by Jamie King
Lydia trots in my direction. Her short black curls bounces with each step and the candle light flickers in her deep brown eyes.
“Oh, my dear, Endellion.” She embraces me and the scent of lilacs tickles my nose. “I’m ecstatic that Ceri is finally eighteen. We have been looking forward to this day for such a long time.” Her smile cuts deep dimples into her full cheeks. “Are you hungry?”
“Not right now.” I shake my head.
“Well, if you want something, there are two tables for food and beverages.” She motions to the far-right corner of the room.
“Thank you.” I say politely and push through the gathering crowd in search of my parents. I pause at the ritual circle in the center of the room encircled by large beeswax candles. The flickering orange light casts eerie shadows on the surrounding walls. Some of the candles have wax gently spilling down their cylindrical sides pooling into hardening piles on the floor. The smell of burning sage wafts in the air as a short pudgy man glides past me with a censor. Painted on the worn wooden floor in animal blood are sigils of protection, containment, and summoning. Summoning? Those aren’t the normal symbols for an initiation ceremony. Laughter erupts from the small gathering around the hors d’oeuvre table. My coven members stuff their mouths full of various snacks. Their faces are bright with celebration.
“Endellion, darling.” My mother’s voice dances on my ears over the rumbling crowd. “Oh sweetie you look stunning.” She reaches and twirls a strand of hair around her finger. The deep reds of the surrounding candle fires intensify the reds in my hair as she twirls the strand of hair.
“Thanks, mom.” Her black silk dress is similar to mine, but the dress is braided with red lace that trails behind her. “So do you.”
She pats my arm. “Your father will be here shortly with Ceri.”
“Are you okay?” I ask. She seems nervous. Like something is concerning her and of all the people in my life that are ever concerned, she’s never one of them.
“Yes, yes of course, Ellie.” She gazes in the direction of the door.
I’ve never seen her nervous or out of control before, it’s very unsettling. This should be a happy day filled with excitement and celebration. I turn my attention back to the circle painted in the center of the room. I’ve been studying sigils and runes long enough to know that this is a ritual of summoning – of summoning something very powerful. I step closer to the circle. A sigil representing the Demon realm catches my eye. My mother places an ice-cold hand on my shoulder ripping my attention away. What are they planning?
“It’s beginning, Ellie.”
A woman’s raspy voice echoes through the room and the crowd of celebrating party goers fall silent. “Children of Oíche.” Agnes’ long silver hair is pulled into a French braid that falls onto the shoulder of her red ceremonial cloak embroidered with the black dragon ouroboros on the chest. Her thin lips spread into a smile, “Thank you all for joining us tonight in celebration of Ceri Maher’s initiation ceremony. Her eighteenth birthday was only days ago and now we finally welcome her to our circle.”
The crowd erupts in applause and twelve cloaked figures enter the room in a quick procession directly to the ritual circle.
“Mom.” I whisper in her ear. “Mom, what exactly is going on? This doesn’t feel right.”
She squeezes my hand. “Ellie, just promise me you will do nothing to interfere with this ceremony. Agnes has bestowed our family with a great honor tonight.”
“Mom, why would you think I would want to interfere with the ceremony? What’s going to happen?” My voice cracks and my pulse quickens. She holds tight to my hand and directs her gaze back to Agnes. Gasps come from the crowded doorway.
“Ceri.” I whisper. “Daddy?” My breath catches. He stands in the doorway cradling my big sister’s exposed body in his arms. Her fire red hair is disheveled and damp as it dangles like vines. Her face is wet from tears and red marks litter her skin. Her eyes are barely open. The beautiful golden brown is marbled with red. What have they done to you? “Mommy?” I plead. I step forward, but my mother’s vice grip forces me back.
“Hush now.” She attempts to soothe me.
“Your daughter. Remember that she is your daughter.” I spit at her hoping that my acidic tone will force her to release me. To tell me she made a mistake and that I have nothing to be concerned over. She only turns her attention to Agnes.
