The Sacred Circle
Rachel James
Avon, Massachusetts
This edition published by
Crimson Romance
an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200
Blue Ash, Ohio 45242
www.crimsonromance.com
Copyright © 2013 by Rachel Schneider
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author's imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.
ISBN 10: 1-4405-7481-2
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-7481-8
eISBN 10: 1-4405-7482-0
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-7482-5
Cover art © 123rf.com
For Mom and Dad, who kept the magic alive throughout their sixty-four years of marriage.
Acknowledgments
My heartfelt thanks go to Julie Sturgeon, Imprint Manager for Crimson Publishing. Her ability to magically transform from Editor to Creative Muse in the blink of an eye can only be labeled as “mind-blowing.”
To Lauren Spielberg, Editor and Magician Extraordinaire. Together we conjured up the right words, at the right time, in the right place. Thanks, thanks, and thanks!
A Special Thank You to the Crimsonistas. Your daily pics of man candy cast a spell over me no charm or amulet can ever break.
Hugs and Kisses to all the readers who read and loved my first novel, The Kindred. Your praises, both in person and by e-mail, have evoked a life-long magic that can’t be altered, reworked, or undone.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
THE DARK TIME
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
EPILOGUE
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THE DARK TIME
Green Sapphire Coven—Fifteen Years Ago
The dark time descended without warning. The furry, brown moon hogs were the first to react, abandoning the Sacred Clearing and burrowing themselves deep underground. The cicadas and crickets were next, silencing their voices and burying themselves beneath nearby twigs and dirt. The cool night breeze vanished simultaneously, along with the disappearance of the full white moon. A towering Saguro cactus suddenly split in two, toppling to the ground with a thunderous crack. The shock wave reverberated beneath the ground, traveling along a dirt pocket and towards the group of teens standing in the middle of a Sacred Circle. Five seconds later, the rush of energy hit the edge of the painted circle and jumped it, jarring the occupants with a seismic jolt of electricity.
Thrown off balance by the chaotic spray of energy debris, the group lost control of the birthday ritual they were building. The cone of power collapsed in on itself, showering Sally Carver with its cave-in rubble first. She crumpled to her knees, knocking into her sister, Brenda, who took the second hit. Startled by the tumbles, Eileen O’Connor reached out to cradle her best friend’s fall, only to find her own frame jolted by a sizeable eruption of energy. Ten seconds later, she was on her knees, alongside Sally and Brenda. Marla Curtis watched in horror as the trio clutched their heads and doubled over. Seconds later, a thrust of energy jarred her ankles, shins, and thighs and she joined the others on the ground.
Flustered, Brianna Sage and Devlin Janus linked hands, using each other as an energy source to regain control of the cone of power. Any other day, the joining would’ve worked, but the dark entity bent on escaping its home world to a new one, unleashed a raw series of energy smudges as a warning to back off. Ignoring the energy dust assaulting their palms, Devlin and Brianna held on, invoking aid from the Ancient Ones.
“Lord and Lady protect us, keep us from harm; protect your sons and daughters, and empower our charms. We stir the Ancients to be here this night; to travel upon their spiritual light. We call on the Ancients, the old ones, the wise; to comfort our fears, and heed all our cries. Give us protection from the darkness and cold; shower our spirits with your knowledge of old.”
The air above their heads stirred, and then turned icy. A second later, a pinwheel of colors announced the arrival of the Ancients, who immediately misted through a seam of the energy vortex, and showered the circle with a pale lavender hue. The energy surge halted the dark entity’s escape and sucked it back into the vortex, like water through a straw.
Devoid of power, the busted ritual righted itself and settled down. The Ancients vanished behind the entity, leaving the cool night breeze to find its natural state of flux again. A second later, the bright white moon reappeared from behind a cloud, and the clearing took on a shimmery glow. Off to the left, a lone cricket trumpeted the all-clear signal, and the night took on its rhythm and flow again.
Released from the spell, Devlin and Brianna crumpled to their knees, dazed by the upset. Across the way, Marla roused. She staggered to her feet, clutching Devlin’s shoulders for balance.
“What happened?” she asked.
“The ritual tanked,” Devlin replied. “We’ve taken a huge hit of electricity, but we’re coming around now.” He clambered to his feet, helping a stumbling Eileen recover her footing. “We’ll be fine.”
“What went wrong?” Eileen asked, rubbing her goose-caked arms, and looking around the clearing.
“Don’t know.” Devlin replied, helping Sally to her feet.
“You went wrong.” Brianna accused, tottering to her feet and knocking his hands away as he tried to help her up. “You didn’t stop the shanking.”
“Me? I wasn’t emceeing the circle. You were.”
“You should’ve caught on sooner that the spell was tanking. You’re older, more experienced.”
“A circle can’t have two masters, and you know it; but if it pleases you to blame me for this, go ahead.” He whirled around, giving each girl the once-over. “Any headaches? Dizziness?” They shook their heads and then Sally gave a shriek.
