Dark Rising Trilogy

by DeAnna Browne

  “Tomorrow then?”

  “Pay first.” He lifted his empty hand out.

  Darion dug around for a small coin and placed it in his hand. “Come tomorrow and I’ll feed you breakfast and another coin for you to take us to the clergy.”

  “Sure thing. Just so you know, full moon is two days away and they have already picked the sacrifices. Most here have to wait a couple years or more to get picked.”

  A couple years? People waited a long time for their turn with the devil. Becca wondered if it was good luck or bad that they came so close to the full moon.

  Standing up, Jose started to leave.

  “Wait,” Darion said. “Do they have books here, a library, for the clergy?”

  Jose shrugged. “Not sure. Only small prayer books are around. Teach you how to pray to dark angels and the God of all. See you tomorrow. First thing.” With a small nod, he left.

  Navina waited until he was gone, then turned to Becca and Darion, eyes wide. “In two days, someone is going to die?”

  Becca worried how to answer her. Sugarcoating things didn’t help, but this was a lot to take in. “Someone will go somewhere and never return. We don’t know exactly what happens, but yes, they will probably die.”

  “Oh…”

  “Oh… is right.” Darion ran a hand through his hair. “We need to go meet this clergy and see what else we can find. They must have a place for the clergy to stay and study, a way to pass down tradition.”

  “I agree. We can either start looking around tonight or wait until we are officially introduced tomorrow.”

  “Let’s meet some others. Just to make sure Jose wasn’t missing something.” Darion offered a hand to Becca.

  She huffed as he pulled her up. “Oh yay, we get to go mingle with smelly people again.”

  Navina gathered her bag as well. “At least you’re tall enough to talk face to face. I’m stuck at armpit level, and trust me, that’s not a place you want to be.”

  Elizabeth’s nerves were so on edge with the morning’s meeting that Scarlett had Brianna take her to her room with a tonic. The tonic had tasted similar to the alcohol she previously had, but it had calmed her nerves and she was able to sleep a little.

  When she woke from her nap, Elizabeth checked in with Becca. Can you talk any of them out of it? Elizabeth asked when Becca mentioned the sacrifices.

  If I bring up anything close to common sense, they freak out. I got to go, Liz. Take care of yourself.

  You too.

  Sitting up, she wondered what was next for her day.

  With her white hair full and flowing around her shoulders, Brianna glanced up from the book she was reading by the window. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

  “Much better.”

  “Good.” Setting the book down, she came over. “Would you like to eat something?”

  “No. Maybe some tea?” Elizabeth felt embarrassed about how she freaked out before. “Where is everyone?”

  “They moved from the breakfast room to Ms. Mathison’s office. They have been in and out all day planning.”

  “Are we really doing this? Attacking Lazaro in the next couple of weeks?”

  With her kind blue eyes, Brianna nodded. “Yes. It looks like it.”

  “What do you think about it?”

  “I agree with my leader. We want freedom without the cost of our children. She is not the only one who is tied to those men.” A bitterness rose in her expression.

  “I’m sorry.” Elizabeth didn’t mean to bring up a bad subject.

  “Don’t be. You didn’t do this and have been a great asset,” Brianna said. “I learned a long time ago avoiding painful topics doesn’t make them hurt any less. Better to remember what we are fighting for.”

  Swinging her feet off the bed, Elizabeth got up. “I’d like to get to work then.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Brianna served Elizabeth warm tea. Then she helped Elizabeth dress and touch up her hair. It was approaching dinner when they finally entered Scarlett’s office.

  In the middle of a heated debate, Scarlett and Andre glanced up as Elizabeth entered the room. “I was wondering if you needed my help?” She wished she didn’t sound so young.

  “Of course, come in.” Scarlett extended a hand towards a sofa. “How are you doing?”

  Elizabeth took a seat with Brianna next to her. “Very well. Brianna has been very kind.”

