by Tish Thawer
“Fine. Then that leaves Jason and me to search for Mama and Ann.” Trin looked to Jason and received his agreeing nod. “Everyone must be careful. The worst thing we can do is come into contact with our past selves. Since this didn’t happen back in our original time, we have no idea if they’re, or we’re, out there searching for Mama, too.”
“True, but Trin, we talked about this … there’s still the possibility that this could be happening exactly as it did before, and we just don’t know it yet,” Jason amended.
“Yes. Okay, you’re right. But that’s one more reason for us to be on guard. Until we figure out what’s truly going on, we can’t assume or risk anything.” Trin tossed a dish towel onto the worn counter and untied her borrowed apron¸ returning it to its hook. Without another word, she made a bee-line for the bedroom.
Jason shrugged to the girls—an apologetic gesture for upsetting their sister yet again.
Kennedy carried her plate to the sink, then slapped Jason on the shoulder. “We’re going to go get changed and head out to find Lionel. You …” She nodded toward the closed door Trin had disappeared behind. “Good luck with all that.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “We’ll be fine. You two be careful, okay?”
“You know we will.” Caris gave a clipped nod, then followed Kennedy back into their shared room to get ready.
Jason finished up clearing and washing the dishes—giving Trin a few minutes to calm down—then gently pushed open the closed door to his parents’ room.
“I’m sorry I upset you,” he said to Trin’s back as she stood silently at the window.
“It’s okay. I’m not upset at you. It’s the fact you could be right that sends my mind reeling.” She turned to face him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I keep thinking back to the first time Mama came busting through the door, sick and obviously cursed. Originally, that happened a year from now, in 1686.” Trin lowered her head, unable to hold back her emotions as she sank into the memory again …
IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS
1686 (Original lifetime)
“Karina, keep close watch on your sisters while I’m gone. I should be back before day’s end.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Girls, if you’re good for Karina I may have a surprise for you when I return.”
Kara and Kenna squealed with excitement and started running around the kitchen, sweeping and cleaning to prove their worth. They obviously wanted their surprise.
With the house tidy and the wash hung on the line, Karina settled the girls at the table and dug out their spellbooks. Since they’d all been blessed as witches, their mother encouraged them each to create their own book of shadows, as it was meant to be.
“Let’s work on a spell that gets rid of all the dust in the house,” little Kenna suggested.
“No, Kenna. You cannot use magic to take away your chores. Sweeping and dusting are tasks that ground you to this world. Be grateful you have a home to clean.”
Kenna smiled and nodded at her big sister’s wise words.
“We could work on controlling water, since we’ve already mastered fire,” Kara offered.
“Yes, that is an important skill. Why don’t you two gather the scrying bowl and start with that?” Karina instructed.
“What are you going to do?” Kara asked.
“I feel the need to hone my healing skills today.”
Karina moved to their work area in the back room next to the kitchen and began to pull herbs from the cabinet. Arrowroot for cleansing, healing, and purification, birch shavings to remove negative energy and hexes, and evening primrose for healing and protection. Using the pestle and mortar, she ground the herbs, setting them to steep over the fire, then passed a beeswax candle through the vapor being produced. Setting her ingredients aside, she put ink to her book and penned the spell that was flowing into her mind.
Illness from an unnatural place, be gone from this person, leave in grace. Cleansed and healed you are anew, blessed by the Goddess, through and through.
As Karina returned the ink and quill back to the work cabinet, Kara and Kenna gasped.
“What is it?” Karina asked.
“Mama. There’s something wrong with Mama,” Kara exclaimed as Kenna started to cry.
Just then the door flew open and their mother struggled to cross the threshold, collapsing as she did.
“Mama!” Karina exclaimed.
Karina and Kara helped their mother into the parlor, while Kenna gathered the spilled items from her basket.
“What’s wrong with her?” Kara begged.
“I’m not sure yet. Give me room.” Karina took a deep breath, then placed her hands on her mother’s head and heart. Drawing on her magic, Karina focused within her mother and felt a deep-seeded wrongness. Whatever was causing their mother to be in this state, was not natural.
“Kara, quick, gather a cup of the herbs I have on the fire. Kenna, bring me my book of shadows.”
The girls moved at lightning speed, returning the requested objects in seconds.
Karina lifted their mother’s head and slowly poured drops of the herbal concoction past her lips. Handing the cup back to Kara, she then quickly grabbed her book from Kenna’s shaking hands.
“Illness from an unnatural place, be gone from this person, leave in grace. Cleansed and healed you are anew, blessed by the Goddess, through and through,” Karina repeated the spell she’d written only minutes ago.
A deep, careening sigh escaped their mother as if she herself were a tea kettle set to steep. The girls could do nothing but stand back and wait.
Karina rushed back to her mother’s side when her eyes fluttered open.
“You’ve done well, my child. You’re a strong healer, Karina. And girls,” she reached for Kara and Kenna, “your powers of foresight have proven keen as well. I’m so proud of you all.”
IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS
1685 (Current lifetime)
Trin blinked away tears as she recalled the onset of Mama’s mysterious illness. “What if what happened that day was a result from whatever they did, or are doing to her now, in 1685? If that’s the case, it means I spent an entire year not realizing anything was wrong.”
Jason gathered Trin into his arms, easing them down onto the handstitched quilt covering his parents’ bed. “Trin, you can’t keep going over the what ifs, it’ll drive you mad. We’re here now, and this is our chance to learn about whatever happened, and stop it. We must keep moving forward and trust in the Goddess’s plan.”
Leaning farther into the warmth of his embrace, Trin welcomed his comforting words, letting them ease her frayed nerves as they always did. “Thank you, you’re right. We just need to follow the path the Goddess has laid out for us … wherever that may lead.”
Chapter Fourteen
Trin stared down at the dull-blue gown, and the white bodice and skirt she’d laid out on the bed. The faded cornflower blue matched her drab mood as she dressed for their mission. Completing the ensemble, she affixed a black, leather belt around her waist and pulled on a pair of worn, leather boots. Jason donned a similar-colored vest over his loose shirt, taking the time to properly gather the sleeves at the cuffs. As ready as they’d ever be, they joined Caris and Kennedy in the kitchen as they all prepared to head out the door. Trin carried her typical basket for gathering berries, while Caris filled hers with flowers and herbs. They would act as the reason she was making the trip to town—for all she needed now was to buy some more twine from the general store, which was typically where she’d run into Lionel. With each of their plans in place, Kennedy stepped in front of the exit, gathering them for the glamour she’d need to cast before they left.
“Change in me, reflected be, as the Goddess’s love washes over thee. Under the glow of this time and place, we welcome the return of our one true face.”
A bright light shimmered, filling the room and removing the appearance of their current lives. Facing each other, they now stood as they on
ce were: Karina, Jeremiah, Kara, and Kenna—their true faces visible again.
“Wow, this feels so weird.” Caris touched her cheek.
Kennedy met her sister’s gaze. “It shouldn’t feel any different.”
“Maybe not physically, but knowing everyone will see our original faces, I suddenly feel very … vulnerable.” Caris shrugged.
“Well, after Jason’s run-in with Danforth yesterday, and your plans to track down Lionel, I think it’s safer if we all look like we originally did, since the idea of four new ‘strangers’ showing up in town will definitely raise suspicion,” Kennedy explained.
“Agreed,” Caris replied, “but you do realize you look eight years old to anyone from this time now, right?” she needled Kennedy, the youngest of them all.
Trin, Jason, and Caris laughed as Kennedy stood dumfounded. She hadn’t thought about that. Her sisters were both close to their teenage years in 1685–hard-working and almost ready for marriage according to the customs back then. But she was still a little girl, and boy-oh-boy, was that going to be hard to remember as she navigated this f-ed up situation. “Well, as long as I control my cussing, I should be seen as a little girl and that’ll help us get the info we’re looking for. People don’t usually filter what they say in front of children.”
“That’s true,” Trin agreed. “Well, good luck and make sure you report anything you find, or give a shout out if you run into trouble.” She tapped a finger to her temple, then hugged both her sisters goodbye.
Trin suppressed a shudder as they walked out the door, unable to hide her concern.
“They’ll be okay.” Jason ran his hand down the length of her arm.
“I hope so. But now, with our faces truly visible, I’m not only worried about us running into ourselves, but also about others seeing us and questioning what we’re up to. It creates one more hurdle to deal with.”
“We all knew this wouldn’t be easy,” Jason wrapped his arms around her shoulders, “but I don’t think any of us realized it would be this hard.”
Cocooned in his embrace, Trin relaxed against his broad chest and took a deep breath, giving herself a minute to breathe and to prepare for what was coming next.
Easing out of his arms, she shifted her basket back into place. “Guess we better get going, too.”
“Do you remember where the Putnams live?” Jason asked, pulling the door closed behind them as they stepped outside.
“I never visited their home, but have a rough idea based on what Mrs. Bishop told me back in the day. From what I remember, it’s located in the forest outside of town, off Oakcrest Road.”
Jason offered Trin his arm, and they meandered down the dirt path in silence, heading back toward town and effectively into the lion’s den.
***
Twenty minutes later, they crept down the dirt road that led them to the Putnams’ farm, Trin chanting protection spells with every step they took.
“Hold on. Let’s stop here.” Jason pulled her to a halt, crouching down behind a thick hedge encircling the property ahead. “With Mr. Putnam holding a hostage, and ten daughters roaming about, it should be easy to spot any movement from back here. I don’t want you getting too close.”
Squeezing in to kneel down beside him, Trin’s toe caught on something in the grass as she neared the edge of the hedge. Pointing to the ground, she gasped. “Oh no. Jason, look.”
Glancing down, Jason made out two stone markers lying in the dirt. Gravestones.
Trin scrambled back, moving farther down the hedge as she sent up a silent plea to the Goddess, praying her mama was still alive. “I’m going to reach out for Mama’s energy to see if she’s in there.”
Jason simply nodded, picking up where she left off with the protection chant.