Agnes joins the twelve coven members at the head of the circle. My father breaks their ranks to set Ceri on the floor inside the circle. Her body slumps on the rigid wood. Her breathing is slow and ragged. They can’t be. No. They wouldn’t dare!
“You turned her into an offering!” I hiss at my mother. She flinches at my words, but does not look at me.
My dad stands behind me and places his hands on my shoulders. I think he means to comfort me, but it feels like restraints. He bends slightly to kiss the top of my head. “Your sister has been chosen.” He whispers into my hair.
Ceri’s head turns toward me and a stream of tears roll down her face.
“Daddy, what has she been chosen for?” I ask as tears cloud my vision and my throat tightens. My beautiful, strong sister is being demoralized and offered up to demons. My own parents. Offering their daughter to demons. I bite my lip to keep it from trembling. What have they done?
“To be the mother of a new race. A more powerful race.” He whispers above me. “One that transcends the restrictions set upon us.”
Mother? New race? My breath catches as understanding dawns on me. This is a mating ceremony. “Daddy, she doesn’t want to do it. Can’t you see?” I plead.
“Quiet, my sweet girl, we all must make sacrifices for the coven’s future.” He takes a deep breath. “She will come to understand her new role– mother of a new more powerful race. A race that can compete with the kingdom of the Fae. Her child will be our new beginning.”
My heart sinks. I can do nothing to help her. Nothing. I’m useless. They will destroy her to get what they want. Why her? Agnes would kill me if I attempted anything and it isn’t like I even have my powers yet, maybe a spark here and there, but no true awakening. I’m incapable of saving her from this fate. She offers me a slight smile. She’s always been so loving, even when she shouldn’t be. Tears breach the rim of my eyes and pour down my cheeks as the reality of her fate sinks in.
The thirteen coven leaders, cloaked under their ceremonial red, begin to chant the ritual. The room heats and the smell of sulfur seeps into the air. Power tickles my skin as the thirteen coven leaders build their combined energy. The sigils on the floor pulse with energy as the power of the circle brings them to life. Black smoke pours into the room from the center of the circle. The painted runes and sigils glow steadily as the spell is activated. Hissing makes its way into the room accompanied by a scraping noise on the old wooden floor. The cloud of black smoke pours over Ceri and spreads through the circle. It must be powerful if this ritual requires all thirteen heads of the coven. Some of the most powerful witches alive are in this room.
The chanting comes to an end and the room descends into a spine-chilling silence. The smoke is so thick that I can barely make out her face looking back at me.
Agnes’ voice croaks through the darkness. “Welcome, Baal.”
A booming laughter erupts from the depths of the smoke. Waves of power roll over my body at the immense presence. “Do not fear me child.” Ceri squeezes her eyes shut.
The hair on my arms rise and chills shoot down my spine as his voice echoes throughout the small ritual room. I have to get her out of there. What have they done? I must save her! I step forward, but my father’s strong grasp tightens on my shoulders sending a sharp pain shooting through the joints. I wince and struggle to stay silent. Baal. His name is – familiar.
Another chuckle erupts from the darkness and the flutter of wings fills the room causing the thick black smoke to swirl. The rush of air whips my hair around my face and sends my dress fluttering around my ankles. �
��I promise you will enjoy this as much as I will.” The wing that caused the rush of air becomes vaguely visible, the dark bat like membrane flaps heavily in the smoke.
“Ceri.” I whisper and her eyes fly open. They seem to be burning. Impossible. An orange and yellow spider web pattern glows and spreads beneath her skin. I glance at my mom. Her eyes are brimming with tears. “Oh.” I breathe as tears sting the corners of my eyes.. The golden glow beneath Ceri’s skin slowly pulses. A gasp from the crowd pokes at the tension as flames erupt from Ceri’s body.
Ceri smiles at me beneath the flames of her spell. Tears stream down her face as her eyes become fully engulfed in the fire.
Baal laughs. “Poor girl.” Wings flap sending black smoke whirling around the room. “Next time priestess, don’t let it do that.” At his departure the overpowering presence releases me from its hold.
