi talked non-stop about some new shop that just opened up, when I ran into someone. His arms reached out to steady me. I looked up to see who I almost plowed over. This must be the new kid. Dark auburn hair was swooped to one side, and warm brown eyes stared down at me. He was two inches taller than me, so he was around five feet nine. He had a prominent dimple in his chin that just added to his good looks.

  Tandi threw both hands up in the air. “I knew you should have got insurance. Tell me,” she said, as her thumb hitched in my direction, “did this twat hurt your face?”

  The new kid looked at my friend oddly. “No. I think we’re good.”

  The school bell was ringing. Lunch was officially over, and I really needed to get to my next class. Mr. Hawking hated tardiness.

  “Do you need help getting to your next class?” I didn’t want to be rude to the new kid, but he just stood there in front of me with a bashful grin on his charming face. He was borderline gawking, and I had places to be. “Tandi here could show you where to go.”

  He ran a hand over his face. “I’m staring. Sorry. It’s just you know… you’re beautiful.” I gave Tandi a what-the-hell look. The new kid was cute but awkward. “Pardon me. I shouldn’t have said that out loud. I’m Talon.”

  He was hot. I’d give him that, but something in the way his eyes roamed my face made me feel uncomfortable. And not just because I was a virgin, and he was looking at me like he was thirsty, and I was the last drop of water on the planet.

  “Um, cool. Nice to me you, Talon. I’m Charlize. Charlie to my friends and I’m also late to class, so if you’ll excuse me.”

  As I sidestepped him, I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know Tandi was rolling her eyes. Didn’t care. I had bigger problems.

  Our small private school appeared more like a fire station with its one-story, red brick layout and gigantic windows. Our school wasn’t dilapidated but by no means was it fancy. Come to think of it I wasn’t sure where all of the tuition went to. Maybe in the new headmaster’s bank account. He did have a sweet ride. I studied the creaky old building and caught my teacher through the far window on the left, glaring at me. His nose was almost against the window pane as he watched me walk into the school. So much for giving him the excuse that I was in the little girl’s room. Ugh. This day was going to suck.

  I was halfway up the brick steps leading to the metal door of our school when the new kid shouted. “Wait!” I tried to curb my aggravation as I turned towards him, giving him my attention. “I know this is very unorthodox, but would you like to go on a date with me tonight?”

  “I’m sorry but—”

  Tandi interrupted me. “Of course, she can, but she’ll have to take her own car and meet you in a well-lit public place because I watch Date Line, and even though your face is amazing, I don’t trust it.”

  I didn’t know what to say, because, really, where does one go from here? “Talon, thank you for the offer, but I really have a ton of studying to do before Christmas break.”

  He sauntered up the steps toward me. I know his slow walk was supposed to be sexy, and I could hear a couple of appreciative girls who were also running late for class sighing, but since I had already determined there was something wrong with me, I didn’t feel bad for losing my patience.

  He finally reached me, and I was beyond annoyed. I crossed my arms and all but tapped my foot on the brick steps. He gave me a disarming smile before he leaned down, putting his lips against my ears as he whispered, “Why are you living here, amongst humans, when you were meant for so much more? Meet me at the diner after school, and I’ll answer all of your questions.”

  I stood there in shock as he walked away. What did he mean “amongst humans” and what exactly was I meant for? Did the new kid know what was wrong with me? My stomach knotted with tension and I felt like I was about to throw up.

  Tandi was beside me in mere seconds. “You’re completely pale. What did that jerk say to you?”

  “He implied that I might not be human, and he could answer my questions.”

  We stood there for several minutes in silence. Neither of us cared that we were incredibly late at this point.

  “Well, we have two options,” Tandi said. “We can blow this joint and head to Mexico, or we can both go to the diner after school and see what he has to say. Not human?” She snorted. “What are you, an alien? And if so, can we make money off of this?”

