Daniel sat a few feet away, knees up and his arms resting on them. She shot an exasperated look his way, not able to understand how he could remain so calm. William had been gone for quite some time and they had no way of knowing what was happening in the village. An occasional shout would reach them, but it wasn’t enough to discern what was being said or whether William had managed to sneak in.
She hoped that Daphne was safe; she would never forgive herself if something happened to her cousin, either of them for that matter, because of her. No matter what Daniel said, it was her fault, it was their fault that Malachi was here. If only she had let Adrian talk her into running away sooner. Of course, whenever she thought that, she remembered that she would have been leaving Daniel behind, never to know what had happened to his daughter. She never would have learnt the truth, but Adrian would still be alive.
Persephone groaned and slammed her side against a tree, her thoughts running in circles. No matter what had happened, someone would have been hurt and left behind. She couldn’t win.
Not that it matters anyway. Can’t go back and change anything. She heaved a sigh and looked toward the village one more time.
“They’ll be here soon. Stop worrying, lass.”
“How can I not? I just found my cousins and now they’re in trouble.”
She heard grass rustle behind her but didn’t turn. Daniel’s warm hand on her shoulder was more soothing than she thought it would. Despite everything that had happened, she was glad to have finally found her true father. Persephone turned to him and threw her arms around his neck, holding her father close and burying her face in his shoulder. Although she was taller than him, she was comfortable in their embrace, and she smiled as he gently rubbed her back and rocked them slightly from side to side. The actions were those to sooth a child, but it comforted her nonetheless. She closed her eyes and let herself relax in the arms of her long lost father.
A few moments later, shouting from the village grabbed their attention, and they broke their embrace to see what was going on. Two horses appeared around the side of a building, racing towards them while a handful of villagers chased them, waving weapons in the air. Persephone recognized William’s large frame on Skylla, and assumed the small figure on the chestnut was Daphne. Persephone tried to look closer at the villagers, squinting her eyes. Movement from the roof of a low building caught her attention, and she gasped as she recognized a bow and arrow drawn to release. She wanted to scream at William and Daphne to ride harder, but she knew the horses were hard out already; she was at a loss at what to do.
“Persephone!” Daniel shouted her name, the frustration and concern in his tone making her wonder if he’d been calling to her a few times. “Mount up, we’ll ride out and I’ll try to deflect the attack.”
“But there’s already an arrow notched,” she cried.
“I know,” he paused, frowning. “I can’t do anything about that one except hope it misses the mark. Now let’s go.”
They swung into the saddles and kicked the horses into a gallop, racing towards the twins. As they broke the cover of the trees, Persephone glanced to the roof top archer and saw the arrow release. Time slowed down and her gaze followed the arrow, horror filling her as she realized it would hit flesh. The metal tip buried itself in Daphne’s shoulder, and the small woman pitched forward, splayed across her horse’s neck.
“Daphne!” Persephone screamed. As though feeling her rider’s panic, Gypsy surged forward even faster, Chiron picking up speed behind them, and they were soon caught up with William and Daphne, who struggled to sit up again. Fury flooded Persephone’s body, speeding past hot anger to blinding cold rage. She reined in Gypsy, facing the low building on which stood the bastard who had tried to kill her cousins. The villagers chasing the twins faltered as they realized she had stopped, regardless of the danger. Faint noises penetrated the haze surrounding her, and she recognized the whine of Malachi’s voice in the melee.
“What are you waiting for, you dolts? Grab her before she disappears.”
Persephone turned her head, staring at the group of men who suddenly seemed reluctant to get near the woman sitting so calm in the face of an archer. When she was certain they weren’t going to approach, she looked at the archer again, who notched another arrow, ready to fire despite the orders Malachi shouted. “Don’t hurt her, you fools, I need her.” His words made her ill, but he wasn’t her concern, not at this moment.
A chilling clarity filled her as she sat on Gypsy’s back, oblivious to the mare’s heaving sides and quivering flanks, ignorant to the shouting from Daniel, demanding her to move now! She continued to sit, calm and still, watching the archer draw his bow to point at her heart. As he released the string, sending the arrow on its deadly path, she flicked her right hand, and with that movement, the arrow was thrown to the side, a harmless twig lying on the ground.
She noticed a couple men approaching her from the group that had been chasing William and Daphne. The men were armed with long swords, much like the one that had pierced Adrian’s chest, causing his lifeblood to pump out and stain his beautiful body. Persephone held her left hand up, and the men no longer advanced. They no longer moved, in fact, as she had frozen them to the core. The cold from the bodies spread into the metal of the swords, and they became so brittle, the little breeze that teased the area was enough to shatter them.
“For you, my love,” she whispered to the air. “Those pieces of harsh steel will hurt no one ever again.”
Glancing at Malachi, she could see the man standing on a platform, his mouth hanging open in shock. She twitched her head to the side and considered destroying him as he stood, but decided to take care of the archer who had injured her cousin first. Malachi could wait to receive his rewards for his evil soul.
Persephone faced the archer once more and noticed he had another arrow at the ready and she sighed. “Will you never learn?”
