Raven Ridge (Witches of Sanctuary Book 2)

by Savannah Blevins

  I glance back at Reid, and he comes over to the table to join us. “Erika isn’t dead.”

  Sadie’s mouth drops open in shock. “You didn’t kill her?”

  I sigh. “Trust me, I wanted to kill her.”

  Reid places his hand on my shoulder. “You’re the only person I know with a heart kind enough to let her go.” I lean into his side. “Erika is in the circle with Grady. They’re going through the Changing right now.”

  Julien sits up on his elbow as the wound in his chest closes and heals. “Then let’s go get this over with. I’m ready to be normal for once.”

  ***

  I stop by my house to clean up. I have to get Julien’s blood off my hands. Julien takes a shower down the hall, but Reid doesn’t leave my side. He still holds the Book of the Moon like it might jump out of his hands and run off. Once everyone is ready, we go meet Delphine, Sera, and Jade at the circle. Grady and Erika are gone. I run up to the circle, but Sera raises her hand. “Don’t worry, they haven’t escaped. We moved them to the circle behind my house. I want to be able to check on them to make sure the Changing completes.”

  “Plus,” Delphine says, grinning, “I needed to use this one tonight.”

  “For what?”

  Delphine holds her hand out toward Reid. “Get your Moon and join me in the circle.”

  Reid gives my book to Sera and takes my hand. “What is this about?”

  “Just follow me,” Delphine says.

  Once we step inside the circle, the flames rise up, turning white. Two figures appear behind us. It’s Contessa and Elizabeth. Contessa glances at Reid and then winks at me. I know that look. They’re going to declare Reid.

  His brows are knotted together. He doesn’t have any idea. Delphine takes his hand. “I’m old,” she says simply, “and as of late, this war with the Haunted has gotten too complicated for this old bird to keep up. I’ve been the leader of the Sun for long enough.”

  Reid still doesn’t get it. “You’re going to pass the book on to my mom?”

  Delphine sighs. “Not your mother. Sera and I both agree it should go to you.”

  Reid takes a step back. “Me?”

  Elizabeth smiles at him. “I told you Wilhelmina needs her Sun. Now more than ever.”

  Reid looks warily at me. “So, does that mean I have to get one of those fancy marks?”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth says, laughing a little. “Any requests on where I should put it?”

  He looks at me, and I smile. “Chippendales it?”

  Reid smirks. “My mother is watching, Wilhelmina.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine. Your wrist then.”

  Reid turns his wrist over, and Elizabeth touches it. “Congratulations.”

  Reid drops like a dead fish to the ground. “Holy crap, this hurts.”

  He falls onto his hand as if trying to put out the flame. It takes a good five minutes before Reid is able to stand back up, and even then he clutches his wrist to chest. “I told you it hurt,” I say, smirking.

  He absently rubs the spot. “That does more than just hurt.”

  Delphine smiles up at him. “It’s time.” She walks out of the circle and gets both books and brings them back to us. “Only together can leaders of both lines read the Iniquity spell.”

  I take the Book of the Moon. My fingers press down on the soft leather. Reid nudges my elbow. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah. I think so.”

  We open the books together, and the fire around the circle flares higher. Everyone stands around the edge, waiting. I flip to the back, to the empty pages where the spell should be. The pages are still blank. Reid looks up at me and smiles. I purse my lips. “There’s nothing in here, still.”

  He moves to me, still grinning. “Look closer.”

  At the top of the page, scribbling itself out in perfect, beautiful cursive, is writing. Word by word it appears across the page. Reid holds his book up, showcasing the writing as well. I start to read it out loud for everyone to hear as it scribbles along the page.

  The Demise of Iniquity

  A cloudless day when both the Moon and the Sun can be seen in the sky. The Innocent of the Sun will take the black fruit from the Raven’s tree and combine it with water from the Elder’s spring. The Innocent of the Moon will pour it in the chalice of Franz E’tour.

  Each member of the three Haunted families must drink from the chalice in the order of their original downfall.

