"That's not a weakness we'll be exploiting again."
Abby smiled and smoothed her fingers over Sebastian's lower lip.
"Don't worry, husband. No more suicide missions."
"Everyone else is okay, though. Physically anyway."
"The Chicago witches?"
"They're all here. Kendra seems to be taking it the hardest, which is to be expected."
"Poor Kendra." Abby sighed. "So, he just ran?"
"Like a coward."
"I worried that he'd try to retake the circle, that maybe he'd weakened everyone."
"He's not stupid. It's Clyde running the show now and he's all about self-preservation."
"Knock-knock," Elda called from the doorway.
"She's awake," Sebastian told her, smiling.
"Yes, I thought she might be. Faustine sensed her coming back online so to speak."
Abby laughed.
"Happy that my hard drive wasn't wiped out."
"And lucky too," Elda told her, clicking her tongue. "That was a huge risk, Abby."
"I know, Elda and if I was a better witch, I might have done differently. But honestly, I couldn't find another solution. I knew that he'd have to stop me or face the end of his own life."
****
Abby and Sebastian stayed at Ula for three days. They had discussed the curse at length. When they returned home, Oliver, Ezra, and Lydie accompanied them.
"It's not safe here," Oliver told Abby when they were alone in the kitchen. "Victor walked right in the front door when he took Sebastian."
"Correction," Abby said. "Sebastian invited him in and Victor set a snake on him the moment he turned his back. Julian and Faustine placed new spells against Victor. He can't get in."
Oliver tilted his head and gave her a look of exasperation.
"We're not alone here, we have you guys. Plus, we have the mirror, we can escape to Ula in seconds if we need to, but you know what?" She took a drink of iced tea and slammed the glass on the table a little too hard. "We're not going to escape. We're going to end him."
Oliver grinned and shook his head.
"I like your fighting spirit."
"This place is gorgeous Abby," Ezra said, walking into the kitchen. "Can I take a walk in the woods?"
Abby said yes at the same time that Oliver said no.
Ezra looked back and forth between them.
"I'll come with you," Oliver said.
Sebastian and Lydie had taken a game of Scrabble to the porch and Abby heard Lydie insisting that 'smeat' was a word.
"It's like smite, but plural," Lydie argued.
"Okay Lydie, but if you get smeat, I'm putting funner right here."
Abby chuckled and walked upstairs. She pushed into the nursery and smiled. Though Helena had strongly suggested they stay at Ula, Abby wanted to come home. She loved walking into her baby's room and imagining the future giggles she would hear from the little bassinet. She'd also made a habit of flicking the little white birds and smoothing the blanket in the bed.
She leaned forward to touch the purple fabric and paused. Something bulky was tucked beneath the baby blanket. She peeled back the fabric and gasped, stumbling back from the bassinet. A crude-looking doll, hand-sewn, lay beneath the blanket. Blank obsidian eyes stared back at her and the grossly stitched red mouth opened in unspoken accusation.
Abby knew the doll. In her memory, she saw it dangling from a chandelier as she and the other witches entered the land of dreaming.
Ethel and the L'Obscurite.
Behind her, Abby heard the door click shut and a low cold laugh.
J.R. Erickson
Www.jrericksonauthor.com
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Snake Island
Born of Shadows Book 5
by J.R. Erickson
Chapter 1
Abby recoiled from Ethel's dark laughter. She swiped the air and a wall of ice rose up between them. Ethel took a step toward her, flicking her fingers at the ice. It exploded at the same moment that Abby jumped backwards through the open window. Her back hit the roof and she slid, scrambling with her hands to grab hold of something to stop her fall. Slamming her feet into the shingles, she envisioned thousands of tiny ice filaments reaching from her body into the roof. As her head and shoulders slid off the edge, her back grew cold and she ground to a halt.
Ethel's head poked through the window and Abby felt a shudder of magic move through her body. A wave of fire coursed through her. She clenched her eyes against the pain as the heat slithered through muscle and bone. It melted the ice holding her in place, but she stayed rooted to the spot, held by whatever spell Ethel had cast over her. Abby could not blink her eyes or open her mouth to scream. Ethel lifted her hands and drew them back toward her. Abby's body floated, paralyzed, back through the open window and settled onto the floor.
