by Sammy King
“Ada” Morrigan said embracing her into her body.
“Aunt Morrigan, I’ve lost the amulet” Ada cried feeling the sting of tears breaking to the corners of her eyes again.
Morrigan nodded and took Ada’s hand leading her inside. Kade and Karla followed close behind. Ada watched as Karla silently looked around the large room they stood in. The floors were marbled, a huge stair case wound its way up to a second floor, the ceilings were high and the room was filled with shelves that were littered with books generations old.
Morrigan waved her hand around the room and three chairs shuffled their way across the floor to meet each recipient. Karla gasped and Ada had to stifle a giggle. She was so used to Morrigan’s magic, she used it for everything, including bringing seats to her guests; however humans weren’t used to seeing such a brazen act of magic.
Morrigan fingered the books that lined one shelf until she let out a cry of success pulling the book she was looking for out of its hidey hole. She turned to face her audience as she flipped through the dusty old pages.
“Ah yes, here” she spoke.
Morrigan stepped forward toward Ada and pointed to the page the book was turned to. Ada looked down and saw her locket hand drawn onto the page. She looked up at Morrigan.
“We will be able to track it?” Ada asked.
Morrigan puffed out her chest and smiled.
“We sure can” she said confidently. “All female Witches came from the same Angel, Aiden; which means that we are all connected and the amulet holds the power of all the female descendants from the Nephilim Kaia. I will call the coven and we will start the ceremony”
Ada nodded as Morrigan hustled out of the room.
“What ceremony does she mean?” Karla asked looking over her shoulder watching Morrigan leave.
“All the Witches of the coven come together and perform the magic required to find the amulet” Ada said as she looked down at the book that still lay open in her lap. “According to the book the ceremony will give us the exact location of the amulet and if the ceremony is held by the eldest living Witch, the amulet will be rendered powerless”
Karla came to where Ada sat and looked over her shoulder at the book. Ada stood, passing the book Karla and started rifling through the drawers and cupboards finding the herbs and candles she needed.
“So if Dane has the amulet he won’t be able to use it?” Karla said to no one in particular.
“That’s right” Ada said over her shoulder.
Kade cleared his throat and they both looked up at him.
“We need to find out where exactly Dane came from” Kade reminded them.
Ada nodded and put the candles and herbs she had been collecting onto a side table. She began to scour the books. Held in the bookshelf was every record of every Witch.
“Which coven did you say his Mother disappeared from?” Ada asked Karla.
Karla put the book in her lap and pulled her phone out of her bra and started to scan through it.
“Willowbrook” Karla said.
Ada nodded and began to finger through the books until she found the one for Willowbrook. She pulled it from the shelf and took the book to the table, blowing the dust from the cover.
“1765 she disappeared right?” Ada asked.
Karla nodded standing to come beside Ada to look at the book as she flicked the pages to where the records began in 1765. Ada murmured the names she read before tapping on Irza’s name.
“There isn’t much information about it” Ada said scanning what was written about Irza’s disappearance. “Oh whoa”
Ada looked up at Kade her eyes wide.
“Irza was a Nephilim” Ada said with shock.
“What?” Karla said. “So she was the head of the coven?”
Ada shook her head.
“No the leader of the coven was Mikkah, she was Nephilim. How were there two?” Ada said.
Kade stepped forward to where they stood.
“Oh Jesus” Ada exclaimed as she continued to read “so it says that Irza actually ran away. With Abaddon”
Karla and Kade both stopped reading and looked at her their mouths ajar.
“So Dane is Abaddon’s son then? We were right” Karla said in shock.
Ada nodded her head.
“But it can’t be possible. Nephilim couldn’t conceive to Angels. She shouldn’t have been able to have Dane” Ada said thoughtfully.
“Well we don’t actually know that, the Angels left the earth after they procreated with the humans. Abaddon was the only one that was left here. So it was never proven that Nephilim couldn’t conceive to an Angel” he said.
“Until now” Ada said shaking her head and running her hand through her hair.
Morrigan came back into the room and stopped cocking her head to the side.
“What are you all looking at?” she said with curiosity.
The three of them looked up and then at each other.
“Well it seems this investigation just got a little stranger” Karla said.
“What do you mean?” Morrigan asked coming to have a look at the book.
“Well it seems that Abaddon managed to impregnate a Nephilim, who raised a son and who then broke him out of his banishment, the same Nephilim slash Witch was found dead two days ago” Ada said.
“What on earth?” Morrigan said with a frown. “What Witch?”
“Irza” Ada replied.
Morrigan’s face twisted and then lit up with recognition.
“Oh I remember that. She was from the Willowbrook coven. Merza and I were still only young. Irza wasn’t a Nephilim though” Morrigan said looking at the book.
Ada pointed to where it was written that she was a Nephilim.
“Well that’s not right” Morrigan said with a frown.
Morrigan took the book and sat in the seat to read it further. She looked up at them, a frown still scrawled on her face.
“She was the daughter of the Nephilim Mikkah; she was going to take over the coven. Irza was twenty two when she went missing. Mikkah was beside herself; so much so that a year later she committed suicide.” Morrigan said shaking her head with sadness. “They never found Irza, no word; nothing. And you say she turned up dead?”
