A Stitch on Time 5

by Yolanda Sfetsos

  “We will never go willingly with a demonic entity eager to sacrifice the very fiber of existence for its greedy ambition.”

  Mace’s mouth stretched into a wicked smile. “Fair enough, it looks like we have to do this the hard way, then.” His lips moved quickly but no words came out. Whatever he chanted caused the other Tailors to pop into the scene and crowd inside the fiery circle. When a multitude of them stood packed together, Mace raised his head and screamed a foreign, guttural command.

  The Tailors morphed into the bubble-shaped spirits.

  Burr was the only one who remained humanoid. “No, don’t do this. You can’t do this to us! This is our home.”

  “It’s too late, it’s already done.” Mace raised his left hand and I spotted a strange ring on his wedding finger.

  “Hecate, I call on you to find us.” Burr lowered his head as if in prayer. “Send one of your children to…”

  Mace’s laughter swallowed the rest of Burr’s words and within seconds, he morphed into a cartoon ghost. Mace pointed the ring and sucked the swirls of the specters into the stone.

  “There, all done.” The former Spook Catcher Council scout glared at the ring like a newly engaged woman.

  I scrutinized the ring, trying to memorize the large precious stone winking different colors. I was pretty sure it was an opal, but I’d never seen one so big. The band was made of thick silver with engraved inscriptions I was too far to see.

  When Mace stepped out of the circle, it disappeared. He strolled away and I watched until I couldn’t see him.

  Burr wiped a hand over the torn section of reality and we were back to our current reality—in the middle of the crossroads. “Now you know how it happened, and who took us.”

  “Why doesn’t he want you here?”

  “Many reasons—some pertaining to you, others to the fact he wants to spoil this sacred ground with a barrage of demonic influence.” He shrugged and his shoulders moved unevenly. “I knew Hecate would make sure someone worthy came to our rescue.”

  “So you think that when Hecate sent one of her children, it was me?” My heart beat so fast I had to take a deep breath to calm it down. The pounding beneath my boots didn’t help. Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump, th-thump-th-thump-th-thump, th-thump-th-thump-th-thump…

  “Of course,” Burr said with an enthusiastic nod. “You are one of her most powerful children, the one who will help balance out this problem the Obscurus is causing.”

  “I—”

  “Why did you go to the building tonight? Why would you enter a place you haven’t ventured into for months? A place that makes you physically ill every time you step inside?”

  “Someone called me. An old friend needed my help.”

  “And you didn’t hesitate?” he asked, eyes shiny with knowledge.

  “How do you know that?”

  “I know just about everything about you, Sierra.”

  I tried not to cringe.

  “You are curious in nature, but driven by your need to rectify injustice and help others.”

  I shook my head. “That doesn’t sound like me.” Most of what I did was to get by, to survive and keep those I cared about safe. My stubbornness didn’t always work, but convincing Gareth to accompany me to the Council had.

  “It sounds exactly like you. Do you have any idea how much you are able to help others, simply by removing harmful spooks from their homes and businesses?” His eyes were narrowed and intense, daring me to look away. “Or how many times you’ve risked your life during the last few months to ensure the patches stay where they’re supposed to?”

  As kind as his words were, I couldn’t help but think of all the collateral damage that went along with this—Benita, Juliet, Ebony—they’d all been killed because of me. The sadness of their loss swept over me, filling me with determination.

  “There will always be innocents caught in the crossfire,” Burr said quietly. “But their passing doesn’t have to become a weakness. Wield it as a weapon.”

  I looked at him and for the first time realized exactly what he meant. And it was true. Loss didn’t have to make me an easier target—it could make me a tougher one.

  “Thank you, Burr.” I would use his advice to help Ebony, find the spook catchers, dodge the Alliance’s order, and to defeat the Obscurus.

  “You are always welcome. I will never speak anything but the truth to you.” He glanced over his shoulder as if he’d heard something I hadn’t. “I need to tell you something very important. That building is a monstrosity, and will scar the city of Sydney into an irreparable state if you don’t eliminate it soon.”

  “I’ve already decided to do that.”

  “Good. The dark energy trapped beneath is dirty and has caused a tear into the abyss, which will implode soon,” he said, a deep frown darkening his features. “It can happen in its own time, or can be provoked. If it happens without your intervention, not only will the building level the majority of the city, but will also sever the network of ley lines crisscrossing beneath.”

  “What does that mean?” His words intensified Lee’s prediction.

  Burr’s waxy skin glistened with beads of sweat. “It means that the intricate circuit of ley lines in this country will be severed.”

  “And why is that a bad thing?”

  “Evil can’t tap into ley lines. They are a natural source of power within the core of the earth and for that reason, only good witches and white magical users can access them.” His face darkened. “Not to mention that if they are severed, this power grid will cease to exist.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense.” Though, it kinda did… If Mace kept all that harmful spook energy inside the Tower, it had to be because he wanted it there. So, was that his plan—to destroy the ley lines? But why would he do that if he wanted to use my gift, and the power stemmed from this source? A piece of the puzzle I hadn’t even realized was missing slid into place.

