The Sisters of Salem

by Tish Thawer

  At the end of the block on the left side stood the Puritan stronghold. Its rectangular, stone body took up at least a quarter acre, while its white steeple jutted up from the middle, reaching at least a hundred feet into the air. The building was imposing, and with its narrow windows, pitched roof, and pointed arch, its gothic revival features could be seen from anywhere in town. Jason fought the chill sliding down his back as he neared the front steps. Looking up from the square dormer which housed the thick, wooden door, Jason noted the circular stained-glass window above the wooden beams framing the entrance in a crisscross pattern. He squinted, trying to make out the small lettering in the glass, wondering if it was important … but in all honesty, he was just wasting time. The church was open to the public so there was no need to knock, but the thought of opening the door and walking inside was testing his courage.

  Jason took a deep breath and yanked open the door. The small vestibule was empty, thank the Goddess, and no sounds were emanating from within.

  “Clearly, it’s not Sunday,” Trin spoke into his mind.

  “A small miracle in and of itself.” Jason closed the heavy door behind him and carefully stepped inside. The Puritan posts were slips of handwritten paper tacked daily to the church’s message board. They carried updates regarding the latest “witch sightings” and their upcoming trials. Easing up to the wall, Jason fought to keep his eyes at the top of the slip, quickly noting only the date—Monday, March 12th, 1685. He couldn’t risk glancing down at the names on the list … no, he had to stay on task.

  “Exactly one week before Ostara, and one year before Mama originally fell ill,” Trin whispered through their link. The significance of the upcoming equinox wasn’t lost on her or Jason. Any spells cast around this time would be heightened, their power amplified by the cosmic alignment and the Sabbath’s energy.

  “Something we can use to our advantage, too.” Jason knew her thoughts had gone straight to Ann and her father and whatever plans they were formulating against their family.

  “You’re right. Now, get out of there and come home. We’ve got plans of our own to make.”

  “Do you want me to look for the Putnams’ home while I’m here … see if they still live in the same place?”

  “Excuse me?” The question came not from inside of his head, but over his shoulder from inside of the church.

  Shit.

  Jason turned around and came face-to-face with Thomas Danforth—the man responsible for damning Karina to the stake in 1693.

  Trin’s shock rattled his brain as they jointly stared at the man through Jason’s eyes.

  “May I help you?” Danforth tilted his head, his expression questioning as if he was trying to place Jason’s face.

  “Uh, no, sir. I was only looking at today’s post.” Thankfully, Jason remembered his manners and shoved his hands into his pockets, channeling his younger self. He knew the governor wouldn’t be able to place him, since the face he wore was that of his current lifetime back in BlackBrook, New York. Besides, while growing up here, Jeremiah’s parents had sheltered him from the politics of town, so there’d been no previous contact between the two during this time either.

  “Ah, I see. Well, did you find any familiar names?” Danforth’s gruff remark accompanied a leer across his face. He enjoyed this—coordinating his efforts with the church to interrogate as many people as possible while looking for even the smallest hint that they might be associated with a “known” witch.

  “No, sir,” Jason snapped, refusing to give the governor anything more.

  “Good, good.” He puffed his chest. “Then, I’ll be on my way.” Danforth shouldered past him and exited the church.

  Soft sobs filled Jason’s mind, and it took every ounce of his will power not to snap his fingers and magically return to Trin’s side.

  “Honey, break our connection. I’m on my way.”

  Jason backtracked through town, careful to avoid the stirring of people in the early morning hour, then ran full-speed back down the path toward his house. Pulling open the door, he met Trin’s tear-filled eyes from across the room. She was snuggled under a blanket near the fireplace, sipping a cup of tea with her sisters hovering on either side of the chair.

  “I’m so sorry …” Jason crossed the room in a flash, his heavy boots pounding on the floorboards, then fell to his knees in front of her. “I thought I’d gone early enough to avoid running into anyone.”

