Heroes (Eirik Book 2)

by Ednah Walters

  “Where is the young Seeress hiding?” she snapped.

  The Witches kept chanting, their voices growing frantic.

  “You’ve had enough time to locate her and her protectors. Where are they?” the woman in black snarled. From the sound of it, the Witches were working for these bastards. Why then did the redhead contact me? Their chanting reached fever pitch, and then it stopped. The Witches started speaking in eerie voices, one at a time.

  “Seeking her out will bring you painful death.”

  “The gods will never speak with your kind.”

  “Only the young one talks to the goddesses of destiny.”

  “And she must be protected at all costs.”

  “We will not betray her,” the last one said.

  They each repeated their sentences as though they’d rehearsed them.

  “If you don’t tell us what you know, you will all die,” the woman shouted, and I wanted to throw something at her, attack her, scream, or something. I felt so useless standing there.

  “We don’t fear death,” the Witches said again. “Death is a part of our journey. Our sisters will welcome us with open arms.

  The female leader of the Immortals looked over her shoulder at the man in the shadows.

  “My Lord?” she asked.

  “If they refuse to cooperate, kill them,” the man said in a clipped British accent.

  “Don’t,” I screamed. “Stop it!”

  The Immortals reached down, grabbed the heads of the Witches, and twisted. The sound of snapping necks filled the air.

  “You bastards! You evil, vile sons of bitches! You killed them…”

  The man in the shadows turned, and I thought he heard me.

  “I hope you rot in Corpse Strand,” I yelled at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were on someone, or something, behind him. He was tethered to an energy form of some kind. I couldn’t see the source since it had no shape or form, but it was there. Maybe he was feeding off of it or using its energy to hide his. Talk about evil.

  The light from the portal fell on the face of guy with the British accent before he left, burning his image in my memories. No matter how long it took me, I’d find him and make him pay.

  The others followed, not one of them looking back at the dead Witches. I started forward, determined to follow them and see where they were going, but I couldn’t move, which meant I wasn’t supposed to follow them. I floated to the women instead, tears blurring my vision and making it hard to see anything. Why weren’t their souls leaving their bodies? Where were the reapers? I could tell them what I’d seen, and maybe describe that British a-hole.

  Then the redhead moved, and I smothered a scream and jumped back. How could she be alive with a broken neck? Maybe they weren’t dead. It might explain the absence of reapers. Or maybe the souls stayed with the body until a reaper appeared.

  A sudden surge of strange, paralyzing energy filled the area, and three Witches appeared out of nowhere. Unlike the dying ones, they were old with long stringy hair and gray skin. Their eyes glowed eerily as they floated toward the five Witches.

  Body snatchers. My father had mentioned Witches’ bodies disappearing. Either these were the culprits or they were evil spirits planning to possess their bodies. What had Hayden called them? Draugr.

  I shot away from them, but I wasn’t fast enough. One caught my arm. How could she do that? I had no form. She pulled and got inside my head. It felt the same way as the night Goddess Hel had done it during our first meeting, but this was worse. She was stronger and uncaring, and my head felt like someone was drilling a hole through my brain. Maybe this was how it felt to be possessed by an evil spirit.

  “NO! LET GO!” I yanked my arm, kicked, and tried to break free.

  “Quit your caterwauling, child,” she snapped without opening her mouth, her voice resounding in my head. “I want to see what you know and what nonsense Hel’s boy has been telling you.”

  What? Why were they talking about Eirik? I fought harder, kicking and screaming. Then everything went black.

  “Damn it, Celestia,” Zack said, trapping my arms. “Stop fighting me.”

  I went still and focused on his voice, my screams still echoing in the air and my chest hurting. I opened my eyes and realized Zack was carrying me out the door.

  “I’m taking her home,” he said.

  “No.” I pushed his arms away. “I’m fine. Put me down.”

  “I’ve never heard you scream like that while in a trance. What happened?” Zack sounded relieved.

  “I saw the people who attacked the Witches. The bastards! Where’s my bag?”

