“I’ll do it. Rest.”
The stubborn southerner pushed up to a stand, his weight placed to the right side, bending his frame.
“You’re in pain.”
“So?”
Jarron shook his head. He hadn’t known Brooks long, but he knew there was no point in arguing. “Stay behind me.” He looked back at Brooks. He wasn’t as pale as before, but he was still clammy, the smell of smoke from battle still clinging heavily to his clothes. He inched forward, making sure he was completely blocking his friend from the front where he felt the strange energy pulsing.
“You see anythin’ yet?” Brooks was whispering as he placed a hand on Jarron’s shoulder for support.
“No. But I feel something.” They stepped into the hallway where the fluttering energy gathered, getting somewhat stronger. A transparent image of a woman was appearing.
He could feel Brooks get closer, looking over his shoulder. “Oh man. Ghost?”
The image was wavering, flickering as if trying to find the correct frequency before it could stabilize. The woman was slight, with long, fair hair, and large eyes. She had a small smile on her pretty face, and wisdom behind her eyes.
“I don’t think she’s bad,” Brooks chimed in from behind him.
Brooks was an Air Strong guardian. His sense for Beings hadn’t been wrong. If it wasn’t for Brooks, Jarron would have fried more people than he would have admitted to. Jarron agreed with his friend’s assessment, though he was still cautious. How do you kill a ghost?
“My name is Misha.” The words followed behind the movement of her lips, like an un-synced voice over. “You are safe. Rest. My coven.”
The image was disintegrating, though the energy was still present. “Wait,” Jarron called out. He wanted to know what happened to the coven, but he had to keep things short. He wasn’t sure how much longer the energy would hold out. “Which coven?”
“Sapientia.” She was barely audible as her image continued to dissolve, and in its place an etching of the Tree of Knowledge appeared in a blur, and then both were completely gone.
He helped Brooks back to the couch, his mind busy with the encounter they had just had. Sapientia. That meant wisdom in Latin. Why hadn’t he heard of this coven before? Given their alliances with the Witch and Wiccan communities in the city, why weren’t they aware of this group? What happened to Misha?
He settled back down on the floor, new appreciation filling him about the fortification of the house; the embedded iron in the structures were there to repel dark energies. They were safe and he could relax while waiting for the night to finally recede.
Chapter Twenty Five
January 28th, another part of San Francisco, California
Ellie doubled over in pain as her guts twisted. Her innards felt like they were being yanked out of her body. Her Master growled in her mind, making her brain rattle, adding to her agony. “You dare defy me?”
She wanted to say no, to plea her innocence again and again, but all she could do was scream in pain. Her Master was killing her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, the salty liquid mixing with saliva dribbling out of her mouth.
Her eyes were clenched, pain keeping them closed against her will. She wanted to see light, if these were her last seconds, she wanted to see light... white, warming, gentle, pure light. Jarron.
Her heart wrenched, shooting sensations through her body that were both strange and familiar. Her heart was pounding. Jarron. Her heart knew the name. He had been someone important to her. Someone she loved. Jarron. The name caught in her throat, her master preventing her from speaking the word.
“There is no one but me!” The pressure increased in her head. Her eyes felt ready to bulge as blood ran freely down her nose. “There is only Baal!” he roared.
She was panting, her lungs unable to expand to take breaths. Baal was crushing her with his might. Her heart was aching, not from her Master’s torture, but from the faint memory of the one named Jarron. She still had love for him. Love?
She stilled, her consciousness fading to black. She had been enduring Baal’s torture for days, weeks, she no longer felt time clearly. Every second felt like an eternity. How much longer could she withstand this? Without thought, she floated outside of her body. She looked around, as the blinding pain disappeared. She felt light, unencumbered, free. She saw her physical body crumpled on the floor. Her white suit darkened with blood and dirt. She looked broken, and almost dead.
Baal was killing her.
She floated higher, her essence rising toward the starlit sky. Freedom. She stretched her arms to the side feeling the breadth of the space around her. She inhaled deeply, relishing the crisp air filling her. Her eyes welled up in tears, joy rising out of her. She was free. Her mind and her soul were free. Her body... She must have died under Baal’s final blow. In his fury, he willed her death, therefore releasing her essence from his prison.
Jarron. She could see him clearly in her mind. The chiseled jaw, the beautiful eyes, his loving touch. She reached for him, the memory of him so real, it overwhelmed her. I remember you. I love you.
She was speeding toward the light, a tunnel of pure white light where she would find her peace.
“Hahahaha.” Dark, malevolent laughter filled the air. It pulled her through an invisible mouth, sucking her back into a dark pit. “You will not get away so easy, Anakim.” Baal snarled, anger still heavy in his voice.
“No,” she sobbed.
He’d caught her again.
Get away. Run. Jarron’s warm voice enveloped her lapsing consciousness. Memories of their past lessons giving her strength. Use what you have. He would tease her, cajoling her to take a swing at him. She could see his eyes so clearly, one blue, one green. How bright and deep the colors were. She gasped as a spike of energy shot through her chest. Fight! Jarron had told her to fight.
