The Circle of Owls (The Grimalkin Book 3)

by Dani Swanson

  The room fell quiet as the last few people and creatures came into the room. They all pulled out their bird masks and placed them over their faces. Agatha had acquired a new mask of a cardinal that blended in with her red hair- she gently tied it behind her head with a satin ribbon that was attached to the sides.

  Cricket entered with grace that was unmatched by anyone Agatha had ever seen. She had to agree with Sorgin – Cricket really did have something about her that made it easy for someone to want to be part of anything that she was doing. She was just naturally charismatic; Agatha wasn’t sure if she enhanced her abilities with a charm, but Cricket was what Agatha needed all those years ago.

  Cricket was able to make her feel like she finally had a place where she would belong. She always had a sense of awe whenever she saw Cricket walk into the Circle. Her make-up was always perfect, right down to her crimson lips, and her hair was never out of place as it gently flowed down the back of her bright blue dress. Her peacock mask made her green eyes shine even in the darkest room, and she bleeds confidence whenever she addresses the crowd. That’s must be how she controls the Circle of Owls, Agatha thought to herself.

  “Good afternoon, Owls!” Her voice echoed through the room as there was a murmur of voices responding back to her greeting. “Our numbers are growing, and soon we will be stronger than ever.” She paused for a moment while her followers cheered for her. She allowed a slight smile to show her teeth before she took a deep breath and continued. “We will all need more power, more funds, and more resources to meet our goals. Those of you who have access to the ancient texts in dark magic, I will require you to return with more books to be reviewed. For those of you who remember those days, please share your stories to be transcribed into books. The more information we have, the stronger we will become.”

  A couple of brownie men went around and started to collect books from the witches and a few goblins that held them up in the air. Though most of her face was covered by the feathers of her mask, Agatha could tell that Cricket was pleased that they had already given such an energy to their movement.

  “We will also be taking our kingdom back! Once we have collected enough soldiers, creatures, and magic, we will be taking back the Kingdom of Owls as our own!” The cheers continued even when she started to speak again. I will now hear from you individually to see what you are bringing to our mission. You are welcome to stay here as long as you would like.”

  The group clapped as Cricket finished speaking. She walked over to sit in her makeshift throne on the far end of the room. One by one they left their seats and went to privately speak with her. Agatha watched each one of their faces light up as they spoke with Cricket, as if they were at confession and being relieved of their sins. Agatha did notice someone who did not seem excited to wait for their chance to be part of Cricket’s plan. A tall elf quietly slid through the crowd, and out of the door without hesitation. Agatha furrowed her brow and removed her mask, so her vision wouldn’t be obstructed. She started to follow the man through the door but was abruptly stopped by Cricket herself. “Agatha, please don’t leave yet. I’ll need to have a word with you.” Agatha looked back, and the silver-haired elf was nowhere to be seen. Agatha forced a smile on her face and went over to Cricket. “You’ve returned to us.” Agatha could see the coldness of Cricket’s eyes through the slits of her mask.

  “I never truly left, Cricket. I was trying to get you information and to bring Thea to you.” Agatha was quick with her response as she had been running it through her head all day. “I’m afraid that I have failed you though, I’m not sure where Thea is anymore….and I didn’t find you any ancient texts either.” Agatha had lowered her eyes to the floor as she spoke to the leader.

  “Yes you have failed me.” Cricket said coldly, though she was forcing a smile for those who could see them talking. “I’m not sure we can trust you within the Circle. You pledge that you are here to help us grow and that you have access to your sister’s knowledge and the powers of Thea – then once I help you with your powers, you disappear to go run around the countryside with your sister and help them ruin our progress as much as possible.”

  “That’s not what happened, Cricket! My sister is dead, and I have lost Thea. I swear I was trying to get her knowledge for you!” She forced herself to start crying to avoid being held in a cell again. “My pledge is to you, Cricket!” Agatha dropped down to her knees as she was speaking to ask forgiveness of Cricket.

