My Beautiful Witch

The night was cold and dark clouds hung above her as she made her way forward into a circle of people. Every step she took was powerful and her cold, ruthless gaze made the people gulp in fear as she passed by.

Her black cloak swept the floor and the crown which was fittingly sitting atop her head felt heavy but she still held her head high, bearing the heavy weight of it as she walked in along with another woman who hurried behind her.

A heavy and somber air surrounded them as Sylvia stepped into the circle to be met with a gruel sight of a body.

Her cold eyes surveyed the open wounds, the burnt flesh and the claw marks that filled this person's body who was probably a woman. One of her kind had been killed again by those cruel werewolves and she didn't think she will let this slide this time.

"Brenda?" Her voice sounded in the room and her right hand woman who was behind her quickly came forward to answer her.

"Yes my Queen" Answered Maria "She was sent out on an errand by Amora and didn't return for days, the women found her like this in the mountains, left to be eaten by wild animals"

"Take her away" said Sylvia, coldly. Her eyes glinted as something dangerous flashed in them. Brenda had been one of her favourite maid.

She was one out of the hundred people that surrounded her who would speak what they truly thought. She didn't know how to filter her words and Sylvia liked her that way but now she was gone. She felt a rage she had been trying to suprress bubble inside her as she turned around to face the people who had almost thesame expression. They were angry. Just like her.

"This is the work of the iron claws!" One person stepped forward and said before the body could be taken away. Sylvia was sure this person didn't care about her life anymore as she dared to speak when she wasn't asked to.

She looked at the woman with dark, dirty curls who threw herself on the floor, next to her feets.

"I'm telling you this because i'm sure. I have seen how he works. I have seen his victims and i always recognize them"

Sylvia's head tilted a little to the side as she looked at the woman with her wickedly sharped eyes. She wondered why people never listen. Going closer to the woman, she squatted in front of her so she could look into her eyes and whisper "How many times do i have to tell all of you that Iron claws is dead? I witnessed it myself. Is there any more proof that you need?"

By now, the woman was already trembling but there was something in her gaze that made Sylvia's eyes narrow.

"The body" The woman started, not able to hold Sylvia's gaze, she looked away. Her eyes were red probably because of crying "You said the body disappeared"

"He disintegrated given the kind of being he is" Sylvia corrected.

Another person stepped forward. This time, a woman that looked middle aged. Sylvia recognized her as one of the coven leaders.

"If i may speak, my Queen" She bowed a little "If he is truly dead, how do you explain the way our kind has been killed over and over again? The bodies all looks like how he usually kills his victim"

"Have you heard of a copy cat?" She asked and the woman swallowed, knowing what she was trying to say.

The man was called Iron claws because he truly had iron claws that were as sharp as anything that was sharp. His victims had alway been witches, for some reason he hated witches and loved to see them suffer. He was the witches sworn enemy as he had killed and captured many of their kind in the past. There was nothing from him since the last five years and hearing that he was dead, they felt relieved but recently, their kind started to be murdered again in a cruel way. In thesame style which he used to kill. How could anyone not think that perhaps, he has been raised from the dead? They were scared knowing that they would keep losing loved one's like this.

But what the people didn't know was that. That man who was everyone's sworn enemy was their queen's mate. Back before she became queen, he had captured her too.

Of course, Sylvia couldn't reveal this to anyone. Not that she feared their judgement but it will cause a disturbance. She could see the fear in their eyes at the mention of Iron claws. Yes, he was that scary to them.

Sylvia looked at the body and the claw marks which were already turning blue. It was exactly his style and she didn't blame the others for suspecting he was not dead. Her lips curved upwards as she said "Looks like a new Iron Claws has risen"

Whispers erupted at her words and she turned towards them "I will have to take care of this myself" She only wanted to find out and be sure that this person was truly a copy cat for her sake as she was starting to doubt her own conclusion.

"I know that you are all sad but that wouldn't last for long. I will find him" She started, looking at the faces of her people and those Coven leaders who couldn't wait for her to leave the throne which well, was not going to happen soon. "And i will destroy him!" She promised but she only saw fear in their eyes.

"My Queen, did you mean that you are going to find Iron Claws yourself and kill him?" Another coven leader step forward.

"Did you not hear clearly?" Sylvia answered without hesitating "We cannot let him continue with what he is doing now, can we?"

"He is dangerous and slippery. Even the previous Queen went after him and was unsuccesful" This time it was a man who spoke. Gerald's eyes held hers and she smirked.

"He even once captured me" She added knowing many of them had wanted to point this out badly. How could she go after someone who had captured her once?

She was not thesame Sylvia from five years ago. In the years that has passed by, she had changed a lot. She was much more powerful now, capable enough to not fall into a werewolf's trap.

"Being inside his cage for months, don't you think i might have learned a few tricks of his? Besides, no one has ever gotten out alive from his clutches but i did. Does that say something?"

"This is not about how you got out alive. This is different. It means that you will have two parties to look out for. On one hand is the Iron Claws and the other, is stepping into the werewolves territories. You know how they now mercilessly burn our kind. This is a dangerous decision and i don't support it" said Gerald, firmly. But somewhere, he knew that he couldn't change her mind once she has made a decision.

As expected, Sylvia's expression remained thesame. Perhaps Gerald was the second other person who could object to her words openly like this. He was someone she knew ever since he was a kid. Someone who at least cared for her genuinely and maybe that was why he had that right but he couldn't change her mind.

Sylvia pretended not to have heard what he said as she moved forward, stopping in front of a girl with green, sharp eyes. She looked young but she recognized her as she had witnessed her practicing her spells one time through the windows of her room. She was good but she belonged to a lower coven. The one's with little to no power when it came to the land's affairs but this was also what she wanted.

"Fiona from the white coven, step forward" The lady bowed and moved forward and Sylvia glanced at another girl with wavy curls. She looked beautiful but she also hadn't seen her before. Given that some members of all the covens lived in the palace.

"What's your name?" She asked and the girl stepped forward. She looked scared to be in her presence and Sylvia could see how her hands trembled a bit. This was also what she needed.

"Evelyn, my Queen" She answered.

"Evelyn and Fiona" Sylvia called "You two will go with me tommorrow to hunt for the werewolf with Iron claws" As she said this, she saw Gerald frown and Maria too but she could tell the others were a bit happy.

Especially the coven leaders in a higher stand. They probably thought she was willingly walking into a pit of hell where she could die at any time and perhaps, that could happen.

Stepping into the werewolves territories was like stepping into the lion's den.