He cursed and sprinted back in my direction.
I narrowed my eyes and threw my hands up. A wall of ice shot up from the ground right in front of him. He crashed into it at full speed and bounced off. Yes! I ran over then shot icicles to pin his clothes to the ground. I stood over him with my palms up and facing him. Ice covered my hands and forearms. Pink mist swirled between my fingers. I had him here, right where I needed him. He was down. This was my chance. All I had to do was finish him. A long, sharp icicle grew out of my palm. All I had to do was drop it straight down, and it would pierce his body, stake him like a vampire.
So why can’t I do it?
He deserved it. He’d killed people. Innocent people. He’d tried to kill all of us. And if I didn’t kill him now, he’d try to hurt us again.
Except I couldn’t do it.
My hand trembled.
Trey eyed my shaking hand then looked up at my face and cackled. “What’s wrong, Barbie? Don’t have the guts to do it?”
I let out a scream and pushed, but my magic didn’t budge. C’mon! You can do this! He deserves it!
“Weak,” Trey snarled. He grumbled something, and then black smoke shot out of his palms and slammed into my chest.
It threw me backwards, and I rolled head over feet before sliding across the grass. I pushed up on my hands and knees just as another black smoke-missile fired right at me. I gasped and threw up a little wall of ice, and the smoke crashed into it. A cold chill slithered down my spine. This wasn’t just any smoke. This was dark magic. I felt it like fingers scratching along my skin.
Trey somehow broke free of my icicle prison and jumped to his feet. “You don’t have what it takes to play with darkness, Barbie.”
He lunged for me, but bright orange flames shot up from the ground right in front of me. They swirled and swayed—and then Emersyn stood in their place. Little flames covered her entire body, and the tips of her hair were fire.
She summoned a ball of fire in her palms from thin air. “You want darkness? Have a taste.” She threw her flames right at his chest.
Trey screamed and swatted at the flames, but Em just kept firing.
“What’s wrong, assface? Don’t like spicy food?” Thick, fog-like smoke billowed out from under her feet and coiled around her legs.
Trey threw his black smoke at her, but she flicked it away. Her body hovered above the ground, buried in flames and smoke. She stomped toward him, throwing balls of black magic right into his chest. He cursed and stumbled back with each hit. Sweat dripped down his face. Blood spilled out of his mouth.
“What’s wrong, Trey? Don’t like it?” Emersyn screamed, her voice smoky and raspy. “C’mon, princess, is that all you’ve got?!”
Trey screamed and shot more dark magic at her, but when it hit her, it just made her fire blaze brighter and hotter. I winced and held up my hand to block the heat. My stomach tightened into knots. This wasn’t good.
Fear brings me to a dark place where bad things happen.
I had to stop her.
We had to kill Trey, but not at risk to her.
I scrambled to my feet and raced for her.
Trey shouted something in another language then spit blood. “You don’t have it in you to kill me!”
Emersyn snarled. “Watch. Me.”
She threw both hands up and pushed with her magic. The force was so strong it sucked me in like a magnet. My feet dragged over the grass until I crashed to the ground. The air pulsed around her left hand, and then three daggers flew off of Trey’s body and hit her palm. The tips of his black boots exploded, and the silver metal tips flew toward her. Spare change in his pockets, his studded belt, and the earring in his ear all shot right to her open left hand.
A thick steady stream of fire shot from her right hand and engulfed his feet. Trey screamed and panicked. His cries were sharp and horrible. He swatted at the flames, hopped around, and shot magic at them. But Emersyn kept at it. She was burning him to an invisible stake.
“Emersyn, STOP!” I shouted. But she wasn’t listening. I scrambled over and tugged on her arms, but still got no reaction. “EMERSYN!”
Her golden eyes were locked on Trey with sharp, bitter-cold focus. That was when I saw it. The darkness. Up until now, I hadn’t believed it possible for Emersyn to have a dark side. But it had clawed its way up from the place she locked it away, and it wanted to play. I tugged on her arms, waved my hands in front of her face, and all the while, Trey screamed and flailed around.