  Mace didn’t know I had the inherited power yet, and wanted to use it to conjure all of Legion into this patch. What if after he did that, he planned to blast the ley lines?

  If that happened, my link to Hecate would be lost.

  I gasped.

  “It makes sense now, doesn’t it?” Burr asked with one eyebrow cocked.

  I nodded. “That’s what he wants, isn’t it? Mace intends to destroy the building when he’s ready, and in turn will destroy me as well. All he cares about is Legion. That’s all he’s ever wanted.” My thoughts were running rampant. When he tried to cause a rift between the ghostly patch and our world, he’d claimed he wanted spirits to run free, but his true desire was chaos. And to melt all the barriers keeping the patches apart so he could summon the demonic entity. “Why does he care so much about Legion?”

  “Are you familiar with the Exorcism of the Gerasene Demoniac?”

  “Yeah, it’s from the New Testament about how Jesus healed a possessed man in Gadarenes. Legion was the group of demons responsible.”

  Burr looped an arm around mine. “Let’s walk.”

  We strolled away from the crossroads and continued down the street before he started talking again. “The story stated that when this man spotted Jesus from a distance, he dropped to his knees and begged for the prophet to remove the demons.” Burr steered me around some rubble. “But Jesus spoke directly to the demons, asked their name and told them they were to leave the man. The many voices of Legion pleaded not to be sent back to their patch because they wanted to stay, so the savior placed the demoniacs into the bodies of grazing pigs. When every demon had left the man and entered these pigs, the herd of swine were compelled to rush to a nearby lake and drowned.” He paused. “However, what the biblical story doesn’t tell you is that one little piggy made it across the lake, and was still possessed by one of Legion’s minions. The pig eventually came upon a shepherd and transferred itself int
o the unsuspecting man.”

  “Wow, really?” This was a detail I hadn’t read in any of the Legion accounts, and I’d read a few.

  “Yes, indeed. The man was a healthy, strong, attractive fellow. He was lean from working hard in the fields all day, and was married to a local girl. Shortly after being possessed, his entire herd was found slaughtered beside his wife. It was awful and tainted that land for centuries.”

  I tried to catch my breath. “What happened to the shepherd?”

  “Ah, the man became obsessed with recalling his kin and spent several millennia travelling the world in search of an answer—an artifact, a secret society, or even a person to help him. All he needed was a key and a pathway to welcome Legion back into this world.” When he said that, he dropped my arm and turned to face me. “He took counsel from witches, sorcerers, necromancers—anyone able to help him figure out a way to summon Legion.”

  My pulse thundered. “The shepherd was Mace.”

  Burr nodded. “He has kept the same body for so long it’s virtually immortal. He lived through many trying times when secret societies were rife and gave him hope upon hope of finding a solution to his problem. It took a long time, but he eventually stumbled on a group of supernatural creatures interested in summoning demons to this earth and binding them for power, riches, sexual contentment, et cetera.”

  “The Obscurus,” I whispered. No wonder I’d never noticed a dragon tattoo on Mace. I’d seen him naked enough times that if he’d had one, I would have seen it. But now it made sense. He’s not partially possessed or demonic-touched like the others, he is part of Legion.

  “Ah! Now we are talking the same language,” he said with an eager nod. “Those fanatics helped him discover your familial line, which he followed closely until he found you—the one person able to get him what he wants. He’s quite enamored with you. It seems you have captivated him on several levels, and he couldn’t help but introduce himself into your life.”

  I hoped Burr couldn’t see my flaming cheeks. I’d lost my virginity to Mace. My stomach turned at the thought of what he really was. He’d taken advantage of me—a young girl without proper control of her family’s legacy. He’d waited patiently for my development.

  I despised him more than ever.

  “Do you see why it’s imperative that the Obscurus doesn’t get its hands on you?”

  I nodded. Maya and Jonathan already tried to summon Legion via my body. I’d had the misfortune of feeling a portion of the disgusting entity flow out of my mouth. It wasn’t going to happen again. “Don’t worry—this is going to end very soon, I’m sure of it.”

  “Now that you’re connected to Hecate, you are virtually impossible to destroy, but your power can be harnessed and used against you. I need to show you a few things that might help if you find yourself in danger.”

  “Like what?”

  “You have access to a dark patch only you are able to draw when in danger. Demonic entities or those somehow affected by them can follow you inside. A touch of your hand used to be enough to banish them, but now you can do so much more. You can walk between patches, as we do.”

  “Does that make me a land spirit?”

  “Not quite.”

  “But—”

  “You are an entirely different breed. We protect this nation and have done so for many centuries but we also watch over the realms. They must never overflow into each other, so we monitor any changes or threats. It’s why I contacted all of the hunters in this area.” Burr paused to rub a hand over his face. “We are kin, but you are much more than we will ever be.”

  “You’ve said that a few times, what does being kin mean?”

  “We are all Hecate’s children, touched by the Goddess so we can keep the balance. You have already destroyed an evil residing in a very useless patch, and I believe you will do the same to more. We not only monitor the patches and make sure the seams are tightly stitched, but we also locate dangerous patches that are no longer needed. The shadows had to go, and you did a better job than any of us could have imagined.”

