I glanced around the gray fog and imagined wandering through the nothingness for the rest of time. It felt like such a waste, but at the same time, I'd accomplished a large part of my mission. At least I had that.
Then a sickening feeling grew in my gut. It started out small but spread steadily until it overtook my sense of balance.
It was deep-rooted fear.
My muscles trembled from it, and my mind spun in dizzying panic.
Wandering in overwhelming fear for all of eternity, that was my sentence.
So, the Dark Witch had won.
Her death curse had latched on to me after all.
It was all for nothing, and I had to live with that reality now in every breath. My father wouldn't have wanted this. Shane wouldn't have wanted this. My selfishness came back to haunt me again, and I collapsed in sorrow.
But then I heard it.
A sound echoing from the depths of my mind.
"Is there anyone there?" A voice called through the fog.
My eyes widened as I gasped.
"Hello?" I screamed. "Who's there?"
I darted toward the sound but quickly lost track of it. My sense of direction was gone, with nothing to measure distance or focus.
"Can you hear me?" The voice echoed again through the fog.
I raced ahead as my heart rate accelerated, and my breath shot in and out of me.
"Dom?" I screamed. "Dom, is that you?"
His voice sent my adrenaline to overload as I ran through the mist.
As my eyes darted in every direction, they landed on the sharp outline of a dark structure.
Oh my god.
"Dom!" I screamed again.
The sound of hammering echoed through the clouded space, and I ran directly for it.
As I got closer, my jaw fell open from the familiar sight of the triangular portal. It was rough and unfinished, with missing boards and leaning to one side.
Then, through the haze, I caught sight of Dom's face.
He was focused on what he was doing—hammering boards in place while peering into the structure with searching curiosity.
"Hello?" he called again, placing another board along the outside.
My legs hit overdrive, and I sprinted toward him.
"Dom!" I screeched as tears poured from my eyes.
As my vision blurred from the tears, I squinted to clear my eyes.
Just as I opened them again, my gaze latched onto Dom's.
As if seeing a ghost, he scrambled back, dropping his hammer.
With one final leap, I jumped toward him, ready to grasp him in my arms, and then in a powerful blast of energy, I was ripped away from him.
Light streaked past me as a thunderous roar filled my ears. I pulled myself into a fetal position as I tore through a surge of energy that nearly made me lose my mind.
As I shot through the turbulence, I peered through what looked like a wormhole cutting through the universe. It ripped me through its spinning funnel as thunder boomed through my ears. Feeling like I'd be torn to shreds, I held my breath as I blasted through the torrent.
A moment before losing myself completely to the chaos, I took one last look ahead of me. Gazing into the spiraling chasm, I accepted my fate to becoming lost in the abyss forever.
And then, at the far end of the blasting tempest, my sight focused on a steady whirling circle of dark mist.
As I reached the end of the thunderous wormhole, I blasted through the ring of spinning mist and crashed onto the ground in a rolling heap.
Gasping for lifesaving air, I squeezed my eyes shut against the massive assault on my senses. Every nerve screamed from overstimulation, and I twitched from exhaustion.
Had I made it out?
My last memory was the sight of Dom's face. The shock on it made me grin. It was as if he'd seen a ghost while building his portal.
His portal.
I had been able to use it, even in its infancy stages.
I squeezed my fingers as a test to see if I was still alive.
The sensation of my small movement sent energy up my arms and into the rest of my body.
"Brynn."
My name resonated in the back of my skull, awakening every nerve.
"Brynn, can you hear me?" Shane's voice lulled me.
The sound filled me with a level of joy I'd never known possible.
My salvation.
I nodded my head slightly, unsure if I was ready to open my eyes.
It was too good to be true, and I wanted to savor the moment for as long as possible.
"She's okay," he gasped.
His arms wrapped around me, and in that moment, I knew I was safe.
I'd returned back to the center of the labyrinth. Back to my coven.
I blinked my eyes open and looked up into their searching eyes. I scanned the group, studying each of their angst-ridden faces.
But one was missing.
"Where's Tommy?" I asked through my scratchy throat.
Ms. Kelly knelt next to me and took my hand.
"You released him," she said. "He is now where he is meant to be. His balance is returned."
My air huffed out of me.
He was safe. My father had found his home.
Astonishment washed over me, and I closed my eyes in disbelief.
So, it was true.
All of it.
My father was freed. The Dark Witch was destroyed.
"How did you do it?" Shane whispered. "How'd you escape? We thought we'd lost you forever."
A gentle smile crossed my lips as I thought of Dom building the portal.
"It was Dom," I whispered.
Ms. Kelly sat tall as her eyebrows pulled together tight.
"Dom?" she repeated. "We thought we heard his voice echoing in there."
"Yes. It was him." I grinned. "He's building the portal, and somehow, I was able to use it."
Shane dragged his hands through his hair and looked up to the sky.
Ms. Kelly smiled.
"Well," she said. "I can only imagine Ms. Harrison may have had something to do with that. Likely gave him the idea, I'd say."