  Trin handed Caris her cup of tea, then slid into Jason’s waiting arms, her emotions breaking free. “Seeing him was so hard,” she sobbed. “Harder than I ever expected it to be.” She closed her eyes and the memories came flooding back.

  IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

  1693 (Original lifetime)

  “It’s your turn, I delivered the last batch,” Kenna moaned.

  “Be still, Kenna, I’ll do it. You don’t have to whine like the dog,” Kara snapped.

  The girls finished placing the last of the glass jars full of herbal creams and healing salves into the waiting baskets. Mrs. Bishop was expecting her delivery tonight, and the girls never passed up an opportunity to use their gifts to help those in need—and it didn’t hurt that they’d make a few shillings in the process. Kara took hold of the designated set and started out the door.

  “Just a moment, let me put on the finishing touches,” Karina’s soft voice drifted from behind her.

  Stepping into the evening breeze, Karina placed her hands above the wicker basket and muttered softly, “Blessings within, blessings without, created with love by servants devout. Bringing light to ease one’s plight, that is the goal of our gift tonight.”

  A golden glow illuminated the jars as the wind picked up, blowing the girls’ auburn hair toward the night sky. Kenna laughed, and Kara smiled at her big sister. “That was lovely, Karina.”

  “Thank you. Now be on your way. We don’t want to keep Sarah waiting.”

  Kara set off while Kenna helped Karina replace the stocks of lavender, orris root, and camellia back upon the shelves of their small workspace in the back room. Tidying and arranging the herbs and oils for next week’s batch of tinctures and charms always brought a sense of peace to Karina, one that seemed to settle over the entire house.

  Inhaling deeply, Karina smiled at her sister as she moved to take the boiling kettle of cinnamon, cloves, and oranges off the fire to prepare for this evening’s meal. Kenna chopped carrots, potatoes, and cabbage for the pottage, while Karina saw to the bread.

  As she placed the boiling pot above the fire, a knock on the door set their hound off into a howling fit, startling them both.

  Kenna grabbed the mutt and hid in the backroom, while Karina wiped her hands on her apron and crossed to the door. As she reached for the handle, a loud crack of a boot blasted the wood from its hinges.

  “Witch! We’ve seen your magic with our own eyes. You are now officially accused and claimed in the name of God for your assault on all that is natural in this world,” bellowed the loud voice of Thomas Danforth. Four men rushed inside, grabbing Karina by the arms and legs, while two others looked for anyone else in the house. Karina shook her head at Kenna, who remained hidden from view as a result of her quick and silent spell. “Hold her down,” instructed Danforth.

  Karina screamed and convulsed under their hands, stilling only when they ripped her dress open, exposing her back. They were looking for the ‘devil’s mark’ no doubt, and she knew they would most likely deem her birthmark the tell-tale sign of guilt. But, regardless of where they pulled their truth from, they were, in fact, accurate in their judgment. Karina was a witch, and deep within her bones she knew the whole town would know it before the night was over.

  Chapter Twelve

  IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

  1685 (Current lifetime)

  Night fell heavy in the Hollsteen house, a shared sorrow weighing down the darkness as Jason tucked Trin in his parents’ bed once she cried herself to sleep.

  Jason returned to the living
room for a nightcap with the girls, guilt and anger clinging heavily to his soul.

  “I knew this was going to be hard on her, but I had no idea it would be this bad.” Caris lowered herself to the couch, folding her legs beneath her.

  “I can’t imagine what she’s going through,” Kennedy added from the handmade chair in the corner. “I mean, yes, we were all here and witnessed what happened, but we’ll never know how it felt to be her … jailed and tied to the stake.” She shook her head and threw back the two-fingers of whiskey Jason had poured for them each.

  Overwhelmed with memories from the worst day of his life, Jason lowered his head.

  IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

  1693 (Original lifetime)

  Jeremiah felt Karina’s fear spike and then her overwhelming surge of anger. He knew he wouldn’t reach her in time, and he was right—by the time he’d arrived at the Howe’s cabin, Kara and Kenna were crying into each other’s arms and relayed the message that Karina had mentally sent to them both. “Do nothing. I will take care of this.”