“Brenda!” The group turned en masse, as Sally fell to her knees alongside her sister. “Brenda!” She shook her shoulders, blubbering her name hysterically. “She’s not responding.” She shook her sister harder, until Marla halted her fingers.
“Quit it, Sally. You’re shaking her brains out.”
Sally’s gaze lifted to Marla’s, and Devlin recognized the angry glint surfacing. He had to ward off the coming confrontation between the pair, or there would be another body lying alongside Brenda’s. Once again, he took charge.
“Go find Doctor Ellis, Marla. Tell him what’s happened.”
She was off in a flash, tearing up the incline and over the ridge.
Devlin hid a relieved sigh. One crisis averted.
“It’s cold, Devlin,” Eileen stated, “and the animals have all gone quiet.”
Devlin chose to ignore her words; they had to focus on Brenda.
“Something bad’s coming,” Brianna remarked, sitting back and hugging her chest. “I can feel it.”
Devlin g
lanced at her shadowed face. Something bad had already come, he thought, we just don’t know what its name is yet. He peeped at Brenda’s grey pallor and winced. Should he send Eileen for the healing stones?
“Go wake Charles and Sienna, Eileen,” he said, suddenly. “They need to be told about Brenda.”
“Wake them? It’s after midnight.” She wrung her hands. “I can’t wake them. They’ll know what we’ve done.”
“You go wake them, Eileen. Now!”
His autocratic command had her scrambling up the incline like Marla before her. A moment later, sounds of sliding shale split the air. Whipping around, the trio searched the ridge for a falling figure.
“Nothing,” Brianna stated, “Just a last minute moon hog burrowing underground.”
“Something bad is coming,” Sally remarked, with a shiver. “You can feel it in the air.” She bent again, shaking Brenda. “Wake up, Brenda! Please!” Her tone was panic-stricken and, hearing it, Brianna stilled her fingers. Sally’s head lifted and she contemplated Brianna’s stare, with a busted sob. “Don’t let her die, Brianna. You can bring her back; you know secret ways.”
Brianna’s fingers pulled back.
“Secret ways? What on earth are you talking about?”
“You have powers. Use them—on Brenda.”
A stunned look crossed Brianna’s features.
“I don’t have the power of life and death, Sally. No High Priestess does. We must wait for the Elders to tell us what to do.”
“Brenda could die before they get here. You must use your powers to save her now.”
“Brianna doesn’t have any special powers yet,” Devlin interjected, annoyed. “None of us do. We’re kids; barely out of training.”
Another sob echoed.
“The ritual was supposed to be fool-proof. Brianna said it was. We wouldn’t have tried it, if she hadn’t insisted it was safe.” She glanced at Brianna. “This is all your fault. You lied to us.”
Brianna flushed under the jibe.
“The spell was safe, Sally, I swear it!”
“For you, maybe, but for the rest of us?”
“Stop arguing!” Devlin muttered. “Help me turn Brenda over. I’ve got to inspect her back.”
The girls complied at once, and Devlin lifted Brenda’s blouse and inspected the area along her spine closely. No rash, no burn scar. He raised Brenda’s skirt and examined her legs and thighs.
“Anything?” Brianna whispered.
“No puncture wounds. No rash or burn marks.”
“We’ve got to do something.” Brianna emphasized. “She’s been out too long. Take a guess. Could it be a parasite, or a smudge?”
“Parasite?” Devlin’s head whipped up. He scanned the circle around them. “We cut a door out before Marla and Eileen left, didn’t we?”
The girls’ gasps were audible, and though he couldn’t see their faces clearly, he knew the answer was “no, they hadn’t.” The girls had left without protection, and possibly taking a ride-along entity with them.
As if reading his thoughts, Brianna hopped to her feet and began walking around the inside of the circle line.
“I walk the circle once around, to cleanse and bless this hallow ground. I walk the circle three times more, to open the portal that unlocks the door. As like meets like, and dark meets night, I bend the river to catch the light. One will stay and three will go, time unbends and healing flows.”
A ripple of energy doused the circle and, feeling the gentle breeze, Devlin scooped Brenda into his arms and strode from the circle. Sally followed closely on his heels, calling softly to Brenda as they disappeared over the incline and into the darkness.
Left alone, Brianna’s mind spiraled to a dark place. If Brenda died, it would be her fault, and no matter how many “I’m sorrys” she said, her world would never be right again. She shivered at the thought; hugging herself again. If Marla and Eileen succumbed to an energy sickness, it would be her fault, too. The thought so sickened her that she collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.
• • •
The waiting room was eerily quiet—except for the occasional gurgle of a water fountain. Slouched in a chair on the far wall, Brianna sat brooding. What was taking Doctor Ellis so long? It had to be bad news. She bit her quivering lip. She would never forgive herself for the havoc she had caused. How could she have been so selfish? Thinking only of gratifying her wants, her needs. She had been arrogant, and it was likely her best friend would pay for her sin.
