Born of Shadows- Complete Series

by J. R. Erickson

  Chapter 19

  "And then we'll dangle the watch like a hunk of red meat for a lion and just wait for him to pounce," Oliver told Lydie grinning.

  "A lion?" she asked, skeptical.

  "A juicy red flower for a honey bee, a fresh virgin for a vampire, a delicious brain for a zombie. I'm sure you get the point," he continued.

  He lay stretched out on a long wooden log that was actually a pillow in Lydie's dream wood. She swung lazily from the tree swing, an ice cream cone in one hand.

  "This feels surreal," Abby said, looking back and forth between them. "Like we're actually in a Halloween Special where we sit around planning to defeat the monsters while eating ice cream in our tree house."

  "The ice cream is killer though, right?" Oliver asked, holding his own cone up in the air in a kind of salute. "No pun intended."

  Abby shook her head and smiled. One thing could always be said for Oliver - he knew how to bring the level of stress down several notches.

  "It is good ice cream," Abby admitted. "Bridget is a culinary genius. Of course, now Sebastian's going to spend all day in the kitchen trying to learn how to make it."

  "Yeah, but then you'll have homemade ice cream all summer," Lydie piped in.

  "I should check on Vidya," Abby told them, standing from the sand dune she'd plopped down on.

  "No," Oliver waved her back down. "Helena told you she'd come get you. Don't deprive her and Bridget of their hour of staring at a sleeping baby. Though," he dropped his voice, "they may be siphoning her youthful innocence into some giant cauldron they'll later boil down and turn into an elixir that they'll sell to the common folk for millions of dollars." He let out a high cackle and Lydie kicked a fuzzy slipper at him.

  "Not funny," Lydie said.

  Abby rolled her eyes and took another bite of her ice cream.

  "You two are a tough crowd today," he laughed, popping the last of his cone in his mouth. "Lydie have you trained that cat to retrieve ice cream yet?" he gestured at Garfield who slept on the porch of the tree house over Lydie's head.

  "I'm still training him not to bite me when I pet his belly. And not to hide for two days when he sees Aepa."

  "Speaking of Aepa, where is that fur bag? I haven't seen her all day," Oliver asked.

  "With Faustine. I think she's imprinted on him. It drives Helena nuts," Lydie explained.

  "Imprinted?" Oliver asked. "Have you read Twilight too many times?"

  Lydie stuck her tongue out at him.

  "When are Elda and Julian coming back from Montana?" Lydie asked Oliver. "Elda promised to show me a Book of Shadows written by a teenage witch."

  "A teenage witch?" Oliver screwed up his face. "Sounds hormonal."

  Lydie flicked her fingers and a mushroom pillow next to Oliver burst into flames. It extinguished immediately with no sign of having been burned, but gave him a good scare, nonetheless.

  "Tonight," he told her holding up his hands in surrender. "Now please refrain from burning me alive."

  "I was hoping to look at Dafne's journal," Abby announced, changing the subject. She'd been wanting to ask about the journal since they'd arrived at Ula that morning, but had refrained. The topic of Dafne always shifted the mood for the Ula witches, but she couldn't wait forever and now that she had the amulet, she wanted to know how to use it.

  Lydie's face darkened, but Oliver offered an understanding smile, sitting up.

  "It's in the library. I can get it for you," he said.

  "Have you read it?" Abby asked.

  "Bits," he admitted. "There's a lot there. She wrote about her entire life. Sometimes I can handle it and other times, I just can't."

  Lydie said nothing, but Abby had the distinct impression that she had not read the journal. Lydie grew tight-lipped when Dafne came up, or Max. In the immediate aftermath of Max and then later Dafne's death, Lydie had seemed enraged that no one spoke of them, but then she too grew silent about the witches.

  "Thanks, Oliver."

  Abby stood and followed Oliver into the hall. She waved goodbye to Lydie who offered her a tight smile and a half wave.

  "How is Lydie doing?" Abby asked when they were alone in the library.

