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Chapter Twenty: Part 2

            “Everything will become clear shortly. Do you agree to my terms?”

            “Alice,” Azura said sharply, “a Witch’s word is forever binding. If you promise him this you will have to follow through with it.”

            “You can have everything else…” Ambrose’s voice was silky. “You can still live here and run your shop. I’ll just come see you, or you can make the trip to the mansion. Your life doesn’t have to change much at all.” He paused, looking at her intently. “Just think about the girl.” 

Alice glared at him angrily. She glanced at Maya again and swallowed tears back.  Then she nodded recklessly.

“Fine! If you can save her I’ll do it. I’ll be your apprentice.”

            “Alice!” Azura cried in horror.

            “You promise you will be my apprentice? I must hear you say it,” Ambrose insisted.

            “Yes, alright...But you have to swear that you’ll heal Maya and then leave her alone for the rest of her life. Let her be happy - promise never to hurt her again.”

Ambrose’s expression darkened momentarily. “Fine, I swear it on my mother’s grave.”

            “Your mother must be a goddess, so she has no grave. Make it binding; swear it on the river Styx.”

Both Altair and Ambrose looked shocked, and then Ambrose smiled coolly. “Someone’s done her research. Very well, I swear on the river Styx that I will let Maya go free and never hurt her again.”

            “Good. And I swear I’ll be your apprentice if you heal her.”

            “She had no pulse,” Gabriel choked. Unshed tears made his eyes glisten as he glared at them. “He’s just jerking you around, Alice.”

            “Then I won’t go with him.” She glowered at Ambrose. “Get on with it, Titan.”

             “I can’t touch the magic in this form, so you’ll have to do it for me.”

            “What does that mean?” Alice glanced nervously at Azura, who shrugged unhelpfully.

             “You’re going to have to take the magic into yourself,” Ambrose said. “That’s the only way to transfer it.”

            She felt the beginnings of panic. “How am I supposed to do that? I don’t know how. What if I can’t?”

            “I’ll show you how,” Ambrose said firmly. “And I know you can. Why do you think I’ve pursued you so hard?”

            Alice blinked at him. “I don’t get it.”

            “You have more than enough potential. I’m almost positive you can take the magic into you. If you’re able to do that, I can take that magic from you and use it.”

            Alice stared at him incredulously. So this was what it had been about all along. She was a vessel for him, something he could suck magic out of - that was why he wanted her for an “apprentice”, so he could leech off of her and take her magic for himself. That was why the last time he’d done magic had been years ago. He hadn’t found someone else who could take the magic in…until now. Until he found me.  Ambrose didn’t notice the dark look she gave him.

            “Now,” he instructed, “Begin by taking hold of as much magic as you can. Good. Just hold it. Shut your eyes.”

            Alice did so. Still fuming, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Ambrose continued, the velvety sound of his voice would have been soothing if she wasn’t so angry and afraid. Even though they were here in the moment trying to save Maya, she couldn’t help thinking about the promise she had just made. A Witch’s word is binding.