In her mind, Abby screamed. She begged for Ethel to spare her child, but no sound emerged as the dark witch dropped to her knees beside her. She slid her black hood down and her long silver hair appeared electric, floating in the air and snapping with tiny bursts of light. When she touched Abby's belly, a jolt of current stunned her. She felt her teeth snap closed and her body twitched. Within her, Vidya shifted and rolled away from the sensation. The movement of her daughter was excruciating, like her baby would suddenly rip through the tender flesh of her abdomen.
A grotesque smile spread over Ethel's face as she hovered her palms above Abby's body. Abby's unborn daughter squirming within her. Ethel jerked her head up as something crashed through the window. A spread of white and brown speckled wings and sharp black-tipped talons appeared as a hawk soared into the room sinking its clawed feet into Ethel's hair.
She shrieked and fell back, trying to grab the bird as it raked its claws against her scalp. A stream of blood poured down Ethel's forehead. Abby felt the inertia lift from her body as Ethel struggled with the bird. Rolling sideways, Abby stood, wincing from the pain in her stomach and struggled to the window, climbing back onto the steep roof. She clutched at the eave above the baby's window and moved left. Pulling hard on the ledge, she scrambled up to the next level of roof.
"Sebastian," Abby screamed. The sound pierced the quiet. Abby climbed higher. She reached the widow's walk.
From the forest, she saw Oliver emerge, racing toward the house.
"Abby, what is it? What's happened?" Sebastian yelled back. He was in the house, moving towards the nursery and Abby suddenly had a horrible vision of Ethel killing him the instant he opened the door.
"No," she screamed. "Don't go in the nursery, Sebastian."
Oliver leapt onto the lowest level of roof, reaching her in three quick jumps and hopping over the rail where Abby stood, shaking.
"It's Ethel." Abby gestured frantically to the bay window that jutted from the baby's room.
Oliver turned as the curtains in the nursery billowed out and a figure jumped onto the roof. Abby backed into the iron rail, convinced another of the L'Obscurite emerged, until she saw Sebastian's familiar dark curls.
Sebastian spun towards Oliver. He spotted them both and grabbed the eave, jumping onto the widow's walk. When he reached her, he pushed the hair from her face and frantically searched her body.
"Are you hurt? I saw blood. Is it the baby?" he asked.
"Ethel? Did you see Ethel?" Abby demanded, shaking her head back and forth.
Sebastian glanced behind him.
"The L'Obscurite witch? She was here?"
Abby pointed toward the window.
"She was in Vidya's room. The doll..."
Ezra stuck her head from the nursery window.
"Is everyone okay? There's blood all over the floor in here."
Sebastian pulled Abby away, his eyes traveling over her.
"It's not mine. It's Ethel's, a hawk attacked her. Is she gone?"
"There!" Oliver shouted, pointing.
At the edge of their forest, a flash of dark slipped toward the shadow of trees - Ethel. They all saw her, but Sebastian acted first. He slam
med his fist into the open palm of his hand. The house beneath them shook as a deafening tearing sound filled the air. Several trees ripped from their trunks and fell sideways. The boughs shook, and a plume of leaves burst into the air as the trees plummeted. Abby heard a high scream and knew that Ethel had been struck.
Oliver jumped to the roof and slid down the eaves, landing gracefully on the ground. He ran toward the woods. Sebastian helped Abby back into the house.
"Stay here," he told her, but she didn't listen and followed close on his heels.
Ethel lay trapped beneath a thick maple tree. It had caught her in the back and forced her into a crouching position. Her hands disappeared into ferns and dirt as the weight bore down.
Oliver had squatted in front of her.
"I've put a paralysis charm on her, but it won't last long. We need something stronger. Abby, send Lydie through the mirror. There are magic shackles in the dungeon at Ula. We need something that can block her element."
Lydie had already come in behind them.
"Got it," she said and sprinted back toward the house.