  "She's..." He paused as if searching for the right word, "adjusting. Like the storm is over and she's a tree just settling back into place, letting her roots dig deeper. Though I get the feeling, she's waiting for the next tempest to arrive."

  "Well, she's not wrong to do that," Abby said.

  "Unfortunately, I agree. I wish she could enjoy life in the meantime though. I know it's not easy and I wouldn't want her to pretend everything is okay, but she just carries that haunted look everywhere she goes, like she never takes a breath that's not followed by a sad thought."

  "Oh," Oliver said, holding up an envelope that he dug out of the desk drawer. "I completely forgot Dafne wrote you a letter too."

  "She did?" Abby asked surprised.

  The cream envelope displayed her name in sharp black cursive. She took it, and Oliver handed her a letter opener. She slid the blade along the seal and took the folded letter to a chair.

  Dear Abby,

  If I'm gone, you're the only one now. Not that I would have been much help. Like the Lourdes, the death of my friends and the horrific betrayal by the man I loved destroyed me. The Lourdes was not much help to me, but at least she was proof that we could survive the curse, that everything in us could die and yet still we lived. You will likely face this alone, hopefully with more knowledge. I have done my part to leave that behind. If I have succeeded, you will never read this letter. It will all be over. But alas, I am a witch and intuition tells me that I will never return to Ula to burn these letters. Still, I race towards my death with willing and open arms. I hope that you never understand why that is.

  I have many things I would like to say to you, an apology for the way I've treated you, for the havoc I've caused in your and Sebastian's lives. I am sorry. However, the purpose of this correspondence is much larger than all that. It is a call to your highest good, Abby. How much are you willing to sacrifice to end this evil once and for all? I ask you to see beyond the heartache it has caused you. See beyond how it destroyed me and the Lourdes. This evil has lived for centuries, it has fed on the lives of countless witches and humans. It will continue to feed long after you're gone if you let it. By then it will have consumed you and all that you love.

  I was a fool to assume that removing Sebastian would end the curse. I knew so little then. Shocking that it was only a few short months ago and now here I sit writing these letters with this mystery desperate to pour out of me. In my selfishness, I keep it from you. I will try to defeat it on my own. I owe you all that much and I must admit it is also an act of self-preservation. Perhaps I will tell you later when I am triumphant.

  Abby paused, biting her lip. She imagined Dafne sitting at a desk in her room scribbling those words by firelight knowing in some deep part of her that by the time they were read, she would be gone.

  I have often wondered was Tobias evil? And now I believe the answer is no, but let me tell you this, evil runs in his blood. You might say it runs in ours as well, but it appears differently for the men, perhaps there is a darkness in them that is called forth. Do not trust Sebastian, Abby. What a terrible statement. Yes, I know, but I'm telling you, anyway. He might resist the darkness, but it will come. It will consume you and all you hold dear.

  ****

  Long after the witches of Ula slept, Abby crept back to the library, settling into a chair close to the fire. She opened the thick leather-bound journal that Dafne had left behind. Lines of cramped cursive filled the pages. Seeing the words caused Abby to think of her own journal and recommit to writing her life down on paper. Without Dafne's diary huge parts of her life would be missing from her story. Abby wanted to leave that legacy for her child as well. Someday Vidya would be able to look at Abby's life through Abby's eyes.

  Not wanting to waste time, she flipped to the end where Dafne w
ould have spoken of the amulet since she had only just discovered it before her death. Next to a crudely drawn image of the ouroboros Dafne had written an incantation along with a series of herbs and stones for protection. Of course, Dafne had been unable to do the possession her way. After being intercepted by the Vepars, she was imprisoned and the possession was forced upon her. In the end, she killed herself to escape it.

  "But there is a way," Abby whispered tracing her finger over the snake. Galla had already put a barrier over Abby to block psychic invasion. Kanti could not possess her when she wore the amulet. However, Abby could invite her in and she intended to do just that, but not yet. The time would come when Abby would be ready to enlist Kanti in the destruction of Clyde.

  Chapter 20

  Abby walked to the porch where Julian and Elda sat at the patio table. She and Sebastian had returned that morning and a short while later Julian and Elda had come through the mirror as well.