  Bessette. Prescott. Cote.

  At dusk when the Sun and Moon exchange, their fate will be chosen.

  The book snaps shut and the fire around the circle disappears. Abby steps over the stones toward me. “What does that mean…their fate will be chosen?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “And what is all that stuff we need in order to complete the spell?”

  Julien steps up. “Well, the Raven’s tree is on the Ridge. It’s next to the Tower. Everyone says it was the first tree planted by a Cote when they settled on the Ridge. It’s a green apple tree.”

  “And what is the Elder’s spring?”

  “A waterfall,” a voice from the back of the crowd says. It’s Talbot, small and hiding. “It’s on our land. The caves beneath it lead to a small, cold spring.”

  “Okay,” I say, nodding. “These are all things we can get. What about the chalice of Franz E’tour?”

  Sadie raises her hand. “It belongs to the Prescotts. Zeke said once that he thought that was the main reason they built the grand hall. To display it in all its glory. It’s supposed to be carved from the rock there.”

  “All right, then. We have a plan. Once Erika and Grady finish the Changing, we go get these relics and perform the spell. It’ll be easy.” I shake my head to make myself believe it. “Totally simple.”

  Julien laughs. “When does anything we do turn out to be simple?”

  I eye him warily. “I can hope.”

  He smiles at me. It’s his Cote smile.

  Reid’s arm wraps around my shoulder. Who am I kidding? A Haunted treasure hunt with Reid and Julien. There would never be anything simple, or uncomplicated, about that.

  I look between them. “Is there any chance you two might put all this behind you and…I don’t know…become friends?”

  Reid stares Julien down, and he returns it. Julien crosses his arms over his chest. “Any chance of you breaking up with Willa?”

  “No,” Reid says through his clenched teeth. “Any chance of you getting over it and moving on?”

  Julien purses his lips. “Nope.”

  Reid looks over at me. “I still hate him.”

  Julien nods. “I still hate him too.”

  I let out a sigh. “Great.”

  I shove the Book of the Moon under my arm and go grab Sadie and Abby. “Where are you going?” Julien yells after me.

  “It’s been a rough month. I officially proclaim this a girls’ night out. No boys allowed.” I point my finger at Lyric and Talbot. “That means you guys too.”

  Reid steps up beside Julien. “Yeah, but where are you going?”

  “Somewhere with lots of wine.” Carolyn was probably still as Rooster’s trying to clean up the mess. We would go help. Help and drink.

  I hand my book off to Sera and link my arm between Abby and Sadie. We need this time together. Time to heal, to process, and to figure out what the heck we’re going to do.

  How do I balance my boyfriend and best friend? Is there a balance?

  There’s always a balance. We’re proof of that.

  I glance over my shoulder at Reid. I didn’t mean for you to hear that.

  I want to hear it. I want to know what you’re thinking…that you’re still thinking of me.

  I’m always thinking of you.

  Reid smiles. Good.

  An image flashes in my mind. I’ve seen it before. The scene he altered of us sitting on the couch, except this time he really altered it.

  I smirk at him. Tease.

  Julien glances betwe
en us. “Okay, you two are doing that weird thing again.”

  Reid laughs. “C’mon, let’s go back to my house and get you a beer and I’ll explain it to you.”

  Julien eyes him skeptically. “You’re offering me a beer?”

  “You did die today.”

  Julien pauses, considering Reid’s offer. “True.”

  Reid points at Lyric and Talbot. “You two can join too. Actually, please join us. I don’t think it wise to let us drink alone.”

  I concur.

  Reid sniggers, glancing up at me. I’ll behave. Mostly.

  “I’m there,” Lyric says, jumping forward.

  Talbot shoves his hands in his pockets and quietly follows.

  Abby, Sadie, and I walk down the hill together arm in arm. Reid and Julien wave as I snuggle against Abby’s shoulder. We’re so close to ending this curse, but yet…it still feels a world away. Tonight, though, I have my family. I have them with me, close enough to hug. Close enough to tell them how much I love them. Tonight everything is okay.