She fought with everything she had left, holding on to the memory. Holding on to hope, when Darkness impinged upon her. Then, there was no more fighting, only drifting in a black void with nothing but Baal encompassing her every thought.
“Mmm. That’s it Elysa. Sleep. You are mine.”
She heard Baal whisper in her ear. She wanted to cringe, but her body wilted underneath him. What was going on? she thought. Her body seemed to be acting on its own. Betraying her. Obeying a demon.
“Sleep, Elysa,” Baal commanded. It was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
Hours, maybe days later. Ellie woke with a painful groan. She could barely move. Every muscle and every joint felt like it had been pounded to a pulp. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think. She blinked. Relief. Blinking didn’t hurt. She looked around the room; it was empty. More relief.
Baal had beat her nearly to death to regain his control. But he failed.
Her mind was hers and she was beginning to remember... everything. Devastating sorrow filled her. Her chest rattled with waves of grief. Her heart broke into a million pieces with each dark memory that assaulted her. “Oh god, no. No. No.” she cried.
A chill wind rushed through the open window of the dark, dank room. She could smell blood and dirt around her, the filth coating her throat. Her heartbeat raced, and she held her breath. Chill often signaled the arrival of a demon. She shivered with fear, anticipating the appearance of her ‘Master’.
A sweet whistling came through the window, riding on the cool gusty wind waking her senses. It was a raven’s call piercing the night air. She almost laughed with relief. She was safe. Baal was not coming. The raven continued to call, the shrill cawing comforting her, and filling her with energy. Her fingers tingled, the energy buzzing and swirling in time with the raven’s call. “What is happening?” She closed her eyes. Her body was waking up, trying to catch up with her mind. She heard wings flapping, the wind whooshing heavily like a drumbeat. The raven called, the call sounding like a deep, rumbling croak, rattling her bones, urging her to move. The raven was close.
She turned her head toward
the sound and opened her eyes slowly. The raven was perched on the windowsill. Its intelligent black eyes studying her. It flapped its wings, pushing a breeze towards her. It was beautiful. “Where have you been?” Her throat was sore, her voice hoarse. “I remember you.” She blinked her eyes.
The raven bowed.
“The night of my father’s funerary pyre, you were there.” A tear slipped from the corner of her eyes, remembering that fateful night. It was the same night she had gone against Isabel’s wishes, left the estate, and got captured by Baal’s general.
She had been on the edge of a breakdown. She finally found her mother. She’d been gone for over six years. Everyone said she was dead. She had accepted that truth. She had to, in order to move on with her life. But then she met The Order and a small part of her had hoped that perhaps her mother was still alive.
She thought her prayers had been answered when she found her mother during a rescue mission in Baja. But the damned demon queen had her imprisoned. The queen had been torturing and using her for years. She fought to keep her prize, possessing her and attacking Ellie in her mother’s body. Her mother begged to be freed, but there had only been one way. One way to release her mother’s essence. Ellie had to kill her mother.
It wasn’t long after her ordeal in Baja when she got sucked into the Nether. She was stuck in the dark realm for what felt like months. She had been violated. Attacked. Tricked. When a being showed up out of nowhere, she attacked first. Fear and anger spurred her on. It was a matter of survival. Hesitation would have killed her. Later she found out, the stranger she attacked was the father she’d never met. Her father, despite the injuries she’d inflicted on him, managed to get her back to the estate safely, but died in the jump.
And then her world completely splintered when her last vestige of strength, stability, and love, was taken from her too. Jarron had gone missing. The Order later confirmed he had been captured by demons.
Agonizing memories from Baja and the Nether had assaulted her incessantly. No matter how she tried to justify the events, there was no alternative for the painful, jagged pieces of realization that she was the reason everyone she loved was dead or gone.
In her stupid attempt to stop feeling sorry for herself, she defied Isabel. Risked her best friend’s life--and ended up captured. That night, her humanity was severed from her soul, and with General Barbas’ help, Baal turned her into his spawn. Like a dark gift, all the agonizing pain, uncertainty, guilt, and sadness were gone. As if all the hurt never existed. As if she never existed.
The raven squawked with urgency snapping her out of her thoughts. The raven bobbed up and down erratically on the windowsill.
The raven flew off the window and onto the old, rusted metal frame of her bed. It perched on the headboard, and looked down at her. The moonbeam caught the black feathers, making them shine. The natural iridescent sheen looking liquid in its brilliance.
“You cannot stay. Baal will eat you.”
The bird shivered, all its feathers puffing out. Ellie smiled, a chuckle too painful to let out. She’d never seen a raven do that before. It looked ridiculous. It started bobbing its head up and down again. There was insistence to its movement.
She felt a crackle travel from her palm to her fingertips, it swirled over her chest, energizing her. The raven was getting excited, stretching its wings wide. “What is wrong?” Why was she talking to this bird? She was questioning her sanity, when suddenly she felt connected to the raven.
Get up. Leave this place.