"How did you get in?" Sebastian fumed at the witch. Her dark hair shielded most of her face, but Abby thought she saw a twitch.
Abby bent to the ground, placed her hand above the soil and pulled water from the earth. She held it close to her mouth and whispered her intentions that this water bind Ethel's water to Abby. She had never tried the magic before, but feared that Ethel might come free of the paralysis charm at any moment. She sprinkled the water on the woman's head, and shivered as the power of the other witch traveled into her own body.
Abby surveyed the trees that Sebastian had toppled. They rested in an almost perfect triangle, creating a little cage. Had Ethel not been struck, the trees might have trapped her anyway.
Moments later, Julian burst into the clearing holding a long white link of chain. Faustine followed close behind. As Oliver and Sebastian lifted the tree, Julian and Faustine wound the chain around the witch. At her ankles and wrists, Faustine secured glistening black balls.
"Those stop the flow of magic from the chain," Julian explained as Abby and Sebastian watched them curiously.
Julian lifted the witch and her eyes looked venomous in her frozen face.
He carried her back to the house where Lydie and Ezra stood.
Julian pulled a black shroud from his cloak and pushed it over her head.
Ezra grimaced.
"Is that really necessary?"
Julian glanced at her and nodded.
"I can't control what she does with her mind. It's better if she can't communicate her location."
"Where are you taking her?" Oliver asked.
Julian held a finger to his lips and pointed into the woods. Only Sebastian nodded as if he knew exactly where Julian meant. Abby realized that Julian intended to take Ethel to the underground tunnel that she and Sebastian had escaped through months before when Kanti attacked them.
"The less of us, the better," Faustine told them. "I intend to examine her with the Crystal of Sight, and I prefer fewer energies in the space.
"I'm going," Sebastian cut in before anyone else could speak up.
"Sebastian, Faustine and I, then," Julian said. "Oliver follow us so that you know where we're at and then come back to watch the house."
"I know where it's at," Abby said.
"Good enough," Julian replied.
The three walked off. Abby watched as they disappeared into the forest. Although the woman was restrained and Julian and Faustine were superior witches, her stomach knotted with fear.
****
Sebastian pulled back the tarp and opened the door into the cellar. Faustine walked down first, creating a ball of light that banished the shadows. Ethel wriggled in Julian's arms, but the chains were heavy, and she had no access to her power. He set her in the corner and she slumped against the dirt wall.
"How did you get in?" Sebastian spat.
Ethel pressed her lips in a thin, ugly smile.
"Don't bother," Julian muttered. "We have ways to help her talk, but for now, let Faustine look into her mind."
Ethel's eyes darkened, but she did not look afraid.
Faustine took a silk pouch from his cloak and pulled out the crystal. He positioned it over his third eye and then whirled his hand in a sweeping motion. Four wooden chairs appeared in the room. Julian moved forward and lifted Ethel onto a chair. Faustine settled into a chair facing the witch.
Faustine watched Ethel for several minutes. He sighed and removed the crystal.
"She's not alone. An additional four L'Obscurite have come to Trager. They're renting a house near town."
Ethel remained expressionless.
"Why did they come?" Sebastian asked. "Revenge? Just to screw with us?"
Faustine pressed his lips in a line and looked like he'd rather not say.
"What is it?" Sebastian barked.
"They wanted Abby's baby. They intended to take Abby and steal her baby after the birth."
Sebastian made a strangled sound and Julian stepped closer to her, rage flashing in his eyes.
"They would have killed everyone if it came to that," Faustine continued.
"Sebastian," Julian cautioned.
Sebastian had felt the power within him growing and trying to burst into the room. He took a deep breath and blew it out. They were underground. He didn't want to collapse the ceiling, and bury them all.
"I'm going to check on Abby," he murmured, knowing if he continued to watch Ethel, he'd be unable to quell his fury.
"Send the women to Ula." Julian stopped Sebastian before he left.
He nodded and ran up the stairs, sprinting back to the house and watching the woods. He spun when a branch snapped behind him, but it was only a squirrel.
