The Council, A Witch's Memory

by J. C. Isabella

  I didn’t say anything. Once Venna and Pepper were safe, I’d worry about protecting our identities.

  The trees grew dense as the road curved to the left, the dirt leaving a fine dust on our shoes. Paved roads weren’t a top priority in Capeside, which worked for us. I could see the faint outline of footprints. Quinn slowed and gestured with the crossbow to a thick line of trees ahead. “What’s through there?”

  “The lake.” I said. “And a mill.”

  Quinn raised his good eyebrow, the one without a massive scar. “Would this be one of those old, rundown jobbies?”

  “Perfect place to hide,” Dmitri added.

  “Yes, and secluded enough from the humans.” I left the road. Quinn ran beside me with Dmitri. Vampires and werewolves were fast, they could cover some serious ground. Luckily we weren’t racing and kept pace with each other.

  We wove in and out of trees, leapt over a creek, and finally slowed as the brown rotted roof of the mill came into view.

  More importantly, I sensed Venna was inside.

  The crumbling wood structure sat in a small clearing and looked about as sturdy as a house of cards. Half of it was covered in vines and moss. Grass and weeds grew out of cracks in the foundation, doors hanging from rusted hinges swayed in their frames. With even a slight breeze, the wood scraping and rubbing, moaning as if it were alive.

  We circled the perimeter, looking for a way inside. The windows, streaked with dirt and grime were no longer clear, but the color of dishwater, obstructed any view we could have had inside.

  While we watched the sky darkened, light filtering through the trees faded to dim beams, leaving the woods shadowed. A beastly rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

  Dmitri grinned. “Nothing better than a summer storm to drown out the sounds of tortured screams we’ll elicit from those traitors.”

  I agreed completely.

  “Typical day at the office,” Quinn drawled. He checked his crossbow. “Rescue the girls, save the human world from being enslaved by demons, and kill the bad guy. we should go for burgers and shakes after we’re done.”

  “Yeah, just another ordinary day.” I lowered my voice as we neared a broken set of windows. It would be perfect to crawl through. But first we had to assess the situation. We did not know how many men were inside, or if we risked hurting Venna and Pepper by charging in.

  Dmitri stiffened and turned around. “We’ve got company.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “Just the one?”

  “Yeah,” Quinn growled. “I smell a vampire.”

  I kept my eyes on the mill, eyeing the windows, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds. The thing was getting close. He phased from in front of us to behind us.

  Dmitri crouched low to the ground, watching a black-eyed vampire twenty feet away.

  “He’s the guard dog,” Quinn said. “ Craven may be insane, but he’s not stupid.”

  “He’s mine!” Daggers aimed right for his head, Dmitri leapt for him. The other vampire didn’t have time to react; his head was severed and rolled to the ground, body crumpling beside it in seconds.

  I inched closer to the mill, now less than ten feet from the windows. Dmitri and Quinn stayed close behind me, eyes peeled for unwelcome company.

  Every nerve in me buzzed as my hands gripped the hilt of the sword. I let myself focus on Venna’s feelings, trying to decide if she was hurt. I didn’t sense any pain or suffering, just fear, and the fiery temper she wanted to unleash.

  “One bad guy down, three to go,” Dmitri said, drawing my attention way from the mill. Three men phased between the mill and us. A warlock and two werewolves.

  The werewolves had changed from their human forms. Their skin color had changed to a brownish-gray. Razor sharp claws, black and shiny, extended from hands the size of boat oars. Feral snarls issued deep from within their throats.

  One of the werewolves leapt at Quinn, who hadn’t changed. He preferred it. For one, you were just as powerful. And, as Quinn put it, he liked having real thumbs.

  His right hand changed though, long black claws replaced his fingers as he smashed his hand into the werewolf’s head, sending him face first into a tree. He didn’t even try to get back up.

  Dmitri rolled his eyes as the other werewolf charged for him.

  He pulled out the revolver, fired one shot, and the dog went down.