  "I have green tea or lemonade?" she asked, holding up two pitchers.

  "Lemonade would be great," Julian answered. "But have a seat, Abby. We have something to discuss."

  Abby filled their glasses and sat down, feeling her heart skip a beat. Had they somehow discovered that she had the amulet and what she intended to do with it?

  "Where's Sebastian?" Elda asked before they began.

  "At the store. Diapers, baby wipes, and he saw some sling online that's apparently perfect for daddies. He was checking the baby store in town to see if they had one." Abby smiled imagining him with Vidya tucked close to his chest.

  "He's a good man," Elda said.

  "Yes, he is," Abby agreed wondering if it was Sebastian they wanted to talk about.

  "Abby, Elda told me that you found this house in a dream," Julian interjected.

  Abby nodded.

  "And we found out yesterday that this property belonged to Clyde's family. He grew up here. In fact, I'm almost positive I've seen the remnants of his childhood home," Julian continued.

  Abby grimaced. The news surprised her and yet...hadn't she known they were led to the house?

  "The stone wall in the woods," she said looking at Julian. "That was his house?"

  "Yes. That's why he buried Kanti here. This was his home. It was familiar to him."

  "And we think Kanti led you here to find those bones," Elda said.

  Abby turned and looked at the house. Her eyes always settled on the bay window jutting from Vidya's nursery and her stomach twisted at the idea of letting it go.

  "Why do I love this place?" she asked them. "Is it all part of this curse? Somehow Kanti has manipulated me into connecting with this house in order to set her free. What in this life is me?" She stood abruptly and kicked a pot of geraniums. The ceramic cracked and dirt and flowers scattered across the deck. Inside, Vidya started to cry.

  Abby stuck her fist in her mouth and bit down, welcoming the sharp sting of her teeth. She started to hurry inside, but Elda stopped her.

  "Let me," she told her, putting a hand on Abby's arm. "Take a little walk, Abby. Find your center. I understand why you're upset."

  Julian avoided eye contact as Abby left the porch walking into the woods. She strode through the trees until she found the stone wall. She snatched a branch from the ground and whacked it against the stone. Bits of dirt and wood flew into the air as the branch snapped in half. She kicked the wall, letting her breath out in a rush as a hunk of it crumbled. She stared at the small pile of rubble and noticed one of the stones seemed to have words etched into the surface. She saw the initials E + N roughly carved into the rock. Eugene and Nora. He must have carved their initials after he met her at the Serpent House. Though Abby had not met Nora, she had heard her story, and the appearance of those ancient initials made her heart leap into her throat. She muffled a sob as she sat heavily on the wall, turning the stone again and again in her hand.

  "What do I do?" she asked. The forest sounds answered her in the shrill call of crows and the scampering of squirrels and chipmunks. Unfortunately, she didn't know their language and instead sought Sydney's face in her mind.

  "Sydney, if you're out there somewhere, I need your help. I'm drowning here."

  Abby tilted her head and watched the sunlight slanting through the trees imagining that Sydney might suddenly appear. Instead, the sound of a car engine and the slamming of a door found her. Several moments later, Sebastian called her name. She stood, tucking the stone in her pocket and walked back to the house.

  ****

  "Do you think we should sell the house?" Abby asked Sebastian that evening. They sat in the side yard next to a roaring fire that Sebastian built in the fire pit. It was a warm night and seemed ideal for their first bonfire of the summer.

  Sebastian poked at the fire with a metal stick, his face impassive. After several minutes, he turned to her.

  "No. It may sound crazy, but I love this house. It's our new beginning. Vidya was born in that tub." He pointed to the rock bath that he and Oliver had built. "We already have memories here."

  Abby sighed and watched the flames devour the logs that Sebastian had cut from their forest. It had felt like a new beginning, but how many horrifying experiences could they have before it would become a nightmare?

  "I'm scared, Sebastian."

  He dropped the poker and moved his folding chair close to hers. He sat down and wrapped his arms around Abby, pulling her into him.

