“Or Margaret,” I said, earning a stern look from Paris and a quizzical smile from Ravenna.
“We weren’t sure if you were open today,” Paris said, pasting her friendliest smile on her face in an attempt to gloss over my bad manners. “We saw the ‘be back soon’ sign on the door but weren’t sure how long we’d have to wait.”
“Not long apparently,” Ravenna said, opening the door of the shop and gesturing so we could enter. “Please, step into my parlor.”
That was creepy and there was no way I was falling for it. “Oh, no, after you.”
“That wouldn’t be very welcoming, would it?” Ravenna challenged. “After you.”
“No, after you.”
“Knock it off, Zoe,” Paris said, grabbing my arm and dragging me inside. “If she was going to kill us we’d already be dead.”
That wasn’t a comforting thought, but the simple statement elicited a delighted chuckle from Ravenna.
“Kill you?” The woman flicked the light switch behind the counter and shuffled behind it so she could turn on her Keurig. “Why would I want to kill you?”
“I don’t think you do,” Paris replied. “My friend here is more … suspicious, though.”
“Yes, I hate all witches,” I intoned. “I think they should be burned at the stake and … what did they do in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? I would like to toss you in the lake and see if you float.”
“Zoe!” Paris’ cheeks flooded with color as Ravenna barked out a warm laugh. For some reason, her reaction made me like her a little bit more.
“You are very funny, mage,” Ravenna said. “You should have your own sitcom.”
The relief I was feeling mere moments before faded in a heartbeat. “Who told you?”
“I can read your aura,” Ravenna replied. “I believe you can read auras, too. What does your scan of me tell you?”
I hadn’t read auras since college. “I’ve only ever read auras for a brief time. It doesn’t happen any longer.”
“I don’t believe that’s true,” Ravenna said, shoving a mug on the Keurig pedestal and pressing a button. “You probably see them, but tune out the colors. I imagine you have so much going on in your life that seeing everyone’s auras would be overwhelming.”
“That’s probably true, Zoe,” Paris said, struggling to heave her impressive girth onto one of the stools on the other side of the counter. Finally I had to help her – and it was still a strain. “You saw Laura’s aura because she was a threat to you.”
“I’ve been attacked by so many people I’ve lost count since then,” I reminded her. “I didn’t see any of their auras.”
“That’s true, too,” Paris said, wrinkling her nose. “I have no idea why you don’t see auras. I’m out of ideas.”
“I’m guessing she saw this Laura’s aura because she was still growing into her powers,” Ravenna said. “She’s comfortable enough with them now that she has other weapons in her arsenal.” She pushed a cup of tea in front of Paris. “It’s an herbal blend I make myself. There’s no caffeine and it’s all natural and holistic.”
“Thank you,” Paris said.
I frowned when Ravenna grabbed her own mug of tea and ignored me. “Where’s mine?”
Ravenna chuckled. “You won’t drink it,” she said. “You don’t trust me yet. You’ll watch your friend to see if I poisoned her and then heal her and kill me if that’s the case.”
Wow. She was good. “So what kind of witch are you?”
“The kind who knows you’re here on a specific mission and who doesn’t want to waste time,” Ravenna replied. “Why are you here?”
“Well, I was on an internet forum and your name came up,” Paris started.
If I let her tell the story we would be here forever. “Were you married to a guy named Peter who also happened to be married to a Dolloway woman he ran away from because he thought she would kill him?”
Paris was dumbfounded. “Zoe!”
Ravenna’s smile was so wide I thought the top of her head would fall off because of the huge gap. “You are funny,” she said. “I like you. You get right to the point.”
“I don’t have a lot of time,” I said, deciding on the fly that I liked her, too. That didn’t mean I trusted her. We didn’t have many allies in this area, though, so I couldn’t exactly ignore any help Ravenna might offer. “My daughter is in danger.”
“Ah, the Archimage prophecy,” Ravenna intoned. “I wondered when that would rear its ugly head. It was only a matter of time, I suppose, but the timing is curious.”
“We think we’ve figured out the reason behind the timing,” I admitted.
“And?”
“My daughter just turned twelve,” I answered. “She’s part wolf. They usually do this weird molting thing at twelve and shift for the first time. Er, I guess that’s not entirely true. Some wolves have really strong lines and shift when they’re younger. Since Sami’s lines aren’t pure, though, everyone expected her to shift when she turned twelve.”
“And did she?”
“No, but I don’t believe she’s tried to shift either,” I said. “It frightens her. Plus, well, there’s that whole naked thing. She wears a bathing suit in the bathtub.”
Ravenna laughed, the sound low and throaty. “What about her mage powers?”
That was a sticky – and annoying – question. “She doesn’t have any.”
“That’s a lie, but I don’t blame you for protecting your child,” Ravenna said. “The Archimage prophecy has been around for a long time. There were whispers after you moved here. People were surprised you picked a spot so close to the Dolloway land. Your boyfriend – now husband, I believe – was very secretive when buying the property. Everyone knew something else was going on.
“It didn’t take long for people to discover who you were,” she continued. “When that happened gossip spread like wildfire. A mage was here. What did it mean? Of course, you were not the Archimage yet.”
