by KT Webb
Sarafina looked back to Deirdre. “I have heard your plea and will grant your petition. You shall have my fire. But, only the pure of heart can retrieve it.” She turned her attention to Grace. “You are the one who must remove my fire, and end my life.”
Grace shook her head violently. “I can’t.”
“You must. Come forward, child of Earth.”
Grace swam forward, dejection clear in her posture. Sutton felt a hand slide into hers, she turned to find Harper clinging to both Lucy and herself. Dee was off to the side, crying silently. When Grace was in front of Sarafina’s face, the dragon leaned forward until their foreheads touched. The others watched as they had some kind of silent conversation. When Grace withdrew, her face was troubled. She placed a hand between the dragon’s sparkling eyes and closed her own. Sarafina closed both eyes and released a low throaty sound that almost broke Sutton’s heart.
“Thank you for your sacrifice, ancient one.” Grace whispered.
Sutton wanted to ask what would happen next, but she didn’t have to. The dragon shifted until a small space appeared that allowed Grace to swim between her and the cavern wall. They waited patiently for her to return. When she did, she was holding a long, leather sheath that contained some sort of sword. The witch looked back to her friends, her face full of regret as though she didn’t want them to witness what was to come.
Grace floated down until she was level with the pulsating sapphire on the dragon’s chest. Unsheathing the sword, Grace furrowed her brow in steely determination. Sutton tried to pull Harper back, her friend was already upset, she didn’t need to see what came next. Harper fought to stay in place, her eyes glued to the dragon.
Grace drew back the sword, her focus solely on the task at hand. In one swift movement, she drove the sword into the scaly flesh that surrounded the sapphire. Sarafina cried out in pain as the sword withdrew and plunged into her chest once more. Sutton watched Grace angle the sword, gritting her teeth as she began prying the pulsing gem from the dragon’s chest.
The sound that escaped the dragon shook Sutton to her core. Still, Grace didn’t stop. It was clear from her expression that Grace was hurting just as deeply as the creature she was killing. The pulsing quickened and the light grew brighter as Grace’s hand sank into the jewel. A sob escaped from her as she removed a baseball-size gem from the water dragon’s chest, a purple cloud drifted from the hole. Her blood was permeating the water in the cave.
The light left Sarafina’s eyes and her head slowly drifted in the water. As Grace backed away with tears in her eyes, the dragon became translucent. Her beautiful scales burst like glittering fireworks, suspended in the air. She was gone. Grace sheathed the sword and swam toward the mouth of the cave without looking at the others.
Their hearts were heavy as they began their ascent through the murky water. The sapphire provided enough light for them to see the creatures that swam in the water around them. It was as though they felt her death; they stopped swimming when the witches approached and didn’t move until they had passed. It felt like a funeral procession; only, those leading the procession were also responsible for the death of the mourned.
Sutton broke through the surface of the loch to discover the sun was setting. She thought of all the tourists who visited Loch Ness with the hope of capturing a coveted picture of the Loch Ness Monster. The legend would continue, but the truth was gone forever. They weren’t far from the shore, so they swam toward the beach nearest Urquhart Castle.
Hours later, they still sat on the edge of the loch. It had taken time to get used to their legs again, so they decided to rest by the water and talk about their next mission. Ooghna had sensed Grace’s heartbreak and came to comfort her. Sutton was growing used to the little nuisance, so she was relieved to find her still hiding in the bush when they returned. Dee let them know she wouldn’t be accompanying them on the next leg of their journey. She had to attend to her people.
“Dee, before you leave, I have to talk to you,” Sutton began. “If we’re going to be friends, you’ve got to start being honest with us. That stunt you pulled with Sarafina was not okay.”
“I understand where you’re coming from, but if we had told you what obtaining the fire would mean, would you have agreed to go?”
“No!” All four girls replied in unison.
“And that is why we didn’t tell you. You have no idea what will happen if Carman is released. It took all the magic of the Druids and the creation of the first coven to subdue her and banish her sons. We need all of you.”
Grace came forward and spoke for the first time since they resurfaced. “She told me to keep this sword.”
The others looked to the silver hilt that hung at her hip. Dee nodded. “Of course. It’s the Sword of Light, one of the four treasures of the Tuatha De Dannan, you should have it. It hasn’t been seen since Danu and her followers retreated to the Otherworld.”
The girls stared at the murder weapon with apprehensive appreciation. Sutton didn’t know what was so special about it, but it must have been important for the dragon to have kept it for so many years.
“Fine, but something else is bothering me. Before we go any further, are we asking the wind god for a simple breath or is he expected to cough up a lung?” Sutton asked.
Dee giggled. “You’ll have to ask the Druids that one.”
Sutton decided she would do just that. If they were going to be expected to fight people they hardly knew, they should be given the courtesy of full disclosure. When they were ready to return to Idir, Sutton created the portal. They bid farewell to Dee with the promise of meeting again soon and turned to approach the sidhe.
