The rolling mist covered our escape, but I had to squint to see, keeping one hand in front of me to avoid crashing into anything. Then the mist began to part, revealing a passageway. Kitty was guiding us toward them, blazing a path that was better than any map.
The crash and yelp behind me made me falter, skidding to a halt. Abby was on her knees, barely supported by Vanessa and Jamie, who threw Abby’s arms over their shoulders. "I can't run," gasped Jamie as she held her sides, her head bowed. "We're slowing you down."
"We're not leaving anyone behind," said Evan. He dropped my hand before jogging over to them and scooping Abby up into his arms. "Go."
"What about you?" asked Astra.
"I'm fine. I can carry her."
"No, I meant, you'll be unprotected. You can't fight if you're carrying her."
"He's protected," I said, meeting his eyes, and daring him to tell me to run. But he didn't. Instead, he nodded, graciously accepting my offer. "Let's go." I hurried back to Evan, matching his stride as he began to jog forwards, slower than everyone else with his burden, but not too far behind. We hadn't gone more than a quarter mile when a dark shape launched itself through the mist, landing on Seren and taking her down by the throat.
"Witch!" she yelled, grappling the werewolf's neck as he slathered over hers, his teeth sharpened stiletto points poised at her artery. "We're on the same team!"
He backed away, growling. Seren sat upright, dusting herself off as she scowled at him. He dropped into a crouch, his tail wagging like a dog, apologising. "No problem," she said as several other werewolves emerged through the mist. "Easy mistake to make, and yes, this fog is magically made."
"The other team," said Evan to me, surveying the group. "Where are the witches?"
The werewolves looked at each other. One dropped to the floor, then rolled onto his side and went very still.
"They're all dead," I said, sure my horrified face echoed those around me.
"We have one dead, and one injured," Evan told them. He suddenly turned as an alarm that sounded like a battle cry behind us caught everyone’s attention and we all looked nervously at it. They discovered our escape! "The reinforcements have arrived. We need to make it to that ridge. We have no idea how many of The Brotherhood are out here, but we know they have someone using magic. Don’t believe anything you see; it could be a trick. Be careful."
The werewolf playing dead rolled onto his feet, nodded, and took off at a fast pace down the misty path, his team following close behind him. Astra grabbed Seren's hand, pulling her onto her feet. "We have to move faster," she said as we lost sight of the last tail as it vanished around a curve created by the mist.
"And if that doesn't convince us to go faster, nothing will," said Evan, jutting his chin towards the of battle cries behind us. "They worked out we're not inside the cabin. They're gaining on us."
"We need to throw obstacles in their way," suggested Anders. We took off at a slow run, Evan still jostling the unconscious witch’s position for her comfort as well as his.
"I could push this mist at them, and concentrate it," I suggested. "They could walk in circles, but not know it."
"That will buy us more time to reach the ridge. Go ahead; do it."
Usually, whenever I practised magic, I became still, but there was no time to waste and all I could do was concentrate. Just like when I evaded Evan's blitz attack at The Amethyst, I re-summoned the ever present magic, distilling it as we ran to its purest essence, then pushing it forward into the mist, and binding it with Kitty's magic. She was stronger now, I could tell. When I first met her, she was limited to the creation of sunny days or rain. This mist was laced with more than just her magic too; and a chill ran through me. I found spells there that encouraged those who were lost inside it to give up, and just turn around and go away, easily forgetting the purpose of their search. It was her magic all right, but it was overlaid with spells from another. I wasn't sure, but I sensed David's signature. I would have hated to be lost in the fog. With that in mind, I gave the mist a firm push, spreading it behind us, covering our tracks and capturing anyone who dared to follow.
In the mist, something pushed back. The same oily magic that coated Abby's wound, and all its nastiness was spreading out and reaching for mine, trying to bind with my magic. To me. I recoiled my magic before pushing it out again, and making the fog thicker. Confused cries confirmed The Brotherhood's men were engulfed by it, and hopelessly stuck. Shots rang out, fired wildly, and I ran forward in a half crouch, lest a stray bullet collide with my body.
