Raven and the Rose

by Knight, Charisma

  must do now. But, you’ve got to trust me.” He tilted his head slightly. “Do you trust me Rose?”

  She nodded and smiled, giving into the sweet slumber of death.

  “Don’t you dare let go,” he commanded her softly before embracing her. “We must fight

  Cyrus.”

  “How?”

  “Only we can defeat him, but we’ll need to do it together.” He placed a hand on her

  shoulder. “You must accompany me to the Netherworld.”

  “Am I allowed?”

  “You’ll be under my protection. Once we do this, everything will be set right.” He cupped

  her face with his hands. “Do you understand?”

  She nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”

  “Once we’re back on earth, you follow my lead. That’s all.”

  She felt Storm squeezing her tight and his warm energy filled her. Instantly, everything came

  rushing back. Something forced her into her body with such a might, she thought she felt the

  earth shake beneath her. When she opened her eyes, Storm was in the circle with her and Cyrus.

  Storm grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground.

  “Impossible!” Cyrus boomed. “Release me, now!”

  Storm chanted, freeing her from the bonds.

  Following Storm’s lead, she grabbed his other arm and held him tight.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Cyrus bellowed.

  “Taking you back to hell, where you belong,” Rose hissed. “Kiot’e, eaisai’ kwen’to ,ah!”

  Storm completed his chant, and she felt herself being sucked into a black hole. Clutching

  McKay, so he wouldn’t get away, she gave in to everything she and Storm were experiencing.

  This one moment would bring them both together. Her stomach tightened and she resisted the

  urge to vomit. When it felt like they were falling for an eternity, the ground broke their fall.

  “Noooo!” Cyrus looked around, shaking his head frantically. “What have you done to me?

  Where am I?”

  “Where you should have been long ago.” Rose clutched the man’s forearm.

  “Keeper!” Storm forced Cyrus to his feet.

  “Who?” she asked.

  Storm pressed his finger to his lips. “Whatever happens…You must remain calm.”

  Filled with dread, she quickly nodded her head and a man appeared before them all. She

  gasped at his appearance.

  A tall Native man swaddled in buffalo skin. He would have appeared human if it weren’t for

  his unnaturally large yellowish eyes. “I see you’ve captured him.” The man said approvingly.

  “Cyrus McKay. You’ve caused such a unnecessary, unholy chaos down here. Now, all the souls

  wish to travel to the surface and possess those who walk the earth.”

  “And I’ll do it again,” McKay promised with a nasty hiss. “The McQueens owe me.”

  “We owe you nothing!” Rose sneered.

  “Rose!” Storm nudged her.

  The man peered at her with intense eyes, eyes that made her feel like he was stripping her

  down to her very soul.

  Keeper of Darkness smiled, focusing his attention on McKay. With a flick of his wrist, the

  man turned McKay into a large inky black mist. With a few chants, the ball of mist became

  smaller. He extended his arm and outstretched his palm, until the little ball floated and settled within his grasp.

  Before Rose could blink, the man opened his mouth, gobbling the black mist. Rose

  swallowed hard as the man peered at her again.

  “McQueen witches have such a horrible cross to bear.” He slowly shook his head. “But you

  all have my undying respect.” He laughed, then turned to Storm. “You have performed the task

  well.” he waved his hand. “Once again, you are raven and worthy of your status.”

  “So, we’re finished here?” Storm asked.

  “Yes. However, I’ll be seeing you again, dear Rose.” The man looked at her and smiled.

  “What are you talking about?” She straightened to look him in the eye even though he made

  her feel horribly uncomfortable.

  He winked at her. “You’ll know when the time comes.” He vanished, leaving them in the

  cavern.

  “Storm, what did he mean by that?”

  “That’s a question for another day.” Gripping her in his arms, he returned to the earth.

  Rose woke to the sound of the waterfall and to find herself within Storm’s embrace. She

  moaned at the minor pain in her chest and sat up. They all were in the woods still, the circle

  broken and the moon fading. “What happened,” she whispered. “Were we really in the

  Netherworld?”

