Halo Effect

by Annabel Chase

  “What sisters?” Phoebe asked.

  “The Grey sisters,” I said. “Ember wants to check out their cave for an article.”

  “It’s about living off the grid,” Ember chimed in.

  “I think the whole town can offer input on that,” Octavia said.

  “Marley, are you okay to stay or would you like to see the cave?” Ember asked.

  Marley pulled a pile of candy closer to her. “I’m winning. I can’t leave now.”

  Raoul climbed down from the chair and ambled over to us.

  “You don’t mind if he tags along, do you?” Ember asked. “He promises to behave.” She turned and pinned him with a hard stare. “I repeat—you promise to behave.”

  “He won’t be able to do much damage,” I said. “It’s a cave.”

  The raccoon tapped his paws together as though this was welcome news.

  “We can take my car,” I said. “Their cave is kind of in the middle of nowhere.”

  Ember frowned. “Would flying be easier?”

  “Only if you like to leave a trail of vomit in the air,” I said. “I hate to fly.”

  “You and Marley have that in common,” Ember said.

  “I heard that,” Marley said from the table.

  I noticed the raccoon’s crushed expression. “I take it Raoul was hoping to fly there.”

  Ember gave him a pat on the head. “He’s an adventurous fella.”

  I balled my fists in an anxious gesture. “I do have a broom, but I don’t use it very often.” And I’d taken my anti-anxiety potion, so the odds of spewing my last meal all over town were minimal.

  “I have my broom here, if that helps,” Ember said. “I’m an excellent flier.”

  Raoul fixed me with dark, hopeful eyes and held his paws together in prayer.

  “Okay,” I relented. “It is a nice view of the town from the air.”

  “Oh, Raoul would like to know what the offering is,” Ember said.

  “Booze.” Apparently the sisters no longer requested a live chicken. I wasn’t sure whether that would be a relief or a disappointment to Raoul.

  Raoul nodded his approval.

  Sedgwick, we’re heading out, I said.

  The moment I left the house, the owl came swooping down from the sky. At your service, Your Highness.

  We’re fine if you don’t want to come.

  The trash panda is accompanying Ember, therefore, I am accompanying you.

  Okay, but it’s not a competition. Whether you stay behind or come with us, you’re still a good familiar.

  It is a competition and I will accompany you.

  Whatever.

  Laughter erupted from inside the house. Not the caustic laughter of a harpy mocking someone, but the cheerful laughter of enjoyable interaction. A sigh escaped me. For the first time ever, I felt disappointed to leave the bosom of the beasts.

  Chapter Eight

  I settled on the broom behind Ember and Raoul with the tote bag hooked on the end. The witch sat at the front to steer and the raccoon was sandwiched between us. I held on with a death-grip and immediately flashed back to my discussion with Daniel and Dr. Hall about the will. It was a bridge I’d have to cross sooner or later.

  Ember wasn’t kidding about her skills in the air. I felt more at ease on the broomstick with her at the helm than when I flew solo. I avoided looking down, which left me looking at Raoul’s hair. Or was it fur? I had no idea what a raccoon’s coat was called. I focused on the wind in my hair and the appealing scent of evergreen in the air. It smelled like Christmas.

  Try to smile, Sedgwick said. You look constipated.

  Maybe I am. I had a lot of carbs at brunch.

  As we neared the location of the cave, I tapped Ember’s elbow and pointed below. She nodded and dipped the broom to the right, gliding to the ground with all the expertise and confidence you’d expect of a seasoned witch.

  Raoul climbed off the broomstick and wobbled slightly before dropping to all fours.

  “He needs a minute to regroup,” Ember said.

  I clutched my stomach and waited for the nausea to pass. “Same.” Thankfully I kept the contents of my stomach intact.

  “You weren’t kidding,” Ember said. “This area is desolate.”

  I looked at the landscape through her eyes. The rocky terrain was uninviting and seemingly inhospitable unless you knew where to go.

