The Witch's Theft

By Michael Ignacio Jr.

What do an obsessive witch, a kidnapped prince, and a warrior princess have in common? All three are forced to take matters into their own hands to protect what they love. Aya uses her witchcraft to abduct Prince Minoru and saves him from an assassination attempt. Princess Kio embarks on a quest to rescue him to avoid war between their two countries. While in the witch’s custody, Prince Minoru questions the noble responsibilities thrust upon him. Meanwhile, a dark political plot emerges, which could easily tear the lands apart. With growing threats all around them, Aya, Minoru, and Kio find love in unexpected places. Will true love survive the menacing evil that approaches them swiftly?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Ignacio Jr.
• Release date: Dec 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311832078

Michael Ignacio Jr.

Kapuha Press LLC is a small publishing press that produces exceptional fantasy, sci-fi, and dark-fantasy/horror novels, anthologies, and audio dramas. Michael Ignacio Jr. is the creative director and owner of the company, and he leads his team of authors, writers, voice actors/ actresses, and professional staff to provide high-quality literature/entertainment for your enjoyment. Kapuha Press LLC's vision is to inspire and cultivate our readers' imaginations through unique, original stories. Our mission is to publish fantasy, sci-fi, and/or horror stories as paperbacks, e-books, and audio dramas. Kapuha Press LLC will debut new authors and story tellers by publishing their works in fantasy, sci-fi, and/or horror anthologies. We will also create high quality audio dramas by using compelling story lines, hire talented voice actors/actresses, and use dynamic background music.

Book preview

DEDICATION

OTHER BOOKS BY MICHAEL IGNACIO JR.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dedication

This book is dedicated to those who have the courage, will, and desire to embrace the love that dwells within their souls. The world may not understand or condone your love, but know that you are supported. Never give up who you are, who you have opened yourself up to, and the positive energy that your love generates. Don’t be afraid, and never stop loving.

I also want to say thank you to the following people. Without you, I would not have been able to produce this novel: To God for granting me a creative soul, to Daniel Wilkens for being my editor, to Enggar Adirasa for doing my cover art, to Mrs. Brandy Hepler for being a fantastic beta reader, and to Pink Ink Designs for doing my formatting.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places are works of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any places or persons, living, dead, or fictional is entirely coincidental. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any matter whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the publisher, except for use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN # - 978-0692568330

Printed in the United States of America

Kapuha Press

@Copyright 2015 by Michael Ignacio. All rights reserved.

Edited by Daniel Wilkens

Cover art by Enggar Adirasa

Cover Design and Interior Formatting by Pink Ink Designs

Other Books by Michael Ignacio

The Wrath of the Forgotten, Book 1 of the Korrinian Chronicles – Released in Oct 2015

What has been forgotten can destroy you and everything you hold dear. Daisko Nori learns that lesson first hand as he goes about fulfilling his duty as an imperial bodyguard. Nori is sent to the city of Jadai to protect the youngest daughter of the Empress. What starts off as an easy, boring assignment will quickly escalate to an epic quest, filled with terrible monsters, questionable characters, and a race against time. Will Nori and his friends be able to get to the capital before the will of the Celestial Ones comes to pass?

Out of the Shadows - To be released in early 2016

Vanessa McMasters is not a super villain like the rest of her family. Whereas they brought devastation and chaos to the Kazon District within Sagen City, she plans to bring order and peace… one death at a time. In her quest to right her family’s wrongs, she discovers not everything is as it seems. Vanessa discovers firsthand that the heroes she admired so much are more insidious than she thought, and the family she hated for a decade was nobler than she could have ever dreamed. Where will Vanessa, aka Phobia, stand when the line between good and evil blurs?

For more great content from Michael Ignacio, please go to www.michaelignacio.com

GET HER! SHE’S GONE this way! a child screamed.

Aya whimpered as she sprinted through the avenue of vendor stalls. Every bone in her little body trembled. Her lungs and legs begged her to stop. Every moment seemed to stretch on too long. She didn’t have to look behind her to know the other children, the normal ones, chased after her. The sounds of a dozen feet slapping against the dirt filled her ears. No matter how hard she ran, she just couldn’t get away.

Why hadn’t she listened to her mother? She had been warned not to wander off alone, especially in Rybald. Rybaldians, even children, hated her kind with a passion.

