The Tiger Prince's Witch
Chapter 70 - Returning What was Lost

Melita held back her gasp when she heard her tiger, Asha, mindlink her. She didn't want to alert anyone that anything was happening. She had to keep the fact that her tiger was back hidden. Melita knew that was one of the only reasons the demon hadn't done anything to her yet. He thought she was no better than a human now.

*"Asha, I can't believe you're back. I'm so sorry for everything I did. We're in a bind now, but I'm hoping we can get out of it. I owe everyone at the palace an apology for how I treated them."* Melita held back her tears, not wanting anyone to hear her cry.

*"You did do a lot of horrible things, but that doesn't mean you can't change. I'm back because you saw the error of your ways. I'm sure you know that you need to keep my presence a secret. That demon's name is Astaroth, and he's the worst of the worst. We must stay under the radar for as long as we can, or he'll kill you. It shouldn't be much longer. He wants to attack the palace in a few days. Kamryn's mate Anna is powerful, and I believe they'll be able to defeat Astaroth."* Melita felt pain in her heart thinking about Anna and what she'd done to her. She owed Kamryn and Anna the biggest apologies after what she'd done to them. Santi had made her think things that weren't true. However, now she understood that everything he did wasn't of his own volition. The evil that had gotten to so many had made them do things they never would have under typical circumstances. Melita was determined to show everyone that she was back to normal. Elsie was in the cell next to Melita and noticed a shift in the air. She didn't know what it was, but something was giving her hope that she would be able to get away from where she was being held. Not knowing who she was or where she was from made her feel like she was crazy. Before she lost her memory, was she good or bad?

She sat on her cot with her head in her hands. Elsie knew the other woman was Melita, but she didn't know if she knew her prior to being in the cell. They didn't talk much due to not wanting anyone else to overhear them. She did think there was something more to her than just being a woman with no memory. Why was she in that cabin in the middle of nowhere alone? If only she could remember something, then maybe she could get her and Melita out of there.

Anna suddenly sat up in bed in a cold sweat. She was shivering and immediately got up to check on Liana in the bassinet beside the bed. The little cub was still sound asleep. What had woken her up? "What's wrong?" Kamryn asked behind her, making Anna jump. She sat on the edge of the bed, not able to shake the feeling that she needed to do something.

"I don't know. I woke up like something was forcing me up. I don't know what it is, though." Kamryn sat up behind her and began rubbing her shoulders. Anna let her head fall back against him while she focused on his hands, easing the tension in her body. Her mind began to wander as she tried to think of what woke her up.

She thought about the upcoming battle and all the progress they'd made with their practicing. Maybe she forgot to do something with the preparations. Anna thought about each step they needed to take to beat Astaroth. That's when it hit her.

"I need to give Elsie her memory back." She whispered to herself. Kamryn stopped rubbing her shoulders to stare at her.

"What? Why do you need to do that?" He knew she didn't want harm to come to Elsie, but after everything she had done, why did she want to give her memory back?

"I was seeking revenge on her for what she did to me and everyone else. However, I don't want her to end up dead. I feel like for us to be successful, we may need her help. She still may not survive, but I need to give her a fighting chance." Anna turned to look at Kamryn and saw the concern on his face.

"What if she tries to hurt you again, or she tries to sabotage the battle?" He understood what she was saying, but that didn't help his apprehension of letting her free. Both Elsie and Melita had hurt Anna, and he wasn't one to forgive easily. She was the sweetest, most caring person he'd ever met, and they both tried to break her.

"She won't. Even if she did try something, we are too powerful for her to have any effect. I have to do this, Kamryn. It may be the only way for her to survive." Anna kissed his cheek. She wasn't happy about it either, but she strongly felt it was necessary.

"Alright, I believe in you and trust you're doing the right thing." Kamryn kissed her gently, and she smiled up at him.

Anna stood up and walked to the balcony. She opened the door and went outside, feeling the cool air on her flushed skin, making her shiver. As she raised her hands, her eyes closed. She began chanting the spell to give Elsie her memory back. She did it longer than was typically necessary to ensure it reached her where she was with Astaroth. Hopefully, it will be enough, and Elsie will make the right decisions.

Anna returned to bed when she was done, and Kamryn wrapped her in his arms. She fell asleep with a slight smile. At least she knew she had done everything in her power to keep Elsie safe and give her a fighting chance. It was in her hands

now.

Elsie was lying on her cot, dozing in and out of sleep, when her eyes shot open. She sat on the side of the cot and looked around the cell like she was seeing it for the first time. Everything came rushing back to her before she'd lost her memory.

Her name was Elsie, and she was a Spirit Energy witch. She remembered what she'd done to Anna and her mate Micha. Everything felt like a knife in her chest. How could she have hurt so many people? She had to make it right and make them see she was not the same as she was back then.

"You remember, don't you?" She heard Melita ask her in the darkness. It was so soft that no one else could hear if they were being watched.

"Yes. I don't remember much about you, but I remember the people I hurt." Elsie walked over to the wall where their cells connected. Melita did the same, so they could whisper.

"I got my tiger back. I also hurt a lot of the same people you did. If we're going to have any chance to save ourselves, we need to keep this information hidden. I think together we can help those at the palace. It's too late for the others here, but we can help those we've hurt. How are you feeling?" Melita was glad that Elsie got her memory back. Maybe with her magic and Asha together, they could be secret weapons.

"I honestly don't know how I feel. I'm angry about being here. I'm upset about the way I treated people. However, I'm also grateful for getting this chance. Anna had to have lifted the spell that made me lose my memory. She may have been the one to punish me, but now she's giving me a chance to survive. When I see her again, I'm going to owe her my life." Elsie hoped she lived long enough to make it up to her cousin and apologize to Micha.

"That's understandable. I have a lot to make up for as well. We'll get there and let them see that we've changed. It will work out. Are your parents there?" Melita asked. She was still struggling with seeing her father again, but she'd never known her mother. Sometimes she wondered where her mother was. Did she ever think about her?

"My parents are here, actually. Alice and Marcus are my parents, or at least they were my parents. Whatever Astaroth did to them has changed them into something unrecognizable." Elsie knew she would need to grieve the loss of her parents. However, right now, all she could think about was survival. Not just hers but everyone that was waiting at the palace.

"That's seriously fucked up. I'm sorry he got to them. We better get some rest. I have a feeling the next few days, we're not going to get much of it." They both lay on their cots, trying to go to sleep. Would the comeback of Elsie's memory, with her magic and Melita's tiger be enough for them to be of help?