Percy's Curse Chapter 3

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I swatted a branch out of my face and sighed. “Remind me why I’m trekking through the woods with you?”

“If you want a potion then you can help me get the ingredients.” Lisette called back to me without stopping. “Besides its not like you have anything better to do.”

I kept quiet, unable to dispute that. I scratched my head, between the ears. It had been five days since I drank that hangover potion and the ears had been an annoyance since the beginning. They attracted stares and snickers. They ached when I tried to stuff them into hats or under hoods. They picked up irritating noises that gave me headaches… I wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible… “So what does this ingredient look like?”

“Black leaves speckled with white. And they grow pretty high up. Which is another reason for you to be here.” She glanced back at me as she spoke, her eyes daring me to make a short joke.

I ignored the dare and scanned the tops of the trees. “So how’re things with you and Casey?”

Lisette started skipping, making the slight distance between us grow. I jogged to close the distance again. “I don’t want to think about her right now. I want to have some fun here.”

“This is fun?” I asked, squashing a bug that landed on my arm.

She tripped on a tree root and her ears reddened. She went back to trudging along. “Yes, of course it is. Oh there!” She stopped and pointed up to her left. “I think I can reach it if you give me a boost.”

I dragged my feet the last few steps to reach her, dropped into a squat, and lace my fingers together. With my help she caught the lowest branch. She clambered up out of sight. I prepared to jump up after her but before I could, black leaves started fluttering down. “Percy catch!” she shouted. Before I could register that she didn’t mean the leaves her knees were already connecting with my chest.

My back hit the dirt and I cried out from the pain in my chest… that wasn’t there… “Wuss.” Lisette called in a deep voice. I sat up and looked at her. She appeared… taller. I studied her up and down in confusion then pointed wordlessly at the space of air between her feet and the ground.

She beamed ear to ear and gave a midair twirl seeming to temporarily forget she was in dirty, ripped overalls instead of her usual flouncy skirt. “Anti-gravity spell. Just learned it a few days ago. Thought I’d give you a shock. Your face was hilarious by the way.”

“Of course you did.” I groaned, slowly getting to my feet. “My life was flashing before my eyes, you jerk.” I gave her a playful shove then moved to collect the leaves.”How many of these do we need?” I asked, crouching to pick one up.

“Percy.” She hissed in alarm.

I straightened up and turned back to her. “What? Did you see a sna-” My words caught in my throat when I saw her face. I followed her line of sight up into the tree the leaves fell from and locked eyes with a beautiful woman…

At least she was beautiful at first glance. The longer I looked at her the more fake her beauty seemed, perhaps because her looks weren’t staying constant. I’d blink and her hair would be different or her skin a shade off or her eyes a new color. The only thing that remained constant was her light, easy smile. “Uhm… Can we help you?” I asked her casting a confused look Lisette’s way. Lisette still stared at the woman in horror.

“This is my tree. Those are my leaves. I don’t take kindly to thieves.” As she spoke her smile hardened.

“Oh sorry about that.” I held the leaf in my hand out towards her. “We didn’t know they belonged to you.”

“Excuses and apologies are meaningless.” She started to float down from the tree and towards me. I took a step back. “Those who wrong me must be punished. I will be gracious. Only one of you will suffer. Who shall take responsibility?”

She was getting on my nerves. “Okay first, b***h and-”

“Insolent boy!” I heard her shriek through the wind roaring in my ears as I was thrown backwards into a tree.”Thieving, foul-mouthed brat!”

“Percy!” Lisette screamed, rushing to me. The woman threw her hand up and Lisette halted midstep.

“Stay back and let the boy take the punishment. Unless you wish to claim full responsibility?”

I pulled myself to my feet using the tree and watched as Lisette’s jaw tightened. “No! I take full responsibility!” I shouted. No way I was letting Lisette take this b***h’s “punishment” she was scared to death of her. Besides the leaves were for my potion, if it wasn’t for me she wouldn’t be here…

The woman began to chant, there was nothing either of us could do. I studied Lisette’s face as the woman spewed words I didn’t understand. Lisette’s brow furrowed as she memorized the curse.

When the woman hissed out the last word she disappeared as easily as if she never existed in the first place. “Why can’t you do that?” I asked with a laugh.

“Percy!” Lisette tackled me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I caught her, stumbling back but managing to not fall. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry! I couldn’t do anything. I-”

“Shh.” I rubbed her back as I felt her begin to cry. “I’m fine. I don’t feel any different at all.” I forced out a laugh. “Maybe her curse backfired.” I laughed again, loud enough to convince myself.

But not loud enough to convince Lisette. Her arms tightened around me. She knew. She knew the curse didn’t backfire. She knew all that was to come.