“I’m not the Archimage now,” I argued. “I absorbed a book. I didn’t become it.”
“Yes, but you combined the power of the book with yourself,” Ravenna pointed out. “Then you gave birth nine months later to a girl who was supposed to fulfill the prophecy.”
“We’ve been having trouble tracking down specifics about the prophecy,” Paris said. “What can you tell us about it?”
“That some people believe it.”
“That’s not much to go on,” I said. “What else?”
“Prophecies only have power if you believe in them, mage,” Ravenna said. “If you don’t, then they’re just words on a page.”
“Kind of like the fortune cookie you sound like,” I said. “Tell me about the Dolloways. What’s their deal?”
“The Dolloways were good, god-fearing people as far as I can tell,” Ravenna replied. “I’ve studied their history for a long time.”
“Because you married one of their husbands?”
“I married a good man,” Ravenna replied. “I understand you did the same. If that’s true, I think you’ll understand my insistence on keeping that tidbit to myself.”
“Fine. I don’t care about Peter. I do care about the Dolloway women, though. What were they doing out there?”
“At first they were trying to survive,” Ravenna replied. “They didn’t care about money or excessive land. They didn’t care about status either. They wanted a decent life and to leave the world a better place than when they entered.”
“You said they were that way at first,” Paris prodded. “What changed?”
“That’s easy,” I answered for Ravenna. “Abigail.”
Ravenna’s eyebrows shot up her forehead. “You have been busy,” she said, impressed. “How did you learn about Abigail?”
“We went to the Dolloway house and found a book,” I answered, seeing no reason to lie. “Paris read it. I was going to but … well … it was too long and I get bored really easily.”
“I see that,” Ravenn
a said, smirking. “You found the family diary. That’s interesting. People have been looking for it for years. In fact, some people think they can get a fortune for it on the secondary market. They think it’s full of secrets.”
“It’s full of really boring stuff,” I said. “It doesn’t even tell what happened to the bulk of the husbands. They just disappeared. They don’t explain why they’re running around as wraiths either.” It was a calculated gamble, but I was dying to see how she would react. Ravenna didn’t seem surprised by the revelation.
“Most people think the Dolloway land is haunted,” Ravenna explained. “It is in some respects. It’s not in others. What’s out there is something that should’ve passed on a long time ago.”
“Is that why Peter left?” Paris asked.
“Peter realized that he was in danger because one of the wraiths tried to make contact with him,” Ravenna replied. “The wraiths are controlled by the Dolloways. I guess ‘enslaved’ would be a better word. They’re expected to do the bidding of the current generation and are bound to her until the line is ended.”
“The line is ended,” I argued. “There are shirttail cousins hanging around, but they’re not part of that main line. They all died out.”
“Are you sure? Did they die out or did they disappear?”
“I … .” Huh, that was a good question.
“We can’t find any records for what happened to the last daughter,” Paris said. “Then a cousin got the house and later disappeared himself. There were no other female heirs to take ownership of the land, so it has sat empty for a long time.”
“Until now,” Ravenna said. “You said you went inside. What did you find?”
“Wraiths and a pentagram,” I replied.
“The pentagram had curled edges,” Paris said, digging in her purse until she came up with her cell phone. “I took photographs.”
Ravenna took the phone and studied it. “That is a skull witch pentagram. It represents black magic.”
“What is a skull witch?” I asked. “My daughter heard a ghost story that mentioned it.”
“It’s a dark witch,” Ravenna replied. “Most think the practice died out years ago. It hasn’t died, but it is endangered.”
“Not endangered enough,” I grumbled. “What is out there controlling the wraiths?”
“If the wraiths are being controlled, that means a female heir remains,” Ravenna said. “I have no idea who it could be. I’ve spent a lot of time studying that family tree, but every family has secrets it doesn’t share with others.”
“What are they ultimately trying to do?” Paris asked. “What do they think will happen if they get Sami in that pentagram?”
“I’m sure they’ve imbued the pentagram with binding magic to hold her still and trap her,” Ravenna said. “My understanding is that to tap into the Archimage’s power, the Dolloways believe they have to tap the source dry and drink her blood.”
Wait … what did she just say? “They want to drink my daughter’s blood?” I was going to crush these jackoffs with my bare hands. It was going to be bloody … and terrible … and messy.
“They believe if they do that it will restore their bodies and they will live forever,” Ravenna explained. “You have to be very careful. You’re in a precarious situation. Tonight is a full moon, which gives them more power.”
“Full moon?” Crap! I never keep track of these things.
“I didn’t even think of that,” Paris said. “They’re going to move again tonight no matter what, aren’t they?”
“There are two kinds of wraiths out there,” Ravenna said. “The males are slaves and will be sacrificed. The female Dolloways are also wraiths, but they’re protected. They expect to be resurrected and live forever.”
“I’m betting all of the wraiths I’ve been shredding are the males,” I said. “I don’t think I’ve seen any females yet.”