  I looked back at the warlock. His glowing blue eyes locked with mine. “Give me your sword.”

  “You’re kidding me.” I pretended to sound bored, mostly for effect. “Mind control doesn’t work on us.”

  “Drop it. Do as I say.”

  I walked toward him. “No.”

  “I command you to stay back!” He ordered. He looked to Dmitri and Quinn; they weren’t listening either.

  “Your mind games won’t work on us.” Quinn said.

  “We may be young, but we’ve been trained by kings.” I raised my sword and pressed the tip of the blade to the center of his throat. I backed him into a tree. “Answer my questions and you can live.”

  His eyes stopped glowing and he nodded.

  “How many men are inside the mill?”

  “I think one, maybe two…”

  I let the tip of the blade pierce his skin, “Try again.”

  “About ten, plus Craven and another man.” He gulped.

  Quinn came up beside me. “How many in the woods?”

  “T-two more, I think.”

  “Seems a little sparse,” Quinn frowned. “And you’re awfully helpful.”

  Yes, and a little strange. Craven must have wanted us to make it this far.

  “Thanks for your help.” I said.

  “Nighty-night.” Dmitri appeared beside him and brought the butt of his dagger down on his head. The warlock fell to the ground.

  “He’s going to have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.” Quinn sniffed the air. “I got one vamp and another warlock.”

  We disposed of the last two traitors patrolling the perimeter of the mill. We had control of the outside, now it was time to move onto the inside.

  A rustling sound came from my left and the hair once again stood up on the back of my neck.

  Another warlock was patrolling the perimeter. I didn’t give him a chance to find us and stepped from behind the tree. With a glare I sent him flying backwards into a large oak. His head snapped back, slammed into the trunk. He hung lifelessly in the branches.

  “Nice.” Dmitri said. “He never saw it coming.”

  “I smell the girls.” Quinn growled. “They’re definitely inside and alive.”

  I knew Venna was alive, but I breathed a sigh of relief anyway.

  As we closed in, I eyed an enormous wall filled with windows.

  “I have an idea,” I said. “And this will be a big surprise.”

  Chapter 29

  Venna

  The ground felt cool and damp against my cheek. I didn’t move, but I squinted around the room, trying to figure out where I’d woken up. I spied an old table saw, and a wall of cracked windows. The dirty cement floor was covered in sawdust and grime.

  I inhaled, taking in the familiar woody scent.

  I was in the mill.

  When I was little this place thrilled me. Its spooky atmosphere provided the best sort of backdrop to have a good game of hide and seek.

  Not anymore.

  I wanted out.

  I lifted my head slowly. It throbbed. The room spun. I laid back down and saw Pepper lying on the floor a few feet away. She was out cold, a purple mark on her forehead. It would be so easy to reach over and heal her…but I didn’t know what had happened to me. I couldn’t heal myself, and I couldn’t protect her. The second she was awake she’d probably freak out.

  I touched the tips of my fingers to her hand, tempted. But I couldn’t risk it.

  The sound of boots hitting the floor startled me. I closed my eyes just after seeing a man in a black hooded cloak come through the doorwa
y. He stood there for a few minutes, just watching, and when the sound of his boots retreated, I opened my eyes again.

  I’m not sure how this happened, how I got here. Pepper had come into Henry’s house, we’d started talking, and she went out to her car because she’d left something inside it. She’d been gone for a while, so I went after her. I wasn’t going to leave Henry’s property and put myself at risk.

  I remembered seeing a man in a blue coat, much like the one I saw Captain Fulk wearing. He’d been standing at the edge of the driveway, Pepper laying at his feet unconscious.

  “Come with me, or I’ll kill her.” He said.

  I had no choice. I went with him, knowing that I’d never forgive myself if I let him kill Pepper.

  The second I reached his side his hand sailed through the air and met my face. Everything went black.