  Storm nodded and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

  “Is everyone okay?” she asked her family. “Dad?” She looked to the far right to see Shawn

  and Wes in a strong embrace. “Oh, daddy.”

  Wes smiled faintly. “I’m okay, darling.”

  “Wes was innocent.” Jesse shook his head. “Man, I really thought you betrayed us.”

  “Never,” Wes told them.

  Viola nodded. “We needed to bathe in the waterfall, to return some of our strength to us.

  Storm told us everything.”

  “Aunt Viola. Why didn’t you tell us about Cyrus McKay?” Rose asked.

  “Baby, it’s such a long story. One that only Elders possess the knowledge of.”

  “You had to find out on your own,” Walter told her. “To have such darkness within the

  family isn’t something we’re proud of. The crypts have once again been sealed.”

  “Well, it would be nice if you guys would spill your guts.” Jasmine folded her arms across

  her chest and stared at Viola.

  “Let’s go back to the manor. Once we get comfortable, I’ll tell you my experience with

  Clara and about the McKay massacre.”

  Everyone followed Viola as she headed back toward the house.

  Chapter Ten

  An hour later, everyone sat in the parlor with their eyes fixated on Viola.

  “Our family harbors very dark secrets. Most of you know of the McKay Plantation massacre

  and what it entails. But you youngsters don’t know what actually fueled it,” the older woman

  said, shifting her gaze between them all.

  Walter sat next to her and nodded

  “We’ll both explain. Since we were actually there when it occurred.”

  Walter nodded in agreement.”

  “Is this in the book?” Rose asked with great concern.

  “No. There is a lot that hasn’t been imbued in The Book of Whispers everyone needs to be

  aware of. I haven’t included them because I need to tell you in person. Storm, The Raven Clan

  plays a big part of the McQueen family history, too. You need to hear this as well, as do you

  Wes, although you are mortal.”

  Storm rubbed his jaw and frowned. “Why would you leave a part of the book unfinished?”

  “Because, that was Clara’s request,” Viola said quietly as she sat on the settee next to the

  window, overlooking the McQueen crypts. “Since The Heightening is tomorrow night, you’ll

  need to know the darkest part of our family history.”

  Rose sat down, nervously rubbing her sweaty palms against the fabric of her black pantsuit.

  “Why do I have the feeling you’re about to lay some heavy stuff on us?”

  Storm reached for her hand, gripping it within his.

  “Just hear me out.” The old witch’s chest heaved and she exhaled long and slow. “These

  memories cut through me like a sickle through wheat, so please forgive me, if I lose my

  composure.”
Tears misted over in her light brown eyes as Walter put a strong arm around her for comfort.

  Rose leaned over, placing a gentle hand on her aunt’s knee. It hurt her to see the pained

  expression carving itself on the woman’s face. “Take your time.”

  She nodded and bit her lip. “Clara and I grew up on McKay Plantation. Which is now known

  as Queensville. It was no secret among the other slaves that Clara Rose was a special girl, but it was often puzzling and frightening, whenever she used her powers by mistake. We were both

  seventeen, and very impressionable.” Viola laughed briefly, then frowned. “One day, while we

  were playing out in the field, a raven caught our attention. It had been staring hard at us for the longest time, so we decided to go and frighten it off.” Viola averted her gaze to Storm. “You

  know that damned bird perched itself on that branch, staring us both down? There was something

  in his gaze.”

  Storm smiled. “Micah Ravencloud.”

  “Yes. He had made his journey from the Spirit world to his intended, Clara Rose. Thanks to

  the pull of her power. Oh, we knew as he sat there on that branch staring at us, that bird was no ordinary raven. And you know something? In that very area, we both felt an enormous surge of

  energy. It was as though the land was speaking to us. Thank the Heavens no one saw us. Clara’s

  hands glowed and she touched me, giving me a little piece of that power. Back then I didn’t know how much that power would grow, and what it was linked to. With the exception of Taylor

  Robert McQueen, our Uncle, no one else knew.

