Ares finally looked away. I'd won. I always did.
I let him sulk. I turned to the others. "Ekhidna's one step ahead of us. She's could be on her way to one of the Elemental Realms by now."
"How can we catch up when she's got a head start?" Jason protested.
"We cut her off," Darren answered. "Go to one of the realms she hasn't been to yet. If she needs all four Elements for what she's got planned, we just have to beat her to one of the four."
"But how do we know where she hasn't been?" Carson pointed out.
They all turned to look at me.
I sighed. "I can try my powers, but it's risky to look too far ahead."
"We can help," Sabine offered.
"We appreciate the offer," Demeter replied. "It's just..."
"We want to keep the body count as low as possible," I finished grimly.
Sabine looked around at the other women in her coven. Then she looked back. "If you're trying to save our world, we don't have much of a choice. If we help, we die. If we don't, and you lose, we still die. We'd rather go down fighting. Let us help. We want to."
I looked at them for a long time. These were powerful women. They weren't used to sitting around, letting their fate be decided by others. But they were mortal too. Fragile. So easily shattered beyond repair. I didn't want that on my conscience. I had enough.
But it wasn't about me. It was about the world. The world mattered more than my guilt, more than their lives, more than anything. If my guilt was the price, then so be it. I'd pay much more. I'd pay anything.
"Fine," I relented. "What can you do for us?"
"It's actually what we can do for you, specifically," Sabine clarified. "You're trying to foresee where Ekhidna was going to go?"
"I can see the future," I explained. "But there are limits. The further I try to see, the more uncertain what I see is. If I try to look too far ahead, I wind up guessing, just like everybody else."
"The future is murky," Sabine agreed. "But there are ways around that. You're trying to stare into the fog with a flashlight. We can turn you into a spotlight."
"You can boost my power," I guessed.
I smiled. But Sabine frowned.
"What's wrong?" Demeter asked.
"We're not alone," she murmured.
Ares was instantly alert, his bad mood forgotten.
"How many?" he asked.
"I...I can't tell," Sabine admitted.
I turned to look at Ares. He was already leaving.
"Go with him," I told my Heroes. "Keep each other safe."
They nodded and disappeared.
"Has your coven fought before?" I asked Sabine.
She shook her head.
"What kind of spells do you know?" Demeter asked. "Hexes? Curses? Jinxes?"
"We don't practise that kind of magick," Sabine replied. "We're a religious coven. We meet for spiritual growth."
Great.
"You have power," Demeter assured Sabine. "That's all you need."
"Though if any of you happen to have done a little … outside casting, now's the time to speak up," I said.
No one answered. At first. But I saw one of the girls shift slightly.
"You!" I pointed. "What's your name?"
She paled. "Kira."
"Kira, how can you help us?" I demanded.
"I can't," she replied quickly. Too quickly.
"Kira..." I warned.
Her eyes flicked from me to Sabine and back again. "I never …"
She stopped.
"You never what?" Sabine pressed.
"It wasn't on purpose," Kira continued, resigned.
"What wasn't?" I asked.
"It was supposed to be a truth potion!" she blurted out. "She was the most awful person I'd ever met, and nothing else worked! It was just supposed to make her show her true self to everyone. Then they'd know how awful she was, and maybe she'd learn her lesson."
"What happened?" Demeter asked.
"It just made her angry," Kira said. "She was mean before. But she went crazy. At everyone. All the time. I wasn't even sure it was my potion until..."
"Until?" I pressed.
"She got into a fight with a car!" Kira explained. "An actual car. She punched it. She bit it. They had to pull her off and take her to the hospital. She broke her hand. And a tooth."
Sabine and I exchanged a look.
"So, what we have is ... a potion to make people attack cars," I said.
"A potion to throw people into a blind rage," Sabine corrected.
Ares appeared in the doorway.
"There's about a dozen," he reported.
"Can you tell what they are?" I asked.