  I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they were going to fall out of my head. I couldn’t care less about school at the moment, but if I didn’t show up for a class, my brother would get an automated phone call. I definitely didn’t need him asking any questions right now. Especially, since I had no answers. We headed to our classes, and the rest of the day I was in zombie mode. I could only think about the new kid, Talon, and if he really did know what was wrong with me.

  Chapter Two

  We were in a booth at Ma’s Diner, and I glared at Tandi in disbelief, as she sat across from me cool as a cucumber in an array of different shades of pink. Her life’s motto was, “It’ll either work out or it won’t,” meanwhile I could have an inch of water in my boat and I would already be planning for the boat to capsize.

  Tandi stopped studying her hot pink nail polish to look at me. “Charlie, why are you looking at me like I just ran over your dog?”

  “Because I’m nervous, and you won’t stop chomping on your gum, and I’m taking out all my anxiety on you. Sound good?”

  Tandi shrugged. “Sure. You’re never the irrational one, so why not give you a day to act insane? Since you’re taking my job today, I’ll try to be the sweet, calm, mature one.”

  “Good luck,” I huffed.

  The door to the diner swung open and in walked Talon. He came up to our booth and sat down.

  “So, we meet again.” He nodded at us both. “Do either of you mind if I make this conversation private?”

  I glanced at Tandi to see what she thought about his question. “How exactly do you plan to do that?”

  He clapped his hands together. The air over our booth turned shimmery. We could see the other customers in the diner, but they were blurry. A waitress started to come to our table, but then she suddenly did an about face, heading in the opposite direction.

  “How did you do that?” I asked.

  “Power of persuasion.” He gave a laugh. “This is nothing compared to what you should be able to do.”

  “What do you mean? Do you know about… about me?”

  Tandi said, “Maybe you shouldn’t say anything else, Charlie. Not until we figure out what it is he wants. Because you do want something, don’t you?”

  Talon briefly dropped his smile. “Actually, yes, I do. I don’t have the time to explain who you are or what you can do in full detail, but I would like to offer you a chance of a lifetime. There is a training school not too far from here. We would like to offer you room and board, and after you’re done with training, you will be employed with us.”

  “Sorry. No. You show up out of the blue and seem to know a whole lot about me while I know nothing about you. I’m going to need you to explain things. Let’s start with training for what”? I asked. “And I can’t just pick up and leave town. I have to finish school. Also, I would have to tell my brother something, and how do I know that this is legit?”

  “Your training would help you with your powers. I’ve read your file. I know that your parents are recently deceased. You need someone to lean on for information. My people can help you do that. Not having anyone show you how to control your powers could be dangerous for you and,” he said, glancing at Tandi, “your friends. You ca
n finish out your school year at our school for the gifted, and considering that we are offering you a full scholarship, your brother should be happy.”

  Yeah, but I couldn’t talk to my brother about this. “It couldn’t wait six months until I graduated from high school?”

  He leaned back in his chair. “I’m afraid not. We’re going to need to know your answer by the end of the week. Then, unfortunately, the offer will be off the table.”

  My gut was screaming that what he just said was bullshit. “Call me crazy but I doubt that. Why is this a now or never kind of thing?”

  “I honestly can’t say until you are at our camp. Right now you’re considered an outsider and there is certain information that we can’t share with outsiders.”

  Wasn’t that just a tidy answer. “Tell me this then… how did you find me?”

  “We have trained professionals that are constantly on the lookout for unfamiliar activity. You are letting out strong power surges in blips here and there, so we knew that a newbie was coming into his or her powers. I’ve actually been here a week or so looking for who was unleashing the burst of power. Today, I decided to try the private school. After I ran into you earlier, which was pure luck by the way, I requested a file on you.” That was a little creepy. Hot guy or not. “You will learn how to control your power during training, and I will be your personal mentor.” He checked his watch and then slid a card with his number on it. “You can reach me on my cell at any time. I’m going to let you think about what I’ve said and when you have more questions, please let me know.”