“Shredding?” Ravenna tapped her chin. “Have you been killing them?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “Their souls are tied to objects here, so I honestly don’t know. Whenever I see one I just tear it apart or make it explode like a bomb. I set one on fire, too.”
“Very impressive,” Ravenna said, and she clearly meant it. “There has to be at least one human female for this to come to fruition. That’s who you’re looking for.”
“It’s probably Cissy,” I said. “She’s such a wench. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s a blood-drinking witch.”
“What about Abigail, though?” Paris asked. “Whatever happened to her?”
“Abigail is tied to the land, too,” Ravenna answered. “She is not a wraith. She is a hybrid, much like your daughter.”
“What kind of hybrid?”
“She’s half witch and half demon,” Ravenna replied. “She’s is wholly dangerous.”
“So you’re saying she’s still out there,” I said. “Where has she been hiding?”
“I can’t answer that,” Ravenna said. “She is tied to the family, though. She knows who the last heir is. She probably kept her safe.”
“And they’ll be coming tonight,” I said, rolling my neck until it cracked.
“That would be my guess,” Ravenna said. “I’m sure you’ve taken precautions, but you might want to double them.”
“That’s a good idea, Zoe,” Paris said. “Do you think you can erect a double dome?”
“Screw that,” I said, hopping up from the stool as my mind swirled with possibilities. “That’s not the route we’re taking.”
“It’s not?” Paris was confused. “What route are we taking?”
“I’m bringing the fight to them,” I said. “I’m going on the offensive.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning this ends tonight,” I said, giving Ravenna a curt nod. “Thank you for your time and information. You’re not half bad for a woman who married another guy knowing he already had a wife.”
“You are a handful, aren’t you?” Ravenna shook her head. “How does your poor husband put up with you?”
“Oh, don’t worry about him,” Paris said. “He enjoys it.”
“Speaking of my poor husband, we have to get going,” I said. “He’s going to freak out if I’m gone too long, and we need to get everyone ready before the sun sets tonight. We’re only going to get one shot at this.”
“Good luck, mage,” Ravenna said, her smile mysterious. “I would worry about you, but I think you’re too stubborn to let anyone else win. Just be careful and make sure you get all of the wraiths. Getting Abigail is also important. If you don’t, they might try to regroup and attack at another time.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” I said. “I’m burning their whole house of cards down tonight … and I know exactly how I’m going to do it.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
T he sun would set soon, and with it would go the last vestiges of warmth – until I wiped out all of my enemies and laughed over their twitching corpses. What? Too much?
I snuggled with Aric on the chaise lounge on the rear deck, briefly pressing my eyes shut as he rubbed my back and asked me to relate my conversation with Ravenna. He didn’t want an audience when I told him my plan. When I was finished, he wasn’t happy with my decision, but he knew putting his foot down wouldn’t garner the reaction he desired.
“I don’t like this idea, Zoe.”
Instead of telling him to “shut it” I decided to play nice. “Do you have a better one?”
“No, but … I think we should stay together,” Aric said. “We’re stronger as a family.”
“Normally I would agree,” I said. “These aren’t normal circumstances, though. If we wait for them to come to us Sami is going to be in the thick of things … and so is Paris. She can’t move fast, and I’m not sure she’ll be able to protect herself.
“That means I’m going to be put in the position of protecting Sami and sacrificing her, and that’s not exactly fair,” I continued. “This is the best option.”
I feigned patience as I waited.
“If you go outside of the dome and then lock us in here, you’re going to be alone,” Aric said. “We’ll only be safe in here as long as you’re alive. If that dome goes down I’m going to know … .” He broke off, his eyes glassy.
“Aric, I’m not going to die,” I said. “They’re afraid of me.”
“Of course they’re afraid of you,” Aric said, collecting himself. “You’re terrifying when you want to be. You’re still outnumbered. You don’t have eyes in the back of your head. You need me to go with you.”
“Then Sami will be left exposed,” I pointed out. “We can’t do that.’
“She won’t be left exposed,” Aric argued. “My parents are here. Paris and Heath are here. If the dome comes down they can get in a vehicle and drive to safety. There are wolf compounds where Sami will be protected.”
It was a nice sentiment, but I was fairly certain he was deluding himself. “She’s not a full wolf. They may shun her.”
“They won’t.”
“Aric … .” I felt helpless. Was I asking too much of him? If the roles were reversed, I wasn’t sure I could give him the same thing I asked from him.
“Zoe, you’re asking me to choose between my wife and my daughter,” Aric said. “I don’t think I’m capable of that.”
“I am not asking you to choose between us,” I argued. “I’m asking you to give Sami her best shot.”
“You left Sami to get me when I was hurt,” Aric pointed out. “Was that the right thing to do by her?”
“I … .” Crap. He had me.
“That’s what I thought,” Aric said. “I love you so much it hurts sometimes, Zoe. I love Sami, too. She came from both of us. I cannot sacrifice you, though. I won’t.”
“I’m not asking you to sacrifice me,” I challenged. “I’m asking you to protect our child one way while I do it another. We both knew this day would inevitably come and we agreed to do what was right to keep Sami safe.”
Haunted Covenant (Dying Covenant Trilogy Book 1) Page 23