  She’d blocked his attempt to reach her mind, but he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Jeremiah raced around their kitchen and store room, gathering supplies. Muddling his chosen ingredients, he swallowed the concoction in one gulp and cast his spell. “Space and time, bend to my will. Transport me now, to my love, I appeal. Take me there, body and soul. To save my love, the only goal.”

  The air shimmered and bent itself around him, and with a pop, he was gone.

  Transported, Jeremiah looked up to find Karina lying on the cold, stone floor of the prison. Reaching for the door, he sent a jolt of magic to disable the lock, then entered her cell.

  “Why did you come?” she asked.

  “How could I not? I love you, Karina. So be it if I get caught using my magic to reach you. If you’re going to burn, I’ll burn with you.” Jeremiah enveloped her in his arms, holding her close as she sobbed into his chest. “We’ll figure a way out of this, I promise,” he swore. He could feel her slipping away.

  “No, we won’t. Nothing I do will keep me from the stake. I’ve accepted it, and so should you.”

  “I can’t let them hurt you.” Jeremiah pulled her tight, kissing the top of her head, already knowing she was going to force him to let her go.

  “You don’t have a choice. But what I do need is your promise. Swear to me that you’ll always look after my sisters. Protect them when I’m gone,” Karina pleaded.

  Everything in him hurt. “I swear it.”

  Karina looked up to meet his eyes, then placed a soft kiss upon his lips. “They’ll be here soon, you must go.”

  Jeremiah kissed his beloved again and again before forcing himself out of the cell. Heartbroken but resolute, he looked back one last time, then shut the metal door and disappeared.

  IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

  1685 (Current lifetime)

  After stoking the fire, Jason returned to his parents’ room, easing into bed next to Trin. Snuggling close, he gave thanks to the Goddess his beloved was here, safely tucked in his arms.

  “I’m sorry for my reaction today,” Trin whispered. “I had no idea the memories of my past here would be so difficult to face.”

  “Trin, you’re the bravest person I know, and we all understand. Please don’t beat yourself up for having a human reaction to the man who changed your life forever.” Jason nuzzled the spot behind her ear.

  Reacting to his comfort, Trin inched closer, instinctively curling her back into him. The intimate contact was a physical balm they both welcomed to sooth their mental wounds. Wrapping his arms around her, Jason held her tight as they both drifted to sleep.

  ***

  Caris paced the kitchen, still too wired to go to bed after thinking about how Lionel had betrayed them. Betrayed her. “I still can’t believe he would do this to us.”

  “Well, like Trin said, maybe there’s more to it than we think.” Kennedy spun one of the kitchen chairs on its leg, settling into it backwards as she contemplated what Lionel had done. “Perhaps Ann got to him in our present time, or who knows, he could have been pissed and hunting us for centuries, after what originally happened here …” Her words trailed off as the ideas stalled.

  Caris stopped in her tracks, turning to face her baby sister. “Then why didn’t he tell me? Or if he was so angry Trin’s spell pulled him through time, why didn’t he try something back at the hotel? Why did he wait and follow us to the Hunniwell house instead? Exactly to where Ann had been.”

  “I don’t know, Car … but maybe there’s a way we could find out.” The spark of magic and the twinkle in Kennedy’s eyes brought a smile to Caris’s face.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kennedy crept into the back room of the Hollsteen’s kitchen, gathering tools and ingredients for a quick memory spell. “It’s not a big spell, but I’m thinking if we replay the conversation you had with Lionel, perhaps we’ll discover some hints or hidden magics you were unaware of at the time.”

  Caris stiffened and started to bristle, but instead lowered herself into a chair and scooted up to the table. “I suppose you’re right. I could have easily missed something. I wasn’t exactly focused on magic or the possibility of anything nefarious happening.” She dropped her head into her hands, her fingers rubbing small circles at her temples.

