“Calvin said this is what he wanted.”
“He looks so young.” Anabelle giggled. “Leave it to Dad to pick one where he’s so much younger.”
“That’s Dad.” Ayry laughed with her.
The laughter was good for them. It broke the tension and prepared them for receiving the people that were coming to the funeral.
Dark Moon Falls was small town and everyone knew everyone so they were expecting a lot of people to show up. Many questions would be asked and many tears would be shed, some genuine, some not so much.
“Ladies.” Phaedra made her entrance.
“We’re having a private moment.” Adam walked down the aisle to usher her out. “We’ll be allowing guests in a few moments. We want to be sensitive in this time.”
“I need to speak to Ayry,” she insisted.
“It will have to wait.” Adam pushed her out the double doors and closed them.
Adam turned around with his lips pursed. “I swear that woman thinks she owns the town. You let me know when you’re ready. I’ll be right outside. Take all the time you need.”
Adam disappeared through the doors. The girls just looked at one another. “What now?” Ayry asked.
“I really don’t know.” Anabelle sat in a chair in the front row. “I think we get through this and then tomorrow is business as usual.”
“There is no such thing as business as usual anymore.” Ayry hung her head and glanced at the picture of her father. The emotional deluge began, and she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. “We’re orphans now.”
Anabelle stood and held her sister. “You’re being dramatic.”
“No, I’m not. We’re orphans. Mom’s gone. Dad’s gone. That is the actual definition of an orphan,” she sobbed.
“We’re adults.”
“Doesn’t matter. It was bad enough I didn’t have Mom to talk to about Maynard. I didn’t have anyone. And now that Maynard has manifested, I have no one to talk about what I’m supposed to do.” Ayry’s chest heaved with grief. “What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to do this by myself?”
“You’ve been doing just fine. And you’ll keep doing great. Look at that little guy. He’s perfect.” Anabelle hugged her sister tighter. “You’ll always have me.”
“Yeah.” Ayry smiled.
“Are you ready?” Anabelle asked.
“No,” Ayry answered honestly. “But let’s get this done.”
“Together?” She held her hand out.
“Together.” Ayry took her hand and they went to the double doors.
They opened them and Adam nodded. “Everyone, the family is ready to receive guests.”
Ayry went to Maynard and Calvin. “Thank you for keeping an eye on him for me.”
“My pleasure.” Calvin put his hand on Maynard’s shoulder. “He’s pretty special.”
Ayry smiled. “Thank you, I think so, but I’m biased.”
“If you need anything, I’m here for you.” Calvin said holding back his emotion.
“I’d like you to sit up front with us, if you don’t mind,” Ayry asked.
“Oh, I don’t know about all that.” Calvin smiled.
“You’re family. Please sit with us.” Ayry leaned in closer. “Besides, I don’t want any weirdos sitting by us.”
They both shared a laugh, and Calvin said, “Good luck in this town. It’s full of nothing but weirdos.”
“That’s true.” Ayry widened her eyes and took Maynard by the hand.
They entered the viewing room and Maynard started to jump around. Ayry leaned down and said, “You need to be on your best behavior.”
“But Mommy!” he said and pointed to the front of the room.
“Maynard, please hush.” She put her finger to his lips.
He pressed his lips together. “But Mommy –”
“Maynard, you can tell me when we sit down.” She squeezed his hand, but not too tight.
They got to their seats and Ayry leaned down to Maynard, “We have to sit down so all the people can come and pay their respects to your grandfather.”
“The smiling man,” Maynard said sitting back in his chair.
Ayry thought about it being good that Maynard had him during this time. She was going to try to be there for him but wasn’t sure she could be all he needed. “That’s nice that he’s here with you.”
“No, Mommy.” He pointed to the picture of Amon. “The smiling man.”
Ayry’s brow furrowed with concern. “What do you mean?”
He got up from his seat and went to the portrait. “The smiling man.”
