by Tish Thawer
Trin could feel the magic of the portals pulling at her and had to think fast. The idea of Ann returning to their true time was not only a bad idea in and of itself, but changing history to where the Putnam sisters all possessed magic, yeah...that was something they needed to avoid at all costs.
Trin quickly spoke into Caris and Kennedy’s mind, “Ground yourself in the here and now. Reach for the thread of the tribes magic and hopefully we can alter the destination of the other two portals to mimic the center one. That will lead us right back to where we started, regardless what portal we step through. And keep your eyes open, we don’t want to tip Ann off that we’re casting a spell.”
All three girls took a deep breath and allowed their energy to flow from their feet and into the ground. The cold feel from the top layer of frost hit them first, then the warmth of the underlying soil as their tendrils of energy penetrated the earth. Pulsing currents of golden magic fed back into them as they latched onto the tribe’s magic that had been engrained into the land, all while remaining unseen by Ann and her sisters.
Trin pulled the essence of the center portal to her through the roots of the tree, flaring feelers out towards Caris and Kennedy. Each quickly snagged at the root-line and drew it into their own web. Now, all connected, the girls pushed a surge of magic back into the ground towards the trees, shifting and changing the portals to all work as one.
“Let’s go!” Ann spat, yanking at Trin’s arm as she walked them towards the far left tree. “Wait thirty seconds, then follow us through,” Ann instructed her sisters.
Not being privy to the girl’s little alteration, Jason jerked against the blade that was digging into his back. “Let me go through with her,” he demanded.
“Sorry, loverboy, you’ll have to wait your turn,” Ann mocked.
“Honey, don’t worry, I’ll be right back. Trust me.” Trin sent her thoughts into his mind and gave him a quick wink.
Jason backed down but remained on high alert. Not sure what was going to happen but determined to not lose the love of his life for a second time this month, he nodded sharply and crossed his arms in frustration waiting, but ready to act.
Trin let Ann drag her forward and push her through the portal, almost bursting at the seams with laughter when they emerged right back where they started, in front of their families.
“What the hell?” Ann screamed.
“I guess you were wrong. Seems we can’t open the other portals like you thought,” Trin taunted, hoping she’d buy her fake excuse.
“We’ll see about that.” She nodded at her sister who had Caris lined up with the other portal, digging the tip of knife into the flesh of her shoulder blade.
Trin winked at Caris then stood silently as they popped out of sight and reappeared in the next second, emerging from the center tree.
“God dammit!” Ann screamed.
The three-ring circus, or more accurately, three-tree circus continued until every single one of the girls plus Jason had been ushered through all of the portals, each time returning to the same spot.
With a dramatic flare, Ann threw her hands in the air and the ground shook as snow spit from the sky like shards of glass, pelting only the girls and Jason. “Fix it! Now!”
Jason, Trin, and her sisters all shielded themselves from the elemental fit, casting a protective bubble around themselves that diverted the storm with ease. “Fix what? It’s not our fault your magic isn’t what it needs to be to pull this off. Guess you’ll just have to wait until you’re stronger and try again,” Trin taunted.
“Oh, don’t you worry about me. I’ll definitely be back, and when I am, it will be the end of you and your family.” With her ominous words hanging in the air, Ann snapped her fingers and disappeared with her sisters in tow.
A bank of fog crept across the forest floor in retreat as Caris huffed, “Um...well, I didn’t see that coming. I didn’t think her magic was that far advanced yet.”
“Shouldn’t we go after her?” Jason asked ready to put the time-meddling witch down.
“Not yet. We now know her plan is to gather her sisters and alter the origins of our past.” Trin shook her head, deep in thought but clearly not ready to share all she was contemplating.
“Fine, so we know her plan, but how are we going to stop her?” Kennedy pressed.
“Wait, isn’t that just what we did? Stop her, I mean.” Jason questioned. “With the portals not working, we should be good, right? Won’t that keep her from returning to our original time?”