He shook his head. "They're still in human form. They must be waiting for Ekhidna to raise a cloak."
"Then she's still in the mortal world!" I said excitedly. "We're not that far behind!"
"We just have to survive her goon squad," Ares said.
Sabine and I looked at each other for a long time. She nodded imperceptibly.
"Ares, I think I know how we can take care of the monsters," I said. "Whatever they are. But I need you to get them all grouped together."
"Together?" he echoed.
"As close to each other as possible," I said.
"I think I can manage that," he agreed, rubbing his knuckles.
I clapped my hands once. The sound was deafening. Everyone looked at me.
"Witches, time to shine," I announced. "I need you to do what you do best. Make the strongest potion you're capable of."
"A potion?" Ares asked. "What's that going to do?"
"Simple," I answered. "It's going to piss off some monsters."
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The witches sat in a circle, hands linked, chanting softly. I could feel the deep thrum of their power, simmering, ready to explode.
Kira and Sabine stood in the centre of the circle. Between them was a silver chalice surrounded by blood-red candles and bowls of herbs.
Ares, Demeter and I stood near the entrance to the backroom. Our Heroes were watching the front of the shop, ready to warn us if the monsters attacked. If they did, we'd have to keep them busy until the potion was ready.
The simmering power began to bubble. Invisible explosions of energy went off here and there in the room. I felt the force as if it were physical.
It was time.
Kira and Sabine felt it too. They each reached into the jars beside them. They pulled out handfuls of herbs, which they sprinkled into the chalice, gazing deeply at the gleam of its silver surface in the candlelight. Then they spoke, and their voices shook my soul.
What is hidden,
be revealed.
In the name of Truth,
in the name of Light,
bend to my will,
obey my voice.
Let my power flow into the innermost places.
Let my prayer fill your ears.
Let my spell bind you.
Show your true face.
The candles exploded into columns of fire. The maelstrom of energy spinning around the room flared and then collapsed into the silver chalice. The coven drooped, heads bowed, bodies heaving, voices barely strong enough to whisper.
Kira and Sabine each pulled out small vials and dipped them in the chalice. Then they stoppered them and handed one to Demeter and the other to Ares.
"And we're supposed to do what with these exactly?" Ares demanded. "Offer the monsters a drink?"
"Contact," Kira croaked. Her breath was still shallow. She looked like she'd just run a marathon.
"We just need this to touch them," I said to Ares, as we walked out of the room.
"If we have to get this stuff on them for it to work, we might as well just fight them," Ares grumbled. "I trust my fists more than some magick trick."
"He's … not wrong," Demeter admitted reluctantly.
Jason and Carson were crouched by the front windows, watching outside from small gaps in the curtains. They turned whe
n they heard us. "If this is just going to enrage the monsters, what good is it?" Ares pressed.
"Trust me," I said.
"We could throw it," Demeter suggested.
"And hit one monster?" Ares replied darkly. "Maybe two?"
"Pop off the lids and fling the liquid at them," Carson piped up from the corner.
"Or get Jason to lift it above them and drop it on them like rain," Darren said.
"It's not easy to hold a liquid," Jason warned. "Solids are one thing, but liquids... I mean, I barely did it with the pepper spray, and that was only for a minute or two."
"Carson," Darren murmured.
"What?" she asked.
"Carson," he repeated, more confidently. "Can you use your powers on liquids?"
"I don't ..." she started.
"In theory," I interrupted.
"What? I thought what I wanted to transform had to meet my eyes," Carson argued. "Like Medusa."
"You're not Medusa," Demeter explained. "You're a Medusan. But so was King Midas. He was the most powerful Medusan who ever lived. He could transform anything, even inanimate objects, just by touching them."
"So, she could transform the potion into something solid," Darren said. "Something easier for Jason to work with."
"Reaching out to an object isn't like reaching out to a living thing," I replied. "There isn't the same sort of connection. There's nothing reaching back. It takes more work."
"More work. Perfect," Carson muttered.