Ayry’s eyes darted to Anabelle and they had instant understanding. Their father was the smiling man. Ayry stood up and brought Maynard back to his seat. “Yes, that’s grandpa.”
“But Mommy –”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Ayry urged him to be quiet.
Jezabelle came to the front row. “Excuse me.” She motioned for Calvin and Blake to move down. “This is for family,” she remarked.
“They are family,” Ayry bit back in a hateful tone.
Maynard mumbled something under his breath.
She leaned over to Anabelle. “Just remember you insisted he let her out of the room.”
Anabelle snickered. “Stop.”
Everyone settled into their seats and it was time to begin. Phaedra came to the front and rested a notebook on the podium.
Ayry and Anabelle were both confused. Anabelle looked to Calvin. “This was part of what he wanted.”
Anabelle shrugged as Phaedra began.
“Amon Price. He was a dear friend to me. A member of our coven, a member of the pack, father, husband…” She took a long pause looking around the room as though she were waiting for only one person to hear her words. “Magus.”
The room darkened and the crowd began to whisper.
Anabelle glanced at Ayry. “Is this you?”
Ayry shook her head no and turned to look toward the back of the room. The double doors slammed shut and the room grew darker.
“What’s going on?” Ayry went to the podium and addressed Phaedra.
“Sit down,” she demanded.
“I need to know wha –”
Phaedra glared into her. “Sit down and prepare to protect your son.”
Ayry rushed back to her seat and held Maynard in her arms. She searched for an exit, some way she could get him out. She clutched Maynard tighter and mouthed to Anabelle, “I’m sorry.”
She focused on bringing them outside, but her magic wouldn’t work. She looked down at Maynard. “We need to get outside.”
“I can’t Mommy. The smiling man says I have to help.”
“Maynard, I’m your mother. I don’t care what the smiling man says. You have to help me get you out of here.”
“I’m sorry,” he said and stood up and went to the center aisle.
“Maynard, come back here.” Ayry stood up and was immediately paralyzed, unable to move or do magic. She was helpless watching her baby face whatever darkness was lurking in the room. His tiny form in his suit preparing to do battle with evil and she couldn’t help him. Tears streamed down her cheeks at being so powerless.
Blake stood up and started toward Maynard. He was thrown back against the wall as though a force had pushed him.
The entire room burst into chaos, wind blew, people were trying to get out of the doors, but no one could leave, no one could enter.
Maynard raised his hands. “Show yourself.” His tiny voice somehow boomed through the room.
An ominous black cloud formed a huge head in front of Maynard. Its mouth opened and said “You think you are a match for me?”
Maynard remained calm and said in a simple tone, “I don’t have to be.”
The doors flew open and the people trying to get out flooded the doorway. Ayry and Anabelle were still suspended unable to move.
When the people cleared the doorway there were only a few left in the room. Calvin shifted into wolf
form and stood in front of Maynard protectively.
“I said show yourself,” Maynard said again, urging on the threat. He lifted his hands in the air and demanded, “Stand up. Show yourself.”
Jezabelle stood and started toward Maynard. Ayry struggled to move to protect her son. Inside her head she was screaming but was unable to verbalize. She watched as Jezabelle made her way toward Maynard.
An electric current shot through the room and Jezabelle was immediately knocked to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and went for Maynard with her hands held out to grab him by the neck.
“Get away from my son.” Abel walked down the center aisle. Electricity visibly crackling through his entire being.
Jezabelle stopped and faced him. “Now you choose to be so concerned about your son?” She threw her head back in laughter. “I’m the only hope your son has.”
“Get away from him.” He bellowed and lobbed two balls of dark matter toward her. She deflected both back toward Abel but Maynard caught them and sent them straight back to her. She was knocked to the ground.
Maynard raised his hands, looked up to his left, and asked, “Like this?”
The transparent form of Amon flickered in and out. He nodded. “Yes, hold her there.”
Maynard complied casting a stasis spell on her. She was frozen in place, unable to move.