“The portals aren’t working because we have a hold of the tribe’s magic and altered their destinations. That hold will dissipate as soon as we leave this forest, but hopefully Ann bought the ruse and won’t come back to try again any time soon,” Trin explained.
“Hopefully...but what if she does?” Kennedy sighed.
“Then I guess we all head back to Salem, back to 1693 and stop her from ever starting this chaos to begin with.” Trin turned to Nadie who’d stood as a silent witness under guard by Ann’s sisters. “Are you all right?” Trin asked.
“Yes. Your magic is strong and worked well.” She lowered her head and kneaded the beads hanging from her belt between her thumb and forefinger. “But there’s something I need to tell you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Trin, Jason, and the girls listened as Nadie explained about the tribe’s shaman wanting to keep them all there. “He asked that I keep the items you asked for from you, which I wasn’t planning to do by the way, but then I got pulled through the portal and couldn’t get back on my own. I’m so sorry.”
Trin hugged her friend, leaving her arm wrapped around her shoulder as they walked back toward the village. “Thank you for telling me, but I’d pretty much figured it out on my own when he kept refusing to tell me where you’d gone, or why he wouldn’t let me borrow any of the items from his hut. He’s been very vocal about his gratitude for all the work I’ve done for the tribe, admitting he couldn’t perform the same level of healing if it wasn’t for my magic. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he wouldn’t want that to end.”
“So you’re not mad?” Nadie asked.
“No. I’m not mad. But as you well know, there’s no way we can stay here, especially with Ann on the move.” Trin smiled as she turned back to her sisters. “Thank you for trusting me today and pooling our magic. It seemed to be exactly the type of grounding and connection we needed to boost our strength. I could feel my magic surging, so hopefully, the next time we run into Ann, we’ll be able to overtake her and her horde easily.”
Caris grinned and moved to hug her big sister. “You’re welcome. It was a good plan and worked like a charm. And I think you’re right,” she turned back to the group, “not only do we have to trust each other, but trusting ourselves to be a part of a greater whole is exactly the ticket to maintaining our full magic.”
“Okay, yes, you’re right. I could feel the Goddess’s approval as we pulled together and let our magic weave the necessary outcome,” Kennedy admitted with a lighthearted shrug.
“Well, good. Then we’re all on the same page and on our way back to normal.” Trin winked. The group stopped short as they entered the village. “Okay, well maybe not exactly back to normal.” Trin laughed as they took in the entire tribe readying for a celebration. Indians covered in decorated skins and elaborate headdresses danced around the firepit, while a few of the tribeswomen worked to remove the wrapped seafood for a clam bake.
“Oh my god, that smells so good.” Jason took a big wiff and moved toward the food but stopped short when he was halted by a spear and a harsh voice.
“Stop! Who is this outsider?”
Trin rushed to his side but had no idea what to say. Thankfully, Nadie stepped in and saved them all once more. “This is Kanti’s mate...Jacwen. He’s travelled far to meet her here and was attacked on the way. He has killed the Indian Killer, Richard Hunniwell, and should be welcomed and honored.”
Jason bowed his head a
s he was inspected from top to bottom. Splatters of blood still marred his skin and arms from the strike that took Richard’s life, which in this case was a good thing.
One of the elders pushed forward, waving a rattle in the air. “You are welcome here, Jacwen. Your body and spirit are strong. Feast, rest, and allow your soul to be renewed.”
Jason flinched as liquid from the elder’s rattle splashed across his face and torso. He hoped it was water but wasn’t about to make a scene to find out. “Thank you. I am humbled by your kindness.” Jason bowed low and melded back into the crowd with Trin, Caris, and Kennedy. “That was awkward.”
“Not as awkward as it could have been if they hadn’t accepted you,” Kennedy stated.
“Too true.” Jason turned to Nadie who remained close to their group. “Was Richard’s nickname really Indian Killer?”