  “Car, this isn’t your fault. We were all surprised to see him there, and none of us got a weird vibe from him.” Kennedy placed a wooden bowl on the table, then retrieved a ladle full of water to pour into it. Sprinkling the herbs on top, she sealed the spell and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You’ve always been great at water magic, so just concentrate and open your mind to the memory. I should be able to watch the vision play out inside of the spell. Maybe I’ll pick up on something you didn’t.”

  Caris placed both hands on either side of the bowl. With her palms resting flat against the table’s smooth, wooden surface, she closed her eyes and thought about Lionel and their recent conversation.

  Mist formed above the bowl as the memory sparked to life within the fog. Deep in conversation, they sat in the hotel’s dining room. Kennedy leaned in closer to watch Lionel’s body language and movements since there was no sound associated with this spell. He seemed at ease, intently focused on Caris. He seemed… happy. He wasn’t fidgety or nervous, only shifting in his chair to lean closer from time to time. Kennedy sighed—this wasn’t helping.

  Taking a deep breath, Kennedy closed her eyes and whispered a second spell. “Goddess of sight, hear my plea, gift me your vision so that I may see. Auras of doubt, harm, or fraught, show me your colors hidden or not.” She opened her eyes to a burst of color as Lionel’s aura came into view. Hugging his body, spikes of cloudy red, black, and brown—the colors of anger, regret, sadness, and fear—pulsed in waves, flowing from his head to his toes. Mixed streaks of pink, blue, and purples wound their way around the others, indicating love, intuition, spiritual, and magical energy. It was like his aura was fighting itself, the positive energy pulling against the negative. That, or this was how an aura displayed for a person who felt bad for something they were about to do.

  The memory continued to play out through the fog, nearing its end when Caris bid Lionel goodnight and stood to leave. As soon as Caris turned her back to the table, Kennedy noticed Lionel fidgeting with something in his pocket; something radiating silver and gold magic and surrounded by a bright pink aura. It was the skeleton key, and Trin had been right—it wasn’t Ann’s energy surrounding it, it was Mama’s.

  Kennedy gasped and both spells broke. “It was Mama.” She grabbed Caris’s arm, pulling her from the table.

  “What?” Caris reached for the back of the chair, steadying herself. “What was Mama?”

  “The skeleton key Lionel used … it had Mama’s energy all over it.”

  Caris looked back to the bowl, shocked. “Are you sure? Maybe the key used to be Mama’s and Ann stole it. Lionel
could still be working with her.”

  “No, I don’t think so. There was none of Ann’s energy attached to it at all.”

  “Then I guess this is good news?” Caris’s statement curved into a question.

  “It has to be. If Mama’s involved with Lionel and the key, we have to find out why and what it all means.”

  “Well, that should be easy enough,” Caris quipped sarcastically. She dropped down into the chair again, leaning it back on two legs. “I’ll just go find him and see if Mama ever gave him a key to bring to us in the future,” she continued to joke, then sobered. “We can’t exactly go ask him outright. What if Mama hasn’t made contact with him yet? He’d have no idea what we’re talking about.”

  Sighing, Kennedy joined her at the table. “Crap, you’re right. Then what do you propose we do?”

  Caris thought to herself for a moment. “I think I should pretend to be me from this time, and try to get close to Lionel myself. It’s the only way I’ll be able to get a true read on his intentions.”

  “Damn. I had a feeling you were going to say that,” Kennedy deadpanned.

  ***

  After a restless night’s sleep for them all, the family gathered back in the kitchen, ready for breakfast and to finally finalize their plans. Pots clanged and the fire burned brightly against the overcast day brewing outside.

  “I don’t think you should approach him by yourself.” Bubbles foamed in the sink as Trin furiously scrubbed the morning’s dishes.

  “I wasn’t planning on it. I figured Kennedy could come with me and be my wing-woman …” Caris smiled at her little sister, already knowing she’d be on board with her plan to locate Lionel.