  Her actions must have won Cricket over because she didn’t get a collar thrown around her neck. “Lucky for you, Agatha, I have already caught Thea on my own. She is down in a room with her little friends as we speak.” Agatha did her best to control her facial expression and act surprised by the information, though she knew that Jaeger brought her to this little house for a reason. “What happened to your sister?”

  Agatha started to cry again. “It was months ago that she fell at the hands of the Crow Witch. Robin died that day.” Her bottom lip quivered as she was sure to look directly into Cricket’s eyes. “My sister will no longer be between myself and the Circle.”

  “You remember when you came to me, all those years ago? You couldn’t even cast a mud troll and you could barely create a potion that worked correctly. I did all of this for you when your sister and your mother wouldn’t teach you how to be a proper witch. I’ll remind you that I did all of that with the understanding that you would be helping me achieve my goals for OUR Circle.” Cricket’s eyes were full of anger as she continued to scold Agatha for her actions over the past couple of years. “I’m not going to punish you, as your sister is no longer going to be part of the problem. I will need you to go and retrieve my sister from the egg farm. We need to create more of your blue-scaled stupefaction potion before we are able to take our kingdom back.”

  “I will do that right now, Cricket.” Agatha said with a smile. “Just let me collect my cat, and I will be on my way.” Agatha stood up and was ready to get away from the situation.

  “Oh, and Agatha……this is your last chance with me. Make sure that you are acting in the best interest of the Circle.” Agatha smiled and nodded at Cricket before being forced into an awkward hug with her.

  “Thank you, Cricket.” She softly said as she pulled back from their embrace. Agatha turned, gave a soft wave to Sorgin, and then walked out of the door with Tinker at her heels.

  She carefully walked through the house, always looking over her shoulder to make sure that she wasn’t being followed, before making her way to the back of the house where the rooms without windows were holding the new collection of creatures.

  “Thea?! Thea?” She hissed through each of the doors until she heard her through the door.

  “Robin? Is that you? How did you get in here?!” Thea was leaning against the door trying to see her friend through the keyhole.

  “Agatha. It’s Agatha now. I don’t know how, but I’m going to get you out of here. Cricket is going to kill you once she figures out how to take your powers. Do what she says and help her do research. Make sure that she doesn’t find the information that they are looking for! I have to go!”

  “Wait! Agatha NOW?!” Thea hissed through the lock, but it was too late – Agatha was already gone down the hall.

  Agatha’s head was pounding as she made her way to the front door. “You can shut up in there, I can hear you – I did what you wanted, we will get them out.”

  Agatha made her way out the front door of the little building as she headed to the Izotza mountains to where the Circle of Owls’ egg farm was located – all the while she did her best to ignore the screams of Robin that were ringing through her head.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Lilly’s attempts to dig the dragons out of the pit had come up without any conclusion that would allow them to escape. She had been bringing livestock down into the cave to keep them fed as the pit was now filled with new eggs, and those that had been kept in the cave were hatched. The little dragons were able to come a
nd go with Lilly as she brought their parents food and enjoyed flying through the trees.

  She had gone around every angle of the mountain and wasn’t able to find anything that would help the dragons get out of their hole. She hadn’t been gone long but could smell that something different was in the cave below. She cautiously crept down the path through the knot of the tree, into the opening where the large cauldron was still boiling to keep the cave heated. There in plain sight was the back of the redheaded woman.

  “What are you doing here, Robin?” Lilly had let her guard down knowing that this was the weakest of all the group she met before. “You shouldn’t be down here.”

  Agatha was quick to correct Lilly on who she thought she was. “I’m actually Robin’s sister, Agatha. I was sent here to bring Celeste back….and the eggs….but I see those have hatched.”

  Lilly’s eyes started to turn black as she spoke. “You’re part of the Circle, aren’t you?” She started to bend down as if she was going to change into the Grimalkin.