I shot ice over my shoulder to try and help. I knew Trey deserved no mercy, but I couldn’t let Emersyn lose herself in the process. “Emersyn, please, just stop. There’s other ways!”
She growled. Her long golden hair flew in the breeze with fiery tips.
I cursed and did the only thing I could think of. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her. The darkness caressed my skin, luring me to come and play. “Not today, Satan.”
Instead, I pushed my magic into her. I thought about happy things, loving things. I saw Jackson’s face and focused on that. I would not lose Emersyn to Trey. I refused. Something told me once she went dark, we might not ever get her back.
Something moved in my peripheral vision. I flinched and looked over—and my heart stopped. Joseph’s shadow-creepers were running right for us from the Old Lands. They held long swords, their blades glistening in the moonlight. There were a couple dozen of them, if not more. I shot up walls of ice, but I couldn’t let go of Emersyn. She was too close to that edge. My walls only slowed some of them down but didn’t stop anyone.
Heat filled my chest so hot and sharp I clenched my teeth and waited for her flames to consume me.
Bright blue flames shot through the air and slammed into a few of the shadows.
I gasped.
Jackson.
He flew around the corner of the house then darted across like a rocket. Shadow-creepers charged for him, but Jackson was too skilled for them. He fought them off like slicing through melted butter.
Red lightning flashed across the sky, and then Deacon was running for me. For us. His violet eyes widened. Behind him, I saw my Coven-mates come rushing to our aid. They leapt into battle without hesitation.
Deacon slid to a stop then reached out and squeezed Em’s shoulders right over my head. “Emersyn!”
I dropped my arms and moved away. But Em was still raining fire on Trey who was summoning dark magic to keep himself from burning to death. Red smoke billowed from the ground and slithered up Emersyn’s body.
Deacon wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed his lips to her ear. His eyes sparkled bright purple. Red lightning flashed all around him. “Come back to me, Butterberry.”
Emersyn gasped. The dark veil over her golden eyes vanished. She blinked and looked down at her hands—then cried out. She yanked her hands back and they trembled. Tears filled her eyes.
“Not again,” she whispered, then turned and buried her face in Deacon’s chest.
He caught her and stumbled back.
Hunter ran up behind them, his golden magic already spilling from his hands. I spun back toward Trey. He was bent over and coughing, still swatting at the remaining flames. I glanced around for help, but everyone else was caught up in fighting the shadow-army.
My stomach tightened. Ice filled my palms. You can do this. Just finish him!
“TREY!”
I looked behind him and spotted Joseph standing right on the edge of the Old Lands. He was screaming words in a language I didn’t understand. But it didn’t matter. We needed to end this once and for all. I jumped up and lifted my hands to drop a house-sized chunk of ice on him when Joseph’s words cut off.
His eyes widened. He snapped his fingers then vanished.
Trey looked over my shoulder and cursed, and then he was gone.
The shadow-army disappeared all at once.
“What the hell just happened?” I frowned and spun around. “OH.”
Tennessee stood just outsid
e the back door with his golden wings fluttering behind him and Michael’s glowing sword in his hand.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ellis
I was sitting by our bonfire. Waiting. Trying to remain calm and collected. I had a job to do, and everything was finally falling into place. I couldn’t mess this up now. Everyone was counting on me.
Joseph hadn’t taken all of us for this fight. He’d wanted us to take these next few steps in shifts so some of us would always be ready for war. Tonight was my off night. There had to be four dozen of my fellow shadows sitting around the bonfire next to me.
The trees rustled off to my right, and a flock of colorful birds flew out. Joseph emerged a second later, screaming and cursing. Trey slithered out behind him, looking more worse for the wear than I’d ever seen him. The other shadows they’d taken slowly moved closer to the bonfire and away from our leader.
Joseph kicked a bucket, then bent over and threw one of the wooden benches into the trees.
