“My plan is a simple one: concoct a blend of Wolfsbane and happily give it to the people of this town. They shall be dead within a day, if not earlier.” She grins at the thought of death, the citizens falling under her ruthless spell, and that’s when I realize this woman is a complete psychopath. “And when I am finished with this task, I shall move on to other cities. Should those people treat me the same, I shall kill them, as well.”
I don’t have much time to contemplate her horrendous idea. If this is what the witches had in mind all along, there still has to be some way Ben and I can prevent this from happening. Never in a million years did I see this as the ultimate payback for the way these women have been treated. It’s personal to them, which leads me to my next suggestion. We can carry out our original arrangement, Ben and I, but now that I’m in the witches’ presence, I wonder if they’re too powerful, even for us.
“Have you ever thought about just . . . proving you aren’t as bad as everyone makes you out to be? I mean, if there’s a process to becoming the exact opposite of your superficial reputation, then I’d snatch up the opportunity.” Honestly, my opinion probably has no effect on Lavenia or her cronies whatsoever, but at least I tried.
Maggie pipes up. “Nay, our words hold no importance with these people.”
Lavenia bobs her head in agreement. “I am positively delighted at the notion that this will be over soon. No more fretting.”
God, these women are fucking crazy. There has to be something I can do to stop them. Right now, the only consideration my mind has is that of hindrance. Maybe if I’m capable of delaying their colossal plan, and saving the lives of Colchester’s citizens, Ben and I might stand a chance.
I’m with you, Princess, Ben says, to the very end.
“So . . . what do you plan on doing with the rest of the town, the ones who won’t drink your poison?” I ask. “What happens to them?”
Georgina narrows her eyes. “Why should ye care of their fates?”
“I’m just curious, I guess.”
Lavenia places the lid back on the kettle, then turns to me. “We plan on afflicting the others.”
“With poison?”
“Nay, with an infectious bite.”
“They’ll be werewolves,” I state bluntly.
All three witches snort at the obvious.
Lavenia smiles and extends her hand. “The crystal, please.”
I reach into the pocket of my jeans, where the blue gem radiates in all its brilliance. Hesitating for a few seconds, one thought tramples all others: what is its purpose? It’s been bothering me since I first laid eyes on the stone.
“How are you going to use this?” I ask, gripping the crystal in my hand.
Lavenia’s smile begins to fade. “That is none of thy concern.”
“Tell me, or I’ll crush it,” I articulate through gritted teeth.
All three women surge forward to seize it, but I quickly constrict my fingers, and small portions of the gem break off, dust showering the floor. They freeze, knowing I’ll hold true on my word.
“Not one more step,” I warn, “or your precious crystal is gone forever.”
Straightening her spine, Lavenia lifts her chin and says, “Then ye have left me no choice.” Her eyes begin to glow yellow, and, for a second, I believe she’s going to shift into werewolf mode and rip us apart—in which case Ben and I wouldn’t be able to stop her or the others. Three powerful witches against two werewolves? No chance of survival with that one; we’d be as good as dead.
Instead of transforming, however, Lavenia begins chanting. Oh, this can’t be good. I’ve seen first-hand what her spells do, and the long-lasting effects they create. The ancient language is the same as what she used on Ulric and Daciana. Only this time, her mantra is longer than before.
She reaches forward, like she’s going to grab us from across the room, and as she does, my entire body begins to tingle. The pain becomes worse, though, as she progresses through the chant; it feels like thousands of pinpricks all at once. I open my mouth to scream, but the ache is so intense, I don’t have the energy to form sound. Long tendrils of white light roll out of mine and Ben’s bodies, floating in waves toward Lavenia.
And just like that, the atmosphere doesn’t contain tension anymore. I can finally breathe. Ben and I are both panting as our bodies recover from the sudden sting.
When my heart rate slows, and my inhalation returns to normal, I cry out, “What the hell did you do to us?”
