********
The confidence Gracey had begun to feel, induced by Orano and his team believing in her, wavered once they arrived at their destination. She’d gotten a clear message that she could strengthen a viewing mirror made a long time ago, allowing her to see Tori even when far away. Gracey still felt sure it would work but, since arriving at Tori’s home, she hadn’t been able to find the mirror. She couldn’t even be sure it actually existed. She’d never seen it, nor had Tori ever mentioned it to her.
“Maybe I misunderstood the message.” Gracey lifted her hand to her mouth and began chewing on her thumbnail.
“Don’t give up so quickly,” Orano said, pulling her hand a safe distance away from her teeth.
“You said you thought your ancestor made the mirror, right?” Myrine asked. When she got a nod in answer, she continued. “Tori would have mentioned it to you if she wasn’t actively trying to keep it a secret. So, all we need to do is figure out where she’s hidden it. You know her better than any of us do, so ….” Myrine’s raised eyebrows finished the sentence for her.
Gracey glanced at the desk but quickly dismissed it as too pedestrian a hiding place to suit Tori. The bookshelf held promise. It already showcased some of her more prized possessions, but when they searched it, they found no secret compartments. Gracey even made Orano lift one end away from the wall on the off chance a tunnel would be behind it, but still nothing. They removed every item from the small closet, but the space held only plaster walls and wood shelving. They even tore apart the furniture.
“Maybe she took it with her,” Mirissa suggested.
Gracey’s shoulders slumped as she took in the state of the room. They’d made a huge mess, callously tearing through the room. An unexpected twinge of guilt knotted Gracey’s stomach. Some of these items held a lot of value, sentimental if not monetary.
And then it came to her. The Hans Baldung print that hung by itself in an otherwise undecorated room. Tori loved that piece. She’d even taken a trip to New York just so she could see the original at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
When Gracey removed it from the wall, she knew she’d found the hiding spot. It weighed more than a simple print should, and the frame’s backing held scratches from where the small metal pins holding it in place had been moved over and over again. Doing so once more, she pulled the cardboard away from the frame, revealing an item carefully wrapped in cloth.
The mirror, the same shape and size as a dinner plate, had tarnished in a few spots over the years yet still managed a clear reflection on most of its surface. Holding it gave Gracey a feeling of connection to a part of her family she hadn’t even known existed for most of her life. That old piece of glass held her great-grandmother’s blood, and would soon hold hers.
Without waiting to be asked, Mirissa brought out the snake and blade from her ring again, this time slicing Gracey’s other finger. After letting a few drops fall to the glass, Gracey recited another spell from memories she didn’t previously have.
“My ancestor’s blood and now mine, too, will strengthen this spell and expand our view. Distance will not hinder thee, with Sherwood blood so mote it be.” As before, the mirror absorbed her blood, and the fog swirled across its surface. Gracey focused on Tori and watched the image form.
The size of the mirror limited their view. Unlike the one at their hotel, which showed a large room in its entirety, this one fit no more than about a hundred square feet. A long, wooden table with bench seats filled the scene. Tori, along with her inner circle, huddled at one end in hushed conversation. Although the sun had begun to rise, it hadn’t yet brightened that room, leaving most of what they could see in shadow.
“Come on, Tori. Turn on a light so we can see where you are,” Gracey mumbled.
“She might not be able to,” Myrine interjected. “If they’re hiding somewhere they aren’t supposed to be, lights would only attract unwanted attention. Or maybe they have no power. There’s got to be lots of abandoned properties around here that would be perfect for them. An old factory, a warehouse, an office building.”
“Any chance you can add audio capabilities to that mirror?” Mirissa asked. “It would be a whole lot easier if we knew what they were saying.”
Gracey shook her head. “Sorry. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Maybe it doesn’t have to.” Greco once again pulled out his cellphone and dialed. “Julian, I’m going to stream some video to you. Any chance Big Duck can read lips?” He took the phone away from his ear, pushed a few buttons, and held it over the mirror. “Are you getting this?”