Ada nodded.
“Yes. Her son is a Warlock named Dane. That’s who took the amulet from Ada. However, the book says that Irza left with Abaddon.” Karla said.
Morrigan looked over at Karla and deepened her frown.
“A Warlock has your amulet?” Morrigan said turning her attention to Ada.
Ada nodded and lowered her head in shame.
“Oh dear this is bothersome. Well the ceremony will find it. However, it could be a little trickier than first thought” Morrigan said standing again and bustling out the room with the book tucked under her arm.
Kade put his hand on Ada’s shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.
“I think the ceremony is something I don’t really want to be present for, all those Witches. They give me the creeps.” he said with a sly smile.
Ada smiled in return and nodded, looking over at Karla.
“Would you like to join in?” Ada asked Karla.
Karla’s eyes lit up with excitement and she looked between Ada and Kade.
“Do you think I would be allowed?” she asked.
Ada nodded.
“Of course you could” she said with a smile.
“Do I have to do anything special, like a cleansing or anything?” she asked.
“No you just have to get naked, they will clean you” Kade said with a smirk.
Karla’s face dropped and paled slightly.
“I have to get naked?” she asked.
Kade snorted out a laugh.
“Maybe I should stay this could be amusing” he said.
Karla shot him a look full of poison and he covered his mouth to hide the grin.
“It’s not quite as bad as that. Yes we will all be naked, but there will be no washing or anything
sexual. We are just naked so that we can be closer to the spirit, nothing in the way. And it will be in the darkened woods, you won’t be able to see anyone and no one will be able to see you” Ada explained.
Karla visibly relaxed slightly, but Ada could see that she was still feeling slightly uncomfortable. It seemed odd to Ada this fear that human’s had with people seeing their bodies. She could never understand how people could be uncomfortable in their own skin. It was in circumstances such as these that human’s confused Ada.
Chapter Fifteen
“I have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to me. I have never known hunger like the insects that feast on me. A thousand teeth and yours among them, I know. Our hunger appeased our heart beats becoming slow” Hozier
The door swung open and Morrigan bustled back into the room. That Witch never did anything slowly; everything was done at a great speed. Ada had picked up the herbs and candles again.
“Ok we are all set the coven are meeting us in the woods, ah good you have the candles and herbs. Are you coming too?” Morrigan asked looking at Karla.
Karla nodded silently, bringing another grin from Kade.
“And you?” she said looking Kade up and down.
“Ah no, as much as I love to see a good ceremony, I’m going to give it a miss” Kade said smiling a wicked grin.
Morrigan looked him up and down and frowned again.
“Hmm my sister sure could pick them” she said turning around and hurrying out of the room.
Karla snorted out a laugh as Kade’s smiled dropped. Ada turned and gave him a quick kiss before hurrying to catch up with Morrigan who had already fled the room to get ready. Ada and Karla had to jog to keep up with Morrigan through the house and out the back door, across the manicured yard and into the woods that surrounded the house. No sooner were they in the forest and the filtered light that smattered through the trees became less. Soon they were surrounded in darkness. Ada felt Karla’s fingers entwine with hers and Ada could feel her nerves. Ada rubbed her thumb on Karla’s palm and sent with it some power to relax her.
“Thank you” Karla whispered.
Ada looked at her and smiled; she could make out the features on Karla’s face and could see that she was worried. Eventually they reached a clearing in the centre of the woods. Ada looked up and could see the moon goddess was shining her face down lightly at them and there was a small scatter of stars that twinkled. Morrigan busied herself sprinkling a salt pentagram on the ground and began to cast the circle about them. It wasn’t long and they could hear the soft voices of the other Witches arriving in the clearing. Each Witch stepped towards Ada and embraced her before shedding their clothes. Ada noticed Karla’s face as she looked among the Witches of all different shapes, colours and sizes.
“These women all came from the same Angel?” Karla whispered.
Ada smiled and nodded. She guessed it would be hard to believe when there was such a variety.
“Are you comfortable to remove your clothes?” Ada asked.
Karla looked around again at the women before nodding.
“We can take our clothes off over here, just stand beside me, you will be ok, if you get uncomfortable just take my hand” Ada said pointing to where the other women had discarded and left their clothes.
Slowly they both shed their clothes. Karla stood uncomfortably with her hands covering her small breasts. Ada looked at her body and shook her head. She couldn’t understand how such a beautiful woman could be so embarrassed of her body. She was lean and muscular, her breasts small but still held the shape of a woman half her age, her waist was narrow and her hips were in perfect proportion to the rest of her body.
The only difference between Karla and the other Witches was that she was absent of pubic hair, which Ada knew human women often did. Witches saw their pubic hair as a rite of passage. It was something sacred, something to be celebrated not removed in shame. Which meant that all Witches had hair on their vaginas, pit hair and their leg hair was never shaved; she hadn’t met a man who complained yet. But Ada had heard of human men not liking hair. Something Ada couldn’t understand, it was natural. Ada smiled and reached out her hand. Karla looked down at her hand and Ada could read the dilemma in her eyes of how to take her hand and continue to cover herself.