  "I'm supposed to say brave, manly things right now, but I'm going to opt for truth. I'm scared too. But running away isn't going to save us. Fighting back, conquering Clyde once and for all-that's our only hope. Kanti wants that too, Abby. She wants to rest peacefully. She brought us here because she knew that would be the fastest way to end this thing."

  Abby looked at the house. Inside Helena rocked Vidya to sleep. Lydie and Oliver played Monopoly at the kitchen table. And upstairs, the ouroboros sat breathing in a little boxy, calling out to its master who at that moment might be coming to reclaim it.

  "But are we safe here?" she asked finally.

  Sebastian grimaced.

  "Are we safe anywhere?" he asked, returning his gaze to the flames.

  ****

  "Let me show you how it's done," Oliver told Abby and Vidya.

  Abby sat on the porch transplanting several chamomile plants that Helena had brought from Ula. Abby tipped one of the plants and held it in her palm. Each time she glanced up at the house, the lake, or the forest, she remembered that Clyde had called it home.

  Oliver rubbed his hands together and held it over the bundle of roots. The tiny white shoot started to break apart and grew longer. He fanned his hands out, and the roots stretched toward him.

  Vidya watched him intently, releasing a sound like a giggle.

  "Did she just laugh?" Abby asked, surprised. Though Vidya watched them carefully and often smiled, her only laughter had seemingly come from gas.

  "Of course, she did. I'm hilarious." He grinned and wiggled his fingers so the roots danced.

  Abby held out her palm and blew at Oliver. A spray of water shot toward him and hit him square in the face.

  "Oh no, you didn't," he growled, throwing a handful of nothing at Abby that turned into mud splattering against her right shoulder.

  "Oliver!" she spat, jumping up and ducking behind a lawn chair. She created a bubble, sneaking a peek to see that he hovered near the porch steps, and sent it floating across the deck toward him.

  "Clever, but too slow," he called, dodging aside. She shot a burst of water at the spot that he jumped into, catching him in the chest.

  Vidya laughed again, and Oliver clutched his chest in mock horror.

  "Vidya, your mother hath struck me dead." He slowly collapsed to the porch, letting his eyes close as he made obnoxious gurgling sounds.

  Abby stood and Oliver flicked his fingers at her. Another ball of mud caught her right between the eyes.

  "Ah," she shrieked, clapping her hands together so that a sheet of rain poured over him.


  He laughed and held a hand up to shield his face.

  "You need the bath more than me," he called as she wiped the mud off her forehead, mostly smearing it into her hair.

  ****

  Sebastian and Helena stood in the kitchen watching them. Helena had also brought fresh asparagus for Sebastian. He stood washing and chopping it, but mostly sneaking glances at Abby and Oliver.

  "Vidya loves it," he said.

  "It's magic. What kid doesn't love it?" Helena responded, though she sensed Sebastian's unrest. He was jealous of Oliver. What man wouldn't be, but there was something more in his demeanor and Helena couldn't quite place it - perhaps defeat. She thought of Bridget's dream. Was the wheel of fate truly spinning for Sebastian? Could they somehow skew the outcome in their favor?

  "It's more than magic," he said, not taking his eyes from Abby who had just been splattered with mud. "It's harmony. Abby and Oliver are like instruments that are in tune and I'm the kid beating on a frying pan with a wooden spoon."

  Helena laughed, but she forced it. It hurt her heart when Sebastian spoke as if he were an outsider.

  "Love is not meant to be easy, Sebastian. Clichés like 'opposites attract' exist because they do. There is growth in loving the person who does not always resonate with us. Abby loves you, fiercely, blindly, without question. Don't ever doubt that."

  He smiled and looked at Helena from the corner of his eye.

  "I don't doubt it, Helena. But blind love is dangerous."

  ****

  Sebastian walked purposefully through the woods. Recent rain had resulted in a burst of dense growth that he waded through gradually, inhaling the earthy smells of pine and mud and a hundred plants that he could not name. In summer, the rock wall was nearly buried in green. Ferns, vines and bushes crawled over the crumbling stone.