“Thanks.” Darcy and her mom would funnel power from the Circle Witches. Sutton would help her. Axel was there as a guard, and he always funneled Darcy’s powers.
Sutton moved up behind her. “I can feel your power already.”
Just his nearness caused her fifth chakra to vibrate at her throat, then open. Her awareness of Sutton intensified, until she could feel the very beat of his heart. She could feel his eagle focusing in on her with a hunter’s concentration. She couldn’t imagine Sutton without his eagle. Would they lose him when Keri was gone?
The sensation of feathers brushed over her shoulders, followed by the warm touch of Sutton’s hands. And she knew then that they would both be fine. They’d have each other. His eagle might leave, her magic would dim back to previous levels, but they would have each other. She leaned back against him, her chakras yawned with the effort to draw him in.
He leaned down and said softly, “Give Keri a proud send-off, baby.”
She smiled, knowing how Keri would like that sentiment. Feeling strong and ready, she said, “We’ll do it together.”
He pressed his mouth to her ear. “Always.”
Her skin was sensitive, and the feel of his breath sent shivers through her. Ready, she took a step away from Sutton and checked everyone’s place. Sutton behind her, Darcy and her mom to her left, and Axel behind them. Facing the ocean, Carla raised her arms in front of her to form a circle with the tips of her fingers touching. Feeling the cool light of the moon on her skin, she began with, “Pure in its whiteness, born of the earth, consecrated by the sea, feared by the dark, embraced by the light, salt rise and circle your protection.”
She visualized the circle in her mind while keeping her eyes closed. There was an eerie silence for a tick of time, as if all the waves went still. Then the roar of a tremendous wave rising and crashing, leaving the sharp scent of wet salt in its wake.
She opened her eyes to see that a perfect white circle had formed around them on the sand.
“Beautiful, Carla,” her mom said softly. “The salt streamed from the ocean and drew the circle. It was better than I could do when I had my familiar.”
A warm feeling spread in her, but she was careful not to lose her focus even though a part of her wanted to bask in her mother’s praise. But now that she started, Carla had to work quickly. She was going to open ley lines, which made it easier for demons to use the lines. And she was going to expose both her and Keri’s souls until Keri separated from her once more. Even with a salt circle, she didn’t want to tempt demons or any other kind of trouble.
High magic was dangerous.
She raised her hands and conjured four candles, situating them inside the circle at the points of the four cardinal directions. She pointed at the red candle for earth and a flame burst to life from the wick. She felt her first chakra swell with more power. Carla didn’t hesitate now, she pointed to the green candle for air, the orange candle for water, and finally the yellow candle for fire so all were blazing.
She could feel the pulse of the ley lines reaching out to her chakras in recognition. She leaned back and raised her arms in the silvery moonlight spilling on the beach. “Ancient as time, powerful as the sea, the moon is our source, let her light guide and fill me.”
Her skin went tight and damp as power poured down over her, filling her with high magic. Her sixth chakra shot open and the moon created a magnetic effect, drawing up more power from the ley lines.
In seconds the powers collided and began to spin around her spine and chakras. Her skin felt hot and sensitive, her nipples swelled and began to ache, while her womb throbbed. It built until she felt as if even her eyelashes were swollen with power. She couldn’t control it all. She couldn’t even draw a breath and began to pant and grow dizzy. Her heart skipped and stuttered.
Then Sutton put his huge hands on her waist, steadying her. In seconds, her heartbeat slowed and regulated, following each beat of Sutton’s heart. She felt his heart reach out to hers and synchronize the beats. She didn’t know how it happened. And the eagle was there, funneling her power, helping her as magic filled every cell and pore.
The center of her forehead began to ache and throb. Her regular vision faded and her third eye opened. It was time.
Carla turned to the east, and Sutton turned with her, his hands holding her. “We are born of the east, like the light of the new day, and die of the west, slipping quietly into the ocean. But our souls live on, carrying the knowledge and lessons of each lifetime. A witch’s soul must travel her journey until she has reached that of a Blessed Ancestor.”