“It’s ok, no one is going to be looking at you” she said quietly.
Karla nodded and tentatively took Ada’s hand. She led Karla to the circle where the Witches had already closed their eyes and had begun to chant. Ada and Karla found a spot in the circle and closed their eyes. She felt Karla’s fingers tighten around her own and Ada rubbed her thumb on Karla’s palm again.
Ada heard Karla’s intake of breath as the power was released between the two women. Ada fell into the chant with the other Witches and could feel Karla physically relax as she joined in. After a short time the Witches auras began to dance and circle around them like a tornado whipping up with speed. The chants grew louder and faster, the Witches bodies heated and they threw their heads back allowing the chant to exit their lungs freely into the atmosphere.
As the aura’s danced it wound itself around them and filled the circle. It swirled in the centre of the circle twisting up into a funnel, seeking the amulet. Morrigan cried out to Ada to enter the circle. Ada stepped forward dropping Karla’s hand. Not that she thought Karla would notice as she had completely relaxed and seemed to be enjoying the pleasure the power bought.
As Ada stepped into the circle she felt her feet lift from the ground as the aura carried her. She laid back and allowed the auras to hold her in stasis above the ground. Ada could suddenly feel power being drawn out of her, it was a heat like nothing she had felt, her whole body felt like it was burning. She screamed out in pain, as she writhed, but the more she fought the tighter the aura held her. It felt like her skin was being scolded by hot coals. She felt tears slip from her eyes. Soon Ada couldn’t take the pain any longer and felt the darkness that crept to the edge of her vision fill her brain.
Ada was in silence; a silence that was deafening. The chants were gone, the sound of nature gone. Nothing could be heard and nothing could be seen. The darkness was like none other she had ever experienced before. Ada looked around where she lay. She reached out trying to find something, her hand touched on an object just to the right of her. Ada allowed her fingers to run over the cold metal of the piece she had discovered. She felt a button which Ada pressed and closed her eyes as light exploded in front of her. Ada slowly opened her eyes and looked around.
She noted that she was in a room, lying on layers of material, the whole room was filled with the same material of various colours. She looked down at her body that was now draped in a white silk dress. Ada slowly stood and felt the material slip out from underneath her. Ada screamed again as she began to fall, the material slipping into the hole around her. It began to twist around her body, pulling at her, tangling her in colours. The more Ada fought to get free from the material, the more it tightened against her body.
“Just trust” Ada heard the familiar voice of Merza.
“Mum?” She cried into the emptiness, tears slipping from her eyes once more.
“Just trust” she heard Merza call again.
Ada sucked in a deep breath and willed her body to go limp. As soon as she did the material slipped from her body and she stopped falling with a light thud. Ada stood and looked around her. She was in another room. This one was filled with flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables yet was indoors. Ada scanned the room for a door. She couldn’t see any possible way out, when out the corner of her eye she saw something glint.
Ada started to move forward toward the wall that was covered in a grape vine. She pushed the bunch of grapes to the side and saw a door handle. Slowly Ada turned the cold brass handle and the door opened silently. The other side of the door was dark and she couldn’t make out what was on the other side. She remembered her Mother’s words to just trust and closed her eyes as she stepped throu
gh the door.
Suddenly Ada felt herself immersed in water. She opened her eyes and could see that all around her was a brilliant blue of the ocean. Coral of all colours covered the walls and fish swam about completely oblivious to her. The white silk floated about her body like a materialised aura. Ada started to panic, realising that she couldn’t breathe under water.
Ada started to swim towards the light that speckled through the top of the surface. But she felt she couldn’t get closer. Ada continued to push forward, moving her arms and legs, but with every movement the surface seemed to be growing further away. Out of the corner of her eye, Ada noticed a man and woman looking at her with curiosity.
Ada stopped swimming and looked at them. They both began to swim towards her and she realised that they were a mermaid and mermale. Their blonde hair billowed behind them in a dance of waves, their sharp green eyes danced with wonder as they watched Ada’s struggle, their long tails sparkled in the bright blue water with greens and golds so pure and bright that no artist could depict it.
“Just breathe” the mermaid spoke.
Ada shook her head, feeling her lungs burn with the last of the breath she held inside. Her fear was strong but her will to live was stronger.
“You can breathe here” the mermale said as he approached her.
The mermale placed his hand on Ada’s stomach and pushed gently, encouraging her to let her air out. Ada frantically looked between the two of them. She didn’t believe that she could breathe under the water. The words her Mother’s voice spoke flooded her mind once more. Slowly, Ada let out a small puff of breath and they both nodded at her smiling. She let out another small breath and another. When Ada realised that she wasn’t drowning she began to breathe normally and smiled at them both.
“I can breathe, how?” Ada asked.
“Because you’re not really here” the mermaid spoke.
Ada nodded and looked back at the surface.
“Go your answer is still waiting for you” the mermale spoke.
She took both their hands in gratitude and thanked them before turning her attention to the surface. As she swam it didn’t appear as far away and this time the surface came closer to her and she was able to break through.