“Thanks.” she muttered, almost too quiet to hear. It was surprising to know how well he understood her after so short a time, but they truly were soldiers in a war together now, so trust was something she valued more than anything. After all, there was no way that they were going to get out of this with a simple conversation. If Sadie had fooled them this long without exposing herself, allowing her to talk it out was sure to end in disaster when she inevitably stabbed them in the back.
They pulled up to a gas station in the centre of Markdale and Lila quickly unfastened her seatbelt, in no hurry to let Liam ruin the nondescript reputation she had here. Jumping down from the back of the truck, she was on the ground before he had time to open the door, which surprised him when he finally stepped out. “Pretty spry for someone who just got out of the hospital.” he observed, and she glared at him in return.
“You can thank your sister for that. She healed me right before Sadie took her.” She answered somewhat spitefully. In truth, Lila was still feeling a little weak, and she was pretty sure that the older male knew that; there was no time for her to take a moment to rest, and if they had asked her to, the answer would have been a flat no. She was pretty sure he knew that, too.
Noting her tone, Liam exhaled through pursed lips. “Phew. High-strung, aint 'cha?” he answered, looking amused. He grabbed the petrol pump, starting to fill up the truck, his eyes on Lila instead of the numbers ticking up on the meter.
“I don't know. It's not often my friend is abducted by the person who killed my parents and her witch hunter brother shows up to help out, probably aiming to kill us right after he gets done saving her.” Lila shot back.
“Touché. But think of it this way, if I were going to kill you right after, why would I bother saving her? She's a witch, too.” Liam reasoned, making her stammer a few times as she fought to think of a way to answer him. “See? I'm not such a bad guy.” he grinned, and she found herself offering the barest flicker of a smile. He replaced the pump, and she was surprised to see it was at an even number. She wasn't even able to do that whilst looking at it, and he appeared able to do it without. It was such a mundane thing, yet it intimidated her further, as though he was letting her know he knew exactly what went on behind his back.
“How can you be so calm?” she asked as they headed into the gas station to pay. Grabbing a few things for herself and the others, she fished her card out of her pocket.
“Who said I'm calm? I just don't see the point in losing it. It'll kill more people than it'll save.” Liam reasoned. He didn't mention how closely she was watching him, though he had to have noticed. Grabbing a few candy bars from the shelf beside the counter, he threw them down before paying for them with the gas – and the items she'd picked up.
“Hey!” she protested. She barely knew him, and now he was paying for things for her? “I have money.” she complained, feeling awkward.
“I know. But this means there's only one transaction, and we can get going faster.” he answered with a nonchalant shrug. Lila doubted that it was strictly business, but Liam obviously didn't want to admit that he obviously had a side which wasn't wrapped up in being a kick ass witch hunter. Things were rarely as black and white as that, as she was beginning to find out. “By the way, did you know any of these guys before you became leader?”
The question surprised her, but she shook her head. “Nope. Never met 'em.” she answered, and the frown on his face suggested that she had just confirmed a suspicion he'd held.
“I had.” he continued. “I met you all, actually. When you were little. Sometimes, our parents would meet outside of the usual timetable, and I tagged along once. You were all babies.” he smirked slightly. “But Sadie... I met her again on Samhain, pure chance, I was seeking out a rogue witch on her mothers turf, we spoke for quite a while, hours in fact.” Liam helped her put the items into bags, going slow despite his mention that it would be quicker to pay all in one. “It was the darnedest thing, really – she didn't recognise me. It might just be vanity, but I found it odd.”
Lila was still processing the fact that she'd ever been in the same room as Liam before, so it took her a moment to work through what he'd actually said. “You met her before?” she asked, surprised – Sadie hadn't mentioned him. Maybe he'd used a fake name. He nodded in response to her question, so she continued. “I can't imagine her meeting you and then not remembering you. She's really into good looking guys.” she mused, before realising what she'd said. “I-I mean good looking in her opinion.” she stammered.
Liam grinned a little despite himself. “I accept your compliment.” he answered, tipping an imaginary hat to her as they headed outside.
“I wasn't... I didn't...” she stumbled over her words, blushing furiously.
“Relax, I'm winding you up.” he reassured her, before getting into the front seat and rolling down the window. “Want to sit up front?” he asked, pushing the bag underneath the glove compartment. After a moments hesitation, she nodded, moving round to the passenger side and getting in. She caught the look of confusion cast by her companions but chose to ignore them.
“So, there's more to the story with Sadie, is what you're saying?” Lila asked him, fastening her seatbelt and giving it a tug to test it. Somehow, she'd felt far safer in the bed of the truck, almost like she wasn't in a vehicle at all. Now that she was inside, it was impossible to ignore and she felt choked, sitting up straighter in her seat as if it would give her more breathing room. Noticing this, Liam rolled down the windows, letting in a gust of air before he started the car. It helped somewhat, and she was able to focus on the conversation. Oddly enough, she was aware of Liam repeatedly looking at her, as if judging her state and if she was well enough to continue the conversation.