  “Easy, Lilly, there is no need for all of that. We are on the same side. I have been saving the dragons from the circle for years! I’m only doing this because my sister asked me to, and they have Thea, Dean, Charles, and even Fig locked up at their headquarters. I just haven’t figured out how to get them out of there yet.”

  Lilly started to get the violet color back to her eyes as she started to calm down. “You’re not part of the Circle? Don’t lie to me or I will eat your soul and make it my own.” Her voice was calm as she stared Agatha in the eyes. She hoped that Agatha was as weak as her sister and wouldn’t be able to avoid her powers from her stare.

  “I used to be part of the Circle. I left when I realized that my sister was more important than anything that Cricket was offering to me. Honest. I only went back because Thea’s raven led me there. Will you help me?” Agatha was speaking from her heart and didn’t feel anything when Lilly was staring at her.

  “Why would I help Thea escape? She’s the reason my mother died! They can keep her!” Lilly’s voice echoed through the cave and frightened the baby dragons, who had flown down to their parents in the cave below. “Your group of friends can just keep all of them.” Lilly’s face was twisted into a sinister smile that even made Agatha’s hardened soul feel uncomfortable.

  “I don’t think you understand why that is such a bad idea, for everyone. Cricket is trying to find a way to take Thea’s powers, and yours, once she figures out a way to trap you. She’s got all of them in there researching how to take the powers from other witches so she can be the most powerful being and control the universe as we know it…she’ll end up killing all of the dragons to make her powers happen...but if you think that’s just fine, you can go back to tending to the dragons, BUT and I do mean BUT, if Celeste or myself don’t return with some dragon eggs, you’re going to have more than just me down here.” Agatha placed her back against the wall of the cave and crossed her arms in front of her. She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows as she watched Lilly process what she had just told her. It was obvious to Agatha that Lilly hadn’t thought through what she had done by taking over the dragons. “So, before we continue with whatever it is you want to do….where’s Celeste?”

  Without hesitation, Lilly responded: “In the stomach of a dragon.”

  Agatha just stared back at her and blinked her eyes twice. There was a deafening silence in the cave before Agatha decided to answer. “You know that’s Cricket’s sister, right? And Thea’s mom?” Lilly didn’t say anything but just nodded in agreement without any sign of remorse on her face. “Okay, so what are we going to do with the dragons, before she finds out that her sister isn’t coming back with any eggs or scales to make potions with?”

  “Follow me.” Lilly said as she went down the same path that the little dragons had flown down. “The parents are trapped down here and have started to lay more eggs.”

  “This is amazing! I thought they were extinct! There’s even an albino one! Do you know how rare that is?!” Agatha was overly excited by the number of dragons that were trapped below the mountain. How many are girls?”

  “Dragons are gender fluid. I think these two are female, and those two are male, but they all have been laying eggs. I think they know the need to repopulate is of the utmost importance now.” Lilly was watching the little ones fly around like a proud mother. “They won’t leave their parents for very long though…and the adults won’t fit up the path, and I can’t find any way for them to get out. I’ve swam through the river, I tried digging through the ceiling….the dragons have blown fire all over this place and even tried busting through the wall on their own. There doesn’t seem to be a way for them to get out.”

  Agatha looked around the cave and even went and knocked on some of the rocks, she too was stumped on what to do about the trapped creatures.

  “I think I know someone who can get them out, but you’re going to have to change into the Grimalkin while we visit her.”

  “Who? Why would I have to be the Grimalkin? Everyone runs from me when I’m like that.”

  “Come on – We’re going to go meet the guardian of the forest. Without looking back to see if Lilly was even going to follow she was out of the cavern and heading up through the opening of the tree.

  “What is she going to do to help us?”

  “You’ll just have to trust me. She will know what to do with the dragons.”

