by Amy Manemann
Into The Light
The Lightkeepers Series, Book 1
Amy Manemann
Contents
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Amy Manemann
“In the darkness of the night is an evil, lying in wait to be awoken from its dark slumber.”
Chapter 1
My name is Willa Devries, I’m nineteen years old, and I’m a witch. I know, it sounds like a tag line you’d say at the beginning of a Witches Anonymous meeting, except they don’t make support groups for witches like me. To be more precise, I’m a Lightkeeper. As my Aunt Sadie likes to tell it, I was born into a magical race of beings in charge of holding the light of the world against darkness, blah, blah, blah. Personally, I prefer the whole witch title myself.
Aunt Sadie and I live in the sprawling town of Salem, Massachusetts, where we run Sadie’s boutique, Twitches. (And yes, I’m fully aware of the irony of how my heritage coincides with the town I live in).
Working for Twitches is actually a pretty cool job. One of Salem’s trendier stores, it boasts everything from women’s apparel and eclectic jewelry, to Salem charms and pentacles. The job, though sometimes boring, has its perks. I kept the shelves and display tables neat and orderly, and Aunt Sadie lets me call dibs on the new orders that come in before we put the stock out. Not too shabby if I say so myself.
I sat at my usual perch behind the front counter, my nose stuck in a book. My hand absentmindedly played with the end of my fishtail braid, the jet black strands glistening in the stores soft light as I twisted the end of the braid between my fingertips. Outside of Twitches, the rain was coming down in buckets, holding the usual tourists at bay and creating a cozy atmosphere inside. If the store stays slow, perhaps Sadie would let us close up early I thought hopefully, pausing in a paragraph to ponder the possibility.
The bell above Twitches jingled, followed by a burst of laughter from the group of girls streaming inside. I glanced up from my favorite book, a sigh welling up at both the untimely arrival and who was gracing our doorstep. So much for closing early.
The leader of the group was Makenzie Smith. The former blonde-haired, blue eyed, cheerleader for Salem High School and her lackeys were always hanging around Twitches, which I suppose was good for business. Just not for my personal life.
“Hey Willow, any new shipments today?” Makenzie purred, flashing an innocent smile as she sauntered up to the front counter.
I narrowed my eyes, setting down my book.
“It’s Will-a, and yeah, I think we got a new shipment of scarves in. Be right back.” Beating a hasty retreat into the back, my teeth ground together at the burst of laughter that followed me through the beaded curtain.
Aunt Sadie was bent over a box in the back room, an inventory list clutched in one hand and an ink pen dangling from her lips. Her curly brown hair was pulled back in its usual messy bun atop her head, another ink pen stabbed through the center and holding the curls in place. On anyone else it would have looked ridiculous, but on Sadie, it fit.
“Hey, Sweets, whatcha lookin’ for?” she mumbled around the ink pen, glancing at me over her shoulder.
“I need the box that just came in. We have some customers looking for the new stuff.” I was careful to avert my eyes. They always gave away my emotions, and I knew they were broadcasting my true feelings loud and clear. Sadie said they were a window to my soul and should be considered a blessing from the Goddess. Personally, I considered them a pain in my butt.
Sadie straightened, giving a groan and rubbing her lower back.
“I’m way too old to be bending over for that long,” she grumbled, tossing the inventory list on a nearby shelf to turn towards me.
I smirked. “Last I checked, thirty-nine isn’t that old.”
Sadie laughed, swatting my arm.
“Gee, thanks. The new box is over on the shelf. I just finished taking inventory of it. After the customers take a look, you can switch it out with the old stuff on the front display table.”
The warmth in her gaze told me she knew I was hiding something, but she was wise enough to leave it alone. That was the cool thing about Sadie. She knew when to push, and when to let it be. Mostly.
I shrugged, managing a smile. “That’s cool. Thanks, Aunt Sadie.”
Grabbing the box, I headed back up front before she could voice the questions floating around in her hazel eyes.
Makenzie still stood at the front counter. Her French manicured fingernails tapped on the glass surface as she
glanced around the room, a bored look on her face.
“Here you go, new scarves,” I announced, flashing what I hoped was a sincere smile. I tossed the box on the countertop and opened the flaps, pushing it towards Makenzie.
Makenzie’s four friends whispered excitedly, taking a step towards the box. At Makenzie’s dark look, they came to an abrupt halt.
“God you guys, don’t crowd me,” she snapped, blue eyes flashing formidably.
The girls took a step back, looking reticent. Having gotten her way, Makenzie’s smile slipped back into place, replacing her irritation.
Jeez, I thought, bipolar much?
Makenzie rooted through the box, tsking and making sounds of disapproval until she reached the bottom.
“That’s all you got? You don’t have anything else new?” she asked snidely, straightening from the counter and flipping her long blonde hair over a shoulder.