  “Thank you,” Scarlett told the woman, then turned to Elizabeth. “Brianna is a talented witch as well as an amazing woman.”

  “I appreciate it. And I’m ready to help however you need.”

  “We don’t want you to overdo it,” Andre said.

  “I’m fine. Promise.”

  “Good,” Scarlett said. “We’d like you to try to see some of the covens we plan on overtaking.”

  “Okay. Will I be going as well?” Elizabeth wondered where she would be when the battle started. Andre always kept her close and protected.

  “Andre and I both agree you will stay here with Brianna. She is strong enough to protect you, and she can communicate with me through a coven bond. But we need you to take a look at this map and tell us what you see.”

  Standing, Elizabeth approached the large map of the Americas. There were small black and silver pins spread throughout. It looked massive. She was never one for geography, and it took a minute for her to find the area where she was raised. A silver pin stood nearby. Touching the small town with her finger made it feel so small in the grand scheme of things.

  No one rushed her as she took in the map. “What do the pins stand for?”

  “The black pins are Lazaro’s strongholds. The silver are ours. Right now, we only have two covens and a hand full of supporters. We’ll need to take over several other covens to have the power to stop Lazaro. Together, Andre and I are strong enough to do that. One major coven that will be difficult to take over or deal with in a battle would be the West Coast.”

  “We’d like to see what will happen if we fly there.”

  Elizabeth swallowed. “I’m not sure how this power of mine works. But if you have plans in place right now, I’ll see what I can see.”

  “Right now, Andre plans on going there with a few others.”

  “What is the name of the coven? Or is there something I can focus on?”

  “Salem is the name of the coven and the town. They destroyed Salem, Massachusetts just so they could claim the sole right to that name. It’s run by William Bates, a ruthless man that stole his way to power. He’s Caucasian with brown hair, a sharp nose, and a huge ego.”

  “I’ve never tried anything like this before, so I’m not sure how it will go.”

  “We understand. Just do your best,” Andre said.

  “If you’d like to call a demon to boost your powers, I can get one,” Scarlett offered.

  “No,” Elizabeth shook her head. “No demons.”

  “Okay.” Scarlett helped her take a seat in a single chair.

  Closing her eyes, she wondered why some futures bombarded her and others she had to push to get. She focused on gathering her magic. Then, using the spell, concentrated on William Bates and the Salem coven.

  A man of Asian descent sat in a large black car. Next to him was a man, which could have been William Bates. They spoke to each other, but she didn’t catch anything at first. William slammed a fist on the dashboard. “How dare they think they can come into my territory? You sure of their power?”

  The driver nodded. “They are stronger than all of us combined.”

  William exited the car along with two other magicians and retrieved long metal tubes of some sort. The men quickly set them up, pointing them towards a plane parked on a concrete slab in the distance. Fear trickled down her spine. She didn’t want to watch what came next.

  Then she quickly reprimanded herself. The least you can do is watch what will happen to your friends. The tubes were weapons of some sort. A large noise blasted, and the plane explode
d. She jumped back, feeling the heat on her skin.

  She woke to Brianna at her side.

  “I’m okay.” Elizabeth’s chest heaved as she struggled for oxygen. “I’m okay.” She told herself again.

  “You’re safe,” Brianna patted her arm.

  Elizabeth smoothed out her dress. “Things don’t go well.”

  Scarlett didn’t look happy about that. “Tell us everything.”

  After Elizabeth finished, Scarlett turned to Andre. “It seems he has someone that can read powers at quite a distance.”

  Andre rubbed his chin, which had the start of a new beard. “We’ll need to change things up. A direct approach won’t work to take Bates.”

  Andre and Scarlett batted around a couple of ideas while Brianna got Elizabeth a drink.

  “Is this alcohol?” Elizabeth asked the woman. “I’m just wondering if I’m going to be drunk for the next couple weeks.”

  Brianna smiled. “No. It’s my own little mixture of juice, sparkling water, and a touch of magic to relax and rejuvenate you.”