Aya turned a corner and passed by several adults. They watched her and sneered as she passed. Some of the adults openly laughed at her misfortune. Other adults encouraged the children to hurt Aya or teach her a lesson. Tiny needles pressed in on the back of her neck. Her spirit waned with exhaustion. At the break between each set of stalls, Aya peered down the alleyways. While she felt momentary bubbles of relief when she found a new path to run down, Aya would rather have found her mother.

A slimy blanket of sweat covered her skin. Her light purple dress felt glued into place. After she rounded each corner, she glanced back over her shoulder. The children still hounded her relentlessly. Her eyes felt dry, with no more moisture to release down her cheeks. Every muscle in her legs tensed and ached. Aya whipped around another corner.

A tall stack of boxes had been placed in the middle of the street. Their height greatly exceeded Aya’s. She stopped and turned to go back the other way, but the children filled the mouth of the alley.

Five little boys and two little girls glared at her. They all wore peasant clothes and had dirty faces. The hatred in their eyes only made Aya shiver. She took several steps away from them until her back touched the solid, unyielding boxes.

A boy stepped forward. Where are you going, you little pink hair?

Aya swallowed hard and subconsciously tugged at her long hot pink locks. She hadn’t realized she had started pulling at her hair until one of the little girls whispered to another little boy.

Look at her pulling at that fake wig. No way it’s real, the little girl said.

The little boy whispered back. Uh huh it’s real. My dad says all them witches have unnatural hair and eye color. It’s ‘cause they worship demons.

The pits of her stomach swirled as the children approached her. They balled their fists and gave her dark grins.

Aya held out her hands. Her voice cracked with each word. Leave me alone. I just want to have fun like you all. I don’t want any trouble. I’ll set you on fire if you try and hurt me.

Most of the other children froze, but one brave little boy kept moving forward. You can’t do magic yet, witch. My mama told me you witches have to get your blood before you get your magic. You’re still a kid like us. We can beat you up and you can’t do anything about it.

Aya fell to her knees and stared at the boy approaching her. He had to have been at least ten years old. He had larger muscles than she did. His face also looked scratched up, as if he fought other kids for fun. This boy was like a hungry wolf, and Aya was a wounded deer.

Her voice came out as a squeak, and the words sounded so warbled that it didn’t even sound like ‘mother’ to Aya.

The boy laughed. Do you hear that? She’s going to cry out for her mama. You cry out and I’ll hurt you more. He shook his little fist at her.

The other children jeered and egged him on with little remarks. Each of the remarks carved deep wounds in her soul. She placed her hands over her face and flinched. She peeked up at him through the lines between her fingers. P-please don’t.

The little boy raised his fist. Shut up, witch.

Her heart raced in her ears. The vendor stalls around them appeared to get taller, and the sounds of them growing in height found their way into Aya’s imagination. Her fingers shook, and she closed her eyes tightly. Soon, a great force would come upon her.

The boy grunted loudly. Feet shuffled in front of her. A cloud of dust brushed against her and flowed into her barely-parted lips. The bitter taste of the earth caressed Aya’s taste buds, and she spit it out.

A new voice called out. This one sounded like a boy’s voice too. Try that again and I’ll knock you out next time.

Aya slowly opened her eyes. A new boy stood over her. He faced the other children. The first little boy who had tried to hurt her lay in the dirt. Tears streaked down his cheeks, and he huffed continuously. The other children watched the new boy in amazement.

The new boy turned his attention to them. Anyone else want to get kicked in the stomach? Huh?

United as one, they shook their heads vigorously.

The new boy pointed and said, Then get out of here!

All of the children, including the main bully, ran away. As soon as they were gone, the new boy turned around and held out his open palm for Aya to grab. She wiped her eyes before she studied her rescuer.

This boy appeared different than any of the other Rybaldian children she had ever seen. He wore fancy clothes and had a clean face. His hazel eyes glimmered with a sense of kindness, and his brown hair lacked the matted messy styles the other boys wore.

He kept his hand there. Are you okay? Can I help you up?

Aya gazed at the hand again before she took it. He helped her to her feet.

The boy asked, Are you okay?

Aya nodded, but her words refused to pass through her lips.

My name’s Minoru. What’s yours? The boy asked.

Aya, she said. She fluttered her eyes for a few seconds. Thank you for saving me.

You’re welcome. No one deserves to be treated that way. He reached out and touched Aya’s hair. I really like your pink hair. I’ve never seen a hair color like that before.

You’re not scared of me? Aya asked.

Minoru laughed. Why would I be afraid of you? You’re not a monster, are you?

Aya shook her head. I’m just a little girl.

A loud booming voice called out. Prince Minoru. What are you doing there?

