""Wait? That's it?" Piper rubbed her eyes, still waking. "Aren't they going to tell us anything?"
I stared at the closed doors.
"I guess not," I murmured. "Not yet, anyway."
I knew I'd cost us precious time by not completing the order of my coven. It was just all still so new. Being High Priestess hadn't truly sunk in yet, let alone naming my High Priest.
It had all seemed trivial at the time, until now—now that we needed to conduct an important ritual. One that would pass along the truths of the covens.
But even in the face of needing answers, I couldn't be rushed. I had to wait until it felt right and everything was in alignment.
And right now, nothing was in alignment.
"I think I know what we need to do," I said.
Barely keeping up with own thoughts, I'd already decided.
It had to happen.
It was exactly what we needed to pull our coven together and solidify our ranks.
"We need to go to Hell's Gates."
Chapter 9
Clayton squared his shoulders in a rigid stance, then moved to the double doors and pressed his back against them.
"Go to Hell's Gates?" he seethed.
His tone cut me. And judging by Piper and Noah's stares, I knew he spoke for them as well.
But going to Hell's Gates made perfect sense to me.
Sure, it would be crazy and dangerous, but it was the epicenter of everything that created the covens and bound us together.
There was no doubt in my mind that we had to go there.
"Clayton, do you have a better idea? Hell's Gates is the location of the origin of our covens."
I studied his jittering body language, wondering what made him so nervous.
"Piper. Noah. What do you guys think?" I looked to them for support.
Asher hovered over Hattie's sleeping form, swaying with exhaustion. But his gentle smile sent his approval. No surprises there.
Clayton leaned against the doors as if to be sure no one would barge through.
He pressed his lips together, resisting his next words.
"Yes, I have a better idea," he said. "We need sleep and we need to study those books." He paused, keeping his eyes fixed on me. "Then we go to Hell's Gates."
My eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?"
He nodded. "We need to. It's the logical next step." A long exhaled released from his chest. "I just wish it didn't make so much sense. It's basically the last place I'd choose to go. And bringing Asher and Hattie is an additional risk."
"But I have to go," Asher blurted. "Hattie too. We're as much a part of this coven as any of you."
Clayton lowered his eyes. It was clear he knew they'd come. He just didn't like it.
I turned to Piper and Noah, waiting for them to say something.
Piper wiped her hand across her tired eyes and shook her head. "I guess we're going to Hell's Gates."
Noah dropped his head back and let out a loud sigh.
I grinned, knowing it had been decided.
"So, tonight then?"
Noah lifted his head in an instant.
"Why does it always have to be at night?" he whined.
Everyone chuckled, having had the same thought. We all knew nighttime was the safest to go there as far as remaining unseen by the locals. The cover of darkness was the first obvious benefit, but the more elusive perk was the heightened sense of magical elements in the night. Our senses were always at their sharpest, particularly in moonlight, and we'd need as much support as we could get.
"So, meet back here after dinner?" Clayton suggested. "We can rest for the day, then study the books before we go."
With all in agreement, I moved to Hattie to try to rouse her.
"I got her," Clayton said, reaching his arms under and lifting her.
She flopped like a sack of potatoes in his arms, remaining sound asleep.
"Asher?"
And before I could ask him what he wanted to do, he pulled the small leather-bound book from his jacket and shook it.
"I'm gonna go to my room and read this more closely."
"But you need to..." I started.
"And I'll get some sleep," he added.
His mature tone took me by surprise. It was as if he'd grown up in the past few hours and that stung my soul.
"Okay. Well, come find any of us if you need anything."
"You'll find me in the kitchen," Noah joked. "As always." He moved past Asher, giving him a nudge with his shoulder. "Come on. We'll get something to eat first."
Asher's eyes lit up, and he followed Piper and Noah through the doors.
I watched as they moved out of sight, and allowed my shoulders to settle back down from their tense perch by my ears.
We had a plan.
And it was a good one.
I hoped.
Rolling over in my bed, I bumped my eye into Hattie's elbow and winced. At first, the low light that shone through the window made me think it was dawn, but after a few more blinks, I realized it was the dim veil of dusk.
Turning over, to be sure my eye remained protected from further assault, I pushed myself up on my elbow with a start.
"Hey," I whispered. "What are you doing here?"
Clayton shifted in the armchair as if resisting the sound of my voice.
But it was strange that he was here. I was sure he'd left once Hattie and I had settled into my room.
"Clayton," I repeated.
He pushed himself upright from his slouching slumber.
"Hi. Sorry. Must have dozed off." He rubbed his sleepy eyes.
I checked the time on my phone and calculated that I'd been asleep for at least six hours. Enough to attempt our plan at visiting Hell's Gates.
"Why are you here?"
He shifted again and shook his leg as if to get blood flow back. "I just needed to be sure you two were good."
I lifted my brows, inviting more details.
"I got a strange feeling in my room," he continued. "Something seemed off." He paused, checking to see if Hattie was still asleep.