A voice whispered my name, faintly carried by the breeze. I strained, listening for it. "Stella, help me!"
I faltered, looking around for the source of it. Ahead of me, Evan ran, and ahead of him, I could see Seren, although she was just barely visible. I darted forwards as the mist concealed the path behind us. The walls seemed to be closing in, so I gave them a little push before they relaxed, widening slightly.
"You okay?" asked Evan. He was not even out of breath as I caught up.
"Yeah."
"You sure?"
"Stella! Please! Please help me!" The voice came again. Étoile. Étoile was calling me. Étoile needed me. I skidded to a stop, searching. Was she caught in the mist too? Had I made it worse for her by trying to stop our enemies?
"Stella?" Evan stopped, turning, his face a mix of confusion.
"Étoile's calling me," I told him. "I need to find her."
"Telepathically?"
"No, I can hear her. Didn’t you hear that?" I asked as Étoile called again, her voice sweet and melodic. I started to step away, moving back towards the mist.
"No! It's a trick," said Evan, grabbing my arm. He hooked his hand firmly around my wrist as I tried to pull away. Didn't he realise I had to get to my friend? Didn't he realise how frightened she was? How much she needed me? I sensed her fear. "Listen to me, Stella. Do not listen to that voice. It's not Étoile. It's a trick."
"No, it isn't! I can hear her. She's afraid." She wanted me to find her. I had to find her. All I had to do was step closer towards the mist.
"Listen to me! They can't find you. They're trying to separate you from us."
"You're jealous. She's not calling you. I'm stronger than you, and she's calling for me." I spat the words at him spitefully as I struggled.
"She isn't calling for you." Evan tightened his grip and lurched forwards, pulling me with him. I wriggled against his grasp, trying to pull my arm free. "Call to Étoile, use your telepathy, ask her. Just try it."
"Fine, I will, but you're wrong." I opened my telepathy lines and called Étoile, knowing she would respond the moment the connection was created. "Where are you?" I asked.
"On the ridge. Are you following Kitty's path?"
"Yes, but... aren’t you hurt? You called me."
"No, but we're having problems hearing things up here. All our power is directed towards breaking through their defences."
"So... you're not lost?"
"No."
"But... What do you mean, hearing things?"
"Voices are calling to us, sounding like a siren's lament."
"I think I heard one," I admitted, crushed to have fallen for such a simple trick. And to think I accused Evan of being jealous! The spite that had been so unlike me had to be part of the siren call.
"Block it out, and warn the others to do the same. You're less than a mile from us, but they're close behind you."
"Team one is here, but they lost all their witches. We have an injured witch with us. We were both ambushed. We need help."
"We know. We came as soon as we got word. The minute you arrived, their defences closed around the terrain. We're shut out, but we'll break it soon. Make for the ridge where you see the tall pines. There's a path cut into the mountainside that will lead you up. Good luck, Stella." The connection snapped shut. Evan still firmly held my arm, but he no longer had to pull me forward. I broke into an even pace as we swiftly gained on the rest of our team. It t
ook all my willpower to ignore the plaintive voice calling me. Minutes later, we scrambled to a halt as the werewolves prowled and sniffed, their noses raised in the air.
"We've been cut off," said Seren. "Two wolves went ahead and saw Brotherhood men standing between us and the ridge."
"Étoile said we have to find the mountain path by the tall pines. I think it's the only way up."
"The wolves are checking right now to see how far The Brotherhood's men have spread out, but I expect they’ll say we can't get around." Seren's strained face told me what we didn't need to hear: we were trapped with no way out.
"Form a circle," commanded Evan, placing Abby on the ground. "Form a circle with me."
"Are we going to shimmer?" asked Anders, "Now seems like a damn good time."
"No, we're going to fight. In a circle, we can see on all sides and protect each other’s backs. Stella, are you still pushing back that mist?"
"Yes, but barely. There's so much magic in it. Étoile said they can't get to us because The Brotherhood put up secured defences as soon as we got here."