  “Much like us,” Rose squeezed Storm’s hand and smiled at him.

  “Micah was there to warn her, too.” Viola looked down at her hands.

  “Of what?” Jasmine asked as her eyes widened.

  “The impending darkness. That part of the McQueen family history that, until now, has been

  hidden between the eldest members of our family. You see, Clara Rose’s mother made her share

  of mistakes.”

  Rose clutched Storm’s hand tighter and snuggled up close to him. “No one had ever spoken

  about her mother. There’s nothing written in the book about her.”

  Viola closed her eyes, then opened them. “Such frightening, trying times for our family back

  then. “Shawn, have you ever told Rose about our origins?”

  “Only briefly.”

  Rose nodded. “Yes, in Salem, Massachusetts. Because of the witch trials, our family

  scattered in various directions. ”

  “Some settled in New Orleans,” Shawn added.

  Rose squinted. “Mom, you never mentioned New Orleans.”

  “Unfortunately, I’m as much in the dark as you are, sweetheart.”

  Viola smiled. “She wasn’t supposed to. You see, our ancestors settled in New Orleans for

  years after leaving Salem. They flourished, and lived happy lives. But when one side of the

  family began practicing dark magic, the discrepancies began. The light witches cast out the dark and they fled to Maryland, along the Eastern Shore, and Cambridge. Many were captured,

  rounded up and forced into slavery.”

  Rose gasped.

  “Come on Rose, surely you didn’t think all our ancestors were honest, hard-working

  people?” Viola inquired. “I mean, some were, in the beginning, but after being treated so harshly, they sought an easy way out. Aunt Celeilia possessed great power but never wanted to use it.

  Unfortunately, after an incident with Cyrus her thirst for revenge was her undoing. It all began with her attraction for him. That man promised her the world, with his beautiful eyes, long

  flowing brown hair and a face that appeared to be crafted by the hands of the most talented artist.

  Although brutally handsome on the outside, he was a savage, nasty soul on the inside.”

  “We all could see, he’s quite the charmer,” Dehlia muttered sarcastically.

  “Hmm, like Niall?” Jasmine snickered.

  “Jasmine.” Dehlia narrowed her eyes.

  Viola clapped her hands. “Ladies, this isn’t the time for bickering. This is a part of the

  reason why Elders of our family have kept this secret. The inward bickering and back-biting

  amongst ourselves must come to an end. We possess the power to be our own worst enemy.

  There was a time when our family came close to annihilation; that is why Clara and Micah did

  what they had to do. The raven and the McQueen witches are powerful forces to be reckoned

  with, oh, but once combining their powers? Unstoppable!”

  Rose squeezed Storm’s hand. “I know. I’ve never felt so connected to Storm the way I do

  now.”

  “And you must remain that way,” Viola told them. “Now, that dog of a man, Cyrus wooed

  Celeilia. He tricked her into thinking he had eyes only for her. He promised to free us all from slavery; said he wanted to settle down and make a life with her. Ha! Evil assed bastard.” Viola shook her head and balled her hands into fists. “That bastard.” She had to stop and take a few

  breaths before holding up a hand. The ground began to shake and a vase fell from the mantle of

  the fireplace and shattered.

  “Aunt Viola, breathe.” Rose coaxed as she watched Walter rub her back, in an effort to

  comfort the woman.

  “Please forgive me.”

  “It’s okay Viola,” Storm urged in a low voice. “There’s no need to rush through this. I’ll get

  the vase don’t worry.”

  “Leave it,” the witch demanded. “You all need to do is listen to everything I say since The

  Heightening will be here, staring us in our faces.”

  Obeying, Storm retrieved his seat, and waited for Viola to reveal the rest of her tale.