Ayry looked on in awe, still helpless, still afraid of Abel. She was unsure of what he was going to do. As the necromancer, this was his chance to kill Maynard, take his power and become the supreme magical being.
Abel continued down the aisle toward Maynard and picked him up. He cradled him in his arms. “Are you okay?”
Maynard nodded. “Yes, but my work isn’t done.” He looked back toward the flickering form of Amon.
“I don’t understand.” Abel shook his head.
“The smiling man says I have to take the power from the necromancer.” His tiny voice sounded so grown up.
Ayry broke free from the binds. She ran to Maynard and took him from Abel. “Get your hands off my son.”
Abel’s expression fell in despair. “I would never hurt him.”
Amon’s ghostly form appeared between them. “Abel would never hurt him, and neither would I.”
Stasia held up her hands and said, “We have to end this. We have to combine the power.”
Ayry clutched Maynard tighter in her arms. “No.”
“The power is in them.” Maynard pointed to Abel and Stasia, “And one other.”
Maynard pressed his hands upward in a swirl. Ayry stood in awe as the scenery around her darkened in a spiraling cloud and grew to a muted light revealing the witch’s sanctuary. Shadows cast by the moon and filigree in the sanctuary obscured the motion toward the center of the circle.
“Watch, Mommy, this will help.” Maynard put his tiny hand on her cheek and guided her eyes to the scene.
Ayry squinted to see Saul standing over the mutilated body of a man. Blood ran down his chin.
Amon rushed into the sanctuary. “Saul, this has to stop.”
Saul righted himself and glared at Amon. “I will stop when I have the power to devour you.”
“This isn’t who you are,” Amon pleaded with his friend.
“That’s easy for you to say. You possess all the power, you can move time, space, emotion. My power is miniscule,” he bellowed.
“Magic is not what makes you powerful.” Amon hung his head. “I would give you all my power if you would end this.”
“I’m going to end this. Now, today.” Saul held his bloody hands up toward Amon.
Abel stepped in behind Amon. “Amon, he’s going to –”
Saul braced his shoulders and pushed his dark magic toward them. Abel pushed Amon aside and took the brunt of the bolt. Instinctively he shifted to wolf form to heal his wounds.
Amon rushed to him. “Abel?”
Saul continued forward relentless and determined to do harm.
“I’ve watched while you squandered your power for a hundred years, never utilizing the gifts you were given. I will have that power.” Saul sent another burst of power toward Amon.
“Saul, this isn’t who you are. Please stop.” He held his hands up defensively.
Saul raised his hands in the air and welled the power in his core drawing from the moon. He lunged at Amon knocking him to the ground. He pressed his hands on his chest sucking the life force and magic from Amon’s chest.
Saul’s crazed laugh echoed throughout the sanctuary as the ground shook. Dust and pebbles broke from the walls surrounding them. “I will have the power of the last magus.”
Amon’s chest heaved and he gasped for air. “Take the power,” he choked out.
Saul stopped and squinted hard into Amon’s eyes. He held his hands in front of him and studied them. “This…this is not all the power.”
Amon’s eyes closed and a tiny glimmer of magic passed through his lips.
Saul stood over Amon. Outrage filled his entire being. “You are not the last.”
Amon did not respond.
Saul’s eyes darted frantically searching for an answer. It came to him. “Ayrabelle.” He started for the exit.
Abel heard his one true mate’s name being spoken. It shook him to consciousness, and he shifted to human form.
Amon’s chest heaved and he rolled on the floor grabbing Saul’s ankle. Saul tumbled down and kicked at Amon to get away. Amon scrambled to his feet and darted toward the alter.
The athame glimmered in the moon light, Amon’s reflection staring back at him. Right and wrong battled within him. Take a life to save a life? He contemplated a moment too long and Saul lunged at him with his hands outstretched lobbing sharp points of dark matter toward him.
The magic cut into Amon’s flesh and he lurched forward with the athame. It plunged deep into Saul’s heart.