Ms. Reed nodded in agreement. "That's our girl."
I pushed myself up to sitting and looked at Shane.
With Tommy gone now, I wasn't sure what we would do next.
Tommy had been our magic bullet. He was the ageless time-traveler with gifts larger than any of ours. But he had completed his journey now, leaving the rest of us to figure things out on our own.
The somber look in Shane's eyes proved he realized his chances were all but gone now. Without Tommy, he seemed to think there was no hope.
But we had to believe in the loop.
We had to have faith that it was all connected, and I believed the connection could be strengthened. The same horrific events of the past didn't have to keep repeating. As the portal moved time through its dimensions, events could be altered and shifted.
It was all a part of our gifts.
We had the ability to understand the past and to fix it. We'd done it before, and we could do it again.
My seizures had allowed me to see things from long ago, to help me piece it all together. I didn't want any more of those episodes, but if that was what it took to see more clearly, I'd have to accept it.
Seeing more clearly?
The idea settled into me like a familiar friend.
I reached for my pocket and pressed my fingers against the purple pouch.
The talisman.
Ms. Kelly said it was the key to communicating with our friends.
And I believed her.
I pulled the pouch out of my pocket.
"Shane," I whispered. "I have the answer."
Chapter 14
Moving through the twisting path of the labyrinth, we walked in contemplative silence as the dust settled around us. Each UMA moved along the winding trail as if it were the most direct route to our destination.
And it was.
&n
bsp; Our destination was secured within our collective consciousness. It didn't matter which direction we walked in, we were all moving toward the same thing.
We each took the time within the labyrinth to calm our nerves and reset our intentions. We'd agreed to meet up again in the open field in front of the manor. Shane had warned everyone with excessive emphasis to avoid the spotted mushroom patch.
As I snaked through the stone pathway, I allowed myself to lose all sense of time and place, and focused on what I saw in my mind.
My father's face. The look of pride that glowed from his eyes.
I'd never forget it.
Releasing him from his eternal prison meant the world to me, but I missed him. I couldn't help it.
Then I thought of Dom.
Without Dom, none of it would have been possible.
His portal created the opportunity for the movement that we'd all achieved. But then I thought about the labyrinth and its ability to open access to movement as well. And Ms. Reed. She had the power to open her own portals.
There were so many ways for us to connect with each other. I didn't have to fear being completely cut off any longer.
And the talisman.
I believed it had its own form of power as well. Being able to see the past through its crystal was one thing, but I had a feeling it was capable of much more.
Ms. Kelly had warned of how disastrous it would be if the talisman fell into the wrong hands. She had heard of a similar amulet, lost long ago, and was almost certain it was the same one. Ms. Reed said the pure quartz center could enhance and strengthen one's sight. It could tune into the holder's higher self and show what they seek.
I pondered their descriptions of the talisman as I rolled it in my hand.
My father had hidden it at his grave, knowing I would one day find it.
But what did he want me to use it for?
He knew I would need it. He knew enough that it was worth risking everything for it.
Lifting my gaze from the talisman, I watched as the other UMAs sat in a circle in the grass. We'd made it through the maze, steady and strong, and now everyone settled in to discuss our new direction.
Shane came up from behind me and glanced at the talisman in my hand.
"Something tells me we'll be discussing that," he smirked.
I bounced its weight in my palm. "I think you're right."
"There seems to be a lot riding on such a small trinket." His lips pressed together in a tight line.
I nodded.
Of course Shane would be feeling nervous about our final steps. So many things had been resolved, yet he was still in the same predicament he'd been in all along.
"Don't give up hope," I said. "My father knew we would need this. He called you a fine chap. I think he knew exactly what he was doing."
"He called me that?" Shane grinned.
I huffed. "Yup. I think this is his final step at trying to help us."
He lowered his eyes, attempting to hide his smile.
Even just the subtle glimpse of his smile lit me up inside. There was so much joy for me in knowing that my father approved of Shane. I had to wonder if he'd planted the talisman, knowing it held the power to keep us together. I hoped with every fiber of my being that it could be true.
"Come on over," Ms. Kelly called to us. "Take a seat."
We wandered over and sat in the circle with everyone. A natural spot was left open right where Tommy would have sat by Ms. Kelly.
She'd been his protector for so long, it seemed only natural for him to still be by her side.
Ms. Kelly's lower lip quivered as she tried to speak, and I knew she felt his absence too.
"Much has changed within our coven," she started. "Many of our members have found their true places in the great expanse. It is only natural for us to feel loss and even grief over their departures."
My eyes moved around the circle, and for the first time, I felt the impact of our reduced numbers. We'd gone from ten members strong, down to six. And there was no knowing if we were all here to stay, or if more of us might be moving on.
My fist lifted to my mouth as the thought crossed my mind.
And it was in that moment that I realized I wanted to stay here, with Shane in this time. But maybe he wanted different. Perhaps he would want to go back to his earlier time.
"But I sense there has been balance restored to our coven," Ms. Kelly continued. "Our friends have found the lives they were meant to live. The corruption and chaos of the Dark Witch have been averted."