  I could feel how angry Henry was, blind with rage. It made my stomach hurt to feel it. I knew he was looking for me; I wasn’t worried that he wouldn’t be able to find me. I hoped he did the finding before something terrible happened. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to fight. I didn’t know where to run, or even how to make myself hurt someone with my powers. I just knew I could when I was in danger.

  The man in the hooded cloak came back again. He stepped through the doorway and walked toward us with a pronounced limp. The heavy heels of his boots scraped against the cement floor.

  A curl lay in front of my eyes. He couldn’t see me squinting at him while I pretended to be passed out.

  I tried to figure out who he was. Not Cal, he was too tall. And not Captain Fulk, he was dead. I kept my breathing even and steady, watching him lean against the old table saw. If he was waiting for us to wake up, he would wait in vain. I wasn’t going to move an inch until Henry came.

  “You’re a very good actress.” A deep voice slid from beneath the hood of his cloak and sent a chill through me.

  I didn’t answer him.

  “It would be prudent for you to sit up and stop pretending, Venna.” He chuckled darkly. “Lest something horrible happen to the human.”

  I considered him for a moment and decided gambling with Pepper’s life wasn’t very smart. Brushing the curl from my face, I pushed myself into a sitting position.

  “Ah, now that is so much better.”

  “What do you want?” I asked, my voice shaking.

  “Oh, I think you know what I want. I’m very weak right now, and your mother is the reason for that.”

  “Craven,” I growled. So it was him. I didn’t recognize his voice.

  He started at that. “What?”

  “You heard me,” I snapped.

  “You will call me Father.”

  “No.”

  “Show me some respect.” He pushed off the table, limping toward me. “I am your father. I’m sorry it had to be this way. I wanted to take you with me when I left, but you were hidden away from me. Let us be a family.”

  “You’re insane. I never wanted to go with you in the first place. Why do you think Zane and I hid that day on the shore?”

  “You do not know what you do by resisting me.”

  “I’m doing what’s right.” I slid closer to Pepper, hoping I could protect her. If I had to I’d heal her and try to distract him so she could run for it.

  “I am your father.”

  “No.” I stood, my legs trembling, but managed to keep myself upright. “You were Craven to my mother, and you will be Craven to me.”

  He closed the distance between us, the toes of his boots mere inches from Pepper’s head. I could not see his eyes or his face under the hood of his cloak. But I felt his malicious glare.

  “You will give in, and when you do, you will heal me.” His voice rumbled in the room. My neck prickled and every little hair on my body stood at attention.

  “Never.”

  His hand lashed out, not nearly as fast as Zane, but fast enough that I couldn’t move out of the way. He lifted me off the ground. I’d seen this same move once before. He was getting ready to throw me just like he threw my mother.

  “If you hurt me, I can’t heal you.”

  This seemed to register; the tips of my toes brushed the floor. He dropped me. I landed on my side with a groan.

  “Do it.” He extended a white hand. His fingers were thin and boney, skin so translucent I could see his blue veins clearly.

  I pushed myself up, trying to see his face hidden beneath the blackness of his cloak, and I remembered…

  “Venna,” my mom was sitting at the dining room table with an icepack over her right eye. I dropped my pail and shovel on the floor and wiped my sandy hands on my shorts.

  “What happened?” I went to her and pulled at the pack to see.

  “No, Darling,” she tried to push my hands away. “I’m fine.”

  “Was daddy mad again?”

  She nodded, the blue of her eyes glowing brightly. “Yes, very.”

  “Why?” he got mad a lot now. But he’d never hit my mom before.

  “I told him to leave.” She grasped my hand and pulled me closer. “Venna, if you remember anything I tell you, remember this… Your father feeds off fear now. Any sign of weakness means defeat for the person who shows it.”

  “But we love daddy, we’re not scared of him.”

  She hugged me close, “In his eyes, love is a weakness.”

  I glanced up at my father, knowing I’d remembered what my mother said at this crucial moment was for my benefit. Not his. “What will happen to me if I heal you?”

