by Tish Thawer
Trin smiled and pulled a delicate fluorite pendulum from a black satin bag and nodded to Caris. “Join me with yours.”
Caris moved towards the edge of her bed, pulling her rose quartz pendulum from her pocket. “All set.”
“What do you want me to do?” Kennedy asked, not really one to use the pendulum that often.
“Just stand near us to lend your energy and repeat any chant that I start,” Trin smiled.
“Gotcha!” Kennedy moved into position next to Caris.
Holding her pendulum out, Trin waited for Caris to do the same then began the spell. “Find the one we’re looking for, Ann from now and before. Reveal to us what hides within, my Lord and Lady, let the search begin.”
Both pendulums spun in a circle, faster and faster until they flew from their respective owner’s hand, landing with their points touching over one particular spot on the map.
“Wow. That was quick,” Kennedy stated.
“Do we recognize this place?” Caris asked, hoping she wasn’t the only one at a loss.
Trin sighed. “I do. Remember when I said I’d spent a lifetime in Maine...” her words trailed off.
“Yes,” Caris replied as Kennedy shook her head no.
“Well, Scarborough is where I lived. It was 1702.”
“Where the hell were we?” Kennedy asked, looking at Caris.
“I have no idea.”
Chapter Eleven
Repacked and back on the road, Kennedy followed Caris and Trin down the I-95 towards Scarborough. Trin had given them the rundown of the lifetime she’d spent there, which was still so hard to believe, not to mention completely disconcerting since she and Caris had no idea where they’d been during that time period. Trin was hopeful that once they were back on familiar-to-her soil, they’d be able to find Ann and get some answers. I sure hope so, Kennedy thought, fighting against the uneasy feeling creeping up her spine.
In the Jeep, Trin’s phone buzzed and displayed Jason’s face on her screen. “Good morning, handsome, how are you? I miss you.” Trin smiled as she spoke.
“Hi. Well, I was great until I realized my surprise was a bust. Where are you? I came to Orono to meet up with you guys.” Jason’s voice was warm but edged with annoyance.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. We got a lead and are headed down to Scarborough as we speak.” Trin looked at Caris and cringed, feeling bad their change in plans had affected his efforts to come join them.
“Okay. Let me grab a bite to eat then I’ll fill up and be on my way. I’ll meet you there. And oh yeah...Surprise!” He coughed out a laugh.
“Oh, babe. Thanks for coming. We’ll see you soon. I sure love ya.” Trin smiled into the phone.
“Love you more.”
“I knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away,” Caris teased.
“Do you think it will bother Kennedy that’s he’s joining us?” Trin asked.
“No. Not at all. Jeremiah’s always been there for us.”
IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS
1693
“What do you mean she’s chosen to burn? NO! We have to get her out of there. I can’t lose her too,” Kenna sobbed.
“I’m sorry, there was nothing I could do that would change her mind. She has something planned, I’m sure of it, but all we can do now is wait and trust her,” Jeremiah pulled both sisters into his arms. “Karina’s charged me with your care, and you need to know, I’ll never leave you.”
They spent the night crying and grieving the loss of their beloved Karina. Frightened and scared of what the future would hold, they each created a talisman that would keep Karina’s spirit close to their hearts. Jeremiah fashioned a length of leather cord to hold the ring he’d purchased for her in hopes of making her his wife. Kara gathered the herbs her sister used for her healing tea and placed them inside a poison ring she wore on special occasions. Kenna reached into Karina’s special drawer of their workspace and pulled out her Book of Shadows. Pulling the spell which she used to save their mama, Kenna folded it tightly into a square which she then placed into a cotton sachet to carry with her at all times.
That same eve was to be Karina’s trial, not that she’d get anything of the sort, but as the girls dressed in their woolen cloaks and Jeremiah in his black suit and overcoat, a feeling of peace had settled over them all. It didn’t take magic to know it was Karina’s doing, for each of them started to hear her words within their minds. “I’ll be okay. Please do nothing to jeopardize yourselves.”