  “They seem much happier now,” I said. “I think their trip really altered their mindset about the way they were living. They’d been in a cave so long, it seemed perfectly normal to them.”

  After their trip around the world, Effie and Petra decided to leave their cave and move into a cottage closer to town. They kept the cave for sentimental purposes and for moments like this—when they needed to call upon their special powers.

  “Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes,” Ember said. “You and I know that better than anyone.”

  “Agreed.” I started toward the mouth of the cave. “Fair warning. They talk like Yoda and they have a way of scrutinizing you that might make you squirm.”

  “Sounds like my aunt,” Ember said. “Except for the Yoda part. She talks more like Darth Vader.”

  Raoul held up his paw for an appreciative high-five and Ember tapped it lightly.

  Why don’t we ever high-five? Sedgwick asked. The owl landed on the handle of the broomstick.

  Because you don’t have hands or paws, I said.

  He shook his feathers. And wings aren’t good enough for you?

  I rolled my eyes and continued to the cave entrance. “Hello,” I called. “Anybody home? Company!”

  “In you come,” Effie’s voice rang out.

  After a few more steps into the cave, I noticed the walls were lined with flickering candles. The interplay of light and shadows created an eerie atmosphere and I hoped Ember wasn’t dissuaded from meeting with them. I knew them well enough to forget they were an acquired taste.

  We reached the center of the cave where two cloaked figures awaited us. They stood on either side of a bonfire.

  “Answers you seek,” Effie said. “Gather round you will.”

  “We don’t need the theatrics,” I said. “Ember’s only looking for information about…”

  “Silence,” Petra commanded.

  I froze. “Okay then. Here’s your offering.” Slowly I held up the bottle.

  Petra shuffled over and took it from my hands. She sniffed the top and gave a nod of approval.

  What’s with them? Sedgwick asked.

  I think they’re showing off for company.

  “Ask your question, you may,” Effie said. The taller sister turned toward us, her face shrouded in mystery.

  Ember took a hesitant step forward. “I’m Ember Rose from Starry Hollow. I’m seeking information about my ancestor, the One True Witch. I’d also be willing to accept any details about another ancestor called Ivy Rose.”

  “Should I…?” I began to ask if I should hang out or go but Petra cut me off.

  “Stay you shall,” the shorter sister commanded.

  “I guess that’s settled then,” I whispered.

  “Join hands you will,” Effie said. She wiggled her fingers and Ember moved closer to clasp her hand.

  Petra waved Raoul and I forward and together we formed a circle around the bonfire. The heat warmed the front of my body and I tried to ignore the beads of sweat forming on my brow. I didn’t want to say or do anything to disrupt the proceedings.

  What about me? Sedgwick complained. If the dumpster diver is part of the circle, then I should be too.

  If only you had hands to hold.

  The owl shoved himself between Raoul and I as Petra poured an unfamiliar green liquid into a single wooden cup. The cup appeared hand-carved with its slightly uneven composition.

  “Drink this you will,” Petra said.

  She passed the cup to Ember who took a sip and then held it for Raoul. The raccoon drank and Ember passed the cup to me. I
wasn’t sure why I needed to be involved, but I drank anyway and held the cup for Sedgwick. He dipped his beak into the cup with a little too much force and some of the green liquid splashed onto the floor of the cave.

  Oops, he said.

  “Hold hands you will,” Petra said.

  Sedgwick spread his wings. Suppressing a laugh, I gently curled my left fingers around the edge of his wing and held Petra’s hand with my right.

  “Now close your eyes,” Effie said. “Breathe.”

  I lowered my eyelids and waited for something to happen.

  Are you snoring? Sedgwick asked.

  Of course not. I’m awake.

  You sound like you’re about to cough up a hairball.

  I think that’s Raoul, I said.

  Figures. The owl looked at me with his yellow eyes. I would never make a noise like that.

  You can relax, Sedgwick. I’m not trading you in for a raccoon model.

  The cave fell silent. I no longer heard the flickering of candlelight or felt the warmth of the bonfire. I realized with a start that I no longer felt anyone touching me either.