  “I may need your powers in the future. You will come when I call.”

  I slid my hand to touch Pepper’s ankle, thinking I’d heal her and tell her to run. I’d attack Craven so she could get away, and injure him even more.

  I’d pushed my luck.

  He grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me back up.

  “Heal me, not that stupid human.” He shook me. My eyes crossed from the force. “You selfish brat!”

  I grabbed fistfuls of his cloak to steady myself and gave a swift kick to his bad leg. He dropped me again. I managed to put some space between us and ran to the center of the room. “Henry will be here any second.”

  “Oh, I’m so scared.” He whipped around and strode toward Pepper. “I can’t believe my daughter keeps the company of a human.”

  “Don’t touch her.” Not knowing what possessed me to do it, I raised my hand and leveled my gaze at him, shaking uncontrollably. I must not look very intimidating.

  He made a tisking sound. “Venna, you have to be touching my skin in order to cause damage.”

  I took a step forward, my hand still raised. “I mean it, back up.”

  He lifted his good leg, positioning it over Pepper’s head. “You’re out of your league child.”

  “No!”

  He brought the heel of his boot down.

  I felt my skin tingle and heat as a pulse of energy shot down my arm through my fingers. Craven flew back. He slammed into the wall, rattling the building.

  I stared at my hands in disbelief.

  “How did you…” he trailed off, pushing away from the splintered wood. “You’re bound to the prince?”

  I nodded, unable to speak, still shocked at what I’d been able to do.

  He shook his head, which was still covered by the hood. He didn’t seem to be at all affected by my sending him flying into a wall. “The royal family will do anything to get you back. Imagine the demands I could make, the ransom.”

  I raised my hand again, “Here’s what’s going to happen, Father. You are going to come with Pepper and I to Henry’s house.”

  He laughed. “Oh, I give up, is that it? You want me to surrender to the little prince?”

  “Yes.”

  He came closer and I shook my head, raising my other hand too.

  “I never understood what you saw in Henry when you were little. Bossy little shit.”

  I felt the energy tingle in my fingers and flow down my arms, and I didn’t
stop it from shooting out of my hands and sending Craven back into the wall again.

  This time he didn’t get up.

  “I’m in charge now.” I said.

  “Spoken like a true royal.” A clammy hand clamped down on my wrist and wrenched both of my arms behind my back. I twisted around to see Cal’s beady black eyes and wicked smile. He bound my hands together with a frayed piece of rope and pushed me to the floor.

  I squinted at him in the way Henry did when he moved an object. Cal didn’t fly through the air like Craven though. I wasn’t strong enough.

  If Henry didn’t come soon I was officially done for.

  “This is going to be fun.” Cal grinned. He was missing a front tooth and his broken leg was in a cast. The kind where it had a boot on it so you could walk around. Did he ever give up? Take a vacation?

  “I concur.” My father rubbed his hands together.

  Craven and Cal stopped their celebration and grew very quiet.

  An unnatural stillness settled around us. I could hear thunder rumbling outside. A breeze swept through the room, whipping my curls around my face.

  The lights flickered once, twice.

  A bulb above me popped, then the one next to it.

  I inched out from under the lights as they flashed and cracked, holding back a scream when the room plunged into blackness.

  My attention was drawn to the windows on the far left side.

  The cracked and broken glass began to rattle, tremble as if alive.

  What was left of the windows shattered, raining down to the floor from the force of the rumbling walls. Dirt and dust drifted in thick clouds from the beams in the ceiling above. I gagged, barely able to inhale. A cracking sound echoed around us as the window frames splintered. The structure groaned, bowing outward. Its windows wrenched free from the wall, sucked into the dark outside.

  Through the hazy room I saw a figure standing in a gaping hole where the windows had been. A shiny object glistened at his side, wood and glass crunched under his shoes as he strode into the mill.

  He climbed over the chunks left over from the missing windows, wielding a gleaming sword in front of him as if it were an extension of his arm.