Kara and Kenna both pleaded with her to let them come save her, but she refused, saying she wouldn’t allow them to face the same fate and would use every ounce of her magic to ensure it and that they just needed to trust her.
Jeremiah, Kenna, and Kara watched as Karina was drug from the prison and into the courtyard, bound at the wrists. The waiting crowd hissed and cursed hatefulness upon her as she was led to the stake. It took everything within them to not smite them all in that very moment, but instead, they did as their sister asked, and remained patient. Once Karina was tied in place, the pomp and circumstance began.
Kara and Kenna wept as the announcement was made. “Hear ye, hear ye. We gather this night to present evidence of solid conviction upon this witch, Karina Howe. Her use of dark magic was witnessed by our own Governor Danforth and the accusing Ann Putnam.”
They all gasped at the mention of Mrs. Putnam’s name. Jeremiah pulled them close, wrapping his arms around them in an effort to comfort and calm.
“The devil’s mark has been identified upon her and as the Court declares, ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,’” the executioner declared. With no further words, the torch was cast at Karina’s feet, and the crowd roared like zealots, cheering and excited for her death, but it was only when she smiled did a hush fall over the crowd.
Kara and Kenna stood hidden at the back of the crowd, silently pleading. “Do it now! Use your magic to escape.”
They watched as she closed her eyes and began her chant. Magic built within them all, as they too, heard her plea. “Come to me, death that be, flames surrounds, peace abounds; flesh to earth, spirit to soar, transport our souls, alive forever more.”
Bursting free of their mortal flesh, they all flew into the cosmos. Encased in fire and wind, their energy signatures spun wildly into the night sky. They could feel each other’s magic sparking against one another and knew Karina’s spell had worked. It wasn’t until the final moment, before plummeting into their first lifetime, did they realize they had been separated from Karina. Their souls solidifying in their new bodies, and thankfully, Jeremiah was still there, as he promised, and they knew he always would be.
Arrived and checked into separate rooms, Caris and Kennedy unpacked, while Karina waited for Jason’s arrival. They’d all determined it would be best if they held off until morning before starting their search for Ann.
“I’m here, babe. What room are we in?” Jason asked, holding his cell phone to his ear with his shoulder as he reached for his bag.
“501,” Trin supplied.
“Great, see you in a few.” Clicking the key fob, he set the alarm on his truck and entered the hotel. Ready to have his woman back in his arms, he made a bee-line for the elevator, pushing the button for the fifth floor with smile on his face.
“Well, well, I never thought it would be this easy to lure everyone out, and lookie here...just the man I need.”
Jason spun, but not in time as a cloth settled over his nose and mouth. Sliding down to the floor he sent his last waking image into Trin’s mind. The image of Ann Putnam’s snarling face.
Chapter Twelve
“Damn that witch! This has been a trap the entire time,” Trin cussed.
“Okay, okay, calm down,” Kennedy instructed, using her FBI training to take control of the situation. “We’re all upset, but losing focus won’t help us find him any sooner.” Kennedy kneaded a cotton sachet between her fingers which throughout the centuries had been the only thing that helped calm her usua
l hard-edge.
“Let’s do another scrying spell and see if we can pinpoint her exact location now that we’re in town,” Caris suggested. Trin nodded but continued to pace while Kennedy set up the map. Taking point, Caris pulled her pendulum from her pocket and motioned Trin forward to join her. Using Trin’s previous spell, Caris repeated, “Find the one we’re looking for, Ann from now and before. Reveal to us what hides within, my Lord and Lady, let the search begin.”
Unlike their previous attempt, their pendulums spun wildly, jerking and bobbing between multiple spots on the map. “What does that mean?” Kennedy asked.
“It means that Ann has figured out a way to access her magic, or at least some form of it. She’s blocking us,” Trin seethed.
“Shit!” Kennedy snapped, rolling her shoulders. “We have to do something else that will help pinpoint her location.”
