A Class of Conjuring
Chapter 28 — Kyler

We couldn't just walk out into the open and challenge Challis. A witch was always more powerful in her home. We needed the element of surprise. A large rat raced by and headed in the opposite direction, passing Challis who thought nothing of the rodent. The next time it passed by it could end up in one of her potions. I knew enough about their past to hate Challis as much as Dash did, though his hate was spurred by emotional hurt. Mine was spurred by the fact she did it intentionally and to my best friend.

"I can get in there," I whispered to the others. Cassandra shook her head. "Yes, I will. I know all about her," I said. "I know how bad she hurt him. I need to be the one." The rat appeared again from the darkness. It stopped to look at her and then at Dash. Challis noticed and zapped him with a bolt of lightning. The rat exploded into nothingness. I was amazed at her lack of respect for life.

"Okay," Cassandra said. "But I want to know what in the hell you're going to do."

"My shapeshifting is pretty much unlimited," I said. "I can sneak right in. She'll never know."

"You lasted only thirty seconds as a dragon," Ruby said. "We need a better plan than that."

"That's because the bigger the animal the shorter the duration of the shift," I said. "I go in there as a rat and I can last for hours."

"She just turned that rat into splatter," Ruby insisted. "You can't do that."

"He's done it before," Oliver said. "It'll be okay."

Cassandra still seemed hesitant. "If she catches you, we're coming out," she said. "So, your ass better be ready for war."

"Sure you can squeeze through the bars without touching the aspen?" Ruby asked. "I don't see it happening."

I nodded. "But we need something to pick the lock. Something long enough to help them avoid the aspen."

"Yeah, I carry a lock set on me all the time," Cassandra said.

"I've got this," Ruby said and pulled two bobby pins from her hair. Oliver and I glanced at each other. We needed to learn more about women.

"When I change forms, put the bobby pins in the fur under my belly," I said. "But be careful, I'm a little ticklish down there." I glanced at Cassandra and saw her surprise. "I don't mean there."

"Sure," Cassandra said. "I know what you meant."

"This'll never work," Ruby said and sighed. "It's been nice knowing you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I whispered.

"It will," Cassandra said and looked at me. "It will."

"When Braeden picks the lock, I'll change back but while he's doing that and you'll need to create a diversion," I said.

"We got this," Cassandra replied. "Trust me, I know how to create a diversion.

"It's time." I closed my eyes and felt myself become small. When I opened my eyes, I saw my gigantic friends, hoping none would scream or try to step on me. I used my shapeshifting skills over the years to shift into everything from a mouse to a dinosaur, although I'd never do the dinosaur again. Everyone in the town I pranked had nightmares for weeks. Even the adults had problems sleeping.

I stood on my two tiny back feet and used my free claws to scratch my belly. Ruby kneeled next to me and curled her lip.

"You're an ugly little bastard," Ruby said.

If I had a middle finger, I would have shown it to her. I scratched my belly again and Ruby slipped the bobby pins through my fur. It tickled, but I guessed none of them noticed my mousey smile. I went down to all fours, and Ruby patted me on the behind. "Be careful," she whispered. She leaned over and gave my furry head a kiss.

I moved slowly at first, stumbling over my new feet, walking as if drunk, eventually walking into the opposite wall. It always happened when I changed. I regained my composure and traipsed to Braeden's cell. He saw me and frowned, trying to shew me away with his hand. Big bad Braeden scared of a little mouse.

As I got closer to the aspen-covered bars, I could feel my skin warming. If I didn't make the fit perfect, I'd burst into flames and become one of Challis' potions.

I approached the bars, and Braeden scooted away. The big bad Braeden could fight a witch but not a rat. I would have to remind him of that fact if we really made it out of the predicament we were in.

The smell of the aspen burned my nostrils. I emptied my lungs and sucked in my stomach. Though I managed to squeeze between the bars without touching the aspen, the close proximity seared my fur. My insides burned. I needed water. I scurried across the cell, Braeden scooting out of the way, and headed toward the puddle in the far corner of the cell. I rolled around until the burning sensation dissipated. Nothing worse than having your insides cooked. Braeden watched me with an interest he didn't have before I rolled around in. I turned back around and sniffed the puddle. My reward for saving them was going to have to be great.

I reared to my back feet and that was when Braeden understood. "Kyler?" he whispered, and I nodded my mousey head. I rubbed my belly and that was when he saw the bobby pins. Braeden slipped the bobby pins from my fur. He looked confused, so I motioned toward the cell door with my head. Then he nodded and slowly made his way over to the door. Cassandra gave me a thumbs up, and I nodded. She and the others stepped from the shadows, and all hell broke loose.

Braeden fumbled with the bobby pins as he tried to maneuver them into the lock without touching the aspen. One of the pins dropped to the floor, and he cursed. He jerked back when a fireball passed Challis' head and almost hit the cell. Challis cackled and called out a spell I'd never heard before. She tossed the spell at the small group, and they managed to work as a team to block the it. Challis screamed her displeasure. She was never shy about fighting with hate. Our only chance was for her to continue fighting with hate.

Cassandra broke from the group, rolled to one side, and aimed two small fireballs at Challis' legs, taking her out. Challis fell to her knees and screamed in pain, but the spell did nothing to thwart her next spell which exploded over everyone's heads. Spiders dropped from the ceiling, and Ruby screamed. Oliver quickly responded with a water spell, adding a little ice, turning the spiders into ice cubes. He looked at me and held up a thumb. We fought for each other as well as the group.

Cassandra quickly countered with a light spell, temporarily blinding Challis.

Challis raised her hands, the magic passing between her palms the blackest of black. I stared into the abyss and swore I could see the end of the universe. She began her conjuring, and I felt the air being sucked from the room. Someone had to act fast.

Braeden finally managed to pick the lock and when he opened the door with the bobby pins the aspen dropped from the bars and disintegrated. He rushed to Dash's cell and began working on the lock.

I scurried back to Cassandra and the others and quickly changed forms.

"I see you learned to keep your clothes on," Cassandra said. I nodded. "That's too bad."

I turned red and considered plastering a kiss on her lips. But then we looked back at the spell Challis was continuing to conjure. Things were about to take a dark turn.