Walking through a wall of earth a second time wasn’t as nerve-wracking. She knew what to expect, and they were at least aware of what they would find on the other side. Harper stormed ahead of the others; she hadn’t said a word, but her intent was clear. She had the most to gain from the sacrifice Sarafina had made, and she wasn’t pleased that they’d gone into it blind.
The other girls quickened their pace to keep up with the determined ginger in front of them. She was already in the meeting room by the time the others reached the top of the steps. Sutton could hear her berating their decision to leave the witches uninformed.
“What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea how heartbreaking it was to witness the death of such a beautiful creature? Grace had to kill her!”
“Harper, one thing you must learn is that death is sometimes necessary. Especially in war.” The reply from Brennus was devoid of feeling.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re not at war.”
The druid looked at her with contempt. “You may not see it yet, but we are. The Fomorians are rallying behind Carman and her sons. They plan to release a number of dangerous creatures from the Shade. You have no idea what we’ll be facing if they succeed.”
“See? That right there, no one has actually explained the Shade to us, and what the hell is a Fomorian?” Harper stood with crossed arms.
Sutton grinned at Lucy and Grace. All four of them were getting fed up. Their lives had been uprooted, they were on the run, and they were being chased by jerks with mommy issues. If they were being forced into a war they knew nothing about, they deserved explanations. She gestured for the others to follow her and they came to stand behind Harper.
“You’re right. We forget that while their power flows through you, you aren’t the first coven. Genovefa, can you take them on a little tour?” Brennus inquired with a sly grin.
The Vate nodded and held out her hand. “Come, all of you. It’s time you learned about yourselves.”
Without hesitation, all four girls placed a hand upon Genovefa’s. In an instant, the room warped and whooshed away. They were falling through time, catching glimpses of the world along the way. Sutton had no way of knowing how long they fell, but when they finally stopped they were in the same room, surrounded by the Druids.
Only, there were two Genovef
a’s.
Lucy
Chapter Twenty-Two
The First Coven
“Well, that was pointless.” Harper crossed her arms and sighed loudly.
When only their coven and one Genovefa reacted, Lucy caught on. They were in the same room, but they weren’t in the same time. In this time, they were only observers to the conversation taking place. She decided she’d better tune in if she was expected to learn anything from this little adventure.
“We’ve seen it. This will come to pass,” the other Genovefa insisted.
Brennus shook his head. In all his years, he had never heard of any foe their magic couldn’t fight.
Wait, were they hearing his thoughts? She looked to the other girls for confirmation, and they too were staring open-mouthed at the Druid. Lucy knew it was crazy to be surprised, but she was.
Caderyn was looking to his brother for answers, but Brennus was at a loss. The Vate had come to them with a vision. The future was in great peril, and as she was blessed with the gift of sight, it was her job to warn the Druids.
“Tell me about this sorceress. What does she want?”
Genovefa bowed her head. “She wants the utter destruction of all.”
“Why?” Caderyn demanded.
“A woman scorned will do anything to exact vengeance. This sorceress bore triplet sons for a man who simply does not exist. They are truly the children of Cichol, God of Evil. She has traveled from Greece to take her revenge by destroying the land Cichol calls home.”
“Does she bring an army? How is it that our magic cannot defeat her?” Blodwen asked from her spot at the table.
“She brings darkness, violence and evil. The triplet sons—Dub, Dian, and Duther—worship their mother as though she were the Goddess herself. Individually, they are formidable; together they are impossible for us to overcome,” Genovefa told them.
“So we are to do what exactly?” The Druid, Cerys, was always searching for the bottom line.
“You must use your magic to conjure the force that will destroy them. Gather the ingredients to bring the first being to life. You must do the rituals on days of power and combine the elements into the Holy Well at Tobernalt.”
Brennus looked to his brother and sisters, Caderyn, Blodwen, and Cerys, and they reflected the look in his eyes. They would follow the guidelines given to them by the Vates. They would conjure the magical beings that would defeat the sorceress, Carman, and her trio of murderous sons.
A nudge from Sutton told Lucy it was time to leave. She placed her hand atop the others and they warped away again. Falling through time is a strange feeling. She wasn’t sure which way was up and her mind grew fuzzy as though she couldn’t be sure of anything. When they stopped again, they stood before Tobernalt.
The Druids stood in a circle around the well. Each held something in their hands, prepared to add an ingredient to the well for the ritual.
Cerys held a willow branch high in the air. “For the strength of the goddess.”
Brennus held a fistful of clover aloft. “For the power to wield ancient Gaelic magic.”
Caderyn thrust his arm forward to reveal a shining sapphire, the fire of a water dragon. “For the ability to use your strengths for the survival of others.”
Finally, Blodwen offered a small jar. Inside were wisps of blond hair. “For the passage of time.”
“On this night and in this hour, we call upon our sacred power. Bring to us the child of All Hallow’s Eve.”