I bristled, yet kept my emotions in check. I knew she was only baiting me, these weekly battle of wits nothing new. For reasons unknown to me, Makenzie had taken an instant disliking to me from the first day we moved to Salem. Thankfully, I was homeschooled and hadn’t had to put up with her bullying on a daily basis, but that never stopped her from paying weekly visits to Twitches hoping to put me in my place. Apparently, graduating high school had done little to lessen her bitter feelings towards me.
“I’m sorry. That’s all that came in this week. Maybe try next week.”
Makenzie sniffed, her lips curled into a snide smile. Leaning across the counter, she lowered her voice, asking, “Oh, Willow, being stuck in Loserville must have warped your mind on how to put together a worthwhile order. No wonder they homeschooled you. You probably couldn’t make the grade in public school.”
Having heard the comment, a burst of laughter came from Makenzie’s group of friends, all save for one. Ella Sumner hung out towards the back of the group, a look of sympathy on her delicate face.
I ignored them all, keeping my focus on Makenzie. The girl may look like a beautiful Barbie doll, but I could easily see the venom under her skin.
“Better to be in Loserville than an airhead follower.” The words rolled off my tongue before I could stop them, and the malicious grin stretching her face made me inwardly cringe. Dang it, I knew better than to stoop to her level. We’d been playing these cat and mouse games for more years than I could remember, and I knew better than to let her get to me.
“At l
east you know your place.”
I bit the inside of my cheek at her biting response, swallowing hard against the tears suddenly clogging the back of my throat. I was not going to cry. No way would I ever give her that satisfaction.
“Why do you hate me so much, Makenzie? What did I ever do to you?” I choked out, my voice gravelly with unshed tears.
Makenzie smiled, giving a shrug. “You were born?”
Ella stepped forward at that, a shocked look on her face.
“Makenzie, don’t you think that’s enough?” she asked quietly, her gaze darting between Makenzie and me.
Makenzie whirled on her, her jaw slack with shock. “Shut up, Ella. If you don’t like what I have to say, then you can hang in Loserville too. Are we clear?”
Ella swallowed, nodding her head quickly and stepping back in the group. It was my turn to stare at her in sympathy, grateful for her interference. I’d heard the pretty brunette had gone away to college, but why she hung out with Makenzie when she came home was beyond me. It wasn’t like we were still in high school and social pressure kept kids in their peer groups. Surely she saw Makenzie for the repulsive person she was.
A comforting hand landed on my shoulder, putting an end to further conversation. Thank the Goddess.
“Hello, Makenzie, Girls. It’s nice to see you on this rainy day. Did you all find what you were looking for?” Sadie’s soft voice spoke, her soothing presence breaking the tension in the small room.
Makenzie quickly stepped back from the counter, giving a small shrug.
I pursed my lips on the smug smile threatening to break free. Aunt Sadie was the most powerful white witch in the region, something I took great pride in. She didn’t hide the fact that she practiced magic, even though she was ridiculed by the religious groups in town. Despite the snide remarks made behind her back, Sadie was widely sought by the non-magics of the community when they had a problem they couldn’t fix on their own.
“Uh, just window shopping, Miss Devries,” Makenzie was quick to reply, flashing a tight smile.
Sadie returned her smile, her hand remaining firmly on my shoulder.
“Oh, well, if there’s something in particular you’re looking for please let me know. I’ll be sure to keep an eye open. Have a nice day, Girls.” She looked pointedly at Makenzie and her four friends, who were all backing up towards the door.
“You too, Miss Devries,” Ella called out, flashing me a friendly smile before ducking out the door.
The store empty, Sadie slapped her hands on her hips, turning towards me with a wide grin.
“Well now, that was fun,” she said, a twinkle in her eyes.
I blew out an exasperated breath. “Fun is not the word to describe it, Aunt Sadie. Jeez, what’s her problem?”
Sadie just smiled, reaching out a hand to flip my fishtail braid over my shoulder.
“She’s just threatened by you, Love. It’s as simple as that.” Sadie’s smile widened when I flipped my braid back over my shoulder.
“Makenzie? Threatened by me? Yeah, right.” I rolled my eyes while fiddling with the end of my braid, a nervous gesture I’d picked up years ago and had never quite broken.
“And why shouldn’t she be? You’re a beautiful girl, Willa, and you have immense power within you. Standing next to your light, Makenzie will always be in the shadows.”
I tipped my head to the side, studying my Aunt under long, thick lashes.
“You know, you keep mentioning this,” I began, lifting my hands and using air quotes, “immense power of mine, but you have yet to tell me about it. My birthday is a week away.”
I’d been told my entire life that my twentieth birthday would mark the day I came into my full powers. What exactly that meant I had no clue, and Sadie always changed the subject.
Sadie sighed, her face growing weary. “Trust me, I haven’t forgotten.”
I could tell by her wistful expression she was thinking about my mom, making me yearn for the woman I had never known. My mother died when I was too young to remember, and as far as I knew, my father was never in the picture, which is how I came to be with Aunt Sadie.