As he fired the third arrow, she flicked it away again like an annoying gnat, then reached out with her left hand, grabbing the air as though it had a neck. The archer grabbed his throat, trying to pry invisible hands away from his flesh, invisible hands that were cutting off his air supply. A wind kicked up, blowing Persephone’s hair about, and she felt invincible.
A noise by her ear irritated her, and she tried to swipe at it with her right hand, only for something to grab it. She spun around, her other hand still holding the archer hostage. The old man, Daniel—whom she now called Father—grasped her arm, shouting at her. Reading his lips, she knew he was telling her to stop what she was doing, and step back from the power.
She tilted her head again. She didn’t want to step away from the power, it was glorious and nothing could hurt her. Bored with the man, she turned back to squeeze the life from the man on the rooftop. She never saw the punch coming, just felt sharp pain radiating from the side of her face as she began to slide off the saddle. Before she knew it, the darkness claimed her vision and she knew no more.
Chapter Eight
Persephone groaned and rolled over, surprised to feel a soft bed underneath her. The last thing she remembered was the hard ground rushing up to meet her as she fell from the saddle. She gasped and sat up as everything came back to her. Had she really done such horrible things?
She ran her hands through her hair then held them in front of her, glaring at them and daring them to do something else that was completely wretched. Tears formed in her eyes and she didn’t try to stop them from falling. What had come over her? She remembered feeling outraged at Daphne’s wounding, and then everything took a turn for the worse. Something had possessed her, and she wasn’t sure if the power had taken on a life of its own within her, using her anger to fuel it, or whether it was something of Malachi’s doing. No, that didn’t feel right, Malachi had been as shocked as everyone else. His jaw was slack, and that darkness within had wanted to rip it off of his skull. It was the power, inherent from her true mother’s lineage of Dark Witches.
Swin
ging her legs off the bed, she held her head in her hands. From now on, she realized she would have to keep a tight leash on her emotions, or the power would take over again. Persephone sighed. As if her life needed more complications.
A knock on her door made her flinch, and she gazed up as Daniel let himself in. Seeing she was awake, he rushed to her, and she tried to smile at him. His face was drawn and he was starting to look really old, though she thought it was probably just the low lighting and the stress from the past few days.
“I’m so sorry,” he pleaded to her. “I never wanted to lay a violent hand on you, but I knew you wouldn’t be able to cope with having killed that man once your senses returned.”
She shook her head and looked at her hands resting on her knees. “You did what you had to do,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m the one who should be sorry after…after…that.” Bile rose in her throat and she thought she was going to vomit.
Daniel crouched in front of her and grasped her hands in his warm ones. “Lass, it wasn’t you, you have to know that. It was the magick. Dark Magick is seductive, especially when you first start using it.”
She looked at him, tears in her eyes. “It used me, and I let it.”
“You can’t think like that, sweetheart. It latched on to your rage and didn’t give you the chance to fight back. It made you think you let it, but in truth, it was the magick that controlled you. It pushed you to the side and twisted your thoughts so you thought it was you. That’s how it wins. But you have me, William, and Daphne to remind you of the kind soul you really are. You’re not a mindless killing monster. Please, lass, don’t let it win.” His deep brown eyes were begging her to answer.
“Okay,” she whispered, her voice quavering. “I won’t let it win.”
Daniel stood up to move next to her, sitting on the bed now with his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled up to him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. “Alexandria had warned me her Dark Magick might be inherited by you, and if she had been able to find a way to avoid that, she would have. Neither of us wanted you to have to go through the initial battles that every Dark Witch does when they first tap into their power. We wanted you to be a Witch of the Light, or at least have Earth Magick. Unfortunately, life has a way of throwing us challenges, and this is just something we’ll have to overcome. You’ll get there, though, you’ll see. Your mother did it, and so can you. She didn’t have anyone to support her, either, so you can beat it with no problem, okay?”
Persephone nodded into his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. This was what a father was supposed to do; hold her and tell her it’s going to be all right, and that he will make sure of it.
Someone cleared their throat at the door, breaking the moment. Persephone looked up and smiled when she saw William standing there uncertainly. Seeing blood on his hands, she suddenly remembered Daphne’s wound and sat up straight. “Daphne,” she started, but Daniel kept his arm around her shoulders, holding her down.
“Is fine,” he finished. “The arrow has been removed, I’ve stitched close the wound, and she’s resting after having a light meal, something I suggest you should have.”
“That’s what I was going to say,” William agreed. “The cook wants to know if you want to eat with the rest of the customers or up here in private.”
“I think up here might be best,” Daniel answered. “And while you’re at it, maybe you should clean your hands,” he pointed at the offending limbs.
William lifted them, and nodded when he saw the blood. “Yes, of course,” he replied. “I forgot, I guess.”
“We’re all tired, William, don’t worry about it. What we all need is a good meal and a solid night of sleep. It’s been a trying day for all of us.” Daniel stood up, leaving Persephone’s shoulders cool as the night air reached the skin that had been kept warm by her father’s arm.
Looking at herself, she was suddenly aware that she only wore a thin undershirt.