  “My mom used to mix an egg with wine at home.”

  “I’ve heard of that one. This one works a little better.”

  Drinking, Elizabeth thought about Bates and wondered what would take him down. Scarlett was making it clear they didn’t have the time and manpower for a full attack, and they didn’t want to alert Lazaro. They didn’t want to battle Lazaro in Oregon. They wanted it to be closer to home.

  As she thought about it, an idea came to her. “Don’t send in your strongest magicians. You don’t need to. He will be undone by his massive ego, by Mundanes.” Elizabeth wondered why this felt so right. “Just like Becca took down Ryma with no magical training. Send in those with little power.”

  “Leon,” Andre said. “Send him with a team.”

  “Of course.” Scarlett stood in a swirl of skirts and began to pace. “Send in one magician. They’ll expect it. But someone who is not strong enough to be a threat. We don’t have to take over the coven either. Just replace Bates with someone on our side. And I know just the person.”

  Chapter One Hundred Two

  The buzz of magic woke Darion. It was the security barrier he put in place before they slept. Jose stood several feet away, unable to get closer to them.

  Glad the barrier held, Darion raised a hand in greeting. “Morning, Jose.”

  “Breakfast?”

  Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Darion replied, “Check the basket in the river.”

  Jose headed off towards the river. The previous night Becca and Navina had built a trap in the river and guided several fish into it. It gave Navina something to do.

  “You sure Jose isn’t going to run away with our breakfast?” Becca asked next to him.

  “I’m willing to chance it.” Sleeping on the ground was never fun. Especially with Becca next to him yet being unable to really touch her.

  Navina slept on the other side of Becca, still out. Oh, the days of being a kid. Darion gave Becca a light kiss and got up.

  While the others packed up their makeshift campsite, Jose took charge cooking the fish. He watched them carefully and was especially quiet when Darion started the fire with a simple spell. When they all sat down to eat, Jose finally asked the question that had probably been burning in him since he first arrived at their camp. “You’re a magician?”

  “Yes. Will that make a difference when we go see the clergy.”

  Jose nodded and took another bite using his fingers. “They will want you to see Holy Bishop.”

  “Who is this Holy Bishop?”

  “A magician like you. Leader of the Bishops.” Jose shrugged obviously not sure himself. “Are you all magicians?”

  Becca paused and so did Darion. He wondered, probably like her, if that would help them or hurt them in the long run. Before she could answer, he told Jose, “Doesn’t matter. Just tell them I want to see The Holy Bishop.”

  Nodding, Jose took another bite.

  After breakfast, they packed up camp and headed towards the temple. Jose lead them along the dirt path, giving them a bit of privacy. Darion asked how Andre and the others were doing. Navina also wanted to know about her mom.

  “I talked to Elizabeth last night. They found an ally and a safe place to camp for a while,” she told Navina. “Your mom went to talk to Elizabeth, so she knows where you are. She misses you a ton and sends her love.” Becca wrapped an arm around the girl.

  “And the others?” Darion asked.

  “That’s a longer answer. They are planning a visit to William Bates. Have you heard of him?”

  Yes, he had. William Bates might not be the most powerful magician, but he was brilliant and used people to create quite an empire in the Northwest. “I have, and that will be quite the visit. We’ll have to talk more later. When do they go?”

  “She’s not sure, but evidently we’re on a tighter schedule than before. We’ll need to be on that boat soon.”

  “How soon?” It took a week to get here and they still needed answers. This trip had taken longer than expected, and they still needed more time.

  “A couple days. We’ll talk tonight.” Becca watched their travel guide, and Darion realized he was slowing down.

  “We almost there, Jose?” he asked.

  The guide was startled for a moment. “Yes, sir,” he said and picked up his pace.

  The route Jose took them on circumvented the mass of people and camps in the center of the clearing. It was probably longer, but it helped them stick together. As they rounded the clearing, there was a wide path crowded with people. Following Jose, they continued winding along on the path, deeper into the forest.