  “That sick son of a bitch.” Viola wagged a finger, and her voice quavered with emotion. She

  put a hand on her chest. “All we ever heard him speak of was how he simply adored the smooth

  cocoa skin Celeilia possessed. Her physique captivated him so. Then, he allowed other slave

  owners to have their way with her.” Viola broke down crying.

  Rose retrieved a box of tissue from the fireplace and sat next to her aunt. Gently, she patted

  her on the back, trying to comfort her. Her chest heaved, at the thought of what Celeilia had went through. “God. He was a horrible man, Aunt Viola. Is that what drove her to madness?”

  Viola blew her nose and shook her head. “Unfortunately, she allowed her heart to lead the

  way and not soon after, she discovered Cyrus had other women. He was unmarried, so he bedded

  the slave women he was attracted to the most. Hell, even if he’d been married, we’re sure that

  wouldn’t have made him strap it down. It wasn’t enough that he dragged her down, even when

  she called it all off. He’d hurt her deeply, but she seemed to recover from it.” Viola’s eyes

  clouded over. “The night he sought Clara in his bed was the straw that broke the camel’s back…”

  Cambridge, Maryland 1805

  Viola’s chest burned and her legs felt like lead as she dashed through the field from the slave quarters to where her aunt was. “Aunt Celeilia! Come quick!”

  She found her Celeilia retrieving water from the well. When she reached her, she doubled

  over, struggling to catch her breath. Resting her hands on her knees, she tried to speak.

  With a smile, Celeilia bent down, inspecting the young woman’s face. “Viola, what’s

  wrong? Why are you bleeding?”

  Viola felt the warm trickle of blood creeping from her temple to her jaw line; where Cyrus

  had struck her. “Come quick!” Was all she could muster before gathering her skirts in her hands.

 
She turned, beckoning her aunt to follow.

  Her heart pounded madly against her chest, and she could barely speak after the sprint over

  the field. “He’s going to rape Clara. We tried to stop him, but Master Cyrus has gone out of his mind!” Viola cried in between breaths, afraid for her cousin.

  “What?” Celeilia’s face looked as if it had been drained of all its blood when she told what

  was happening.

  Together, they raced through the field and into the slave quarters. Some of the other slaves

  slowly came out of their huts with questioning looks on their faces.

  When she and Celeilia gained entry inside their hut, Clara had been pinned down, Cyrus on

  top of her, straddling the girl. “I’ll teach you to use your magic on me, you little wench.” He fumbled for the ties of his pants.

  “Take your filthy hands off her!” Celeilia bellowed before charging the man straddling her

  daughter.

  Viola heard the wind being knocked from Cyrus’s chest as they both landed on the wooden

  floor with a thud.

  “Mama, no!” Clara cried out, as Viola forced her from the bed.

  Cyrus, with his hair tousled in a brown mass scuttled from the floor to his feet, kicking

  Celeilia in the ribs. He then reached for his whip and delivered several lashes to the woman’s

  back while the girls screamed for help.

  But no one dared enter.

  Taking matters into their own hands, Viola and Clara charged Cyrus. Each going for the

  man’s face, scratching and biting, trying to claw his eyes out. As payback for him striking her earlier, Viola dug her nails in deep, tearing at the man’s flesh. But satisfaction wouldn’t be had there, as she and Clara both proceeded to bite him as hard as they could.

  He successfully flung them both to the floor. “Arrghh!” he screamed through a layer of

  blood running from his mouth while striking out with the whip.

  Celeilia released an angry cry then held up her hand, tossing Cyrus against the wall. With

  murder in her eyes, she stood up, peering at him. That’s when she turned to Viola and Clara.

  Leave!” she demanded as the whip caught on fire, burning Cyrus’s hands.

  Cyrus seethed in agony. “Filthy little slave cunts! I’ll hang you all!”

  With just a look, Celeilia flung the cursing man into the wall. His feet dangled several inches from the floor. She turned one last time to look at the girls. “I told you to leave!”