  “Here.” Wes placed it in my hands. When he glanced toward the auditorium, I knew he was itching to go inside.

  “Thanks. Go, Wes. We’ll be right behind you. I just need to sketch everything before… before their images fade.” Tears raced down my face and my chest hurt as I rummaged through my bag for a sketchbook and pencil. “The bastards attacked the Witches and killed four of them. One was still alive. I don’t know how since they snapped their necks. And over what? Wanting to talk to the gods. They came through a portal, so they must be Immortals. Then three more nasty-looking Immortals arrived and one of them grabbed me and got inside my head. I hate Immortals. They’re so evil. Just evil.”

  “It’s okay. You’re here now.” Zack patted my arm, but he wore a helpless expression as though not sure how to deal with me. I never cried after a vision.

  I found my book and pencils, and didn’t bother to use the window seats lining the foyer of our school. I sat right there by the entrance and got busy. My hand shook as I struggled to remember and explain what I remembered.

  The redhead’s face stuck in my head more because we’d spoken, so I sketched her first, turned the page and drew the evil Brit and the female leader of his minions. I managed two of the witches before the rest of the images disappeared from my head. I tried images of the three old body snatchers, and I was stumped. I couldn’t remember a damn thing. I knew they were old and… The harder I tried to recall what they’d looked like and what they’d worn the hazier the memories grew. Panicking, I looked at Zack, but he was busy scowling while checking something on his phone.

  “Why can’t I remember what they looked like?”

  “Who?” he asked, looking up from his phone.

  “You’re not listening.”

  “Sorry. I was checking if Hayden… Okay, what is it?”

  “The three Witches who came just before I left. I mentioned them, didn’t I?” I asked, beginning to panic.

  Zack shook his head. “No, just the Witches and their attackers.”

  “There were more Witches. They said something about, uh…” Damn it! “They were old. What’s happening to me?” The memories were fading fast. Yes, the memories of my visions tended to disappear, but never this fast. I knocked my head with my knuckles. “Come on, Celestia. Remember.”

  “Whoa, stop.” Zack pulled my hand, but I slapped him away.

  “No. I have to finish this. I need to remember.”

  “You haven’t drawn anything on that page, Celestia. Look.”

  I stared at the page in shock. There was nothing but squiggles. What was I supposed to be drawing? I turned the pages and saw three Witches, one of them a redhead, the Brit’s face, his female minion. The images helped me remember who they were, but that was it.

  “Okay. Weird. At least I remember what the Witches told them. They took turns saying, uh…” I drew a blank. “They repeated the same words over and over. I should know them by heart.” I stared at Zack, panic setting in. “My memories are fading fast, but I must remember what she”—I tapped at the sketch of the redhead—“told me. This has never happened before.”

  Zack grabbed my arms. “Okay, calm down and tell me what the redhead said. Word for word. Now. Quickly.”

  When I looked at the images, I remembered what they’d said. The second I stopped looking, the words leached away. Panicking, I stared
at each picture and told Zack everything, my tongue tripping.

  “Good. Now, let’s go.” He pushed me toward the auditorium. “Go grab that mic from whoever is talking and tell them. I’ll be right beside you if you forget anything.”

  Just before I entered the auditorium, I remember the Grimnirs. Where were they? I gripped the clasp on my cloak and saw Nara.

  “Go,” she yelled.

  Mrs. Mouton was welcoming the people and explaining about how it was the worst time for the Guild to hold a meeting. There were three men and two women seated behind her, looking very official. I recognized Doctor B from New Orleans. I hadn’t seen him since my return from Hel.

  “Five more Witches were killed tonight, Mrs. Mouton,” I yelled when I got closer to the stage and waved my sketchbook.

  She stopped talking to peer at me. “Celestia! You don’t interrupt me when I’m speaking.”

  “But one of the Witches talked to me before she died.” I glanced at the redhead, her words returning. “We must help the young Witch that talks to the goddesses of destiny. She’s the one they’re after.”