She shook her head yes. “He has been a blight on our existence since arriving on our lands. His wife,” she nodded at Trin, “however, is the main reason we’re still here and as well educated as we are. There are no amount of gifts that can honor or repay her for her sacrifices.”
“Sacrifices?” Caris pried.
Trin shook her head ever so slightly, interrupting the conversation. “It doesn’t matter,” Trin said, her voice sharper than intended.
“You may not think it matters, but it certainly mattered to us.” Nadie laid a hand on Trin’s shoulder. “Your choice to stay here on your own as a single widow was a huge sacrifice, and I know it wasn’t an easy one for you to make. Especially after your cousin arrived.”
Caris, Kennedy, and Jason’s heads snapped in Trin’s direction.
Trin sighed. “I’m grateful my presence here helped the tribe, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way, despite what my cousin had wanted. So again, it was no sacrifice. Establishing the Daughters of Maine was one of my greatest accomplishments while here.” She clenched her jaw and shook her head at her sisters and Jason, hoping to make it clear she wasn’t going to discuss this any further. Instead, she let the tribe’s celebration absorb her and their problems for the night.
Trin woke the next morning to rain splatter on the thatched roof and snuggled deep into Jason’s arms under the furs covering their bed. “Sounds like we better bundle up today. Winter’s moving in,” she whispered.
“Can’t we just stay here, warm in each other’s arms? I’ve missed you,” Jason cooed as he pecked her cheek with tiny kisses.
“I would love nothing more, but I would prefer it if we were in our own bed, in our own time,” she shifted to look him in the eyes, “wouldn’t you agree?”
“Of course I agree, but no matter where we are, regardless of the time or space, I will never tire of having you in my arms.” Jason kissed her softly and relaxed back against the grass-filled mattress.
“Oh my god, I love you both, but I just might gag if I have to listen to any more of this lovey-dovey nonsense,” Kennedy teased.
Trin and Jason laughed then rose, leaving the warmth of their bed behind as they pulled on their moccasins. “Fine, fine. Then let’s discuss what our next step should be,” Trin suggested, arching her back and stretching her arms high into the air.
“Actually, I was thinking about something Nadie said.” Kennedy shifted forward, sitting cross-legged on the ground as she re-braided her hair. “You made it clear you didn’t want to talk about the sacrifices you made by staying here in that lifetime, but I think we should talk about when your ‘cousin’ arrived. I’m assuming that was Ann, right?”
“Yes. But she didn’t arrive until much later, so honestly, her presence here didn’t impact my decision to stay as much as you think.” Trin shrugged.
“That may be, but my concern is, if Ann was here with you in that time, what if our version of Ann went to find her older self in effort to alter things even further,” Kennedy explained.
“Great!” Caris snapped as she flung herself from her bed. “Just what we need, another enemy to deal with.”
“No, no, calm down,” Trin stated soothingly, “like I originally stated, it’s highly unlikely that’s the case or else she would have already done it by now. She stated it herself, her attempt to use Richard was just a lure to get us to the portals, so if she did have the other Ann available to use against us, I think she would have played that card already.”
“I agree,” Jason piped in, “but why don’t we just go back to our past and put a stop to all this. You said it yourself, if she succeeds we’ll have no choice but to return to 1693 and stop her there. Why don’t we just get a jump on that and head back now?”
Trin lowered her head as everyone waited for her response. She wasn’t ready to tell them how visiting here had begun to affect her, and how she had no doubt it would only get worse if she were to travel to yet another time in their lives when she, Henirich, and Ann were still connected by the demon’s bond.
“It’s my hope that we can stop her here. I don’t want to travel back in time any further than necessary. Caris has already seen Mama and can attest to how that changed the course of things during that time. And while yes, we made adjustments to deal with those changes, we have to ask ourselves, what if we’re not able to do so again? What if Ann succeeds in altering our past to the point where we have no future? Are you truly ready to take that chance?”
