Chapter 3 Reverse It
Raina's POV
“I said it was a disappearing spell. I never said I knew where we'd end up,” I explained.
Otis stared at me, his ears sticking out at strange angles. We stood beside the kingdom's boundary marker, with open land stretching around us. I had no idea where we were or whether my spell could be repeated without sending us somewhere worse.
Otis let out a sound that started as a bray and somehow became a groan. “You don't know where we are?”
“I just said I didn't.”
“You don't know how to reverse the spell?”
“No.”
“You don't know how to get us back?”
“I might figure it out.”
“You might?” He turned in a tight circle, then stopped and stared at me again. “I have been kidnapped by a half-trained witch, turned into a donkey, chased by my own guards, and nearly executed by my own brother. And now I'm standing in the middle of nowhere because you decided to play with magic you don't understand!”
“I didn't decide to play with it!”
“Oh, forgive me. You were conducting a serious experiment on the Crown Prince's body!”
“You were the one chasing me!”
“Because you stole the crown’s property!”
“My spell books are not your property!”
He opened his mouth, shut it, then threw his head back. “The council was right. Magic should be banned. All of it! Every last spell book should be burned, every witch should be locked away, and people like you should never be allowed near a—”
“Enough!” My voice came out louder than I expected. Otis stopped mid-rant.
I was angry. I'd spent the day watching guards destroy shops while people begged them to stop. I'd run back for the only things I had left, lost my father in the chaos, and somehow ended up responsible for the kingdom's most unbearable man.
“And what do you know about any of it?” I demanded. “You're a royal prick who thinks everything is easy because it's always been easy for you. You give an order, and people jump. You want something, and someone brings it to you. Have you ever wondered what happens to the people who don't have a palace to run to when their lives fall apart?”
Otis's ears lowered a little.
“Some of us used our magic to make a living,” I continued. “My father and I ran that shop to survive. We weren't hurting anyone. We sold charms, mixtures, and books. We worked for what we had. And your family decided that none of it mattered because someone in the palace said magic was bad.”
For once, Otis didn't have an answer ready. He stood there with his mouth slightly open.
He didn't apologize. Of course he didn't. Like the arrogant asshole he was. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and said, “My brother knew.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Richard. He knew that donkey was me.” His eyes narrowed as he looked back toward the road we'd come from. “I think he wanted them to execute me.”
“That is a very big accusation.”
“I'm aware.”
“You don't have any proof.”
“I have eyes. Well, I had normal eyes this morning, but I still have eyes.” He stamped one hoof. “Richard has always been jealous of me. Everyone likes him because he smiles at people and remembers their names. He walks around helping old women carry baskets, and suddenly he's the kingdom's favourite prince, despite me being the crown prince. I never thought he'd actually try to get rid of me.”
I folded my arms. “Prince Richard is not perfect, but he is kinder than you.”
Otis turned his head slowly. “Excuse me?”
“I don't like either of you. You're both arrogant royal pricks, as far as I'm concerned. But Richard is gentle with people. He helps the community. I've seen him do it myself. He's also much better-looking.”
The donkey went completely still.
Then he stepped closer. “Better-looking?”
“Yes.”
“Richard?”
“Yes, Otis. Richard.”
“You think that smug, soft-spoken, always-helping-someone fool is better-looking than me?”
I tried to keep a straight face, but he lifted his chin in offended pride, his long ears tilted back like he was posing for a royal portrait.
I burst out laughing.
His nostrils flared. “What is so funny?”
“Look at you!”
“I am looking at you!”
“Not with that donkey face, you don't.” I laughed harder, clutching my stomach.
He glared at me, but his twitching muzzle and falling forelock made him difficult to take seriously.
Then his expression changed.
He looked down at his front legs. He lifted one hoof, turned it, and stared at it as though it had personally betrayed him. Slowly, he looked over his body.
“Oh,” he said.
I wiped my eyes. “Yes. Oh.”
“I am a donkey.”
“A talking donkey,” I corrected.
He stared at me in horror. “How does that make it any better?”
“It doesn't, really.”
“Reverse it. Immediately.”
“I can't.” My serious expression returned.
His face seemed to lose what little colour it had. “What do you mean, you can't?”
“I couldn't grab my books while running . I don't have the spell written down, and even if I did, I'm still a witch in practice. I'm not exactly an expert.”
“Then why would you dare cast a spell on me if you had no idea what you were doing?”
“I was trying to save myself!” I snapped. “Magic is how my father and I survived. I can't practise if I never try anything, can I? And plus I thought it was only a mere freezing spell”
Otis looked ready to argue, but I kept going.
“And now, thanks to you and your family's selfish orders, I'm at the kingdom's border, away from my father. I don't even know if he's safe. He was supposed to be at the shop when the guards came, and he most likely needs me right now. So don't stand there acting like you're the only person whose life has been ruined today.”
That silenced him again. This time, he looked away.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The wind moved across the empty road, and I felt how far we were from home. I wanted my father and my books. I wanted this day to never have happened.
Otis finally turned back to me. “We have to return to the kingdom. You have to find a way to reverse this. They clearly don't believe I'm me.”
“Your brother certainly didn't seem interested in helping you.”
“Richard is not the point right now.” His voice grew sharp, but the panic underneath it was harder to miss. “I cannot remain like this.”
“I know.”
“Can you fix it or not?”
“Not by myself.” I hesitated. “But I know a witch who might be able to help us.”
Otis's ears perked up. “Where?”
“In the neighbouring kingdom. She's an experienced witch. Most of the others left Aurelith years ago, but she lives just across the border.”
“How long will it take us to get there?”
I glanced at the sun. It was already noon.
“A few hours, probably. But we won't make it there and find her before dark.”
Otis stared at me.
“You mean we're spending the night out here?”
“Unless you know a donkey-friendly hotel. Yes”
“Oh, Fuck me.”
