The Seal of Solomon

by Nadine Travers

  “That’s impossible, Sophia. His body doesn’t exist anymore. You need that. Why do you think I asked you to do what you did? Because of this, so no one could lure me into that kind of deal. I did it for him, so that his spirit is free, so he can move on.” Lilandra chuckles cynically. “And really, Sophia. Since when do you care about me? After that day, it was never the same between us. You distanced yourself. You’ve ended up with that dog and betrayed your coven. Remember when you joined the fire coven? Is this the life you wanted? Being a traitor? Someone that put her wants before her coven’s? What about your missions? I know you were asked to complete some.”

  I want to hit her. I’m powerful and I know it. My casting is the best there is within the fire coven. I’m better than everyone else. “That doesn’t suit you, Lilandra. You’re not that type of person that hurts with words. You’re more physical than that.”

  “What guarantee do I have she really can do what she says?”

  She doesn’t want to believe but at the same time, I know she misses him greatly. “None, only my word.”

  “Which is worth nothing. You’re a traitor to your community and you know it.”

  “Watch it, warrior witch. She may not want to hurt you, but you mean nothing to me. I won’t let you talk to her like that.”

  Donovan charges Lilandra. I try to stop him without success. I know I’m a traitor but my mate is my only priority.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lilandra

  Part of me wants to know more and I fight the urge. I wish it were true, but no one can fulfill a promise like that. I won’t allow them to tempt me with something I can’t have. Unconsciously, I lower my weapons but as soon I do, Donovan charges at me in retaliation for what I said to his mate. I immediately raise them again.

  “No, Donovan. Stop. I can defend myself.” Sophia tries to reason with him although it’s probably a waste of time. Werewolves are generally hard to reason with as their wolf has so much control.

  Clypeus

  I hit Donovan with my shield. My sadness gives me all the energy I need to fight him. I can see Jeremy is still there, and without him noticing, I inch my way closer.

  I push Donovan back and run toward Jeremy. He notices me too late. I hit him hard with every bit of magic I can and my eyes blur. I know I’m doing what’s best for the community, for myself, for everyone. I know part of Sophia’s words are truth. I’ve never asked anything for myself, not since that fatal day. I know my old mentor warned me this could happen, but I was thought I was above it. That it could happen to someone else, but not the great Lilandra.

  I funnel those emotions I hide inside to help me achieve my goal.

  I transform my magic into a baseball bat, and hit Jeremy with all my strength. I don’t want to kill him, and it’s harder to kill a pure-blooded vampire than one that’s been transformed.

  “Watch out, Jeremy,” Sophia screams, but it’s too late. My aim is true and he falls to the ground. I grab the Seal from him and cast an embedding spell to hide it in my skin. It will be safe there until I return home.

  I turn to run just as Donovan pushes me to the ground and growls, displaying his fangs. He tries to hold my arms down at my sides, but before Sophia moves closer, I cast two big stones and crush him between them. I need to get going, my teleport circle is back at the church and I also need to make sure Roan and Josh are OK.

  “Nooooo. Donovan.”

  I can hear the emotion in Sophia’s voice when she reaches her mate. I know he’s not dead as I didn’t want to kill him either, but he’ll have a major headache when he wakes. I’d hit him hard with those stones.

  “You’re not worthy of our gift. You’re not worthy of being part of our group. You’ll never love or be loved again. You’ll be on your deathbed all alone and when that happens, I’ll come to you and tell you how wonderful my life was with my mate. You will pay for this.” She casts her strongest spell and aims it at me. “You hurt my mate, Lilandra.”

  I’ve known her all my life and she knows I fight dirty when I need to. “He’ll survive, Sophia. Let me go so you can attend to his wounds.” I encourage her to think of him and forgot about me and the Seal.

  “Why, Lilandra? Why don’t you want the gift the Lady wants to give you?”

  I look at her and see she’s split her magic, one half has fire and the other a healing spell for her mate. I understand why she wants to protect him. I was in her position a decade ago, but I know how arrogant I was at the time. It wasn’t a good time for me, even though it brought me my fated mate. “I can’t let my daughter go.”

  “Your daughter? You don’t have a daughter.”

  “Maybe not physically, but Juniper is the daughter of my heart. I can’t let that go. She’s the reason I do what I do.”

  I know she won’t understand. Juniper is my spiritual daughter. I couldn’t ever let her go. She’s why I’m a better person now compared to before. She’s the one that made me laugh again, to see the light and not be surrounded by darkens all the time. Yes, I did my missions. Yes, I fulfilled my promise, but I was an empty shell until she filled that void in my heart and soul.

  “You won’t understand, Sophia. You’ve got your mate, and even though I didn’t bear her myself, I have a spiritual connection with Juniper. She is my daughter in every way that counts.”

  She looks at me. “You’re saying you’ll let everything else go for her, for Juniper? You’re happy to be alone for the rest of your life?”

  “No, I’m not alone. Juniper is there, and the others I mentor. The coven is there to help me. We’re a family, which you spit on when you betrayed all of us.”