When he had decided that she was, he answered her question. “Almost certainly. The other thing that bugs me... she's a living witch. Why would she want the spirit world and the live world to connect? There's absolutely no merit to it, magickally speaking.”
“Maybe she's trying to bring back a relative or someone she lost?” Lila ventured a guess, but Liam scrunched up his face in a non-committal way.
“Not what I think. Go on, aim higher.” he coaxed, making her feel like a third grader. It wasn't a welcome situation, especially given their age difference, but there was no point in arguing it out; she wouldn't get to the point any quicker. Shrugging, she allowed him his sense of superiority in her quest for an answer. “Think about it. She didn't recognise me, she's doing something completely pointless to your average witch. Our dear Sadie is possessed.”
Eyes widening, Lila let the words sink in before speaking, having to clear her throat a few times to get the words out. “But she isn't a Spirit witch...” she exclaimed.
“It doesn't matter.” he answered. “Most of us have a little of each in us, thanks to our ancestors. You know, before the witch trials. The real reason we were separated was because combining our powers drew too much attention – too many revelling pagans in one place.” he chuckled at the mention of that, and Lila couldn't help but think of all of the ancient fertility festivals. Yes, she thought, those would definitely draw attention.
“So, she ventured into the spirit realm unprepared and became hijacked?” she asked, frowning. This was bad, to say the least. A spirit had the ability to retain its powers, and in a human body could use them once more – if the spirit was old, it could easily have all four elements at its beck and call. Liam's nod was enough to make her shudder, and she rubbed her arms.
“Wonderful.” she muttered. “It's bad enough thinking of a rogue witch, but a rogue spirit masquerading as a coven leader? One who is easily more skilled than us – After all, she's, I mean it's, potentially far older than us even in its mortal years. How on Earth are we meant to defeat that?”
“There's something you don't know -.”
“Apparently there's a lot I don't know. Adding to that list isn't going to make me feel any better.” Lila interjected.
Liam's smile was terse in response. “No, there's something to your advantage that you don't know.”
“Oh, well in that case, carry on.”
“I will if you would just shut up for a second!” Liam sounded exasperated, and she opened her mouth to apologise, only to close it again as he glared at her. Once he was sure she was going to be quiet, he exhaled long and slow to regain his composure before continuing. “Right. Where was I? Oh yeah. The thing that you don't know is that you're not just ordinary witches. All of you; You, Rose, Adam, Sadie – though she's not in charge of her body right now and wont know it or be able to use it – Troy.. you're all exceptionally gifted witches.” he explained. “It only happens once in a family every few hundred years... usually.” he added the last while glancing at the mirror to see Adam and Rose.
“All of us?” she asked, then frowned. “Wait – you didn't say Elsie's name.”
“That's because Elsie wasn't gifted with strong powers.” he sounded sullen. “I was.”
“...Oh.”
Liam nodded. He didn't look proud. “The thing is, every gift comes with its equal in curses. I looked into yours. All of yours, actually. For you, it's pretty simple. You're going to be seeing a lot of dead people even once this crisis is averted. For Rose and Adam, it's the risk of causing an avalanche if they lose their temper – we're talking end of the world bad if they're in the wrong place. I think that's why there's two of them; the world saw how bad Adam was at keeping his temper and decided he needed someone to shoulder half the burden.” There was no hint of a joke in it. “As for Sadie, well, the last time she went to public school, she had a panic attack – this is the real Sadie, by the way – and everyone in the building almost suffocated to death. You know my story. I got a little too obsessive...” he grimaced. “Look, it sounds cliché, I know – emotions which are appropriate to the element, yadda yadda.. but the fact is, all witches are empaths to an extent. For a normal witch, this means sensing other people's emotions, in some cases even influencing the emotions of others. For us, it's the core of our magick influencing our emotions, making them quicker to boil over, harder to master and always at the very tips of our fingertips, waiting to hit our lives like a freight train. I didn't choose to live apart from my family because I hated them, contrary to what everyone thinks. I did it because I needed the guidance of the witch hunters to train that side of me. I haven't had an obsessive relationship in my life for four years now.” he added the last with a hint of pride.
It might seem like an odd source of pride, but in reality it was no different to any other addiction. Obsessive compulsive disorder had the same invasive impact on the person who suffered it as the cravings for drugs might. “That's great... well done.” Lila congratulated him sincerely. She may have just met him, but a little bit of humanity never went awry.
“Uh...” she continued suddenly, her eyes locked on the road to the side.
“What?” Liam asked, then followed her gaze. “Oh. Oh... no.”
Chapter Sixteen
As they moved closer to Lila's coven ground, the sky gradually became darker, more sinister and the air itself seemed to vibrate with electricity which made Lila feel as though her hair were standing on edge and her teeth ached like she was long overdue a trip to the dentist. One look at Liam told her he was experiencing similar sensations, and, feeling unable to speak, she fought the urge to reach over and squeeze his hand in reassurance. Not just because the sensations were unpleasant, but also because she knew that he had to be going through hell right now – Elsie was both his sister and the first object of his obsessive need to protect. Having her in danger made him a dangerous ally, but they truly had no choice.
