by Phil Stern
“But...”
“Here’s the good news.” Sounding almost cheery, the Coven Leader slipped her bracelet back into place. “I was beginning to think you were a traitor. But now I know you’re just a stupid, impetuous girl granted far too much autonomy by an old woman who should have known better.”
Feeling the entire world begin to spin, Tiffany felt a terrifying helplessness overtake her. “Are you really just going to abandon Earth?”
“For the moment. Clearly, we need to regroup.” Letting out a slow breath, Eleanor took a moment to enjoy the smooth passage of the limo over the hard city streets. “However, your time here is over. Whatever happens with the ruby coven you won’t be returning to this dimension. Obviously, a change is long overdue.”
Desperately trying to think of a response, Tiffany’s mind just went blank. Fighting back full-blown tears, she could only turn away to hide her face.
Five minutes later they pulled up to an abandoned industrial building in a bad part of town. Silently exiting the vehicle, they pushed through half-smashed doors into the structure itself. Springing to life based on their proximity alone, a strong Boundary portal soon became visible in the middle of the ground floor.
Crossing through the inter-dimensional opening, Tiffany followed her Coven Leader out of Earth into the shifting, uncertain world beyond.
*****
At almost the same moment, Claire turned to Adrina in another limo driving in the opposite direction from the Haven delegation.
“Take two other girls and find Valensa,” the ruby leader ordered. “You know she’s north of Philadelphia, holed up somewhere. She can’t be far. Just take care of it.”
“Understood,” the young warrior replied. “And if I find any other Haven witches there? Or this Blake fellow?”
“Just kill them all.” With barely concealed pleasure, Claire thought back on the recent meeting with her Haven counterpart. “Things are going well. The other coven is fractured and weak.”
“Can we do business with our friend there?” Synda cautiously asked.
“I think so.” Smiling, Claire let her magical sensitivity swell out of the vehicle, rapturously embracing all that they passed. “From what I just saw, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.”
CHAPTER NINE
RETURNING TO THE home dimension with Eleanor was the most humiliating experience of Tiffany’s entire life. Immediately upon exiting the Boundary in Haven, the Coven Leader informed the duty sentries that she was under arrest. Until further notice Tiffany’s seniority was revoked, and she wouldn’t be allowed to leave Haven again without an Elder’s direct permission.
Avoiding the shocked stares of her Coven-mates, Tiffany and Eleanor then mounted up and rode across the darkened Haven plains, soon arriving back in Haven Village. Neither woman said a word during the entire trip, Tiffany content to merely let the cool, numbing wind course over her face and body.
Turning the horse in at the village stables, Tiffany quickly walked back to her own house, carefully utilizing back alleys and seldom used lanes. Finally flouncing through the familiar front door, Tiffany ran upstairs and shut herself away within the confines of her bedroom. Rage finally bursting forth, it was all she could do not to smash her idyllic home to matchwood. Instead, fists tightly clenched, the disgraced sorceress just crawled into bed, pouring both anger and tears into a pillow.
Utterly exhausted from the strain and conflict of the past thirty-six hours, not to mention an almost complete lack of rest, Tiffany soon drifted off into a deep sleep. Her earth stone’s angry pulsing soon turning into a gentle, soothing rhythm, the familiar magical energy helping guide the young enchantress into an intense slumber.
*****
Nearly twelve hours later, the beautiful brunette slowly opened her eyes. Bright sunlight poured in through the open curtains to Tiffany’s left, bathing her legs and feet in warmth.
Outside could be heard the sounds of a typical Haven day. Nearly a dozen mature female voices drifted about on the wind, mixed in with the laughing of several younger girls. She also detected four battle hawks patrolling the village skies, along with the quiet roll of wagon wheels on the soft Haven grass. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at all, really, despite the Coven’s now desperate condition and her own wretched confinement.