  “You insufferable girl,” Mrs. Mouton snapped. “When I say don’t interrupt—”

  “She does when there’s an emergency,” Zack cut her off and lifted me onto the stage. He followed. “She has something important to share.”

  Mrs. Mouton harrumphed and glared at him. Then her attention shifted to the audience, her smile brittle.

  “And so my fellow sisters and brothers, let’s welcome the chairman of the Guild, Doctor Elias Babatunde.” She clapped, but the buzz of my news was spreading fast and the audience was busy talking, so the applause was only half-hearted. “Everyone calm down.”

  Doctor B left his seat, so I focused on him.

  “Five more Witches were just attacked. One survived, but I don’t know about the others. We have to do something to stop this, Doctor B.”

  “Of course, my dear.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and led me to where Mrs. Mouton stood, glowering. He hugged her.

  “Thank you, Vivian, for that nice welcome.” He took the mic.

  The noise level in the auditorium had risen, but the moment he stood in front of the podium, the audience responded and silence followed. Zack nodded encouragingly. I wished Eirik were here. He made everything seem so easy. I grabbed the runic clasp and my eyes met Nara’s. She sat on the edge of the stage, her feet dangling. For once she wasn’t smirking.

  “You’ll be fine,” she reassured me. “Take a deep breath. Rhys went to get Eirik as soon as you mentioned the three old hags. Those were Norns and they are responsible for your rapid memory loss, so don’t worry about it. That’s what they do. Most people rarely see them in their true form, let alone remember it, so chin up.”

  Interestingly, her words gave me more confidence.

  “Dark times are ahead of us, but we must stay calm, stay focused, and work together for the betterment of our community,” Doctor B said. “There’s no need to panic. We lost five of our sisters in a gruesome way a few nights ago and our community grieves with their families because every Witch lost means there is less magic in the world, especially when there are no bodies to consecrate. Without consecration, our people will lose access to their powers, which flows back to earth.”

  I stared at him with wide eyes. I’d been so busy thinking about re-animation of corpses I never thought of what it meant to the Witches. I could feel the things the redhead Witch had told me grow hazy. I looked at her sketch and hoped Doctor B would hurry up.

  “And now, this young lady has brought us more bad news, and we would like to hear what she has to say.” A murmur rose among the audience. Doctor B waited and silence followed. “Most of you may not know who she is, but I do. I’ve had a chance to visit with Celestia, and her visions are never wrong. She has helped local detectives solve crimes and even prevented some. So, please, let’s listen to what she has to say.” He gave me the mic and nodded encouragingly.

  My mind went blank. I looked at Zack, panic creeping in. “I can’t remember.”

  “Yes, you can,” he said, squeezing my arm. “Take a deep breath and focus. I’ll fill in the blanks or prompt you when necessary.”

  I nodded.

  He grinned. “Remember the first time you had your vision and you were panicking so much you couldn’t formulate your thoughts? That’s what’s happening. I know because you’re clenching your hands and chewing on your lips. Take a deep breath, focus, and do it.”

  “You can do it, Little Witch,” Nara added. “Unless you want to wait for Eirik to hold your hand.” This time she smirked, and I knew she was goading me.

  I didn’t need anyone holding my hand. I glared at her, opened the pages with the sketches, and started talking. I stumbled a few times and Zack helped, but no one spoke as I gave descriptions of the Brit, the woman leader of his group, and the three Witches.

  “I’m sorry I can’t remember the other two or some of the things they said. The goddesses of destiny, Norns, erased some of my memories.” That garnered a buzz. Everyone stopped talking when I repeated what the redhead had said.

  “They sacrificed their lives to protect one of us, and she begged me to find this young Witch who can talk to the Norns and protect her. If they are willing to do this, then we must join the fight. Or this band of killers will continue hurting our community until they find her.” I stared at the audience. “Please, we need to find her and help her. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the Guild and how powerful it once was. They made an official Call whenever a Witch was in trouble, and our people came from around the world to help. We should try one. We must make one.” A buzz swept the room, some people nodding, but the majority looked skeptical. I sighed.