Having displayed her powers leaves a smug expression on Lavenia’s face, but she doesn’t hesitate to reply, “I took what ye valued most, what ye needed to exit this time and enter the next. Now, are ye prepared to challenge me again?”
“She took our powers, Candra!” Ben’s doubled over at the waist, severely gasping for air. His words don’t register in my brain for several seconds, and when they do, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. God, we should’ve killed them when we had the chance, even if it cost us our lives in the process.
Before I can come up with a quick scheme, Lavenia outstretches her hand once again and says, “Give me the crystal.”
In an attempt to concoct a new plan, nothing comes to mind. This is it, I guess. After all Ben and I have worked for to prevent our families from becoming enemies, our efforts mean absolutely nothing.
Reluctantly, I hand over the glowing-blue gem.
“A wise decision,” Lavenia says. She holds the crystal at eye-level and admires it like a lover. Without removing her gaze from the stone, she adds, “Be on thy way, then.”
I scramble to find the right words. “You can’t just . . . leave us here. We have to go home.”
“’Twas not part of our bargain, was it?” She finally looks at us.
Maggie and Georgina share a confused glance, and Maggie speaks up. “Ye said ye would send them back, Lavenia.”
So, this was pre-planned? They knew ahead of time they’d send us home and continue on their merry way, slaughtering the citizens of Colchester. What a bunch of—
“Do not put words in my mouth, Magena. Ye shall do well to remember who holds true power here,” Lavenia cautions.
The three of them literally have a stare-off for what feels like minutes, each silently challenging each other. Well, that, or they’re trying to guess what the next move should be. Either way, I don’t like where this is headed.
“I have a better idea,” I say. “Why don’t you give us our powers back and let us return home?”
Lavenia’s head snaps toward me. “Because ye know what we plan to do and all would be undone.”
Abruptly, Maggie dashes forward and tackles Lavenia. Both women tumble to the floor, and the crystal is ejected from Lavenia’s hand, landing a number of feet away. Maggie gains control and snatches the crystal before Lavenia can reach it.
“Send them home, or I shall destroy it,” Maggie orders, her breath ragged as she gradually finds her footing.
Lavenia stands, too. “Fool! How dare ye defy me?” Stalking Maggie, Lavenia has her eyes set on nothing but the crystal, as if she’s completely entranced.
“This is not what we agreed upon,” Maggie says. “Our original visions were different from the one ye have now. ’Tis not the way.”
Lavenia cackles forebodingly. The sound of her laughter grates my eardrums. “My vision has changed. If ye dream differently than I, mayhap ye should flee this town and never look back.”
Both women circle each other, and Georgina stands on the sidelines, unsure what to do.
“Hand me the crystal,” Lavenia orders. “This is thy final warning. Do not make me chose thy fate.”
“Nay,” Maggie says, jutting out her chin.
Unfazed, Lavenia murmurs, “So be it.” A bright light shoots from the palm of her hand and strikes Maggie, whose body goes rigid and collapses to the floor with a hard-hitting thud. I cringe at the noise; it sounded like she cracked her skull.
Lavenia wastes no time in prying the crystal from Maggie’s stony finger
s. Absorbed by the gem’s beauty and power, her gaze wavers between it and Maggie. The look on her face tells me she’s mentally deliberating, which can’t be a good thing.
In one final breath, Lavenia utters words in the ancient language. Georgina screams, just as Maggie bursts into hundreds of tiny blue flecks, her remains falling to the floor like snowflakes on a lazy winter day. Ben’s arms encircle my body almost immediately. When reality hits, I bury my face against his chest and let the warm tears slide down my cheeks. She was a mentor, and a person who I was proud to call my friend. I’m going to miss her so much.
“Well, now that—” Lavenia begins, but is promptly cut off by Georgina.
“Do ye not remember the spell? Thy fate has been sealed, foolish woman.”
I raise my head off Ben’s chest and notice Lavenia’s expression shifts from confusion to comprehension. Then horror. She pops the crystal out of her hand like it’s a hot coal, and it plunges to the ground.