Sensing Tiffany’s wakened state, a colorful hummingbird now darted in through the window, hovering anxiously over her face in a veritable whirl of manically flapping wings. This was a local species, rather than the glowing, magical guides of the Boundary itself. They often greeted a sorceress upon waking, especially after a particularly long sleep. Trying to shake off her lingering fatigue, Tiffany rolled over to pour out a tiny amount of special nectar in a bowl on the night stand. Chirping her thanks, the hummingbird took a deep drink before darting back out again into the vast, open sky once more.
Thoughtfully laying back down on the disheveled bed, Tiffany found herself blankly staring up at the ceiling. Now she knew what Marissa had meant about Haven suddenly becoming a prison. Yet her friend’s arrest, formally lifted directly after the Conclave, had lasted a little over two weeks. How long would Tiffany’s punishment extend? There was no way to know.
But every moment she remained trapped here could be fatal for Blake and Valensa. Emboldened by the standoff in the hotel conference room, Adrina had certainly been sent out to finish her previous assignment. With Tiffany’s sister still lacking firm control of the earth stone, Valensa’s magical emissions were surely blaring out over the countryside like a foghorn. It wouldn’t take more than a day or two for the ruby assassin to find them, which apparently suited Eleanor just fine.
How could Eleanor be so callous? True, there were risks in empowering Valensa. But weren’t there risks in everything they did? And no matter how angry Eleanor was, just letting the ruby witches slaughter her sister and boyfriend was simply brutal! And not at all like her. It just didn’t add up.
Groaning, Tiffany covered her eyes. Maybe Eleanor was just losing it. After all, it was the Coven Leader herself who had prompted Tiffany to look for any signs of disloyalty on the Peth trip. Then she thought Tiffany herself might be a traitor! That made zero sense, on any level.
Well, whatever was motivating Eleanor right now, she had no intention of simply letting Valensa and Blake die! Or letting the ruby coven get their dirty hands on Earth. That simply wasn’t an option. Clearly, a plan of action was in order.
Yet one thing Eleanor said in the limo was resonating throughout Tiffany’s brain. Perhaps, with everything going on, her judgment had become clouded. The past few weeks had been a veritable assault on her emotional equilibrium, with nearly everything turned upside down. After the shock of her arrest and a good night’s sleep, she was finally beginning to appreciate how her own performance had been impacted.
When had it all started? Why, the moment she’d realized Valensa really was her sister! A sibling that had been abandoned and abused. When confronted with that ugly truth, within the light Zarth forest, Tiffany’s whole world had come undone. That had allowed the ruby coven to snatch away her earth stone, with nearly disastrous consequences.
Since then, the mistakes had continued piling up. By the stone, what had she been thinking to involve Blake in all this? That was insane! And planting a bomb in his New York cabin? What did that accomplish, other than to piss everyone off? No wonder this Adrina girl was out for blood.
And perhaps Valensa was a lost cause entirely. As was her wont, Tiffany was reflexively assuming the best. But did she have the right to impose her own fervent desires for a happy sister on everyone else? After all, giving Valensa an earth stone could well be a disaster for everyone. Eleanor was right. It was a reckless, stupid thing to do.
She’d been a half-step behind events in Peth, no question. Really, her initial clumsiness with the crone on Orly’s Bridge had been unforgivable! Soria and Barbara were absolutely right about that.
And that absurd confrontation in the Pyron circle
with Barbara the night before last? What did she hope to accomplish, other than more unnecessary strife?
In reality, it was nothing more than adolescent venting on her part. The fact was that Tiffany was just plain angry at the world right now. And Barbara, with their past history and obvious faults, was the perfect target.
So what was the truth here? Obviously, when you filter everything through one mental prism, you’re always going to come up with the same answer. Believing Barbara to be disloyal had neatly juxtaposed with Tiffany’s existing emotional paradigm. That’s why it had all seemed so real...yet still might be the wrong answer.
Without question, the Deputy Coven Leader had demonstrated vast amounts of dishonesty and incompetence throughout this entire affair. But there was nothing there to indicate out and out treason. The hoverbike salesman could be a simple transgression, rather than the tip of some wider underground network. Why, even her nocturnal stroll in the Pyron village could be explained...