  ***

  The morning is cold. Autumn is already slipping away from us. The leaves that only last week were a vibrant orange now fall, brown and crumbling to the ground. I sneak into Reid’s room, a hangover pounding in my head. I quietly open the door only to realize he isn’t there. His bed is made. I walk all the way in, searching every corner like he might be hidden and ready to pop out and scare me.

  “He’s gone.”

  I turn around to see Lyric standing in the door, his hair a mess from where he slept on my living room floor in a sleeping bag next to Julien. “He went to Rooster’s with Julien to help finish cleaning up.”

  I cock my head to the side. “I’m not really in the mood for jokes this morning. Really, where is he?”

  Lyric’s smile is small as if he’s trying to hold it in. “No. I’m very serious. They went to Rooster’s together.”

  “You let Reid and Julien walk out of this house together and go somewhere alone?”

  Lyric shrugs. “I asked to tag along. They denied me.”

  I run my hands down my face. “This can’t be good. In no way can this be good.”

  Lyric laughs. He can’t hold it any longer. I slug in him in the shoulder. “Laugh now, pretty boy. Let’s see how happy you are when the old Grady returns to normal and Abby has to decide whether or not she wants to forgive him.”

  Lyric’s expression goes still. “She can’t forgive him. Even before he transformed, he still lied to her every day. Grady passed information to his brother about all of you for years. There is no forgiving him.”

  I smile at him. “You haven’t heard his story yet. What if Roux threatened his life for the information? You don’t know.”

  Either way, I wouldn’t want Abby to forgive him, but Lyric doesn’t have to know that.

  He frowns at me. “You just had to ruin my morning, didn’t you?”

  “Serves you right for ruining mine.”

  “Fine. How about I go with you to intervene? Will you forgive me?”

  I pat his shoulder as I walk over and steal one of Reid’s sweatshirts from his closet. “I would rather you stay. I can handle the boys on my own. I want you to go with Abby.”

  “Really?”

  I slip Reid’s shirt over my t-shirt and pull my long hair around. “Grady’s Changing should be complete sometime today. I want you there with her when she talks to him. I want you to be a voice of reason.”

  Again Lyric tries to hide his smile. “You believe I am unbiased enough for the job?”

  “Of course not. I simply want you to remind her of the truth when her heart’s judgment might be clouded. You were right before. Even if Roux forced Grady to do all those things, he could have come to us for help. We could have protected him. He made a choice, and I want you to make sure she remembers that.”

  “That I will,” he says. “Trust me.”

  I move past him out of the room and start down the steps. “Good. You’ve got my number. Call me as soon as you hear something.”

  He follows me down the stairs. “Sure. And could you do me a favor too?”

  I stop at the last step and turn around until he makes his way down to meet me.

  “Let my brother down easy.”

  I raise a brow and Lyric sighs as if he’s lost some sort of competition. “I’ve seen the way you look at Reid,” he says. “And I see now the way you look at my brother. There’s a difference. His heart’s judgment is beyond clouded when it comes to you. Break it to him gently, and don’t let your boyfriend break his nose.”

  I laugh. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s nose got hurt.”

  “What do you mean? Have they fought over you before?”

  I head toward the door and grab my jacket. “Have Abby tell you the story sometime of my first couple weeks in Sanctuary. Then maybe you’ll understand why I’m in a hurry to go find these two right now.”

  Lyric leans against the railing of the stairs, suddenly smug. “So, you want Abby and me to spend more time together?”

  I roll my eyes at him as I close the door. It’s not like me saying no would stop him. And Lyric isn’t a bad guy; he’s never been. Abby could probably use someone like him right now. I drive into town. It’s busy. Everyone has come out to join in the effort to clean up Erika’s mess. They all stop to stare, and I get out of my car.

  “Wilhelmina.”

  I turn around, and a brown-haired woman stands on the sidewalk across the street with a broom. I don’t recognize her. “Yes?”