At once, they dropped their ingredients into the holy well. With their eyes closed, the Druids began to move their hands in unison. They made two “okay” signs, touching the tips of their thumbs together, then bent their wrists forward. An intricate twist of the arms brought their right forearm in front of the left while they opened all fingers and intertwined their thumbs before holding their hands before them with the left on top of the right. Each Druid turned their hands until they were palm to palm, in a praying position. As they pulled their hands apart, light sprang from them creating an arch that ran from them to the now-glowing holy well.
Lucy watched in awe as the water swirled. She could see each ingredient morphing and growing. The Druids touched their palms to each other, bringing the light to unsurpassed heights. The four ancient siblings were thrust backward as a beam shot straight to the sky from within the well. Slowly, the Druids rose to their feet to find a fully grown blonde woman with piercing green eyes standing in the shallow water of the well.
Samhain now walked the earth.
Genovefa took them away again. They watched the birth of Imbolc and Beltane. The only difference in ingredients was the color of hair they added to the well. Genovefa explained that the clippings from a baby’s first haircut hold great power. A different baby was used for each ritual. When they arrived at the birth of Lughnasadh, it was evident that something was different.
The first three witches stood huddled together near the holy well, eagerly awaiting the completion of their coven. Despite their already advanced age, the Druids looked to have weathered another twenty-years between the celebration of Beltane and the ritual of Lughnasadh. The once vibrant land surrounding the holy well was now dull and dying as though the life was being sucked from it. Lightning struck overhead and the earth shook with a powerful thunderclap.
“Carman had already infiltrated Ireland by the time they were able to create Lughnasadh. She cursed the land so nothing would grow and no new life would form. People were terrified and starving. Her sons were true to their names. Dian was wicked; he tortured, raped, and murdered his way across the land. Even after he left, people would still have violent outbursts resulting in more death and injury. Dother’s evil infected every human and every magical creature. Once, the Fomorians were kept in check by the Tuatha De Dannan, but the arrival of Dother spread like an infection rotting away their willpower and any shred of conscience that may have possessed.” Genovefa watched sadly as the Druids completed the ritual.
Summoning Lughnasadh nearly drained them of their power.
“The worst of the invaders was Dub. His darkness overwhelmed everything. The sky grew dark, warmth was scarce, and storms ravaged our country. The first coven presented the only glimmer of hope we had.”
As Lughnasadh stepped out of the well, her red hair was a stark contrast to the gray sky and lifeless vegetation around them. The poor girl had no time to adjust to her new life before she was dressed and thrust into battle. Carman and her sons were ready for a fight, and they had to be ready too.
The scene before them melted away as they moved sideways instead of falling through an endless tunnel. They arrived at what might have been a magnificent field at one point, but had long-since lost all signs of life. Four fierce witches stood facing three dark figures and a lone woman dressed in white. Carman’s black hair whipped in the wind as her sons surrounded her protectively.
This was it. They exchanged blow after blow until it was clear Carman had the upper hand. She sneered at the witches with utter contempt.
“Where are your precious Druids? They send children to fight in their place. Bring my Cichol and this ends now.”
“Cichol has disavowed you. You and your hideous sons are nothing to him.”
The sorceress yowled in rage. His rejection was what led her to Ireland, his indifference fueled the fire of her hatred. Carman held her arms out wide as the sky opened and rain began to pour; the angry scream died off and she thrust her finger forward to instruct her sons to charge. The witches were ready. They began casting before the sons took a step forward, and they threw their first potion bottle before Carman could follow.
From the outside looking in, it seemed the odds were stacked against the first coven. If Lucy hadn’t known how things would turn out, she’d have bet on the sorceress. It wasn’t clear when exactly things began to turn around, but they did.
Four perfectly timed potions hit the ground in front of the triplets. The first coven chanted a spell as one four times in a row
.
“Away from here, you must be. Away from here, go you three.
We banish you across the sea.”
The darkness that clung to everything seemed to suck back into Dub as the young men flew away at lightning-fast speeds. When they were gone, Carman fell to her knees. It was obvious she was weakened by their sudden banishment. Before the sorceress could regain an ounce of power, the witches surrounded her and threw four more potion vials at her feet.
Lucy watched in horror as her body began to melt away. She couldn’t help but be reminded of the Wicked Witch and her adverse reaction to water. Whatever was in the potion bottles was twisting and changing her into something grotesque.
“We bind you to this sacred place. We bind you so you cannot go. Your soul is exiled to the Shade. Your body the first tree in this glade.”
Again, the witches repeated their chant four times. The sorceress screamed in agony as her limbs twisted and skin bubbled. Her feet took root as her body transformed before their eyes. The first coven watched the transformation with little emotion; they wouldn’t show relief until it was finished. Carman threw her arms up as she begged for it to stop. Her arms remained high above what had once been her head, the onyx hair morphed into leaves, her skin was replaced by bark.