Keri! Sitting bolt upright in bed, she thought of the strawberry blonde witch, deep in conversation with Barbara. It certainly seemed as if the two of them had been conspiring! But upon reflection, Tiffany realized she really knew nothing.
Leaping off the mattress, Tiffany stormed downstairs and out of the house, nearly jogging over to Keri’s residence on the other side of town.
*****
“Should I even be talking to you?” Frowning, Keri uneasily sat on her own bed. “Aren’t you under arrest or something?”
“Indeed,” Tiffany sighed, carefully perching on the edge of a large, cushioned chair. She would have liked to lean back, but most of the seat was covered in clothes and stuffed animals. “But there’s something I need to know.”
“What?”
“I saw you and Barbara talking in the Pyron village the other night.”
“So?”
“Well, it seemed like you were talking about something important. Maybe something you didn’t want anybody else to know about.”
Like most intrinsically good people, Keri was a horrible liar. “No,” she airily replied, uncomfortably looking out the window. “I just, uh, needed her advice about a new hair style...”
“Keri.” Bringing her up short, Tiffany waited for the younger girl to face her again. “This is terribly important. For all of us. I really need to know.”
Dropping all pretense, Keri shrugged. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Barbara told me not to talk with anybody about this.” Solemnly nodding, Keri earnestly looked directly into Tiffany’s eyes. “She said it could rip the Coven apart if what I knew got out.”
Catching her breath, the tall brunette quickly looked back to make sure Keri’s bedroom door remained shut. “Listen.” Now leaning closer, Tiffany gathered her thoughts. “I really, really need to know.”
“But Tiff...”
“Look at it this way. If you don’t tell me, it could rip the Coven apart. Or worse.”
“What could be worse than that?” Drawing herself up, Keri suddenly showed the strain she was under. “And anyway, I was ordered to deliver that letter! I didn’t even think to question her!”
“What letter? And where did you deliver it?”
“To Claire’s people in Zarth. I had to miss the Conclave to do it.” Rolling her eyes, Keri let out a great sigh. “It was a fucking pain in the ass, too. I’ll tell you, those girls are no joke...”
“Wait!” Her mind racing, Tiffany now leapt up to pace back and forth a few times. “So you’re telling me that Barbara gave you some letter to bring to Claire during the Conclave?”
“No! Not Barbara! It was...” Suddenly, Keri threw up her hands. “Oh, come on, Tiff! Now everyone’s going to think I’m some tattletale!”
“Who gave you a letter to bring to Claire?” Tiffany demanded, now shoving her over to sit on the bed as well. “Tell me! It’s important.”
“Why are you under arrest, anyway?” the other girl innocently asked. “Did the boyfriend finally...”
“Keri!” Squirming around to face her directly, Tiffany tried her best to look stern. “By the stone, this is no time for games!”
Sullenly twirling her hair between two fingers, Keri again gave a tremendous eye roll. “This has to stay between us. Seriously, I mean.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” she sweetly replied, somehow choking back her own impatience. “Now who was it?”
So Keri told her, barely mumbling the name. As soon as she heard it, Tiffany realized it must be true. In fact, that’s exactly how a witch like her would handle such a thing.
“And you just wagged this letter over to Zarth for her? By yourself?” Incredulous, Tiffany shook her head. “Without questioning what was going on? Or asking anyone else?”
“Listen, she’s going to be my boss in Burlain starting next month, and I didn’t want to get on her bad side!” Churlishly folding her arms, the young sorceress looked away. “So don’t give me any shit! I already got enough from Barbara.”
“Did you at least read the letter before just delivering it to the enemy?”
“No! And don’t make it sound that way,” Keri sulked. “I feel stupid enough as it is.”
“So why did you finally tell Barbara, of all people?”
“After getting to Peth, I realized I probably should have asked someone before just following such an order,” she carefully explained. “Barbara was the first Coven Elder I came across, so I told her!”
“The first Coven Elder...” Trailing off, Tiffany realized it made perfect sense. After all, Keri was younger and more trusting than herself. The strawberry blonde also didn’t suffer from the cluttered history of her own relationship with the senior sorceress.