  Her voice is small and she attempts to not make eye contact. “Thank you for saving our town last night.”

  My eyes widen a little. Had someone seen me? There had been people in the stores, running away from the madness. Did someone witness the power I’d used in the middle of the street? The woman didn’t look scared. None of them did.

  I glance around at the mess. “I wish I could have done more.”

  “You do enough,” a man next to her says.

  I smile and nod. They go back to their work, and I walk down the street to Rooster’s. I wave at Carolyn who stands across the street talking to one of the other store owners. “Go on in,” she yells toward me. “They’re expecting you.”

  “I bet they are,” I say under my breath.

  I open the door, and the familiar ding of the bell rings out. Reid and Julien carry a giant table across the room, and I can’t help but laugh at the sight. “Look at you two…not killing each other.”

  They set the table down next to a stack of chairs. Reid wipes sweat from his brow. “We might not agree on a lot of things, but this town means a lot to both of us.”

  “Yeah,” Julien says, sitting down on the edge of the table to rest. “Nobody messes with our town. Plus, we needed somewhere quiet to chat.”

  “Chat?” I step over to inspect both of them. “I don’t see any blood. I find it hard to believe you two have been discussing anything.”

  Julien smirks. “Compromise isn’t normally my strong suit, but for you, I’m willing to make an exception.”

  I cross my arms over my chest. “What kind of compromise have you made, exactly?”

  Julien bites his lip as if what he’s about to say doesn’t want to come out. “You chose him. I’ll accept it and won’t interfere.”

  Reid scoots up next to me and places his arms around my waist. “And I won’t interfere in your friendship with him. I know that you two have a special connection, and you care about him.”

  “She loves me,” Julien says, correcting him.

  Reid glares at him. “Don’t test me, or that no kissing her in front of you rule will get broken really quick.”

  Julien sighs. “Fine. Use whatever terminology you want. It’s still true.”

  “Aww,” I say, pulling Julien over so I can hug them both, “I’m so proud of you two almost getting along. I’m so impressed.”

  My cell phone dings in my pocket, and I let them go to reach for it. Reid tugs the en
d of my sweatshirt. “Hey, isn’t this mine?”

  I grin at him. “You’re my boyfriend now. All your clothes are fair game.”

  I glance down at my phone, and it’s a text.

  Lyric: Grady is awake and talking. Abby is a mess. She wants to go confront him, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. She’s stronger than she looks. HELP.

  “We need to go,” I say, shoving my phone back in my pocket.

  Julien groans. “Who is it now?”

  “Grady. He’s awake. Abby isn’t emotionally stable to face him on her own.”

  Reid motions us all forward. “Come on, let’s go.”

  By the time we make it to Sera’s house, everyone is in the back yard. Abby obviously won the fight against Lyric, because he throws his hands out in frustration as soon as he spots me. “I tried to keep her inside, but she zapped me with some kind of lightning.”

  “It’s okay.” I run to her, but she’s already standing in front of Grady, screaming at him.

  “You don’t have anything to say to me?”

  Grady’s head is down, his shoulders slumped over in complete defeat. “What can I say? I was a kid when my father sent me here to live with my aunt. He changed my name. He stripped me of my identity. I had to tell everyone she was my mother. All for the sole reason of getting him information. He gave up ever knowing his son, because of some book.”

  “You could have told me.”

  “I wanted to. When my father died, and the curse passed to Roux, I thought maybe there was a chance my brother would let me go. That he’d give me my life back, but I was wrong. Roux was even worse than my father.” Grady raises his tear filled gaze to her. “I know I’m the one responsible for Katherine’s death. For Zeke.”

  “Don’t you dare say his name. All those times you cried about him. The times you talked about how much you missed him.”

  “I didn’t mean for him to die.”

  “Like you didn’t mean to kidnap me? Like you didn’t mean to try to kill Willa?”

  “I was under the curse then. The monster in me did those things to you. I would have never hurt you.”