She’s burning. “Ceri.” I cry. “Ceri!” I drop to my knees beside her and gaze down at her darkened lifeless face.
“What has she done?” Agnes wails as she marches toward my parents who are standing in shock. “Stupid girl!” She roars.
My father reaches out to calm her. His words are muffled as I sit beside my sister’s smoldering body. The deep red glow of fire pulses inside her. I press my fingers to her face. The heat of her flaking skin burns my fingertips. Hands grasp my shoulders pulling me away from her. The force of the movement causes large flakes of her face to fall away.
A steady beep grows louder. A bright light shines through my closed lids and I turn my head away.
“Ri?” A familiar muffled voice pokes at my despair. “Ri?”
“Ceri.” I choke.
“What?” The familiar voice whispers. “Nuri, wake up.” A hand rests on my cheek. “You’re having a nightmare, sweetie.” I struggle to open my eyes, but my lashes stick together. I reach to wipe them, but a hand cups mine and a cloth gently caresses my face clearing away the goo. “My god Ri, what were you dreaming about?”
I peer up through a blurry fog and wait for my eyes to adjust to the light. Tiffany leans over me with a towel in her hand. Her eyes are blood shot and lips are chapped. A baby blue robe is wrapped around her fairy costume.
“I don’t know.” Who wants to hear about such a terrible dream? There’s nothing she could do about it anyway. I glance around the room. A hospital? The buzz of the machines surrounds me. My entire body is filled with a vibrating sensation like electricity is dancing under my skin. “I feel weird, Tiff.” I say as gentle surges of energy roll through my body. “What happened?”
She presses the assistance button on the remote hanging from the bed. “Well, the lights at the club exploded and fire started on the second floor. I found Jake carrying you outside. He said that you had fainted shortly after the fire started and that’s when we called an ambulance.” She strokes my hair. “The fire department thinks there was a surge in the electrical wiring that caused the exploding light bulbs and that the resulting fire was a bad stroke of luck.”
Images of bursting light bulbs, raining glass, and sparks setting fire to the curtains of the club come rushing back. Screams of people running in fear as their celebration of Halloween ended in a burning nightmare.
A nurse in pink scrubs comes into the room. Her shoulder length light brown hair is tucked behind her ears. Pink glasses are pushed over her head holding her spikey bangs away from her face. She lifts a clip board from the end of the bed and slides her glasses over her tired eyes. Small brown freckles cover =her puffy cheeks and a small mole protrudes from the corner of her lip.
“I see our patient is awake.” She grins at me. “Is everything okay?” She furrows her brow and slightly tilts her head.
“She said something about feeling weird.” Tiffany says and squeezes my hand.
The memory of the woman burning in my dream vividly appears provoking a shiver. Why would my brain do that to me? I wonder if I dreamt of it because of the fire at Pyrien.
“Are you cold?” The nurse asks and reaches behind her to pull a large white blanket from the cabinet. She and Tiffany spread it over my body. Little do they know this chill wasn’t from being cold, but how could I tell them about the dream? It wasn’t even real. I sigh and lean into the pillows allowing the blanket to warm me. “Is that better?”
“I still feel weird.” I say, not knowing how to describe the feeling of this odd energy pulsing through my body.
“Are you allergic to anything? Medications?” The nurse asks. “There is nothing in your medical records and your friend here didn’t know of any medical conditions.”
I shake my head. “Has anyone called my mom?” Tiffany and the nurse exchange a look that causes my heart to skip. “Is she on her way?” Tiffany directs her attention at the ground and fidgets with her borrowed robe. She always does this when she doesn’t want to tell me something.
“Tiff?” I huff. “It can’t be that bad.” I release a nervous laugh.
The door opens and Tiffany’s mom, Eryn, steps into the room winded and puffy eyed. Her familiar bright smile is a depressed frown and her face is streaked with tears. Her golden blonde hair is up in a messy bun and her outfit is mismatched and rumpled.
“Girls!” She says with a forced happiness. “I’m just so glad you’re awake, Ri.” She places a kiss on Tiffany’s forehead and sits near my feet giving my thigh a gentle pat. She peels her black leather gloves off and turns to the nurse. “Would you mind giving us a few minutes?”