"How can Kitty send magic down here, if they can't set foot on this land?" asked Marcy.
"Perhaps because it's elemental. The elements can traverse everything," said Seren, not entirely convinced, herself.
"So earth energy can disrupt whatever magic is preventing them from stepping onto this terrain?" I asked. "Or maybe air magic that pushes it away?"
Seren waved her hands in confusion. "I guess so, but we don't have any witches who can manipulate air. At least, I don't think so. Let me ask Étoile."
"What are you planning?" Evan asked as I took up my position beside him.
"I'm going to combine my magic with earth, and disperse any spell or magic on it," I told him. "It's just like what I did back at the cabin; plus, it'll boost my energy reserves. This mist is hard work. But at least, the voice is gone."
"Do it."
For the second time that day, I called on earth energy, and its power ran through my body and down to my feet, then out to the ground below. I wished I could pull off my boots and thick socks, and scrunch my toes in the deep grass to really connect with the its magic, but I had to make do with the slim barrier of shoes and socks. The ground was alive and angry, pissed at being trampled and burned. I called to it, tempering it, soothing it as my magic passed through. I don't want to hurt you, I assured it, while seeking the magic that prevented Étoile and our allies from reaching us. The earth responded instantly to me, infusing my magic with more power.
Air cooled my cheeks and I blinked at the mist ahead of us. It was beginning to recede, just a few inches at a time, and broadening the clearing around us. I didn't know if Kitty were trying to give us more space to see an attack, or just ensuring whomever finally came crashing through would be fully visible.
With the earth energy guiding my magic, I channeled new threads of magic from the mist. I no longer sought to control it anymore, but instead, began searching for moisture molecules. There was water somewhere nearby and I reached for it, eventually finding a freshwater lake that was fueled by a spring. It funneled the water under the hills. I encouraged the air to pull the water up, and form clouds above us. I gave them a push towards the angry voices and unleashed a torrential rainstorm on them. Being soaked to the bone should slow them down, I thought with a wry smile. The cacophony of their annoyed wails happily confirmed my sabotage.
I couldn't find anything in the earth that could stop our rescue, so I moved my magic further upwards, stretching it as far as I could. It rose into the air, soaring, and there! I had it. The remnants of a spell. I unpicked the interwoven threads, coiled and knotty, delving deeper for the core and the heart of the spell. What did they do or say to ensure we supernatural beings were locked in, and our allies locked out?
"I have it!" I exclaimed. "I found the spell, but I need more energy to break it."
"The moment you break it, we shimmer," said Seren, turning to the person on her left to relay the message.
"Got it." I could feel the beating heart of the spell, and the nasty rhythm it pumped. "Oh, yuck," I groaned, feeling sick. Real beating hearts were what powered the spell! My earth magic managed to find them. The bodies were dead, but their hearts still beat thanks to the sick spell they were repurposed to serve.
"What?" hissed Seren, momentarily distracted as the werewolves bounded through the mist. They skidded to a halt at our circle. Without a noise, they joined us, weaving through our legs and forming sentries between us. "Whatever it is, Stella, fix it. The wolves say we can't get through the barrier at all."
I didn't know how to "fix it." They were living, spelled hearts in buried corpses, positioned at the compass points of the battleground. Was this part of the unexpected I would have to face in a battle? I wasn't trained for that. There was no way I could combat that kind of dark magic. I turned to Evan for answers before a woman stumbled through the mist and into the clearing. All at once, we were on high alert.
"Don't kill me," she cried, holding her hands up. I took in her soaked, ragged trousers and shirt. Her hair was matted in clumps around her face, and her eyes red. "I'm a witch."
"Where did you come from...?"
"They took me," she whimpered. "They..." A shot sounded and she dropped to her knees before doing a faceplant in the fresh mud.
Another person stepped out of the mist, this time, on my left. His hands were werewolf paws, and his face was caught mid-transformation. He growled painfully as he staggered towards me.
"Justin?" Marcy called to him from our circle. "He's one of ours. He..." She screamed as a second shot sounded and her friend crumpled downwards, also landing in a heap. "What's happening?"