“Sorry, lass,” Daniel spoke. “You were running a fever and tore your tunic in your sleep.” He shrugged. “It’s something that all Dark Witches go through as they fight for dominance over their power. Pleased to say you seem to have won. I’ll let you get dressed. Your clothes are in the bag”—he pointed to the saddlebag resting on a small table—“and I’ll be back in a few minutes with dinner.” He ushered William out and closed the door, not giving Persephone a chance to argue.
She sat on the bed and sighed again. “Better get dressed then,” she said to herself. Slowly standing up, she found that her legs were a little shaky. She took one tentative step at a time and was thankful that the table was only about five paces from the bed. Any further away, and she doubted she could have made it that far anytime soon. Grasping the edge of the table with one hand, she opened the bag and pulled out the sunny yellow dress. It was close to the top, under some more underclothing, so she guessed that Daniel had rearranged her clothes in the hopes she would pick the dress. Persephone smiled and decided to indulge her father and slid the yellow dress over her head, delighting in how the material flowed around her legs as she moved. Reaching into the bag again, she pulled out the matching yellow slippers and her hairbrush, and turned to shuffle back to the bed so she could put them on.
It took her longer than normal to get ready since she still felt off-balanced. After effects of the power surge and consequential fever, she assumed. She had just finished brushing her long hair when Daniel returned, this time not bothering to announce his arrival.
“It’s polite to knock, you know,” Persephone stated wryly.
“I figured since you could do it back in Mythosandria to me, I could do it to you,” he replied, not skipping a beat.
“Yes well, you weren’t getting dressed,” she retorted, her spirits lifting with their playful to-and-fro.
“I appreciate your point, but since you were already in underclothes, which, by the way, did get changed once your fever broke, I don’t see it as a concern.”
Persephone remained silent as she absorbed his words, her mouth slightly open.
Daniel chuckled. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t in the room, nor was William. The lady who runs the inn changed your underclothes, so it’s nothing she hasn’t seen on her own body.” He placed the tray he had been carrying on the table and moved the saddle bag to rest beside the bed. Returning to the table, he lifted the cover from over the plates, and the delicious smells of chicken pie and seasoned roasted potatoes reached her nostrils. Her stomach grumbled in response.
Persephone stood once more and made her way to the table again, this time steadier on her feet. She spotted a tall glass bottle and gave it the stink eye.
“Don’t worry, lass.” Daniel smiled. “It’s not Perry. It’s just a light wine, not potent enough to get you tipsy, even if you drank the whole bottle by yourself. No horrid headache when you wake in the morning.”
Sitting on a chair, Persephone pulled a plate towards her and began to devour the pie. The chicken meat was soft and flavorsome, the gravy rich, and the pastry was buttery and crisp. She savored the first few bites with eyes closed.
Swallowing a mouthful, she decided it was time she found out where they were exactly. “Are we on the coast now?”
Daniel had to swallow his own mouthful of food before answering. “Not yet. Instead of heading straight towards the ocean, we headed northeast. We’re still a day’s ride away. Daphne needed medical attention, and you needed a more comfortable place to rest while you fought the magick’s hold. William and Daphne know the proprietor of this inn well, and she can be trusted. She knows the story, so will protect us. She’s a Witch of the Light,” he explained. “If you and Daphne are up to it tomorrow, we’ll head out to the coast once more.”
As Persephone continued to eat, her mind wandered. She looked out the window and saw that it was pitch dark outside. Lights from houses twinkled and she could hear singing coming through the floorboards. Good-natured laughter could also be heard from do
wnstairs, and she felt like she could stay here for a while.
“There’s no rush,” she hinted. “If Daphne isn’t up for travel, I’m happy enough to spend an extra day here. If the lady who runs this place is to be trusted, then maybe we could stay here a couple nights. Is it a big village?”
“It’s not as large as the city where we’re headed, but it’s certainly bigger than Mythosandria. Probably close to triple the size of home, I believe.”
“That place wasn’t home,” she replied. “It was just a place we once lived.”
Daniel nodded. “I do agree, lass. I do agree.”
They ate the rest of their meal in silence.
As they cleared their plates of chicken pie and potatoes, William entered the bedroom with another tray. With a smile, he picked up the dinner tray and replaced it with this smaller one. Placing the first tray by the door, he joined them at the table and lifted the cover. Three small bowls rested under it, all filled with a creamy substance that smelled quite sweet. Persephone, Daniel, and William all reached for a bowl and spoon each, settling back in their chairs.
“I think you will both enjoy this dish,” William grinned, his eyes twinkling. “It’s a specialty of Rosetta’s and you’ll find nothing like it anywhere else. Oh, people will try to replicate it, but no one has the recipe, though she promised to give it to Daphne one day. Rosetta has sort of adopted my sister as her own.”
Persephone looked at him, waiting to see if he’d continue, but he began to eat, so she followed his lead. She tentatively dipped the spoon in and lifted it to her mouth. A cool, sweet taste flooded her mouth, with just a hint of tartness. She rolled the flavors around her mouth, enjoying it immensely. Persephone struggled to not gulp this strange dessert down, instead lifting a small spoonful at a time to her mouth and relishing each little taste. As slow as she ate it, however, all too soon the bowl sat empty, and she looked at it with despair.
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 281