Excerpt: Once as One, Now in Twain

Though most of the family had been expecting the twins to cause some sort of difficulty over the next few days, it was a nasty shock when trouble finally came. Really, one would think that it wasn’t even the twins’ fault from the way they protested their innocence in the matter.
Regardless of how the witch had escaped, however, she was now running loose through the house, causing all sorts of havoc. There was no way for her to escape, since every window and door was edged in iron and most of the doors were made from rowan. Not the easiest wood to make a door from, but it was certainly safer from supernatural creatures. Finally the family cornered the witch in the attic, where she had been trying to break through the roof. The twins had been the first to spot her, and soon the whole family had joined them.
Though he was sure his sisters had had something to do with the witch’s escape, Blitz reserved judgment. Instead of hurling accusations at them as his parents were doing, he kept a trained eye on the creature crouching in a corner.
To say the hag was hideous would be a gross understatement. Her bald scalp was covered in scabs and sores, while the skin underneath was an unhealthy green color. Milky eyes stared at the wall, one large ear cocked toward the arguing. A large nose perched between her squinty eyes like a fishhook. Large black sausage lips smacked together, dribbling with saliva.
“Family feud, eh?” The crone’s voice was like an ancient door with hinges badly in need of an oiling and a cat being dumped into a bucket of water at the same time.
Andius turned and scowled at the witch. “This is none of your concern. Are you going to allow us to lead you back to your room or do we have to forcefully escort you there?”
For a moment the hag seemed to consider his question, but then she raised a finger and pointed it at the twins. “Your treasures, are they? So alike…”
Everyone saw what was coming, but suddenly everything in the room seemed to freeze. Blitz tried to throw one of his stilettos at the evil woman, but couldn’t force his arm to obey. She began a low guttural chant that seemed to stab straight through all present with the feeling of pure evil.
“Once alike, now apart. Sun and moon, day and night. Once alike, now undone.”
And with this short statement she was gone. There was nothing to mark her passing but a wisp of smoke. Everyone unfroze, and both of the twins immediately crumpled to the ground. Forgetting everything else, Andius and his wife knelt down by the girls. Blitz raced down the stairs to send a runner into town and get help from the Council of Sunder.
“Terra?” The twins’ mother’s voice was full of panic. “Tyrene?” Both remained senseless on the floor.