How we think the fight might go...
The clearing glowed amber in the firelight. Finn tossed another log on the blaze, and Enna caught the sparks on a breeze lifting and spinning them against the black night until they faded.
Finn chuckled. “Nice.” When he reached for Enna’s hand, a disheveled girl about their age wondered out of the woods mumbling, “Lost…” “Nowhere…” “Gone…”
Enna moved toward her with a vulnerable step. “Are you alright?”
The girl wailed and staggered toward Enna. “Nowhere…” “America…” “Dead…”
“Are you lost? Can we help you find your way?”
The girl ran a ragged hand over her ripped dress exposing the ribs of her corset and touched her crescent shaped necklace. She squinted wild eyes at Enna and accused, “Where is he?”
Enna sent a rising wind around the girl to contain her but didn’t let it touch her in any way. “Who are you seeking?”
“Kartik!” The girl said it like Enna should know who she meant then asked, “Where are the rest of the gypsies?”
Enna reached out toward her, but she slapped Enna’s hands away.
Finn whipped out a short sword, and Enna waved him back. “Relax. I’ll take care of this.” Stepping back, Enna turned her palms toward the girl. “Gypsies?”
Images of pale faces pushed into Enna’s mind. Ivy wove around them and a dark face with Indian features emerged from the others. Enna shook her head to clear the vision. It disturbed her. Then without warning the crazed girl leapt at Enna, and, as Enna reached up to block her advance she discovered that her feet and hands were bound with ivy.
Finn called out to her. “The trees!” They were bending into the clearing.
Enna spoke to the wind surrounding the girl, and it carried her away to the far side of the clearing. She enticed the fire at her side to spring at the trees singeing the tips of their branches. They retreated and Enna turned back to the girl. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
The girl raised her arms and let the wind flow around her, and the ivy at Enna’s wrists tightened. “My name is Gemma Doyle, and I rule the Realms. You will tell me where Kartik is.”
“But I do not know.”
Roots snaked out of the ground and snatched Finn from his protective stance. A muffled cry turned Enna’s head away from Gemma. “Finn!” The wind roared in her ears as it rushed past her to carry Gemma away, but before it could Gemma screamed. Enna glanced back in her direction.
Gemma’s eyes went wide and fierce. “You will tell me or your man will die.”
Finn moaned and fear and anger consumed Enna like the embers that burst into flames and surged into the black night consuming Gemma in her grief induced insanity.
As soon as Gemma was no more, the roots and ivy released Enna and Finn. Enna ran to Finn’s side and threw her arms around him in the flickering darkness.
Predicted winner: Enna
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Enna is from Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern series and Gemma Doyle is from Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy.
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