She faced west. “Our sister Keri has reached the west in this lifetime. Her soul rests with me.” Her mind filled with images of Keri, of the two of them playing as children, laughing as teenagers, baking cookies with Chandra, of Jerome pushing them on swings, of dates and tears and secrets. Her entire lifetime with her sister swelled her heart and tears poured down Carla’s face. She expected and embraced both her grief at Keri moving on and each treasured joy Keri would leave with her.
Carla lowered her head in reverence. “Ancestors, I bow before you and beseech you to give Keri’s soul wings and safe journey to your welcoming arms.”
The scar at her back burst open, causing her to gasp in shock and pain. Then she accepted it, embraced it. She was willing to endure any amount of pain for Keri. Raising her head, she lifted her eyes to the ocean. But the ocean was gone. There was only a violet-colored fog so vivid in color she was astounded.
Then Keri walked out, wearing the white dress she had worn as a child playing dress up, and a vivid smile. She lifted her hand to Carla. “Come with me.”
She could not deny her sister. Carla took her hand and was pulled into the swirling deep-purple fog. Time ceased as they floated, hand in hand, through a continuum that had no form. There was no fear, no worry, only sheer trust and the feeling of Keri’s hand in hers. Then brilliant lights appeared like thousands of crystal stars in a velvet sky. Carla knew, and turned to look at Keri. “Summerland.”
“Yes. It’s exquisite and peaceful. We always said we’d make the journey to Summerland together.” Keri turned to face her. “I knew you’d save me, Carla. I knew you’d find a way to free me. I love you, and I’ve been blessed to have you as my sister.”
Tears welled up and ran down her face. “I don’t want to let you go, Keri. I love you!”
Her sister’s face was changing, going from her natural beauty to a soft glow that radiated love as she said, “But you have to. Sutton is waiting for you.”
Carla squeezed her hand, trying to hold on to Keri for just a little longer. “I never meant to take him from you.”
Keri pulled Carla into her arms. “His heart belongs to you. Live and love, Carla, with my blessing. And always carry with you my love.”
She pulled back and added, “Tell Dad that I know he loves me. Tell both Mom and Dad I love them, too. And that I’m at rest now.” Her image broke apart and reformed into one of the brilliant lights and she floated in a singular beauty.
“Goodbye, Keri,” she said softly, grateful that if she had to let her go, as least she was given the gift of seeing her safely to Summerland. Peace settled over her bruised heart.
“We choose you.”
The voices were like an echo of crystal bells, so pure it felt like twinkling whispers in her mind. “Blessed Ancestors?”
“Yes.”
Humbled that they would address her, Carla expressed her gratitude. “Thank you for bringing Keri safely here.”
“We are pleased she is here, Carla. We have waited a long time for Keri. And for you.”
She wasn’t sure she understood, but she stood quietly and waited.
“You have knowledge.”
That was why she had instinctively understood what was happening. She had opened her seventh chakra, and the Ancestors were filling her with knowledge, as much knowledge as she needed right now. Too much knowledge, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it. “Thank you.”
She could only feel Sutton’s hands on her waist and nothing else but sheer light. “I’m honored.” She let her thoughts gather and added, “I will serve you and our sister-witches as best I can.”
“We chose you for your ability to blend magic with knowledge. Time is up.”
She was spinning in a vortex of vivid violet when the eagle screeched a warning.
Carla’s third eye closed and her vision returned with crystal clarity. She barely got a breath when she saw the sand on the outside of the circle start to undulate, tremble, and then glisten like thousands of worms.
Her stomach lurched. “Demon attack of some kind! From the ley lines!”
The sand fell away as the things slithered all over, many of them hitting the outside of the salt circle then disintegrating into husks. They couldn’t get in the circle but they were pouring out of the sand everywhere on the outside of the circle. They scuttled across the beach with snake-like speed in colors of wet greens, blacks, and browns.
Carla’s dad clattered up on the rocks, stood up, and swatted at his legs. “Leeches!”