****
"Oh Lydie, you don't need to do that," Abby said, finding Lydie in the nursery scrubbing the red stains from the carpet.
Lydie glanced up, her curls falling into her face. She brushed them away, irritated.
"It's okay. I want to. The sight of blood gives me the heebie jeebies. There's a spell for this, but I can't seem to remember it."
"That's what blood does to a person," Ezra interrupted, walking in behind them. "Here let me."
Lydie scooted out of the way and Ezra leaned over the blood. She rubbed her palms together and spoke.
"Mother earth we seek you here
In this room so young and pure
Cleanse this space, take darkness too
Let this be our gift from you
Mote it be."
The blood vanished and a burst of sunlight seemed to spill through the window.
"Wow, thanks," Abby murmured, leaning against the wall. As the chaos of the moment settled, Abby felt her body grow heavy.
"You should lie down, Abby," Ezra told her. "We'll wake you if anything happens."
Abby rubbed her eyes and yawned. She couldn't imagine trying to sleep and yet her feet felt as if someone had poured wet sand into her socks. She moved heavily toward the door.
"Okay, just for a few minutes."
She went to her bedroom and collapsed, not bothering to change or pull back the covers.
****
Oliver met Sebastian on the porch.
"Find out anything?" Oliver asked, sensing Sebastian's distress.
"Ethel and four other L'Obscurite are in town. They intend to kidnap Abby to steal our baby after her birth and to kill everyone else."
"What?" Oliver spat. "That freaking psycho thinks she's going to kill us?"
"Who's going to kill us?" Ezra asked, walking onto the porch. "Ethel?"
"Ezra, we need you, Lydie, and Abby to go through the mirror to Ula," Sebastian told her.
"Because we're women?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at Sebastian.
"Abby is pregnant and Lydie is thirteen," Sebastian snapped. "You're welcome to stay if you'd prefer to fight."
"I think you should go, Ezra," Oliver told her. "Not b
ecause you're a woman, but because I'll be distracted if you're here and I need to focus."
"Abby just laid down, she's exhausted. We'll go when she wakes up," Ezra muttered stalking back into the house.
"That will be a fun conversation later," Oliver grumbled.
"Better a tough conversation than a funeral," Sebastian murmured. He noticed Oliver's surprised expression. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. I'm shocked this just happened. How did Ethel find us?"
Oliver gazed at the forest and then shrugged.
"She's a witch, a nasty one. I'm sure she has a dozen ways to find out things, most of which involve manipulating and hurting others."
Sebastian grimaced.
"I'm starting to understand the purpose of covens. We've lived here a few months and already been attacked by Vepars, a spirit and now a dark witch. What's next? Zombies?"
Oliver shuddered.
"Don't even say that. I still have nightmares about those dead things from the lair."
Sebastian frowned remembering the stench of the charnel ground. Just as he had that day, Sebastian had tapped into some hidden source of power to trap Ethel. Where had it come from? And how did he learn to control it?
"Wicked trick with the trees," Oliver added, as if reading Sebastian's thoughts. "She would have escaped if you hadn't done that."
Sebastian grunted.
"Now if only I could figure out how to do it again and this time, it's Victor I'd be trapping."
****
Victor paced the underground room, ready to claw at the walls, the floor, his own eyes if it would stop the burning in his veins. Alva held the amulet, turning it in his sharp bony fingers, touching the snake's pulsing red heart.
"Truly a dilemma we have here, young Victor," Alva murmured, his eyes glowing in the jewel's sparkle. "You failed to cross over, to seal the power within you." Alva clicked his tongue.
Victor's skin crawled, his hands shook, his eyes felt dry and itchy. He couldn't stop trembling and it enraged him, the weakness, the failure.
Was there also a twinge of guilt? He had forsaken the guerrilla witches, Abby, the Coven of Ula... If he had risen to power, none of it would have mattered. He would have met his destiny and left behind the witch's burden - harm none. But now, living in both worlds, the shame pervaded his magic. Conjuring a puff of air nearly crippled him.
Born of Shadows- Complete Series Page 114