  My eyes flew open. My friends were gone and so was the cave. I was alone in a dark wood.

  Sedgwick?

  There was no response from the owl and I groaned. This wasn’t supposed to be for me. This visit was to help Ember.

  The forest was quiet and unfamiliar. I tried to get my bearings, but it was next to impossible in the pitch dark. The moon and stars were obscured by thick clouds and I could scarcely see my hand in front of my face.

  I took a hesitant step forward and spotted a tiny light brighten and darken at eye level. At first glance I thought it was a firefly until it lit up again and I recognized it as a will-o’-the-wisp. I let the ghostly light guide me to a well-trodden path in the forest. Although I still didn’t recognize my surroundings, I continued to follow the will-o’-the-wisp and hoped that it would reunite me with my friends. I was too tired for an adventure of my own.

  A sudden shriek pierced the night air and the blood turned to ice in my veins. What dangers resided in these woods? I straightened my shoulders and carried on. Werewolves I could handle. Elderly witches in woodland cottages I could handle. I reminded myself of all the dangerous situations I’d survived. I was a Teflon sorceress.

  Urgent shouts echoed through the forest. Whatever was happening wasn’t good.

  I picked up the pace, feeling my waistband for my wand, but Tiffany wasn’t there. No matter. I was a sorceress, not a witch. If I was forced to defend myself, I could do so without a wand.

  Screams merged with more screams and sent shivers down my spine. Part of me longed to run in the opposite direction, but my feet refused to allow it. They carried me onward toward the unrest.

  I arrived at the edge of the woods and gazed upon a burning village. Black smoke hid most of the buildings from view but the damage was evident. It seemed odd that the smoke appeared contained. Neither flames nor smoke had spread to the adjacent forest.

  I felt compelled to walk closer to the village where people ran with pails of water. A woman halted in front of me and I noticed her appearance. She wore a white smock over a plain grey dress and a bonnet on her head. Wherever I was, it wasn’t Spellbound. I was fairly certain it wasn’t even present day. What did the Grey sisters do to me? Was I going to accidentally be the one to meet the One True Witch?

  The woman broke eye contact and ran away.

  I cut through the haze without coughing. The heavy smoke didn’t seem to bother me.

  A man hobbled around the corner of a dilapidated wooden structure. His face was streaked with ash and crimson blood gushed from a wound on his leg.

  “What happened here?” I asked.

  The man’s gaze met mine. The fear and anguish in his eyes were almost enough to send me scurrying back into the woods, but my feet remained rooted in place.

  “Calix,” he said—and limped away.

  I stared at the burning village in disbelief. My father had done this. It didn’t matter when or where. Someone capable of this couldn’t change, not enough for me. Maybe he wasn’t the destructive demigod he once was, but there was still a part of him that had done these awful things.

  As I watched the chaos unfold, my thoughts turned to Daniel. He’d been a fallen angel without a halo when I first him, but he had changed. In fact, he’d changed so much that his halo was restored. But Daniel’s bad deeds were never as terrible as this—death and destruction purely for the sake of it. How could someone make such a drastic change in attitude and behavior without some kind of divine intervention? I wasn’t sure it was possible.

  My heart pounded as I stood on the periphery. I knew there was nothing I could do to help. This was an event that happened long ago. These villagers had been dead for centuries and any trace of their homes gone forever.

  My father’s intentions weren’t noble. He wasn’t righting a wrong or overthrowing a dictator. Calix had done this because he felt like it and because he could. The thought was sickening.

  The flames rose higher and higher and the light became so bright that it forced my eyes closed. When I opened them again, I was back in the cave with the bonfire burning in front of me. My legs wobbled and it took all my strength to remain standing.

  “Welcome back,” Ember said from across the circle. “You were like a catatonic zombie over there.”

  My heartbeat slowly returned to its regular rhythm.

  What’s the matter? Sedgwick asked.

  What makes you think anything is wrong?

  Your hand is sweaty. It’s disgusting. He shook his wing and I released my grip on his feathers.