The witch hunters that had been back in the cliffs began jumping off the rocks and running toward the waves. They were yanking the shiny swollen things off them and bellowing in disgust.
“Jerome!” Chandra turned, took a step, then stopped herself before she broke the circle by walking through it.
More hunters were running into the ocean, desperate to get the things off them.
Ram and Linc were trying to get to Jerome, who was climbing higher and higher to escape. Almost every inch of his arms, legs, and face was covered in the shiny mass of writhing bloodsuckers.
“Carla! We have to do something!” Chandra said.
Desperately, Carla said, “It’s demon magic!” What should they do?
Axel said, “Asmodeus, he’s creating a diversion. Rogues must be—”
Jerome’s scream cut him off.
Carla whipped her head around to see her father teeter on the edge of a rock, lose his balance, and begin to fall. She reacted, raising her hands to summon and compact the air beneath her father. Halting his fall, she then used the air to shove him back up on the rock.
Ram grabbed Jerome’s arm, catching him before he could fall again.
“Shit, circle’s broken.” Sutton grabbed her, lifting her into his arms as the slithering creatures poured in.
Too late, she realized she’d broken the salt circle by aiming her magic outside the consecrated line to her dad. The mass of leeches covering the beach caused a scream to build in her throat, but she fought it down.
Rogues poured over the cliffs and down the rocks to launch an attack. Instantly, Carla, her mom, and Darcy were shoved together and the Wing Slayer Hunters put their backs to them and fought the rogues.
Carla had fallen for the trap, breaking the circle to help the others. Fury roared through her. She was a witch, the Moon Witch whom the Ancestors believed in. She would fight back with her powers and knowledge.
Suddenly, Jerome was thrust in with the three women. Chandra raised her hands to use magic to help pull the remaining leeches off him.
Carla felt time running out, that something worse than the slimy leeches was coming. Worse than the rogues who the Wing Slayer Hunters fought while ignoring the leeches climbing all over them.
An earthquake-like rumble rocked the ground.
“Asmodeus,” Darcy said, grabbing her arm. “We need another salt circle.”
“We’ll never get the line between the Wing Slayer Hunters and rogues!” Carla thought rapidly. “I already set a circle, using the salt from the sea. It’s consecrated—it should work to destroy the leeches since they are demon magic. And …”
The ground rumbled again, and cracks appeared, then dark oily smoke and the stink of sulfur.
“Hurry!” Darcy said. “You consecrated the salt so you have to do the spell. Bring the salt over the beach.” Darcy grabbed her hand and Carla grabbed her mom’s hand. Jerome moved around them, pulling off leeches, kicking away the ones slithering closer. And he tried to keep the fighting hunters from slamming into the women.
Carla blocked it all out. Could she do this? Did she have the power? She was going to pull on Darcy’s power, her mom’s, and the Circle Witches’.
As a greater rumble tilted the earth, Carla held on tight to Darcy and her mother, and gathered every ounce of power she could. The ley lines tried to writhe and snake away from her. The eagle screeched, and in her mind’s eye, she could see the bird dig in his claws, fighting with the demon for control of the ley line.
The rumblings grew. Carla’s body heated from the struggle, and then the lines stopped moving and allowed her access once more. She dragged in a breath and said, “From the depths of the oceans, to the sands of the beach, salt rise up and pour out your consecrated purity on the writhing mass of darkness!” The ley lines shot up through her, almost like being hit with a fire hose, causing the soles of her feet to burn. Carla held her position, letting all the power run through her.
The ground shifted and rolled, but the witches held their circle. And a second later, a massive wave rose, climbing higher and higher, curling and reaching out until it hung over the entire beach, blocking the moonlight.
Carla concentrated, squeezing her mom’s and Darcy’s hands. The amount of magic it took to control this massive wave, to freeze it long enough for it to separate and drop the salt, was rapidly draining her. Men were exclaiming, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Darcy and Chandra fed her more power from the Circle Witches, and finally, millions of tiny white grains began to rain down on them.
Salt!
Carla barely registered it, struggling to hold the wave while the salt flowed down. If the wave fell on them, it would crush them and pull them out to sea.