  “I always thought you were the one that would understand. I was there for you when you asked me to help you and I did it without question. Now, I want that Seal back.” She sends a fireball at me, but it doesn’t penetrate my shield.

  “No, never. Sophia, you were my best friend. I know I hit your mate hard, but he isn’t dead. For the sake of our friendship, I wouldn’t hurt you by killing him like that but from now on, we’re enemies, and I won’t be so gracious next time. Tell your Lady that we’ll find her, and when we do it won’t be good for any of you. Don’t forget that. All of you will suffer.”

  I’d said all I needed to and now I needed to leave while she focuses her energy on healing her mate. The Seal needs to be out of reach of anyone that wants to use it for evil.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Lady

  SECRET SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS, MONTREAL

  “My Lady, we have news.”

  “It’s about time. What’s happened?” I look at Selena and see the defeat on her face. “What?”

  She closes her eyes then looks at me. “I’m sorry.”

  “What do you mean, you’re sorry?”

  “They...”

  “What?” I’m losing my patience. “Tell me right now!” I yell at her.

  “I’m sorry, my Lady, but they failed. Lilandra refused to accept your gift.”

  I turn to see the city. “That bitch thinks she’s better than me. Where’s Donovan and his group?”

  She texts something on her phone. “I have Sophia, Donovan is out of commission for the time being. She hit them hard but didn’t kill any of them. I suspect she didn’t want her friend to suffer the same fate as her. She did threaten them, and us, though.”

  “Us?”

  Selena takes a deep breath. “Yes.”

  “What did she say?”

  I can see she didn’t want to tell me. “She said she will find you and the rest of us, and we will pay for our acts. She promised to bring us down.”

  I pick up a glass sitting on my desk and smash it against the wall. “Really, she threatened us? She thinks she can bring us down? She doesn’t know me, and us. She will pay for that. No one threatens me. They will all pay. We will succeed in our mission.”

  Selena smiles at me. “Yes, my Lady, we will. The cause is a good one. Freedom for us all to choose who we want to mate with and
the ability freely live and move between factions.”

  I don’t say anymore and Selena leaves my office. Yeah, they will have more. My main goal is not that mission, my real goal is to make all of them pay for what they did to me. Those factions will pay. They will suffer, but the faeries will suffer more. They made me like this when they banned me.

  I was beautiful once, before they cursed me, but soon that curse will be gone. I will kill them all, each and every one of them. They will suffer and they will remember what they did. Their jealously made them do it, and it will be their downfall.

  I sit behind my computer and send a message to Donovan. The Seal is lost but we have been able to influence some lower-class demons. We need more, the Seal would’ve given me the power to influence the strongest in the group. With that Seal I could’ve had a strong army working with me. A demon is extremely hard to kill. Now, like always, we will adjust our plan. We need to find other magical objects to help us, or rather, to help me. I need it all. I need everyone to follow me without question and do mission after mission to gather all we can.

  That is my goal, my motivation. I send a private message. I need her help, and I know she’ll do anything for me. She’s been my eyes all this time, but I need more from her. I need her close to me. Together, we can do anything and we will get the revenge we both crave.

  I smile at that. The plan is to divide the SIA and the factions in a merry chase, and after, we’ll hit where it hurts and they’ll never see us coming. That plan is brilliant. I need her science and magical expertise. We need to push on another level.

  I smile at the encrypted message I sent her. Now we wait. I need another object and I know exactly which one. Donovan will have to pick it up for me. He better succeed. He’s the best but since Damaris failed and put us in the spotlight, everyone has had to watch their back.

  My computer chimes, I’ve received a message back. Yes, now we start. I smile as I read. Now phase two can begin.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lilandra

  I approach the church. The first thing I need to do is make sure Roan is OK.

  “You’re back.”

  I hear Josh’s old and deep voice and turn and see him. “Yes. How is Roan?”

  “He’s fine, but ashamed about what happened. We know it wasn’t his fault and that vampire was controlling him.”

  I nod at Josh. “I guess half-giants are like humans in that they’re able to be enthralled by a vampire. Where is he?”

  Josh indicates for me to follow and we head to the back of the church and toward some old stairs. I stay behind him as we head to the roof. He opens a window and climbs out. I realize Roan must be up here hiding.

  I’m able to see him as I straighten, he’s gazing at the sky. The full moon isn’t here yet but we’re getting close to it. “I’m sorry, ” he says without looking around. If before he presented himself as a big, badass half-giant, now he’s like a child that knows he’s done something wrong.

  “Roan, Lilandra is back.”

  I smile at him. “Hey, it’s not your fault, Roan. You did nothing to be sorry for.”

  He hides behind his knees. “Yes, it is. I’m not strong enough.”

  I sigh and sit beside him, putting my arm around his shoulders. “Roan, I know vampires. I’m a witch and I have a spell that protects me from them. Even I can be enthralled without it. The only species that can’t are demons. They’ll make you do things you would never usually do.”

  He glances at me. “Maybe, but I’m weak because of it.”

  Josh sits on the other side of Roan. “No, Roan, we don’t think you’re weak. It could’ve happened to any of us.”