“Yep, give me a second and I’ll have what they’re saying.” The tinny voice coming from the speakers faded into the background as the sound of fingers hitting a keyboard replaced it.
Who the hell is Big Duck? Gracey wondered.
Chapter 21
“Give it a rest with that thing, will you?” Tori found it funny at first when Nicole used Phoenix’s totem to make him entertain the coven members with stupid dances. Now it just pissed her off. “Get him to sit in the corner over there, and then put it away.”
Nicole reluctantly did as she’d been told, shoving the wax doll back into her purse. “So, what now? We just hide out here until it’s time? ”
“Do you have a better idea?” Liza’s snarky tone illustrated Tori’s feelings perfectly. In fact, everyone seemed on edge.
Tori stood to address her coven. “Ladies, I know this has been a very long night, and we’re all feeling the effects of Gracey’s betrayal, but we can’t allow anything to split our focus. Today is our day. Today, we walk out of the shadows and into the sunlight. Today, mundanes will not only accept who and what we are, they’ll covet our presence. In eight hours and twenty-two minutes, our lives—our world—will change forever.”
The room didn’t explode into applause as Tori hoped, but at least the women seemed placated. “Why don’t we try to get some rest? We’ve got the protection spell covering us and plenty of room. I think we could all use the break.”
One of the women spoke up. “What about food?”
It had been several hours since any of them had eaten, and Tori thought that might be part of the reason they were feeling so irritable. “Of course. We’ll make a run for some supplies. For now, try to get some sleep.”
Tori rejoined her inner circle. “Nicole, head over to the grocery store and pick up whatever you think we need to keep these women happy. There’s a Food Lion on George Washington. Take Joy with you.”
Joy’s eyes widened. “Shouldn’t we stay here, under the protection spell with the rest of you?”
Tori sent the little twit a scathing look. “You’ll be fine. No one even knows we’re here, so how could they possibly know where you’re going?”
********
Gracey used the mirror to watch Nicole and Joy get into their car and drive off. The small view only allowed her to see that they were driving on a gravel road through a bunch of trees, but that gave Gracey an idea.
She grabbed the map and found George Washington Highway. “I think I might know where they are,” she said.
“What? How?” Orano asked.
“Camp Chippewa. It’s in the Great Dismal Swamp.” She pointed out the locale on the map. “Tori and I were camp counselors there our senior year of high school and Food Lion is where they sent us for supplies.”
“You’re sure?” Myrine asked.
“As sure as I can be. They’re definitely in the woods, and Dismal Swamp is the only forest near that grocery store. Plus, that table we saw the coven sitting at is exactly the style I remember from the mess hall,” Gracey said.
“All right, then,” Myrine began. “We’ve got some work to do. First thing on the agenda is to get Phoenix out from under their thumb.”
Gracey watched in awe as Myrine set their hastily made plan in motion. They really were a remarkable group of people. She understood why Orano trusted them.
“You guys ready?” Myrine waited for
nods of assent from the three men before continuing. “Remember, they can’t even suspect you’re with us.”
Han, who’d added an old baseball cap to his jeans and T-shirt outfit, wore a wry grin. “My performance will be worthy of an Academy Award. Now, Greco’s, on the other hand—”
“We’ll be fine,” Greco interrupted after landing a solid punch to Han’s shoulder.
“Okay, boys.” Myrine smiled. “We’ll be watching through the mirror. Be careful.”
The playful teasing and lighthearted comments didn’t mask the team’s obvious capabilities. In fact, it had the opposite effect. While Gracey agonized over every detail of her role, their confidence allowed them to relax. It must be nice to be that good at something. Anything.
Once Han, Greco, and Myrick were out the door, Myrine returned her focus to Gracey. “Even if everything goes as planned, we still need to find a way to stop Tori from causing a worldwide blackout. Any ideas?”