She felt the compelling tug at her heart. It was coming from the raven. The bright black eyes connecting with hers. Ellie didn’t understand the connection, but it felt right, and at the moment the bird was her only solace. She groaned with pain as she rolled onto her side, and pushed up with shaking arms. Her hand slipped. She fell back on the bed with a grunt. She pushed up again, a pained moan escaping her. Under the light of the moon, her arms looked black and discolored. Her fingers were swollen and stiff. She took a deep breath, letting her anger rise--the only emotion she could quickly tap into to fuel her resolve.
The raven cawed excitedly, hurrying her. The raven hopped up, and flew back to the windowsill. It cried out, charging her with energy. It was telling her to hurry.
“I’m trying. I’m trying.” She winced with effort.
The raven squawked excitedly, sending her more energy. She could feel her nerve endings firing, working to pump blood into her muscles. She grunted as she pushed up with all her might.
Her new companion flew out the window.
She could see the incredible bird circling near the streetlight, waiting for her. Loud, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway right outside her door. She froze, wanting to stop even her heartbeat so as not to make any noise.
The raven quieted.
The footsteps kept walking by.
She blew out, relieved no one stopped at her door. With the lightest footsteps, she inched toward her freedom, dizziness threatening to overwhelm her. She had to get out. She pulled the door open, peeking out before making any other move.
The raven called out again, turning her attention.
She had not noticed it before, but the opened window seemed to shine against the moonlight beckoning her to come through. That was her way out. She climbed the small table stationed under the window. Reaching for the window’s ledge, she pulled herself over with weakened arms. She fell in an alley. Landing on something wet, slick, and smelling of urine.
The flapping of wings rose above her. The bird hovering just above, waiting.
Ellie pushed up, scrambling to get to her feet, never taking her eyes off of her new friend.
The raven soared upward, catching an upward drift.
She hobbled clumsily after the raven. She was trying not to lose the speeding black bird. It was leading her somewhere, but her body was resisting the raven’s gifted energy. She had no idea how much longer she was going to last.
The large raven circled back, swooping down and remaining closer to her side. Thank you, my friend. She acknowledged the totem. They were connected, she didn’t understand how, only that she knew she could trust him.
I am more than your friend, Elysa. I am your familiar.
How? How are you doing this? She didn’t want Baal to harm the Raven. You must get away from me. Danger. Baal.
Save your strength. Please, just follow me.
She fell and stumbled, her legs struggling for strength. She ignored the pain and the overwhelming sensation to vomit. She needed help. She twisted around trying to get a bearing on her location. She was in the city, but the street looked as pounded as she felt. So much destruction had happened here. The homes lining the street were empty. No human energy, no animals, except for her friend up above.
We’re almost there. The raven had led her to a deserted street. Smart. The totem had stopped flying and perched atop a car. It was bobbing excitedly, its call getting shriller as she neared a charming Victorian home.
She extended her energy into the house, remembering Jarron’s lessons. The house was empty. She needed to lie down badly; the raven’s influence over her energy was fading quickly from her system. Struggling to climb the few steps leading to the front door, she had barely enough strength to push the door open.
The raven squawked, urging her inside, its call seeming to push her just another step.
She made it. She leaned heavily against the front door, closing it, and collapsed on the floor.
Grateful for the Raven’s help, her thoughts began to slip to Jarron, but quickly stopped herself. She couldn’t take the chance. If there was still any connection to Baal, the last thing she wanted was for the demon king to see Jarron and The Order.
She couldn’t bring them anymore harm.
She had attacked them, her friends. They’d been the only family she had left.
She had been ready to destroy them, all because of Baal.
Chapter Twenty Six
January 28th, The
Order’s estate
Kingston was fidgety, unlike the calm collected warrior Will had gotten to know. “Your team will be fine,” he reassured him again.
“I believe you, Will. I will try harder to calm myself.” The low baritone voice came out smooth. The big warrior rolled his shoulders, and cleared his throat. “Where is the High Mother?”
The library’s door opened, letting in a cool breeze from the hallway. “Will, Kingston. I apologize for the delay. It has been quite a night.”
“What can we do for you Isabel?” Will asked
“How goes the search for Elysa?” she asked, hope sparking her eyes.
Will shook his head, his brows furrowing.
Isabel took a deep breath. Will was getting to know the High Mother better. She was composing herself to deliver news, bad news. He stood patiently, waiting for Isabel.
“As you may have heard, the Council is in trouble.” she started.
Kingston stepped forward, his energy crackling.
“The Witch Elders have chosen to leave. They have severed their alliances with us.” Isabel wasn’t even trying to hide behind the guardian’s mask. The anger, sadness, and confusion were apparent on her features. “The Human Elders...” She shook her head. “We’re not sure what side they’ll take.”
“But a few of the Sisters have stayed.” Kingston confirmed.
“Yes. Seven have stayed including Anya. We also have the Corvidae Coven who have pledged their allegiance to us.”
The Corvidae Coven was Samantha Montclair’s, an old and dear friend of Sarah and Will’s. He felt relieved knowing they still had the powerful coven on their side, but they were more outnumbered than ever before.
“Without the Sisters’ help...” Kingston hesitated
“...we are significantly reduced,” Isabel interjected. “There is still strength.”
“But, High Mother…” Kingston stopped.
“I am not blind to our situation. I realize I am asking for a lot... From everyone.”
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