Saul’s expression dulled and he lowered his eyes to the knife in his chest. A sense of sadness and relief invaded his eyes. “Finish this, my friend.”
Amon hesitated before wrapping his hand around the handle of the knife. His eyes filled with moisture and he looked to his friend one last time for confirmation. Saul wrapped his hand around Amon’s and nodded.
With their hands together on the knife they cut downward to end Saul’s pain. His body crumbled to the floor in a pool of blood. Amon closed his eyes with the finality of the act, the grief of losing his friend.
A dark oily shadow emerged from Saul’s body, menacing and full of power. Abel leapt into action and scooped the ritual knife from the floor and pushed Amon out of harm’s way. The shadow took the shape of a human. Abel slashed at the dark matter cutting through the middle of it. It expanded and split in two then spiraled and moved through the room looking for a host.
The dark matter invaded Abel and he was thrown back with a thud. He leaned against the wall still clutching the knife in his hand. Motion in the shadows revealed there was another in the room. It was too dark to make out who was there. They scurried off into the darkness having taken in a portion of the dark power with them.
Phaedra entered the sanctuary wide-eyed and took in the horrific scene. She halted and her expression went white at seeing Saul dead on the floor.
Amon was on his knees grieving over his friend’s body. He looked up at Phaedra, hopeless and at a loss for words.
Phaedra’s eyes flashed with anger and in a deep minacious tone she asked, “What have you done?”
Amon couldn’t speak. He only shook his head, and his eyes pleaded with her to show him mercy.
“Amon, you have murdered a member of the coven. You have committed the greatest offense in my sanctuary.” She was confused and angry. “You will be put to death.”
Abel labored to push himself up from the floor. “No, he didn’t kill Saul, I did.”
Phaedra spun to see Abel covered in blood holding the ritual knife. Her mouth fell open and his name came out on a whisper, “Abel?”
“I should be put to death.�
�� He stood in front of Amon protectively.
“Abel, no –” Amon protested.
“Yes,” Abel said with certainty.
“We took you in. A half-breed with miniscule magic simply because your mother was a member of this coven. This is how you repay us? This is how you show us loyalty by murdering one of our own.” There was more hurt than anger in Phaedra’s voice. She shook her head with her shoulders hanging forward in defeat.
“It had to be done,” Abel insisted. “I will take whatever punishment is necessary.”
“Phaedra, you have to listen to me –” Amon tried to tell her the truth, but Abel wouldn’t allow it.
“What is my punishment?” Abel stood with his head high.
“I can’t determine that on my own because you are also a member of the Dark Moon Falls pack.” She glared at him. “You will have a very brief reprieve while I meet with Elias.”
She took a few steps toward Amon and Saul. She kneeled in front of them.
Amon looked at her and pleaded, “You know this had to be done.”
“This was coven business and you had no say in any of it. Get out.” She spat and screeched at him, “Get out!”
Amon placed his hand over Saul’s eyes and lowered his lids. “Sleep well, my friend.”
Amon was exhausted and spent physically. He could barely stand. Abel rushed to his side. “I’ve got you.”
Phaedra said to Abel, “Elias and I will be in touch. Get him out of here.”
Maynard lowered his hands and the room returned to its previous form in the funeral home.
Abel eyed Stasia. “It was you that was there that night.”
“Yes,” She lowered her head. “I have been living with this horror inside me for five years. I need it out or I’m going to go mad.”
Amon rested his hand on Maynard’s back. His form struggled to became corporeal. “We must combine the power now.”
“What are you talking about?” Ayry held Maynard away from the three of them.
Amon’s head tilted and he touched her shoulder. “The power of the necromancer was split when I killed Saul.”
Ayry’s eyes widened with the realization of what she had just seen. She glanced at Abel. “But you…”
“No, he didn’t. He took the blame because he knew I was better equipped to protect you and find all of the power.”
Dark Moon Falls: Abel Page 10