Gracey hated to disappoint the woman, but didn’t have a choice. “I wish I did. The entire coven is backing Tori up, not to mention all of the other covens around the world. How do I stop something like that? I’m just one witch.”
“But you’re a Sherwood witch.” Myrine held Gracey’s hands in hers. “I admit to not knowing much about witchcraft, but from what everyone’s been saying, being a Sherwood witch is a very big deal. Look at what you’ve already overcome. You can do this.”
Gracey took a deep breath, trying to suck in some of Myrine’s confidence. “Okay. Tori won’t make the same mistake twice. If Nicole hadn’t taken control of Phoenix, Orano could have easily destroyed their crystal. This time, she’ll have it under the most powerful protection spell she can muster. I’m strong, but not strong enough to take down something like that.”
“Is there any way you can syphon some of my powers?” Mirissa asked.
Gracey was stunned. This girl, who she’d only met a few hours ago, seemed willing to donate her supernatural abilities. It wouldn’t work, of course, but Mirissa had no way of knowing that.
“Unless your power comes from witchcraft, I can’t even channel it, let alone syphon it from you. I might be able to convince some of the other members of the coven to switch sides and help me. I really do believe if they knew the truth about the prophecy and Tori, they’d want her stopped as much as we do. They’re good women. They’ve just been misled.”
“That might be true, but we can’t count on them turning. Tori’s had their ear for a long time. Even if you could convince a few, would that be enough? Could you stop Tori?”
Gracey’s shoulders slumped yet again. “No. Not even close.” The impossibility of the situation overwhelmed her. Every idea she came up with quickly proved either inadequate or downright foolish. She’d hit a wall.
“I think your friend has a mouse problem,” Mirissa said.
“What?” Gracey tried to get her mind to catch up to whatever train of thought that girl was riding, but failed. “Mouse problem?”
“You can’t hear that? Weird. I’m not even using my enhanced auditory ability.”
Again, Gracey couldn’t follow the girl. She could, however, now hear what she’d been talking about. A slight scratching sound emanated from the floor beside the couch. Curiosity had her seeking out the source of the noise. She couldn’t imagine a mouse being in this house, not with Tori’s neat freak habits.
She peeked her head over the sofa’s armrest to find not a feisty rodent, but a planchette moving around an old Ouija board without anyone’s assistance.
A quiet voice came from just over her shoulder. “That’s creepy, right? I mean, they’re not supposed to do that.” Mirissa’s raised eyebrows almost made Gracey laugh.
“How can you be such a badass—whatever you are—and still be afraid of a Ouija board?” Gracey knelt down to pick up the board and planchette. She cleared off a space on Tori’s desk and set it down, placing the planchette on the triangle carved into its center.
“I didn’t say I was afraid, just that it’s creepy. It is creepy, right?”
“Kind of, yeah,” Gracey admitted. “It shouldn’t be moving on its own, but I’m not getting any kind of malevolent vibe from it at all. Quite the opposite, actually.” Gracey reached out to place her fingers on the planchette, only to be stopped by Orano.
“No way,” he said.
“Come on, Sparkles. I know what I’m doing, and if whoever’s causing this can help us, we don’t really have much of a choice,” Gracey said.
“Yeah, Sparkles.” Mirissa guffawed. “Let her do her thing.”
Orano growled at the girl’s dig but stepped aside anyway. Though, before Gracey could place her fingers on the planchette, he put his on the small of her back. The protective gesture warmed her.
“I promise, I’ll be fine.”
“I know,” he said.
Gracey couldn’t help but smile. It’d been a long time since anyone made her feel safe, and she wondered if he felt as happy around her as she did around him. When she looked back to the board, the planchette moved. It now sat at the top left corner.
YES.
Had that been an answer to her unasked question about Orano’s feelings? “Who is this?” Gracey asked.
G…R…A…C…E……S…H…E…R…W…O...O…D.
“Now I’m totally confused,” Mirissa huffed. “Why is it spelling out your name?”