Trin clenched her mother’s pendant tightly, welcoming the energy pulsing beneath her hand. Closing her eyes, she focused a whisper of her magic into the stone and listened for her mama’s responding call.
Unfortunately, none came.
Trin released the pendant and shook her head. “She’s not in there.”
“I haven’t noticed any movement outside either,” Jason responded, “but where else could they be?”
Tears welled in Trin’s eyes. “I have no idea.” She glanced back at the gravestones, hoping one didn’t mark Mama’s end.
Chapter Fifteen
“Do you think they could be hiding out at Heinrich’s place instead?” Jason asked as they made their way back toward the main road.
“I don’t think so. He was so visible during this time, using his fake persona. I don’t think he’d agree to have a bunch of people hiding out at his house. He wouldn’t jeopardize being exposed like that.” Trin paused, thinking for a moment. “But maybe if we find him and Ann from this time, they could help lead us to Mama … if they’re in on this, that is.” She shuddered, dreading the thought, and still hoping they weren’t too late.
“That’s a pretty big ‘if’. But whether they are or not, I don’t like the idea of sneaking up to the demon’s house. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
“Well, I’m not giving up, so what else do you propose?” she snapped.
Jason took a deep breath and held out his hand to help Trin over a puddle. He understood the urgency to find her mother, and knew her frustration wasn’t with him. “Let’s meet up with Caris and Kennedy and see if they’ve located Lionel yet. If not, we can grab a few more supplies, and then all head back to the house to plan out our next move,” he suggested.
With a squeeze to his hand, Trin apologized, “I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s not like I expected this to be solved in a day. Wishful thinking, I guess.”
Jason smiled and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. They walked in silence as he guided her down the path and onto the main street at the edge of town. With the general store again in view, they made their way through the small crowd, nodding politely at the passersby—exactly as they’d been taught to do in their youth.
“It’s so strange to see familiar faces again.” Trin nodded over her shoulder at the woman they’d just passed. “That was Dianna Lovegood. She and her daughter used to buy candles and healing cream from Mama. And there,” she lifted a chin to a man crossing the street, “that’s Mr. Donahue. He raves about the tea he buys from Mama for his indigestion. And there …” Trin sucked in a sharp breath. “My goddess, that’s Bridget Bishop. She’s going to become the first witch to hang in a few years … 1692 to be exact. That’s only one year before my spell could have saved her from that fate.”
Emotions swelled, and tears formed in Trin’s eyes again as she fought the urge to run across the street and warn the fellow witch about the impending doom she’d face in the near future. Instead, she forced herself to follow Jason into the general store with a heavy heart.
Meandering down humble aisles of folded fabric, seeds and grains, beeswax candles, and the sparse extravagance of a few china sets laid about, a darkness began to take root in Trin’s soul. The oppression of this time in history was one among many. As she continued to take in the faces of the shoppers, she couldn’t help but think of all the good her Mama had done for this town—although unbeknownst to most. Sadly, Trin realized, despite all her efforts … it was never enough. Hate and prejudice had ruled. And even back in their present day, there was still so much work to be done. The good of the few would never matter if change wasn’t openly accepted and welcomed by the many.
An idea formed in her mind as Caris and Kennedy came into view at the far end of the aisle. Walking up to her sisters, Trin boldly announced, “I think it’s time to embrace our magic and show everyone what a true witch can do.”
***
Hushed and immediately ushered from the store, Trin continued to explain to her very stunned family. “Look, I know I said changing history had to be avoided, but think about all the good we could do if we openly showed everyone how much our magic could help the world. Maybe if they saw it firsthand, the bur
ning times would never even come to pass.”
“Honey, hold on. Let’s get back home and talk this through.” Jason looked over his shoulder, making sure Trin’s statement and their conversation hadn’t been overheard.
“I agree, let’s head back. We didn’t find Lionel today, so we need to regroup anyway.” Caris lifted her basket toward the path that would lead them out of town.
Trin gave in, hesitantly following her family back through the woods. They’d all remained silent until they returned to Jason’s childhood home. “Look …” she dropped her basket onto the table and took a seat as soon as they were all inside, “I truly think if the world was able to see how much good our magic can do, most people would support us, and so much of what happened here could be avoided.”
Jason and her sisters slowly filtered into the kitchen, each claiming a chair at the table with matching expressions of concern marring their faces.
“Honey, I understand why you may think that now, after everything we’ve experienced. We’ve lived through so much and seen the world evolve and change, thanks to our soul journeys. But here, now,” he shook his head, “I don’t think it’s the right time to expose ourselves as witches. In fact, I think it would only fuel their fear and put true witches in danger even more.” He reached across the table for her hand. “You’ve stated it so many times … we can’t risk doing something that would change things, and this case, make them even worse. And besides, you said using any big magic would cause a spike in energy here. Isn’t that something we still need to avoid?”
Sighing, Trin pulled her hand out of Jason’s grasp. “That’s just it. I’m not sure anymore. How do we know by doing this, using our true magic, it wouldn’t make things better?”