  “So I can actually step into other patches and destroy them like I did the shadows?”

  “You most certainly can, and will.” Burr sighed. “After you stop the threat of the Obscurus, you will routinely visit HQ and will help us deal with troublesome and chaotic patches.”

  “Is that why I’m your neophyte?”

  “Exactly! You are very bright and I’m honored to be your sponsor.” Burr chuckled. “I don’t want you to think we are using you, but make no mistake—you, Sierra Fox, are a weapon to be reckoned with.”

  I thought of something. “Mace doesn’t know I’ve already received my familial power, but does he know about my connection to you?”

  “No.”

  “But he knew enough to take you away from where you belong.”

  “He wanted us out because they want to use this land to summon Legion.”

  As we already suspected. “Can I ask you another question?”

  “You can ask as many as you want.”

  “Is it true that the only way to kill Mace is by using a witch’s bottle?”

  “There are other ways, but that one does sound like a good option.”

  “Is that opal ring he wears an option too?”

  “Yes.” Burr rubbed his chin and scrubbed off some of his bottom lip. “Now, it’s time to teach you how to use your dark patch to your advantage.”

  “I already know how to draw it up.”

  “Okay, do it.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes.”

  I shrugged and concentrated until the abandoned part of town was swamped by darkness, leaving only Burr and me. “Why are you still with me?”

  “I’ve been touched by a great many different creatures, demons included.” His pale skin practically glowed. “Besides, I can step into any patch, anywhere. It’s what I do.”

  “Okay, now what?”

  “Release it.”

  The black walls dripped down like water, leaving us where we’d started.

  “Well done,” he said, turning away. “Now, if I was to throw you across the street, how would you use your dark patch?”

  I shrugged. “I wouldn’t.”

  “Maybe you should.” Burr swung back towards me quicker than his tubby body should be able to move, wrapped both chubby hands around my arms and tossed me across the street. “Use it now!”

  I flew through the open space while trying to figure out why the hell he’d done this. My spine hit the ground hard, and all the air rushed out of my lungs, leaving me panting.

  “Ouch.” I’d landed on uneven ground, probably on top of a mound of rubble.

  “Why didn’t you do anything to protect yourself?” Burr glared down at me. “It would have been less painful.”

  “I wasn’t expecting you to throw me.”

  “You must always expect the unexpected.” And just like that, he kicked me in the ribs with so much force I was once again airborne.

  This time I didn’t want to end up helpless and on my back, so while in midair I conjured my dark patch and settled softly on the bottomless ground.

  Burr clapped as he appeared out of nowhere. “That’s much better! Calling on the safety of your own patch makes for a softer landing, doesn’t it?”

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  “You need to remember two things. One, this trick can be used whenever you’re in the kind of trouble that requires a quick exit. And two, your personal patch might be a place where you can vanquish demonic threats, but it’s also a safe haven for you.” A smile widened his large mouth. He looked upward and sighed. “It’s getting late. You should get home.”

  I got to my feet and released my dark patch, wiping dirt from my sleeves and jeans. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea but I didn’t bring my car, and the ca
b left.”

  “Don’t you worry about a thing,” he said. “As soon as you pass the chain-link fence, there will be someone waiting, to make sure you get home safely.”

  “Ah, okay.” I looked at him, suspicious. “Do you have a personal driver, or something?”

  “I suppose so. Now, go on. I’ve got some cleaning up to do around here. They’ve made such a mess of this sacred site.” He encouraged me to move by waving his hands around. “Shoo!”

  I started to walk away, but paused for a moment. “Burr, what will happen when the construction crews actually start building?”

  “It’s the worst thing that can happen, but we’ll do whatever we can to hold them off. This area has been abandoned for decades, and not by accident. We’ve done all we can to keep this spot vacant and forgotten.” Burr met my gaze and his beady eyes were shiny. “It wasn’t until a business called Regalia took notice that everything changed.”

  “Wait a sec. Regalia is building these apartments?”

  “Regalia will indeed build the Legion Apartment complex that will house thousands of people.” Burr scratched his double chin. “This will become Concrete City for Demoniacs.”

  I didn’t like the sounds of that. “See you later, Burr.” I waved as I strolled away.

  “Until next time, Neophyte,” he said.

  As I made my way across the uneven asphalt, I couldn’t help but mull things over. I’d assumed Regalia would be inactive, and certainly hadn’t heard any mention of the company during the will hearing when Willow inherited Eli Moss’s estate. If they were constructing these apartments, someone must have taken control of the business before his death.

  Maya. She’d bragged about using Eli’s organization to start spreading Legion during her botched ritual. Besides, she pretty much controlled him in the end. It had to be her.

  “Sierra!” Burr called when I’d almost reached the end of the road. “Thank you for saving and returning us to our rightful place. You are always welcome here, so do not hesitate to stop in whenever you need anything.”

  “Okay, thanks.” As I looked at him over my shoulder, the other Tailors took shape—all of them with painted smiles and waving like eager clowns at a circus. It wasn’t until I’d crossed under the chain-link fence that they vanished.