"And?"
"And so I came to check on you." He shook his head. "And the feeling got worse." He pressed his lips tighter in pause, like he was reconsidering our plan. "When I came into your room, there was a strange shadow hovering over your bed."
I pushed up to sitting.
With another shake of his head, as if to clear the images, he added, "It went away once I entered, but Shaye, I couldn't stop the feeling like you were going to be harmed."
"Was it the banshee?" I mumbled.
The idea of her still coming for me sickened my stomach.
Clayton bit his bottom lip. "No. It wasn't." He paused. "It was a man."
My heart plummeted.
"What? Are you sure?" I searched the room for any signs of the intruder.
"I'm certain. It was a man." He hesitated, as if not wanting to say the next words. "He hovered over you like... like he was going to, I don't know, devour you, or absorb you." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't get it out of my head."
I swallowed hard.
His explanation was the strangest thing I'd ever heard.
But then, as I took a minute to imagine what he was saying, I felt it.
The presence of a man.
A man who wanted to consume me.
It rattled me from within. I wasn't sure if I'd felt violated or aroused. It was the most confusing feeling in the world. But no matter which one it was, it wasn't right. A feeling of evil lingered about it. Evil like the demon himself.
My eyes widened as I stared at Clayton in fear.
I pulled my blanket up around my chin.
"Do you think he's gone?"
Clayton nodded. "Yes. He vanished as soon as I came in." He glanced down. "I guess I couldn't be sure of what I'd actually seen. I don't know, I was exhausted and already maxed out from the catacombs. Maybe it was just a hallucination. But there was no way I was l
eaving you alone."
I crossed my arms around me and rubbed my shoulders.
"Thank you," I murmured. "I have a feeling it wasn't a hallucination."
His head tipped.
"I can feel his presence lingering all around me," I whispered.
Clayton shot up from his chair and checked every corner of the room. His temper oozed off him with ever step as his breath grew heavier.
"Let's just get out of here," I said. "It clearly has to do with our plans or whatever we unlocked in the catacombs, but I'm not going to let it stop us."
His jaw clenched from my words as his angst grew.
I gently woke Hattie and got her moving with promises of cookies.
Her tired eyes and slumped posture proved she had no idea of the sinister presence that had found its way into the room.
Avoiding the after-dinner crowd, we crept past the dining room and snuck into the kitchen.
Wrapped sandwiches from lunch were stacked in the fridge and we grabbed handfuls. I swiped a bunch of homemade chocolate chip cookies for Hattie, and bombed out before being detected.
The three of us shot back up the stairs avoiding conversation with anyone and keeping our heads down. Getting to the library without any further distraction was the mission. And grabbing Asher on the way was the first task.
He opened his door, rubbing his eyes, but as soon as he saw the basket of food, he became alert. Following us up the next set of stairs, he stumbled, shaking the sleep out of his legs.
I'd texted Piper and was still waiting for her reply. I figured I'd give her a few more minutes of sleep. We could set things up in the library first, then we'd harass Noah and her to come.
As we reached the third floor, we aimed straight for the library double-doors. My eyes narrowed as I focused on the handles. The doors seemed to be slightly ajar, like they hadn't been completely closed when we left.
My eyebrows pulled together, and I tipped my head to Clayton.
His gaze held firm on the doors as he noticed the same thing.
And before we could speak a word, the doors flew open as we came up to them.
In a blur, someone shot back, startled by our presence.
She caught her balance, then pushed straight through us.
As I was knocked aside, and Clayton to the other side, I stared at the whoosh of perfectly-straightened fawn-colored hair.
My jaw fell open as Josie rushed past us without even a glance back.
Before I could catch my breath and call her name, Josie barreled down the stairs like there was a fire.
I shot my attention back into the library to see what she was escaping, and my heart sank to my feet.
The ancient books from the archives were spread across the main table, all open, pages exposed, secret histories revealed.
"Oh my god," I breathed.
Clayton stormed over to the books and hovered above them like they were a dying friend.
"No," he murmured. "No."
A whimper escaped my throat as I moved over to the table.
The disheveled condition of the books gave the impression they'd been rifled through in great haste. Care had not been taken. Only a ravenous search for information.
Before I could express my pain, Piper's voice shot from behind us.
"What happened?" she called over, noting the disarray.
Noah followed her in as they stared at the horrific display of disrespect and betrayal.
"Josie," I whispered under my breath.
"No," Piper cried. "I never thought to hide them. I should have taken them with me."
I exhaled in disappointment.
"None of us thought this would happen, Piper. It was my responsibility. I should have protected them with all my being."
My eyes fell in shame, knowing my words spoke truth.
I'd been negligent, and now we were once again vulnerable to Josie's treachery.
"I take responsibility as well," Clayton said.
"We all do," Noah added. "It's not a blame thing. It's a what do we do now thing."