“If you need anything just press that buzzer again and I’ll come right back.” She quickly disappears into the busy hallway.
“Honey.” Eryn’s tender voice brings me back to her. Her chocolate brown eyes are stained with red. “Last night.” She pauses and looks at Tiffany. “Last night, I heard an argument and a lot of loud noises over at your house, so I went over to see what was going on. You know how your mother can be sometimes, but I didn’t think she had been seeing anyone and she had kicked that jerk,” she pauses again clearly attempting to remember his name, “Oh, Frederick! Yes, Freddie. Anyway, she had kicked Freddie to the curb, so I thought that he may have come by and started an argument.” She takes in a deep breath and I realize that I’ve been holding mine. I slowly let it out. “She, um. Your mom – I found her on the kitchen floor.” A tear slips down her cheek as her hand reaches for mine.
The world around me falls away. The loud thump of my pulse drowns out the world. “What happened to her?” I manage to ask between sharp breaths. “Where is she?”
“Honey, you can’t see her.” She gently pats my arm.
“Why not, Eryn?” I ask. My voice squeaks with panic. “Is she in the hospital? Is she going to be okay?”
Her face drops. “We aren’t quite sure how yet, but she was perfectly burned. Nothing else in the house had been touched by the flames.”
The room spins, and I take in sharp breaths. My heart thumps in my chest and my entire body shakes. “What are you saying, Eryn?” Tears well up and threaten to breach their barriers.
“Honey, your mom isn’t coming back.”
Blood drains from my face and my body turns cold as all hope I had been clinging to crashes to the floor. Flashes of my dream run through my mind. The young girl burning alive from the inside out. The flames never touching anything but her body. I shake my head, refusing to believe it. “No.” I shake my head again and tears pour as my heart breaks into pieces. “No!”
Eryn pulls me into a tight hug. “Quiet, Ri.” She gently strokes my back. “It’ll be okay.”
“How?” I whimper into her neck.
“Just trust me.” She squeezes me tight again and then pulls away. “The police are going to find who did this.”
I stare at her and think back to my dream. The girl burning from the inside out. Magic. Suicide.
CHAPTER THREE
3
Dressed in dark gray sweatpants, a black zip up hoodie, and my barely worn running shoes, I silently walk through the lobby of the hospital with Tiffany
and Eryn. Just a few days ago, I had been living the dream as a freshman in college. Today, I’m leaving a hospital to prepare for a funeral. Somehow in all of this I’m supposed to continue with my life and my schooling as if nothing happened.
“Ri, honey.” Eryn’s warm hand presses gently between my shoulder blades. “The car is just out front, okay? Do you need anything?” The worry on her face causes my heart to clench and my throat to tighten. “It will get easier.” She whispers and steps through the automatic doors that lead to the parking lot. The brisk fall air flows into the lobby.
“What a beautiful day.” Tiffany says next to me.
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” I force a smile and follow Eryn through the doors ignoring the sadness in Tiffany’s eyes. She knew it was a fake smile and it upset her. I shouldn’t have tried to save her feelings. She knows me too well.
The cool air brushes my face and the sun stings my eyes. I blink a few times and look around the parking lot. A man is standing a few feet away from us. He must be over six foot four. Black combat boots cover his feet and his hands are shoved into the pockets of dark worn jeans slung low on his hips. His black leather jacket is hanging open displaying a simple white V-neck t-shirt. His golden-brown hair is tied into a messy bun and his dark beard appears unkempt. His bright green eyes watch me intently. Familiarity rushes over me. Those eyes. I know them from somewhere.
“Ri, you okay?” Tiffany says as she stands beside me. “The car is this way.” She gently tucks her hand in mine and pulls me in the direction of Eryn. Away from him. I glance behind me, but he’s gone.
I climb into the back seat of Eryn’s white SUV and Tiffany hops into the front. Eryn smiles back at me before putting the car in drive. “Let’s get you home.”