Wicked: The Witch's Daughter #45

Instructions

Kendra's POV: Another guard seized her, while another caught Dad before he could reach me. Chistery flew around them, trying to distract them, but there were too many. "Let go of them!" I shouted. I struggled to pull myself free, and for a moment I couldn't. Then I felt that familiar warmth in my hands. I focused on it, just as Mom had taught me. I pulled hard, and the guard's grip loosened enough for me to break free. I stumbled backward. "Kendra, listen to me!" Mom said. She looked frightened, but her voice remained steady. "You need to go." "What?" I stared at her. "No! I'm not leaving you!" "You have to," Dad said. "Get somewhere safe." "But you—" "We'll find you," Mom said. "Go!" I didn't want to. Every part of me wanted to stay with them, but I could see that they were surrounded. Then I remembered something. The broom. Mom's broom. The one she had used to travel, the one I had seen before but never imagined I would actually use. I turned and ran toward the room where it was kept. "Kendra!" I heard Dad call after me, but I kept going. I reached the room and grabbed the black pointed hat Mom had once worn, then found the broom beside it. I hurried back toward the main corridor, clutching both tightly. Mom's eyes widened when she saw what I was holding. "Kendra..." "I'll coming back," I said. I didn't know if I believed it, but I needed her to believe it. I quickly put the hat on my head and climbed onto the broom. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. "How do I make this thing work?" I asked. Dad stared at me. "I wish I knew what to tell you!" Chistery suddenly flew toward me and gestured urgently toward the nearest window. I understood. I leaned forward, gripped the broom tightly, and pushed off. For one terrifying second, nothing happened. Then the broom shot forward. "AH!" I flew through the open window and out over the mountainside. The castle disappeared behind me as I struggled to keep myself balanced. The wind rushed past my face, and I held onto the broom as tightly as I could. I looked back once and saw Kiamo Ko growing smaller behind me. My parents were still there. I had left them behind. Tears filled my eyes, but I forced myself to keep going. I turned the broom toward the distant trees of the Western Forest. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't know how long I could stay ahead of the guards. I didn't even know if I could properly control the broom. But I knew one thing. Mom and Dad had told me to escape, and I was going to make sure I survived long enough to find a way back to them. With my mother's hat on my head and her broom beneath me, I flew toward the Western Forest, leaving Kiamo Ko behind.