“Not my name.” Gracey filled with awe. “The original Grace Sherwood. The first witch in my family. The one who wrote the journal that Tori’s using to justify all of this craziness.”
YES.
“Can you help us stop her?” Gracey felt tears well in her eyes. Speaking to her ancestor filled her with such strong emotion.
YES.
Gracey opened her mouth to speak but realized she had no idea what to ask. She looked around the room for inspiration but found none. As though reading her thoughts, the planchette moved.
G…E…T……Q…U…I…L…L.
“What? Oh, pencil. Get a pencil and paper.” Gracey laughed as she yanked open one of the desk drawers and grabbed what she needed. This time when the planchette moved, she copied each letter onto the paper. Minutes passed as her ancestor spelled out instructions for them to follow. When the planchette returned to the center of the board, Gracey read the message aloud.
“Tori bound the powers of many sisters. Unbind them and use their strength as your own.” Gracey didn’t understand. “How will that help? There’s only been a few of us over the years who required binding. Even if I could find the others, the extra power would be minimal.
G…E…T……T…H…E……J…A…R...S.
Fine, Gracey thought. Although she knew it would be a waste of time, it felt a little disrespectful to argue with the coven founder. “Orano, where did Phoenix find my jar?”
“Somewhere in the attic. His bird found it.” Orano stepped into the hallway, without so much as an attempt to explain that bird comment, and pulled down the attic ladder. He climbed a few rungs, his head disappearing from view. A moment later, he called out.
“You’re gonna want to see this.”
A knot formed in Gracey’s stomach at his words, but she forced herself to follow him into the attic. Her heart sank as soon as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. “There are hundreds of them.” Nausea threatened to overwhelm her and her knees went weak. Had Orano not been there to wrap his arms around her, she would have collapsed.
“Let’s get you back downstairs. I can release the powers belonging to all of these women using energy balls, just like I did for you.” Orano guided her back to the stairs, holding her in front of him as he descended.
“She says no,” Mirissa called from the desk.
“No? No, what?” Orano looked as perplexed as Gracey now felt.
“If we can give these women their powers back, they can stand with us when we go up against Tori. It might be enough power to stop her.” Gracey waited for an explanation, but none came.
“Slow down, geez.” Mirissa scribbled as she complained. “Okay, she says ‘must channel power and disrupt lick at precisely right time.’ Or maybe that should have been disrupt link, not lick.”
Gracey struggled to follow her ancestor’s meaning. She’d said no to breaking the jars, yet wanted her to channel the power. How would that be possible? And how could she channel their powers without a really big fire agate crystal? She opened her mouth to give voice to her questions, but found she didn’t need to.
Mirissa was already copying the words spelled out by the planchette. “She says ‘you will absorb the power once the jars are broken and wield it as your own. Once finished, you will send it to its rightful place.’ Well, that sounds easy enough.”
An idea began to form in Gracey’s mind or, more accurately, push its way in. This one, unlike the others, came complete with images of the entire process before, during, and after the main event. None of it appeared to be even remotely easy. Worse yet, all of it looked to be way above her ability level.
“So, I’m not breaking the jars?” Orano asked.
“Not yet, not here. I can’t hold onto that much power for more than a few minutes. We’ll have to bring them with us. Tori will use her crystal to direct the power she receives from all of the covens worldwide. You’ll need to break all of the jars right before that happens, so I can take the power and redirect where the crystal is sending it. If the timing is right, instead of Tori pulling a solar flare or CME towards us, we can push it away using her own crystal.”
Her companions all wore blank looks on their faces, so she tried again to explain her plan. “Imagine a river, where the water flows in a straight line. Tori is using her crystal to direct a massive amount of power at a particular spot in the river, causing it to flow in a different direction. We can’t stop her from sending that power, but I can change where it hits the river and the direction the new flow takes.”
Although Gracey felt as though she’d done a pretty good job of explaining, they were still looking at her like they didn’t get it. “I can’t think of a better way to explain it to you guys.”
Chaos (Book 4) (The Omega Group) Page 15