  “Did you get what you needed, Ember?” I asked.

  The witch shook her head. “Sadly no, but it was worth a try. What about you?”

  “I wasn’t seeking any answers,” I said, and yet I seemed to have been presented with one nonetheless.

  “Raoul was swimming in the ocean and encountered an island of trash,” Ember said. “I think he got the better end of the deal.”

  I encountered a field of mice, Sedgwick said, not to be outdone.

  “Thanks for the vision,” Ember said to the Grey sisters. “It’s still nice to experience a pleasant dream every now and again.”

  The cloaked sisters bowed in unison.

  What was your dream? Sedgwick asked, as we left the cave.

  I didn’t have a dream, I said.

  What I’d encountered could only be described as a nightmare.

  Chapter Nine

  I was so exhausted the next morning that I nearly slept through my alarm. I had Magpie to thank for rousing me in time. The cat settled on my chest and glared at me until my eyes opened.

  I didn’t want to be late for my first class with Juniper Brimstone. Even though the witches had said the newcomer was nice, I didn’t want to risk getting off on the wrong foot the way I had with Limpet and Weatherby.

  After showering and dressing in record time, I hurried to the academy and rushed to the classroom, a bit disheveled but on time. I was relieved to see that Begonia had saved a seat on the end for me.

  “She hasn’t started yet,” Begonia whispered.

  I pulled out my notebook and wand and dropped my bag on the floor. I was surprised to see Miss Brimstone seated in a cross-legged position on the desk with her eyes closed.

  “She’s already here,” I said.

  “Yes, but she’s meditating first,” Begonia said.

  Her pale pink contoured leggings and matching tank top suggested we were here for a yoga lesson rather than magic class. The high ponytail didn’t help matters.

  I leaned over to Begonia. “She’s not wearing a cloak.”

  Begonia shook her head. “She said she won’t wear a hat either. She finds them restrictive.”

  “I’d find that ponytail restrictive,” Millie said. “It’s pulled so tight, I think it’s cutting off the circulation to her brain.”

  I had a hard time believing
that the High Priestess signed off on hiring Juniper Brimstone. She seemed the type of witch that would give Limpet a rash.

  Miss Brimstone opened her eyes and smiled. “Welcome. I see some familiar faces this morning, as well as a few I don’t recognize. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you. As I’ve mentioned in my other class, participation is essential in my classroom. If you’re not participating, then you’re not learning at full capacity.”

  “I guess I’ll have to settle for partial capacity,” Sophie said. “Where I’m sitting, I won’t get a word in edgewise.” She squirmed between Laurel and Millie.

  Miss Brimstone slid off the desk to her feet. “I get the sense that Mar—sorry, I mean High Priestess Limpet—takes a more formal approach to education than I do. You’ll find I’m pretty laidback. It’s a California stereotype for a reason.”

  I raised my hand. “Excuse me, Miss Brimstone?”

  “You may call me Juniper. And you are?”

  “Emma Hart.”

  Her whole face brightened. “Come here, you magnificent creature. I’ve been dying to meet you.” She held out her arms and wiggled her fingers.

  I shot a quizzical look at my friends. Did she really want me to stand up for a public hug?

  “Don’t be shy, Emma,” Juniper said. “We’re all friends here. Brothers and sisters of the coven.”

  Hesitantly, I rose to my feet and allowed Juniper to embrace me.

  “Your energy is amazing.” Juniper inhaled deeply before releasing me. “No wonder you were able to break the curse.” Her green eyes met mine. “What a powerful connection you have to this place. I can feel the vibrations rolling off of you.”

  “Um, thanks.” I returned to my seat, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. I disliked attention at the best of times and I particularly disliked being singled out for something unrelated to class. The conveners had to be sick to death of reminders about the town curse.

  “It was wonderful that I arrived in town in time for Flower Power,” Juniper said. “It seemed like the ideal welcome for a witch like me.”

  “Let me guess,” Millie muttered. “She simply adores flowers and her boyfriend buys her fresh bouquets once a week.”