“Take it!” Lavenia screeches. “I do not want it!”
The words no more leave her mouth than she, too, explodes.
Chapter Thirteen
“What the hell is going on?” I shriek.
Georgina appears to be in the early stages of shock, as her eyes wander sluggishly from Maggie’s final resting place to Lavenia’s. When she peers up at Ben and me, she says, “I did not think ’twould come to this.” She shakes her head and adds, “We have known all this time what ye are, and through our visions, what ye came here for.” Dropping into a chair at the dining table, she stares off, her mind not really rooted in reality.
Cautiously, I sit down across from her. “What happened, Georgina? Why did Lavenia die after taking Maggie’s life?”
Her voice is a gentle breeze, barely there. “The crystal holds great power, but it’s enchanted so if used for the purpose of death, the one who casts the spell will perish, as well.”
“And you didn’t see this incident in your visions?”
“Nay, I did not, or I would have prevented it from occurring.”
I actually feel sorry for the girl. Maggie must’ve been her best friend, and Lavenia was her teacher. Now, they’ve both been removed from her life.
“When you saw visions of Ben and me, what did you see?”
Her eyes meet mine. “Death and destruction. Ye would have ruined our plan, but I guess, in a way, ye already managed that.”
“For what it’s worth,” I tell her, “your deaths would’ve been a last resort.”
Minutes tick by in silence, and Georgina is the first to speak. “I did not like her plan—Lavenia’s—but I could not stand up to her. Maggie was braver than I.”
“So, we can trust you won’t kill the entire town?” Ben asks, moving to stand behind me.
Georgina glances at the kettle brimming with hot poison. “Nay, I shall destroy the contents.”
“You should probably pack your things and leave this place,” I say. “They’ll come looking for you after what happened earlier, since you worked for Lavenia.”
This time, when Georgina observes Ben and me, there’s determination behind her eyes. “Ye are correct. I shall pack my things at once, and the baby’s, though I will miss my home.” She jumps to her feet and rushes to the back area of the cottage.
“I totally forgot about the kid,” I say. “I wonder which one of them had it.”
Ben shrugs. “I don’t know, but at least Georgina is left to take care of it. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“Well, that leaves us, then. I guess we’re stuck here,” I say.
Ben pulls a chair up beside me and sits down. “At least we’re together.”
My voice sounds so insignificant when I respond, “Yeah.” First, we lost Maggie. Now, we’ve both lost our futures, our families and friends, and life as we knew it.
Georgina clears her throat, and Ben and I glance over our shoulders. “There still may be hope. I know a spell, but I cannot guarantee the outcome.”
“Will it send us back home?” Ben asks, hopeful.
“That is the idea,” Georgina says. “But I must warn ye . . . the future may not be as ye recall.”
I don’t know if I like her proposal. What if we return and our parents aren’t really our parents? Or what if our friends never existed? Maybe we never existed, and we’ll be forced to live on the streets because we have no place to go.
“What are you saying?” I query further.
Georgina sighs impatiently. “Many of the previous moments may be forever changed.”
It’s not like we really have much of a choice. Either we go home or we don’t. It’s as simple as that. Personally, I don’t want to be stuck in the sixteenth century for the remainder of my life. I want to see my family and friends again.
“I’m in,” I say.
“If she’s going, then so am I,” Ben adds.
“Very well then.” Georgina closes her eyes and begins chanting the same language Lavenia used. All we can do at this point is trust that she knows what she’s doing and won’t send us one hundred years in the future, or one thousand. Or to Mars.
As Georgina finishes the spell, she opens her eyes and a swirling, multi-colored portal appears in the center of the room. I feel an automatic pull toward its beauty, the glistening whirlpool of time just at my fingertips. I’m almost giddy with excitement.
Then I remember what Georgina said about our futures, and my emotions wane.
“Come what may, do not release thy hold on one another.”
Before jumping into the vortex, I consider another important piece of information, something that will prevent further damage in this lifetime and ours. I don’t hesitate to voice my concern to Georgina.