Brianna heard movement by her chair and glanced quickly to her right. Great. Now she would have to endure a character-shredding lecture from Devlin. She watched as he slumped back in the chair, with a guarded look.
“I want to tell you something, Brianna . . .” he finally muttered.
“Leave me alone,” she exclaimed, jumping from her chair and moving to a vacant chair on the other side of the room. She sprawled out and went back to her brooding. If she had to hear one more sermon about witches who betrayed their heritage, she’d scream. Didn’t anyone realize she knew how bad she had acted? How reckless she had been? No one could berate her harder than her own conscience.
She heard movement again, and when she glanced up, she found Devlin towering over her, his shoulders hunched and his hands tucked into his front jean pockets.
“You need to listen . . .”
The waiting room door slammed open, cutting off his sentence and startling the pair. Devlin whirled first, while Brianna bolted to her feet, an eager expression coating her face. The look died immediately as she recognized the lanky figure of Francis Lord poised in the doorway. She plopped back down in her seat, trying to ignore the rising energy level in the room. Francis’ anger was palpable. She could feel it saturating the walls and furniture, and even the air around her.
Spotting her wilting posture, Francis charged across the space. He stopped in front of her chair, his lips curling to a sneer.
“You just had to show off, didn’t you? Prove to Brenda and Sally how superior your skills are to theirs.”
Brianna fidgeted in the chair, tears trembling on her eyelids.
“Leave me alone, Francis. I can’t bear another lecture right now.”
His eyes blazed amber fire.
“You don’t get it, do you? You constructed a ritual in secret; and worse, you constructed it on unconsecrated ground.”
Devlin pulled alongside Francis, gripping his shoulder.
“Take it easy, Francis. Can’t you see Brianna feels bad enough already?”
Francis knocked Devlin’s hand from his shoulder.
“Don’t tell me to take it easy. It isn’t your girlfriend who’s fighting for her life in there.”
“No, and it isn’t yours either!”
Francis flinched at the slur, and then losing his temper, he shoved Devlin hard. Devlin stumbled back, careening into a chair and sliding it sideways. He was on his feet quickly, lunging forward and grappling with Francis.
Brianna watched in horror as the pair locked arms and wrestled angrily. Hearing the sound of a fist clobbering jaw, she jumped to her feet.
“Stop it, both of you! Your insults are maddening.”
The pair tore apart, chests heaving, glaring at each other with unbridled fury.
“What’s going on here?”
The sharp question had the trio spinning around rapidly. Spotting her father and mother positioned in the doorway, Brianna took a step forward, a wobble in her voice.
“How’s Brenda? Is she okay?”
Her father moved into the room with a determined stride, and Brianna knew the news was not good. Something bad is coming, her inner voice repeated. She bit her lip as her father stopped just short of the trio.
“Brenda died about fifteen minutes ago,” he said, quietly.
Brianna fumbled for a chair and sank down. Brenda dead! Shocked, Francis emitted a sob and tore from the room. He bumped into the group hovering in the doorway and pushed by their shoulders with carele
ss defiance. Devlin sank to a chair, silent and defeated.
Charles Sage studied the bowed heads and defeated postures.
“I’m so sorry, Papa,” Brianna whispered, raising her head. “I don’t know why this happened.”
Her father’s voice held an odd twinge of disappointment.
“You constructed an unsacred circle on unhallowed ground without permission; that’s how it happened. You have shamed your heritage, as no other hereditary witch has ever done.”
Brianna’s tears choked her.
“I’m so sorry.”
Her mother settled alongside her father, taking charge of the conversation.
“The laws are specific here in the coven, Brianna, and it pains me to be the bearer of bad tidings. However, what you’ve done—the Dark Time you’ve caused—cannot be overlooked. We live by the creed of harming none, as you well know.” She signaled over her shoulder. “The Council has voted unanimously to banish you from the community for your sin.”
Brianna’s head shot up. Banish!?
“Mother, I . . .”
Her mother held up her hand.
“The vote has been decided, and it cannot be undone. You must leave the coven.”
Devlin hopped to his feet.
“It’s my fault, Mrs. Sage. I knew what Brianna was set on doing and I didn’t stop her. In fact, I helped her construct the circle. If anyone needs to be banished from the coven, it’s me.”
Her words were clipped.
“You are being banished.” Shocked, Devlin fell back in his chair, listening to her further recriminations. “Your behavior in all this has been disappointing . . . reprehensible, really. The Council is in agreement that you can no longer be trusted. You will pack your suitcases and leave the coven immediately.” Her gaze darted back to Brianna, and for the first time, her voice broke miserably. “Your father and I l-l-love you very much, and we shall always wonder where you are and what you’re doing. Though we will be forever apart, we will send our loving thoughts to you, and pray for you each and every d-d-day.” She broke off speaking, seeking a hankie from her skirt pocket, and blowing her nose with it. Composing herself, she gave Brianna one final glance. “Blessed be, dear.” She whirled around, and then unable to stop herself, she re-whirled and met Brianna as she hopped from her chair and flung herself into her mother’s arms.
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