  “Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one he did this to. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I can’t stay here. People will believe I don’t have control over myself.”

  “Roan!”

  “Listen to Josh, Roan. It could happen to anyone. We were lucky he was far enough away that he released you. It would’ve been dangerous if he’d kept you enthralled for an extended length of time as it would’ve become permanent.”

  I want him to understand that it could happen to anyone. Yes, he’s a lot stronger, but he can still do his job and protect everyone in the church.

  “I will teach you, Roan. I was unprepared for a vampire, or I would have shown you some tricks to protect yourself. We’ll make sure you’re more prepared if something like this happens in the future,” Josh reassures him.

  “Yes, I want to learn. I don’t have magic, but I could hit them on the head. That way they can’t look in my eyes to manipulate me.”

  I chuckle at this. “Not all vampires are bad. It’s the same with all species. You just need to learn and protect yourself. Now you know you’re affected by it and you’ll be more aware next time.”

  I give him a friendly pat on the shoulder, stand, and we head down downstairs. It’s time for me to head back to the coven with the Seal.

  “I guess this means you’re leaving?” Josh asks.

  “Yes, my mission is done. The Seal has been rescued. I’ll protect it until the Librarian can pick it up. When the times comes, the Seal will find a way back here and fulfill its purpose with the right person.”

  Josh nods and Roan gives me a big hug, almost crushing me. I shake Josh’s hand and head to my circle. Before I leave, I take one last look around. This small church and the people inside made me welcome and I hope I’ll be back one day.

  Lanuae Magic

  MONTREAL

  The light surrounds me and the church blurs until I’m once again inside the witches’ faction, behind the new-age café we own. I enter through the back and a hidden door allows me access below. That’s where the community is, the underground is our home. These shops, cafes, and other small businesses belonging to witches’ faction are an entrance to the real community. The underground ceiling matches the weather outside, which allows everyone to know what to expect when they venture out.

  I head to the warrior witch coven in the middle of the underground town and I enter the old building. I don’t know how long we’ve been living underground but we love it here. We have everything magic can provide us. All the covens have created their homes here.

  “Oh, Lilandra, you’re back!” the receptionist welcomes me.

  “Yes, I’ll need to see the Librarian straight away. I have something for her.”

  She nods. “I’ll arrange it. We’ll let you know when she arrives.”

  I smile in thanks and head further into the building. A lot of people are working here. The church in Vancouver was small, more private. It’s larger and noisier here. We’re back in business. The mission was a success. I enter the elevator and the door closes. I’ll need to report everything that happened to the SIA. They’ll probably want to steal other objects now they’ve lost this one. All of us need to be prepared for what comes next.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Donovan

  Damn, it hurts. I groan at the pain in my head. Opening my eyes slowly, I look around to see we’re in what looks like a cabin.

  “Easy, love. It will be better soon.”

  “Where’s Lilandra and the Seal?”

  She doesn’t want to look at me. I grab her chin and force her head up. “Mate?” She opens her eyes and I can see the hurt in her eyes. “What happened after she hit me?”

  “She could’ve killed you. She didn’t. I know she values the mate bond. She refused to join us. I reached out to the Lady and informed her. She isn’t at all happy. Lilandra refused to have her mate back because of Juniper.”

  I stroke her cheek as tears pour from her eyes. I can see she’s been crying for a long time; some have already dried, causing tracks in the dirt on her face.

  “It’s OK, mate. What did the Lady say?”

  “You could’ve been killed and all you’re worried about is what the Lady said?”

  I can see in her eyes how emotional she is. “Easy. Breath in and out. Slowly. Your emotions are too raw and all
over the place.”

  She does what I tell her, and her healing magic grows stronger. She focuses on my healing, but I’m already a lot better. “Where are we and where is Jeremy?”

  “Jeremy is hiding, waiting until it’s dark to meet us. Selena told me we had to wait for him before we can return and you need to heal anyway. It’s early so we have all day. Jeremy knows where we are.”

  I lay back on the bed. I’m better, not a hundred percent, but better than I was. As a werewolf, I heal fast, even without my mate’s healing magic. “How did the Lady know about Lilandra’s mate?”

  “I mentioned it to Selena a while ago. I told her about Lilandra and how she’d lost her mate. I guess Selena passed that info on to the Lady at some point. It’s a shame that Lilandra chose Juniper over us.”

  “Well, what do you think of her? Have you meet her before?”

  She shakes her head. “No, never. Lilandra and I grew apart when she focused on mentoring new witches. I never really understood why. I suspect since she didn’t have her mate anymore and didn’t have children, Juniper replaced a hole in her heart. After she knocked you out, she told me Juniper was the daughter of her heart.”

  I look at my mate as she continues to heal me and I sense her magic energy is low. “Stop, mate, you need to conserve your energy. Are you hurt?”

  “No, she didn’t touch me. She knew that if she put you out of commission I’d use all my magic to protect and heal you.”

  I think. “Maybe that’s her problem. She doesn’t want him back because she couldn’t protect him and he died.” I kiss her dirty hand.