"Psychological warfare," said Evan. "These must be the hostages left behind. Get ready, people. The Brotherhood must have found us. They're going to use every trick they have to make us surrender."
"Give us Stella and you can save your people," called a man's voice from somewhere beyond the mist. My eyes scanned the area for him, but the fog was too thick. He didn't sound at all concerned, or like he was wrestling with the spells we imbued in it.
"Never," yelled Seren.
The mist chuckled and many feet stamped, echoing around us. Evan was right; we were surrounded. It could have been a trick; it was impossible to tell. There could have been only one man hidden out there, or a hundred, or even a thousand.
I stilled the rain, cutting off the power that drove the mist, and diverted my energy back to the earth. There was so little time. I didn't want to see another person shot, or another family condemned to mourning. I had to find a way to reach the spelled hearts, and stop them. I had to eradicate the spells that prevented our army from reaching us.
"Stella, you know you can't win," called the man.
"Auberon?" Evan mouthed to me, but I shook my head. It wasn't he. I didn't recognise that voice.
The bodiless man continued calmly, "You're surrounded. First, the hostages will be slaughtered one-by-one. Then your friends. When no one is left standing, you'll wonder why you didn't simply obey me and step into this fog and come with us. Leave now and we'll spare your friends."
"No, you won't," I said, just loud enough for him to hear.
"You have my word."
"Your word?! It means nothing!"
"Would you rather we kill you one-by-one?" he asked, his voice lilting with amusement. He wanted to kill our people. He wanted them to suffer. There was no way he would spare any of them the moment I stepped away. The only thing protecting my team now was my sheer presence with them. Whatever The Brotherhood wanted from me, they weren’t ready to risk me getting caught in the crossfire.
The magic sliding through our circle meant someone was sending protection around us. It had the trace of Seren, so I let it pass through me without touching the magic I already sent out. I could feel the spelled beating hearts, but there was nothing natural, or good about them anymore.
"I found the spell," I told Evan, l
ow enough that only he could hear. "There's four bodies at each compass point; they power the protection spell over the land."
"Can you disarm it?"
"I don't know how."
"Don't think, do!" he urged me. "I'm going to glamour us to throw them off."
"How...?" I stopped as his face began to change and then his body. He was morphing into someone smaller, female, with brown hair. Evan had become me! As I turned my head, I saw the glamour spreading through the group. They were all me!
"Rotate," he said, and the circle moved in shuffling steps, some breaking the circle to dart into new positions. "It's harder to pick people off if they don't know their true identities. They can’t tell if they're aiming at the real you or not," he explained as I picked my way around a werewolf ready to pounce.
"Maybe they'll kill us all."
"Cheap trick," called a new voice from the mist. Female. Mocking. I'd know it anywhere. Georgia Thomas.
"Show yourself, witch," called my voice from another body.
"Step into the mist," Georgia replied, like a musical siren song. Something tugged at me, an irresistible attraction to her just like Étoile's impersonated voice made me respond. My muscles stiffened. I barely mustered the will to ignore her lure even if my body felt compelled to obey. Hands tightened around me. "Obey me! Obey!"
"Never!" yelled my voice again, this time, from the other side of our circle.
"Loser!" shouted another glamoured voice.
With the ensuing confusion, and the direct pull from Georgia becoming increasingly less subtle, I hoped the protection Seren provided for us was enough to stop me from walking out of the circle and into whatever Georgia and her cohorts had in store for me. Concentrating my efforts, I focused on the bodies. The spells were nasty and severe, protecting the beating hearts. Earth enveloped them, but did not weigh heavily on their shallow graves. I sent my magic into the areas around them, imagining the dry brush and grass around their graves. Kindling. Of course! Fire could kill, but it could also cleanse. I called sparks into the magic, summoning a fire to me and relished the heat I sensed as it drifted through the magic. Just as Evan told me, I didn't think about it, I just did it.
Endless Magic (Stella Mayweather Series Book 6) Page 21