  Soon the path opened wide to another clearing. This one held no campers, but instead a large stone pyramid that rose a hundred—or maybe two hundred—feet into the air with stone steps and other structures littered around the base. Even with all the people here, they were surprisingly well preserved. No one got too close to the structures and Darion wondered if they were protected magically.

  Darion slowed to look at the ancient buildings. They were more than just buildings but a community of sorts from a different civilization. Some areas appeared to be gathering areas while others were smaller dwellings. They continued for another mile, stopping once off the path to drink water.

  “How old are these buildings?” Becca asked as they stared at a group of stone seats of a sort.

  “As old as the gods themselves,” Jose replied.

  “They have to have been here before Lazaro opened the portal. Not decades but centuries old.”

  “Yes,” Jose told them. “The portal was opened hundreds of years ago. Then closed. Lazaro opened it again and brought the world back to how it was supposed to be.”

  Darion didn’t share that opinion, but if their guide knew their real intent, he wouldn’t be helping them.

  Becca struggled to hide her dislike. “I’ve never heard that before.”

  “It’s true. You’ll see at the services. The bishops teach us the truth. People come from all over to learn the truth.” Jose finished his water and stood up to leave.

  When Darion began to worry that he’d have to carry Navina, Jose said they finally made it to their destination. The building wasn’t over eight feet tall but was longer and built into a small hill. Maybe the earth grew over the building, hiding the true design. Either way, the only entrance appeared to be a rectangle roughly etched into the wall.

  Jose stopped several feet from the entrance. “I can go no further.”

  Can’t or won’t? Before Darion could ask, Becca paused a couple of feet past Jose as well. “There’s something here, a barrier of sorts.”

  He approached the barrier and lifted a hand to sense the magic. Not hard to get past, but enough to keep out the Mundanes. He pulled out his pocket knife.

  “What are you doing?” Navina asked.

  “It requires a blood sacrifice.” Before she could worry, he added, “Don’t worry, a drop will
do.” Pricking his finger, he completed the magic quickly.

  Coughing loudly, Jose opened his palm, waiting for his payment. Becca turned and dropped a coin in his palm.

  He shoved it in his pocket. “I’ll come by your campsite tonight to see if you need anything else.”

  “Thanks,” she said.

  Darion stared at the opening in this stone wall, wondering if he could convince Becca and Navina to wait out here.

  Becca must have been sensing his hesitation and stepped up next to him. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “I didn’t say it.” He turned to look at her.

  “No, but you thought it.”

  He couldn’t help his smile. His heart warmed at her support even though it scared him at the same time. “If trouble arises, you take Navina out of here though. We can’t afford to waste time if we are to keep her safe.”

  She bit back her first response, then after a moment answered. “I’m not happy about it, but I’ll do it.”

  “Good.” He didn’t expect trouble, but they had to be cautious around new magicians.

  They entered the building, the smell of dust and some type of water or mold hitting them first. Blinking, it took a minute to adjust to the dim witchlight on the wall. Since there was no reason to hide what he was, he grew the fire on the wall. A mouse scattered down the dirt hallway.

  “Maybe we should follow?” Navina offered.

  Man, this kid had guts. “Sounds like a plan.”

  They followed the rodent who soon turned into a large open room and scurried away. The primitive room held a few makeshift desks, lots of open space—probably for pentagrams—and a few large bookshelves. In the center, an old man sat at a desk, not even bothering to look up. Becca and Darion exchanged a look of caution before continuing forward. He strengthened his defensive shields, not knowing what to expect.

  As they approached, they saw the man’s dark full beard with threads of white. His coloring said he was a local, but hopefully he spoke English.

  Finally, his eyes flashed up, acknowledging them. “Un momento.”

  They stopped, waiting. Navina turned in a circle, taking in the room. Darion didn’t dare let his gaze travel anywhere else. Yes, the man looked harmless, but Darion grew up around enough bloodthirsty magicians to not trust strangers.