"But she can turn it solid," Darren said.
"She can," I said. "Probably."
"Prove it," Ares said.
He took a bottle off a shelf, giving it a shake to make sure there was liquid inside. Then he popped out the cork with his thumb and dumped it out.
It spilled all over the carpet.
"So far, not impressed," he said.
"I wasn't ready," Carson shot back.
"So, get ready," he said.
He grabbed another bottle and began to pour.
Carson squinted.
Nothing happened. Other than a puddle on the carpet.
"Third strike, you're out," Ares said.
"Third time's the charm," Demeter assured her, smiling.
Carson took a deep breath, as Ares tipped another bottle. The liquid poured out. But just before it hit the carpet, Carson's eyes flashed, and the liquid froze. It hung like a stalactite from the lip of the bottle.
"Not bad," Ares admitted.
Carson smiled. The liquid spilled to the ground in a sudden splash, soaking Ares' shoes.
He sniffed. "Lavender. I hate lavender."
"Oops," Carson said.
"Just keep your focus," I told her. "Don't let anyone or anything distract you."
"They're on the move," Jason interrupted.
"The cloak must be up," Demeter murmured.
"What are we up against?" I asked.
Ares went to the front window and knelt beside Jason.
"Dahaka," he said.
"Ekhidna's keeping it interesting," Demeter remarked. "Something new each time."
"She wants to catch us off-guard," Darren guessed. "Never the same thing twice. She's forcing us to change our tactics each time."
"So, what are these dahaka monsters like?" Carson asked.
"Not as tough as oni or pythons," I answered. "They don't have any armour. But they're big, and they're strong, and they heal incredibly fast, so we can't just beat them into submission. Whatever happens has to be quick and ..."
"Lethal," Ares finished.
"Oh, and their skin is boiling hot," I warned.
"Hand-to-hand just got a whole lot less appealing," Darren sighed.
"And they also have barbs," Demeter reminded me. "Their hands have stingers they can shoot like arrows."
"Anything else?" Carson asked. "Laser beams from their eyes? Poison breath? Crushing tentacles?"
"Don't worry," I told her. "You leave the dahaka to us. Just focus on keeping that liquid solid until Jason gets it above them. Ares and Darren will do the rest."
I looked at my Heroes. They were nervous. We'd been through battle before, but it was still new to them. Fear might keep them from getting overconfident, but it could also make them hesitate and make stupid mistakes.
"We still need a way to get them grouped together so we can dump the potion on them," Darren pointed out.
"I'll do it," Ares offered, before I even asked.
"Do what exactly?" Jason replied.
"Run out and get pummelled within an inch of my life," Ares said simply. "I'll regenerate."
"Still sounds pretty awful," Carson said.
"Pain doesn't matter," Darren answered. "It's just your nervous system relaying information to your brain. Since his body can fix any damage, he can just ignore the message."
"We don't have any other option," I said. "Ares, when you're ready, we'll pour out the potion, Carson will freeze it, you'll group up the dahaka, and Jason will drop it on them."
"There's one other thing: what if Jason hits Ares with the potion?" Darren said. "I mean, if all goes well, he'll be right in the middle of it all."
"We'll worry about that if it happens," I replied. "But if necessary, you'll have to restrain him. I assume you're up to the challenge."
Darren grinned. "Not a problem."
"We'll see about that," Ares muttered.
I rolled my eyes.
"How are we going to keep the dahaka from coming in to the store?" Carson asked.
"Demeter, Darren, and I will handle that," I told her.
Ares met my eyes and inclined his head briefly. He rolled his neck and shrugged his massive shoulders. With a deep breath, he headed to the door, waiting for my cue, hopping up and down like a boxer in the ring.
Demeter went to the wall and pulled down several jars.
"You know magic?" Carson asked.
"They're not for a spell. Gods can't do magick," Demeter replied.
She headed to the door and dumped out the jars. When she was done, she nodded at me.