“Sooo….I was thinking. Maybe we could talk about it tonight? My birthday, I mean, and all that other stuff.”
Sadie smiled sadly. “Oh, Honey, I know you want to know what to expect on your birthday, and I want to tell you, I really do.”
I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat, already knowing what her answer would be. It was always the same.
“But you aren’t going to tell me,” I finished bitterly, swallowing my anger.
“It isn’t time yet.” Voice soft, she reached up to cup my cheek.
I nodded in understanding, even though I didn’t. I had one week to learn about a secret power I was about to inherit and the one person, the only person I could trust, wouldn’t tell me what I needed to know.
“It’s cool,” I shrugged, trying to sound indifferent. “I guess I’ll change out the scarves and get ready for closing time. I doubt we’ll have any other customers tonight.” Shrugging off Sadie’s hand, I wound my way to the other side of the counter. Out of reach.
Sadie bit her lower lip, worry on her face.
“If you’re sure…,” her voice trailed off uncertainly.
I nodded, already grabbing the box and heading towards the front table. I could feel her stare on my back as I busied myself removing the old scarves from the table, but refused to look her way for fear she would see the angry tears streaming down my face. Soon the rustle of beads filled the quiet room, and I knew she’d gone into the back, leaving me to breathe a sigh of relief.
I adored my Aunt Sadie; she was the only family I had, but her keeping secrets from me hurt. This wasn’t the first time I’d been shot down when asking about my powers, and I was beginning to wonder if it was because she wouldn’t tell me, or if she couldn’t.
Maybe Sadie really didn’t know what to expect when I turned twenty. The sudden thought drew me up short, giving me pause. She hadn’t been around when my mother turned twenty and came into her own Lightkeeper powers. Maybe Sadie was just as confused by all this as I was. But if that was the case, then why not tell me so we could figure it out together?
Frustrated, I shoved the old scarves into the bottom of the box, grabbing a handful of new scarves and throwing them on the table to fold. The vibrant colors and patterns of the fabrics caught my attention as I folded, the dips and weaves of the swirls holding my attention until soon I had stopped folding and could only stare at the array of fabric on the table.
Before my eyes, the beautiful swirls and colors began to converge, streaming and weaving together to form shapes of nothing like I’d ever seen. As I watched, a face began to emerge amid the swirls, the haunted countenance so familiar that my heart ached, and my breath caught in my throat.
“Beautiful,” a deep voice spoke as if through a fog, the words seeping through the mist that had taken hold of my mind.
I couldn’t breathe, my heart pounded in my chest, and all I could think of and see was the face. A beautiful face. A face I knew, yet didn’t know.
“You will come to me soon,” the voice continued, a hint of a promise shining in a pair of fathomless, silvery eyes.
I opened my mouth to scream but no sound would come out. Everywhere I looked patterns swirled around me until I felt as though I were drowning in a sea of swirling objects.
A firm hand suddenly pressed into my back, moving in soothing, languid motions. “Take deep breaths, Willa. This will pass. You must will the images away.”
This voice was different, yet oddly familiar in a way I couldn't explain. Following the directions, I shut my eyes tight, doing as the voice said and willing the haunting images from my mind. Seconds ticked by and my breathing became less ragged, my pulse slowed, and soon I felt my body slowly return to normal.
When I felt my body was back under control, I slowly opened my eyes, stifling a small gasp when my gaze fell upon the man standing next
to me. He had the most handsome face of anyone I’d ever seen, the solid plains and lines of his features so perfect they belonged on the front of a GQ magazine.
He was tall and broad shouldered, easily towering over my own five foot seven height, with a muscular physique lightly outlined under the fitted t-shirt and jeans he wore. It was his eyes that rendered me speechless, I decided, an amazing color of brown flecked with gold that seemed to shimmer with a light of their own.
Unnerved by the intensity of his stare, I dropped my gaze to the table in front of me, trying not to peer too closely at the scarves scattered across it. To my relief, no faces peered up at me from swirled fabric, and everything appeared back to normal. Well, almost normal anyway.
“Who…Who are you?” I blurted, blushing the minute the words left my mouth. I was so lame.
It was then that I realized his warm hand was still making languid circles on my back, and I didn’t know whether to thank the Goddess for my good luck, or pray I dropped through the floor in embarrassment.
“Are you well, Willa?” he asked, tipping his sun-drenched, blonde head to the side while studying me curiously. His voice held an appealing British accent that warmed the blood in my veins as it washed over me.
“I…I think so.” I studied him quietly, unable to tell by his hooded expression what he was thinking. I tugged my lower lip between my teeth in worry. Did he see what everyone else saw? The girl who wasn’t anything more than someone who didn’t fit in? “I’m sorry, have we met before?”
That seemed to him, and the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen creased his lips, sending curious flutters through my stomach.