Footsteps crunching against the frost-covered ground outside broke the thick silence hanging in the air. “Excuse me,” Nadie interrupted, poking her head in through the door. “There will be no assigned chores today, as today is a day of rest and reflection after last night’s celebration.” She entered the wigwam and walked straight toward Trin, handing her the baskets containing their breakfast. “I’ve also brought you this.” She smiled shyly and pulled a smooth wooden bowl from the bag hanging at her hip. A split ran down one side that had been filled with crushed amethyst, the purple stone radiating light and magic that yanked Trin straight into a memory from another time.
IPSWICH, MASSACHUESETTS
1685
“Karina, could you please bring the mortar and pestle and join me in the back room?” her mama called out.
“Comin’, Mama.” Trin walked into their work space and gasped. “What happened?”
Her mama didn’t respond but slowly turned and took the tools from her hands, dropping two small chunks of amethyst into the bowl. As she began to grind the stone into powder, she chanted––low at first but louder with each turn of her wrist. “Fill the crack in time and space, bind the bowl and mend with grace. Traces of me and my daughters three, bonded through time, so mote it be.”
“So mote it be,” Karina repeated sealing the spell. “What happened to the scrying bowl, Mama?”
“I broke it and as you can see, it’s now been fixed so that it may continue to serve its purpose for our family.” She turned to face Karina, placing the now repaired bowl in her cupped hands. “This bowl will remain with you and your sisters for all time. It is just one of the tools that will help you in your future endeavors. Be sure to look for it in whatever time or place you may find yourself.” Her mama ran a hand down her smooth cheek, and looked upon her with such love as only a mother could.
“Of course, Mama, I’ll always keep it safe.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
SCARBOROUGH, MAINE
1703
“Thank you, Nadie. As always, your help is very much appreciated.” Trin smiled warmly and reached for the precious scrying bowl.
“For you, Madame, anything.” Nadie bowed her head and exited the hut.
Trin turned to her sisters, beaming. “Okay, we’ve got work to do, but first, do either of you remember any other tools like this bowl that Mama blessed as part of our family heirlooms?”
Kennedy shook her head as a sly smile creeped across Caris’s face. “Something changed and now you remember,” Caris said.
“Yes. Whatever Mama saw and through her interaction with you in the past, spurred her into making changes to our history. In this ins
tance,” Trin held up the bowl, “she purposely broke our scrying bowl then repaired it with a spell. She told me once that this was just one of the tools that would help us with our future endeavors, so I know there has to be others,” Trin explained.
“What about her necklace you have?” Jason asked.
“Yes. You’re right, I’m sure it served as one of the tools, but I’ve already used its magic when we battled Heinrich, so I don’t think it could help us now,” Trin explained.
“But in this time, it should still have its magic held within, yes?” Kennedy asked.
“Yes, but think about it. If we used it now, then the magic we need for that battle in the future wouldn’t exist. It would have already been spent here,” Trin shrugged. “I know it’s hard to keep our heads wrapped around things as they change, but trust me, I think Mama has left us with the tools to use at just the right moments that will help protect us and our future. Here and now...it’s this scrying bowl, I’m sure of it. So let’s eat our breakfast and get started on the spell. We can search for the other tools later once we stop Ann and return to our current time,” Trin suggested.
The group nodded then settled down to eat, excited by Trin’s obvious enthusiasm at finding another item their mama had left for them to use in their time of need.
After washing down their breakfast with the juice Nadie left for them, Trin and the girls immediately began to prepare for the scrying spell they’d be casting today. “Caris, I’ll need you to go to the river and gather some water.” Trin turned to Jason. “Please go with her. I don’t want any of us venturing out alone at this point.”
Jason nodded and kissed her cheek then followed Caris from the wigwam.
“Kennedy, I’ll need you to gather anything you feel will be a good representation of Ann from our time.”