Aya and Minoru glanced over to the speaker, a man dressed in shiny battle armor. The man carried a large spear. As soon as Aya saw it, she stepped behind Minoru and cowered.

Minoru didn’t seem afraid at all. I made a new friend. This is Aya!

The man gave Aya a critical stare. Like the other adults, this one shared the same level of icy disdain. His body appeared quite rigid, as if he were a statue.

The man in the armor said, Yes, of course. We have to leave now. Your father is searching for you. He never took his hard gaze off of her.

Aya squirmed under that glare.

Minoru turned to face her. I have to go now. I hope we can play together sometime.

Aya locked eyes with him. You’re a prince? Wow, I’ve never met a prince before.

His smile grew larger, and he stepped forward to hug her. Minoru’s arms wrapped around her body, and she felt warmer just below her skin.

Minoru said, I may be a prince, but I’m a normal kid just like you. Bye, it was nice to meet you.

She stared at him with mouth slightly ajar. As the prince moved away, he chuckled lightly and waved at her. This time, she returned the gesture and did her best to give him her best smirk. Her stomach twirled about with the vigor of a hundred tornadoes. The slick sheen that had once covered her skin now only lingered on her palms. Minoru rounded the corner and disappeared from view. Aya just stood there, waiting and wondering if he would ever come back.

She must have stood there frozen for quite some time. When her mother finally discovered her location, she let out a relieved sigh.

Her mother shook a finger at her. How many times do I have to tell you, you can’t go off alone?

Aya made eye contact with her mother. Her lips curled upward in a most delighted fashion.

Her mother arched an eyebrow at her. Are you okay, my little angel?

Aya nodded. Mama, I met a really nice boy. I think I’m going to stalk him with I get older.

Aya’s mother grinned at her. That sounds nice, dear. How about you tell me all about it once we get back home?

Eleven years later

AS SHE FINISHED THE last spell on the list, Aya let out a sigh of relief. Her shoulders relaxed as the magic left her body and swirled in front of her. A bright flash sparkled in the air, and a small orb of purple light floated several feet from her face. The cool mountain gusts blasted around her, and her dress flapped about slightly. The top of her dress was as white as a cloud, while the bottom part that covered her legs held the same hue as her light blue eyes. Aya also wore a pair of knee high leather boots.

With a slight motion of her chin, the orb soared upward into the sky. The other witches in the field watched its ascent as well. Three seconds after it climbed up with the clouds, it exploded with a loud kaboom. A shower of purple sparks covered the open sky. The sweet smell of lilacs surrounded Aya and the other witches.

Aya had so much internal energy bustling inside her. In order to stop from visually fidgeting, she clutched her hands together and held them in front of her stomach. She kept glancing between the shower of light and the three women. Each of these prominent witches had made names for themselves in the mountainous nation of Mattendoe. She needed their approval if she wanted to ascend. As per tradition, he mother couldn’t be here to view the testing, but Aya wished she could have been here anyway.

One of the witches, a green-haired older woman with magenta eyes named Malloriee, stepped forward and crossed her arms over her chest. Her voice reverberated with the numerous decades of experience. Let’s start off with the bad.

The second witch stepped forward. Teenesa had been famous for her ability to see into the future, the past, and the present. Her blood red hair blew in the soft wind. Her turquoise eyes shimmered with kindness. Your third and fifteenth spells were a little sloppy. You could have put more effort into your eighth spell. Lastly, I’m surprised your twelfth spell even went off. Do any of you disagree or have anything else to add?

The other two witches remained silent, but they watched Aya with a sense of inspection. Aya winced, but beamed an awkward smile at them. Her head drooped a little.

Malloriee spoke again. And now the good.

Tahana, the last witch, stepped forward. Of all three witches, Aya loved her hair color the most. Tahana had snow white hair with streaks of blue and purple intermixed within it. One of Tahana’s eyes held the color of the sky while other sparkled with hues of the darkest night.

Her voice sounded the sweetest of all three of them too. You’re first spell took my breath away. I loved your fourth spell, and your creativity with regard to your eleventh spell gave me chills. In all my years, I’ve never seen a squirrel turn into something like that. It was very impressive. Does anyone disagree or have anything else to add?

Teenesa gave Aya a smirk. My favorite was number fourteen.

The first witch, Malloriee, said nothing but kept a neutral expression. She gestured to the other two, and they gathered around her. Slight whispers danced on the wind, but Aya couldn’t make out what they said. After five minutes of waiting, the witches finally broke apart their discussion and gave Aya hard, critical stares.