"Darren, you take the vials and pour them out. Carson, freeze them. Ares will rush out. Then, Jason will throw the potion when Ares has as many dahaka together as possible," I instructed.
Darren obediently took the vials from Demeter and Ares.
"Let me know if you need me to open those for you," Ares offered.
Darren curled his lip and unstoppered the two vials. He looked at Carson. She was breathing quickly. Her eyes were wide. She had to do this. She knew she had to do this, and that was totally freaking her out.
I took her hand and squeezed it.
When Carson finally nodded, Darren slowly poured out the vials. Caron's eyes flashed.
I was careful to avert my eyes, but Jason was not. He was too focused on having to lift the potions that he forgot to look away. But Demeter saw him stiffening and quickly slid her hand in front of his eyes. He gasped loudly as the life flowed back into him. But Carson kept her focus on the potions. They hardened into long spears of rock.
"Now!" I shouted.
Ares flung open the door and dashed outside.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
As Ares opened the door, the dahaka stepped out from where they were hiding. Ares barrelled towards them. Six rushed towards him, but six others ran for the open door.
"Stay focused, Carson," I ordered. "Demeter."
The first dahaka was already at the door.
It collided with an invisible wall. The witches' wards were still active. It dropped to its knees, waves of fear and nausea playing across its face.
Demeter raised her arms, and the seeds she'd scattered in front of the door exploded like grenades. Green shoots burst in all directions. Thorns the size of knives thrust outward, cutting deep into the dahaka. It screamed, its flesh searing into the plants and filling the air with thick, perfumed smoke.
"Leave a space for the potion!" I warned.
Demeter shook with the force of the power she was channelling, b
ut she heard me, and her iron will eclipsed the weakness of her mortal shell. She gestured, and the thick wall of plants wove together, filling the doorway. She left only a narrow slit for us to move the potions through.
Outside, Ares' fierce cries were quickly replaced by grunts of pain. The dahaka were clicking excitedly in their insect-like language. They were bringing him down. We didn't have much time.
A loud crack caught my attention. Two dahaka were trying to smash through the front display window. The glass was thick, but it wouldn't last much longer.
"Now, Jason!" I shouted.
Jason lifted his hands, and the frozen potion rose into the air.
"Break them into pieces," I said. "Carson, keep your eyes on each piece, or they'll unfreeze."
Jason made a fist with one hand, and the frozen streams of liquid shattered into dozens of small fragments. Carson never lost her focus: the fragments of potion remained as solid as ever, glittering like raindrops in the light.
Jason lifted the frozen potion and guided it through the opening in the wall of plants. Carson moved right behind the shards, careful never to take her eyes away from them. But just as the potion went through the hedge, it became liquid again. Half of the pieces melted and splashed against the plants, trickling down to the ground, lost to us forever. The rest froze again.
"I... I don't know what happened," Carson stammered. "I guess I must've blinked. My eyes were stinging. I didn't..."
"It's fine," I told her shortly.
Jason was starting to shake, but he pushed the remaining potion fragments through the hedge.
The window smashed. The dahaka were inside.
"Now, Jason!" I shouted.
He swept his arms up, and the droplets flew high into the air.
"Carson, let them go!" I yelled.
One of the dahaka rushed me, but Darren was there. He'd grabbed a broom from the corner, and he spun it in his hands before striking out faster than I could see. He hit the dahaka behind its knee, and it crashed to the ground. Another dahaka tried to tackle him, but Darren swept it aside effortlessly, and when it was behind him, he back-kicked it into the wall. It smashed into a shelf of jars and sank to the ground, stunned.
But more dahaka were coming through.
With one hand, Demeter flung a handful of seeds at a dahaka's face. Vines shot out, wrapping around its head. It tore desperately at the plants, trying to free itself. As it choked, Demeter tore down one of the silk tapestries and twisted it in her hands. With cool precision, she looped it around the dahaka's neck and began to choke it mercilessly.
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