“Do you think I’m going to get in trouble? Bigger trouble, I mean?” Keri nervously rubbed her hands together. “I mean, Barbara already chewed my ear off...”
“You’re asking someone who’s under arrest how much trouble you’re likely to get into?” Nearly laughing, Tiffany looked up at the ceiling. “That’s pretty rich, even by your standards.”
“Don’t dump on me, Tiff. I feel bad enough as it is.”
Frowning at the dejected girl, Tiffany realized that things were indeed coming into focus. There was indeed an opposition movement within the Coven itself, which included at least one senior sorceress. Worse yet, this treasonous group was actively trying to cut a separate deal with Claire and the ruby witches.
The issue now, of course, was determining exactly how far up this cabal extended. “Keri, you have to tell me one more thing, and it’s really important.”
“What?” she suspiciously asked.
“When you told Barbara about this solo mission to Zarth,” Tiffany carefully began, “and the letter, and all that. What was her reaction? Was Barbara surprised? Did she just try to play it off? Tell me.”
“She was stunned,” Keri promptly supplied. “She even began shaking.”
“Really?” Chewing her lip, Tiffany still wasn’t convinced. “So you’re sure that this letter was news to her?”
“Completely.” Decisively nodding, Keri gave a hesitant smile. “Actually, I think it really threw Barbara for a loop.”
Hmmm. Tiffany suspected Barbara was a better actress than Keri was psychologist. But if genuine, the Coven Elder’s reaction would indicate she wasn’t part of the plot to undermine Eleanor.
“Okay, I have to go.” Jumping up, Tiffany headed for the door. “And thanks. You’ve been a big help.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Throwing herself back on the bed, Keri raised a hand to give a wiggle-fingered wave. “Come back soon.”
“Oh, I will,” Tiffany said as she crossed out of the room. “Especially if I have any letters I need delivered, no questions asked!”
“Hey! That’s not fair...”
Closing the door, Tiffany listened to the younger girl’s muffled diatribe for a moment. Smiling, she then ran down the stairs to Keri’s living room, turning to head
for the front door.
But standing there, right in the middle of the living room, was Barbara. Hands on her hips, the older enchantress gave Tiffany a hard, measured stare.
“Tiffany,” she announced. “You and I have much to talk about.”
*****
For several moments the two women just stared at one another. Finally letting out her breath, Tiffany nodded down at Keri’s multi-colored couch. “Perhaps we do.”
Settling down on a chair, Tiffany watched as Barbara tensely sank down onto the indicated sofa several feet away.
“So Keri ran her mouth, I take it?” Barbara peremptorily began. “You know about the letter?”
“Don’t blame her for telling me.”
“Oh, of course not!” Barbara derisively snapped. “After all, no one can deny anything to Tiffany Smith!”
Not letting herself be baited, Tiffany evenly eyed the other sorceress. “Are you in on it?” she carefully asked. “This plot to sell us out to Claire?”
“No, I’m not.” Deliberately, Barbara held Tiffany’s eye. “Are you?”
“How could you even suggest such a thing?” Irritably, Tiffany looked away. “Though I’ve long suspected there were those in the Coven who might do something like this!”
“And you obviously thought I was one of them.”
“The thought had occurred, yes.”
“Well, you’re wrong!” Barbara declared. “That’s just your own bullshit clouding your judgment.”
The funny thing was that she was right. Now that this was all out in the open, and Tiffany’s own head was cleared, she didn’t sense any duplicity on the part of the Deputy Coven Leader.
Still, old habits die hard, and the younger sorceress wasn’t ready to let her senior off that easily. “Yeah, well, speaking of bullshit, there was plenty to go around in Peth.”
“Hey, you want me to admit I’m not as young as I once was?” Barbara deliberately held out her arms, as if exposing herself to Tiffany’s scorn. “Fine, I’m admitting it. I was tripping all over my own stone, and I couldn’t keep up with you three. Are you happy now?”