  “I heard that trusting you wasn’t the best idea. Trusting any of you or your friends doesn’t seem to be the best idea.” Lilly’s expression was dark, and her words almost came out as a growl, but she followed her out of the cave with little hesitation. “You’re probably just walking me right back to the Circle.” The latter was under her breath that could barely be heard over their footsteps moving up the path headed around the Izotza mountain.

  To Lilly’s surprise Agatha was leading Lilly away from Monkey Tree Village and around the base of the mountain. She could hear Agatha talking to herself softly as she walked faster and faster in front of her. This continued until they made their way to where Lilly had jumped into the river. “I’ve already been here. The hole under the mountain isn’t big enough to do anything with those giant creatures.” Lilly’s annoyance was apparent as she pointed to the small pond that was at the base of the mountain.

  “Turn yourself into that cat shape – and don’t come out of it until we’re out of her sight….AND don’t eat my soul!” Agatha whipped around and looked as Lilly’s eyes started to turn black.

  “Do you have a soul that is worth eating?” Lilly said with a devilish smile across her lips before she grew into the Grimalkin.

  Lilly had been making a joke when she was talking to Agatha, but now that she could smell her, and see her aura she realized that she may not have been making a joke at all. Lilly had always remembered Agatha’s soul being a bright, vibrant orange and now it was a muddy mash up of orange and purple that swirled together – she could smell a sweet sugary scent mixed with sulfur. She really wouldn’t want to eat her soul, and in her Grimalkin form she didn’t want to stand downwind of her either.

  The Grimalkin quietly followed behind the red-headed witch as they made their way to the brightly colored valley between the mountains where they could see a grey ringlet of smoke coming from the trees. Tinker took off running toward the smoke. Behind the trees they came across the hut standing upon the piles of bones, with the cauldron boiling out front. Agatha put her hand up to motion the Grimalkin to hold back in the grass. Agatha started to speak in a tongue that Lilly had never heard before. Agatha’s voice carried on the wind and echoed between the trees as she called out. The voice that answered back shook Lilly with fright. The ancient fairy dialect that the two spoke echoed inside of Lilly’s head and translated to something she could understand:

  Godmother, I have found the dragons you thought had died! I need your help to get them out from under the mountain – there are eggs, and youth and adults all trapped!
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br />   Is that the Grimalkin you have hiding behind you?

  It is Godmother – she has been caring for your creatures and protected them from the Circle of Owls. She has been doing good by you, Godmother, she is here to help.

  She has harmed so many of the creatures of my forest, her bones should be added to my house so she understands the chaos she has created in our balanced system here.

  The Baba Yaga came out from the shadows of the trees, cradling Tinker in her arms and was now looking the Grimalkin straight in the eye from her bloodied socket and was speaking to her directly through telekinesis.

  You’re not really one of the true grimalkins. I know that you are a witch. I won’t eat you, show me your human form.

  Agatha turned and looked at the Grimalkin, nodding to her that it was okay to do so.

  Lilly slowly changed back to her human form and showed her Elvish features to the Baba Yaga – she examined Lilly’s pointed features as she walked a circle around her, pulling at her short, silvery blonde hair and her pointed ears. The Baba Yaga could see through her animals and was using Tinker as her eyes.

  You’re part elf too. That is new information to me.

  “Agatha, who is this?” Lilly hissed through clenched teeth as she held her arms out to the side as the Baba Yaga poked at her.

  “This is the Godmother of the forest, the almighty Baba Yaga! She created everything from the trees to the fairies, to the elves and the trolls. She is the protector of nature and everything that goes along with keeping the balance of the worlds together. She hates everything that the humans have done, and any of them that cross her path end up as part of her hut.” Agatha pointed over her shoulder as the Baba Yaga continued back to her giant cauldron and stirred the contents with a large wooden spoon. “She is from the ancient times of the fairies – that’s the language she’s speaking that you can hear in your inner mind. Spooky, but somehow she makes it, so you can understand what she’s saying.”