The support of my coven meant a lot, but it wasn't enough to take the guilt out of my gut.
The secret journals of the protected archives had been seen by Josie.
Of all people.
She held more knowledge of Hazeldene history now than any of us.
"So the only thing to do now is..." I hesitated, swallowing down my initial shame. "We need to read these things and get caught up to our arch-nemesis."
Chapter 10
As I closed the cover of the last leather-bound journal, I looked up at each member of my coven as a sense of equilibrium settled in my bones.
I'd just learned the truth of my existence.
The truth of my history.
And the truth of my coven.
My enlightenment brought balance to every cell in my body.
As I acknowledged each of my coven members with our new reality, they held a look of pride and certainty that proved they'd been equally affected, each in their own way.
The stories within the ancient books were, at first, historical accounts. Pictures brought the events to life, including the drawing of the wooden portal in the woods. It's triangular structure sent chills through me. But the deeper we read, the more connections we made. Much of it had already been figured out along the way, but the archived writings confirmed everything.
The coven before us, the UMAs, were not just another hive that studied under the Higher Order. They were a part of us. Directly connected.
Their High Priestess, Brynn Douglas, and High Priest, Shane Hazeldene, were the ones who brought balance back to our existence. They had crossed through the realms to help my family and now, it was only because of Josie and Laney Rosco that their efforts had been derailed.
It was still unclear how the two of those girls fit into the puzzle, but what was clear was how Hattie and I fit into it.
Dominic Murphy and Millicent Dawson were our parents.
They lived in the 1600s, and we were born there too.
Before we were born, Millicent had been accused of witchcraft. It was the time of hysteria and shameful witch hunts. Her gruesome fate involved being burned at the stake.
A shudder ran through me, imagining my beautiful mother facing a crazed mob who frothed at the sight of her suffering.
It was her unsettled soul that disturbed the balance of the realms.
Her vengeance crossed through the layers of time, seeking revenge.
It was Brynn and Shane, High Priestess and High Priest, who were ultimately able to use the triangular portal to go back in time, to save Millicent before her grisly demise.
But it seemed Millicent's scarred soul was still trapped in limbo in the form of the Dark Witch. Her tormented form had never fully crossed over.
And this was why my parents sent me here.
To finish what Brynn and Shane had started.
It was my job to save my mother's soul.
What we needed to remember, though, was the fact that Josie had the same information as us now.
Josie knew my connection to the Dark Witch.
And this meant that Laney would know too.
Or maybe they'd always known.
Josie had told everyone I was cursed. That I had a dark spell cast over me.
And now I understood what she was talking about.
But how could she have known this before even I did.
And now that she'd had access to the ancient archive journals, she had proof.
"I think we have as much knowledge as we can possibly get," I said, looking at each of my coven members. "Are we ready to do this?"
Clayton stepped next to me. "Ready."
Hattie and Asher joined us on either side.
Then Piper and Noah stepped over, forming a circle with us.
"Ready," everyone said simultaneously.
I took a huge inhale.
"Okay, we go to Hell's Gates. See what kind of energy is there. See if we
can conjure the portal. It's a high energy zone, so anything is possible." I exhaled until my lungs were empty, almost like releasing whatever reservations I held. "We'll see if getting home is even an option."
I looked at Hattie to be sure she was comfortable.
Her worried brow shot insecurity through me.
"What do you think, Hattie?" I asked.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I like it here." She lowered her gaze. "I don't want to leave yet."
My eyes widened in surprise.
"Don't worry," I said. "We're just investigating. Putting all the pieces together before the moon ritual. Remember Chloe's new gift? She can communicate with other realms, and hopefully, she'll do so at the ritual. Maybe she can help us."
"Oh, yeah," Hattie sighed. "She communicates with birds."
"Right." I huffed. "So, we won't actually go home until after that. Okay?"
I watched Hattie, hoping for a relieved response.
But instead of seeing her calmed reaction, my eyes moved to Clayton's agitation.
His eyes smothered me with his worry.
I cringed at my stupidity. I'd spoken too plainly about going home. But only because I needed to for Hattie. But to Clayton, my words were a sword to the heart.
"We're just going for information," I repeated. "Nothing more."
Clayton nodded, along with Piper and Noah.
But I already knew the level of concern that surrounded our mission.
Everyone knew things would be different once we entered Hell's Gates.
It was what our coven was destined to do.
We were meant to go to Hell's Gates.
It was the location of our origin story.
It was like a pilgrimage, in a sense. One that was necessary in order for us to embrace our new union fully.
And maybe, once we did it, I'd have a better feel for how to finalize the order of the coven, and make the final placement of High Priest.
I shuddered at the thought.
I still had no idea why I was so uncomfortable with formally naming Clayton in that role. It was clear it was already him. So why was it so hard to say it?
After gathering our clothing and gear for the trek, the six of us left Hazeldene grounds. We pushed through the squeaking iron gates, and closed them securely behind us.
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