“Or maybe, we stop trying to find her and start trying to find Jason instead,” Caris suggested.
“Yes! Brilliant! Let’s do it.” Kennedy rushed forward.
“Lord and Lady lead thy search, find our loved one who’s in a lurch. Snatched out from our loving hands, show us his spirit upon this land.” Trin focused her magic and love into the spell and gasped as their pendulums began to swing and sway. Then, unexpectedly, both crystal points started to glow bright blue, warming until they’d burnt a hole directly into the map.
“Yes!” Caris cried as the hole pinpointed Jason’s location.
Trin sunk down onto the bed. “Oh no.”
“What’s wrong?” Kennedy asked.
“That’s the location of my old house. Katherine Hunniwell’s home from 1702,” Trin shook her head.
“Well, that can’t be good, but I guess it’s no surprise.” Caris gathered the ruined map and tossed it into the trash.
“It does makes sense. If Ann is able to access her magic, she could have followed my energy signature, and it would have led her there. It’s empty now, owned and maintained by the town, so it would serve as the perfect hideout,” Trin explained.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Kennedy slid her gun into the holster and nodded at her sisters. “It looks like it’s old home week, and I’m ready to pay Ms. Putnam a visit.”
The car ride was tension-filled as they made their way to Black Point Road. “Do we have a plan, or are we just lookin’ to bust in?” Caris asked, finally breaking the silence.
“I’ll do a scanning spell to confirm they’re there, then we’ll enter through the back door,” Trin explained.
“Sounds good, but I go in first,” Kennedy stated flatly, leaving no room for argument.
When they turned off onto Old Country Road, Trin motioned for Caris to slow the Jeep. “I just cast a dampening spell so Ann shouldn’t be able to sense our approach. Caris, there should be a rough trail in the grass up here on the right. It will lead us to the back of the property.”
“10-4,” Caris smiled into the rearview then followed Trin’s instructions. Two minutes later, she parked the Jeep along the forest’s edge and joined her sisters in the thick bushes surrounding them.
“Okay, let’s go. I want to get a little closer before doing the scanning spell,” Trin whispered. Creeping forward, she struggled to fight the memories pulling at her psyche, as images of Nadie and the other Native women she’d helped while here bombarded her mind.
“Are you okay,” Caris asked, noticing the grimace on Trin’s face.
“Yes. I’m just getting a bit overwhelmed with memories from my past here.” Trin wiped her forehead. “I’ll be okay. Here, this should be close enough.”
Trin, Caris, and Kennedy stopped about twenty feet away from the back of the Hunniwell house. They crouched down behind a split rail fence, still hid by lush chokeberry bushes and the birch grove that surrounded the house. Trin looked at the tiny cottage, appreciating the bright red paint and all the upkeep and restoration that had kept her home standing strong for this long. There was no visible movement inside, but they’d know soon enough if they were truly alone.
“Do you need anything for the spell?” Kennedy asked.
“No, but I’d feel better if we joined hands,” Trin smiled.
Clasping hands, they closed their eyes and let their magic flow together. “Give us sight to see this night, waiting within or on the run, show us the whereabouts of Ann Putnam.” A golden light sparked between them, hovering and bobbing in the air within their circle before shooting off towards the house. Passing straight through a window, it pulsed within the space. Trin, Caris, and Kennedy could feel the magic throb within their chests, confirming Ann was waiting inside.
Kennedy nodded at her sisters then took the lead, pulling her gun from her holster, she crouched down and walked purposefully towards the back door. Trin continued to scan the area, making sure they weren’t walking into a physical or magical trap of some sort, while Caris brought up the rear, clutching a bag of herbs and securing her poison ring onto her finger as she continued to chant protective spells under her breath.
Creeping up the single stone step, Kennedy eased the backdoor open, which to no one’s surprise had been left unlocked. Talking into their minds, she sent her sisters a warning. “Obviously, this is still part of her trap, so be careful.”