“J-Joseph?” One of the meeker shadows, Chris, stood and waved. “A-are you okay?”
Joseph roared and spun around. He vanished then reappeared right next to Chris. He snarled and slammed his palm into Chris’s face. Black smoke billowed from under his hand. Chris screamed and his body trembled.
I knew what was about to happen. I looked down at my hands just as Chris’s lifeless body hit the ground at Joseph’s feet.
“ELLIS!” Joseph growled.
I looked up. “What do you need me to do?”
Joseph narrowed his eyes on me. “They had you locked up. They thought they beat me. They had to have said something!”
Ah shit. Shit, shit, shit. This was the moment I’d been dreading. I had to tell him something, and something believable. I knew without a doubt there was absolutely nothing that would prevent Joseph from killing me right now. Think, Ellis. There had to be something—
Tell Joseph they discovered Ruth sent the girl down the river in a raft. They’re trying to find her now, Tegan’s voice said into my mind.
I licked my lips then repeated her words.
Joseph stared at me for a moment…then grinned. “Excellent. Now, go down to the river. Collect soil from the riverbank, a rock, and some water.”
I nodded. Play it cool, Ellis. “What would you like me to do with it?”
“Bring it back to me.” He rubbed his hands together, his next scheme already brewing. “I know a spell I can do to track the girl down before they do. So, go. Get me what I need.”
I jumped to my feet and spun away from him before he had a chance to see my face. There was no way I could let him go through with this spell, but I had no idea how I was going to stop him. I was going to have to think of something fast.
Don’t worry, Ellis, Tegan’s voice said into my mind again. There is no way any dark magic spell he’d know could overpower Ruth’s magic. But just in case, here’s what we’re gonna do…
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jackson
It was late at night. We all needed to be resting, conserving our energy for the next fight Joseph was bound to throw our way. But once we saw the golden cauldron sitting in the fireplace in the living room, no one was willing to sleep. The potion in there was going to reverse the spell Ruth put on Hope.
And so there we all stood, huddled together in the living room watching Lennox stir the cauldron’s contents.
Something heavy slammed into the front door three times in a row. We all jumped and pulled our weapons out. I was closest, so I ran over to the door then glanced back to Tenn. He narrowed his eyes, then nodded. I raised my sword, then pulled the door open.
Warner leaned in the doorway, rubbing his eyes.
I cursed and lowered my sword. “Bloody hell, mate. You trying to get killed?”
“Nah, man. I’ve already almost done that today. But thanks.” Warner grinned. His hazel eyes sparkled.
“Come in.” I stepped aside to let him enter. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, what are you doing here, Warner?” Tennessee crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him. “I thought I sent you to Dallas?”
Warner held his palms up. “I know you’re my Leader and I have no business in saying this, but I’m staying here. In Eden.”
Tenn arched one eyebrow. “Really, now?”
“YUP.” Warner nodded, completely unfazed. “No offense to anyone in here. Y’all are a bunch of epic badasses. But I’ve seen what these shadow-creepers can do, and you need every fighter you can get.”
“We don’t want any more innocent blood.”
Warner’s smile vanished. His eyes went dark. “Joseph kidnapped me, used me in a dark magic ritual, then tried to kill me. I’ve been trapped in the balefire, then watched my best friend betray me. The only people I care about are in this room, and over my dead body am I not standing by their side to take that son of a bitch down.”
Silence.
Everyone looked to Tenn.
Warner just stared at him.
More silence.
Tennessee smiled. “I knew I liked you.”
Warner sighed and ran his hand over his overgrown mohawk. “I thought I was gonna die for a second there.”
Tenn chuckled and shook his head. “Had to make sure you were ready to do so.”
“I mean, I’d rather not, but yeah. Let’s dance.”
“Well, I’m taken. But I’m sure someone here would fill in.” Tenn laughed then pointed to the kitchen. “Eat. You look like shit.”
“Thanks.” Warner chuckled. Then, once Tenn turned away, he looked at me and widened his eyes. “I almost just died, right?”