We have come to a decision, Malloriee said.

Aya’s stomach clenched tighter. Every nerve ending pulsated with life, and they awaited the trio’s answer just as intently as Aya did.

Finally, Malloriee grinned at her. Welcome to the sisterhood. You’re a full witch.

All at once, a torrent of emotions assaulted her. Her eyes became wet and her smile grew ten times its normal size. All of the energy that she had been keeping at bay filled her like water filling a container. A nervous chuckle passed her lips and then she openly laughed. Her body took on its own movements, and Aya twirled around as her arms flapped about in all directions. Magic flew from her skin and the sky crackled with intense thunder.

Return to your master, Tahana said. She has your presents. She walked forward and hugged Aya in a tight embrace. May you serve the sisterhood well. May Mattendoe always feel like home to you. May you never forget you are loved by all those who share your gifts.

As soon as Tahana broke her embrace, Teenesa hugged her and repeated the same spiel. After that, Malloriee hugged her.

Rather than say what the other two said, Malloriee whispered May the sisterhood serve you well. May Mattendoe shield you from the hatred of the outside world. May you always love the land you came from and the people who call it home.

All three witches retreated back from Aya and raised ornate rods above their heads. They spoke the incantations of a spell.

"Welcome new sister,

Let all know her ascension,

She is one of us."

From their hands, bright balls of energy soared into the sky. Each of the balls held a different hue of the rainbow. Once they flew high enough, they exploded into brilliant displays of sound and color. Each ball popped a dozen times, and with each burst, the energy under Aya’s skin flared ever stronger. Her soul quivered wildly.

Go now, we’re done with you, Malloriee said.

The three witches turned and walked away, no doubt heading for home. Aya ran through the grassy meadows toward her mother’s house. The wind blew against her cheeks, and she had to resist the urge to close her eyes is bliss.

After a decade of training, she had finally passed all of her trials. Aya had finally become a full-fledged witch. Her spell book already contained dozens of useful spells, as well as many very fun ones. One day, she wouldn’t need to consult her tome to remember the rhymes that she created.

The sun still hung high in the sky. Many hours still existed before it would sink behind the mountains that made up the independent nation of Mattendoe. She loved this land. Not only did it radiate with pure magic, but in Mattendoe, Aya and her kind didn’t have to worry about the prejudices and hatred from the common people. The sweet mountain air tasted so good, not like the air quality in countries like Rybald, Ebuu, or Vexbra.

Her mother’s home stood several hundred feet from a cliff overlooking a valley lake. Aya had grown up in that house. Images of her younger self sitting on the cliff edge staring up at the starry skies flashed in her mind. Now that she had ascended into being a full witch, Aya would have to find her own spot, and establish her own home. The perfect place came to mind, but it would only be perfect if it remained unclaimed by the time she got there.

She hadn’t even made it to the house yet when Aya’s mother opened the door. People often called her Lucina the Vexing, but Aya never knew that side of her. To Aya, this woman didn’t place curses on people for slights or negative interactions. No, this woman made Aya appreciate life to its fullest and taught her the skills she would need to be her own successful witch.

Lucina ran out to meet Aya, her purple hair blowing in the wind behind her. Tears outlined her orange irises. She wore a light purple-colored dress that went to her mid-thigh and a pair of brown leather boots. Lucina waved her arms about and said, I’m so proud of you!

Aya hugged her mother and twirled her around. They giggled in delight. Aya’s sweet voice rose louder as she spoke. I passed! I’m not an apprentice anymore. I’m a witch.

Luciana said, I know, my sweet angel. I have your new things inside. Come, we have to eat, drink, and be merry! She led Aya inside and had her sit at the table.

A purple and red silk bag rested on the table’s surface. As Aya glanced at it, her heart beat faster.

Go on, then, Lucina said. You’ve earned it. Open it.

Aya scrambled and opened the bag. She reached her entire arm into it and reached deep into the magical sack. Her fingers grazed against a slender item, so she pulled it out. Aya held an octagon shaped diamond. She examined it curiously, and then held it up for her mother to see.

Lucina grinned at her. That’s your house stone.

Aya’s eyes lit up. She carefully set it on the table and reached back into the bag. Another item lay at the bottom of the impossibly deep bag, and she pulled it out. Aya gripped the short metal rod and turned it around to view it.

It looks just like yours, Aya said.

Lucina nodded. "I had it inscribed with special runes on the side. Like mine, it will allow for easier spell