Trin pushed through the memories flooding her mind and scanned the main floor, desperate to latch onto Jason’s energy signature. “There!” she thought. “He’s in the living room, just up ahead.” Trin pushed passed Kennedy, her magic surging through her veins and rounded the corner, ready to face their enemy.
“Trin!” Jason exclaimed from the chair he was tied to in the middle of the room.
“Are you okay?” Trin asked, rushing to undo the ropes.
Kennedy stood guard, aiming her gun at the main opening to the room. “Where is she?”
“Upstairs. She kept going up and down, muttering to herself about a new destination, but she didn’t hurt me.” Jason shrugged out of the ropes and stood, pulling Trin into his arms. “She’s definitely crazy, though, and I have no idea what’s she’s talking about.”
Trin looked around the familiar space and could no longer ignore the sinking feeling in her gut. “I think I do.”
Caris walked forward, giving Jason a quick hug, then turned to Trin. “What do we need to do?”
“She’s clearly regained use of her magic somehow, and by doing so, I think she’s trying to go back to a time in which she had full access to her powers,” Trin explained.
“Time travel? Are you serious?” Kennedy snapped.
“Yes, unfortunately. By kidnapping Jason, she knew I’d come here, I think she’s trying to latch on to the magical energy left here from my previous life. You said it yourself, you don’t know where you were during that time period, but she was with me here,” Trin gestured around the room, “and I think she’s trying to get back there.”
“Damn! Well, then let’s go stop her,” Kennedy barked.
Trin and Caris nodded then followed Kennedy towards the winding staircase.
“Jason, you stay down here in case she gets past us,” Kennedy instructed.
“Got it.” Jason kissed Trin and gave her a firm, reassuring nod.
“Let’s go,” Trin instructed.
Ascending the stairs, Kennedy led the way, halting them halfway up. She pointed ahead of her to a red light, pulsing from the other side of the attic door. “Caris, strengthen your protection bubble around us, now!” Kennedy sent into her sister’s mind.
“Goddess of love, Goddess of light, protect us with your awesome might. Within this bubble, we are safe, protected by your loving grace.”
Nodding at each other, they continued up the stairs, listening as Ann’s muffled voice became clearer and clearer the closer they got.
“Time is mine, fluid and true. Take me back, my curse to undo.” The red light surged throughout the entire space as Ann finished her spell.
“Go, now! Stop her!” Trin cried.
Kennedy burst thr
ough the door, racing into the room and dove for the tail of Ann’s dress just as she slipped through the portal hovering before them in the middle of the room “Dammit! What do we do now?”
“Follow her, we have no choice!” Trin leapt forward, diving through the swirling vortex and found herself flung out into the very same room. “What the hell?” She looked around, nervously, waiting for her sisters to arrive, which they never did. The portal snapped closed with a pop, leaving her standing alone in the familiar attic. She spun around, taking in the differences in the scene and sank to the floor. “Oh no. Goddess help me!”
A creak from the stairs pulled her to her feet. “Madame Kate? Is that you?” a long-forgotten but familiar voice rang out. “What are you doing up there? Did I forget something for dinner service?” Nadie climbed the stairs and gasped. “Madame Kate, what happened to your clothes, your hair? Have you been assaulted?”
Trin quickly gathered her wits. “No, no, Nadie. Nothing like that. I was just walking in the garden and snuck up here to retrieve a vase for the flowers I wanted to gather. You go on, now. I’ll be down in just a bit.”
Nadie’s big, beautiful eyes narrowed as she contemplated her mistress’s words. “Yes, Madame. But let me know if you’d like me to gather anything else from the garden.” She turned and walked back downstairs, leaving Trin to collapse onto the dusty wood floor in despair.
Chapter Thirteen
After a fitful and well deserved cry, Trin pulled herself together and descended the stairs. She needed to find her sisters; she knew they’d followed her through the portal, even though they didn’t emerge in the same place. Her instincts told her it was because they weren’t previously a part of this time, but that wouldn’t make locating them any easier. Trin just hoped they’d arrived in the same vicinity at least.