  “Do you want to add anything else?” Doctor B asked.

  I shook my head and gave him the microphone. Then I remembered something I’d meant to ask him. “If anyone has had visions in the last several weeks about this, can we ask them to share what they saw?” I whispered. “Maybe they’ll see why the Call is important.”

  “Wonderful suggestion.” Doctor B smiled and lifted the mic to his lips. “If anyone has had visions of these killings or of the grave robbers, please stand up and share it.”

  Murmurs followed as people rose to their feet.

  “I had one last night,” one woman yelled.

  Doctor B gave Zack the mic, and he jumped down and ran to pass it to the woman. He murmured to her.

  “Thank you, young man,” she said. “My name is Claudia Wren from Kissimmee, Florida. In my vision, I saw one of our sisters die on a rooftop.”

  “Perch Lockwood from Alabama,” a man with a bushy salt and pepper beard said. “I saw two being attacked in the woods.”

  “Three were attacked in my village,” a woman wearing a print dress with a matching scarf wrapped around her head said. “I am visiting relatives in New Orleans, but I’m from Trinadad.”

  More stood. They had come from all over the world.

  A striking Goth girl with green eyes, black and red hair, and multiple piercings on her ears and nose stood. “My name is Gina. We are from Ireland,” she said in a heavy accent. “My sister”—she looked down at a brunette who looked pale and sickly—“Rita is a powerful Seeress. She saw a great battle between these people hunting our people and us. Her visions brought us to New Orleans, and we hope we can find this young Witch. You see, she will heal my sister.”

  A tall man with silver hair stood and cleared his throat. He was in the middle of the row, so Zack used the others to pass him the mic.

  “I don’t know if my vision has anything to do with the dead Witches, but that young girl was in it.” He pointed at me. “I saw a school, a castle where my grandchildren go to school to master their gifts from the gods. And… and…” He started to weep. “They are happy and free. They don’t hide who they are or what they can do. And their teachers are from all over the world.”

  A younger woman consoled the old man and g
ave the mic back to Zack. More people shared their visions. Some involved the Witches dying, others were about the missing dead Witches coming back to life, and some talked about a better future. I kept thinking about the old man’s vision of a school for Witches. That would be awesome.

  “I know the Witch they are after,” a familiar voice called out from the back of the room when the sharing stopped.

  Eirik.

  I searched for him, even stepped away from the podium and peered at the audience. He was back. Was Hayden with him? I started toward him, completely forgetting I was on stage and several feet separated me from the floor. He went into hyper speed and caught me.

  “I got you,” he whispered, burying his face in my nape.

  He did have me. Always. I wound my arms around his shoulders and looked behind him, but I couldn’t see Hayden. “Where is she?”

  “With Zack in the foyer. She is one annoyingly stubborn Immortal.”

  “I knew you would find her,” I whispered. “I just didn’t know it would be this fast.”

  “How did he move like that?” someone yelled, reminding us we weren’t alone.

  “Who is he?”

  More questions followed, as the crowd grew restless.

  “Here we go again,” Eirik murmured and set me down.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll explain everything later. Right now, I want you to trust me. Go with them.” Hayden and Zack were finally inside the auditorium. Her hair was a bit messier than usual and her dress was a little wrinkled, but she was fine. Eirik waited until I was hugging her, then went invisible and reappeared on stage. Just like that, he had everyone’s attention.

  “I got us seats,” Zack said.

  I dragged my eyes from the stage, where Eirik was shaking Doctor B’s hand, and went with them.

  ~*~

  EIRIK

  “Doctor B, I’ve heard so much about you from Celestia.” Since the microphone was on, my voice reached everyone, including the girl I was crazy about. She turned and smiled, but I saw the worry in her eyes. She was probably worried about me. Watching her earlier while she’d talked about her vision and cried had been hard, but I knew she would not have appreciated my interruption. I was still pissed at myself for not being there for her when she needed me. I didn’t know if it was possible to open a portal to an astral image, but I would have tried it to stop the Norns from screwing with her memories.