“I think so,” I whispered back.
Lennox darted across the room and tackled Warner in a hug. When she pulled back, she patted her hands over his body. “Are you hurt? Did he touch you? Did his magic touch you—”
“No, no. I’m fine.” Warner blushed. “Well, I mean, a little bit of that black smoke touched my feet—"
“Eat this.” Lennox handed him a little hard candy. “It’ll chase off any remnants. Trust me.”
“Girl, I’ll eat whatever you want me to— Wait, that didn’t come out right.”
Easton laughed. “Yeah, it did.”
Lily smacked him playfully and rolled her eyes.
Lennox winked then skipped back over to the cauldron.
Warner popped the candy in his mouth then leaned against the wall next to me. “So, what’s going on here?”
I quickly, and quietly, filled him in on everything that had happened after we evacuated Eden. Particularly the parts about Tennessee really being Haven Proctor, son of Ruth and Micah. Nephew of Timothy.
Warner cursed softly and shook his head. “So, once this potion is done, we’re gonna find this Hope sister of his?”
I nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“Dude, I’m just saying we need to be actively looking for her,” Braison said, picking that conversation right back up where we’d left it. “We have to.”
Paulina nodded and twirled his red hair between her tan fingers. “We have to assume Trey heard what B and Em said about Hope having the locket.”
“And the river,” Chutney mumbled.
Emersyn groaned and buried her face in Deacon’s chest. “I’m sorry!”
I glanced over to Bettina and saw the same guilt in her eyes. It wasn’t her fault, or Em’s. I walked over and pulled her into my arms. She went without hesitation then wrapped her arms around my waist.
“Em, no one is blaming you or Bettina.” Tegan lowered the book she’d been reading. “And more importantly, it’s done now. We just have to focus on the next step. Finding Hope. Before they do.”
“But that’s the problem,” Willow whined and threw herself down on the sofa. “Now they’re looking for her, too. They don’t have this spell, but they have other resources obviously. He’s using dark magic. He could find her first.”
Hunter sighed. “What are y’all suggesting?”
>
“Maybe we don’t wait for the potion,” Devon said from the bay window. She turned and strolled more into the room. “Maybe we start following the leads we found and see if we can find her. Either way, we need the potion to get her memories back.”
Cooper turned to face Tenn. “I like this idea.”
I cleared my throat. “But you won’t know who she is, and neither will she. Her memories were taken, and she won’t be able to confirm it for you. So even if we do track all of our leads, we won’t know if we found her or not.”
Deacon chuckled. “We need like a Hope-detecting pregnancy test. Here, pee on this stick, please.”
Tegan’s head snapped back up from her book. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea— Well, not the peeing on a stick part.”
Bettina pulled back enough to look over at her best friend. “This will be good.”
Tegan narrowed her eyes, then turned to Constance. “I need a ton of clear quartz crystals.”
Constance arched one eyebrow, but she flicked her wrists and two dozen crystals came flying down the stairs. “Where do you want them?”
Tegan pointed. “Lenny?”
Lennox’s eyes sparkled. “On it. Perfect. Constance, please make them dip into the cauldron, hold for a second, then bring them out and lay them on the table.”
Constance did exactly as she was instructed. Once all the stones were lying on the table, Lennox skipped over and picked one up.
She grinned, then held it to her skin. The stone turned blood red. “This will detect Hope. Red means no, because I am obviously not Hope. But if someone is, then the stone will turn green for yes.”
Cooper rubbed his palms together. “Tenn, let us do this for you. Let us try and find her.”
For a few long, tense moments, the room was silent. I didn’t even think anyone was breathing. We all wanted to help, but this was his sister so it was his call.
Finally, Tenn sighed and nodded.
Em jumped away from Deacon and grabbed a paper off the table. She held it up. “Look, we found this girl… She’s an orphan since she was four, just like Hope. Fits her description, too. Deacon and I can take a crystal and go check.”
The Coven - Academy Magic Complete Series Page 120