Time to push it back. She felt the eagle funneling all the power flowing through her to force the wave back. Would it be enough?
The wall of water began reversing its enormous arc until it retracted far enough out, and then it crashed in a deafening roar.
Then there were only the sounds of the waves and the men breathing. No fighting. Carla looked around. The salty sand was littered with dead rogues, and the rest were climbing the cliffs to run away. The leeches had disappeared entirely.
Between them and the cliffs, there was a shallow crater, with thin ribbons of putrid-smelling smoke rising between the glittering salt. Asmodeus had failed to break through! They’d pushed him back!
She looked at Sutton, saw the streaks of dirt and blood on him, but he was whole and safe. “We did it.”
Sutton wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her high off the ground. “You did it! That wave scared the hell out of the rogues!”
Axel added, “It was an ambush. Look.”
They all turned to the top of the cliffs the farthest from Sutton’s cabin. A huge man stood up there, his long black trench coat blowing in the breeze.
Sutton set her on the ground, putting his arm around her. “I see the knife burned into his arm. Quinn Young.”
“He can’t approach us. Dumb bastard took the mark of a demon on his arm, so he can’t touch the consecrated salt,” Darcy said, her voice cold with anger.
Carla reached out and took Darcy’s hand. Quinn Young was her father, and he’d murdered her mother as a sacrifice to Asmodeus to get that hideous Immortal Death Dagger.
Axel put his arm around Darcy, so that the four of them all stood in a row. “He and Asmodeus thought they could kill the four of us in one battle. That Death Dagger would kill immortals like Darcy and me, and prevent you two from having the chance at immortality.”
Carla felt Sutton tense next to her.
Axel went on, “Carla, Wing Slayer has asked that you and Sutton go to the astral plane.”
She looked up at him, confused. “Why?”
Axel’s green eyes were amused. “He’s half demon
and half god. All this consecrated salt”—he looked around at the salty sand—“It’s a problem for him. He wants to see you. Don’t keep him waiting.”
“Carla,” Sutton said, “take us to him.”
“Okay, but first—” She let go of Darcy’s and Sutton’s hands to turn and look at her parents. They both stood behind her. “I saw her. Keri. Dad, she knows you love her. And she said to you both, Mom and Dad, that she loves you and she’s at rest now.” Carla smiled then, a smiled filled with the memory of Summerland. “It was beautiful. Where Keri is now, she’s a free soul. She just had to tell you both that she loved you, then she was free.”
Chandra turned to Jerome.
He opened his arms and pulled her to him. They hugged tightly.
Carla reached for Sutton’s hand and took them both to their appointment with Wing Slayer.
Sutton recognized the foliage and flower-lined path leading to the waterfall. He held Carla’s hand and walked toward the grassy area. He had no idea what would happen.
Wing Slayer appeared.
Carla stopped, her hand tightening in his.
Sutton didn’t hesitate. He dropped to one knee. “Wing Slayer. You saved Carla’s life. Thank you.” He owed the god his life and his soul for that.
Carla settled on her knees next to him and stayed silent.
“She’s a very impressive witch. The Ancestors have claimed her as their Moon Witch.”
Wing Slayer’s voice reverberated through him. Surprised, he lifted his head and looked at Carla. “What’s that?”
She turned to him, her eyes full of rich autumn colors. “An advisor between the Ancestors and the Circle Witches.”
His chest swelled with pride in her. He had seen what she could do on the beach, and he was just so damned proud. “You opened your seventh chakra. I knew it! I could feel how much power you … wait, Carly, if they claimed you as that, you’ll still have all your powers? All your chakras?” Worry began to gnaw at him and his eagle twitched restlessly. He looked at his god, huge and powerful where he hovered in front of the waterfall. His wings did not get wet, nor did his hair. Lights sparkled off the bronzed bands wrapped around his arms, revealing the wings of his hunters. “Do I have to give her up? Because she’s not my true soul mirror?” Sutton couldn’t take all that power from her.
Soul Magic Page 34