“Promise me something?” I say.
“Whatever ye wish.”
“Promise me that if and when Alaric Conway asks for a banishment spell, you’ll tell him there isn’t one.”
She narrows her eyes suspiciously, but they soon return to normal. “Aye, ye have my word.”
“And one more thing,” I add. “Promise you’ll do everything in your power to break the werewolf curse, that Alaric, Ulric, and Daciana will all be free from their enchantment, that they’ll live normal, happy lives.”
Georgina mentally considers my request for several seconds, responding, “No longer shall blood be shed, and no longer shall dark creatures roam the night.”
I smile, believing her every word. I have the feeling Georgina will change everything the future holds, maybe some parts for the better and some parts for the worse. But at least we’ll know our ancestors were returned to their former selves. At least we were gifted with the opportunity to meet them, however short the amount of time was we spent together.
“Then we’re ready,” I state.
Georgina motions toward the portal. Ben hooks his arm around mine and clutches my hand in a death grip. With one swift nod toward Georgina, he and I hop inside.
Traveling through time is just as I recall—beautiful displays of colorful swirls in one long, seemingly never-ending tunnel, all masking the fact that we can take a detour and end up in a different century. We definitely don’t want that, though, especially when we can’t control time anymore. As if sensing my personal thoughts, Ben embraces me even tighter.
But just as the end of the channel is in sight, it’s like invisible hands yank us apart. I scream, stretching toward Ben, but our fingers never touch. I’m no master at time manipulation, but I’m pretty this is not supposed to happen.
“Candra!” Ben yells. He makes one final attempt to reach out prior to being sucked through the end of the portal, but it’s no use, and he disappears.
I crash onto a set of old, rickety stairs. Gradually taking deep breaths and pushing off with my hands, I notice an all-too-familiar house, with missing floorboards, busted windows, and graffiti everywhere I look. No, I think. No, no, no. I’ve come so far over the last year, and so much has happened, and now the universe wants to throw me right back where it
all started.
“Dude, you seriously need to pick up your feet,” Sean says.
“And watch out for the missing steps; we don’t want you falling through to the first floor,” Layla remarks.
Oh, my God. This is exactly what happened before I was shipped off to Connecticut. If I think hard enough, I bet I can recite every last word from tonight, like I’m reading from a script. C’mon, check this out.
“C’mon, check this out,” says Sean, right on cue.
Next, Layla will walk through the doorway of the first room on the left, where she’ll run directly into the spider web hanging from the door jams.
Not two seconds later, she’s screaming bloody murder and dancing in the hallway, arms flailing.
“It’s just a cobweb,” Sean says. “Here, I’ll brush it off.” He directs the beam from his flashlight onto her back, where a spider’s shiny, dirty-gray netting clings to her hoodie. Sean eventually calms Layla, and they decide to reenter the room—which is precisely where we’ll be when the cops show up, thanks to Layla’s screams and high-pitched squeals alerting the nearby neighbors.
“You first, Expulsion.” Sean had called me that ever since I was kicked out of my old school. I transferred to another one in the next town over, but that wasn’t working out so well, either. It’s crazy to think the actions I’m reliving right now are the same actions that got me where I was ten minutes ago. My head hurts just thinking about it.
Like a puppet forced to perform, I repeat what I said over a year ago. “All right. Hand it over.”
“Awww yeahhh,” Sean says, cackling like a maniac. He tosses me a can of spray paint, and I hold it steady, preparing to leave my mark on this abandoned house.
Shaking the contents, I press the button and black paint spews from the tiny hole. Unsure of what I’ll leave behind, I deliberate for a moment longer before settling on what comes naturally. The ears, the eyes, the fangs, the fur; it’s all in my DNA.
Sean and Layla squint at my terrible artwork.
“Is that a dog?” Sean asks.
“A wolf,” I correct.
“A wolf?” Layla says, incredulously. “That’s . . . totally not what I was expecting.”
Blood Moon (Silver Moon, #3) Page 13