Especially not if what he'd said was true. With five exceptional witches on their side, they still stood a good chance, despite lacking the element of air – which was being used against them in a huge display of power right now, almost guiding them in the direction they needed to go in without Lila having to give directions. It wasn't until they came to the finer twists and turns, in the eye of the electrical storm, that she had to guide Liam's turns, jabbing her finger towards the route they had to take.
The initial discomfort of the storm was passing as her body became accustomed to it, her jaw gradually working free with continued effort. The act of doing so surely looked like she was chewing on something large and invisible, but at that point she was less concerned with looking silly and more concerned with being able to speak to the spirit inhabiting Sadie's body.
They pulled up next to a large field, the expanse of grass completely absent of snow thanks to the heat generated in the eye of the storm, and darker than ink. Only the continued flashes of lightning, which seemed to strike everywhere but the field itself, lit up their path as they all jumped down from the truck, not bothering to lock it or even close the doors as its occupants hurried to make it to the edge of the field. Right before they stepped on to it, Troy stuck out his good arm, physically stilling Rose and causing the rest of them to skid to a halt. For a moment, he looked so full of concentration that Lila daren't interrupt him, though she had no idea what he was doing.
After a moment, he spoke up, shouting over the deafening crashes of lightning. “It's safe!” he promised, making Lila realise that he'd been testing the water on the surface of the field, left by the melted snow, for electrical current. She had no idea how it could be safe, other than the knowledge that the spirit in control of Sadie must be particularly powerful – which almost caused her to contradict Troy's reassurances that the field was safe; It was anything but. Deep down, however, she knew that the last thing she should do was put any more fear into them. They knew what they were getting into for the most part, and would have spent the ride over steeling themselves against any path they might have to take. Throwing a spanner into the works could do more damage than good.
She took the lead, determinedly striding on to the grass, swiftly followed by Liam who caught up to her in three steps due to his long gait. He gave her a scolding glare, obviously telling her off for being so reckless; they were in this together, after all. For the minute.
Despite their glimpses into the centre of the field, nothing could have prepared them for what they found in the middle. A huge circle had been drawn, an entrance left for them as if Sadie had anticipated exactly where they'd be stepping through. Maybe she had, who knew? Lila was growing warier by the second, and from the way everyone else was standing, taut and focused, she knew that she was far from the only one who felt that way.
“So, you made it to my little soiree?” Sadie seemed to step from nowhere, twirling a knife in her hands, the point against one of her fingertips. A sick feeling settled over Lila as she saw how rusted and tainted it was – it was the same athame used to murder their parents. Suddenly frantic, she looked around, searching for Elsie, only to have Sadie's laughter peal out, somehow louder than the crackling air around them. “She's fine, she's right here.” the soothing tone she'd heard from the witch so many times now just sounded hollow, cold and fake. The witch glanced up, the sky lighting up to give them just enough illumination so that they could see a figure behind her, knelt in the dirt, gagged and bound with her hands behind her back. If looks could kill, Sadie would probably be about as dead as the spirit inside her.
During the gloating welcome, Liam had been slowly inching around to the side of Sadie, the others filling in the gap to cover his departure. As she looked up to summon the lightning flash, he launched himself at her, aiming to tackle her to the ground and cover her mouth before she could summon anything to aid herself, but she was faster. Somehow, she knew that he was there and spun, extending her hand quickly. He froze in place, though Lila knew there was no element of mind control involved. How was she doing that?
Sadie glanced over at them, taking stock of their confused and wary expressions, and grinned patronisingly. Affecting a tone usually reserved for teachers in a classroom, she lectured them on what she was actually doing. “I see you're impress
ed.” she began, preening. “Good. Too many witches nowadays have entirely lost the finesse required to pull off moves like this.” Sadie stepped closer to Liam. “Of course, this is exclusive to air powers – equal force applied in each direction, directly proportionate to his body mass. Just enough to hold him in place without give on each side. You see?”
“Are you seriously giving us a lesson right now?!” Lila snapped, unable to watch the display in silence any longer.
“Oh, hello little mouse. Can you squeak a little louder for me? Still pretending you have the guts to get everyone through this?” Sadie sneered. “She's a fraud, you know.” she looked at the others. “She hasn't got a clue what she's doing, it's all posturing and hoping for the best.”
“Shut up.” Adam spoke next, through gritted teeth. “You think that matters to us? We're all here because of you, Sadie.” he growled. “You killed our parents. You put my sister in a coma, kidnapped Elsie, and who knows what else is down to you?”
“It's not her, Adam. Sadie has been possessed by a spirit. I don't think we've ever met the real Sadie.” Lila explained, just loud enough to be heard by everyone there.
Ancestral Page 14