"How do we know for sure?" Blake asked. "Will we ever truly know for sure?" He glanced around the circle with a skeptical eye.
I thought about the cemetery by the Dawson farmland. The gravestones were the one true proof of what happened in the past. The dates carved into the stones would be proof of...
My train of thought stopped short.
Maybe there could be better proof.
I stood and moved to the center of our circle. Everyone fidgeted and sat taller, watching my every move.
"I think it's time we used the spyglass to view the past," I said.
And as everyone's eyes narrowed in confusion, I held out the talisman for all to see.
Ms. Kelly's eyes darted to Ms. Reed as I held the talisman out in full view.
"It's power is too great," Ms. Reed murmured, shaking her head.
Fear washed over her face as she glanced back at Ms. Kelly.
With a nod, Ms. Kelly acknowledged her concern, but then she moved her attention back to me.
"Ms. Reed is correct," she started. "The amulet is more powerful than we know. But I also have faith in our abilities to control it and to channel its force in a manner of a protective nature."
I glanced at Shane with lifted eyebrows.
Ms. Kelly was agreeing to use the talisman.
"Elizabeth knows of its strength," Ms. Reed said. "It has already awakened her awareness within the space between. I've felt her."
"As have I," Ms. Kelly agreed. She scanned across the rest of us. "Ms. Reed and I have sensed Ms. Harrison and believe she is trying to contact us. We could test the amulet in an attempt to reach her."
I bit my bottom lip in anticipation.
It sounded like a good idea to me. We'd practice using the talisman to communicate with Ms. Harrison. And if it worked, we would know it could be used for even bigger things.
"Brynn, how would you like to proceed with the amulet?" Ms. Kelly asked. "You are its sole keeper and the one to choose."
I nodded in acceptance of the plan.
"Yes, reaching out to Ms. Harrison is a good first step," I said.
And if we were able to make contact, I would then be able to check on my father, and Dom and Courtney. I'd want to see how they were doing and if we truly accomplished all of our goals.
And, if we had been successful in our efforts, I'd use the talisman to heal Shane. Somehow.
I swallowed hard, still uncertain of my ability to help Shane. All I could do was keep moving forward, to continue learning how to hone my skills. And the talisman was my next move.
Sitting back in my place within the circle, I held the talisman up in my hand, allowing light to move through its crystal center.
Ms. Reed began to hum in a low, vibrating tone.
"Brynn, when you feel ready, look through the crystal and tell us what you see," Ms. Kelly whispered.
I hesitated at first, worried about what might appear in the crystal lens. Looking back at Shane, I watched him nudge his chin at me to give it a try.
I took a deep breath and lifted the talisman to my eye.
At first, everything appeared normal, minus the blurred lines within the crystal. But then, in a blink, the view through the lens lost all color. The images appeared black and white.
I gasped and pulled away.
"What is it?" Shane spat.
"Everything looks... different," I murmured, turning my attention back to the glass.
As I focu
sed my sight through the crystal again, I stared as the sky began to swirl within the talisman’s center. I moved it around to check out all parts of the sky and then returned to the original spot. As I gazed through the crystal at that one point in the clouds, I was knocked back as an image flew toward me.
Dropping the talisman away from my face, I looked up at the same part of the sky, and a scream shot out of me.
Directly above us, the air churned in a smoky haze of ash and soot. As swirls of smog reached out from the center, sounds of tortured cries shot out at us. And then, as the wave of gray expanded, gruesome skulls and rotting corpses sailed over us, surrounding our group with their wrath.
"The death curse!" Shane shouted. "Run!"
His words sent terror through us all as we stood frozen, unable to move.
Streaks of death and torture whooshed around us as if hunting for a prize. As the stench circled around me, I tightened my grip on the talisman and sliced at the haunting figures. With each strike, they streamed away from my reach, recoiling, and then searching for another.
In a torrent of smog and burnt flesh, the seething curse funneled toward Shane with focused intent.
"Shane!" I blasted. "Look out!"
He ducked as the ghostly beings whirled around him, concentrating their toxic entrails above him. Without hesitation, I jumped to him, slashing the talisman into the stream of demon-like creatures.
The tortured souls screeched in pain as I slashed again and again. They spiraled above, avoiding my attack, and instead went for Shane's mind.
Circling over him, they generated images within his head—a replaying of the day he found his parents hanging by their necks. Every detail of the misery came crashing back, tormenting him, causing Shane to drop to his knees.
"Don't let it into your head!" I screamed. "Block it out!" I turned back to the others, still frozen in their spots. "Help us!"
I prayed they could access our collective consciousness from their blocked states, and help Shane stop the death curse from infiltrating him from within.
As anguish surged through him, my knees nearly buckled beneath me from the pain hew as experiencing.
The vision of his parents hanging lifeless sent terror through him as a young child. He was so innocent and unsuspecting at the time, the event was enough to crush him. I gasped for air as the horror shot through my veins.
Urban Mystic Academy: Graduation (A Supernatural Academy Series Book 6) Page 11
